General Archery questions-Head is spinning-So much Stuff

[Jesse Jaymes]

I'll try to not make this a rant...and see if I can paint an accurate picture. My overall question is: does archery hunting have to be so complicated? Is the majority of this stuff simply Gack...because Archery is a huge passion and that's what makes it "Fun" for ya'll?

I drew a pretty nice Archery tag for Montana elk. I've never shot an elk. I've never been on a "decent" hunt. I generally see it as a Pipe Dream and choose to burn my vacation on Waterfowl and Deer. I hunt solo 99% of the time...and that's only if I offer to take others out to hunt Waterfowl. A much more Social endeavor.

I am a die hard Gun Nerd. Shoot LR and have competed in local shoots.

I shot quite a few 3D shoots. To include the IBO Triple Crown a few years ago and won it......but simply because not that many people cared to attend all 3 shoots after I won the 1st.

Currently have a few bows. And would normally shoot daily when I had the bug, But I was much more a Shooter. I really don't care to shoot game with a bow....which is just the opposite for most archery fanatics. Most guys sell off their guns and go 100 Archery. I am just wired backward I guess.

I've been frustrated for a LONG time with bow performance. The Tuning. I've given up TONS of points on the course with what are probably easy fixes for a bow savvy tech guy. My lefts and rights always suffer. Bows would go out of Tune and lose their "Magic".

I am ready to invest in a new bow. I am a Lefty and way behind the curve. Think my newest bow is a '16 Hoyt HyperEdge that I was going to dedicate to Foam.

The only bow that really does much for me (specs wise) is the PSE NXT Evo....of which there is a 70lb Left on the wall locally. I like the 7" BH and the reviews seem pretty great. And I was going to swear to myself that if I get back into the Archery game...I was going to learn all the bow mechanix and tuning myself, buy a bow press and do it right. But I'm honestly intimidated.

You Archery Nerds (affectionate term....as I am Gun Nerd) are head over heels with this stuff. Inserts, Outserts, Ballistic Collars, Deep Six, Deep Seven.....etc. Seems like if you don't have a $2000 bow...which will be outdated next month....shooting a $53 arrow after it's topped with an Iron Will.....and Elk will not tip over.

For many years I ran Gold Tip Hunter Pro .001". Then FOC became a Thing to get wrapped around the axle over. So I added some screw in weights to each insert. Maybe I ran simple 100 grain Rage mechanicals. Always wanted to keep points 100gr as they were the most common. Now I am seeing 150s...200s....250s.

In conclusion....I am basically asking "Is this mostly the Gack that Archer's enjoy bickering over"? and it doesn't need to be this complicated? Is there a 30-06 or 6.5Creed combo to Fast Track?

I skimmed through the Bredan thread about tuning from 2017. I am honestly floored at that level of accuracy and shooting. Well beyond my level. I'll be 50 this summer. My dominant left eye overtaking a quickly fading right eye. Shooting dots on targets at 60 yards isn't nearly as easy as it once was. It actually took much of my love of shooting a bow....away. Reading about the peep diameters and less glare, all that would really make a difference in my personal comfort level of shooting and improve my accuracy I feel. But it seems like endless Trial and Error. And like there is no other way that to go in Whole Hog and become an uber Archery Nerd. Am I way off?

 

[dkime]

Start by stating the criteria of success that you want to achieve and archery and work backward. Pretty easy to go hunting and stack animals while not going whole hog.

 

[5MilesBack]

Seems like if you don't have a $2000 bow...which will be outdated next month....shooting a $53 arrow after it's topped with an Iron Will.....and Elk will not tip over.

I just bought a 2006 Bowtech Old Glory in LH for $200. I feel like a kid coming out of the candy store........and I already own a 2006 Old Glory.....LOL. Mine has seen a lot and killed a lot and this bow is in MUCH better shape. I'm really looking forward to getting it dialed in and possibly hunting with it this September. And those aren't even my main bows.

No you don't need a $2000 bow and all the best equipment to kill elk. I have a buddy that's still shooting a bow from the 80's or early 90's I think, and aluminum arrows tipped with Muzzy BH's and he's an elk killer. He's not very picky........but he kills elk. It's all a matter of how much you want to put into it........effort and money. When I first started I was pretty darn intimidated, but once I got started.......within a week I was shooting at 60 yards and slapping some arrows together. Shot my first archery bull that September and I haven't looked back since. I've gone head first into it all though. So ya, I get into all the details as well, and expect perfection from my equipment.

 

[Fatcamp]

Check out the entries in the "Cold Bow Challenge" thread and get back to us. Only a small portion of archers take it to the level you are talking about. Most of us do it because it opens opportunity.

 

[vanish]

You're way overthinking this.

 

[Samdemarais]

Screw/ glue something sharp on the end of a stick and go hunt. For the nerds it a passion so we get into the weeds.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

Start by stating the criteria of success that you want to achieve and archery and work backward. Pretty easy to go hunting and stack animals while not going whole hog.

Game killing accuracy (deer) at 60 with broadheads

 

[Arctic Hunter]

Don’t over think it. Going off the rails with FOC, arrow weight, and tuning usually causes a lot of headaches after you reach a certain point.

Some of us are students of the game and always chase perfection through equipment, when we should probably spend more time learning to be the guy behind the bow.

it is fun though. At least I’m not hanging out in bars. Unless there’s somebody there who wants to talk about bows.

