Shot my first bow today....

[lovemachine]

My dad bought a PSE compound bow over the weekend. So Sunday, I went to his house and I shot it. I think I'm in love. I had a lot more fun than I thought I would.

I think I want one now. I don't have the money, but I'm very tempted to sell a few things to make it work....

 

[HamsterStyle]

I want to pick up a cheaper one for the kids to tool around with as well. I just know that it will lead to really wanting one for myself.

 

[dirtybird]

I'd suggest a bear bow for any youngster or beginners. They're cheap for what you get, and customer service is great. If you have any limb or cam problems and call them they send new limbs or cams for free, but I doubt you'd ever have a problem with them honestly. Pse is a good brand also, I just prefer bear for the price. If I was shooting competition I'd consider going with something more expensive.

 

[eric001]

2nd vote for Bear. They're maybe not the spiffiest bow out there, but for 4-500 you can get a good bow that will last you forever.

 

[natdscott]

I have a 2008 Hoyt Vectrix XL with less than 300 arrows over the rest. It needs to go to a shop for a new string (nothing wrong with the current one, but it's old enough that it's time) and to get setup for the new user.

I will work out a deal with you if you are interested. I am well aware (unlike so many listing bows online) that they do NOT hold their value, and this will be priced accordingly. I don't hunt anymore, and don't shoot target, so this bow sits, as it has since mid-2009 when I bought it new as a "last-year's model" to replace a PSE I'd had for 10+ years.

It can come with the rest, sights, stabilizer, etc. but I'd have to look through the arrows to see what I have...always shot GoldTip XT.

Let me know if you're interested. Either way though, good luck with the addiction archery can become! Good sport.

-Nate

 

[Hookeye]

IIRC the Vectrix was draw length specific (non adjustable).
New cams can be rather expensive, esp if cables/string also need changed to fit.
Some folks post their cams for sale/swap on various archery sites.
You might be able to save a few bucks.
Sold my Mathews cam when I got a demo from the shop at 29". Needed 28"........paid $60 for a new cam, sold my like new (but unusable for me) on Archery Talk for $35 (was a few yrs ago).
Takes the sting out of changing stuff around.
YMMV

BTW, bow for this yr.................Blackwidow HF1225. Made in 1972.
Last yr I ran a Blackwidow HS58 made in '83.

That stuff costs more than it did new

 

[Hookeye]

FWIW I'm on the hunt for an Oneida Aeroforce, 50-70# RH, medium draw.
AF or LFM in project form also of interest.

 

[trailrider]

Welcome to the obsession lovemachine.

 

[CPT Nervous]

I've got a few. A Bear compound, and a Bear recurve. I have a Matthews youth now, too. Might put it up in the classifieds.

 

[9mmfan]

I shot both now and crossbow as a teenager. One of my friends hunted deer with the bow.
I prefer things that go bang.

 

[Hookeye]

Counted recently, have owned 27 compounds and 25 recurves over the years.
Had 3 up to recent, am down to just the one BW skeleton recurve.
Will zip a deer with it and maybe order a new one.

 

[Hookeye]

Pre rut is bow season.
You might see more deer, less alarmed, if going out in bow season.
Of course if you love things that go bang you don't have to have an arrow nocked when you release

 

[1911ly]

Here is my first bow. Except mine is black. Not the camo version.

Diamond Archery Infinite Edge Pro Mossy Oak® Break-Up Infinity® Jr. Compound-Bow Kit by Cabela’s : Cabela's

It seems to be a great bow. I am having fun. Just learning though.

 

[clfergus]

One of the entry level Bear bows would be a good place to start. The Bear attitude is a nice bow and I think the packages are going for 339.00 right now. Would be all the bow you would ever need to hunt and have fun shooting.

 

[Hookeye]

I've been shooting bows for almost 40 years.
Still have not found the "one and only"

My Hoyt Protec Safari was probably the best all around bow I've had (compound).
Blackwidow HS58 was a tank, but seemed to shoot itself. One of those with a newer radiused riser and FF rated limbs about 50# would be tough to beat.
But they are metal riser/grip..........so suck in winter.

Ideally Blackwidow would remake that bow, machined riser, with wood grip.
They make a 1 pc wooden model very similar............but the old HS had a heavy feel. I even put a K tec 3" stabilizer running the Z coil module.

Freakin' boat anchor.

Loves shooting that thing. Unfortunately mine was 60# and not FF rated.
Even if I got a last run model............BW no longer makes limbs for them. They need a new style machined riser that would take SA limbs or something.

Pitched the idea to them............no response

Need some software so I can CAD and code it, have a bud with a HAAS buzz me a couple.

For the $ the Hoyt Dorado is a pretty sweet recurve. That riser with some Tradtech carbons. I was happy running mine with TT wood/glass.
Except for the grip being too low, and the riser too long (is 19").

Could have made a custom grip.............but the bow would still have been a 60" with shorts.
Not ILF riser either (just converted bushings to run the ILF limbs).

Morrison riser might be the way to go, 15 or 17 inch and ILF. At least $100 more than Dorado riser.

 

[natdscott]

Hookeye, honest question here: How long have you retained and shot just ONE bow at a stretch?

-Nate

 

[devious169]

I've shot Mathews, pse , hoyt, reflex..... and I must say I picked up a bow tech admiral years ago and haven't looked at another bow manufacturer. Currently shooting the assassin felt good in my hand and better on my wallet, for 600 ish ready to hunt with you can't go wrong.

 

[Hookeye]

Longest I've kept a bow is 6 yrs.
Avg is about 2 yrs
Shot for a shop years ago, so got into the habit of having new bows often.
Expensive, but I eventually got out of that trap.
Classic recurves you can buy, hunt a yr or two and break even or make a few bucks on.
New compounds depreciate terribly.

 

[Hookeye]

I've shot Mathews, pse , hoyt, reflex..... and I must say I picked up a bow tech admiral years ago and haven't looked at another bow manufacturer. Currently shooting the assassin felt good in my hand and better on my wallet, for 600 ish ready to hunt with you can't go wrong.

Buddy got an Assassin. Sweet bow. Think they dropped it (replaced with ?). I was impressed with the speed, quiet and price!

 

[Hookeye]

One of my old archery club buds bought bows all the time too, but he never sold 'em.
Single and no kids........I remember years ago he had something like 40+ recurves and longbows........at one time.
His collection he dubbed "the fire hazard".
I know of collectors, and collector/shooters........who put that count to shame.
Some of them have old stuff that is museum grade, ads and accessories from Bear and other...............it's quite the craze.
I hunt my gear.

Thank goodness other folks have the time, money and sources to amass such cool collections.
Most are super cool and will educate you on the stuff.

Lonnie at Recycled Recurves is a hoot, one of these days I might check out his stash.
I got my HF 1225 from him.