Buster T

bigcountry - I've shot this one - killed a nice non-typical in KS one year with it -very easy to shoot. I can adjust it to my shooting and be 2-3" 20 yard groups in 20 minutes of shooting. Its my Dad's bow - he's taken

That said, I want to stay with trad bows. I would like this Gamemaster to launch arrows with some authority, I know I can shoot it well enough. Shoot some 3D, gain some confidence back, make a few more tweaks to my bowhunting skills ......... it aint over yet, however I will not continue to shoot and miss/wound deer you know ?

Fred Bear did ........ I'm just not the same kind of hunter.

LBR

Gotta call you on this one. You can spend a lot on a trad bow if you want, just like you can pay a lot of money for a custom made compound--if you want. Generally speaking though, you can get great tradbow that will do the job as well as any,pretty cheap. Trad bows that are 30+ years old aren't anywhere near as outdated as a compound that is10 years old. 30+ year old trad bows sell all the time, often for as much or more than they cost new. There are still gobs of old trad bows being used in the woods and in tournaments.'Course you can get a new customtrad bow forless thanhalfthe cost ofthe two you mentioned, and it will do the job just as well.

That's another benefit to trad bows--take care of them, they hold their value--even gain value. Unlike compounds and computers, next year's model isn't going to be much is any different than last year's. Try to sell a compound (or computer) that's 10 years old or older.

With trad, you can get a good used bow for less than $200. Arrows, broadheads, nocks, etc. are the same, with the possible exception of feathers vs. vanes costing a little more.

With a compound, getting the bow is just the beginning. You also have to pick the rest, peep, stabilizer, wrist sling, pins, cable slide, etc. I worked for a local shop some years ago, and most folks that came in spent about as much on accessories as they did on the naked bow.

Finally, something you know as well as most--if you get a bow you don't particularly like, you can trade/sell and buy another without loosing much if any money. Try that with compounds and accessories.

Just in case someone were to misunderstand, I have nothing at all against compounds--I shot them for several years myself, and have friends that still do.

Chad

Buster T

Chad - nobody knows better than me the buying/selling of used bows !

But ...... I can get a loades and ready to hunt with 2003/2004 model compound for $250 that'll shoot very nicely. Sure, it won't be a Mathews, but a nice Reflex or Parker nonetheless.

My point was that a decked out new Mathews or Hoyt or Bowtech will cost you $1000 or more .......... a brand new Widow will st you back $1000 or more, and so will a Silvertip or Morrison Shawnee etc. The costs are equivalent on new bows.

I agree that buying a trad bow used, like say a Black Widow PSAIII for $500 is a good investment. Keep that bow in great condition for 3 years and it'll be worth $400 or more whereas a $500 Mathews today in 3 years might not be worth $250

Finch

Thanks for all the responses everyone!

I am not going to sink alot of money into a traditional bow, as of now. I want to get a decently priced one to play around with. I'm not going to rush into this thing either. Hell, it may be a couple months before I buy one.

I also think I will still enjoy shooting my 300+FPS compound once I get the trad.

Buster T

ducsauce chances are you'll see that compound as an extremely easy to use weapon that takes a LOT of the bowhunting out of the bowhunt. Thats my experience anyway. Its a whole 'nuther ballgame when you got a stick and string in your hands, it FEELS different being in the woods with a recurve in your hand.

Make good decisions on what used bows you buy and you won't lose much if any on them. I rarely lose money, in fact I make a bit now and again buying/selling bows. www.tradgang.com is probably the best place to buy used. The Dolores site (sadly) has had a bunch of thieves on it recently.

Good luck and the best piece of advice I can give you is this - if you hook the string, draw the bow, focus on where you want it to go and anchor the same way everytime with the same release, you'll shoot as good as you can with your compound. You will never do that ........ but its a goal anyway

LBR

Yeah, but you are comparing over-the-counter to custom, and bargain basement compounds. Compare the cheapest compound (with the cheapest acessories)to the cheapest trad bow , you can still get out for less with trad.

Then you compare some of the most expensive customtrad bows to over the counter compounds--you go custom with a compound, you are going to spend more again. I have no idea what, if any, you gain with a custom compound, but cosmetics are the biggest difference in the most expensive trad bow compared to the better, more modestly priced ones.

I'll bet you a cold drink, right here on a public forum, that if you let me pick the shots--you with the compound of your choice, me with my longbow--I'll out-shoot/out scoreyou. I'm no professional or expert by any stretch either. Wanna bet?

Obviously the catch is letting me pick the shots. Trad bows do have their advantages. 'Course a 12 year old that has a little experience could probably out-shoot me in the wide open at known yardages, but that's the advantage of compounds. I already know I will win the bet, because I've done it before--so you can't say you weren't warned!

Chad

Finch

I'll take thatbet.

Seriously though, what advantages are you referring to?

the Razorhead

what the heck is a "Bowtech?"

LBR

Duc, the catch is I can pull off shots with my longbow that would be difficult, if not impossible, with the compound. I can shoot with my back to the target, lying down, with the bow horizontal, drawing from behind my back, aerial targets, fast shots,etc. 'Course I won't be as accurate, but I'll be more accurate than most anyone with a compound that has to get in an awkward position--some of these are pretty much impossible (at least without risk of injury) with a compound.

Some of those would serve no practical purpose, but some would. Most traditional-only tournaments have shots where you have to kneel down, squat, stretch out, cant the bow at extreme angles, etc.--just like you might have to in a hunting situation.

I have another one for you. I'll bet you another cold drink that my bow is faster than the compound of your choice. **WARNING--there's a catch to this one too**

Chad

the Razorhead

You been shootin' against Frank "FEARLESS" Mego aintcha..