Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Older Compound Bows

Rifle hunters hunt with old rifles, in many ways, a lot of hunters feel the older rifles are better than the new.

What is the thinking with bow hunters? It seems to me change comes a lot faster to the bow hunting sport, than it does with the rifle shooters.

How many of you that are hardcore compound bow hunters still hunt with a bow that is twenty years old, or older. In the new technology too much to pass up on, are most compounds that are twenty years or older junked?

Do some rebuild an old compound with newer parts, or is the frame the crux of the improvements?

The reason for my questions is that somebody offered me an old Martin Compound, I had never really thought about picking up bow hunting for money reasons, but the offer now has me tempted.
I have plenty of hunting gear so that is all covered, even have a good range finder, it would just be a matter of gearing up the bow and other equipment needed for bow hunting.

Thanks for the knowledge.

IMHO, bowhunters for some reason are 'typically' (but not always) apt to upgrade their bows at the drop of their hat. I liken them to 'gear heads'. Personally i do not fall into this category but don't begrudge those who do...if I had more money and time I might very well be with them.

I have owned two compounds in my life. One was given to me in 84 or 85 and was replaced in 93. That's it.

I have every confidence in my ability to kill with that bow. I think that if I were doing some extreme hunting that would require shots greater than 25 yards that there would be a distinct advantage to upgrading my bow. But most hunters limit themselves to 20 or 25 yards and I'm just as deadly as they are. They are probably a touch more accurate though.

Another expensive aspect of bowhunting is the bow accessories. Arrow sights and rests are EXPENSIVE.

I throw a 430 grain arrow at 260 fps with an old '92 Oneida Aeroforce, can hit a 4" circle out to 50 yrds. Smooth draw, 80% letoff. Just a little heavier than the modern stuff.

Still shooting the Whitetail Hunter that I started out with. Never got into the equipment spiral. I know my bow's limitations (and mine!) and stay within them. I don't let many arrows go at deer these days. I just spend a lot of time sitting and waiting for something special to come along and enjoying the "being there." Sort of an old pharts outlook on things I guess. Not saying that everyone should do as I do; I think that we all find the approach that makes the experience rewarding for each of us. Best, John

Whats a sight and rests .....

the problem (IMO) with all the new ones is that they are so short they pretty much require a trigger release. My dad has a Browning Nomad from the early 80s he still shoots (and I used for a time before giving up on compounds and going back to recurves). it was one of the last bows you could finger draw without pinching. if you want to switch back and forth, finding an older one that's not pocket size is the way to go

if the crossbow wasn't already invented and illegal in archery seasons, we'da got there by now with the evolution of modern compounds. ----no flame intended about the equipment choices of others, just an observation in the rapidly changing technology of the sport.....

UtahLefty,

Wow, a Browning Nomad!

I have a Browning Nomad from the early 80's, a Jennings Forked Lightning and a Hoyt Rambo. All shot when I did my part.

I have not bowhunted in over 15 years, but have decided to get back into it. Recently purchased a new to me Matthews bow from a Camfire member. Its nice, light and compact...and will probably also do the job. How much better than my older compound bows remains to be seen.

I gotta say, after a decade or more of not keeping up on all the latest and greatest stuff, I am bit gear-bewildered!

I received some advise from one of the most successful bowhunters at the bow shop I frequented in the early 80's that still sticks out in my mind today. He told me to make sure my bow, arrows and broadheads were properly tuned, my setup was absolutely silent, and that my broadheads were as sharp as possible. This guy shot an old Jennings (T-Star?) at 50 pounds. While he did not launch arrows with a laser-like trajectory, you could not hear his bow or release. He took alot of kidding from many other archers, but never changed his position.

