Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting returning to archery and using old gear....advice please

I'm a former bowhunter who quit because of lack of time and compounded by a couple shoulder surgeries. I plan to return to the game next year and could use some advice on what technology has offered in the last 15ish years that I must take advantage of.

My quarry will be idaho panhandle elk and eastern Washington deer. I'm not super concerned about finding the animals as much as not having gear failure. I'm currently in possession of a couple of mathews bows, an mq1 and a legacy. I have a 58# longbow that I shoot fairly well (6" @ 25yds) and I impulse bought a diamond provider this weekend that was dry fired and it tweaked the cam a bit. I already straightened it up and it looks like it should be fine. I'm just waiting to take it to work and have it magged.

I love the weight of the diamond and the longbow. I love the simplicity of the longbow. I appreciate the quality of the mathews bows. I know nothing about current diamond stuff, but it was worth a $150 gamble to me to try it out.

I have 30-40 arrows spined for my older 70# mathews bows, but the vanes pretty beat up and the nockes are mismatched. I am not sure if arrows have gained any advantage over my old carbons (a dozen plus cabelas branded and the rest are beeman). I'm absolutely fine with refletching my shafts as it seems few like the 4" vanes any longer. It seems blazers are the rage today.

In the past I've used thunderheads with good success, but found then to almost never group with my field points reliably, regardless of how the paper test went. I recently purchased enough slick tricks to give them a run, and with the length comparison, I can see them being a better chance.

All 3 of my compounds run fall away rests, two trophy takers and a ripcord. Both mathews have factory quivers and I have a tight spot for the diamond. I'm sitting on enough sights and miscellaneous parts to rig up a very well equipped bow (based on my 15 years ago experience.

Here's where it goes a bit sideways... I had an original mathews zlight that I shot amazingly well. I used it for a few years and was talked into the mq1 by the archery shop. I went from breaking nocks at 40 yards to 2" @ 40 with the mq. The legacy and diamond are new enough to me to not know exactly how much potential they have.

So if you were a guy in my shoes, what would your course of action be? I'm not really ready to shoot here for a month or so as I'm waiting on a target setup. Mostly just trying to get my gear plan and then start flicking as soon as I can.

The MQ-1, is still a popular bow, used ones don't usually last long for sale if they are in good shape.

I'd set that one up first, it sounds like you have confidence in the bow. The Legacy is also a good bow, just depends on which one you shoot better. Some bows just "fit" you better than others.

Arrows are "better" now than 15 years ago. I've had Cabelas arrows fail - they cracked, and I wouldn't use them for anything other than a grouse or stump arrow.

The Beemans are probably OK, but they will probably have changed the specs, or discontinued the model from what you probably have. Point being - the Beemans will probably be hard to replace if you are set on shooting just that model. I like Carbon Express, doesn't mean they are the "best", but they work well for what I need.

The Diamond - ggod bow, but get the bow looked at by a Pro Shop. One dry-fire can do a bunch of visible AND hidden damage. Bent cams will never be as strong as they once were, and you are asking for a problem later, with the potential to hurt you or somebody around you. If you are on the Washington side of the state line, an nonresident Idaho elk tag and license is going to run you over $500, you probably don't take a bow to the hunt that "might" be OK. JMHO.

Vanes are swinging back towards longer, the Blazer are popular, but may not be the best for your set-up. Blazers are by far more common, and they work for most.

I think you'll be happy with the Slick Tricks, they are pretty forgiving, and I use them for elk in Idaho without reservation.

Just stick with the longbow

I'm in a similar situation. I have been out of the game for a couple years. I picked up a Diamond provider yesterday and some new arrows. I think your old bows will work just fine. I would have them looked over and get some new strings. Have the Diamond looked at as well.

I shy away from the slick tricks for elk though. That's the only broad head I have ever lost an elk with on a good shot. It may have been a fluke but I retired them. I won't chance it.

I will say bow technology has come a long way since last bought a compound 16 years ago. The new one is really quiet and smooth. I was surprised how close I was grouping them at the shop with their arrows. I cost them a few nocks.

My brother had a MQ1 fine bow. Many used bows on eBay I have a carbon knight by bow tech many for sale on eBay.

Hard to lose an animal with a good shot?

Since a slik trik is about the strongest best replaceable blade head, I"m not sure what you would use if not those.

Of course no flies on a Zwickey or Snuffer or Hill head either. But for replaceables to have an issue with slik triks means you will have an issue with anything else.

I've killed a couple dozen elk. I know that they can be tough, but they bleed to death if you cut the right stuff.

first, if animals haven't gotten "tougher" then what killed them 15 years ago will kill them today!

Bow technology has progressed in two main areas:
- efficiency. So with less draw weight, you get faster, or the same arrow speed off the bow. Once the arrow is clear of the rest and string, the bow is not a factor.
- they got quieter!

they also got shorter axle to axle, which I personally hate.

Get new string/cables on the bow you choose.

You mention thunderheads, always have been, and still are, a good broadhead. Tuning "ideas" have progressed in the last 15 years, Paper tuning used to be the tuning method of choice, now many, including me, don't even bother with it. I setup a bow by eye, then move right to broadhead tuning. Shoot field points, shoot equal weight broadheads, tune to get them together, then go hunt!

my son used 2009 HOYT Katera 70lb. this fall 2017, bow shoots 310fps with 410 grain arrow,believe this or not he killed a typical bull elk that will score 370-380 b.c. at 35 yards arrow went completely thru animal layed on the ground 50 yards farther from bull. your 70 lb Matthews bow will do just fine maybe get new strings on the bow ?
son`s bull was shot on public land,no guide I did the callin,but I have hunted elk many years. I wish you great luck,Pete53

Ugh. The whole gear arms race of rifles, optics, packs, bows, and all other ancillary equipment is just crazy. Lots of folks blow good money on equiping themselves with the latest and greatest and most times were just as well off with the gear we already own. The reality is your old bow will easily kill game just fine with some new arrows, heads, and a new string job.

Maybe a new release or a arrow rest may be a good addition, but other than that your probably GTG. One doesn't need to be a cool kid and have all the carbon fiber archery eq, or shoot 6.5 Creedmoore or 257 Roberts. More often than not the equipment we already have will work just fine. The money we save is better spent on getting a new pair of footwear and going out and discovering new places and adventures.

Good luck and I hope you score.

For an update, I bought a new cam for the diamond and a new string for the mq1. I have been shooting all of them and am super impressed with the diamond for the money. It looks like a Walmart bow next to my mathews bows....but it's really smooth and stupid light. I'm at a par so far on accuracy from all of them, my legacy being ever so slightly more accurate, but it's wearing a lot of money in sights and stabilizers.

The arrows are cabelas 65/80 stalker extreme and are rubbing each other @ 25yds from all of my bows. I'll be working on the super tuning when I get a chance to move out to some bigger range and then swing some broadheads.

Any decent gear will get it done if tuned properly and you shoot within your limits. Accuracy is the name of the game with archery. Slick Tricks are easily one of the best broad heads out there. I have shot a bunch of elk with them and truckloads of deer. Unless something changes I won't experiment with another head. Glad to see you are back in the game, nothing beats archery season for big game IMO.