 

[dkime]

Game killing accuracy (deer) at 60 with broadheads

Take that Hyper edge (if you still have it) screw on some slick tricks or muzzys to your GT pro hunters. Yoke tune the bow. Go hunting

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

I get that. Not at all Bashing. I am a closet Fan of the nerdy tuning. I wish I could do it. Like I said....I've stacked a ton of 8s on courses that were easy 10s. My form is good. My mechanics are good. I can shoot. But I've done it with a box stock bow for years. Or close to it. I've fought peeps that rotate. Arrows that fishtail. DL that is too long or too short that is a new mod purchase (Elite).

Everything is a "wasted" Saturday afternoon at the Bow Shop....if you can find one within an hour and wait in line for a kid to jack w your stuff.

Really need to just get my own press and learn myself. But even the cheapest press is $400.

But I can appreciate watching the nock sail straight and true and drop into the yellow at 100 yards just like watching the vapor trail drop in on an 800 yard plate. Envious.

 

[doncarpenter]

Don’t over think it. Going off the rails with FOC, arrow weight, and tuning usually causes a lot of headaches after you reach a certain point.

Some of us are students of the game and always chase perfection through equipment, when we should probably spend more time learning to be the guy behind the bow.

it is fun though. At least I’m not hanging out in bars. Unless there’s somebody there who wants to talk about bows.

It's like you're in my head!

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

 

[cjdewese]

I will say for me when I first started I knew that I lived at least an hour and 45 minutes from the closest bow shop and I really enjoy working on my own stuff cars bikes house etc so I knew I would enjoy working on my bow. Trying to get everything tuned before my first hunting season by myself last year was tough and at times pretty frustrating. I'm not saying I'm perfect now but I've taken the time to buy a bow press and learn basic paper tuning and tie my own d loop, peep and just put on my first set of strings by myself as well. Im definitely still learning but it's way more satisfying having an issue with your bow/tune working on it by yourself then seeing the success of that work.

 

[Billy Goat]

It's not as difficult as it sounds. A lot of the things are similar to neck tension, sorting by case weight, neck turning, etc. It helps increase accuracy, but in practical hunting is it required?

Kinda boils down to what you are really wanting out of it.

60 yards and respectable broadhead groups aren't that hard.

 

[dkime]

I get that. Not at all Bashing. I am a closet Fan of the nerdy tuning. I wish I could do it. Like I said....I've stacked a ton of 8s on courses that were easy 10s. My form is good. My mechanics are good. I can shoot. But I've done it with a box stock bow for years. Or close to it. I've fought peeps that rotate. Arrows that fishtail. DL that is too long or too short that is a new mod purchase (Elite).

Everything is a "wasted" Saturday afternoon at the Bow Shop....if you can find one within an hour and wait in line for a kid to jack w your stuff.

Really need to just get my own press and learn myself. But even the cheapest press is $400.

But I can appreciate watching the nock sail straight and true and drop into the yellow at 100 yards just like watching the vapor trail drop in on an 800 yard plate. Envious.

I've gotta be honest man, if you won the IBO triple crown I am pretty sure you know the answers to all the questions you're asking. I cut my teeth on IBO when I lived back East, shooting a qualifying score for the triple crown didn't take much back in the day, but winning it meant you had to have your stuff together. If you won it without any tuning prowess, you have already proven to yourself how negligible being a good "bow tech" really is. And Im not doubting you, there are plenty of top level guys who gladly hand their bows over to their shops to have them setup

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

I had a mechanic at that time. He is far too busy to dick around now and 2.5 hours away. Good buddy and friend...just overwhelmed.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

.....and I hung it up after not being able to get my schit tuned and dial and frustrated with my 8s and not being able to fix them.


Along with "paying for trophies". If you have more money than God....you can buy your way to the Top 5 in any discipline. Long Range Steel, Foam, Xs....whatever. Money and Equipment generally trump skill and grit in my opinion. In the Gaming....it's often the Arrow and not quite as much Indian.

 

[dkime]

So you're telling me that Levi bought all those championships that he shot with a multitude of brands? You don't need 400$ for a press, buy a portable cable press and have at it.

 

[Billy Goat]

I have seen several try to buy their way.


They don't make it in the popular classes.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

No....Levi is Special and legit. As are many of the Pros. But start pimping me Staff Shooter goods and unlimited arrows, sights, tools, presses, etc along with a mechanic who can make a bow shoot and tune....and LOTS will begin to stomp on the local weekend shoots. I'd take a free Dudley tuned Lefty PSE....and probably do well.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

I'll pose a simple question. I've shot big Elite bows for a while. The E35 shot itself. I liked the specs. I snagged a used Option 6 to try out. Developed the worst carmel tunnel ever. Assumed it was from heavy bench press and chest work. It was that bow and the twang.

I've read the larger BH is more forgiving. Is that true and worth chasing a 7" BH bow if buying new? Now it seems 6.5" is "Large BH".

That gonna cause more tuning issues and be less forgiving or it's irrelevant and only the design and components cause tuning issues?

I am not really married to any one brand if shopping new. Nothing is local and Lefty. I can't try anything before ordering. Other than the PSE NXT EVO if it's still around this weekend.