Practice with What you Hunt with?

[old1940]

Hi guys,
Im brand new to bow hunting and need some advice on a practice bow vs a hunting bow.

I was given a vintage 55# Bear SK recently as my first bow, and Im realizing that I need to get a lighter starter bow before I develop bad habbits.

My question is, do I need to get the exact same bow (Bear SK) in a lighter weight to practice with? Or will any recurve be fine? Or will I be ok if I get, for example, a long bow...

Any help will be greatly appreciated!!!

[bob sarrels]

You dont need the same bow. Get good with a lighter one and the change wont take too much work

[TacticalCowboy]

Yup

[old1940]

Cool, thanks for the replys guys!

I recon i'll look for something in the 30# range... Since my draw length is 29-30", this should put me around 35# at my draw length, right?

[Restless]

That Super K will serve you well in time, everyone likes the Samick for a starter but lots of others out there. I've never shot one (samick) but never shot a Super K I didn't like.

[Cooper]

I practice with what I hunt with myself.

[Tracker0721]

Once you work up to the 55# then practice there for hunting. Till then, go lighter. But if you can pull 55 then 40 seems a better choice. 20#s is a big difference. Just starting out your practicing for the ability to practice to hunt. You learn to play catch before you practice for a game, then you play for real.

[Bisch]

You need to learn on a draw weight that you can control. Once you learn good form, and start getting better, you can move up in weight to what ever you are comfortable with for hunting.

I shoot my bow because I love bowhunting. I shoot 3D because it is a fun game that I can play with my bow, and it is time spent with great friends. I only shoot and practice with what I hunt with because that is my main focus.

Bisch

[RickBarbee]

I only shoot and practice with what I hunt with because that is my main focus.

Bisch

Me too.

Rick

[SwampRabbit]

You need to learn on a draw weight that you can control. Once you learn good form, and start getting better, you can move up in weight to what ever you are comfortable with for hunting.

I shoot my bow because I love bowhunting. I shoot 3D because it is a fun game that I can play with my bow, and it is time spent with great friends. I only shoot and practice with what I hunt with because that is my main focus.

Bisch

Well said.

I own one bow, so yeah, I practice with the same bow I hunt with

I'll add that the one thing I like about bowhunting is that it seems you can pretty much use the same bow for all game sizes down from the largest you can take based on just the draw weight.

In comparison, it is hard to find a squirrel load for a 30.06 or .243. I can walk into the woods with my bow and shoot at anything from a hog on down and can still be able to eat it if I connect.

And to Bisch's point, you can also play all the games with that same bow as well.

[spidermonkey]

Get a 35 lb ish bow and concentrate on good, repeatable, form. As in CONSISTENT anchor, the way you draw the string (split finger, three under, etc.) bow grip, the way look/aim/see what you are wanting to hit, and the way you release. When you get confident to the point that you know what it takes to make a good shot, and can do it, CONSISTENTLY, grab that 55 lb bow, and apply what you have learned. In the process, you will be strengthening those muscles you will need to shoot the heavier bow. If, at any time, you feel like it ain't workin with the heavier bow, go back to the light weight bow and "re-learn". Repeat going back to the 35 lb bow as many times as you need to until you get to the point where you feel as confident with the 55 lb as you do with the lighter bow. Keep in mind this could be a fairly long (but enjoyable !) process, and if you feel like you just never can get the 55 to shoot as good, you may want to try something in the 45-50 lb range. Cuz.... You will soon find out, traditional bows to guys like us, are like shoes/purses to the womenfolk you can't have too many! Hope you can get something out of all my ramblings, and good luck! God Bless, Rusty