Need a new bow, too many choices......

[scotty18]

biglakeba$$, your correct. We disucsed buckthorn on a different forum. The reason I put Elk River is my business is in ER and that's where I'm on the computer at. Not to muddy the waters again, but if you would be interested in trying one of my recurves we could arrange it. I have a indoor range in the basement here. I can shoot about 13 yards. Let me know and I'll tell you how to contact me.

Scotty

[mapesd]

I shoot a Mathews FX and really enjoy it. It is the low cost Mathews for about $400. Its a great hunting bow! The only problem is the recoil is greater than the Outback or the other higher dollar Mathews. I too made the mistake of trying the Outback!!!Wow, nice bow.

[Mark Christianson]

I appreciate the offer. But I need to stick to the compound, for my own confidence that if/when I take a shot, its going to be accurate(most of the time).
Who knows, someday after I harvest several more deer via compound, maybe I will be ready for a new challenge.

[scotty18]

Biglakeba$$, I understand. The offers open anytime. Good luck on the new bow.

Scotty

[Deitz Dittrich]

I got the new Hoyt Ultra Tec with XT200 Limbs. I have been very impressed with its performance so far. I have taken it to a few 3D shoots so far and have been fairly pleased so far. Here is my set up.

04 Ultratec
Copper John ProIII sight
Trophy Taker fall away rest.
Doinker 10.5" carbon stab.
And I either shoot a...
Cascade Mod 10
Carter Atension
Zenith 3 finger
release

[vince]

I have shot Darton bows for many years and they are real nice shooters. If anyone is getting a new bow, shoot a Darton Maverick at a shop and I'll bet you will like it.

[TomBow]

uh, you fellers talkin' 'bout bows???

I have shot a Darton Yukon for 3 years now, purchased the bare bow for $319. Shot it side-by-side with a Matthews and didn't see the $350 price-tag-difference in quality and shootability when comparing the two bows. Matts are nice, no doubt, just out of my financial league.

I will second the general comments above:
1. Shoot several brands
2. DON'T look at the price tag until after you shoot the bow. Game animals don't care how much your equipment cost.
3. Have CONFIDENCE in your equipment, compound or recurve.
4. What works great for one shooter may or may not work for you, take the comments as suggestions but make up YOUR OWN MIND on what to buy or not to buy.

For $500, you can get a nice set-up. PSE has many nice models.
First thing to do IMO, get to a BOW shop that can measure your draw length, figure out a draw weight you want to shoot. It won't do you any good to shoot bows that don't fit you because the draw length is too short or long and the weight is too light or heavy for you. Then shoot bows that fit your length and weight requirements.
Do listen to suggestions on good bow shops in your area. The larger chain stores may not have the best bow mechanics, some do, but having someone to help you out with bow set-up and tuning is very valuable!
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above may be worth less than two cents.

Best of Luck!!

[rocky]

does anyonw know anything about Kodiak bows. I had a gentlemen in another forum tell me they are a very nice bow for far less than the bigger name bows. Has anyone else had any experience with these??

[Mark Christianson]

No luck getting a new bow yet. Lots of luck getting more confused as I go. TOO MANY BRANDS, AND TOO MANY MODELS IN EVERY BRAND.

I can say I made the mistake in shooting the Mathews Outback again........
Oh, what have I done??????

[irvingdog]

Rocky, I'm no gentleman, and you can shoot the Kodiak for yourself (there is no substitute for experience) at the big Gander stores.

[scotty18]

Biglakeba$$, any luck on getting the new bow yet?

Scotty

[mrkastni]

I have been into projectiles for many years. Arrows, bullets, shot, pellets, heck even golf balls have all been "fired" at one time or another. I have found that success all boils down to a couple things in all of the shooting sports.

1. Practice, practice, practice.
2. Matters more that you do it the same way every time, not necessarily "right or wrong" in relation to form.
3. Have fun and be patient, success will come.

As far as what works best, compound or recurve, carbon or aluminum, hoyt, pse, bowtech, or bear, it just makes very little difference if you are having fun practicing using the same form every time. I have spent a lot of time in bow shops between in the midwest, and all of the Pros tell me the same thing.. "Find a bow that fits and you enjoy shooting, looking at, and talking about. The rest will take care of itself." Also, rember that "tinkering" with your equipment is half the fun of archery..

Good shooting, and take your time finding that bow. It is an important decision that is VERY fun to make.

Mike

[B. Amish]

If your going to use your new bow for more of a hunting bow than a target shooting bow i may have some suggestions for you, not brand names:
1. get a single cam bow
2. no split limb designs
3. a bow that's light and short is very manueverable in a tree stand, although longer bows are supposed to be a little more accurate
4. Pope & Young only takes records if they're shot with a bow with less than 65% let off
5.Also, paying another couple hundred bucks for another 20-30 fps isn't worth it to me

[Deitz Dittrich]

B.Amish,

Please don't take this wrong... But I disagree with you.

