Getting a new bow hunter started

[Stump_pounder]

So my coworker buddy  wanted to learn to hunt and fish because he has always wanted to, his father unlike mine spent more time drinking beer and hunting with his buddy than he spent with his kids. So about 2 years ago My friend Ros approced me at work and said Rich i have been wanting to learn how to fish and hunt. I have always wanted to do it but I dont know where to start. I said Ros, You mean to tell me you have never caught a fish??? He said No my Dad never took me. I thought to myself how sad Ros is a 33 year old man with 3 kids of his own. Well I said We are going to fix that this weekend.

   

So after we have now been well versed in fishing and loving it he comes up to me right after christmas 2010 and says " Is a 30-06 a good rifle for Deer and elk"? I said" Yep it'll kill them dead Why"? Ros say's "I want to go hunting and the guy at the store said it was what I should get so I bought it". So after the first of the year we put in for rifle Deer tags and drew them, we spent a bunch of time at the range learning how to shoot and went Rifle hunting. first time for him ever and first time for me in about 10 years cause I usually bow hunt. We shot some little bucks that I dont have pics of due to a camera malfuntion (ran over it with the truck)            :mad:    

So yesterday I was talking with him at lunch and he said he would like to try bow hunting. The subject of Recurve,Longbow, or Compound came up. Now I know I could get him deadly accurate with my old Mathews in a New York Second but Id like to get him into a trad bow. He seams to think he wouldn't be able to learn how to shoot one. I just dont want to get him frustrated and give up on archery because between us I wasnt very fond of Rifle season LOL

So what do you all think? Should I teach him a compound for a few years and then try and transition him into a traditinal bow?

Should I set him up with a good used recurve and arrows and see what happens ?
Thanks Rich    

[Cruiser78]

Your a good man Rich!
I would say put both in his hands & see which one he likes best.

[awbowman]

I'd see how he shoots a trad bow.  Some people are just natural at it.  Don't stop scheduling the rifle hunts though so there is meat in the freezer.


Then let him decide if it will ever be bow only.

[Stump_pounder]

Originally posted by awbowman:
 Don't stop scheduling the rifle hunts though so there is meat in the freezer.


Then let him decide if it will ever be bow only.

Thats what the sucky thing is about oregon you cant do both , its bow hunt or rifle. there is no doing both unless you just hunt say elk with a bow and say deer with a rifle then you can do both but every time I do that I see mega buck during bow season LOL

[monterey]

Wow, if I say I have never caught a fish will you help me get one like that!!!!    

I would start him with a very low poundage reurve or long bow that fits him well and that he can draw without stack.  Lower poundage even if he is a power lifter.  

With good matched arrows and some form instruction he will probably catch on very quick.  He can get into hunting weights later.

[Stump_pounder]

Originally posted by monterey:
Wow, if I say I have never caught a fish will you help me get one like that!!!!    

.

Yes, If your in Protland area around April or may Give me a shout and Your on my boat. Not a problem!

[Possum Head]

Since Ros wont know any different tell him compounds are for the under priviledged who cant cut it with trad gear and perhaps he wont start with training wheels.

[Stump_pounder]

LOL Not a bad Idea

[Whip]

Certainly get a longbow or recurve in his hands and let him give it a try.  He might just find that he falls in love and will look no further.  But if he still has a desire to bowhunt but doesn't feel up to the challenge of traditional, encourage him to go ahead with the wheels.  

Traditional archery is not for everyone.  It takes more time and dedication to become proficient enough to hunt ethically with one.  And with three kids at home time might just be a real issue for Ros.  

Most of us have evolved in our hunting, and that is completely natural.  Better that he starts with wheels than become frustrated and give up on something difficult from the start.  Keep up your friendship and in time there is a good chance he will drift toward traditional.

Great job on getting him going!!

[Ground Hunter]

Get him into a bow hunter education class.

[Stump_pounder]

Originally posted by Ground Hunter:
Get him into a bow hunter education class.

Yea we have talked about that already

[String Cutter]

I think I would let him hunt with your compound. And take a few deer.... Better to have a hunter then a non-hunter.. But let him see how much fun you are having traditional. take him stump shooting....

[GRINCH]

Rich you are truly a good friend,just let him shoot both and keep encouraging him,from the looks of the smile on his face you started off great.          

[Mudd]

How cool is this?... Way!!!... I'm saying..

Thank you for just being someone who cares about others.

God bless,Mudd

[RM81]

I would ask how much time he has to dedicate to it?  If he has the time to practice get him a longbow or recurve.  If he doesn't have a lot of time to put towards it, I'd go the other route.  Either way, I'd let him try both and let him decide.  Even if he picks the compound he may give trad archery a try in a few years if/when he gets bored shooting a compound.

Good job putting him on the path.  I'd also say to get him in a bowhunters ed class.

[Shortlongbow]

Kudos to you Sir for taking on an apprentice so to speak. Save him the frustration and get him going with traditional gear. After all he did want to learn bowhunting.

[KentuckyTJ]

Good on you brother.

I think you are going to be the best judge of if he is ready to go trad or not. Some people are made for it and some are not.

[GreyGoose]

Consider trad hunting for small(er) game, to get out and get the opportunity to get close and shoot.  Heck, if I didn't hunt groundhogs in the spring, some years I'd barely be able to call myself a bowhunter at all.

[Tom Leemans]

See if we would like to try trad. If so, I would personally avoid the wheelbow. I've seen a lot of guys avoid switching to stick bows, simply because they have so much money invested in all the stuff that goes along with wheelbows that they'll never get back if they sell it all.

Get him started and be up front about all the practice it will take to become proficient. Go shooting together and maybe get his kids involved as well. Keep it fun!

[Skipmaster1]

Have him do both if you can. My buddies and I still switch back and forth. He can get deadly accurate quick with wheels, so let him start hunting with them. Just keep it simple. Once he's accurate with it, it won't be as much fun to shoot, especially when he sees you shooting the stick and stump shooting. Go small game hunting with the sticks and just have fun, when he feels ready he can chase big game with it.