Frequently Asked Questions

We start with a conversation. We’ll ask what brought you to archery, whether you’re interested in recreational shooting, hunting, school archery, or competition, and what budget you’re comfortable with.

From there, we’ll help determine the proper bow fit and explain your equipment options in a way that’s easy to understand. We want you to feel comfortable asking questions and learning about the sport before making any decisions. There’s no pressure to purchase—we’d rather help you start with the right information and equipment for your goals.

The cost can vary quite a bit depending on your goals, which is why we like to discuss your budget and how you plan to use the bow before recommending equipment. Beginner packages can provide a quality bow, arrows, and the basic accessories needed to get started without spending more than necessary.

Hunting and competition setups can increase in price as you add more specialized equipment and accessories. Our goal is to help you find a setup that fits you, your goals, and your budget. We won’t push you into equipment you don’t need just to get started.

We start by checking the bow’s tune and watching you shoot. We look at your form, arrow groups, and how well the equipment fits you. If the bow needs adjustments, we’ll recommend tuning or setup changes. If your form is affecting your shot, we may recommend coaching sessions. If your current equipment can’t be adjusted to properly fit you or meet your needs, we may recommend new equipment. Our goal is to identify the real issue first, so you’re not spending money on equipment when a simple adjustment or coaching may be all you need.

Turnaround time depends on the type of work and how busy the shop is. During the off-season, a standard bow setup can often be completed within a couple of hours. Our range is just a few steps from the shop, so we encourage you to shoot your bow before you leave to make sure everything feels and performs right.

Custom strings and cables generally take a couple of weeks. Custom arrows and fletching may take up to a few days, while bow tuning can sometimes require until the next day. As hunting season gets closer, turnaround times may be longer, so we recommend bringing your equipment in early whenever possible.

Yes. We work closely with school archery programs and youth teams throughout the season. School archers come to us for Genesis equipment, bow work, tournament preparation, and help with form and shooting technique. We also work with coaches at school practices to help make training more efficient and effective.

We proudly support ALAS (Archery in Louisiana Schools) through donations and by helping with tournaments. Our shop is also home to the Hoot & Holler Training Academy, where we train our Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) club members. Many of our youth archers have competed successfully at the state and national levels and earned college scholarships through archery.

Hunting and target setups are designed with different goals in mind, although some bows can work well for both. Hunting bows are usually shorter axle-to-axle, making them easier to handle in a tree stand, blind, or other tight hunting situations. They are typically equipped with durable, practical accessories designed for hunting conditions.

Target bows are generally longer axle-to-axle and set up for greater stability, a longer sight radius, and more precise adjustments. However, depending on the tournament class, many archers compete successfully with their hunting bow. For archers who enjoy both hunting and competition, we can help configure one bow to perform well for both.

Yes. After nearly 20 years in business, we’ve built up a large collection of parts for many older and discontinued bow models. Availability varies by brand and model, so we recommend calling the shop with your bow information and the part you need. We’ll be happy to check what we have in stock and let you know if we can help.

We recommend practicing at least three to four times a week to see steady improvement. Three or four focused sessions are much more effective than trying to fit all your practice into one long session.

About an hour at a time is a good starting point for most new archers. It gives you enough time to work on proper form, accuracy, and consistency without becoming overly fatigued. Regular, focused practice helps build good habits and muscle memory, while shooting too long when tired can lead to poor form and bad habits

Absolutely. Every year, we help hunters get their equipment ready well before opening day. We can inspect and tune your bow before you begin practicing, make necessary bow and arrow repairs, and check your strings, cables, cams, and hardware for wear or potential problems.

We can also build arrows for your hunting setup, help make sure your broadheads and arrows are properly matched, and assist with sighting in your bow. Our goal is to make sure your equipment is properly set up, tuned, and ready so you can head into hunting season with confidence.

If you still have your old bow, arrows, and accessories, bring them in before you start shooting again. We can inspect the equipment to make sure it is safe and still fits you properly. Strings and cables can deteriorate with age, even when a bow has been sitting unused, and cams and other components should also be checked before drawing the bow.

Once we know your equipment is safe, we can help with any needed adjustments, tuning, or repairs and get you back on the range. A little guidance at the beginning can also help refresh your form and prevent old habits from getting in the way.

Our staff stays current by working hands-on with the bows and accessories we carry. We shoot, test, set up, and tune the equipment ourselves, so our recommendations come from real experience rather than simply reading a manufacturer’s brochure.

