This will my first year to hunt with a bow, and I was wondering if you guys could give me a few pointers with hunting with a stick and string. The bow I'll be using is a PSE Thunderbolt, not sure of the age or specs of it. My dad best friend is letting me use it. He told me the last time the bow was in a shop is was at 70lbs. I've been practicing with it for a little over a month now and I've put NAP quick fletch fletchings on all the arrows. The arrows are aluminum and I was wondering about them compared to carbon arrows?? So far I'm grouping the field tips in the size of a coke can at up to 30 yards. So any advise your willing to share would be greatly appreciated.

Get you some carbon arrows.

Shoot what ya got! Till ya get comfortable with it.those aluminum will work just fine!

The aluminum will get it done but they've been fairly phased out in preference of carbon. Prob best to "run what you brung" at this point. Check 'em though cause bent is bent. If you haven't already chosen your broadheads keep in mind that any fixed blade setup that's very big will more than likely negatively affect accuracy. My preference are the 3 blade Rage mechanicals, but there are a lot of options out there. NAP makes a small 3 blade that shoots well. Don't settle for OK w/ your broadhead groups, if they don't shoot like field tips then can 'em (that's the main reason mechanicals are so popular now). There's a great company in Kentucky that not only may be America's best archery shop, but also has TONS of tech and performance articles, called Hunter's Friend. Check 'em out.

Dont change nuffin, you put the wrong weighted shaft thru the bow and u might over torque it.( basically like dry firing)

Aluminum will get the job done. Carbons tend to be a little faster and flatter shooting but it doesn't take a fast bow to kill deer. Pay attention to your anchor spot with your draw hand. When you get nervous that anchor point can get sloppy and affect your shot when it counts. Try to practice from a elevated platform. It's a little different shooting down. Keep it simple. You don't need 5 or 6 pins. Know your distance and how the arrow acts at those distances. I personally don't like mechanical tips. I like simple three blade muzzys. I have had mechanical tip failures and just prefer simple less to go wrong gear. Good luck

Carbon arrows will save you a Ton of money in the long run. Shoot deer with them and practice with them never have to worry about them being bent

^^^^ True

No need to get all new carbon arrows, shoot what you have until you break, bend beyond repair or loose those aluminum ones. They'll kill just as good if your bow is shooting them which sounds like it is. I for one came from primitive archery and highly understand broad head planing. If you don't have any yet, in my opinion the Slick Trick's are the shit. No planing, accurate and devastating for a small cutting diameter.

The tip to shoot from an elevated position is priceless, know what your arrows do at different distances, the further out, the faster they'll fall. One to add is read the deer before you shoot, if it is alert at all or somewhat jumpy or nervous, aim low! They will hear the bow before the arrow gets there, their reaction is to drop to build up for the run aka "jumping the string". Many missed shots are high due to this. Good luck!

Average shot is within 17 yards. Practice that. Get good at it. Practice shooting in ever position you think you may get into. More than anything their is really never a perfect shot lol. As for as briars heads go I only shoot mechanical. 2 blade rage to be exact. Any broad head will kill a deer with a double lung shot. It's the shots that are not so perfect that you have to worry about that's why I like a big expandable

Slick trick or. Grizz trick

If you are shooting that good then you can kill. Stick with what you got and next year switch to carbon. Carbon is forgiving aside form the material, it is faster which helps with range calculations. If you have the dough, get a range finder this year and practice from all shooting angles- sitting and standing and from your tree stand. Most of all get as scent free as possible, scout and know your wind. Killing is the easy part. Stand placement is an art. Good luck

Start a 10 yards and shoot and shoot and shoot working on your form... get comforatable @ 20 yards and repeat and repeat and repeat. 30 repeat and if your further if your comfortable

aim small hit big.

oh and practice practice practice.

