I picked up a new Browning F5  tornado off of ebay real cheap $173 to my door. I went and had it set up and tuned with sights, rest, stabilizer and a few Carbon express terminators, and I have another $98 into it. I took it home and did pretty well while trying to sight it in. I lost a couple of old Easton aluminums in the process an am glad I didn't try using the carbons right off. I think I need one of those target block things. the old hay bales just aren't cuttin it. I can't believe how smooth this bow is compared to my old relic compound. The let off is so much better, it feels like I could hold it drawn for many many minutes I couldn't do that with the old beast. Do most of you guys set the pins for 10-20-30-40 yards or something different? I used to have just 3 pins. 4 seems a bit cluttered.

DD

ddog,

I shoot 72 pounds for flat trajectory.  As such, I only use 1 pin for 10-30 yards.  I'm working on a longer range pin 40+ but am still in the process of doing so.

When I used to shoot my old Bear Black Bear Compound, I did very much as you said, had a pin for 10, 20, 30, 40 yards etc.  so long as you can hit a 6 inch target consistently, keep on going out! 

I can't vouch for the pendulum sites that MRM has suggested.  But I just can't see how they'd be that big of an advantage.  Where I hunt even if you're 30 feet up in a tree, you can still be seeing eyeball to eyeball with game due to the hilly terrain.  How a pendulum site can vouch for varying angles I just don't know.  Maybe they have some sort of scale for a 15 degree sloping hill or a 45 degree sloping hill? 

Bottom line, get the best you can afford.  I suggest you get the fiberoptic pins if you don't already have them.  They're a little pricey but after the 4 or 5 site systems I've had on my compound, they shine remarkably! 

Good luck, bowhunting is a really challenging sport.

I got a cheapy Tru Glow with a battery powered blue lite for when it's really dark. I read something about those swinging sites that scared me off but I can't remember what it was. My stands aren't very tall 10' at the base for the highest one so I figured pins would work.

DD

I've got a few more questions for you guys.

How do you determine how many # to set your bow?

I set mine at the minimum since I won't be able to practice as much as I should and just thought I'd be able to hold the draw longer. Am I wrong? should I just crank it up?

Alu vs. Carbon?

Do the deer notice the differece?

I'll probably just be shooting a doe maybe two. I most likely will get my buck with a pistol. Does body size have anything to do with it? Does a heavy slow Alu 125gr tip beat them down better than a 85 gr. hyper vel carbon?          ;           ;           ;           ;           ;           ;   My first time out years ago I came accross three deer on the run going right to left. I lead the first then the second and finally had the lead figured at 4' off the nose. It ducked it's stride when it heard the arrow but I got it in the spine and it went right down. 45 yard shot. Now people tell me that was the luckiest shot they've heard of. And then want to slap me for taking it. That was the only shot I've ever taken on a deer. I know now I don't know snot about this sport  and really appreciate your advice.

DD

dd: what ever you feel good at pulling... i used to shoot 70 #'s but now with my old age its down to 65 #... plus when it get cold out the lighter poundage is easer to pull. you know when you havent filled your tags and it the end of dec. and the snow is flying and you got snot froze to your face.  1 thing check the tiller. take a ruler and check the distance from the bottom of the top limb to the string and do the same on the bottom limb. the bottom should be about 1/8 - 1/4 longer. i dont know what let off you got but say if you got it set at 80 #'s and have 50 % let off you only holding 40 #'s at a full draw. that is when you feel it break when you pull it back.

 as far as arrows alunimum , they have more knock down power than carbons. i have knocked deer off their feet with them. and have had carbons go right threw them like they got a sting from a deer fly. my browning was shooting a 3217 arrow at 285 f.p.s. when i went to carbons it was pushing them at 385 f.p.s.  but with the new fancy bows like the kids have they are flinging those 2317 way faster than my carbons are.

deaddog wrote: I've got a few more questions for you guys. How do you determine how many # to set your bow? I set mine at the minimum since I won't be able to practice as much as I should and just thought I'd be able to hold the draw longer. Am I wrong? should I just crank it up? Alu vs. Carbon? Do the deer notice the differece? I'll probably just be shooting a doe maybe two. I most likely will get my buck with a pistol. Does body size have anything to do with it? Does a heavy slow Alu 125gr tip beat them down better than a 85 gr. hyper vel carbon?          ; ;           ; ;           ; ;           ; ;           ; ;           ; ;    DD

To determine poundage for YOU:
Well, I'd suggest you try drawing from multiple positions.  Try drawing the bow straight back in each position (squatting, turning, etc.).  The reason you draw the bow straight back instead of raising it above your head as you draw or bringing the bow up from below you (as in a nocking position) is simple.  You can't always guarantee you'll have plenty of room to draw while in the field!  The smaller space you use to draw your bow in many positions, the better off you'll be.

Are you wrong:
Not in my humble opinion.  You can only shoot and harvest deer at the ranges you practice whether its 10 yards or 50 yards, don't try to exceed them by "cranking" up your bow.

Aluminum vs. Carbon:
When I first got into bowhunting in the 80's, there was a faction of archers termed "the speed freaks" they'd try everything to get their bows to shoot aluminum arrows faster (overdraws, skinny arrows, etc.).  Thankfully, I bought myself "The Bowhunter's Digest" by Chuck Adams (Super Slam Bowhunter, having taken all North American Big Game by Bow).  I pretty much follow his philosophy of I'd rather be shooting a log with an axe blade on it than a pencil with a razor blade!  With bows, we kill with hemhorraging not kinetic energy like firearms. 

The whole reason I brought this up is because many folks go with carbon over aluminum for the speed reason.  I stayed away from carbon arrows for quite a while but I now use them, but not for the speed.  I use them for the accuracy.  Carbon arrows can be considered completely straight or completely broke in most cases!  Aluminum, however, can bend without you knowing it.  I like the thought of an aluminum arrow "giving" a little bit as the critter grinds it into its vitals rather than having a carbon arrow breaking. 

Bottom line, so long as it's accurate with a GOOD BROADHEAD, it really doesn't matter that much.  We're not comparing a 223 Remington's suitability as a deer rifle to that of a 300 Win. Mag's!
Deer don't know the difference!

Fast 85 grainer vs. slow 125 grainer?
Well, again it's more about the accuracy of the combination.  If you shoot 85 grainers more accurately than 125 grainers then by all means use the 85 grainers!  Most folks don't have the $$$ to spend on a half dozen broadheads so what you should be comparing is cutting diameter.  The wider the better, in my opinion.  I'll tune my rig to shoot the widest broadheads I like.

45 pounds is usually the minimum requirement for using a bow on deer.  The more weight, the better but again it's all about you and your bow rig's ability.

Hope this helps. 

Good luck!

Thanks for the helpful info.

DD