Big Ol Gobbler

I'm hoping to purchase an entry level recurve with which to hunt whitetails next fall. What do you think of the PSE Impala? If you've hunted with it, what shaft and broadhead combination worked best for you. Thanks to all.

LBR

I haven't shot any PSE trad bows in quite a while, mainly because of the last ones I shot. They will do the job, but you can do better. You might try e-bay, or the classifieds on this site and others--you can generally get a great used bow at a good deal. If you go with e-bay, check out the seller's feedback and such, and ask a lot of questions. In my experience, there's some folks that are selling a bow they picked up at a yard sale, etc. and really don't have a clue if the bow is any good or not.

Chad

Big Ol Gobbler

Thanks Chad. As I'm really green... for what manufacturer should I be looking? I'd like to spend less than $200 on the bow itself. Thanks!

okietreedude

I bought an impala this year as i am new in this arena and money was a little tight.

I have yet to shoot a deer with it but it is a nice bow. That being said, Ive not shot any thing else. It is plain jane, but the deer dont care what theyre being shot w/.

As for arrows, Im using cabelas carbons, 125g muzzys.

If I were to become extremely serious, I would think of upgrading. To what i dont know but ive come to see other bows of the same weight throw an arrow much faster.

If your looking for a bow to learn with, Id start asking around and maybe you could find someone that will loan you one. Other wise visit a GOOD sporting goods store (cabelas, bass pro, local archery shop) that would let you try several out in the store.

LBR

Well, opinions vary, but I'm fond of a lot of the old Pearson bows, and (for some reason) they don't generally have much of a collecter's value like some of the old bows do, so they can generally be picked up at a bargin. Also watch for Bear, Wing, Root, Shakespeare, Browning, Indian, and probably several others I can't think of at the moment.

Don't go with a short bow--depending on your draw length, I'd stick to at least 60" or longer. Don't go heavy--learn with a light bow, you will be glad you did. You will be more in control, enjoy it more, and be able to shoot for longer periods of time.

Not to argue with Okiedude, but even some of the super stores don't have much of a selection of trad bows, and it can be tough finding anyone there that knows squat about them. I was at the Bass Pro headquaters in Springfield, MO earlier this year and they had very little trad equipment, and nobody on hand that knew squat about them. If you are in OH, there is a Bass Pro near the OH/KY line (forget the town) that has a manager there that can help--his name is Kevin Brennan. I've heard of a few others, but since trad bows aren't their money-makers, they usually don't invest in anyone knowledgeable, or much equipment.

Chad

Big Ol Gobbler

Thanks again.

okietreedude

Point well taken Chad. That is a VERY true statement. I hit the cabelas in KC,KS and got lucky there was a salesman that shot trad. They didnt have much selection as you noted but I was like Gobbler,- short on $ and info.

Ive found finding ANYONE local that shoots traditional is hard.

Big Ol Gobbler

I've taken LBR's comments to heart and have been monitoring some items on E-Bay. There are several Ben Pearson bows up for auction, unfortunately, I really don't know for what I should be looking. I've got the basics, no splits, cracks, twisted limbs, etc. The Pearson bows seem to be the most economical but the names Cougar, Colt, Falcon, etc mean nothing to me. Which bow is best for deer hunting? I'm assuming I should be looking for something with a 50# draw but what is the advantage of 50 vs 45? What is the difference in velocity and down range energy? I apologize for my novice questions. Thanks!

LBR

Okie, you may get lucky. When I started, I didn't think there was anyone for hundreds of miles that shot trad. A year or three later, I started going to some tournaments and found several folks in the area did. Not nearly as many as compounds, but they were out there. Hope your luck runs like mine did in this case.

Gobbler, don't apologize--we all had to start somewhere, and a lot of us had to learn the hard way (and still are). It's a lot easier to ask questions and get some input vs. going in blind. A lot of the answers you get (including mine) are going to be mainly opinion, but it's opinion based on experience. You'll find that traditional shooters are generally some of the nicer folks you'll meet, but also some of the most opinionated. Listen, but keep in mind that opinions can vary a lot. For instance, a bow I really like someone else may really dislike, and vice-versa. There is no one bow, arrow, broadhead, shooting style, etc. that is perfect for every archer. Use what advice you can to get started, then work on developing your own opinions--that's half the fun!

Chad

ccarp00

If at all possible I would spend the little extra money and get the pse kudu. I have one and it shoots just as good as my Ben Pearson Javelina, not to mention it is a sharp looking bow you can check them out at http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat21424-cat600272&id=0004395415233a&navCount=2&amp ;podId=0004395&parentId=cat600272&masterpa thid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=QT&ri d=&parentType=index&indexId=cat600272& hasJS=true
You can find them for a better price at other online vendors.