A few weeks ago, I wrote about the huge number and variety of tree stands. I’m afraid the selection of bows rivals them at least in numbers if not styles.

The predominate style now in use is of course, the compound bow. Very impressive pieces of equipment to look at and to use with lots of wheels and cable (strings) and do-dads that can be added on to impress both the bow hunter and the non-bow hunter.

To the “everyday” user, the more casual user, the trick to these bows is to 1. buy one that you can afford, 2. get it tuned properly and 3. make sure you can pull it.

If I go to my trusty Cabela’s catalog, the one  that is dedicated totally to archery, you will find 16 pages showing only compound bows, another two or  three pages showing long and recurve bows combined and, last but not least, six more pages showing crossbows.

Since we can’t hunt with crossbows in New York State, at least not yet, I’m going to skip this category all together and wait until the law changes, which I’m sure it will.

It’s hard for me to relate to all of this equipment because when I first started bow hunting way back during the French and Indian Wars, recurve bows where the hot new thing on the market. I then had a top of the line, 60-pound pull bow made by Browning. I was hot stuff. If my memory serves me right, it cost me about $59.

So, let’s go to the first issue, a bow you can afford. As I leaf through the 16 pages, I see prices ranging from a low of $219 to a high of $749. There are a couple lower in price, but they are youth bows.

Unless you are at least somewhat familiar with what you’re looking for, the range of product and pricing can be very confusing.

Some prices are for bows only and others are for “kits” which include some add-on items that you would need to complete your basic equipment.

These items would and could include a quiver, sites, stabilizer bar, wrist strap and even starter arrows making the purchase ready to come out of the box and into your tree stand.

Well not quite, which brings me to issue number two, getting your bow properly “tuned” or set up. By nature, compound bows are noisy. There are so many parts that can vibrate that when you release the string, you’d think you brought an eight-piece brass band with you into your tree stand.

There are more twangs and bangs and clicks and pops than you can possibly imagine, and if you think it’s loud to you, it can scare the beehivers out of a deer. So, you need to link up with someone who not only knows what they’re talking about, but who can back up the talk with knowledge about equipment.

When starting out, I strongly recommend that you buy your equipment from a local sporting goods store and not, as much as I love Cabela’s, from a catalog. 

I say this for two reasons. First, if you have no or limited knowledge and experience, I will guarantee that you will buy the wrong equipment for all the wrong reasons.

Price, appearance and features are not the governing issues in deciding what to buy. Second, you are going to need product support. If you buy from a local vendor, you can then ask for and expect product support.  And, in conjunction with this advice, I would equally as strongly recommend that your local vendor not be a chain store.

The knowledge and ability of some of their “experts” is very limited. You are dealing with a highly technical piece of equipment that you will need help with or you are going to get hurt!

I have two local vendors that I would recommend. One is Saratoga Tackle located on Route 9P on the north end of Saratoga Lake and the second is John’s Outdoor Sports on Dix Avenue in Queensbury.

I’m sure there are others, these are just two that I happen to be familiar with. If you go to Saratoga Tackle, Tim and Nick will “fit” you with the right equipment, be able to tune it for you and support you as you grow with the sport. John’s will do the same for you. John or Bill will set you up and take care of you and your hunting needs. Both stores carry quality equipment and back up their sale.

Okay, last item, make sure you can pull the bow that you buy. New York State law mandates that the minimum pull weight for a hunting bow is 35 pounds. This has changed over the years.

Not long ago, it was 45 pounds and then it was “any bow that could launch an arrow a distance of 100 yards.” Do you need 60 or 70 or even 80 pound bows? No! A 35-pound bow will do the trick just nicely thank you very much!

You don’t have to be Mr. Macho and buy or try to pull a 70 pound bow. You might be singing in a very high voice if you do. We do not have elephants in New York! Buy what you can pull easily and comfortably.

Finally, for those of you who will be attending our Hunter Safety Education course on September 22 and 23, you are in for a treat. You will be meeting Mr. Mike Zullo, one of my fellow instructors. Mike knows more about bows than …than…well, just about anybody. He was the tribal archery instructor for the Sioux at the Little Big Horn. You are in for a treat. See you then and I’ll see you outdoors!