Bowhunting For Beginners: Tips & Tricks For New Hunters

Bowhunting is an activity as old as time. Throughout history, people around the world have used bows to hunt for food and to survive. Bowhunting remains a popular old-school sport to this day.

But when you’re just beginning, it can be a little tricky to figure out where to start.

Everyone has to start somewhere. We want to share with you several simple steps you can take to make sure you start on the right foot.

All the ins-and-outs of bowhunting will take plenty of time to master, so your first priority is patience. With that being said, let’s take a look at a few simple steps you can take to prepare for your first bowhunting adventure.

Choosing a Bow

The first major decision you will have to make is what kind of equipment to buy. 

What bow will you shoot? What type of arrows will you need? 

There are a few different types of bows to consider, including longbows, recurve bows, and modern compound bows. These all fire in a different manner and style, but they will all serve the purpose of hunting both small and large game animals. If you want to check them out in person, BassPro Shops or Academy Sports are a perfect place to find bows. 

Types of Bows

Both Longbows and Recurve bows: These are the most common bows often seen in movies.

• Modern variants of these bows can be made out of materials like wood, fiberglass, and laminates. They have the most simple design but do require more practice in order to accurately shoot. They can also be physically demanding to pull back over long periods of time.

The Compound Bow: The most popular type of hunting bow used today.

• While these bows are a little heavier and more technical, they are significantly easier to shoot and much more accurate (even for beginners). These bows shoot with a system of cables and cams that give them more speed and a percentage of “let-off”. This means that once you have pulled the bow back, you will only have to hold a small percentage of the actual draw weight.

Minimum Draw Weight

• You should also know that some states have a minimum of how powerful your hunting bow should be, and this is known as the minimum draw weight. While the minimum draw weight requirement varies from state to state, it is usually around 40 to 45 lbs. Luckily almost all adult bows meet this requirement, and some bows (especially compound bows) have an adjustable weight.

Essential Bowhunting Gear

Now let’s look at all the other pieces of gear for your bow. 

Your bow will obviously need arrows, and those arrows need things like arrowheads, fletchings, and nocks. Your bow may also need some equipment like bow sights, a rest, a quiver to hold the arrows, and a mechanical release to aid in shooting the bow.

A good bow shop will really help you to get all of the necessary gear items that your bow will need in order to start shooting and practicing. Try BassPro Shops or Academy Sports.

Speaking of practice, make sure you pick up a target and a bow case so you can properly prepare before hunting season gets here!

You can also find all kinds of great deals on bowhunting equipment online at the Bowhunting Outlet. They carry all the major gear, clothing, and bowhunting supplies you’ll need.

More Necessary Bowhunting items

Once your bow is fully set up, it is time to start thinking about your other necessary hunting gear. While this list may vary depending on your target animal species and terrain, here are a few basic items you don’t want to leave behind: 

• Hunting license and tags
• A sharp knife
• Camo clothing
• Hiking boots
• Backpack
• Silicone Groove Ring
• Groove Belt

You can further educate yourself on bowhunting by picking up a copy of a good bowhunting magazine like Bowhunting World. Another great resource, full of articles and videos for the beginning bowhunter, is Petersen’s Bowhunting magazine, both online and digital versions are available.

Make sure to get plenty of practice with all of your new gear so that you know how everything functions. You want everything to work together in harmony. 

Hey, you’re ready to start bowhunting!

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