I'm contemplating getting a bow to harvest some does on my property next year (see my post on whether bow hunting vs. gun hunting = less perceived pressure).

I see lots of bows for sale by folks who are selling them to get the new top of the line bows. I've been thinking this would be a cheap easy way to get into the dark side of the sport without breaking the bank and without having to research every single aspect of a fully setup bow. Bows like a Matthews SQ2 fully setup with arrows, a case, etc., etc. for $300ish including shipping.

When I buy golf clubs I always buy clubs that are 2 or 3 years old because they are usually 25% of the cost that they were when they were brand new even though they are still plenty good, they just are no longer "Top of the Line".

Can you use this same rationale for bows? I really don't think I want to go out and spend $1,000+ on a top of the line setup right now, but I could justify $300 - $400 for a decent used setup. I could afford a brand new top of line bow, but only if the 3 or 4 year old used bow is going to be dramatically poorer in performance and accuracy.

What is your advice?

Thanks, Nathan