Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Bowtech Tomcat?

I just might finally break down and get back into archery. I was looking at various bows at a local shop, and the sales guy was pushing the Tomcat as the best entry level bow. My main interest is an easy shooting foregiving bow, I'm not after super speed or minimal axle to axle distance. He claims the Tomcat is easy shooting, as well as short and fast. Anyhow shot one?

You need to have the archery shop set the bow up for you in their shop and let you shoot it for a while. Make them do this with a few bows so you can see how they compare. Archery is not like firearm shooting the bow must fit you like a piece of clothing. Feel is 99% of the success in Archery.

As an analogy most anyone can shoot a rifle with a scope zero'ed on a rifle by any other person. However that is not always the case with open sights. Much like Archery you need to be fitted and see whats comfortable. I'll bet I shot a dozen different bows before I decided.

Having said this Bowtech, Mathews, Hoyt, etc. probably don't make what can be called a bad bow. It's just a different feel between them. For example I need a solid dead stop at the end of my draw. Otherwise known as the "wall" only the Mathews gave me the really stiff "wall" I was used to and needed. For others who don't shoot from the "wall" but mabe with a point at the corner of their mouth or cheek something else will be more important. I did not want a deep valley, but rather full draw weight to near the end of the draw limit and then the letoff. Again only Mathews seemed to have that "feel" I was looking for. Although the Hoyt was very similiar as was the Bowtech.

If I could suggest something very important it would be to try the wisker biscuit and the No-peep. With those two items I think I could shoot any bow great! They seemed to make more difference then the bow I chose towards making my accuracy and enjoyment better

JJ,

Thanks for the tips. I shot a friends bow a few years back at a bbq. I hadn't shot a bow for about 20 years, but after a few pointers from him, I was able to keep shots at 30 yds within a pie plate, and when I concentraded, clay pigeon size groups. Not bad for a bow that was setup for someone with much shorter arms and me being more then a bit rusty <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

His bow had a wisker bisquit, and I thought, wow, what a great design. I just wonder why folks use anything else? The guy at the bow shop said he didn't like them as they can ice up. I took that at face value until thiking any other rest can suffer the same fate. A dab of ice on any rest will through the shots. The wisker bisket is a given.

One thing I've heard is to use the aluminum shaft bisquit for both alum. and carbon shafts, as the bigger hole doesn't hurt carbon shaft accuracy, any comments?

I'll also check out the no peep.

I would shoot several bows and see what works for you. A good archery shop should let you do this...that said, I went through a similar experience as you are describing...that being getting into archery. I shot as many different bows as I could and choice boiled down to Matthews or Hoyt...Most consider those two the top producers of Bows...and if you have ever been to a 3-D tournament...you will see that Matthews is the king and for go reason...most people shoot them better than other bows...The Matthews LX is 35" axle to axle, smooth, and very forgiving...Most top competitors in 3-D are using this bow for competition...and it makes a great hunting bow. The LX would be my top pick...