new cheetah

[Toast]

Been a deer hunter for a long time. Just wanted to say that at age 41 I just got my first compound bow, a new Martin Cheetah, and I've very happy with it. I'd never even shot a compound bow before...

I'd upgraded my Dish Network package a few months back so I could get the Outdoor Channel. Well after watching Uncle Ted's Spirit of the Wild show I couldn't stand it-I had to get a bow. Figure Ted is 59 and he started hunting with a peep sight and pins last year so why not give it a try?

After only a week now I feel comfortable shooting out to 30 yards. My shots will be in the 20 yard range during hunting season with a possible long shot out to 30 yards.

I wish I'd started this bow hunting thing when I was in high school.

Thanks Martin Archery!

[bfisher]

41 isn't old. And certainly not too old for bowhunting. Sure, you wish you had started sooner, but better now than looking back 20 years down the road and saying "I wish I had..........."

One word of caution. If you plan to hunt from an elevated platform, please wear a full-body safety harness. It will ensure that you are still around 20 years from now when you can say "Sure glad I had that thing." Hopefully you'll never have need of it's services.

Enjoy your bow and stop back often.

[flytier17]

I don't wear a harness. My reasoning is, I spend all day on top of a barn roof 25-35 feet, sometimes up to 80 feet, and walk along the 2 edge of a 2X4 without a harness, so why use one when I am in a comfortable chair, sitting down, only 20 feet up?

[hotrod26]

I don't wear a harness. My reasoning is, I spend all day on top of a barn roof 25-35 feet, sometimes up to 80 feet, and walk along the 2 edge of a 2X4 without a harness, so why use one when I am in a comfortable chair, sitting down, only 20 feet up?

I just pray you never stand up to shoot at a deer, get excited and fall that 20 feet and become paralyzed or even worse dead.

[dbd870]

It only takes 1 time. I won't go up without one. I forgot part of my harness one afternoon last season and stayed on the ground. I also lost a chance at a doe I almost for certain would have had if I'd been in my climber; I consider it a very small price to pay.

[geronimo]

Please wear a harness!!!!!!

[bfisher]

Your reasoning is not valid. I worked in a steel mill for 30 years so know about heights. Even when I worked from the basket of a high-reach I wore a harness. Why? For one it was a rule. The other is that accidents can and do happen---every day. Sure, it may never happen that you'll fall, but as others have said here, it eventually mau happen. You know the old axiom. It only happens to the other guy. What happens if one day you're "the other guy", just like in auto accidents?

Let me ask you. Do you or have you carried life insurance? For what? You gotta die to collect. DUH!!!! With a $100 harness (life insurance) you would most likely LIVE in the event of a fall. A much better payoff. Dead is dead, my friend. It's not worth the risk.

[flytier17]

Harnesses are so much of an inconvenience that I think they cause me the greatest chance of losing the deer.

After you fall, then what? If tere is no-one to rescue you, you will still die. I have heard a true story of a guy who was suspended for 20 minutes. The stress of hanging and all his weight being supported in places not designed for support caused his organs to rupture. He was taken to hospital and underwent surgery, but passed away the next day nevertheless. And if you cut yourself down with a knife or something, you will still fall, right? Maybe 2 feet less, which I don't think is going to save me at all. Plus, you are now falling with a knife in your hand, or landing on the knife, which is now even worse than the original predicament of falling in the first place.

[stickflngr]

Flytier17, it is youre right not to wear a harness but I think arguing youre point on this forum is wrong. Ive only been lurking on this forum for a short time but You and Bfisher seem to answer most of the questions on here so that means an awful lot of people (especially young hunters) tend to take you at youre word about whats right. I think by you stating this you are doing a disservice to some of the newbies that do frequent this site. This is not meant as an attack on you but you might want think about what you say on here and its implications to those that read it. By the way, I AM one of those folks (not young by any means) that have learned some about Martin bows from you guys. Hunt Safe, Kenny

[dbd870]

flytier17: I carry a screw in tree step in my pocket just for that reason.