Guns, Bows, Shooting Sports, and Hunting Getting back into bowhunting---need opinions on can't miss setups

[Dl5treez]

K... . here's my deal.



I haven't bowhunted regularly in over 15 years. Back then, 50lb draw, a 340g arrow, and 250fps was truckin'. At least in my area.



I haven't shot a compound bow since 2008 in the field. Played around a little bit with friends' bows on targets with field tips, but haven't used any hunting rigs in a long, long time.



Limbsaver is built literally just up the road from me. Have a line on a decent DZ-32.



Any opinions the bowhunting experts have on a no brainer setup for that bow, or any other bow, plus arrow choices (shaft, fletch, broadhead) and strings, rests, sights, etc etc etc.



I'm 6'1, can handle 70lb pull but honestly don't see the need (again, school me if thats incorrect) and my draw length is 30. 5" without a release.





Don't hold back. Give 'er to me straight! Thanks!

 

[Axtell3]

I'd get the 70 pounder, but back it off so you like it. You must have a bow shop, to help match the arrows and tips right? I shoot around 60 lb myself, could go higher, but there's no need, and it allows me to hold a draw, if the target suspects something is up...

 

[Dl5treez]

I'd get the 70 pounder, but back it off so you like it. You must have a bow shop, to help match the arrows and tips right? I shoot around 60 lb myself, could go higher, but there's no need, and it allows me to hold a draw, if the target suspects something is up...

Yes sir, there is a really great bow shop nearby. They kinda vary between "real talk" and "sales talk" depending on what day it is. Something in the water maybe.

Anything obvious to look for in one bow design over the other?

 

[VolsFan]

Mathews and Bowtech are my preferences. I have owned PSE, Hoyt, Archery Research and Mathews. All very good products, but Mathews is second to none in my book. Not sure I like their new designs with twin cams and split limbs seeing as how they started their company preaching how bad double cams and split limbs are. Ive owned a handful of mathews over the years, my hunting bow is an Outback that I will never get rid of, and pulling back 80# on it is a dream because of the pockets the limbs screw into and their parallel design. You can get good deals on used bows nowadays at pro shops. My wife shoots a DR2, and it has the thin limbs, a wicked little bow. They are not cheap, but extremely good quality, just like our cummins.

 

[Dl5treez]

Are the cam designs that much different, or is it just a "feel" thing for the archer?

Any broadhead or arrow far superior over the others? I'm familiar with bows being matched to an arrow/fletch/broadhead combo, but are there specific ones to look at?

 

[VolsFan]

I googled the DZ-32 you mentioned, I wasnt aware limb savers made bows, I'm sure it is nice. I used their products on my older mid 90's bows, but ever since harmonics damping, roller guards, etc, I just viewed them as being in the way of speed with no noticeable difference after tests I conducted. Everything on the archery market is on such a level playing field, as far as broad heads, there are two big fields: expandables and fixed. I prefer fixed. I have killed a lot of deer with 75 gr muzzys. Why 75 gr? When you take the arrow tipped with a 75 gr, you will get a a darn near perfect 50/50 balance, anything heavier and it sways. I know thousands of people have succesfully killed animals with heavier grains broadheads, but I am anal about perfection and efficiency on my bow and squeezing out every last ounce that sucker has to give. Arrows, I generally shoot beemans for hunting. Decently priced, can get a dozen usually done up with 1. 5" vanes or longer for $80 if you dont do them yourself. I am pretty out of touch with the new bows on the market, but I always liked the perimeter weighted cams on the Mathews bows, one of the reasons why I stayed with them, and the fact that they practically invented everything that all the other manufacturers have been duplicating after their patents expired

 

[BIGNASTY]

Mathews and Bowtech are my preferences. I have owned PSE, Hoyt, Archery Research and Mathews. All very good products, but Mathews is second to none in my book. Not sure I like their new designs with twin cams and split limbs seeing as how they started their company preaching how bad double cams and split limbs are. Ive owned a handful of mathews over the years, my hunting bow is an Outback that I will never get rid of, and pulling back 80# on it is a dream because of the pockets the limbs screw into and their parallel design. You can get good deals on used bows nowadays at pro shops. My wife shoots a DR2, and it has the thin limbs, a wicked little bow. They are not cheap, but extremely good quality, just like our cummins.

You sound like you would FIT RIGHT IN with my FIL/BIL they have more types and set ups for BOW HUNTING than I have guns. I dont Bow Hunt but like to take a few shots with them when BIL has his out we are about the same build and would shoot the same Draw length its fun but just not my cup of tea.

 

[VolsFan]

Only reason I took up archery was to have 4 months to hunt instead of a couple weeks!

