New to archery and looking for advice

[Vertroa]

Hi friends, as the title says I am new to archery. I have been inspired from binge watching seasons of Alone and Cam Hanes videos (hopefully that does not earn me any hate as I don't know how the archery community feels about those two things). In any case, I dig any hobbies that gets me outside and adventuring. My goal is to begin with target practice and move onto small game hunting once I am fully confident in my ability. I have read through the beginner guides on the sidebar which were very helpful, but I have a few additional questions.

1. I have no qualms with investing in a new hobby. However I don't think it make sense for me to purchase the top of the line Hoyt as I won't understand or leverage all the features of such a bow. However I still want to purchase a quality bow to begin honing my skills. How much should I spend on my first compound bow? What brand or model would you recommend?
2. I live in the Portland, OR area and have identified a few clubs and pro shops nearby. Are there any locals here that would recommend any of the nearby shops?
3. Is there any other advice your would give someone walking into the pro shop for the first time?

Thanks!

 

[Seth]

For starting out, don’t get caught up in chasing the latest, greatest bows. My 10 year old PSE killed this year’s elk just as dead as a new bow would have.

A good pro shop will help get you into a proper fitting bow. This is key to developing good form and getting off to the right start. Shoot several bows by different companies and see which feels better to you. To keep from developing bad habits early, a portion of your bow budget may be better spent on lessons/coaching to develop good form from the start.

As with all hobbies, you can go as deep down the rabbit hole as you choose.

 

[TheBootBowhunting]

Ive been bowhunting since I was 14. Itll get in your bones.

1) Id buy a mid level bow, or about a 3-4 year old used flagship bow (preferably one in a shop you can put your hands on and shoot so you know its good to go) or maybe from someone on archery talk that has plenty of positive feedback. Some shops sell used bows, old stock, consignments, etc. Spend your money on good accessories (sights, rests, stabs). Quality accessories will last you through many bows. Generally speaking, a decent bow with more expensive accessories will serve you better than a new flagship with low end accessories if you are limiting yourself on budget. Bow technology has reached a level where its advanced to the point that year to year changes are relatively minor. Generally bow companies will tweak a few things to say they did, offer different axle to axle lengths, etc. Some years theyll focus on speed. Some years smoother draw. But ultimately, the technology just isnt changing these days as much as it did 10 years ago. Any of the major companies (Mathews, Hoyt, PSE, Bowtech, Prime, etc) will have good bows to choose from in the mid range and flagships that are a few years old.

2) If it gets in your bones, start learning how to set up your own bow. It is expensive to accumulate a press, vice, bitz, arrow saw, paper tuning stand, etc - but no one is going to care about your bows set up more than you do. Work some OT, pick things up a little at a time. Theres youtube videos from Dudley, Lancaster, Last Chance, etc that will walk you through literally everything you need to know. There seems to be a trend of bow shops losing their way as far as service - maybe you have a good one close by - even if you do, at minimum Id learn how to fletch your own arrows. But I think not having to worry if a shop is open, how long itll take them to do it, etc is worth taking the time to piece together the tools you need to take care of your own stuff. I go to the bow shop, order or pick up the bow and leave. I do all the work on my own.

3) Walking into a pro shop the first time, its been so long that its hard to remember. But Id say, if you were lucky youd go in there while they were kind of busy and you can see how they treat people. Id make sure they took the time to get your draw length correct, etc. Its just like anywhere else, you know what good service looks like. You can tell if someone cares about what they do.


Its something that grips you though, and it wont take long. Youll know relatively quickly if its something you will stick with. Good luck in the process!

 

[Arctic Hunter]

Go to a good shop. It’s worth a two or three hour drive to go to somebody reputable. Shoot what they have and decide on one that feels good to you. I personally wouldn’t start out any other way. A lot of companies are introducing new bows right now, so you might find a deal on an older model. Some even sell used bows.

Eventually, you might want to buy your own equipment. Depending on how much you like to tinker.

 

[fatlander]

Being completely new, it’s going to save you a lot of time and money if someone that knows what they’re doing and is local to you can help you out.

Hopefully someone that lives near you will chime in with a good shop suggestion.

Buying used is awesome if you know what you need and have what you need to work on it. Most guys don’t have that luxury, let alone guys starting out. You either need a friend that has the knowledge and tools or a great shop to steer you in the right direction.


