Tristen Turley
With the revolutionary new bows available on the market today, it can be hard to narrow down which one to pick and what accessories to invest in. The most important part to picking a bow is choosing the one that is right for you. I recommend going to your local archery shop and shooting every model of every brand available. Then, choose which one fits your hunting style and what works best for you. The biggest key to success in bowhunting is having equipment that performs flawlessly no matter the conditions and nothing is more important than your bow.
The next step, after you’ve picked the bow that’s right for you, is setting it up with accessories that will help you put every arrow exactly where it needs to be. Although it can be stressful getting your bow set up, it is crucial that time and effort goes in to setting up your bow so that when you come to full draw on an animal, you have complete confidence in your rig and your abilities.
Tough sights and a solid, dependable rest are vital when building a tack-driving, hunting bow. I personally shoot a Trophy Ridge fixed 7 pin sight, and a HX drop-away arrow rest, also made by Trophy Ridge. This sight is one of the most user-friendly sights out there and delivers unrivaled accuracy, all while withstanding the wear and tear of every hunt. I’ve always been skeptical about drop-away arrow rests, but after sending hundreds of arrows through the HX rest, I’ve grown to love how quiet and efficient these rests are, and they allow your arrow complete clearance. With a sight and rest like this you will shrink your groups, and gain confidence at distances you never thought were achievable.
If you’re looking to save a little money or are just getting started bowhunting, you may want to start with an affordable sight that you can check out locally. The Mossy Oak Bow Sight is available from Walmart for s$19.99. The Mossy Oak Hunting and Target Bow Sight makes it easy to get your bow sighted in for different distances. It comes with three adjustable pins to make sure you have an accurate shot from every distance you aim from. This hunting bow sight comes with a fiber reinforced bracket that holds up through regular use. It's versatile and designed to fit a variety of bows effectively.
Another crucial piece of equipment, that is often overlooked, is your quiver. As a hunter I wanted a quiver that locked tight to my bow and didn’t twist or vibrate, while also being easy to detach. If you look for the same qualities in a quiver, then you need a Tight Spot quiver on your bow. This is a quiver that is rock solid, while being compact and light. After owning a Tight Spot, I guarantee you’ll never own another quiver. Whether you’re a backcountry hunter or a treestand junky, you will grow to love the dependability of a well-built quiver. The Mossy Oak quiver from Walmart is also a good option for getting started as a bow hunter.
After adding all of these accessories you will more than likely want something to counter balance the added weight. This is where a stabilizer comes into play. Not only do they help level your bow at full draw, they dampen hand shock and help fine tune your skills when shooting farther distances. I run a Bee Stinger stabilizer on my bow, and after shooting with a stabilizer it feels odd to even hold a bow that doesn’t have one. Don’t overlook anything when setting up you bow; most stabilizers come with adjustable weights, so you can fine tune each to exactly what you want. The Limbsaver HD S-Coil Stabilizer has redesigned geometry that reduces vibration, hand shock, and noise. Compact size is perfect for the hunter who shoots in tight spaces. It’s available in Mossy Oak camo for $21 at Walmart.
All these top end components make up what I like to think is the ultimate hunting bow. This is a bow that allows me to perform under any condition to my highest level of accuracy. As a bowhunter we all strive for the quickest, cleanest, kill possible and having complete faith in your gear makes any shot much more precise.
