Bow Hunting Advice

our crossbow season is in our archery season out here, sept- nov with the exception of black powder.


for releases i always used a wrist strap style, easy to keep in place and cant drop it out if its on your hand. used to put mine on before i left the house. nothing like getting in your stand and realizing your release is at the house..

 

for releases i have switched to a spot hogg wise guy and love it!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

i like the wiseguy..but the hook releases.

i like the double action caliper for one reason..i can clip it on, keep my finger behind the trigger and it stays put.

with the wiseguy..say an animal is approaching slow..can you hook it on and it will stay? or do you have to maintain a constant, slight rearward pressure to keep it on the d-loop?

i wanted to try one..but i decided to stay put. it looks great, and that is the finest trigger out there.

 

actually, they make a strap for them, I'm just too cheap to buy one.....I need to

like this

this is a different release, but they all attach the same way....actually, the caliper version of this one is really awesome.....best I have shot. As long as it isn't a back tension release....I hate those



Oh, and the freeflight release are kick ass too, I have one, but it doesn't work on my current bow, mine is a string release model. They reduce how much the draw weight feels like

 

Ya some of the guys I hunt with use the bottom pic one I like em. As for the other one the owner of the shop uses that style for competition

 

OP sorry for the thread clogging, this def turned into a huge thing.

But I just talked to my buddy, he said elite keeps their stuff very spread out, and the best thing to do is go on their website and type in it zip and it'll give the closest one.

http://www.elitearchery.com/dealer-locator/

Check on the answer and the hunter. He said he's been selling those like crazy and he uses a hunter. Even shooting it right handed I'm pretty good with it. Hes outstanding an can hit a beer can at 120 almost every time.

 

i went from a caliper release to the wise guy and i was kind of skeptical about the same issue as you. what i have found is this. i keep it very close to my loop but i do not hook the loop until i ready to draw. what i like is this way if for some reason i need to move my hand at all, i just move it and not have to unhook it. i have gotten so use to it that i can hook onto my string loop without looking at it. the other thing i love about it is the trigger, it is like having a jeweled gun trigger. no movement at all until it goes off and you can set it at .5 pound. now that is a hot trigger. again took some getting use to. when i first had it if the bow creped at all it would go off LOL that kind of sucked! but now i have really learned to keep good back tension!
try one and i do not think you will ever go back to a caliper style!

 

I just might have to do that! How much they usually let the faulty bows go for and you know if they offer any warranty or any guarantee on those?!

Thanks for the info man, I am going to definitely be practicing a lot before I got out to hunt. I will also make sure to good equipment and everything so I know that my arrows will take care of business

As far as the crossbow's go, I shot those when I was a little younger, My grandpa picked one up and it was AWESOME! idk if I would ever hunt with it just because of sounds and the time it takes to reload, But they definitely are BadAss!

Thanks for all the info man! I will be listening to all your guys' advice and the guys at the shop when I get everything. I checked out the T-handle releases today and idk if I am a fan of them, like the idea and probably makes drawing a little easier because there is something to grip onto instead of having it strapped around your wrist. I will definitely take into account the arrows and vanes when choosing to get a whisker biscuit or not.

Yeah, I would be the guy forgetting that, and I like the idea of the wrist strap.

Thanks for your opinion. I think the release I will probably go with will be a double action one. tried one out today actually.

Alright thanks for checking with your buddy, I wish I was closer to his shop so I could go support him and help him out with sales or what not. Sounds like he is a good shot and probably knows a ton about archery. I will check and see where I can find an Elite, I think that might be the bow I will go with.. wanna shoot it first though lol.

Just might have to give it a try! sounds like they are a cool piece of equipment and have some learning to do with the types of releases that are to be had.

 

ya, definately do

take a look at this, this is vanes while going through a biscuit



they eventually will take that wave you see, unless you are shooting short vanes like blazer vanes, then the effect won't be as great

ya, the bottom one is based on a competition design actually, the only difference is the amount of force it takes to release...it take a decent amount more. I have shot with the tournament releases and they shrink my group even more.

if you get the chance, try shooting one for a couple sessions (or at least one). It may surprise you on feel. just remember when you draw, your thumb ends up on the bottom and the back of your hand against your cheek (I can settle in a lot easier to a holding/aiming position with my arms better with it)

 

Yeah I can see what you mean, I always wondered about how the whisker biscuits affects the vanes and flight. What do you prefer over the whisker Biscuits??

And once I get my bow I will be going to some local shops and shooting and have them help me out with form and everything else. Also hopefully going to hunt and shoot with my GF's dad. He has been hunting for ages and is an amazing shot so I am sure he will be helping out a ton!

 

Also, Anyones ever heard of Strother Archery? I was talking to a guy today about Elite's and he said one of the guys left there and started Strothers up. Said they were almost identical as far as product but significantly cheaper.. Seems like a good bow from what I have seen..

