Archery is looking good right now!!

[FrogFire7]

Anybody else getting more excited to shoot their bow? Lol.

I just bought a used Mathews Vertix, to upgrade from my Z7 Xtreme. Man is this new bow dead in the hand! All the "reviews" online said it was, but I kind of assumed that every newer flagship bow from every manufacturer gets reviewed that way.

I took one shot, hoping the previous owner at least had it "on paper" at 20 yards. It was! Whew. Let another arrow fly, and realized that I didn't feel a thing in my hand! Truly impressive.

Anyway, I'm not a "bow guy". I enjoy archery hunting, I enjoy shooting my bow a lot (and I shoot it well), absolutely love going to a 3D shoot with brother, brother in law, and friends... but I'm not into the "nuts and bolts" of archery like I am with rifles, reloading, etc.

I think with the current bullet, powder, primer, brass situation I just realized I might need a break from that circus, and to focus on something fun and (maybe) cheaper. And I'm VERY much looking forward to shooting the heck out of it as soon as the snow melts! Plan on some "long range" archery target practice out to maybe 100 yards this summer.

Anybody else going to be shooting their bow more this year?

 

[Ckgworks]

I archery hunt more than I rifle hunt, and always have! It IS nice to step away from the turmoil of ammo stuff and fling arrows. We had a 100 yard range growing up and I'll say it's the best thing ever.......shoot there awhile and 50 yards becomes a cake walk. I've got 2 children bow hunting elk again this year, so it's good year round family time as well! I'm still shooting my old Mathew Rezzen, that I should upgrade but there's just too many things to spend money on. Sometimes I wish I was one those people who only have one hobby draining the fun fund.

 

[FrogFire7]

Haha I think the "only one hobby" is part of the reason I'm NOT a bow guy. But, I found a smoking deal on this bow. I have my Z7 sold already, and including the money from the sale, I only had to pay an extra $275 for the new bow

Do you use a single pin sight for distance shooting with your bow?

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Archery has always been my preferred method of hunting. If I can use the bow, that's what I'm using. I'm shooting a bowtech realm-x set to 70# with a easton axis 5mm

 

[jraulsten]

I've been shooting a Vertix since they first came out. I usually get a new Mathews every year but I just haven't been that impressed with anything since the Vertix came out which is a good thing since I'm retiring again soon and can't be spending money on all these toys!

 

[Ckgworks]

I tried a single pin one year and it drove me nuts..... too many moving parts! I was constantly moving it as the cover changed from thick to open timber, trying to guess what my average shot would be. Now I have a 8 pin sight,which gives me pins to 90, and 100 yards being the bottom of the pin cover ring.

 

[jraulsten]

I could never get used to a bunch of pins (guess I'm just easily confused) and I had a hard time adjusting to a single pin. I finally settled on an Axcel 3-pin slider. Got 20, 30 and 40 yard pins for a quick shot when there is no time to adjust for yardage and use the 40 yard pin when "sliding" to distances beyond 40 yards. Kind of a happy medium for me.

 

[Ckgworks]

My brother is using a three pin slider now and seems to like it.....he said the same thing as you. If I were to try it again that's what I'd do. The multiple pins has only hosed me once on a late cow hunt......I blew a long shot and couldn't believe it. Thankfully I was confident that year and was running the shot threw my head trying to figure out what happened.....I realized I had set a green pin on my point of aim not red. Thankfully the cow hadn't noticed the shot, and my second arrow struck true. I have three alternating colors and since that shot when target shooting I try ingrain color with range so when the adrenaline kicks in I'm not counting pins trying to find the right one!

 

[waspocrew]

I got into archery a couple of years ago and elk hunting will never be the same!

I went with a 4 pin slider and it has me covered from 20-50 yards without having to dial, then can dial out to further if needed. I can't keep track of a bunch of pins under pressure haha.

 

[ColoradoElkHunter]

Started shooting a very small bow when I was 6 in PA. An uncle got it for me who loved archery hunting. First bow hunt when I was 12 with that same uncle. Fifty years later I still have his bow, a Bear Grizzly recurve, on a rack next to my Mathews. Lucky I live in Colorado where I can elk hunt all of September then head to another part of the state with an OTC extra tag for rifle. I have been using a 3 pin for many years and learned to bracket the pins to adjust for distance. First pin set for 30yds. 1/2 inch high at 20yds and the elk and deer never notice.

Hurt my shoulder this last fall remodeling for my wife. Now just hoping to pull my bow back again once the snow melts so I don't miss the opening day of archery for the first time since I was 12. Thankfully I have a few months to rehab. Nothing like seeing them blink at 10-20yds and they don't know you're there. Love rifle but archery always seems much more personal when you're that close.

 

[FrogFire7]

My brother IS an archery nut (or at least a lot more technical than I am), and he used a single pin last year. Cleanly killed a couple whitetail. I think I like the idea of a single pin for 3-D shoots but it just makes me anxious thinking about using it for hunting. I'm certain I'd either have it set, and the deer would move and I'd have to readjust (if I remembered).... or I'd get busted trying to adjust it (I hunt from the ground a lot so less movement is more, for me).

I wasn't really aware of 3 or 4 pin sliders... that sounds like an awesome compromise. I wouldn't more than 4 pins for hunting deer... and would definitely benefit from being able to "dial up" for longer practice and 3-D shots! Sounds like the perfect compromise to me!

 

[snox801]

I may do a bit more this year but I only do it to get out and hunt. Much prefer rifle.
I have a new Matthews I bought years back and only shot a few times. Z7.
68 lbs adding the Burris oracle this year as my single pin drives me nuts.
Don't worry about your shoulder as much turn the bow down and work up.
My dad has his shoulders redone a few times and avid bow hunter.
He's shooting an old sq2 at 52 lbs and has stacked up elk and tons of African game. Heck even shot through and killed the eland behind what he was shooting at. Never saw it sneak in behind. But boy he went less than 80 yards so don't get to hung up on draw weight.

 

[Ckgworks]

Shoulder injuries suck! But listen to your doctor, my brother ended up with a pin in his shoulder and his doctor told him know of archery hunting he turned his bow down and went anyway, he ended up bending the pin which Almont required another surgery to remove! Very true though, with a sharp broadhead minimum poundage works!

 

[WojtekTheSoldierBear]

I do archery too for small game. Hunting bullfrogs is one of my favorite things to do.