Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Best Compound bow for a backpack style elk hunt?

I'm sure this has been discussed before and opinions will vary, but I am trying to get as much information as I can before I buy one.

Wow... People are going to think I have a troll account around here.


I would suggest a 3 piece recurve, and tap into the primitive skillset that lies deep in your soul.

I don't bowhunt a lot, and I like to hunt out of a backpack. When I bought a new bow a few years back, I shot some of the lightweight models but they didn't feel as good in the hand as the "normal" weight models and I didn't shoot them as well.

So I went with the bow that felt right and that I could shoot the best. It happened to be a Matthews.

So my advice after going through the same exercise is to shoot a bunch of different makes and models, and pick the one you can shoot the most accurately, the one that feels the best to you.

Franny - you probably need to provide a few more thoughts on what you are looking for...are you a bowhunter now?

If you want one to break down and pack, Dan is right, a recurve would be a better choice. Very few compounds break down without special tools (bow-press) and you'd have to tune the bow once you put it back together, to make sure you were dialed in.

Most bowhunters carry their compound bow assembled on the back of the pack or in the hand on the way in and out. I usually hand carry, but I don't backpack that far in. Finding a bow that you shoot well is more important than finding one that will break down, JMO.

It would be really hard to go wrong with a Hoyt, Matthews, or PSE. There are others as well. I would go shoot them and see what feels best to you. The Hoyt's feel better to me, but that's a personal feel thing. Each make bows light enough to be suitable for backpack hunting in my opinion.

I hunt with a Matthews DXT, I purchased it for the size and weight. My hunting partner shoots a larger size Hoyt and after 2 weeks hunting in Wyoming I was glad to have a smaller bow. Traditional Style of hunting is great, but I have seen many experienced bow hunters stick elk like they were pin cushion with now meat in the freezer. And don't get too caught up in the FPS. Anything over 280 is perfect. The bow companies market to 2 types of people. 1 hunters and 2 3D shooters who are target shooters that get way to caught up in that number and just want to have the fastest and newest product on the market.

Franny, I shoot a Hoyt, but honestly the bow is way down the list of important gear for me.

I would rather have a good pack, good clothing, good tent, good sleeping bag and pad, great binos, good spotting scope, etc than a state of the art bow.

I got a nice 6X6 this year with my 2008 model Hoyt, but could easily have been shooting a 2002 model used bow I got off Archery Talk. Basically all the modern bows are well built and accurate.

That right there is great advice.




Franny, I shoot a lot on the 3D scene and I'm not a snobby trad guy. I shoot with compounders all the time, and I shoot their bows often. In fact, the local pro-shop is trying to get me to get signed up with Bow-Tech because he says I'd be a ringer for a big local ACDC class at a shoot. So I don't have the trigger time with compounds that most do, but I'm a realist when it comes to hunting and the outdoors.

If I HAD to go compound... I'd go a newer model that has a pretty short axle to axle length (anything in the last 10 years with paralell limbs) Then I'd buy the most bulletproof accesories made. Then I'd throw the bow off my back porch and upgrading accesories until [bleep] quit breaking. In the process you'll learn how to fix your own bow and what tools you need. Once I'd settled on what I was going to run, I'd put witness marks on everything (paint pen, scratch lines, or anything else permanent)

And have the tools to fix it when you take a spill...I hear tell that's important. I vote trad, but I'm a trad snob.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I appreciate it.

You were up the hill when Ed demonstrated his new Elk calling techniques that sounded a lot like tourettes syndrome

You also took your stickbow hunting that night when I was in camp with Ed bandaiding a bow enough to hunt with it the rest of the week.

I'm just glad none of those broadheads came out of that quiver for a visit... I now keep a suture kit in my first aid, between that and the axe incident.

There is a reason I keep a tourniquet handy at all times...

Cannot beat a 3 piece recurve or take down long bow for weight and simplicity.

When I take compound I take a portable bow press, extra strings, extra release, sights etc as a back up.

The best compound is the one that fits you and you shoot well.
I prefer my Bob Lee takedown recurve bow with a 4 arrow quiver. It weighs 3 1/2# total and I hang it from a bow hook off my hip belt. Simple and effective.

Ribka, what would you guess the weight at all those goodies to come in at? Seriously... I'm actually doing some research here. If you actually have a 3 beer buzz on and think this is a good idea. Also throw on all the allen wrenches on your postal scale.

Also, you have any links on portable bow presses?

Truthfully, I've never seen a compound bow itself come undone. Mostly I've seen sights F'd up and rests busted.

And you gave me [bleep] for the dew rag? That is Les Stroud multi purpose gear at work my soul brutha from anotha mutha.

Find a Hoyt, Mathews, PSE, or Bowtech that you can shoot well and go with. As Dan said, put the most bombproof accessories on it that you can and learn how to fix the bow yourself. Seriously, throwing the bow off your porch is not a bad idea at all. Sights, quivers, etc all break way too easily.

Wish I had time to shoot enough to hunt with my trad bows again.

But if you fall on your bow. Busted arrows make great "aborigional fire tubes"



But then so does the output hose for your Katadyne.
But busted arrows tend to get hid in trees in campsites you plan on using again.