Rip me all you want...............
01-26-2002, 08:35 PM
#11
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Arizona USA
Posts: 64
RE: Rip me all you want...............
I shot an old Jennings bow with a 48" ata for years. It was (still have it) a wheel bow and is one of the smoothest things I ever layed my hands on. Everybody else I knew shot the 2 cam types but they just didn't feel good to me, so I pressed on with what I had and held my ground.
The drawbacks to that bow for hunting were that is was heavy to haul around all day for spot and stalk. I would develope a tennis elbow in my left arm (I'm right handed) and sometimes I could hardly lift my arm to put it on the hood of the truck at the end of the day. I never had any problems from a tree stand with it, but on the ground shooting from my knees I had to make sure it was clear in front of me. I would also have to do my homework if I planned to tuck myself back underneath a Juniper or Mesquite.
Anyway, I prefered all the little problems with it compared to the bows that were on the market then, even though it was kinda slow as well. I refused to compromise that smooth draw. When the one cams came out and touted the same characteristics I was looking for it got my interest, but it took a disaster to get me to shop. I got caught taking a break hunting Antelope and could not position myself correctly to shoot without spooking the buck about 25-30 yards in front of me. I was sitting on a flat rock a few inches high but I drew and took the shot. The bottom wheel hit the ground as I released sending the arrow on its way, and me wondering what the @#$%^*.
Needless to say I hit the pro shops after the season for a shorter lighter bow. Can't say I was overly impressed with the selections I tried at first, especially the so called short speed bows. Nope, gotta have a smooth draw, don't want that bow to move a hair when I pull back! Then I tried a Q2 and was impressed. It has a smooth draw, not too short at 34", lighter that my Jennings, faster, quiet, and more accuate. It fit me just fine and I'm a happy guy. I'm not saying that shorter is necessarily better, I think it depends on how its used.
I still mess with the Jennings in the backyard once in awhile, but it's retired from hunting.
"Hunt smart, know your target and beyond"
The drawbacks to that bow for hunting were that is was heavy to haul around all day for spot and stalk. I would develope a tennis elbow in my left arm (I'm right handed) and sometimes I could hardly lift my arm to put it on the hood of the truck at the end of the day. I never had any problems from a tree stand with it, but on the ground shooting from my knees I had to make sure it was clear in front of me. I would also have to do my homework if I planned to tuck myself back underneath a Juniper or Mesquite.
Anyway, I prefered all the little problems with it compared to the bows that were on the market then, even though it was kinda slow as well. I refused to compromise that smooth draw. When the one cams came out and touted the same characteristics I was looking for it got my interest, but it took a disaster to get me to shop. I got caught taking a break hunting Antelope and could not position myself correctly to shoot without spooking the buck about 25-30 yards in front of me. I was sitting on a flat rock a few inches high but I drew and took the shot. The bottom wheel hit the ground as I released sending the arrow on its way, and me wondering what the @#$%^*.
Needless to say I hit the pro shops after the season for a shorter lighter bow. Can't say I was overly impressed with the selections I tried at first, especially the so called short speed bows. Nope, gotta have a smooth draw, don't want that bow to move a hair when I pull back! Then I tried a Q2 and was impressed. It has a smooth draw, not too short at 34", lighter that my Jennings, faster, quiet, and more accuate. It fit me just fine and I'm a happy guy. I'm not saying that shorter is necessarily better, I think it depends on how its used.
I still mess with the Jennings in the backyard once in awhile, but it's retired from hunting.
"Hunt smart, know your target and beyond"
01-26-2002, 08:39 PM
#12
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington State
Posts: 382
RE: Rip me all you want...............
Cougar, bend over...<img src=icon_smile_evil.gif border=0 align=middle>
I shoot a MQ-32 (a.t.a. 32"
. Here are the reasons I chose this bow:
1) It is lighter than many other bows and I use it elk hunting where I may carry it 5-10 miles each day. Lighter loads mean less fatigue.
