Jumping into Bow Hunting

J

johnwilliamson062

Moderator
Was at a firearms auction today and everything was going pretty high. Almost bought a beat up Enfield for the receiver only at $110, but passed. Last item sold was a Browning Cobra compound bow. Pretty good shape with a decent pin sight on it. Don't know much about bows beyond what I have picked up from the guys I gun hunt with. Been thinking about getting into bow hunting for quite some time and this one looked pretty good to me, although simple, and much cheaper than I have seen, so I jumped on it without knowing much at all. Have done some research and seems I probably payed a bit high at $70, but maybe not considering the sight also. Going to a shop this week to get a mechanical release and some arrows.

Now I need to find a place to shoot it nearby. I don't think the State Range in Sugarcreek has an archery range and I no longer belong to the local hunting club.
 
It'll be fun. Congrats on the buy. I started with pins but moved to bead sights later, which I liked better in low light situations. (I bowfished at a night a lot too.)
The guys at the shop will know where you can practice.
 
Find a reputable shop that can fit the bow to you. I never realized how intricate a process this was until I bought a compound bow. Draw length needs to be correct, peep sights need adjusted for height so you can see through it at full draw etc. You may need arrows sized as well. Would also be a good idea to have the draw weight measured so you know what kind of arrows you can use.
It shouldn't be overly expensive to have it tuned up once and after that you can easily maintain it yourself. It will shorten the learning curve a lot. Welcome to the addiction :D
 
Redneck is right- that bow you got may not be anywhere close to the right size for you. Like I've said before, a bow is a lot more like a golf club than it is a firearm - you have to get one that fits your physique.
 
Not sure if you have one, but a climbing tree-stand is a worthy purchase for bow-hunting; a real game changer.

Keep in mind, bowhunting is not "point and click" like shooting a firearm. You need to practice regularly to maintain muscle and skill levels.
 
I havent seen one of those in a long time. They were pretty long axel to axle and had round wheels with about 50% let off. I'd shoot it like a recurve. Finger release and no sights. You'll be amazed how accurate you can shoot barebow at hunting distances with some practice. Those old bows weren't centershot, so arrow spine is critical for good flight.
 
Congrats on your new to you bow! Be ready to spend alot of time and money. Not that you have to spend alot of money, you just will:p I just started a few years ago and love it. Although the only kill I made this year was squirrels, I was very content. Try hitting a squirrel at 30 yrds with a bow, very rewarding.
 
Browning was a decent bow manufacturer. The name was purchased by PSE and has now faded into the past. $70 is a fair price, especially if it came with a decent sight. For such a old bow, have it checked out and possibly replace the string. Enjoy!
 
Was across the street from Gander Mountain today and decided to take it in.

I asked for a bow expert and I think i actually got one. I was expecting some guy just out of HS who would tell me my old bow was no god and I had to get one with a red dot. Guy wasn't too old, but knew his stuff. He was a little scared of it breaking when he drew it. Of course, I have stood at the firearms counter there and heard many people with no idea about guns buy all sorts of garbage from the gun sales peoples mouths.

Which reminds me, while wating for the bow guy to show up, who it seems was actually shift manager or something, asked the guy at the firearms counter about pistol scopes for my new 460 encore barrel. He immediately asked if i was hunting in Ohio, then talked to me about his 375 JDJ and scopes he had on it and finally recommended I buy a scope they don't carry.

Best experience I have had at a Gander Mountain.

They don'y have a string, so i have to find one somewhere.
 
Do your self a favor and find a pro shop. They will be able to find out what string you need or take the string off and measure it so they can come up with something that will work good for that bow.

While I don't doubt that they guy at gander had some knowledge, I think you will be pleasantly surprised by a quality pro shop.

Will second the need for practice, you cant just sight you bow in and forget about it. If you want to have success you need to shoot quite a bit. Out door 3D shoots are a great fun and a great tool for learning to shoot.
 
Agree with advice to find a pro shop, as it is important for arrows to be proper spine for your bow's draw length and weight (and for those to be a good fit for you). Another good source of advice is bowsite.com . I hope you enjoy bowhunting. I started 11 years ago at the age of 43 and have found it very rewarding, mainly because you have to learn so much more about the game you hunt to get close enough to kill them with archery tackle.
 
good luck

I am not familiar with Browning bows, and know nothing on the "Cobra.


But, I would tote that bow down to a bow shop and make sure your drawlength and arrows are correct for you and the set up.

Bowhunting deer has ruined me and I bowhunt whitetails hard on the long AL WMA seasons.

When you take a deer w/ your bow, you may find that gun hunting suddenly pales.
 
Slipping into bow hunting . . .

John W.
I got into bow hunting in a similar way. Found a decent compound bow, half a dozen arrows, all in a hard shell case for $100 at flea market. Shot that bow a couple of years and sold it all for . . . $100. Now own a Truth II. Have bow hunted a fair amount but only taken one deer with a bow so far.

Live Well Be Safe
Prof Young
 
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