Thinking about taking up archery

**WVneighbor** · June 9th, 2009, 07:42 AM

I got 8-10 deer that run around in the woods behind my house. Most (if not all) are does, which is fine, antler stew tastes like crap.

What are the absolute basics needed for archery? Is a 100 FOOT shot feasible? The pics below are from my deck to my back fence, a distance of 80-100 feet. I could most likely get into the trees and get closer shots, but if I come home one morning at 7 am and I got a group of deer munching grass, I could fill my freezer up without too much trouble. Hunting regulations permitting of course.

**Chazman321** · June 9th, 2009, 10:49 AM

100 feet is defiantly do-able... It's only about 33 yards, which most newer bows can hit a target at 40 yards all day long. Practice would be your friend. However, I go not know the game laws for WV, so you would have to check into that... For reference, here in PA, you have to be I believe 50 yards from any occupied structure or dwelling, UNLESS, you have permission to be closer. As long as you aren't baiting the deer and they just happen by on their own volition, and nobody objects or is close enough, there shouldn't be a problem...

However, once again, the laws in WV may be different...

-Chaz

**Delcoadvocate** · June 9th, 2009, 11:05 AM

www.archerytalk.com will be your friend to get started. I love it overe there. You should be able to get yourself started VERY easily and on the cheap from the classifieds. It's free to join, and LOTS of VERY knowlegdable folks, many professional and sponsored archers, ready to help.

I just picked myself up a bow on there so that I can get out and hunt this year too. But it takes ALOT of practice to get the bow set-up, and to shoot consistantly.

40 yd shot is doable pretty quick. 70 yard shots are entirely doable with these new bows, it'll just take alot longer to develop your consistency at that range.

The standard speed for bows for hunting is between 280 and 300 fps for 60 and 70lb bows. Don't think you have to get a 70lb bow. A 60 lb can be just as fast, with the ability to get complete pass thru on a deer. It's a matter of what is comfortable for you. Alot of guys prefer 60lb for colder weather due to how stiff you can get sitting out in the cold making it a bit more difficult to pull back a 70lb. Some folks have no problem with the 70lb.

For hunting, you want a QUIET bow. Quiet is more important that fast.

The BIGGEST challenge is finding the right bow for you, and that takes trial and error. Its the only way. Go to an archery shop, and shoot the demo bows till you find one that you like. Sign up for lessons, and shoot, shoot shoot.

Good Luck. I'm RedRokker over there.

Before I bought my Bowtech Captain, I tried a few Hoyts and Matthews, and Bear. Was looking for a deal on a Bear Truth 2 of Lights Out, and found a killer deal on a NEW Matthews Switchback XT at a local shop. Super quiet, dead in the hand (no felt shock) and respectable 286fps. But the day before I was set to go into the shop to pick it up, I found the Bowtech on the Archerytalk classifieds for a price I couldn't refuse.

You'll get all kinds of recommendations for bow makes/models, but all that is important is what shoots good for you. You'll want a bow that is more forgiving, so look for a bow with a Brace height of 7" or more. That's the distance between the string and riser. Everything else will come down to your comfort level.

Welcome to the addiction and Good Luck!

**keystoneman 85** · June 9th, 2009, 02:41 PM

Are crossbows legal down there in WV?

**Feddog82** · June 9th, 2009, 04:28 PM

The second deer in the second picture (further from the camera) looks to be a buck to me. Nice Pics, they are always so pretty this time of year.

**WVneighbor** · June 10th, 2009, 07:52 AM

I'm checking into the legal restrictions on bow hunting here, and so far it seems that there is no distance restriction (from a dwelling, road, etc) and as a landowner I may not need a license. More research is required before I can be 100% positive.

Crossbows are legal, with some restrictions, I think draw weight and bolt length are the two big ones. I haven't ruled out a crossbow, but it wasn't in the front of my mind. It may be that a crossbow will be a bit cheaper than a bow. I recently took a 21% pay cut, so I'm trying to fill my freezer as cheaply as possible.

I'm 99% positive the deer in the back of the second pic is a doe. The one in the foreground is her fawn/offspring. There is a forth one that I couldn't get a pic of that is the offspring of the doe in the first pic. The young were born last year or the year before (can't remember for sure), but those 4 typically travel in a group, sometimes with more, but almost never with less than those 4.

**Dredly** · June 10th, 2009, 10:59 AM

I love archery, and agree with Delco, archerytalk.com is a great site but PLEASE use the SEARCH function before asking questions as every question known to man has been answered 100s of times.

I personally prefer to hunt with lower poundage bows, my hunting bow is set at around 56 pounds and my target bow is around 52. In the old days you needed more draw weight for more power, thats a thing of the past. today they have 40 pound bows shooting 250+ fps

100 feet is an easy shot, but keep in mind you are shooting over / through a fence, arrows are very unhappy if they touch anything in flight (trust me!) so you will need to ensure you are in a position to shoot over the fence.

You also need to practice, while 35 yards and under is a doable shot that doesn't mean its an "easy" shot, its also not "cheap" to get into archery, however in the long run it is MUCH cheaper then shooting gun (Especially at modern prices).

The first thing you want to do is go to an archery shop and get fitted for a bow, draw length is crucial for being able to shoot well, and the shooter matters MUCH more then the bow