Finding and buying
that first bow
I like to use as an
example of how to buy that new bow or arrows to a pair
of pants when explaining to people that are new to the
sport (We all were at one time or another). Whether you
are looking to buy a bow on eBay or from somewhere
else, the first thing you are going to have to know is
your draw length.
The best way to
measure draw length is to visit your local archery shop
and have one of the pro’s measure you. If that isn’t
possible and you have a bow, draw the bow back and
measure the distance from the string at full draw to the
back of the bow. Another quick way is too place a
yardstick in the middle of your chest and extend your
arms and fingers out on to the yardstick as far as
possible. The reading on the yardstick at the end of
your fingers tips is your approximate draw length.
Either way its best to have someone help is doing the
reading of the measurement.
It’s really not as
complicated as it sounds. Now back to why it’s important
to get the correct draw length. When you go into the
shopping mall to get a pair of pants, you are looking
for a pair that fits you well like the bow. If the pants
are too big, you spend most of the time pulling them up
and come off looking like you had just finished the Dr.
Phil’s weight loss challenge. If you end up buying a
pair that’s too small, try as you might but in the end
it’s a no go because you can’t fit into them.
The bow is
the same way, if you end up with one that is too small,
you will be unable to get too full draw too shoot, too
large and you won't be able to have the let off at full
draw. Most bows have an adjustable draw length.
(Example: 28 too 30) There should be a sticker on the
limb of the bow if it hasn’t been removed.
When buying ask these questions:
1. What is the draw
length and is it adjustable
2. If used… is there any damage to the bow, cracked
limb, worn string, worn cams and so on.
3. How old is the bow if not new
4. What is the let off
5. Does it have an over draw if that’s what you are
looking for.
Let-off is on compound
bows. It’s what percentage of the weight that the archer
is holding back at full draw. An example is of a bow
with a 50% let-off. If the bow weight is set too 60
pounds, the archer at about ¾ draw will notice it get
easier to pull the bow back and that there is actually
less energy needed( 30 pounds) to keep it at full draw.
An overdraw on a bow is a device that mounts on the bow
that allows the archer to shoot shorter arrows at faster
speeds by extending the arrow rest further back toward
the archer. Some like it and some don’t. I use the
overdraw on one of my compounds and nothing on the
other, its all about personal preference at this point.
When buying arrows for
your bow, you also need the correct length. If you feel
comfortable cutting the arrow to the correct length I
suggest that you buy new uncut arrows measuring 32
inches. I personally know of no giant that shoots an
arrow longer that that. The way to measure to get the
proper arrow length is to place an arrow on the bow and
have you draw it back to where your thumb and index
finger fit comfortable up against your jaw (anchor
point). Have the person mark on the arrow with a black
or red marker one inch beyond the end of the arrow rest.
To get the right size arrow I suggest you visit Easton’s
chart area that allows you to match your draw length
with the poundage your bow is going to be set at.
http://www.eastonarchery.com/products.asp?show=chartsSelectors
.
Once you have a bow
that fits you, you really need to get that bow out to build up
those muscles and become proficient with it. The other thing
is making sure your equipment is in good condition such as
are the bow strings frayed and in need of being replaced, is the bow in
good overall conditions and is there any wear and tear such
as a
cracked limb or bad cam's.
Go through your equipment checklist early and
and check to be sure all is in good overall condition
and to get anything you lack. Now is the time to order
and repair that equipment and if you fall into that trap of
procrastinating, your local archery
shop might not have the time to repair it prior to the start
of hunting season.
What we try to do in our
group is to fill our freezers with the excessive doe populations
during archery and muzzle loading season and look for a
better buck during the regular season. This seems to help on letting
the younger bucks walk on by as we are not in need of
venison and can wait it out for a better buck. Once the
season ends, we start planning for the next which includes
where to put future food plots, stand location, checking and
discarding or repairing equipment that has been deemed
unsafe.
This will be my30th
year of bow hunting with many harvests under my belt, I
also taught the NYS bow hunting certificate program for
a number of years. Please always be smart and safe
around this equipment… they are not toys and can
actually really hurt of kill someone. To the parents, do
not allow your kids to be un-supervised when the bow is
out, take up the sport as a family event… you will reap
the rewards. I hope this somewhat better explained some
of the things you will need to know when buying that
next bow or arrows.
The New York Hunter