 

[BIGNASTY]

Our season of Elk and Deer runs from Sept 15 to Dec 1 lots- o -time to bag- o- elk and deer for gun



:-laf:-laf if I used the quiet way I could hunt YEAR ROUND!!!!! in the backyard

 

[Dl5treez]

I googled the DZ-32 you mentioned, I wasnt aware limb savers made bows, I'm sure it is nice. I used their products on my older mid 90's bows, but ever since harmonics damping, roller guards, etc, I just viewed them as being in the way of speed with no noticeable difference after tests I conducted. Everything on the archery market is on such a level playing field, as far as broad heads, there are two big fields: expandables and fixed. I prefer fixed. I have killed a lot of deer with 75 gr muzzys. Why 75 gr? When you take the arrow tipped with a 75 gr, you will get a a darn near perfect 50/50 balance, anything heavier and it sways. I know thousands of people have succesfully killed animals with heavier grains broadheads, but I am anal about perfection and efficiency on my bow and squeezing out every last ounce that sucker has to give. Arrows, I generally shoot beemans for hunting. Decently priced, can get a dozen usually done up with 1. 5" vanes or longer for $80 if you dont do them yourself. I am pretty out of touch with the new bows on the market, but I always liked the perimeter weighted cams on the Mathews bows, one of the reasons why I stayed with them, and the fact that they practically invented everything that all the other manufacturers have been duplicating after their patents expired

Awesome info! Thanks much!



The Limbsaver bows out here are polarizing. People either love them, or hate them. Nothing in between. I'd like to try it out but am hesitant on buying the first bow I try and make an uninformed decision just based on price.



What overall arrow weight are you using? I see the Bemans come in a variety of weights.

 

[VolsFan]

I shoot 340 beman's out of my outback with the blazer vanes. With a ripcord drop away rest, mathews quiver, sights and stabilizer, set at 80#, its putting out 308-310 fps through the chronograph. My wife uses beman 400's and hers is set at 55# with darn near identical set up to mine and she gets about 245 fps which is pretty good and plenty fast, and I think her draw length is something like 26 1/2" too. I would test shoot a handful of different bows, pretty much all on the market are of good quality nowadays. I would suggest going to a local pro shop and not a big box store at the very least.

 

[VolsFan]

BIGNASTY, that sounds awesome. I was out in Montana a few yrs ago on a job in Hamilton for 5 wks. We flew into Mizoola(i know thats not spelled right). Worked on a log cabin for the park service, had to jack it up and put a new foundation under it. Anyways, the most beautiful country Ive ever seen. Fished the Bitterroot everyday, and got into some HUGE cuthroats and browns in those amazing blue ribbon trout streams. I travel all across the country on 5-6 wk jobs, and am always homesick, but that is the only one Ive been on where I didnt want to go home!

 

[BIGNASTY]

BIGNASTY, that sounds awesome. I was out in Montana a few yrs ago on a job in Hamilton for 5 wks. We flew into Mizoola(i know thats not spelled right). Worked on a log cabin for the park service, had to jack it up and put a new foundation under it. Anyways, the most beautiful country Ive ever seen. Fished the Bitterroot everyday, and got into some HUGE cuthroats and browns in those amazing blue ribbon trout streams. I travel all across the country on 5-6 wk jobs, and am always homesick, but that is the only one Ive been on where I didnt want to go home!

Ya Ive kind of grown fond of it myself, The wife was born here where we live now and couldn't wait to get out. But at 20 years old what do we really know? now at 55 She and I were out the other day cross country skiing stopped to eat a bit of lunch looking at the mountains and she said WHAT EVER MADE ME WANT TO LEAVE THIS YEARS AGO?????? She turned and looked at me and said Oh ya now I know ... ... ..... :-laf

 

[Dl5treez]

I shoot 340 beman's out of my outback with the blazer vanes. With a ripcord drop away rest, mathews quiver, sights and stabilizer, set at 80#, its putting out 308-310 fps through the chronograph. My wife uses beman 400's and hers is set at 55# with darn near identical set up to mine and she gets about 245 fps which is pretty good and plenty fast, and I think her draw length is something like 26 1/2" too. I would test shoot a handful of different bows, pretty much all on the market are of good quality nowadays. I would suggest going to a local pro shop and not a big box store at the very least.

A wealth of info, thanks again!

Going to get out to a bow shop nearby this weekend that has an amazing indoor/outdoor range, and shoot as many combinations as I can. The guy selling the Limbsaver DZ32 is being kind enough to allow me to take it with for testing as the shop doesn't sell that bow line. Hoping not to embarrass myself, and also hoping not to tear all the flesh off my left forearm. lol

 

[VolsFan]

just make sure its your correct draw length and you wont tear your arm up. Ive seen on some of the newer bows the cams are adjustable. If they are not, a cam swap is easy with a bow press and they cost about $40-50