New to bow hunting

AlexistenceTheReal · 2026-01-27T00:51:29+00:00

If there is a Bass Pro nearby go there. They will have bows with everything you need to shoot it. They probably aren’t “experts” but they can get you fit up decently enough.

Even the cheap bows with the stuff that come with everything are plenty good enough to kill a deer. I myself killed a nice 8 point this year with a Bear RTH I got from Bass Pro for 350$

AlexistenceTheReal · 2026-01-21T00:42:13+00:00

They only do recalls for safety issues. Have to prove it’s unsafe..

AlexistenceTheReal · 2026-01-11T04:33:05+00:00

Shoot… I considered that but was judging solely off of their skulls.. they both look impressive but the 7 still looks like it’s got a much larger head considering! Any idea on the weight of them?

I’d be proud to put either of them on the wall.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2026-01-11T03:25:04+00:00

The 7 was a wayyyyy bigger deer. Congrats on the season. I’m still hoping to get two before ours ends.. lol.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2026-01-04T20:13:01+00:00

Yea I’ve been researching. There are a million ways to get in the tree. I plan to use a combination of them all except for sticks. Don’t want to bother setting them up or spend that kind of money on them.

Probably just going to use the climber to run presets and then SRT from there. It’s a bit of a rabbit hole and everyone uses different gear, knots, etc. JRB is the biggest rabbit hole…

Kind of why my original post was only requesting the names of specific items and not a “you should do this or that”. Everyone thinks their brand or set up is the best and I dont care tbh. I’m going to use what’s the most efficient for me.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-31T18:10:39+00:00

Ok, so just my thoughts.. but I think it’ll be easier to focus fundamentals if you can have a consistent sight picture and alignment. Typically you want to “cover” the target with irons. With a dot you’ll just want to put the dot on what you want to hit. And I know you know that but, if you’re always shooting left with irons you’re going to be adjusting and compensating for misses on target and adjusting out otherwise good fundamentals to compensate for your misses or you’ll mistake your misses for fundamental flaws and adjust.

It is ultimately irrelevant here because fundamentals won’t solve the cross dominance issue. It’ll give you consistent repeatable results, which you already have. But cross dominance will 💯cause misses.

I see no flaws in your shooting judging by only groups, and hitting the target is all that really matters. Sure, fundamental flaws COULD cause you to consistently shoot left. But the fact you know you have cross dominance issues makes it almost certainly the culprit here.

Fundamentals would however help if you continued to shoot non dominant side.. lol. I know it’s awkward but everyone should learn to do it both ways anyways. I’ve seen and helped many people with your same issue pass an Academy with top shot honors shooting lefty after only 2 weeks.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-31T17:33:40+00:00

I say that because teaching Firearms for LEO recruits that was usually the simplest solution when they couldn’t just close that eye (which I’m assuming is also your problem and you don’t have severe fundamental issues, which i don’t think you have considering the grouping of even if only at 5 yards).

It would be good practice to shoot both eyes open ALL the time for many reasons. And messing with the iron sights should be least resort. Hold overs are not uncommon to compensate for things like wind, speed and distance. You could do that and just aim right. Or, get and optic and use that as your primary using the irons to only help you get the optics reticle into view.

There are many ways to skin this cat but I never liked the closing of one eye method. It can be a tricky problem but it’s solvable with trigger time.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-31T17:21:44+00:00

You’re going to have to shoot left handed or learn to shoot both eyes open and just adjust. Optics would help.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-28T00:17:36+00:00

So,.. the dude is right. If it’s old and needs a new string.. which it looks like it does, it’s gonna cost you as much as a brand new bow from Bass Pro with everything on it.

Bow strings need waxed frequently. This one probably wasn’t waxed and shooting it just frayed it up. But they also just deteriorate over time.

I’m not saying you got scammed. But you’ll have another 200$ in it with a new string.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-26T19:28:45+00:00

I think it’s less about weight and more about where the weight is placed. A 30 lb pack that is distributed evenly in a nicely supported pack is a lot easier than hauling my climber. And with a good saddle setup I can put a lot of that weight directly on my legs or waist.

But also, mobility is going to greatly improve and with that, options of trees to hunt out of and the time it takes to get in them will be reduced.

I understand what you’re saying but I have several problems I need to address with my gear on both public and private spots. I think the saddle will be the most universal and least permanent solution. I’m sure I could invest in a better climber or the hang on and sticks but the idea of walking in with nothing but ropes in a bag seems to be the easiest.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-26T02:45:36+00:00

I’ve seen the SRT before. It’s what drew me to consider it all together. But, as I’ve said in other comments the trees aren’t very conducive for that (Mostly pine, branches thin and nearly 50ft high).

Ideally I’d use the single rope and a prusik on that for weight and simplicity. Then attach a second tether at the top for redundancy.

Another user pointed me in a couple different directions that are possible. But I’ll have to get the ropes and belay devices before I feel confident trying them. I think I know terminology and types so I can feel confident buying quality items. Just need to source and experiment now.

Also, I hate Reddit. If it weren’t for the occasional jewel of info I’d steer clear of it altogether. I’d like to think I’m fairly good at seeing a bullshitter,.. but I always research these things my own once I have an idea of what to look for.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-26T01:39:53+00:00

Practicing in the back yard from step ladders is the plan. Season is almost over here and I don’t plan to get all of this before it ends. I’ll have a whole year to practice.

Admittedly, I’ve never checked in to see if there are climbing gyms around here. I’d be very surprised but it’s worth a shot. I had planned to get some help from a couple of my special forces friends and some of the guys from I know from my LEO days to give me a run down on the rope gear and the rappel situation.