2) It is shorter than many other bows and I use it still hunting blacktail deer in heavily thicketed, brushy bottom land and clearcut-regrowths of western Washington. Short bows are more manueverable in tight spaces.
3) I am 5'8" @ 150lbs and it doesn`t seem like that small of a bow to me. On the contrary, some bows like the Q2XL seem huge to me.
This short bow fills my specific hunting needs. If I planted my narrow butt in a treestand, then I would want a bow with a more moderate a.t.a. length. Razorhunter hit the nail on the head when he explained about the light mass of the short bows making them more difficult to hold on target (ie larger groups). I have found this to be true. My little bow "floats" when I take aim. But I am still accurate enough to hunt. The benefits of the short bow outweigh the deficiencies for my specific hunting requirements.
Personally, I think that the bow companies saying that the short bows make perfect tree stand bows is a load of marketing fluff.
The Mouse
I shoot a MQ-32 (a.t.a. 32"
. Here are the reasons I chose this bow:1) It is lighter than many other bows and I use it elk hunting where I may carry it 5-10 miles each day. Lighter loads mean less fatigue.
2) It is shorter than many other bows and I use it still hunting blacktail deer in heavily thicketed, brushy bottom land and clearcut-regrowths of western Washington. Short bows are more manueverable in tight spaces.
3) I am 5'8" @ 150lbs and it doesn`t seem like that small of a bow to me. On the contrary, some bows like the Q2XL seem huge to me.
This short bow fills my specific hunting needs. If I planted my narrow butt in a treestand, then I would want a bow with a more moderate a.t.a. length. Razorhunter hit the nail on the head when he explained about the light mass of the short bows making them more difficult to hold on target (ie larger groups). I have found this to be true. My little bow "floats" when I take aim. But I am still accurate enough to hunt. The benefits of the short bow outweigh the deficiencies for my specific hunting requirements.
Personally, I think that the bow companies saying that the short bows make perfect tree stand bows is a load of marketing fluff.
The Mouse
01-26-2002, 09:19 PM
#13
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 68
RE: Rip me all you want...............
I shoot a Parker UltraLite 31. At 31" A2A, 28" draw length and 50# draw weight it is very smooth and forgiving. It is shooting 430 grain 2213's at about 220fps - it's about time to start working up to 60#.
I shot 7+ hours every day this week and today decided to score - I shot a 273, 281, and 288 back to back to back with no rest and I am still in my 2nd month shooting - ever. Once I steady up and get my form to be more consistant I feel a 300 will not be out of reach <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>.
To be honest, for me it is harder to concentrate hard enough on all 60 arrows to shoot a 300 than it is to shoot the bow.
So I guess that is one vote for shorter A2A bows being forgiving, smooth and easy to shoot.
Who says girls can't shoot <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
_________
SuperX
Edited by - SuperX on 01/26/2002 22:20:03
I shot 7+ hours every day this week and today decided to score - I shot a 273, 281, and 288 back to back to back with no rest and I am still in my 2nd month shooting - ever. Once I steady up and get my form to be more consistant I feel a 300 will not be out of reach <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>.
To be honest, for me it is harder to concentrate hard enough on all 60 arrows to shoot a 300 than it is to shoot the bow.
So I guess that is one vote for shorter A2A bows being forgiving, smooth and easy to shoot.
Who says girls can't shoot <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
_________
SuperX
Edited by - SuperX on 01/26/2002 22:20:03
01-26-2002, 09:50 PM
#16
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Stoughton Wisconsin USA
Posts: 198
RE: Rip me all you want...............
I shoot the Parker 31. It is by FAR the most accurate, best shooting bow I have owned! I shoot ALOT of 3-D shoots year round and my scores have NEVER been higher, and more consistant! I used to shoot a Mathews MQ-1, and the Parker is TWO TIMES the bow that the Mathews was! For ME the short bow is the best shooting bow! I think alot of people have this "thing" in there head that you HAVE to shoot a long, heavy pig of a bow to be a good shot! But there not for me! And in the woods/stand, you cant beat a Parker 31!!
