Some bow buying advice

[Badger_55]

hey guys I am a serious hunter, love it could do it all my life, I was brought up in a rifle hunting family and that is all I have done for 10 years now. I have always wanted to get a bow and bowhunt. I'm now out of school and have a steady career so I am really serious about purchasing a bow.

I am just wondering about some tips to look for when starting out. I did shoot a recurve bow for one year but that was just for fun. Looking to buy a nice compound, being a amateur do I want to go out and get an expensive package, or do I go out and find myself a bow that is cheaper and price and upgrade down the road.

Thanks for any answers, Ben

[bigreddog]

If you are a serious hunter and have got the money, why not buy a nice bow?

[harvey lee]

The best advice I could give you is to buy a bow thats fits you. Many times a guy will buy a used bow and find out it doesnt fit right and he cannot shoot very well.

Many things can be wrong with a good deal on a used bow such as the cams, strings and such and they could cost you mucho in the end. That and if the bow doesnt fit will put you in the hole fast.

Nothing wrong with purchasing a used bow, but I would find someone that can help you out that knows his bows or better yet, go to a few archery shops and ask them for some help. These archery shops will get you set up right and you wont have a bow that doesnt fit and shoot well.

If you have more questions, keep asking them here as there are plenty of knowledgable archers here on FM.

[xedge2002]

I just started bowhunting last year and if I were in your shoes I would definetly go to a shop or three and shoot a few bows ask a lot of questions, even if they are dumb, and just try to learn as much as possible from a few different sources. Then like everybody else says make sure you get a bow that fits you and you are comfortable with. I would also suggest buying it in the next month or two so you can have all spring and summer to practice with it.

[koonie]

I agree with xedge 100%. As far as asking questions if you don't know the answer then it's never a dumb question.

Shop around and demo as many bows as you can. There are a lot of quality bows out there and not all of them cost $700.

For value I'd check out the Bear line up. Also I like the Bowtech bows, especially the Tribute. The Tomcat is also a nice package bow. I shoot a Mathews XT and I'd recommend it if you are so inclined. Other bows that I personally have not shot but have heard good things about are Hoyt, Alpine,Ross, and Diamond.

The main thing is to do some research, demo some bows, and get measured and set up with a bow that fits you.

Good luck and have fun.

[cliffy]

I was in your same shoes a year or so ago. The thing that helped me the most was to go to a few different shops and just start shooting. Try all different brand names...dont just get stuck on what everyone else is shooting...unless you like it for more than its name. I agree with everyone else...ask as many questions as you can....and make sure you are shooting the right size bow...meaning it fits you.

As far as if you should spend a lot or a little??. I dont see anything wrong with buying used...but its not for me. Most used bows dont come with a warranty....and bow repairs can be spendy. I guess you got to buy within your budget....for me I went with a higher end model....I dont plan on trading it in anytime soon...and its good enough to last many years. I wish you luck in your search....archery is a blast...you will love it. Let us know if you have any more questions.

Cliffy

[Deitz Dittrich]

just want to tell you that the advice above is spot on!

Shoot a bunch of different bows.. Do not fall victum into buying the first bow you shoot. Bring a note pad with you and write down everything you liked about the bow and everything you didn't. RIGHT AFTER YOU ARE DONE WHOOTING IT. First impressions mean a lot. Ask a lot of questions but try and read through the answers.

A bow that fits you is far more important than the cost of the bow. However, often times you do get what you pay for.

[Meat-Run]

Badger 55,

yes, definetly step up and get something that feels good to you but do look for the hold overs or demo models. Those bows will be allot cheaper than new and have got the "kinks" out if there was any. I purhased a Bowtech that was a demo for $300 less than retail and that savings helped me get more gadgets on my bow. If your seriously getting into it like the other guys said go and shoot all kinds of bows and since your in Cromwell come over to Brainerd and talk to Jeff in the archery department at Reed's. That's were I got my demo and Jeff will let you shoot as much and any kind a bow. Highly recommend Reed's and then make a trip if you have time to other cities and check out Hoyts' and other brands. Some bow's will top out at $1000 (arrows, rest, sites, release, case) and more if your starting from scratch.

