Which bow for new bowhunter?

[bigjeepman]

My 20 yr old son is seriously thinking about bowhunting. He is a very good hunter now with great instincts and takes everything he does serious enough that he always wants to be the best he can be at what he is doing. He likes new challenges and bowhunting would certainly be all of that but it would also extend his hunting season for whitetails. He is 5'10", weighs about 165lbs and very athletic. Not sure if you needed that info or not.

The question I have is what do you recommend for him as I have never bow hunted either?

1. Which bow company do you recommend ... Mathews, Bowtech, Hoyt, etc? Why?

2. What make and model accessories would you add to it?

3. What kind of arrows, etc?

[longwinters]

BigJeepMan,

Wha!  You are asking some potentially long winded questions. :lol:  Concerning bow make, I prefer Mathews because I have not seen another out there that I like better for quality, speed and accuracy.  But really any of the major namebrands are excellent.  More important is to get one that he can shoot comfortably and get someone who really knows their stuff to teach him correct form and followthrough.  I would also start him using a release right off of the bat.  He will get better shooting a lot faster than with just using fingers.  For accessories:  a good sight. arrow rest and quiver. As well as a comfortable release, probably one that you would use a wrist strap with, not hand held.  For arrows, aluminum or carbon are fine as long as they are the correct spine and length for the poundage he is shooting and the right length for his setup.  

Like I said, you have to find somebody that really does know their stuff, not must somebody who thinks they do.  Maybe go to a proshop in your area, or several of them, and see what they recommend.  If you do this you can save an awful lot of learning the hard way like we did 25 years ago.  You never know, you may both get the bug for archery

Long

[bigjeepman]

longwinters ...

After reading my post again, I guess I did ask a lot of questions to you guys who are knowledgeable about bow hunting. I appreciate your reply and I think you gave good sound advice. I work part-time in a gun shop (because of my love for firearms/shooting/some hunting) but we carry nothing for the archer. We do however have some pretty good shops in the area that cater to the bowhunter.

I think getting a good start and advice from someone who really does know what they are talking about is very important. Thanks ....

[Redhawk1]

I am an avid bow hunter for about 25 years, but when my son got ready for bow hunting, I took him to the bow shop and had them set him up and work with him. Then I took over. I wanted him to learn the correct way to shoot and handle a bow, I was self taught and learned some bad habits I had to break. He started at 14 and now is 16. I just got him a new Mathews bow and stared him on a release. We both use aluminum arrows, I just can't buy into the carbon thing. I have had great success with aluminum arrows. I also use a release. My son can shoot very well out to 40 yards, but I told him to limit himself to 30 because he is more consistent at that range. The key to good shooting is a lot of practice. I have a Glen dale buck, 2 sure stop targets and a very large 24 x24 x 48 block target. I shoot almost everyday for at least an hour or two. Weather permitting. What I have found to help is, when my son shoots with me, we have a competition to see who can hit more dots on the target. It is great for your practice and it make it interesting. You may want to consider a bow as well.  both of us shoot Mathews and I would not change for the world. They are great bows. IMHO.  :grin:

[pete w]

Without getting to much into brands there are some considerations other than price.
Find a bow with the best warranty,some have lifetime, like Champion.
Find a bow that has an adjustable cam for draw length like the Kodiak.You can adjust this one from 26 to 30" without a press, just loosen 2 screws and rotate the module.[I have a review on Kodiak KO32 on my site}
if the cam is not adjustable get one that uses modules.This  makes fine tuning draw length easier and cheaper than having to replace the cam like on a mathews.
Another very good bow I shoot and have reviewed is the Intensity from firebrand.Excellent Bow!!
Look for a bow with a 295+ IBO sped rating.this way you won't want to upgrade so soon.

A wrist type release is best for hunting.I like the Cobra Armstrong and trufire Hurricane.{see reviews on these on my site too]

For sights there are lots of good ones, the brighter fiber optic's are best. {more reviews on my site]

There are lots of good and not good rests. The whisker biscuit is a great hunting rest,{more reviews }and the drop away's are great too.I use the NAP quick tune .

A beginner will break a lot of arrows hiting the side of the target.Carbon are the best for taking abuse.People think they are expensive but they are not if you choose the right brand.Easton epic and excell are as good as any and cost less than aluminum and last 10 times longer.

Get a good peep site without the rubber band aligner.Those rubbers break and can hit you in the eye!!NOT A GOOD EXPERIENCE!!!The larger the peep the better for hunting.Small peeps are no good at dusk.

For stabilizers I prefer the short ones that dampen sound/vibration.I have several reviews on these too, the Doinker Chubby or Chorty seem best to me.

Try out bows at shops that have models in the price range you are looking for.

Packages are not good deals as they have low end accesories like sights/rests that you will be changing before the year is over.

Every PRO SHOP only sells the best!!!LOL
{just like cars}They will look after your wallet better than your bow.
You decide what you want.
STARTER BOWS ARE OLD TEC AND OBSOLETE BEFORE YOU GET THEM

Most demo bows at shops are turned down to make them feel real easy to draw, make sure the bow is scaled to the draw you want when you test it.

[Redhawk1]

Without getting to much into brands there are some considerations other than price.
Find a bow with the best warranty,some have lifetime, like Champion.
Find a bow that has an adjustable cam for draw length like the Kodiak.You can adjust this one from 26 to 30" without a press, just loosen 2 screws and rotate the module.[I have a review on Kodiak KO32 on my site}
if the cam is not adjustable get one that uses modules.This  makes fine tuning draw length easier and cheaper than having to replace the cam like on a mathews.
Another very good bow I shoot and have reviewed is the Intensity from firebrand.Excellent Bow!!
Look for a bow with a 295+ IBO sped rating.this way you won't want to upgrade so soon.

A wrist type release is best for hunting.I like the Cobra Armstrong and trufire Hurricane.{see reviews on these on my site too]

For sights there are lots of good ones, the brighter fiber optic's are best. {more reviews on my site]

There are lots of good and not good rests. The whisker biscuit is a great hunting rest,{more reviews }and the drop away's are great too.I use the NAP quick tune .

A beginner will break a lot of arrows hiting the side of the target.Carbon are the best for taking abuse.People think they are expensive but they are not if you choose the right brand.Easton epic and excell are as good as any and cost less than aluminum and last 10 times longer.

Get a good peep site without the rubber band aligner.Those rubbers break and can hit you in the eye!!NOT A GOOD EXPERIENCE!!!The larger the peep the better for hunting.Small peeps are no good at dusk.

For stabilizers I prefer the short ones that dampen sound/vibration.I have several reviews on these too, the Doinker Chubby or Chorty seem best to me.

Try out bows at shops that have models in the price range you are looking for.

Packages are not good deals as they have low end accesories like sights/rests that you will be changing before the year is over.

Every PRO SHOP only sells the best!!!LOL
{just like cars}They will look after your wallet better than your bow.
You decide what you want.
STARTER BOWS ARE OLD TEC AND OBSOLETE BEFORE YOU GET THEM

Most demo bows at shops are turned down to make them feel real easy to draw, make sure the bow is scaled to the draw you want when you test it.

A lot of good info here. I don't choose carbon arrows not due to cost, I buy a dozen new arrows every year so I have new practic arrows and new hunting arrows. I shot the old ones tell they are no longer straight. I prefer a thicker arrow and the carbons are just to thin. But you will make that choice. Shooting my bow is a lot less expensive than shooting my guns. I can't reshoot my lead. LOL