Most animals are killed under 20 yards. but have pins for further yardage... just been my experience... I prefer a fixed blade and carbon

Aim where you want the arrow to exit not enter. Slick tricks are some of the best fixed blade IMO and " I don't always shoot mechanical... But when I do it's grim reaper" shoot with a buddy that has a sense about archery that can watch your form or go to a pro shop and see if they are kind enough to help your form. I shoot three anchor points, it's easier for me to make sure my form is right. Practice, practice, practice and practice some more. Once you get into the swing of things start shooting long distance 40, 60, 80 etc... It will make the 20-30 yard shots a breeze. ( I personally shoot an animal over 30 yds.) I also use a single pin (hha) and when hunting leave it on 25 yds.

[quote="Eastex"]Aim where you want the arrow to exit not enter.

Excellent advice

If you are right handed, try shooting while twisted as far to your right as you can because it's going to happen place your stand accordingly to either limit those types of shots or have so much brush over there you can't do it anyway.

Here's a great video showing what I mean about jumping the string and if they are, aim low... They're not all this bad in early season but later in the year they can be so don't get discouraged if you are sure you made a great shot but didn't connect. Try to keep your shots close to limit the time of arrow flight if your deer are jumpy.

Preciate all the info guys, as of right now I'm not 100% sure what broad heads I'll be shooting (they came in the case when my dad's friend brought it to me). All I know is that their fixed 3 blades. They kinda look like the Muzzy mx3's. I'll see if I can get a picture of them today when I get off work. But I've already broke one arrow the first day I shot it. I thought I could hit a target at 40 yards... needless to say I shot WAY low and when it hit the ground it broke in half lol. But I haven't missed since then. I'm trying to practice every day but some days I just don't have it on me from being in the heat all day.

When you guys say shoot from an elevated platform, would a ladder work? I've got a acre of woods behind my house but I don't have a stand to put up. I've tried climbing up in a tree but I never would have been able to draw.

fyi expect to miss the first deer you shoot at

I would use a stand that you would be using but if you can't afford one or something else I would build a lean too out of lumber to get to a height you would be shooting from. Angles make things harder but that Is why I would rather bow hunt then gun hunt any day

i'm saying don't get discouraged dipshit

Hahah I knew what you meant just pulling your chain.

only thing I can add to the good suggestions is ,a new bow string. that pse thunderbolt, if I remember right, is a single cam, and a good bow. I used one for a couple years when they where new, but I think that's well over 12 years ago. all bow strings should be replaced after 2 years, they get brittle and can pop. if this happenswhen your shooting, your gunna have a bad time . get a good winners choice string and you can get 3 years safely. that old pse is a deer slayer for sure. good luck this year and have fun.

I'm not sure how old the strings are on the bow, but last week I thoroughly went over the strings with bow string wax. And it seemed to make it quieter.

I would say replacing strings after two years is a bit over-the-top. However let them go more than five, and you're taking your chances. How dry was the string before you waxed it? Once it starts drying out, its pretty much done for. The factory PSE main line strings stretch like a mofo and i would never leave them on once they leave the store. PSE's main line bows use the cheapest strings out there. With that bow, you won't gain anything by going to a super high quality string, however i would not buy a string myself without the winner's choice name on it!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

As far as the strings being dried out there was only one place that I could tell it was needing some attention. And that was just above the peep sight. But other than that the rest of the strings looked good to me.

it was an older tomkat. I shoot 29.5" and 70lbs.

I had an old xi come apart at the bow shop when the guy there put it in the press it was violent I could only imagine what it felt like holding on to that disaster

Bow hunting will make you a better all around hunter .. Mechanical broad heads need speed to work at full potential so stick with fixed ... Muzzy 3 blade are like the 30/30 rifle they have killed more deer than any other ... 6 muzzy for 29 $ .. When u kill that first doe or whatever you'll feel like a kid killing u r first deer

Well hopefully I get to put the smack down on a slick head this weekend for the opening weekend of bow season in Arkansas.