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Archery season coming quick

Djcala

Djcala

.30-06
Supporter
Looks like the archery section been dead couple years kinda like my archery section. I was an avid archer and bow hunter many years but shoulder issue has had me on sideline for several years. I'm feeling pretty confident with repairs and strength now so I'm going to give it a go. Headed to bow shop in the am to have bow reset to 55# and tuned up some new arrows etc... hopefully it's like riding a bike and I can get back in groove before season opener. Anyone else ready for bow season.
 
I'm unable to use a traditional bow now. And why I am extremely grateful for a crossbow. Otherwise, my bow hunting days would be over.
 
John A. said:
I'm unable to use a traditional bow now. And why I am extremely grateful for a crossbow. Otherwise, my bow hunting days would be over.
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Crossbow is a fabulous efficient killing device. I dont own one but used my ex wifes quite abit after i injured my shoulder. She would literally cock it for me and i would go hunt. I have takin two deer with it and neither went more than 25 to 30 yards before piling up. I used same broadheads i swear by for my bow the Montec G5 sharp solid deadly. If my attempt to get back into shooting my compound doesnt work i will def get a crossbow of my own.
 
There are many different bows out there, all of my experiences have been with Barnett, and they've treated me good.

I started off with a Barnett Wildcat.

It shot well, but was large and heavy.

Very heavy, and very large.

Now, we've been using a Barnett Recruit.

In all fairness, it is more narrow in the limbs (I think about 16 inches) and is probably a whole pound lighter than the wildcat, and the velocity is about 7 fps slower.

I use aluminum arrows, illuminated nocks, and Rage broadheads that weigh in at 467 gr. I shot one or two over the chrony and was getting around 307-310 fps with it. Of course I could gain a few fps using a carbon arrow, but I don't really like them. Seen too many horror stories online with them. So, I stick with aluminum arrows.

That's still more than enough at the distances that I hunt.

Unfortunately, I have yet to be able to take a deer with an xbow, but I hope to change that in the next week or two because season starts 9/2 :)

One note about the Recruit. The one I have had a youth stock. I remedied that here: http://www.mossbergowners.com/forum/index.php?threads/adding-length-to-a-barnett-youth-stock.17446/

The weight and width savings is substantial and I'm glad that I went this route.
 
I shoot a PSE Brute X.
Got it used for a steal a couple years ago $150 complete with a case that is worth $100 on its own. Plus a target!

I have not hunted it yet, but I have shot a few 3D shoots with it.

In the winter time, I set up a 10yd shooting range in my basement, just to have a little fun when it is way to cold out.
 
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I've hunted and shot everything from longbow to crossbow. Currently going back and forth between a compound and a crossbow. I keep having intermittent issue with my shoulder so I switch back and forth when I can.
 
Ok finally today was the day. My new cable and strings finally arrived. So off to the bow shop. Bow restrung and paper tuned. I also got a bigger peep went with the G5 1/4" wow opened up a new vision for me i can actually see again. Its not a precise competition peep but an awesome hunting peep for sure. For my first time back behind a bow we started at 55# felt good no issues. Went ahead and bumped up to 60# feels good. I shot for an hour so happy. The fundamentals are still there yeehaw. At 15 yards im stacking arrows no problem. Moving out to 20 and 30 i opened up groups but plenty good still for hunting. Il see how shoulder feels by morning then il know if were good my confidence is high though. I concentrate on 30yds in for a week if all well il stretch it out some but ive pretty much always kept bow hunting range under 40 anyway usually about 20 yds. I used my "old" bow and think it will still kill just fine at 60#. Its a Bear Encounter has short 32" axle to axle and very nice 80% letoff. Nothing fancy but still effective. 1504722441963292492201.jpg
 
Hopefully your shoulder will hold up and won't be aching come bedtime.
 
John A. said:
Hopefully your shoulder will hold up and won't be aching come bedtime.
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Well i didnt shoot on purpose yesterday i had some sore muscle from day before to be expected but zero joint or rotation pain so feeling good.
Im going to stop at the archery club on base today and really get dialed in. I do have target at home but the range sure is nice with lots of target various ranges and a 18 target 3d walk through the woods. Time for practice. Then some fun.
 
The modern archers would have an advantage of technology only, but would lack in raw skill and a lifetime of experience and use.
 
CaddmannQ said:
Nothing fancy?!?