 

Heard of em, heard their good, but can't verify any of it because I've never seen em or shot em. Again, shot them and see what u like. Let the now choose the Indian. Ha

And crazy, ya I've shot em, it's just a totally different thing putting the top of my hand on my cheek. Just something I don't have patience to change over to completely yet. He also got a similar style to that that I tried as well, but instead of with the little thumb press release, it was release but force. Example, to anchor point, then somehow a slight more pull back released it. I forget exactly how it works but fuck it was wierd. Sorta like it tho, but not for hunting. The more I shot those though it does get easier.

 

Oh, with these new bows, an the speed they are traveling, I'd go drop away. Qad or rip cord red are the two that can keep up with the speed. Trophy ridge just came out with a new one as well, looks okay, just haven't heard much from it yet.

Whisker biscuits are okay. I loved mine, just upgraded. If you do, shoot The two inch blazers, they are stiff enough to withhold that wierd warp effect. Helicle or non helicle is okay. And it really doesn't slow the arrow at all, may 2-3 fps.

On that note, only shot blazers

 

HAHAHA I laughed pretty good on that quote man! ill see what the indian inside me like the best. need to find a shop that has a good variety..

I just checked out the ones you mentioned. Sorry if this is a stupid question but how do the mechanics of the drop aways work?? I see the cord on there that im assuming triggers it to drop but I just havent seen those actually.. Thanks for everything man!

 

No prob man. Bows and hunting is my life. I plan school schedules and work around it year after year. I love this shit and helping people

So both of them are mechanical in a sense that can go up and clicked into position without the cord u see being pulled back, so u can click your arrow in the upright position. When u draw back, that strong tightens, and when shot drops away, fast enough and thus creating no friction with the arrow or fetching.

However, there is a difference between the two, qad and rip cord.

Rip cord- let's say u draw back hunting, holding it for a while because u can't get a clear shot and slowly let down. Well now your rest is down and u have to put it back up. On the up side, if u have it up and want it down u just pull the cord urself and it flops down. The trade off isn't worth it tho. But it's not bad of your used to it at all.

Qad- well they fixed that, and it has to be released with enough force to drop the rest. So letting down WILL NOT lower the rest, and u can draw back without fucking around with it. Drawback- **this I don't know for sure my dad just got the rest and I couldn't figure it out** if u want it down u have to shot a arrow. Never dry fire!!!!!!! For the love of god. But then again I think there might be a way to drop it down. I'll look into it more and get back to ya.

Conclusion- id go with the extra 20-30 bucks and get the qad, but I'm a poor college kid that is paying off a Tacoma!

Does that all make sense. Tried as best as I could.

 

I shoot a Hoyt Alphaburner. I love this bow. It is fast as hell and the most forgiving speed bow I have ever shot. I would highly recommend it.

 

from what I have heard, they don't affect flight all that much, they just mess with the vanes

I personally like shoot through rests like these




I have found that rests are a big personal preference thing. I have met a guy who loved his whisker biscuit and would just replace his fletching as needed.

I know that drop away rests are pretty popular too, I have used them and I liked them. I would actually use them, but I prefer something KISS certified.....keep it simple, stupid...there is less to go wrong.

also known as I like the most basic rest other than traditional style bow rests

honestly, I would go and just shop around, if you have a bow shop that can let you shoot each type then you may want to try that.

the drop aways probably have the best accuracy, as they hold your arrow until you release, and then drop from under the arrow so nothing is touching it but your bowstring, so there is nothing else to affect it.


also, on a side note. Whenever you draw your bow (if no one has told you this) don't use just your arms. try to also pull your shoulder blades together in the back. Doing this, I can pull bows that are 5-10 lbs stronger.

 

I've shot/hunted/competed for 26 years now. Also worked at a pro-shop for 8 years. While it is true all bows these days are good, some are better still..Look at the components and the testing they put them through.. Hoyts laminated limbs are tops in the industry. Hoyts cams will not be destroyed if the bow is accidently dry fired. In the need for speed company's have machined down their cams and made them super light..good for speed, bad for durability. They are easily nicked and chipped which is bad for strings. And they will blow out if the bow is dry fired. I replaced numerous cams and limbs from other brands on bows that were dry fired. Never a Hoyt. My own bow was dry fired on accident (broken nock) the string popped off the track but no damage.

My suggestion is to go to a good pro shop, shoot the bows, ask questions and get to know them.. Find out who their top (target) shooters are and ask if you can get a few lessons/pointers from them. Learning to shoot correctly from the beginning is KEY! You don't want to develop bad habit and then try to fix them down the road, or worse yet, get so frustrated you quit shooting all together. I won't say the dreaded word, some of you know it though...

 

I own an '05 Mathews Switchback and kill 4-5 deer with it every year. I also shoot a recurve and will be purchasing a longbow in the next few days. All of todays bows are engineered leaps and bounds beyond what I first shot in the 1980's. Don't listen to all the hype about this brand or that brand. Like others have stated, shoot as many bows as possible at your correct draw length and go with what feels best and is most comfortable to you. Good luck and happy hunting.

 

What he said.