Best Hunting Bows for Beginners
Archery is great fun and it is an exciting way to hunt animals of all shapes and sizes. If you already hunt using firearms or air weapons, bowhunting can be an excellent way to diversify your hunting skills. When you take down game using a bow you get an incredible primitive sense of achievement.
Hunting with a bow gives you ultimate stealth with the silence of a panther which can give you the edge over using a firearm. Overall, bowhunting is an incredibly rewarding way to hunt that takes you back in time while providing you with a modern way to silently take down game efficiently and effectively.
If you are a beginner archer that has started taking archery classes or joined a target practice club, you may want to take your skills to the next level and start hunting. If this is the case, you will already know how to shoot a bow accurately, but you may not know how to effectively track down your prey and hunt effectively with your weapon.
On the other hand, you may not have ever touched a bow or a firearm and you may have never hunted before. No matter what your situation, whether you are experienced in hunting, archery, or are completely inexperienced, you will need a good weapon to start with. Whether you have some background or none at all, a good beginner hunting bow is essential to starting your bowhunting adventure.
In this article, we will be reviewing two of the best beginner hunting bows for the experienced or inexperienced hunter that wants to add a stealthy primitive touch to their outdoor lives. We will start by looking at the features of a beginner hunting bow, what makes them so user friendly, and how they produce enough power to kill humanely and effectively from a range of distances. Enjoy!
What Makes a Bow Suitable for Hunting?
There are two main types of hunting bow that are powerful and accurate enough to take into the field for hunting game animals of all sizes. These two types are the classic recurve bow and the compound bow. The bows are made from reliable modern materials that are capable of producing enough energy to fire an arrow through even the largest of game species.
A compound bow uses a levering system that harnesses the energy spreading capabilities of pulleys and cables to bend the short limbs on the bow’s skeleton. This system allows the hunter to pull the two stiff limbs back manually because of the mechanical advantage that the pulleys and cables provide. This gives the compound bow a size, weight, and mechanical advantage over the recurve bow because the limbs can be much shorter and hold a lot more energy than a more traditional bow. The compound bow is extremely versatile and depending on the design of its pulley system, it can cater to many different distances and hunting situations effectively.
The recurve bow is a more traditional style of bow that is crafted using modern materials that store a lot of energy compared to straight limb bows and bows that are crafted from natural materials. A recurve bow has limbs that naturally curve the opposite way when the bow is not strung, giving the bow more energy under strain. This design allows the hunter to pull back the bowstring and fire the arrow with more energy than is required to pull it back. Although the recurve is generally not as powerful as the compound and has size drawbacks, it is an extremely reliable and durable bow for the beginner to take out hunting for the first time.
What are the Features of a Good Hunting Bow?
As we mentioned in the last section you have two choices when picking a bow for hunting purposes and these are a recurve and compound bow. There are some things to look out for when selecting either one of these bows for hunting and some features that make them perfect for the beginner getting into the world of bowhunting. So, what should you look out for when selecting the best beginner bow for hunting? Let’s start with the compound bow.
The first thing to consider when purchasing a compound bow is whether you need a long or short bow. Shorter bows are more common among deer and elk hunters that use bows because they are easier to maneuver in tight spaces and on tree stands. Short compound bows tend to react more to small hand movements and posture which is something to consider as a beginner. They require a lot more skill and practice to produce an accurate shot consistently.
Longer compound bows are much less sensitive and are easier to shoot for the beginner. They will also cater to longer distance shooting, but they are a bit bulkier to hold and use in tight spaces. Either way, the bow you select will take some getting used to and will require considerable practice before you take it out into the field for hunting. Putting skill and practice requirements aside, the best compound option for the beginner is something in the middle. A bow that is long enough to fire accurately and powerfully with ease that is short enough to maneuver in tight spaces is perfect for the beginner and experienced bow hunter alike.
Look out for a long brace height, this one goes for both compound and recurve bows. The brace of a bow is the distance between the grip of the bow and its string when the bow is not being drawn. A bow with a short brace height is generally less accurate and takes much more skill from the marksman to produce consistent power and accuracy. This is because the arrow stays on the string longer during a shot, giving you more time to mess up the shot with hand torque. For the beginner, a bow with a long brace height is much easier to master and will serve better in a range of hunting situations.
Best Beginner Compound Bow for Hunting: The Bear Archery Cruzer G2 Compound Bow
Overview
The Bear Archery Cruzer G2 is a compound bow that is easy to use and perfect for the beginner that wants to start hunting with a bow. It comes in both left and right-handed options and has a variety of color and pattern choices. This bow is highly versatile and can be adjusted for use by people of all sizes, ages, strengths, and skill levels. If you are unsure of how to adjust your bow properly, we advise taking your bow down to your local archery store or club where they can professionally adjust your it to suit you.
When adjusted correctly, the Cruzer G2 has plenty of power to take out large deer and elk effectively at distances up to 50 yards (with enough practice) and it is also short enough to maneuver with ease in a tree stand or under cover. This bow is surprisingly light too (at 3-pounds) which makes it easy to trek long distances when you are searching for that big buck or doe. The grip is comfortable to hold and the draw weight is fairly light for the power it produces which makes it easy for the beginner to master.
- Compact and lightweight
- Easy to use
- Comes in a variety of style options
- Comfortable grip and light draw
- Powerful enough to take down large elk and deer
- Will need adjusting to the archer’s needs before it is used for hunting
Bottom Line
Overall, the Bear Archery Cruzer G2 is the perfect compound bow for the beginner that wants a weapon with plenty of power that is versatile enough to take down a variety of game species effectively. It is relatively easy to learn to shoot with and it can be mastered with ease.
Best Beginner Recurve Bow for Hunting: Deerseeker 62” 60lb Takedown Hunting Recurve Bow
Overview
The Deerseeker 62” Takedown Bow is a recurve bow that is suitable for hunting. This bow is relatively easy to learn with, however, lessons may be needed for some slow starters. Although this is an easily drawable recurve bow, there is a considerable amount of skill and technique needed to use a weapon like this effectively. The bow comes in a range of draw weights from 30lb to 60lb, but the 60lb draw weight is the best for the beginner that wants to take down deer and larger game. If it is just target practice and smaller game you desire to shoot, then a lighter draw weight will suffice.
The limbs of this bow are multi-laminate (maple and fiberglass) which gives this bow a smooth draw, low vibration, and excellent power. The grip is beautifully crafted from diamond wood that is fully treated and capable of handling draw weights in excess of 60lbs. This bow comes with everything you need (other than your arrows) to get started. A bowstring, stringer tool, finger tab, and arm guard are all provided so you can get out shooting straight away. There is also no need to get this bow professionally adjusted before you use it, providing that you string it up properly.
- Beautiful natural wood grip
- Suitable for left and right-handed archers
- Powerful enough for large deer and elk
- Easy to learn with
- Simple and reliable
- Lightweight
- Great value for money
- Takes a little bit of practice to master the draw if you have never used a recurve before
Bottom Line
Overall, the Deerseeker 62” Takedown Bow is the perfect recurve bow for the beginner that wants to start hunting using an age-old method and weapon choice. This bow is simple to set up, maintain, and learn with and you can expect it to last for years in the field hunting.
