I took my first deer ever this year. He walked right under our elevated box stand proceed to the feeder and stood broad side while I discussed with my partner whether I should take him or not. We decided yes he was a shooter so I shot, and he went down. It was a rush and it was fun but it did not seem to be much of a challenge. From reading some magazine articles and watching a few shows on the outdoor channel it really seems that bow hunting is the way to go. So I spoke with my father in law and he had a bow that I could use. It seems to be a pretty good bow. The sights are pretty old and I want to replace them. I guess my reason for posting is to get some advice. The bow is a PSC Fire-Flite Elite Series. It has not been shot in several years. I took it to the local archery shop in Belton, Peacock Archery very nice people with lots of product. If you are ever in Belton please stop in. They replaced the string and sold me some arrows. What kind of sight would you recommend? Should I get anymore work done to the bow besides replacing the string? I just need to know the basics. I plan to practice up this year and hopefully get a shot a deer next year. Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

I started out the same way about 6 years ago. I bought a used bow from a friend to start out with. I hunted with it for 2 years before I decided I was hooked and then broke down and bought my first new bow. The only problem with getting a used bow is that it may or may not fit you properly. The guy I bought my used bow from did not use a mechanical release, so the bow's draw length was about 27", and I needed a 29" draw length. A friend of mine bought a used Hoyt with about a 31" draw length, and he only needs about 29". If the pro shop you went to said the bow looked like a good fit, then great. If not, you may want to purchase an arm protector. As far as the accessories you mentioned, I would go with just the basic 3-pin sights and an inexpensive, but quiet rest. There's a ton of options out there for sights & rests, and each has it's advantages & disadvantages. It all comes down to what you as an individual prefers. Since your a beginner, I would not spend alot of money on something that you may later regret. Once you start shooting, you will come to realize what you like in a rest & sights. I have purchased several different rests and several different sights over the years, and in my opinion, the fall away rests like the Trophy Taker & vertical pin sights like the Trophy Ridge are the best to use, but others will feel differently.

Ditto!

Trophy Ridge makes some real good sights with vertically stacked pins. I actually like them better than I do the Horizontal ones because more of the sight picture is open( kinda weird to get use to if you're use to the old style, but since you're just starting out you wont have a problem with that).Which ever kind you pick go with metal construction (not plastic)and fiber optic pins. the brighter the better.

trophy ridge is the way, it was wierd getting use to them but they are worth it

I have used Trophy Ridge and did not like them..BUT...getting my bow sigted in was a piece of cake! Moving those sights is so simple!!! Right now i'm using John Coper Dead Nuts....and you talk about a durable TOUGH site!!! My equipment gets well-used..lol...and I need something tougher...definitely stay away from plastic!!
I also use a whisker biscuit...and probably will never use another rest. Muzzy Zero's are good too.

Good Luck welcome to the sport!

I use Cobra.
By the way you made a smart move welcome to the club! Remember this the hardest thing to kill with a bow is a turkey or a older doe. Yes I said older doe.

Older does are hardest to kill, no matter what you use. They tend to be warrier, and testosterone isn't clouding their judgement. (I could insert something here about the relevance to human males, but I won't.)

Lora

Thanks to everyone for the advice. It looks like Trophy Ridge is pretty popular but they are also pretty pricey. Since I am just starting out I would like to take the advice above and buy a cheaper site until I figure out what style I like. Is there a vertical setup similar to Trophy ridge but not as expensive? When I get a sight do I need to use a peep sight in the string? Also I have seen $12 releases at Wal-Mart and $70 releases at the archery shop. Is there that much difference in the quality of the release? Also I I use a release do I attach it directly to the string or do I need to get a string with a loop on it? I am sorry for all the questions but I am really just beginning to learn. Does anyone recommend any books on the basics of archery so I don't have to ask so many questions? I really do appreciate all the help.

One thing to remember...If it helps you become a better archer, it's not too expensive. However, I am a budget hunter myself and I chose to buy the Ultra-nockXL and matching release at Wal-Mart. If you shoot a release then you do need either a string loop or ultra-nock. Inexpensive yet very effective. The release has an adjustable trigger. There are other vertical sight setups (not many) but Academy sells one for about $39.00 that looks almost identical and is made of the same materials...I won't vouch for it's quality though, never used it.

I will spend the extra money to get the quality equipment before I take a shot a live target, but like Redneck_Hunter suggested I want to figure out what type of setup I like without braking the bank.

Don't worry about asking too many questions. That's what this forum is for. Although, you may get so many different answers that you may end up more confused.

I'll try and explain some of the things I've learned over the years to come to the setup that I'm currently using.

1. Sights: I learned early on that when shooting at a little red dot on a target that I prefer the normal horizontal pins. However, shooting at 3-D targets or live animals, I prefer the vertical pins because I can see more of the target, and it's easier to line up on a live animal with the vertical pins. I actually special ordered my sight from Trophy Ridge. I wanted the small .010 pins and I had them remove the red pin, and install a green, yellow, green. Check the pictures out on the bottom of this website, and you'll see what I mean. Trophy Ridge

2. Rest: I like the fall away because they tend to make your bow a little more forgiving, and most will allow for more arrow speed. Other hunters like the whisker biscuit or bodoodle because they keep the arrow secured in the rest, but you will give up some speed, and if there's any movement, these types of rests may cause erratic arrow flight.

3. Release: Most hunters will prefer some type of release that straps to the wrist and will fold out of the way to allow you to use your hands. In my opinion, the best release out there is available at Wal-Mart, and is the Tru-Fire Bearclaw. Most target shooters will use a hand held release because there anchor points will be more consistent. Wrist strap releases tend to slide up and down your arm, and therefore, your anchor point may be slightly different each time you draw. The Bearclaw has a wrist strap, and allows you to grip it while drawing, so I get a more consistent anchor.

4. Peep: I would definitely recommend a string peep, and there's a ton of options here as well. Most hunters will use a large peep, and target shooters will use a smaller peep. Of all the different one's I've used, I prefer the 3/64" Fletcher Tru-Peep.

I hope this info helps. Remember, this is just my preferences. Since I do alot of competetive 3-D target shooting, I use a little different setup than most hunters would use.

I use a tru-ball tornado and love it. It pivots on your wrist so you can actually tuck inside you shirt or coat when not using it ( which makes it real good when climbing into your treestand or doing anything else where you need it out of the way). I think they're around 40 bucks and worth it.Since you're just starting out would say definatly use a peep sight( helps with bad form mistakes. Best thing to do is go to a pro shop that you trust. Bass pro is ok( if you dont get the guy who's filling in from the camping section, no offense),but I would'nt go to Wal-Mart looking for advice.Smithfiels Archery in NRHills is good. Talk to the owner.My experience has been that he does'nt try to sell you anything you dont need.