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[5MilesBack]

1. Is there any other advice your would give someone walking into the pro shop for the first time?

Make sure you walk into a good one......LOL.

I'm LH with an almost 33" draw length so I knew I needed help from the start, as I knew nothing about archery or bow hunting. I asked around locally for recommendations and someone told me about a shop. The day I checked it out they were closed, but while I was standing there reading the info on the door the owner (a Pro shooter) came and opened it. He was there getting some stuff done. We spent four hours talking and that couldn't have worked out better.

I shot some bows and the first shot I was worried about even hitting the 4 foot target 10 yards away. I ordered a bow and within a week of it showing up I was comfortably shooting out to 60 yards. Ended up shooting a bull 3 months later in September from 71 yards, and it's been an incredible passion and experience since. The archery part came very quickly for me, but I had to work on the bowhunting part. I haven't shot a big game animal anywhere near that distance since, and that was 14 years ago. Within two years I had all the equipment and have been doing all my bow and arrow work myself.

If you can't find a good pro shop, at least find someone that can help you understand it all. Starting out right makes a huge difference in the success and direction of your quest. Good luck.

 

[Billy Goat]

@OR Archer

Hopefully he can chime in, he is pretty familiar with the Bow Rack, a shop not too far from you. I can't recommend them per say, or any other shop in your area since I'm on the otherside of the country. They have a good reputation tho.


I'd say don't get hung up on brands, try to shoot several bows to find what you like.


Also small game in my opinion is more of an experts quarry, smaller targets. I'd advise spending some time in target archery and then pursue a quarry of medium size that you can have reasonable opportunity at. Or just chase squirrels in the park, that would be fun too.

Point is be ethical in your pursuits, just cause it's a small animal doesn't mean it deserves any less respect.

 

[OR Archer]

Hi friends, as the title says I am new to archery. I have been inspired from binge watching seasons of Alone and Cam Hanes videos (hopefully that does not earn me any hate as I don't know how the archery community feels about those two things). In any case, I dig any hobbies that gets me outside and adventuring. My goal is to begin with target practice and move onto small game hunting once I am fully confident in my ability. I have read through the beginner guides on the sidebar which were very helpful, but I have a few additional questions.

1. I have no qualms with investing in a new hobby. However I don't think it make sense for me to purchase the top of the line Hoyt as I won't understand or leverage all the features of such a bow. However I still want to purchase a quality bow to begin honing my skills. How much should I spend on my first compound bow? What brand or model would you recommend?
2. I live in the Portland, OR area and have identified a few clubs and pro shops nearby. Are there any locals here that would recommend any of the nearby shops?
3. Is there any other advice your would give someone walking into the pro shop for the first time?

Thanks!

1. Lots of good mid level bows these days. You can get a lot of bow for your money in the $700 price point for the bow.
2. if you want to stay in your area for a purchase I’d visit Archery World and XXX Archery. Archery world will have the most bow brands.
if you’re willing to travel The Bow Rack in Springfield would be my first suggestion.
3. When you visit any shop don’t be in a rush to purchase a bow. Take some time with each bow. Don’t let them pressure you into a bow purchase. Wait until everything comes out in January then go check everything out. Until then do some research.

 

[Dave3c]

I have a good friend and his adage is buy once, cry once. I wish I had figured out that a long time ago. You can skimp on things multiple times and when it is all said and done you could have bought a top of the line product.

Of course you know your finances better than us. If you are just testing the waters, then get a cheap bow. Some even come in kits with sights and actress included. A couple of guys already mentioned where to find those. There many great bows out there as there are a lot of guys I know that seem to buy a new bow ever year or so. They often offload their old ones for a reasonable price. The one item that you should not skimp on is the release. This might be the most important piece of gear you will buy. A lot of different ones out there so do your research. Shoot a few different ones. See what you like and then get to shooting and work on your form and anchor point.

If you think you are all in then a couple trains of thought come to mind. Get a cheaper bow (not necessarily quality) and add high end accessories as you can afford them (sights, stabilizer, quiver, etc) or buy a quality bow up front and then add the better accessories later. It takes the sting out of doing it all at once. Or the final option is to rip the bandaid off and take the plunge all at once. This one stings but in the end might be the most cost effective. It’s like a mortgage or car payment. Lower payments often lead to paying more in interest over the life of the loan. In the end if you paid more up front you would have actually saved money. At least that is how I justify it to my wife. Lol.

