For all you bow hunters out there

intheshaw

intheshaw

Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Messages
163
Ok, so I originally was getting into bow hunting back in 2006 and picked up a very old bear bow for 20 bucks to see if I even like it. It turns out that I did so I started looking for a much nicer bow and fell in love with the Mathews Switchback. But I decided to join the Army so I held off on buying the bow. Now fast forward to present time and I'm back in the market for a bow after seperating from the Army. I want to keep the budget relative at around 500 bucks, but my question is should I look towards a new, cheaper bow or look at a used bow. I see a few Switchback, and XT's going on ebay for between 400-500 fully set up but is that old technology to where bows are today?

I was told now was the best time to pick up a bow because of the end of season sales and I just want to get the most bang for my buck. So I'm stuck between getting a brand new, fairly entry level bow, or a 5 year old, closer to top of the line bow thats set up with some nice accessories.


Any thoughts?
 
I had a similar situation a couple of years ago. I used to bow hunt in the early 80's, got out of it and the year before last I wanted to get back into the bow for target shooting as I haven't hunted in a while.
I ended up going to my local Cabelas and getting fitted to find out exactly what size bow length I needed. I went through their selection of bows trying out different makes and models. I ended up buying a new entry level Quest bow. The Hammer. It was all set up with sights, arrow rest and quiver for around 500.00. Basicaly add arrows and you were ready to go.
I had looked at used bows also,but the tech. has changed so rapidly that a new entry level can be more advanced than a 5 year old higher end bow.
As time has passed I have changed out for a higher end single pin sight. Other than that mine has been awesome.
I guess what my long winded point was, Go look into some of the new entries. Things have come a long way. Good Luck!
 
I am planning on shooting some of the newer bows to see what fits, but I want to have a rough idea of things before I go looking in case i stumble onto that "great" deal that I want to buy. I think one of my biggest reasons for wanting an older, higher end bow is it seems the people already have them set up with a great rest and sight that would save me money. But then again, thats probably old technology too.
 
All really depends on how much you want to spend ! For what it's worth check out the all new 2012 PSE Brute...IBO speed of 320 & fully set up & ready to hunt(all you need is Arrows & release) for $499 ! My local bow shop tells me that for the money the '12 Brute is the best bang for the buck, said it really impressed him, it shot smoother & better than the '12 PSE BowMadness XS !
 
Thanks, I'll have to keep that in mind. I've also been eyeing the Bowtech Assassin, and from everything I read, it's one of the best bows out there, and even better with the price.
 
I am still shooting my bear Truth from 3 years ago. I believe that about any of the name brand bows on the market will work well for you, from what I have seen they are all pretty comparable unless you get into the top of the line big boys. The bow I am still shooting and a little meat hog I killed. Chris
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Can,t help you on a bow choice, i'm too biased. I shoot a Bear "B" mag take down.(recurve).
I can say try a bunch of bows to see what you like and base your dicision on your findings.
My point to bring up the recurve is that it aint the speed, but the shot placement. Some folks claim a deer can't
"jump the string" if the bow is fast enough, but they can't hear my bow either,,, til it's too late:D
 
The Switchback is still considered one of the best bows available. It is forgiving, fast and accurate. A decked out Switchback is a killing machine. I would love one, but my Ross Cardiac has yet to let me down.
 
Go with the Switchback, I've got an '08 model that is absolutely great. It's not a speed monster but it shoots great and the draw cycle is smoooth. You can get a barely used model for less than four hundred or so and deck it out from there with what you want. You will have a bow that shoots great for years.
 
The cost of the latest technology can be staggering and one can sink a lot of money into a good setup. A bow, a few year's old can be just as good and cost significantly less. I have bowhunted along time and have used several brands. There was a time when I drew back 96lbs of draw weight unfortunately, due to health problems in my neck and back had to stop doing that. A few year's ago, I bought a Matthew's LX thinking I could still bowhunt with the lower draw weight. Un fortunately, I still was not able to do it so the bow has never seen the wood's as I can't practice enough to consider it ethical for me to bow hunt anymore and will be selling it to get a crossbow. Someone will get a new bow, completely setup, for a lot less money for a popular model in the Matthew's line. If you can find deals like this, jump on them and save yourself some money.
 
the assassin is an awesome bow, I love mine. It's fast, smooth, and quiet for the speed it produces. IMO buying a 5 year old bow is similar to buying a 5 year old computer. It will get the job done but a new one is so much better. In 5 years would you rather have a 5 year old bow you bought new or a 10 year old relic you bought used.
 