When I looked at that picture, I started wondering how a corps of modern archers armed with these things would stand against an equal corps of King John's finest longbowmen?
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They would be in deep kimchi.
That said i do differentiate between archers and bow hunters i consider myself the later. Archers see how far they can shoot bow hunters see how close they can get. I have a self impossed 40 yard rule for my bow hunting i want the experience and to test my hunting ability. I have shot static targets out to 60 but 40 is my 100% confidence in an ethical clean shot range. As for raising a bow and lobbing arrows in a general direction the bowman of old would be screwed as it were i think someone else may know better but record for a modern bow just sending one down range is like 900 yards !!
 
I used a little google fu out curiosity. It appears the long shot was back in 1997 ? 1327 yds. Theres been leaps in archery technology since then.
It seems in medival times 300 to 400 yds was about max with a longbow till the turks developed a composite type bow that pushed out to around 600 yds. Todays arrow tech is very advanced as well as developments in string technology. I know for a fact a change to the newest tech strings(which aint cheap) gains you substantial fps and consistancy. There are so many variables arrow weight choice being a huge one. As for me im hampered with Trex arms giving me a pretty short draw length and im only pulling 60#s now with my current arrows i chrono at average 285 fps even though bow is capable of 310fps(which is slow by 2017 standards) in contrast my son in law who is 6'3" probably pulls 32" draw and he shoots a flippin 80# bow (which i find silly) but his velocity is blistering fast mamaybe 330 fps not sure. I give up all that speed for lighter weight and very short length easier to handle in a tree and my quarry just a dead. Its very much like rifle and caliber selection. Any how back to the mower im cutting grass today.
 
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Ok its been couple weeks ive slowly increased my shooting so far so good. Had some sore muscle days but other than that no problems. Pretty confident dialed in shooting static targets out to 40. Took a ride over to bow range today not for practice but for test. I put on my quiver and loaded 4 arrows il hunt with. Plan was to shoot one shot at 3d deer from odd angles at starting at 40 down to 10 yds. I picked the smallest deer target out there basically a torso sticking out from tree and ran my test. Wont win any 3d contests but will put meat in freezer. Stuck to plan took my 4 shoots and went home happy.20170914_112715_Burst02.jpg 20170914_112914.jpg
 
Nice Group! Was that from 40, 30, 20 and 10 or so?
 
Scoop said:
Nice Group! Was that from 40, 30, 20 and 10 or so?
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Thanks. Exactly 40,30,20 and 10. Started 40 and walked my way to target shooting one arrow. I started and crazy angle on purpose then work my way around. I was satisfied.
 
Howdy everyone! Just some observations this morning. I havent shot bow in over a week been busy with wounded warrior hunt. Today is finally chill day. I thought i better get dust off the bow season opens on 14th for buck only first 8 days ?? Anyway ive posted some nice pretty groups but for me shooting bow is a quickly perishable skill. I also thought about @MikeD post other day about a miss. I put my target in a spot ive not shot purposly not paying attention to distance. Several things confirmed my bow skill is very perishable. First picture was first 3 arrows SCARY ! I will be shooting everyday again till opener at least twice. Could easily been a miss or worse wounded. I then settled down went thru my proper checks and ranged target. That will work but a decent set of arrows AFTER warm up and practice dont trranslate to meat in freezer. Has to be good first cold shot. 20171009_093156.jpgi had guessed 20 yards i was wrong, tried to adjust overcompensated then final arrow just frustration 20171009_093705.jpgactually used range finder target was 31 yards calmed down shot proper. Not sure about yall but bow practice is very necessary for me.
 
It doesn't just go for archery either.
 
When I was shooting daily and 3D every weekend I was really good at judging yardages. I do not shoot that much any more and like other skills they become rusty if you do not practice consistently.

I have a method for calculating distence in wooded areas, its harder to do in an open field with no landmarks to give perspective.

I missed a turkey years ago in a different part of the same field. I should have put out markers but I have gotten so used to using the range finder I didnt think about it .
 
I hear ya mike having spent my career in a field of endeavors were estimating range was critical to self preservation i prided my self in that skill. Thankfully calling in something at archery distance(danger close) was not something i ever had to do as it would have most likely proved painfull. Age and the loss of vision in my right eye has made the rangefinder an invaluable tool for me. With no depth perception i go to great lengths to note landmarks trees stumps rocks etc...and theyre distance from my set up placing items in field can def be huge benefit too.
 
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