New Archery Hunter

[Farmer79]

I have 14yo son wanting to start archery hunting. I have hunted all my life but never archery. I know there are guys on here who have forgotten more about archery hunting than I will ever know. He wants to hunt whitetail mainly. I am not looking for new necessarily as his desire may diminish before the season is over, teenager. Ideas on what to look for or to stay away from? Or any used setups out there? TIA

 

[rkcdvm]

Go to an actual archery pro shop . They will have some used gear and can correctly set it up.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Bear, Diamond, Elite, Hoyt, Mission, PSE all make good youth bows that have a wide range of draw length/weight adjustability. Starting out with a proper draw length and fairly light draw weight is important for learning good form and being able to shoot accurately. I would recommend visiting a local bow shop to have your son's draw length measured and see what makes/models the shop carries.

 

[Farmer79]

Go to an actual archery pro shop . They will have some used gear and can correctly set it up.

Thanks

 

[SuspiciousFish]

I second going to a local archery pro shop. I would stay away from Craigslist and Ebay for bows unless you really know what you are doing. Often times a used bow has an immediate $200 charge once you get it to replace the strings and retune. Also, dont go crazy on expensive accessories. You can get a good 3 pin sight for $30 and a whisker biscuit for $40. Dont skimp on the release though and really take your time picking one out. Your release is a very personal thing and is your connection to your bow so really make sure its one that feels good.


Also, make sure you really enjoy shooting a bow and arrow and are willing to make it part of your life. Bow hunting is extremely difficult with a low success rate so if you only shoot a few times a year just to hunt then you are going to get burned out. However, if you find you love target shooting and its something you enjoy all year then its more fun to finally take your bow into the woods and hunt an animal instead of paper.

 

[camelcluch]

4H is a good place to look if it’s in your area. The pro shop is great and I would recommend a few lessons with a good instructor. That will be the best money you will spend. As for hunting, look at your states bow hunter association. They should be a great resource to help you get started.

 

[Rocky723]

Definitely a local pro shop would be your best bet. They can figure out everything while you guys are there(Draw length, draw weight, preferred bow). When you go, ask as many questions as you possibly can and don't be afraid to ask about stuff even if it seems like its stupid. You have never archery hunted before so you simply don't know there is no problem with that. Also make it fun for him. If you make it seem like a chore to go and get him a bow and everything then it will ruin it for him.

 

[Farmer79]

Definitely a local pro shop would be your best bet. They can figure out everything while you guys are there(Draw length, draw weight, preferred bow). When you go, ask as many questions as you possibly can and don't be afraid to ask about stuff even if it seems like its stupid. You have never archery hunted before so you simply don't know there is no problem with that. Also make it fun for him. If you make it seem like a chore to go and get him a bow and everything then it will ruin it for him.

Thanks, sometimes it is hard to ask the "simple" questions more so than the in depth ones. Appreciate the help

 

[timmymac24]

No clue where you live but local archery clubs can also be a great resource. Some hold 3D shoots that both my kids loved growing up when they were into archery. As I was told by many guys enjoy it while they are still shooting because high school comes and they will be on their way to other sports and interests. Sadly they both did that but we still have the memories, trophies, and photos.