what new bow for my circumstances
 

I'm a newbie to this site, and would like your opinions. I have read other postings about new bows, but wanted to throw out my specific circumstances to narrow things down a litte. I have been out of bowhunting for about 4-5 years. I am thinking about the following accessories: Muzzy 100 broadheads, Whisker Bisquet rest and some type of cross hair sight (pins just never seemed natural). Any thoughts so far?

On the bow, my budget for the bare bow is pretty much $400 or less. I am a little hesitant to buy a bow from someone who isn't relatively close by (45 miles?) due warranty or service work. I have read a lot on this forum about Martin (Courgar) and Bowtech (Matt?), but there aren't any dealers closer than 70-90 miles. My local options are Golden Eagle/Jennings/Bear, Mathews, PSE, and Parker. I have not seen any recommendations in any of the postings in this forum for Golden Eagel/Jennings/Bear, and seldom for PSE. Mathews is obviously well known and supported, but they seem pretty pricey, and the only one I could get for my price is the Fx (anyone with experience with the Fx?), unless I try to buy a used one off Ebay and I am hestant to do that. I don't know anyone who owns a Parker and the dealer that sells them is about a 45 min. drive away and so people locally don't seem to shoot them. Parker seems to have a pretty good product from what I have read. In fact, I called a "big" multi-brand dealer the other day and he recommended the Parker and Mathews, but the Parker higher because he gets more Mathews in for repairs, but seldom ever gets a Parker.

What does everyone think? I have a 29-30" draw and will shoot about 65-70#. I think that forgiveness and quietness are probably the most important factors for me, as well as a bow that I won't have to worry about working on all the time. I love speed to shoot as flat as possible, but most new bows probably have sufficient speed. If anyone has specific brand/model recomendations and/or experience I would appreciate it.

Also, what is a good target for shooting broadheads into without tearing them up?

I appreciate everyone's time and input.

Edited by - 270bolt on 01/29/2002 22:16:39

RE: what new bow for my circumstances
 

Welcome to the board 270bolt. I shoot a Parker and would recommend that you shoot one. I shoot the Feather Mag II and love it.

http://www.parkerbows.com

The bow is on the upper ends of your limits within reason. I have shot it now for about a year and had no problems with it what so ever.

RE: what new bow for my circumstances
 

welcome to the board. I can highly recomend Parker bows. I have shot the ultr-lite 31 and 35, both excellent. If you like crosshair sights theirs nothing wrong with them, I just prefer pins. Your choice of broadheads are excellent. I can't comment on the wisker biscute yet, I did pick one up to play around with, but I need more time to give a fair opinon of it.

TAKE YOUR KIDS HUNTING AND YOU WON'T BE HUNTING FOR YOUR KIDS

RE: what new bow for my circumstances
 

First of all, 270, let me welcome you to our wonderful site! I know you know this, but there's some wonderful people on here.

C'mon guys!! 270 obviously put a lot of thought into this post -- one of his first -- and we can't get more than two people to respond and help somebody trying to take up bowhunting?

Here's what I've suggested to 270, so that others can comment on my offerings and add to them:

For under $400, I would look very seriously at the PSE Thunderbolt with Lightning Cam. I've seen it for $329 at a lot of places, it's smooth, adequately fast, has a nice drawstop on that wonderful cam, and comes with a 7" brace height. And you can get PSEs serviced literally anywhere. I think the closest competent PSE dealer to you 270 would be in Farmington at Megasports, or maybe the guy with the shop at the end of Starr St. in Perryville.

There's also a last-year's Hoyt MT Sport decked out with quiver, sight, and a couple arrows in Six Gold on Broadway in Cape that he'd sell for about $350. Only challenge is the 28" draw -- and I'd bet you to be 29" by looking.

I have heard good things about the Mathews FX (a lot of people have said it shoots as nicely as their top-of-the-line models), but again, you could get almost the identical bow speedwise and brace height-wise with the Thunderbolt for maybe $100 cheaper.