There is nothing wrong with hunting with 2 cam or cam.5 bows...Single cam bows are not the cure all in archery. Split limb has the same ammount of limb if not more so how could that be bad. I really dont think it matters. Shorter bows often have much shorter brace heights, wich make them less forgiving. If an extra few inches of bow meese you up in a tree stand then you didn't trim the tree well enough...

As of this year Pope and Young will take bows with higher let off than 65%... you were correct till they amended that this year.

And when paying a couple hundread bucks for 20-30 FPS more, your paying for a lot more than just FPS...Many times you are getting better risor material, better vibration control and tunability.....

These are just my opinions.. please dont take it personal, I just want people to hear the other side of the story!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Biglakebass-

There are a lot to choose from, understand if you shoot it and you like it.. Its not a bad decision. If you like the outback, get it! its a great bow! hands down...

I myself feel that the Martin and Hoyt line of bows fit me better and shoot for me best. Each person is different!

[B. Amish]

thanks for the correction on P & Y, Good for them, i didn't know that they changed their ruling on let off, is it up to 80% now or what?
As for single cams... they are better for hunting in my opinion becasue they require less tuning and i think they can take a little more abuse.... same goes for split limbs......i just don't think that they can take the same amount of abuse as single limbs...
also.... is a really expensive bow going to make you a better hunter? i don't think so, but that's just my opinion
as far as trimming for tree stands goes.... the less the better
more branches = more concealment; and smaller bows help you do that because they are easier to move around

[Deitz Dittrich]

B.Amish

I'm glad were able to respectfully disagree. The new hybrid cams require very little if no tuneing as well and allow you to have level knock travel, something that solo cams don't. I dont want to get into a solo cam debate, they are good bows I will not argue that. As for the limb deal, its going to be a preferance thing. My target bow has full limbs and my hunting bow has split limbs.

as for P&Y....Effective January 1, 2004, you may submit trophies for entry that have been taken with a letoff greater than 65%, but they will be listed with " * " next to the entry... I dont think there is any lett off restriction any more.

[Mark Christianson]

What I have done so far is this:
-Gotten a new sight
-purchased some carbon arrows
-put a new string on my existing bow

What I have found so far, is that I can gain 20+ fps going to carbons. (I verified that by shooting them)
The sight I can transfer to a new bow.
And putting a new string on was necessary regardless. If I keep it, I needed it, and if I sell it, it needed it for the reasons the other one was looking old.

I'm going to shoot this bow for a while yet, and take my time for choosing a new bow.
It is very obvious that I have a TON of choices.

....and unfortuneately(or fortuneate depending how you look at it), the Outback is still the best shooting one for me, hands down. And of course its the most expensive one I have looked at too. Go figure.
I am going to keep on looking. I have some time luckily.

[don62]

I just went through the fun of getting a new bow, my first new one. I looked at them all it seems, and bought a Fred Bear RTX. Price was right,350.00 and it felt the best in my hand. the first night shooting it my scores went up a good amount and have been creeping up bit by bit.

[alwayscatchineyes]

I bought a new Hoyt ultra mag for 400.00 1 1/2 months ago and love it!! Smooth, quiet, fast, I.B.O. rating 305fps 36" axle to axle. I can't believe how well I'am shooting in just over 500 practice shots so far. Hit a turkey target at 55yds in the kill zone (maybe that was luck but I did it) Quite an upgrade from the brownings I used to shoot. I tried the Matthews and the P.S.E.'s at the stores before shootin the hoyts and ended up with the hoyt. My neighbor has been shootin them for 20+yrs now and swears by them but there are alot of P.S.E.'s around here so I'm gettin alot of grief, but it ends when they shoot mine. Matthews makes a nice bow, expensive though but they sure do alof of bashin on the Hoyt cam.5 that made my choice alot easier and don't regret it a bit. Just my input, I know I'am new here but it is a open site as long as things don't get out of hand. I also thought very hard on a new Bowtech, what speed demons they are!!

[This message has been edited by alwayscatchineyes (edited 04-14-2004).]

[KING]

Thought I might add to the madness here.

I recently bought a new bow after a lot of looking. A friend of mine opened a new archery shop. He knew I was looking for a new bow and said I needed to come in and look at the new Pearson bows. I have been a Mathews guy for the last half dozen years or so and planned on buying another. Just to make him happy I went up and shot some. Anyway, I went home with a new Pearson Bulldog, 31 1/4" axle to axle, 310 ibo,
8 3/4" brace height, lifetime warranty. I am the first to admit I was skeptical when the last two bows (mathews)I bought were $650 a piece, and this new bow was a measly $459 how it could be as good. After an indoor shooting season I am very impressed. Very quiet, very forgiving accurate bow.

There are a lot of good hunting bows on the market, this is one of the lesser known ones, and one of the better values.