Chris

My bow is about 14 years old I did have to have put new limbs put on it last year they were coming apart delaminating. The Martin company replaced them I have a Martin Firecat that I shoot with fingers and I admit to using sights now. I have no idea how fast it shoots and don't really care it works fine on elk and deer and that is all that I care about it has been good to me. I shoot aluminum arrows too and they work fine both for practice and hunting. Some day I may have to go to a new arrow as I am not sure how long they will continue to make aluminum but I will worry about that then. My arrow rest is not a drop down or magnitized or any thing special. I can shoot my bow well in hunting conditions out to 30 or 40 yards max. I may not win any knock breaking contest but I have to fix my share of arrows. Love my old bow...

I'll have to find out what model and make he is offering, then I'll come back for some input on whether or not it would be worth spending any money on.

I wouldn't mine learning and maybe doing a little pig hunting with an old obsolete set-up just to see how I like it, and maybe then I'll have the money for something nicer.

I think the bow is over twenty, maybe twenty five years old, but I was thinking that maybe there might be a few improvements to it I could make.

I would encourage you to have it checked out before shooting it if has been setting around bow limbs can delaminate over time and cables and string get get week. If he is not using it now take it into a shop and have them make sure its safe. I have one limb explode and it is no fun when that cable swings though the air...

Good advice, I'll do that.

We have a really good knowledgeable shop in the next town.

Bows in general retain very little resale value. After about 2-3 years they are only worth a very small percentage of thier original value, with the possible exception of Mathews and maybe (to a lesser extent) Bowtech. I still have an old Hoyt FPS that cost $300.00 new for the bare bow and five years later couldn't sell for $75.00 with all the accesories. Ask the pro shop what a fair price would be for the bow.

Before the above mentioned Hoyt I had a Martin Cougar Magnum. It was a heck of a good shooting bow for me.

Dave.

I've still got a White Tail Hunter that's at least 25 years old.
I haven't shot it in several years.
Maybe I'll drag it out and see if it works.

I use a decades old Browning Mirage, no sights no release.....
even arrows that are just as old. I hand and eyeball new fletching when needed. My rifle is a 1955 Savage 99f. I choose to shoot only 3 - 4 deer a year. At 60 whatever success I have
is significantly more related to physical conditioning, than as to what implement I use!

I hunt with a PSE Laser Magnum that is probably every bit of 25 years old. Still shoot aluminum arrows off of a Springy rest, with feathers, and use my fingers with a tab. No sight. It's a rugged reliable set up that I have complete confidence in. Quiet, smooth, and plenty fast at 72 pounds.

And I'm actually thinking hard about hanging it up to go back to my old Bear Grizzly recurve.

You can have all that newfangled high tech stuff that they call a bow nowadays.

I've got a PSE Sizzler from '78 or '79 that I still use for bowfishing. It's replacement was a Martin Cougar something or other I got in '90 or '91. Last fall I got a PSE Mach-X. Much easier to shoot than the Martin and so much quieter too. I thought the Martin was quiet and easy to shoot until I shot some of the new bows. After 3 hours on the Pro shop range shooting Martin, Hoyt, Bowtech and PSE bows I picked the Mach-X. It was available in the draw length I needed, was the quietest and very easy to shoot. It cost as much as a nice rifle but I'm happy with it.

I still shoot the PSE my father bought me 14 or so years ago. Ive had people tell me I need to upgrade, but it worked fine on a tastey cow moose last year. For me, archery is about taking a step back, and putting you skills to the test. I would hunt with a recurve if I had more time to practice, but dont. So, a basic compound fits my needs. On the other end of the spectrum I am a rifle looney who is always tweaking, go figure.

I haven't bow hunted in 5 years (old lease didn't allow it) but, the new lease does. So, I stroll into a great archery shop with my 18 year old PSE and get new string, put a whisker biscuit on, get rid of the finger tab and purchase then shoot, my first release......and I'm not believeing how much more quiet and accurate the old bow is. Cost....$145 bucks. My longest shot (and kill) was 26 yards. These old bows still work.

I need to get into shape for my climber!

If old didn't still work, many of "us" would not be hunting.

Ain't that the truth.......