We also maintain relationships with manufacturers and their technical teams, which allows us to stay informed about new technology, product changes, and proper setup procedures. It also gives us the opportunity to provide feedback from the range and our customers directly to the people developing the next generation of archery equipment.

Absolutely. Our range is set up to accommodate archers of different ages, sizes, and skill levels. We have movable targets, allowing younger or newer archers to shoot at a shorter, comfortable distance while more experienced family members can shoot from farther back.

This makes it easy for parents, children, and other family members to enjoy range time together at Hoot & Holler Archery.

In many cases, yes. Archery can be adapted to fit a wide range of abilities, and you don’t need a lot of strength to get started. Draw weights can begin much lower than many people expect, and proper form and technique are often more important than raw strength.

Depending on the individual’s needs, we can explore lighter draw weights, adapted releases, seated shooting, and other equipment adjustments to help make archery more comfortable and enjoyable.

A bow ordered online usually arrives in a box with factory settings and still needs to be properly fitted, set up, and adjusted for you. When you purchase a bow from us, we fit it to your draw length and draw weight, install and adjust your accessories, set your peep sight in the proper position, and help you get sighted in before you leave.

Just as important, our service doesn’t end with the sale. You have a local bow shop you can come back to for adjustments, tuning, repairs, questions, or help as your shooting develops. You’re not just buying a bow—you’re getting a setup that is fitted to you and the support to go with it.

Everything here happens under one roof: selection, fitting, bench work, range time, and coaching. Nobody hands you a boxed bow and points at the exit. The same people who sell you equipment set it up and watch you shoot it.

Walk in customers are welcome for browsing, purchases, and hourly range lanes. Bench work, lessons, and group bookings run on their own schedules, so arranging those ahead means your bow or your lane is ready when you arrive.

Conversation first, arrows second. We ask what drew you to archery, what you hope to do with it, and how much you want to spend, then fit equipment to your frame before anything else gets decided. No purchase is expected.

An online bow arrives in a box at factory settings, sized for nobody in particular. Ours leaves fitted to your draw, with accessories installed and adults sighted in at 20 yards, plus somebody local to call afterward.

It varies widely, which is why we talk budget early rather than late. Entry level packages cover the bow, arrows, and basics affordably, while a competition or hunting rig climbs from there. Nobody gets pushed past what they need.

Frequently, yes. Straightforward setups finish while you wait, and the range sits a few steps from the bench, so plenty of customers shoot their new bow before they leave. Custom string builds and deeper tunes need longer.

Closely. School shooters come to us for Genesis equipment, tournament preparation, and bench work between competitions, and coaches send students here when a form problem needs a second set of eyes on the shooting line throughout the season.

We watch you shoot. Groups that scatter randomly usually point at the bow, groups that drift consistently in one direction usually point at form, and equipment only gets recommended once neither of the first two explains the problem.

Often, yes. Years on the bench means familiarity with older components and knowledge of which discontinued models can still be pressed safely. Some bows do reach the end of the road, and we will say so plainly.

Hunting rigs lean toward shorter axle to axle lengths, quieter accessories, and forgiveness in cold weather with gloves. Target setups lean toward stability, longer sight radius, and fine adjustment. Plenty of archers own one bow configured sensibly for both.

Our staff shoot and test what we stock rather than reading brochure copy, and a direct line to manufacturing engineers means feedback from the range goes straight back to the people designing next season's bows and accessories.

Regularly, yes. Family memberships cover households where more than one person shoots, equipment gets sized to each archer individually, and adjacent lanes let parents and children shoot alongside each other at Hoot & Holler Archery in Bossier City, Louisiana.

Usually, yes. Draw weight starts far lower than most people assume, and technique carries more of the work than raw strength does. Seated shooting, adapted releases, and lighter setups have all found a place on our lanes.

Two focused sessions beat one long marathon. An hour at a time keeps the shooting arm honest before fatigue starts teaching bad habits, and consistent weekly attendance moves an archer along faster than occasional heavy bursts ever manage.

Every year. Arrow builds matched to broadheads, sighting in at hunting distances, quiet accessory choices for stand work, and a full inspection of strings, cams, and hardware before opening day keep a rig honest when the shot presents itself.

Bring the old bow in before buying anything. Strings and cams from a decade ago need inspecting regardless, and a single private session usually reveals which habits are worth keeping and which quietly held your shooting back.