ORIGINAL: Cossack
Please tell us a bit more about your needs so we can be more helpful. What/how do you intend to hunt? Do you want to shoot a lot in addition to hunting? Any physical limitations that affect bow use? Will you be needing considerable support to maintain your bow, or want to do it yourself? What are your financial limits? Will you want to use a scope? Red Dot?
Well, I'll try to answer your questions...Seeing as I'm approaching the mid-60's, I don't think I'm interested in elevated stands anymore. I do have a Loggy Bayou that I used to climb with, and a hang-on stand. Probably going to hunt from the ground with Scent-Lok and a Ghillie suit. As far as shooting, I'm much more into benchrest rifle and handloading. I most certainly will devote enough time to the bow to learn to shoot it and keep in shape with it. I have no physical handicaps other than some arthritis in my right shoulder and lower back, which keep me from using my compound anymore. Bow maintenance will be done by myself, with the help of a good friend who does a lot of bow work.
Financially, I'm not afraid to spring for good stuff. I have learned over the years that you do, indeed, get what you pay for. As far as scopes go, here in Penna. they are currently banned under the new crossbow acceptance law, but I feel sure that is going to be overturned by the Game Commission later this month. So, yes, I'm probably looking at a low-power scope set-up also.
After discussing this with my bowyer friend, he suggested I look at the Ten Point and Excaliber. He also mentioned the Parker. I told him we'd go look sometime next week, and I'd see what I liked. He said some of them have "package deals" that include most everything you need to get going.