Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Please give your opinions on a good first compound bow...

I have decided it is time for me to give bow hunting a shot! What would you all recommend as a good package? My budget will cap out at $1000 and would like that to cover a dozen arrows or so also. I have owned a bow in the past, a PSE Brute Force I bought on clearance over 10 years ago. I sold a few years back, and thought the archery bug had left me, now I want back in. I want something much nicer and smoother than that bow. I have never bowhunted, just shot at an indoor range and a few times on a 3D course. Loved shooting, and the itch is back. Please let me know what is hot right now for a complete setup? I shot with a release in the past and will do the same this time around. Thanks for your time....

Brent

For 1K you should be able to get a very nice setup. I'm a big Hoyt fan, so I'd recommend a Turbohawk (same geometry as the top of the line Alphmax only with a cast riser and $250 cheaper) or last years Superhawk, 60# max draw weight at your draw length ($500 new). I'd add a Toxonics Metaloptic sight ($60), used Hoyt quiver ($30 from Archerytalk classifieds) and some Beman ICSH Carbons ($70). Along with those items a Limbsaver Stabilizer ($15) and a Scott lil bitty goose release ($70) a Morrel bag target to practice and your all set with $200 for gas money! As for the bow and arrows I would definatly recommend going to a good pro shop to get properly fitted. Glad to hear your back in the world of Archery.

Right about now there will be some good deals on slightly used one year old bows at archerytalk.com. Lots of guys buy the newest one out every year and then have to ditch their new "old" bow. You can save hundreds this way...

In all honesty, 1K should get you a pretty fantastic setup. However, you mentioned you wanted a smoother shooting bow and I must warn you...

the recent trend (last 2-3 years) in development of the major bow manufacturers has been concentrated on increasing arrow speed while reducing weight, at the general expense of overall bow comfort/smoothness, IMO. Don't get me wrong, the bows offered by Mathews, Hoyt, Bowtech, PSE, etc are going to be significantly more refined than your PSE Brute Force, just keep in mind that the "wow" factor with regard to comfort may not be there.

Accordingly, I think you should consider not chasing the newest bows hitting the streets - rather go after something slightly used. I am a old school Mathews guy and would recommend something in the Swithback/Outback variety along with the Bear "Truth" bow.

Along with one of those bows, I would also recommend this gear for your new setup:
--Sword Acusite sight (Trident/Hunter/Apex variety)
--QAD Ultra Rest (capture/drop-away rest variety)
--Gold Tip XT arrows (5575/7595 variety)
--Alpine Quiver
--Scott Little Goose w/buckle release
--Limsaver S-coil stabilizer
--Morrell bag target

I'd say get a used matthews that fits you. I picked up an MQ-1 with quiver and sights for 250. It flat out shoots and I need nothing more. Smooth as silk to shoot.

If you do go with a used Mathews, make sure it fits. If not you'll spend $100+ to have the cam changed to change the draw length. I highly recommend finding a bow with adjustable draw length unless you are sure of your draw length. It may be worth a few extra bones to go to a pro shop and get fitted properly to begin with. They will likely have some of last year's models on close out anyway - get a new bow with warranty for a couple hundred bucks off retail.

"It may be worth a few extra bones to go to a pro shop and get fitted properly to begin with"

+10 Find a pro shop that's willing to get you PROPERLY set-up. If they won't find one that will.

I am going to give you a slightly different take...
(1) select a bow that you find really pleasant and fun to shoot.
(2) find a bow that is forgiving.
(3) find a bow with cam/wheel design, and draw weight, that you can competently draw after you have been sitting for three hours in a tree stand and it is well below zero and you are questioning your sanity for being out there.
(4) realize that, in the compound bow world, technology is always changing and last year's hot bow is now today's old news...
(5) don't get caught up in the hype of this year's "must have" bow.
(6) go to a pro shop and insist on getting a bow that meets the criteria you establish; yours may be similar to mine above. Remember that some pro shops are pushing the latest technology, and want to move the product in the store, and they will quickly push you away from your criteria to sell what they have in the store.
(7) stick to your criteria. if they can't meet it, go to another pro shop.

Well done Dogger

Cannot emphasize enough several points. Stay to the low end of the draw scale. Sharp broadheads kill far more then high draw weight. Make it fun to shoot and you will shoot a lot.

One very common issue with new archery folks is seeing the 60-70lb draw weight and assuming that you can start at 60 and then crank up to 70. Then after a while at 70 you decide that 62 or so is really better for you. Well bows that have adjustment of 10 lbs don't really adjust down and shoot as well as when they are close to full power.

Also a 70lb bow will quite likely get to 74 lbs or so. This means it probably won't be as efficient at 64 as it is at 70 plus. On the other hand you can get a 60lb bow that will adjust to 63-64lbs and turn it down to high 50's easily, yet still have more then enough when cranked down.

Martin makes bows that go to 65lbs which makes them the absolute sweet spot in draw weight for most hunters. Back off a turn or two on the limbs and you're still efficient but now down to 60ish lbs. Carank them all the way down and you probably have 67-68lbs.

A contained rest like the wisker biscuit is really great for a new archer as it removes the thought process of holding the arrow on the rest and keeps the arrow solidly held at any angle.

As far as what weight to buy, when you hold the bow straight out and draw straight back without lifting the bow hand above parallel then you should be Okay. I've had tons of hunters in camp that have to swing or wave the bow up above them to draw the bow back. You should be able to sit and draw the bow too. Many times hide in a tree, or on the ground require you to sit. Again I've had many hunters unable to draw the bow in a blind with a huge trophy 20 yards in front of them.

Finally I would suggest you do not get any bow with less then 7.5" of brace height. Those short brace height bows are no place to start with archery.

Brand loyalty? I have none. I shoot Mathews, Martin and Oneida right now depending upon what I'm hunting. I have no issue with any brand the competition is far to high to sell crap and stay in business. The Martin Bows to have unmatched customer service and warranty though.

Bear Archery have really stepped it up the last few years and they are just as competitive as anyone in my opinion. Right now they have brand new 2009 Bear Truth 2 bows on ebay on sale for $339 tyd. This is and exceptional deal on an exceptional bow! definitely the sleeper bow of this year. These bows originally cost $700 but are on a huge sale!
I have one and they are really sweet, they can definitely hang with the hoyt, matthews, etc for half the price.

This is just my opinion and I am definitely not ragging on the top brand bows, they are amazing as well.

Go to a local bow shop, shoot as many makes and models as you can, then pick the one that felt the best to you.

I'd get another PSE if I was you. They make a lot of good comfortable bows. They are easy to shoot, moderately fast, and all around good. I have an Archery Research bow it was made by PSE but discontinued I think. I nice bow and easy to draw and shoot.
Matthews makes a ton ofgreat bows, but I would rather go with a bowtec, Hoyt or Martin if not going with PSE. Thats just me tho.

Then again I am biased. PSE is here in Tucson and the proshop has always been a fun place for me to visit and shoot at.