Want to buy a bow: But what?

[brokfut]

My darling wife just informed me that I need to buy a bow so I can hunt archery. I haven't archery hunted since about 1982. I'm sure the sport has changed dramatically since then. What can you recommend that would be reasonably priced but functionally appropriate for elk, deer, bear, etc...?

 

[tnctcb]

i bought a PSE this year. its 55 to 70 variable and came as a package with sights arrow rest, and a quiver. i got it from bass pro shops for around 200 bucks. the only thing i needed to start shooting was some arrow and a release. the accessories are very basic and you might want to upgrade them but they are economical and havent failed me yet. im not as serious about bow hunting as alot of these guys so i wanted quality without spending the big bucks for a martin or something in that line. i am very happy with this bow and highly recommend it.

 

[brokfut]

My niece and her husband are part owners with hid dad in an archery shop in Bremerton, WA. I called the shop and got a recommendation to buy a Martin Phantom. I call Sportsman's Warehouse and they have them for about $200. I may go over there and take a look. Dave sells them in the shop for $279 but told me that that is his retail and that family gets treated special. I don't know what "special" means in terms of dollors and cents but either way I can get a bargin on a Martin.

 

[T Bone]

The Martin Phantom is a fine bow. Try before you buy.

 

[A-con]

First, does your niecs shop carry any other lines ?
Check with local "pro-shops" and see what lines they carry. Then, depending on how much you want to spend, go to each shop, & look at-try their recommend hunting bow from each line.
Hoyt, Mathews and Bowtech have great reputations, but they are a bit pricy.
You can save a bit by buying the bow from a pro-shop, and getting most of the other stuff mail order (check out "Mountain Archery" in Idaho )
SHOOT SEVERAL BOWS BEFORE YOU BUY.
No matter what anybody tells you is the best bow, what feels & shoots good for one person might be compleatly wrong for another.
I highly recommend getting your bow from a pro-shop, even if it costs a bit more. They will handel service and warrentie issues for you.
Another thing to consider, 2004 bows are comming out now, and any left over 2003 models will be on sale.

 

[buckfish]

I agee with Anaconda...I am on my 4th bow in 3 years. I have one now that I like very much. I bought all of my bows at a local pro shop and they have been helpful in getting me into a bow that suits me.

 

[schmalts]

You can buy any bow from any manufacturer, but make sure it has the Mathews one cam system. This cam (weighted perimeter) was such an advancement in the archery field that almost all the other manufacturers bought rights to use it. You will pay a little more for it but look at it this way, they bought the rights to use it for a reason. Your local pro shop can tell you more than us knuckle heads.

 

[A-con]

I will respectfully disagree with Mr. Schmalts.
There was a time ( a long time ) that the Mathews system WAS the best thing going.
Give the new Hoyt "Cam and 1/2" a try.
I bought a new bow last summer, my first in twenty years. I tryed about a half dozen new bows and to me, the Hoyt was the best ( most accurate, quietest, smoothest ect...)
Like I said above, what feels best to me might not be best to you ( or Schmalts)
Eather way, both of these bows are on the pricy side $550 to $700 for a bare bow.
Darton & Reflex make bows with the cam and 1/2 system for less money than Hoyt. I'm sure several companys make less expensive bows with cam systems similer to Mathews.

Try ay least one of each, heck, shoot a boat load of em before you decide. If a pro-shop won't let you shoot any bow your interested in (that they have in stock ) scratch them off your list and go to the next shop.

 

[brokfut]

All very good advice. Thanks to each of you. I'll be looking a several proshops and trying lots of equipment. Budget constrains may force me to wait a bit if I decide to buy some top-of-the-line stick-flinger. I can wait. The New Muzzy will be here next week and I'll need to spend some time with that. But I do love shopping for new equipment.