Hey and welcome. To start off, your are correct by saying bowhunting is an obsession. Everyone on this board will tell you that. As for Fred Bear bows, ive never shot one, but when i held onto them they seemed like one of the best feeling bows ive ever held onto. They also seemed really balanced. They seem somewhat heavier than others, but in my opinion thats an advantage, as it will help stabalize the bow better, just my opinion. Good luck finding a bow.