Frank? Any suggestions? Matt? (Remember -- less than $400, Bowtech freak! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>)

RE: what new bow for my circumstances
 

.270 Bolt,

Welcome! Hey, you don't have to spend your pention on a bow that shoots good! Bear makes some pretty nice bows. So does PSE for not that much money. Go and pick up a few and draw them back. If you want ease of shooting...go with longer axle to axle length (36 or higher) High brace hight (over 7 or 7 1/2) and a riser that is not reflexed very much....ask the local pro....
I shoot a PSE NOVA (Vector 5 wheels)....only about $200 and I shoot 280's with it at leage. It's not as fast as the mathewes or Parker's, but they are a little tougher to shoot well. Give it a try and GOOD LUCK!!!!

John

RE: what new bow for my circumstances
 

Welcome 270! I bought a new bow last year, Hoyt MT Sport. I would definitly recommend it. In the buying process i shot a parker ul 35, and mathews fx among others. I do not think you could go wrong with any of them, try to shoot each your choices and go with the one that feels the best to you.

RE: what new bow for my circumstances
 

If you have a Hoyt or Reflex dealer in your area,then go and look at their model's of bows.My brother bought a Reflex Denali last season and loves it for hunting,I think the price tag was in the $350.00 range.It really doesn't matter what you spend as long as you like the bow of choice and it fits you.I would deffently go to a proshop and have them hlp with getting the bow that fits you.I think with todays brands of bows,a 30 inch draw is not going to fit everyone.Good luck and welcome back to the sport of bowhunting.

RE: what new bow for my circumstances
 

270,
BowTech &quot;Freak&quot; here...(thanks Greg.:))

Ok I'll stay true to form.....the BowTech &quot;Stalker&quot; would be one to definitely look at ........33.5&quot;ATA length,only 2.9lbs,a forgiving 7.75&quot; brace height, and IBO speeds of 298-306.w/ the same BowTech original &quot;Post Feed&quot; or newer &quot;Infinity&quot; cam that their more expensive bows carry.
This would make a heck of a bow to get back into bowhunting.....

Other options would include BowTech's 2 new &quot;Package Bows&quot;......Sounds like they use high quality accessories to round out the bows(not bargain basement stuff), and they are supposed to have real high brace heights and decent speeds if I remember correctly.....I'll edit this post with more specifics when I find them such as specs and prices.
I hear &quot;Blevins Archery&quot; in your hometown might be picking up BowTech.....so you'll be able to maybe get your hands on a few!

ALso look at, 2001 Hoyt &quot;Havoc&quot; Versacam.....I keep seeing these for around $350 in different places (Gander Mt. etc.)and they are a real high quality bow.....just ask Frank.
High Country &quot;Brute Force&quot; MX-1.....this is another I keep coming across ,not sure if they are still offering this bow for 2002 but it's another good one that you could probably get for around $300....and it uses the Mathews style &quot;Max-Cam&quot;. I've shot it and it's a real solid shooting bow.
Darton &quot;Renegade&quot;as well as some of the Reflex line, and Browning has a few good ones as well......there's also a bunch more in addition to the good suggestions already offered so keep an open mind.
This is the &quot;Fun&quot; part of shopping......narrowing down all of the choices.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Oh yeah......Welcome to the site.....glad to have ya !




Edited by - Matt / PA on 01/30/2002 17:19:48

RE: what new bow for my circumstances
 

Also, check out the Martin Line. I have a Panther Mag and it ran about $350, bare bow. It is very smooth and shoots as fast as I could expect from a 26&quot; draw.

The most important bloodtrail leads right to the foot of the cross

RE: what new bow for my circumstances
 

270bolt I shoot a Golden Eagle Splitfire at 60#and I'll tell you that I love it it's a great bow I have Simm's limbsavers on it. Everyone alway's comment's on how quiet it is {it is very quiet}I have a Trophy Taker drop away rest and I love it also. I have a set of P.S.E. brass pin sight's that do a good job as well ,the pinsight's I plan on changing in the near future to the trophy ridge matrix {inline pin sight}witch will make this bow an awsome combination As for broadheads muzzy's are an excellent choice I have used Steelforce and I like them also combined with the Gold Tips hunters
Good luck to you and have fun chooseing ,might I add that I have never tried a Parker but I have heard good thing's about them.
I might add that my Eagle is a 29inch draw and the length of my bow is 32in and keep in mind that there's also nothing out there that you can't kill with a 60lb bow versus a 70lb
P.S. welcome to the hunting forum and I think you will find this forum a very useful tool as everyone here is eager to help each other.
Nubo

Edited by - nubo on 01/30/2002 17:42:29