Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting How long do you keep your bow?

Just curious as to how long you keep your bow.I know some guys upgrade every year or two,some have the same bow for 20 years.Since I started shooting mathews I tend to keep them for a while.Had my 1st Mathews an MQ32 for 6 years or so,replaced it with an Outback about 3 years ago.

With regards to compounds...

1st bow...old Bear thingamajig. Had steel axle brackets riveted to the limbs and a total of four wheels IIRC.

2nd bow...PSE Thunderflight, bought new, replaced 2 sets of limbs.

3rd bow...High Country Excaliber, bought new, replaced 3 sets of limbs. (still got that one as a fishing bow).

4th bow...Mathews Ultramax, replaced limbs once already, new first year they were out.

You can now know how long I keep (using) my bows, how often I shoot and probably how old I am to boot...grin.

Still have my Browning Nomad that I got in 1981... My PSE from 1990, and my Matthews LX from 2001. Still take 3-4 hogs every year with the LX, and have no intentions of changing it!

1st bow was a Bear whitetail purchased at Kmart,long long ago had it for a while,then came the Oneida Eagle,then a Proline PointBlank,then Proline Speedstick(crap bow)then a Golden eagle 3D formula,Then a Golden eagle evolution and then the Mathews mentioned above.Have a cousin who still shooting his PointBlank.

When I first started archery in the 1980's I would trade every year or two. I have since learned "It's not the bow". I now only trade every 4 or 5 years. I currently have an '03 Hoyt Ultratec and have yet to see a 'new' bow that is $800 better. Maybe next year.

started out with a bear many moons ago. then switched to a browning about 11 years ago & still actively hunt with it now. fast enough for me, hell, my last 5 shots got me 5 deer in the freezer.

-ken

I've still got the first bow I ever bought - 55# Ben Pearson BP Hunter recurve (1969) - as well as every bow I have ever bought or received for personal use. I have a total of 5 recurves, 2 longbows and 2 wheel bows. Last wheel bow was a Martin Warthog about 20+/- years ago. Latest addition is a custom oak longbow with rawhide backing made as a gift for me by my son.

Still have my Bear Kodiak Magnum, I bought in 1969. Does that mean it's toime to trade up??????

"Still have my Bear Kodiak Magnum, I bought in 1969."

Ditto. Got mine in '72. I also have a Browning compound I bought used in '77.

Just like golf; its not the club.

Seems those with compounds replace every year or two, maybe three at the outside, on the average.

Traditional shooters normally don't replace... they just keeping using what works, and every now and then add another bow to the inventory.

Myself, I replaced compounds 5 times. I have yet to replace a recurve. There are two recurves in house now, and another likely coming in later this spring. And no compounds.

The technology of recurves was perfected in days of old,no need to change I geuss.Now compounds,they just keep making "better" so ya want to buy new.Since I started shooting the Mathews line the urge to upgrade isn't there for me as much now.Had the 1st bow for a good while it was time for a new cam and new limbs so I upgraded. There was a significant difference between the old bow and the new.Since I purchased that bow there has been the introduction of 2 Switchbacks and now the Drenaline in the Mathews line,very happy with the Outback and will have it for a while longer before I consider a switch

Well, I still shoot a glass lam static Bear Kodiak made in 1952 that was one of my first bows.Bought it used for 10.00 in 1959.Only 55%@28, but still shoots stright and fast.

Have about two dozen bows, many of which I made.Osage, yew self bows reminiscent of Nels Grumley, bamboo lamianate 'wood' bows recalling the early years of Howard Hill.Glass laminate wood longbows and recurves made on presses I designed and built.
They are all still shooting arrows well.A SeeFab aluminum target bow made during WWll years in Sweden, the list is long..

I don't sell bows, but occasionally make or give bows to aspiring hunters and archers to hopefully perpetuate this fine sport of shooting and hunting.
My 'upgrading' is usually more to enjoy the crafting of a new bow..To take a fine piece of high elevation Cascade yew ( which I have cut and seasoned myself) or well selected osage from one of the Missouri or Texas boys who know bow wood and craft a killer self-bow..:)
There's a whole 'nuther dimension to archery and archery hunting for those who are willing to learn to make their own equipment and persevere..:)jim

1st was a bear Whitetail, three years, no deer
2nd was a Bear Pro Specialiat, four or five years, 7 deer
3rd was a High Country Sniper, eight years, 14 or 15 deer
4th was a High Country Excalibur, one year, 1 deer
5th is a High Country Four Runner, 6 years, 11 deer

Don't see any reason to upgrade just yet.

CK

Have PSE bows from late 70s as backups for compounds.
Current compound is a 91 PSE.

My buddy and I both have circa 90s bows. He recently got a used Matthews and commented how much faster/flatter and accurate it is vs our old bows. May move me to buy a used Matthews one day since so many buy the newest bestest stuff. My 91 PSE round wheel still kills just fine and I've got something over 100 bowkills of hogs/deer, most with it.

First recurve I ever built I have. Bingham kit.... Had a Hoyt that I sold to my buddy, and bought a Brackenbury with 2 sets of limbs thats great, so good my brother in law who is squeaky tight bought one also. I don't see the need for any upgrade there ever.

As always its the archer, not the arrow.

Jeff

I kept my first Darton about 15 years; I plan to have my Mathews MQ32 forever. New bows aren't even on the menu.

Started with recurves, bought my first compound in '77 a Darton SL 50. Got back into traditional bows from '87 until purchasing another Darton (Mavrick) in '99 Got the itch now for a new bow but these other "must haves" keep coming up.

I have a 20 + year old Browning compound, that shot another deer last year. I can't get used to sights, releases, etc. What really gets me is the price of new bows, as opposed to my $100 Browning of the mid 80's. I'm certainly not gonna shell out $699 to $1299, for something that isn't markedly better than what I got! Maybe if I hit lotto, I'll be "switchin' back"!

Ive got 7 bows, I keep buying one of the new improved models about every 4 years, they keep getting lighter and shorter but not any more effective, Im still hunting 90% of the time with my 31" draw 87 lb jenning unistar I bought used over 15 years ago, from a friend that bought it only to find he was just not up to the draw weight as he seldom practices.
BTW browning has a store on the fla turn pike around exit 374 where you can get super deals on close outs(last years models)at about 1/3 retail at times

I started when I was 12 years old.....with a PSE Spirit

Traded up when I was 16-17 for another PSE.....cant remember the name right now but it was a decent bow

Sold that to a friend when I was 21 and bought a Jennings TrophyMaster.

Sold that last year for a Mathews Q2XL, shot for one season.

Decided I had some extra cash this year and traded up to an 06 Switchback XT....I can see no reason to be switching from this for a few years at least.....

I'm now 25 years old....so I've traded an average amount of times in 13 years of shooting....

I too, plan to have my Mathews MQ32 forever...got it in 96 and never put it down. An upgrade might take place one day, but I'll always hunt with my MQ32.