Buying a new bow, Some suggestions ?

[Paulie]

I'm a fan of PSE's...maybe it's because I have always had one except for my first which was a Browning...but they aren't pricey and they shoot well!

[Doc]

For what it's worth, I have a Mathews that is 16 years old, going on 17. It has accounted for one heck of a lot of deer. I hope I'm not jinxing things, but other than a broken string (my fault for trying to make it last forever) I have not had any failures. This is at least one that's built pretty tough. Probably another feature that should be looked for in a new bow.

[WNYBuckHunter]

People can throw brands and models all day long, but it doesnt mean squat. Get him to a couple of pro shops and have him shoot as many different ones as he can. Just make it into some fun, and he will let you know which one he really likes, then go out and buy it for him. You dont want to end up buying a bow that doesnt work well for him just because someone on a forum said "such and such a brand is the best thing out there."

[knehrke]

Yup, what WNYBuckHunter said. You got to shoot them. I mentioned that the end of the draw cycle is like hitting a brick wall with the Elite, ie, "it snaps into place". I like it, my buddy hates it. It's all about shooting a variety of brands and figuring out which brand you're most comfortable with. Try them all...if you're going to spend $600-900 on a bow, you better be certain before pulling the trigger. And when all is said and done, after a year under my belt I am still not shooting the Elite as well as I was my Parker Ultralite (which was less than half the price). It takes time to get comfortable. I hope.

[Guns&ReligionCop]

Agreed with WNY BuckHunter and don't feel pressured by the salesman theres no such thing as the best bow for everyone

[WingNut]

I got to tell ya, really look at the Mission bows by Mathews. I have the first generation Eliminator bow and love love love it. Pretty quiet, easily adjustable and all the bells and whistles. Pretty easy on the wallet too. Also check out huntersfriend.com good package deals on there. Have fun.

[KenAxe-7]

I would start by looking at the ones that shoot arrows . Just about anything will do. Just be sure to shoot it A LOT!!

[deerpassion]

I have as my first bow and still shoot the bear strike @ 70 lbs.. Taken many deer with it, as soon as I get the funds though HOYT it is , I think Mathews and Hoyt are neck n neck these days but the Hoyt's are so light and very well balanced and the grip seems to melt in your hand , and are ever so smooth drawing , letting down, and upon release... Can't wait till I can afford one! But with today's modern bows, find one u can afford and feel comfortable with , they all kill deer very well if u practice and know ur set up ' !

[accman]

Thanks all. We're heading over this week to fix him up. Just trying them all and feeling what's right for you, seems to be the correct way to go about it. I'd like to have his selections.

[arrow nocker]

wish my dad would buy me a new bow.

[dbHunterNY]

if you do then are you looking to get all new stuff? that kind of budget will get you into just about any hunting bow without accessories. go to a local archery shop and shoot a bunch before you buy. many of the newer bows will shoot well so don't buy the first one you pick up. what feels comfortable is real important, but they've changed quite a bit since then. know your correct draw length and max poundage you should shoot. they could tell you that, or you can figure it out pretty easy with some tips if you need them explained.

also if you go to an archery shop now (late fall into winter) and find discounted bows that people hit the woods with right now. reason being the new 2013 models are available and showing up in shops. by summer there won't be many left except new 2013 bows that are full price. helps to have a bow with adjustable drawlength without needing any extra parts. helps to resell it yourself or pass it on to someone else.

my primary hunting bow right now is a PSE Evo.... it's fast but has a pretty smooth draw compared to other "speed" bows. the backwall (point at which the bow can't be drawn further) is stiff and not squishy feeling. if he can shoot that well he can shoot a 6" brace height like the Evo's got. i wouldn't go below that though. best sticking between 6.5 - 7.25" so mistakes shooting aren't amplified. the Bowmaddness isn't bad either if you want to stick to PSE. PSE's with the planar flex risers are good basically. another thing there's lots of super short axle-to-axle length bows out there (30" or less). i shy away from these but if you get one of these then it's good to have a sight with a bubble level and third-axis adjustment. it's real easy to cant these bows to the left or right which throws off your shot the farther out you go.

hope that helps and the info isn't too late... good luck with the new bows.

Edited November 28, 2012 by dbHunterNY

[Five Seasons]

just remember you cant go to dicks or gandermountain and shop for all bows. i suggest you shop at a few stores as some brands like matthews aren't sold at the big box stores and for a reason. find a few local shops.

[JR60]

PSE Vendetta !!!!

[Guns&ReligionCop]

I'm piggy backing this in here but has anyone ever tired a Ross?

[sweet old bill]

A lot of good bow are suggested to you. I do suggest the only way you will know is go to several bow shops and try them, when you get that bow in your hand if it just feels right that the one you should buy. It does not have to be the highest priced one. The other factor is make sure they measure you to make sure when you try the bows it is at the right draw length.

[accman]

In Yonkers, the closest shop is Courgar and they have PSE's, Mission, & Matthews. I know on occasion, he'll have other brands too, not just to sure which ones. I'm surprising him on Friday. My daughter is going to have him go with her to pick out a "Used" bow for her, and I'll already be in there with his girlfriend and she's suppose to come out and say "Here, try this one, Merry Xmas". The other places I know of are the Dick's and Ganders in Middletown, but I'd rather stay with these guys who have been so helpful to us since we started 8 years ago. I think the owner mentioned the Mission Ballistic as a good upgrade. We'll try em all and then head home and decide. (I'll bet he goes with the Mission Voyager. I know he likes to go with the best. The first gun he bought was a .270 Browning A bolt. So, he knows the value of buying the right one). . I really think his hardest decisions will be the sights, rest, etc. to go with the bow. We'll see and thanks.

[dbHunterNY]

QAD rest LD model and up i'd recommend for a rest... make sure they use the metal cable clamp too and not tie the cord into the cable.

For a sight I highly recommend TruBall Axcel sights. little more money but tough, easy micro adjustments, super bright for size pins that are fully enclosed, and 2nd-3rd axis adjustments.

g5 colored meta peeps are light and easy to see and see through.

lots of good quivers and stabilizers out there. i use an Alpine soft-loc 5 arrow quiver and like it. if you shoot with your quiver on TightSpot quivers are nice but a little more money.

[chiefbkt]

Good luck and let us know what he decides on!

[accman]

Well, he decided on the Mission Ballistic. Liked the feel, smooth and quiet, and it's about a 1000% upgrade from what he had. He replaced the whisker bisquit with a drop down rest. We'll pick his up on Wednesday and we'll get to use it during late archery and up to December 31st in Westchester. We also got my daughter a used bow and she loves it. She shot it for the first time in the store and got two bullseyes, so she was elated. She shoots all the time now. I may have created a monster. Thanks for all the help and ideas guys. And everyone was right, it's a personal preference, coupled with whatever we can afford.