I second the Tradtech Titan. I've been sooting stick and string for years. Great set-up. Get off those training wheels! :D
 
mewolf1 said:
Can,t help you on a bow choice, i'm too biased. I shoot a Bear "B" mag take down.(recurve).
I can say try a bunch of bows to see what you like and base your dicision on your findings.
My point to bring up the recurve is that it aint the speed, but the shot placement. Some folks claim a deer can't
"jump the string" if the bow is fast enough, but they can't hear my bow either,,, til it's too late:D
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The old Ben Pearson and Fred Bear recurve bows from the fifties and sixties still work as well as they ever did and at times can be had for a song. Some may suffer from long improper storage though, so it may be wise to have a competent bowyer look at one if you are unsure of what to look for. The last Bear bow I bought at a yard sale was a beaut and I got it for $15 after pointing out a surface crack in the finish and the fact that the string was rotted, shelf and tips scuffed. A lot of new archers don't have the patience to learn accurate shooting of a bare recurve bow though, so they aren't for everyone. It takes time and a lot of practice to develop a good repeatable, accurate shooting style. It has been a rewarding effort for me, but is not everyone's cup of tea.

Another bugaboo to watch for is common misconceptions about proper draw weight for accurate hunting. For most practiced bowmen at normal hunting distances, a draw weight of 55#+ is not needed. In fact, I have taken quite a bit of game including deer with a 35# or 40# bow (which popular myth says is way underpowered). Most States set minimum bow weights for big game. It used to be 40# here in Tennessee, but that has been done away with when it was realized that lethality is more a function of kenetic energy and penetration than launch speed. It is still a 40# minimum in Arkansas. In the figures I could find, of states that require a minimum, 30 is the lowest and 40 seems to be the highest. Only a couple specify 50-60# for elk or moose.
 
Codger I agree with you on bow weights sort of. If you shoot heavy, full length arrows tipped with zwickey black diamonds convex sharpened till you can shave with them it takes very little draw weight to get great penetration, hell, I can practically drop my arrows out of my deer stand and get good penetration. LOL

But if you insist on shooting mechanical heads because you can't tune your bow, attached to the lightest arrow possible because you can't estimate range, then you have to shoot extremely heavy weight bows or your arrows will bounce off of little 80 pound whitetails. Chris
 
Correct! Arrow and broadhead (or other point) must be matched to the bow and to the archer. Much as ammunition should be matched to a firearm. The individual components comprise a complete system for accuracy and optimal performance.

As an aside, I am old skool and don't use sights, dampers, releases, tabs, gloves etc. My only concessions are a more modern rest above the shelf, a nock locator and puffs on the string.
 
JiffyPark said:
The Switchback is still considered one of the best bows available. It is forgiving, fast and accurate. A decked out Switchback is a killing machine. I would love one, but my Ross Cardiac has yet to let me down.
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coot_shootr said:
Go with the Switchback, I've got an '08 model that is absolutely great. It's not a speed monster but it shoots great and the draw cycle is smoooth. You can get a barely used model for less than four hundred or so and deck it out from there with what you want. You will have a bow that shoots great for years.
Click to expand...

The Switchback is a great bow. I've been using mine for 5 years. It shoots great, its quiet, and plenty fast. I also like the fact that when at full draw, it is not a bow that wants to creep forward on you, if you happen to relax.
Don't get caught up in the speed game. A fast miss, is still a miss. Bows are a terrible investment, if you buy new. There are a lot of people that buy a bow, and don't end up shooting much, so you can get a great deal on a used bow.

The most important thing to look for on used bows are, cracked or split limbs, or worn string and cables. If you buy a used bow, take it to a reputable shop to have them set the draw length for you. Make sure you buy a bow that has adequate poundage for your state hunting requirements.

If the bow is properly tuned, fits you good, and is comfortable for you to shoot, that is far more important than the name on the bow.
 
If you decide to go the used route - check out archerytalk.com - lots of used bows in the classifieds there.

I was looking there but ended up buying a Parker Inferno, it was in the Bargin Cave at Cabelas. It arrived Friday and I'm trying to get it sighted in for a 3-D shoot this weekend. It has been -25 to -35 C the past few days here, so I set my target out side and shoot from inside the house out through the door.

Bruce
 
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