Guide Tips: Bow Setup Recommendations

Within online hunting communities, archery setup and bow tuning is one of the most common topics of discussion. If you’ve been around archery hunting for very long, you know there are endless variables. Ask a question and you’ll get a long list of different answers. But when we asked a couple of veteran hunting guides, there were a few common threads.

First, we asked Stacey Ward, founder of Hadley Creek Outfitters in Pike County, Illinois.

“We like to keep it very simple,” Stacey said. “Shoot what you’re comfortable with. In fact, we place much more emphasis on shot placement than anything to do with bow setup.”

According to Stacey, Hadley Creek advises its whitetail hunting clients to, “Come set up for bear, not for mice.” Meaning, they recommend setups that use heavy arrows. Lightweight, dart-like arrows have become popular among many hunters. But Stacey likes to remind his hunters that Illinois whitetail deer are tough, big game animals.

“Beyond using an adequately heavy arrow, there’s not much we typically recommend to our hunters, other than to shoot a system that they are comfortable with and that they know well,” Stacey continued. “Shoot the style of sight, rest, and arrow that makes you feel most confident. Because in the end, shot placement is far more important than any other variable.”

We also asked Bob Terwilliger, head guide and general manager for Winterhawk Outfitters in Colorado. Bob has been archery elk hunting in Colorado for more than 20 years.

When it comes to archery setups for elk, Bob had similar recommendations.

“We tell clients to use 100-grain broadheads at a minimum,” he said. “But I’ve come to prefer 125-grain heads. Most of our hunters aren’t taking extremely long shots. So in my experience, the heavier broadhead and heavier arrows have produced better results.”

Bob also echoed Stacey’s emphasis on shot placement and sticking with a system that the hunter is comfortable with.

“Shooting practice is really far more important that any other factor,” Bob agreed. “Hunters should be practicing on a regular basis from different positions and distances. I’d also like my hunters to practice in their clothing and backpack before arriving here in camp.”

When asked about fixed versus mechanical broadheads, both Stacey and Bob were open to both options.

“While I still prefer fixed heads, the new technology in mechanical heads has eliminated many of the issues that we saw in the past,” Bob said. “Mechanical broadheads tend to be more accurate and require little to no adjustment from field points. From that perspective, I really have no problem with clients using them.”

The one consistent message we hear from guides is practice, practice and practice. If you ask 100 guides, that’s probably the one thing that they’ll all repeat. As you tune your bow and prepare for the upcoming season, go with the best recommendations you can find. But above all else, settle on a system that you like and then practice with it consistently.