With Deits and other on this forum your in good hands before and after your purchase. Believe me I thought I new allot about bow/arrows and just reading some post on here and I'm still learning. Good luck and make sure to have fun researching!!!

Oh one more thing to consider. Treat your bow purchase like your purhasing the perfect rifle for deer season. If it's exactly what you want and comfortable with it you'll have it most of your life-kinda. You do need to think about how much you spend on a bow and compared to a rifle. Rifles are around the same if not less money than a bow and a rifle will always perform as long as you take good care of it.

mr

[FishingwithJake]

Great post Badger, I'm in your exact position right now. I too just finished school and have been rifle hunting my whole like and am considering buying a bow. I'm going to look into the Hoyt and Bowtech bows. I have no clue as to which models to consider but will have to visit some shops and get some expert advice and info.

[Bassboy1645]

My buddy shoots league in kasota,MN and he bought a brand new bowtech cuz thats what everyone else whas shooting.. Long story short he hated the really thin handle. My biggest thing that many people told me including the pro that set me up was to buy a bow that feels good in your hand!!! I think matthews are overrated. Personally i still have my first bow i started with and its a bit older now but its a psebeast 1. Pse makes some great value economy no frills down to bussiness bows. otherwise check out bear,darton,parkers,. excellent values and alot of bow for little money. Comparable to higher priced bows.

[billiam]

head over to aitkin outdoor sports, lots of bows to shoot with varied prices. I just had them set me up a couple of weeks ago. they have ross,hoyt,diamond,browning,matthews and i think bear.

[87clam]

After Mid feb. Cabelas will clearence out last years models. Same with Gander Mountain. And Gander ussaly nocks a hundred off. And if you find the right guy mabey a little more. Plus it doesn't matter how fast or Silent it is. If you can't shoot it straight you won't hit any thing. Comfort is every thing when it comes to bows.

[DRH1175]

Go to a archery shop and have them set you up with a bow to shoot. Then shoot as many other ones as you can. There is no perfect bow for everyone. That said there are many great bows out there. Parker, Hoyt, Diamond, bowtech, Mathews, ross, AR, Bear, Jennings etc... The bow will pick you. I would recomend staying away from Gander Moutain for bow purchases. They really don't have the expertise. Good price maybe but you would probably will not end up with what you really want. Good bowshops on the other hand will set you up properly. If you have fun rifle hunting you will love archery. IMHO much more exciting!

[Cooter]

Just a note that if you are gonna look at Hoyt's then check out Reflex. Same company and technology. Also the post on finding a bow, grip especially, that you like is gold. Lots of bows are fast, quiet, tuneable,...find one of those that fits you(again grip and also axle-axle length) and you eliminate 90% of headaches. Good luck - archery is awesome, later.

[87clam]

I will agree that gander doesn't always have the best guys. But if you find a bow you like and you can get it there why not save the extra buck. Plus the a very good at standing behind what they sell from my dealings. As for the reflex bows they are a nice starter bow the buckskin was on sweet shooting machine to me. Besides the fact they are pretty much a hoyt bow.

[Badger_55]

Wow, thanks everyone for the help. Definitely will use all of it in my process. I plan to head to that shop close to aitkin and see what they have seeing its only half an hour or 45min away. But again thanks for the help.

[loupepsi]

I would check out the Ben Pearson bows with the 20 degree angle grip. Since you are starting out it will help your technique. You will probably find it very comfortable to shoot too. Although, I shoot a Fred Bear Epic Extreme and love it.

[koonie]

Just curious as to why you think Mathews is over rated. Any reasons or experiences you've had with these bows to lead you to believe they are over rated? If so, which bow and what were the issues?