Equipment & Opinions
There's so much controversy over every piece of equipment in the hunting industry.
"Don't shoot that. Those suck. You need something newer. Well I had a bad experience with that..."
We've all heard everybody's opinions and it'll continue to be that way. I won't tell someone not to use a specific brand or design, even if I had an unlucky experience. Why? Because there are so many variables when you're bowhunting and it's too hard to blame one specific thing. THAT'S THE BEAUTY IN BOWHUNTING!
Prepare for every scenario using a ton of different equipment. The more you try, the more educated you are. I tried 2 different broadheads just last weekend that I had NEVER used and I killed a hog both times (see blog post here). I don't care who you are, if you practice enough with whatever setup you have, and assuming it's performing well during practice, it'll perform well in the field.
Here's why: you can kill an animal with a field tip if it hits exactly where it's supposed to. Make the right changes during practice so you're not blaming your equipment in the field.
I prefer Gold Tip arrows because they're carbon and therefore lightweight. I've heard great things about other brands but I'm extremely happy with these so far. With that being said, one thing to always remember with carbon arrows is that they can explode if there are any cracks from hitting each other during target practice. It's a good habit to check your arrows by flexing them multiple times while spinning them in your hand. Listen for any cracking or similar noises while doing this. My husband shot one of his arrows last season and it exploded upon release, causing the strings to jump off of his cam. Luckily all he needed was a new cam and wasn't left with material stuck in his skin.
On another note, keep the weight of the arrow in mind for the game you're hunting! Up until last year, I was shooting a little over 315 grain arrows which is pretty dang light. As I'm preparing for my elk hunt in less than 2 weeks, I needed to go up quite a bit in weight. Yes, my bow was quick, but I was lacking in penetration. If there's not enough weight on the front end of that arrow, what's going to push it through the bigger game? Although I've killed several whitetail deer with my previous arrow setup, an elk is a whole different animal (pun intended)! I ended up putting a brass insert at the front end of my arrows to raise them to 418 grain for my trip. What an improvement! I stayed with 100 grain broadheads because they flew so well. Also, normally when you increase the weight of the arrow, they don't fly as quickly. Lucky for me, I maxed my bow out at 50 lbs to make up for the increase in arrow weight. I killed both hogs with this setup and I'm feeling confident for my trip!
WHAT I LEARNED:
Long story short, don't let someone talk you into their exact setup if it doesn't feel comfortable. My husband shoots a Mathews bow, ONLY Rage broadheads, and he prefers Scentlok for clothing. I shoot a Hoyt bow, have tried multiple broadheads that I'm very pleased with, and I prefer Under Armor clothing. Don't be afraid to try new things! Form your own opinions and be open-minded! It'll make you a better hunter and that's the most important thing.