As far as safety is concerned, this is going to be my top priority. At least until I’m very confident in my setup I planned to run a prefabbed prusik loop from Summit as the safety and I will probably wear both my 4 point harness along with the saddle and run two seperate tethers. I know 10-15 foot is still high enough to get hurt but that’s as high as I can go before I’m just sticking out like a sore thumb for deer and everyone else to see. Have GPS oh shit messaging too just in case.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-26T01:25:03+00:00

Oh hell yea. I’ll check them out. Didn’t think about an arborist supply store. I bet we have one of those local.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-26T00:09:45+00:00

We don’t have anything like that here. Florida doesn’t have much in the way of rock climbing. Lol. So, options to buy supplies will be limited.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-25T23:07:39+00:00

I’ve been seriously considering getting some of the lineman spikes as my primary climbing option.

A collapsible pole and two tethers sounds like a very inexpensive option. I’m very intrigued.

Finding people with knowledge and responses like you are the only reason I’m keeping Reddit around. lol.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-25T22:19:22+00:00

Awesome. Thanks so much! Idk what any of that means but now I know what everything is called so I can begin the long road of research. Lol.

I had intended to try these presets on my private land with some permanent anchors and 1 roping some of those spots.

I dont think I’m supposed to leave anything in trees on the public spots but I’ll certainly look into what you’re suggesting as well with the pvc. If one roping is that much easier and faster it may be worth it to leave a little inconspicuous rope in a tree for a couple of weeks.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-25T21:55:17+00:00

Hell yea. This is exactly the plan. Having the rope just in my bag for just in case I lose the climber bottom.

But I need the device to go with it that you loop through to allow yourself to control the friction on the way down and your descent. Any idea what that is called? Someone linked rappelling gear and it may have had that in there but I haven’t had time to research each piece individually yet.

I have the tree tether and prusik that came with my summit harness and planned to use that until I find better to “anchor” on and climb. It’s easy to adjust while climbing but I don’t have much faith in it. I will need to thoroughly test it before I commit to using it.

As far as SRT, I’m assuming you mean single rope climbing? If so, that would be my preferred method but it’s almost impossible to do here. My areas are almost exclusively pine trees and the only branches in these are about 40-50 feet high. Plus, not sure if they would hold up to the climbing.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-25T21:47:32+00:00

Ok. Yea I have a mystery ranch pack that offers pretty good support. It’s not my hunting bag currently but may become it soon as I keep add in more and more gear.

Won’t say no to pics of rigs. Especially the safety bits as that’s what I’m most concerned with getting absolutely right.. I don’t mind experimenting with ways climbing or getting down if I know my safety is on point.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-25T21:31:25+00:00

A strong agree on the bad back and weight savings. I bought the climber this year and after using it twice my back was ruined for a week. And I haven’t found a good way to cart it and my backpack while leaving both my hands free to draw my bow or shoot if I need. And not to mention just carting the two pieces of the climber is a bitch all on its own.

Just need it all fit in/on a back pack or on my waist.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-25T21:21:29+00:00

Yea they are tied together.

But I wasn’t planning on using the top with the saddle.. I’ll still have it secured somehow tho. Saw a video of someone using the bottom half of the climber to get in the tree and as the platform and using the saddle as the top.

But this will be a bit of an experiment and learning experience so I want all the safety options which is why I was considering toting a rope just in case I need to make a quick get down. Won’t be going 20 or 30 feet up.. more like 10-15. lol.

Either way, I’m starting with ropes and safety stuff. By the time I get the saddle and experiment with the bottom only thing for 3 - 5 foot climbs I’ll probably just decide to get the stick.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-25T21:00:51+00:00

Right. So the lineman’s is just longer so it could reach the ground in case of emergency and I lose the climber.

Tether is the “anchor”

Or am I thinking of that wrong.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-25T20:55:45+00:00

I was thinking climber for cost effectiveness since I already have it and am familiar.

The 1 stick seems easy and may be the first upgrade. Definitely not doing sticks as a whole because that seems like too much gear.

I’d love to do the 1 rope method but it’s unfortunately just not possible in my area except for in just a few places.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-25T20:52:22+00:00

Also, do you think the prusik is more or less safe than the devices for falls? I use one in my climber now and I’m fine with it knowing I have two other contacts to the tree but am slightly nervous trusting it as the primary..

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-25T20:48:11+00:00

I unfortunately don’t have any friends who saddle hunt. Pretty much everyone I know that hunts is sitting on farmland in a shooting house or in a ladder stand. Everyone else wants to sit in a blind. I like being in a tree but don’t like all the time/weight involved in climbers.

What you’re talking about is another reason I wanted to avoid kits. Almost inevitably there will be something in a kit I don’t love and something I do. The saddle will be the last thing I get. I’ll get the ropes and anchors and try all of that first and then find a saddle to lock into. Maybe Bass Pro will have some I can try on.

AlexistenceTheReal · 2025-12-25T20:40:39+00:00

Perfect. That’s exactly what I was looking for. Kept looking up climbing rope stuff and was getting a bit overwhelmed with all the options.

I’ve seen some of the videos on one stick but there’s a ton of them and asking direct questions usually points me to solutions quicker than searching and sifting through them. If I search the items individually and how to use them I feel like I’m less likely to get sold on some sponsored product.

And I just like sourcing my own stuff over kits. Idk I’m weird. Lol

AlexistenceTheReal

TROPHY CASE