Guys I will admit, I fought switching from aluminum for a decade. My brothers stores were selling largely graphite/carbon arrows 2-1 over aluminum yet I kept "fightin the trend". Being in the business I used to buy a completely new bow every year since the late 80s. For the most part I would "go along" with the trends like the various pendulum sights of the late 80s, fast flight strings, higher letoff bows than 50%, trick rests etc, etc... I willingly bought into it all until after working in the shop which featured an archery range and dealing/setting up bows daily I grew sick and tired of all the "gadgetry". Sick too the point that by 1991 I bought an ol 62" Martin takedown recurve from a taxidermist buddy. It was so simple and threw 2219s like a well oiled machine.
Everyone thought I had lost my mind and I was kidded by all until I killed a 110" 8ptr with it that November in MO. They quieted but still snickered. That following summer I grew busy with college, a girlfriend (yep now my wife of 12 years) and didn't get to shoot as much as I liked so I almost went back too a compound but I decided one more season with my "ol injun bow" as everyone called it. On another Nov trip too the same tree in MO that I killed the 8ptr from the previous year, I took a 130" 8ptr. THAT completely silenced the jabbin and snickers from everyone.
But I nearly missed him at only 8yds so I vowed to never again hunt with my recurve until I could devote enough practice time too her. I haven't "given her" anymore time since.
I went back too my old compound and continued to whack the deer. But it was not a truely high performance "state of the art" bow anymore. I think I still wanted the ease and simplicity of my recurve so I didn't get a new bow, heck I still shot with a fingertab instead of a release. But that all changed in 1997 when I finally decided to "go fullout" and jump on the technology bandwagon, "give it a fair shot" was my motto!
Summer of 97 I bought a Hoyt Deviator Carbonite with a 3-D Rover rest, a fiber optic sight, XX78 Superlight 2314s and 85 grain Thunderheads. I thought the bow was fast, and compared too my old Bear compound it was! An early Oct trip too my trusty spot in southern MO found me staring over the compound at a 9ptr coming too me that would push 140!!
I thought, "Well Mr. Hoyt it is time to impress me". I will admit to being shookup by having such a large buck within 10 yds of me, I didn't place the shot perfectly and the arrow didn't go 1" into the bucks ball joint, CRACK! At the shot and he hightailed it. I knew by the sound it didn't break the shoulder and as he passed a tree about 20yds out the arrow came completely out, looking like it had been thrown down there by myself.
I was LIVID! GD technology, confounded boosheut, this lightweight crap can kiss my...
Before my feet were back on the ground I knew it was a return too 2219s and broadheads of nearly 150 grns. Knowing what I know now, I was about to put mudtires on my Ferrari!!! [:'(] I was just to thickheaded to go to graphites and new broadheads. The bow shot the heavy stuff fine and would've shot through a cape buffalo if I wanted to. But it would drop several inches between 10yds and 25yds. I kept two pins on it (I just wouldn't take a shot over 30yds anyway) and hunted with it like it was. In 2002 I killed another 130" 8ptr from that same spot in MO!
Everyone couldn't believe I was still shooting "old school" arrows and heads, but they couldn't argue with the success I had with it. I had seen to many customers literally WAKE UP their bows with Gold Tips and various broadheads so I brokedown and decided to give them an honest attempt. We rigged up everything for the graphites (I still kept my alloy disc Whisker Biscuit!) and I screwed a digital chrono into the riser and let fly in the test range.......
"The ol gray mare" still had it in her, 281fps and that was with 100grn Rocket fixed blades on it.
"MAYBE I can get used too this" I thought too myself. Anyway, I have kept my old Hoyt (I can't see enough speed increase with anything new so why change? Only gain I could see would be losing maybe 1/2# in bow weight by going new!) and anything within 30 yds gets the same pin and the lil Rockets just PLOW right through deer like a nylon screen. Bloodtrails that Ray Charles could follow! The deer hardly even slow the arrows down. And I even shot a doe lastyear with it from a real high treestand at a hard angle just to see if those light arrows would go through heavy bone (the spinal column from a steep angle is a VERY tough bone group on arrows!). She went down like a sack of potatos and was out within 2-3 minutes!
Usually my instincts are correct, but I wish I would not have listened too them on the alloy vs graphite arguement. I'm not sure it was instinct as much as it was stubborness! Had I had the arrows I have now, that big 9ptr in 97 would be on my wall right now!!!
RA