Take your time and test out the bows at bow shops. You might have to go to a few as some only sell certain brands. Keep an open mind as some bow shops swear by one brand and discount everything else. I have had multiple surgeries and needed to find a smooth drawing bow so I tested a lot out. No two are the same. It is like finding a glove or shoe that fits perfectly. Think about what type of hunting are you going to be doing. Elk with a lot of hiking (weight) or whitetail in a stand (axle to axle length). Your style of hunting dictates a lot of factors to look for in a bow. Or maybe you just want to target shoot which could be a whole other bow setup.

Best of luck. There are a lot of shooters on here with a vast amount of experience. Soak it in.


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[Vertroa]

Thank you for all the tips and advice guys. I am going to go to the pro shop this weekend. I still haven't decided if I want to go all out or just buy a mid range bow. I am a buy once, cry once type of guy so I'll think about it.

 

[Shawn_Guinn]

I’m from your area originally, but I can’t stand my home ground any longer so I left before I lost my mind lol. In your area I would recommend archers afield in Tigard or g4 of hwy 26 but last year I was visiting I thought g4 had become more of a gun shop. I did buy my new bow at archers afield (no sales tax) and drove it back to Idaho. My brother and niece who are novices both got setup with entry level stuff there this last year and received better than average coaching. I highly recommend Sylvan Archers for a club. Top notch layout access card gated other than family it’s my biggest miss living in Oregon. I shot 3 d or field rounds 3 to 4 days a week when weather was decent.

 

[TheBootBowhunting]

Thank you for all the tips and advice guys. I am going to go to the pro shop this weekend. I still haven't decided if I want to go all out or just buy a mid range bow. I am a buy once, cry once type of guy so I'll think about it.

Just to give you an idea....'all out' is going to be around 2k-2500, one of my setups listed. Its quite an investment, but if you are going buy one/cry once, this is a general idea of costs. Some people will prefer Mathews Integrate/Vapor Trail/QAD rests or Spot Hogg/Axcel Sights/HHA sights etc, but once you get to this level of accessories, youre for the most part splitting hairs on performance and it just comes down to personal preference in finding what works best for you. This is generally about what youre looking at with a 'buy once, cry once' fully new set up. If you want a carbon bow, add 500ish. Im not saying you need to do it this way. You can buy mid level, used flagship, used mid level, used accessories, etc and save $. But going into a bow shop, buying everything new......

Mathews VXR 28 - 1100
Hamskea Hybrid Hunter Pro - 160
Black Gold Mountain Lite Custom 5 pin with widowmaker head - 275ish
Mathews Arrow Web HD - 150
Mathews Flatline 8" - 140
Mathews Flatline 6" - 130
Shrewd Atlas V Bar Mount - 100


Thats not including arrows, broadhead and release.

Dozen arrows are going to cost you around 120-150.

Broadheads about 50-100 bucks. I use QAD exodus at about 50, Iron Wills are going to be about 100. Be mindful about the laws of the state you plan on hunting regarding mechanicals/fixed broadheads.

And as mentioned before, the release might be the most important and also personal preference part of the set up and I wouldnt skimp on that even if you decide to go mid level. Youre looking at 120ish to a couple hundred bucks for a good release.

Stabilizers are going to take some time to find out what you prefer. Some people dont use them at all. Some people just out front, etc. For me, 8/6 on a hunting setup works best. Just starting out, Id maybe go with an 8 or 10 out front for a hunting set up. Then as you shoot youll start learning what you need to add or take away as far as length and weights.

The rabbit hole is endless. Even buying a buy once, cry once set up, you might still tinker with rests, releases, stabilizers. Its an obsession without a doubt once you get hooked.

 

[Wahooo03]

I was in your shoes last winter. Brand new. Knew nothing (still know very little). I bought used Vertix (~$600) and took it in to a nearby shop after reading up on them. They set it up for me and got me outfitted with a basic kit so that I wouldn't lose my S if I broke something, which I have. From there I really focused on form and watched most if not all of Dudley's Nock On videos to start building good habits. Cant recommend those enough.

After that, it was just repetition and good practice, occasionally recording my form to compare online. Absolutely love shooting my bow and hunting. My rifles have been collecting dust. Got my first archery buck (Blacktail) this fall. It's definitely addictive.