How did you get started in bow hunting?

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TLDR Process in finding a place to hunt? Bow reccomendations? Tips and tricks while bow hunting?

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Look for federal refuges. They usually have fewer gun days. They have a few more requirements than State lands as well meaning slightly less pressure.

Get a used bow from Archery Talk. My rec would be any Matthews Switchback or newer.

Do you like it better than rifle hunting? The biggest rush I get right now is topwater plastics

I was 15, got my drivers license and wanted to started deer hunting earlier than rifle season. My sister’s husband was a bow hunter. He gave me a PSE Fireflight, with too short of a draw length and some old Easton arrows. I shot it in his yard and got to where I could group it more or less in a pie plate at 25 yards. I took it to the woods the next morning, climbed in my ladder stand and waited. 30 minutes later 5 does came out. I picked out the biggest one and let fly. Hit her right behind the shoulder, she ran about 50 yards and fell over dead. I thought, shite, there’s nothing to this. I got me some real gear and went on a bow hunting tear. For about 10 years I killed more doe and scraggly pine thicket bucks than small pox. Then I had kids, they got in to hunting and I very rarely bow hunt. I miss it.

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Do you like it better than rifle hunting?

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I don't see me ever rifle hunting again. So many things I'd rather do than that. I honestly would rather not hunt than rifle hunt.

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How did you get started in bow hunting?

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Got pissed my dad started hunting October 1 and I had to wait. Asked for my own bow. Got it for my birthday when I was 11. Killed my first deer with it that year after missing 2. Hunted every weekend during bow season until I discovered females. In college had a good place to hunt that was bow only, so I stacked them up for all 7 years of college and during bow season until my children got old enough to hunt. Started squirrel hunting to keep them interested. Haven't bow hunted in 5 years or so I suppose.

ETA: Get a gently used bow setup and invest in a good climbing stand that you can sit long periods of time in. You'll hear a lot of people stress the importance of getting high, but you'll be better off getting hidden than high. Find straight trees with foliage from other trees wrapped around them and get up in the middle of it. Bring a saw/clippers to cut you out a hole. You'll learn a lot by watching deer. Bow season will teach you a lot about deer mannerisms and tendencies. You'll also get to observe a lot of other animals. It's 100x better than sitting in a box stand with a rifle looking over a food plot or pipeline. Spend time scouting, even during the season. I wish I had a dollar for every time I went into an area at daylight and found an area with a lot of sign, climbed a nearby tree, and killed a deer that day. Take your time. Early season is pretty miserable with the weather and mosquitoes. Get a thermacell and the biggest pack of refills you can find. Also, it would be wise to invest in a rangefinder, as judging distances from in a tree is different than in your back yard. Get on your roof to practice shooting down on a deer. They get skinny when you are above them.

Also, it's like turkey hunting in the fact that it's more enjoyable alone.

Dad got me started. First deer I shot witha bow was one of the most exciting things I had experienced. I will still knock one down with a rifle, but the bow brings much more joy.

I would focus on public with limited rifle seasons. A buddy of mine bought a beginner Bear Archery set up from Cabelas last year. Don't know which model but came with everything he needed. I shot the bow and was pretty impressed for being a $350 set up. I would start there or do your research on a used bow off ArcheryTalk.

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Might be a silly question but what is a WMA?

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Wildlife Management Area.

As was mentioned Archery Talk classifieds is a good place to get a used bow but you need to know exactly what you want. I recommend going to an Archery Shop and have them tell you what your draw length is and shoot some bows to find out what weight and models are comfortable to you. Even if you buy your bow online you can purchase the accessories from the pro shop as compensation for their help.

I got a Mathews Z7 loaded, ready to hunt with arrows I’ll sell you for $500.
70# 29”DL

I love it and bought a new Triax this summer, I know the Z7 will just collect dust so I might as well sell it. But if not, it’s a darn good backup bow.