Choosing the right archery or bow hunting gear can be difficult when starting out. With a little help, making the right choice can be as simple as point and click. My name is Michael Aguirre, and I am here to help you pick out the right gear to get started in your archery or bow hunting career.
- A Bow
- The right arrows
- Release
- Rangefinder
- Quiver
- Stabilizer
- Peep Sight
- Arm Guard
- Fiber Optic Bow Sight
- Archery Target
Archery and bow hunting is a growing sport, but many jump in too fast and pick equipment that doesn’t suit them, making their experience sub par. Continue reading to equip yourself with the right knowledge to pick out the best gear for you.
1. Bow
A bow is the most essential part of your gear. Without a good bow, one really can’t perform well enough to be successful. There are three very different types of bows to choose from. Depending on your intended desire, you will need to choose wisely. The three classes are compound bows, traditional recurve bows and longbows.
Bows come in different sizes to help you select the bow that perfectly fits you. Once you have decided the purpose of the bow then you can go on and choose your bow. But keep in mind that when choosing a bow you should know that there is some specification, in terms of the length and draw weight.
Compound Bows: Compound bows are mostly intended for hunting purposes, due to their stealthy nature.
Unlike recurves and longbows, compound bows come with an assorted mechanism of cams and pulleys which maximize the power generated in the bow while reducing the tension off of the hunter and dampens vibration and sound. Various Sights and accessories are mounted on according to the hunter’s preference.
If you are in the market for a solid hunting bow, pay attention to the suggested size and weight for your stature. It would not be wise for an adult bowhunter to purchase a bow that maxes out at 30 pounds.
It is safe to say that if you are a hunter looking for precision and power, a compound bow is absolutely an essential choice for your gear.
Recurve Bows: While popular among traditional hunters, the recurve bow design is not the most powerful. However, for one reason or another, some bowhunters just can’t get enough of the traditional flavor of hunting with a recurve.
Rather than having the lanky body type like a longbow, the recurve doubles back on itself, forcing twice as much tension on the string, providing a more precise shot.
Recurve bows in the united states can be used to hunt big game, but are more common among archers.
Longbows: In most states, longbows are not recommended for hunting purposes. Strictly built for archery practice, the large bows are quite popular among the archery community and are often the favored bow type for the Olympics. If you are in the market for a bow just to shoot, this is the perfect option for you.
Need help chosing which bow is right for you? Then check out Recurve Bow VS. Longbow: 21 Pros and Cons.
2. Arrows
There are three types of arrows that are considered to be the most popular on the market today. Arrows are obviously one of the must-have accessories on your list, but they are not simple to buy.
It is important that your arrow matches your bow’s draw weight and draw length. To make sure of that, you will either have to buy the bow and arrow at the same time or seek an expert to help you out.
When choosing an arrow to make sure to research more about arrow spine. For your safety and more accurate shooting, the arrow spine should match the power of your bow.
3. Release
A release is a device that helps an archer or bowhunter shoot more consistently using a trigger in place of fingers to release the bowstring. This mechanism removes the possibility of rolling the string, making the shooter’s shots significantly more accurate.
Releases come in two forms including wrist release and the handheld release, also called grip release. The most important factor when choosing a release it to make sure that it is the right length based on your draw length.
Some releases are adjustable and provide that added inch on your draw length, giving that sweet comfortable feeling to your set up.
4. Rangefinder
A quality rangefinder increases the confidence of the archer by carrying out the responsibility of finding angle shots instead of guessing and missing.
When buying a rangefinder always make sure it is very easy to operate and also try your best to find the highest quality one that you can reasonably afford. You really can’t go wrong with purchasing a rangefinder.
5. Quiver
Quivers are portable containers used to carry and protect arrows and come in all shapes and sizes. Some are built with a skeletal shape to provide plenty of space with very little weight.
Others are tube-like, making arrows very accessible yet loose. Some archers prefer carrying their quiver on their backs while others prefer to tie them to their belts while.
The recommended type for hunters are the skeletal types that are built to be light and accessible. When looking for a quiver, pay attention to the task at hand.
You would not want to carry around tube-like quiver while out hunting in the woods and running the risk of losing all your arrows when falling.
6. Stabilizer
The purpose of the stabilizer is to keep your bow steady and stable thereby providing very accurate shots. Hunting bow stabilizers also provide some sound and vibration dampening.
It adds weight to the front of the bow to balance the overall weight when the trigger is been pulled, eliminating the hand shock.
7. Peep Sight
The peep sight is the hole in the string created by an embedded plastic or metal ring. Without it, the archer or bowhunter will have no reference point to line up with the sight.
8. Arm Guard
When sighting in a bow or just shooting funny, your bow string is bound to hit your inner forearm leaving heavy abrasion or laceration.
An arm-guard is a must-have addition to your gear to prevent such injuries. Often made of hard plastic or leather, these arm-guards provide enough protection for your arm while still allowing movement.
9. Fiber Optic Bow Sight
Built more for hunters, a fiber optic bow sight is absolutely essential for any bow hunter, beginner or veteran. Fiber optic bow sights are built with light-catching fiber optic cables that cause the pins on the sight to shine bright fluorescent colors.
These often come with multiple pins to provide accurate shots based on the distance between you and your target. This is a must-have accessory if you are starting out your bow hunting career.
10. Archery Target
Every archer needs to practice to perfect their shooting accuracy which means you can hardly be a good archer without a good target. Archery targets come in different shapes and size like bag targets, block targets and 3D targets. Here are our Top 5 Most Durable Archery Targets For Beginners.
Whether you are a beginner or a professional, an archery target is one of the must-have accessories for archery you need and when getting one, ensure that you acquire one that is easily visible to the naked eye to shoot from far away.
Preferably, choose one with fluorescent colored dots that stand out among foliage for the most accurate tune when sighting in your bow to compensate for the way you aim personally.