I'll second Ralphie on the Martins. I love my Panther Mag. Quietest bow you've never heard. Excellent bows for half the cost of a Bowtech or Mathews. They have some expensive ones, too, but they are mainly target bows.

PSE sells many that are chaeper. I shaot a PSE nova and it worx for me.

I agree with Buckeye, I had a Magnatec and pulled a few "Robin Hoods" with it. I am not an excellent shooter, my form is not rock solid. What you need to look for is a bow that is forgiving with a modest brace height. Another line is Reflex, I purchased a Buckskin for $400 and will have it set up for less than six. Don't skimp on the arrows though.[8D]

The "best" bow is the one that fits you perfectly.....physically, mentally, and also fits your budget and hunting needs.

Just about any bow out there will kill a deer. Don't think you have to have a top shelf bow to be able to hunt.

Having said all that........I have experience with 2 middle of the chart bows and they are both very nice. The Fred Bear TRX is a GREAT bow. I can't think of anything I didn't like about it. I owned it for one year and sold it to my brother because he was having some financial trouble. We both killed 6 ptrs with it. In 2 seasons it is 2 for 2. It is smooth, fast enough and very quiet. Great bow. I would go into the woods any day with that bow and be very happy. I replaced it with a 2003 Bowtech Patriot which is a REALLY GREAT bow......and much faster.......and much more money.......The Patriot is 0 for 1

My other brother owns a Martin Tracer Mag. He paid $300 bucks for a complete package and he shoots VERY well with it. Also a very nice bow......small and very light. I don't like the grip very much but it still a great bow for $300.

If I could give you a little advice it would be to just go shoot bows and don't look at price tags. You may be surprised at what you find. That is how I settled on my Fred Bear TRX.......It was the best felling bow to me.

Good Luck

Atlasman said it all in regards to the "best" bow for you.

As others have said, you should buy your first bow at an archery shop, that way you will know that the bow fits you and is tuned right. The last thing you need to do is try/learn how to shoot a bow that doesn't fit you right. You will pick up some bad habits that will be difficult to get rid of.

I bought a Browning Ambush bow a couple of years ago that was a package deal, I love it. Shop around at archery shops, the bow you want to buy is the one that feels good to you the second you pick it up, if it doesn't feel good, don't buy it.

Hey! That is the website for the shop I work at sometimes.... Small world.


I really do not think there are many "bad bows" on the market today. You can get several decent bows fully set up for under $400. To me it would depend on how many "bells and whistles" you want. Ofcourse, individual feel is the most important and heading out to some local shops to get a feel for each bow is very important.

Best value overall? No doubt the PSE Nova. But, if you are looking for something a bit more expensive then the Hoyt Ultramag and Ultrasport would get my vote.

The Parker Challenger (outfitter) is a nice bow package in your price range.

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Well said Atlasman.

Make sure to get a bow that fits you properly....that is much more important than what brand it is. I would suggest going to a local (knowledgeable) proshop and get measured up. As far as good bows for the $, I would agree with PA...the PSE Nova is hard to beat. You can get the complete bow kit for around $200.

The wingspan method is meant to be used as a tool to obtain accurate draw length....not necessarily the deciding factor. Truth be told it puts me about a half inch shy of why I normally measure out and am accustomed to shooting.