01-27-2002, 04:52 AM
#17
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,175
RE: Rip me all you want...............
I've hunted with everything from a 72" longbow down to 58" recurves, 48" compounds down to 36" compounds. Been successful with each. My favorite stickbow length is 68", favorite compound length is 46-48". With my draw length, the longer sticks don't stack as bad. The longer compounds allow me to use multiple anchor points and let me get the peep close to my eye for better visibility. String angle is the key.
On both targets and game, I shoot much better, and much more consistently, with my old 48", 65% letoff, ProVantage Legacy than I do with my newer, shorter, high letoff compounds.
What works for me isn't the only way to go though. One of my friends has a 28" draw and was shooting lights out with an MQ32. He decided he wanted a longer bow for more consistency and got a Q2XL. The poor fella's shooting went straight down the tubes.
He just knew it was the bow. I shot it and even with my elbow bent at about a 45 degree angle (so I could get his 28" bow to anchor instead of my normal 32" draw), I stacked 5 arrows in a 1" circle at 20 yards. The last 3 arrows cut vanes and were all touching. It wasn't the bow. He and the bow were simply mismatched.
Even though there are exceptions to every rule of thumb, I am a firm believer that the length of your bow should be matched to your draw length.
On both targets and game, I shoot much better, and much more consistently, with my old 48", 65% letoff, ProVantage Legacy than I do with my newer, shorter, high letoff compounds.
What works for me isn't the only way to go though. One of my friends has a 28" draw and was shooting lights out with an MQ32. He decided he wanted a longer bow for more consistency and got a Q2XL. The poor fella's shooting went straight down the tubes.
He just knew it was the bow. I shot it and even with my elbow bent at about a 45 degree angle (so I could get his 28" bow to anchor instead of my normal 32" draw), I stacked 5 arrows in a 1" circle at 20 yards. The last 3 arrows cut vanes and were all touching. It wasn't the bow. He and the bow were simply mismatched.
Even though there are exceptions to every rule of thumb, I am a firm believer that the length of your bow should be matched to your draw length.
01-27-2002, 05:15 AM
#18
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SW PA USA
Posts: 7,220
RE: Rip me all you want...............
I draw 31" and find longer ata bows more forgiving. Currently shoot a Matthews Pro Conquest but am thinking about a Q2XL. With a 31" draw I still get the speed I want from a longer bow
01-27-2002, 05:18 AM
#19
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York
Posts: 102
RE: Rip me all you want...............
Cougar Mag
You should use what feels good. But did you answer your own question with " Oh, maybe for that one crucial shot out of a stand," seems like a good reason to me.
You should use what feels good. But did you answer your own question with " Oh, maybe for that one crucial shot out of a stand," seems like a good reason to me.
01-27-2002, 06:15 AM
#20
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Lehigh County PA USA
Posts: 12,157
RE: Rip me all you want...............
I am a bowhunter. Period. I walk a very long distance to my stand through some very thick brush and my shots are all under 30 yards.
Tell me again why I need a long axle to axle length, heavy bow?
No ripping on you CM.....but for my situation, a long heavy bow is more of a hinderance than anything else.
3D shooting originated as practice for bowhunting. It definitely isn't that now, but I still shoot it with my bowhunting setup. Not that it helps too much since all of my shots during hunting are from a treestand. If I was shooting 3D strictly for the sake of "points" then I would follow Matt's route and get the longer bow.
Tell me again why I need a long axle to axle length, heavy bow?
No ripping on you CM.....but for my situation, a long heavy bow is more of a hinderance than anything else.
3D shooting originated as practice for bowhunting. It definitely isn't that now, but I still shoot it with my bowhunting setup. Not that it helps too much since all of my shots during hunting are from a treestand. If I was shooting 3D strictly for the sake of "points" then I would follow Matt's route and get the longer bow.