Starter Compound bow

[INDPrepper]

Right now I am highly considering the Bear Cruzer. I feel like it gives me the best value for the money spent and it's also pretty adjustable. A buddy of mine at work has one and he says it's pretty good but he did just get it earlier this year so he might not have the most experience with compounds but he did shoot it a lot practicing for deer season.

 

[chubbs]

Cabelas has the bear cruzer RTH package on sale for $279 if I remember correctly.

 

[Hookeye]

While nothing new is cheap, should you decide an upgrade is in order down the road..............your old starter bow would make for a decent "backup rig" or could be converted for bowfishing.
Way too many guys have only one bow, and something happens to it right before or during season.
Seen more than one frantic bowhunter come into the shop with cables hanging, wheels crushed etc (esp on this newer stuff of short axle to axle and big wheels- torque does a half dry fire- what we call a "roll off").

One way to help avoid this..............don't let other people draw your bow. Also, if you're gonna do that, let them draw with a release ( a real one or even a dummy release- yes they make them, so folks can draw bows without risk of dry fire).

I'd guess half the blown up bows brought in are those drawn by somebody other than the owner (and a bunch of the other ones from being drawn fingers, the owner torquing them).

But then I get a kick out of all the X bow guys coming in with blown up gear.............seems as though putting a bolt on the string is an issue..................quite a few simply forget and that much oomph.............it aint forgiving.

 

[two70]

I doubt that. The markup on bows is not that large (they make the $ on accessories).
You might save 100, maybe 200 on a top end last yr's bow. The market is such they don't have to give them away.
Add an extra yr............maybe an extra 100 to 200 off.
Plus some stuff is program ordered with manufacturer buy back if it doesn't sell.
The deal is............some stuff on the racks new..........is 3 to 5 yrs old..........and they look pretty much like the latest.
Then you have the demo bows.

Of course, if it's not this yr's model, try to get it as cheap as you can

But I'm seeing used bows at the 450 mark............that are 7 yrs old, going for 50% of their new price stripped.
And they do sell (but then used bows may be more prone to trade than buy outright- so pricing probably flexible).

You aint gonna get a new Hoyt or Mathews top end for 50% because it's a yr old.............not from a shop.

Used but like new??????..................

Somebody caught banging the neighbor gal?
X mas bills due?
Lost a job?
Just wants to have the latest and greatest?

Maybe.

It's not hard at all to find such deals if you spend a little time searching the internet. My current bow is a Bowtech Carbon Knight 2014 model year I bought new/unused in early summer 2015 for $450 plus shipping from a large shop in MO. The local shop had unused one for $675 and a used one with some accessories for $550. You can't expect to always find a particular model or the same deal every year but you can certainly get a good deal if you are flexible and patient.

 

[Hookeye]

I know my local shop might discount stuff that's been on the rack a yr or two, but when they get to break even price somebody usually snags 'em.

There's simply no need to sell at 50% unless they are demos, seconds or somebody needs the cash because they program ordered a bunch of stuff that didn't sell.

Dunno, maybe competition between shops, maybe lose on a few bows to get the sales numbers........not sure how stuff is done these days. Know most dealers used to have a protection range of something like 50 miles. If a shop has Mathews, Hoyt, Bowtech..........they pretty much kill any start ups in the area.

People want the big names, and with internet stuff..........a shop that wants to stay afloat has to watch it.
Quite a few have come and gone lately.

IIRC to be a Hoyt dealer they wanted you to order 10 grand worth of stuff. To get started.

 

[Hookeye]

Some manufacturers will even buy back stuff that doesn't sell.
Dunno if main line, bargain models or top end...........how they work with the dealer.
IMHO, there's no reason to take a loss on merchandise, unless they are strapped for cash...........and if they are..............yeah, their business model needs a good look.

 

[Hookeye]

I know guys that look for a hundred bucks or so off, willing to buy a 2015 after the 2016's come out.
Deer don't know you paid 100 bucks less.
The wife might.

 

[Hookeye]

Manufacturers do cut deals on stuff, dealers can get demo or "shooter's bows".
Sometimes there are conditions. I paid ZERO for one of mine
Used to be that some brands would not allow demos to be sold.

For those representing a shop as a shooter, there may be substantial discount. Do know that there is a limit per shop (based on sales or ?).
They don't just keep sending them bows super cheap to get them out the door/noticed.

As aggressive as the biz is..........only takes a couple to make the rounds.

Glad ya scored a deal. When somebody goes into a shop and says "I'll buy that 2016 top end bow for 50%, since it's Jan 3rd"...............yeah
I'll laugh along with the dealer.

No harm in trying to leverage a deal...............but just because the ball dropped on Time's Square that doesn't mean folks will just p*ss money away.

 

[clfergus]

Right now I am highly considering the Bear Cruzer. I feel like it gives me the best value for the money spent and it's also pretty adjustable. A buddy of mine at work has one and he says it's pretty good but he did just get it earlier this year so he might not have the most experience with compounds but he did shoot it a lot practicing for deer season.

It will do what you need it to do.... if you fall in love with bow hunting you will be looking to upgrade though within a year or two. Once you start to learn about what differentiates a 300 bow from a 500 you will want the 500. That bear bow is gonna have bottom of the barrel strings and a few other things that while minor to a newbie you will notice as you get better and better.

I am only speaking as a person who did the whole entry level Bear bow thing and even upgraded to a closeout Bear Empire that was suppose to be their top of the line single cam bow a few years back. Once I moved to a Hoyt Powermax this year I could not believe the difference in speed and accuracy for just 499.00. I have extended my comfort zone from 30 to 40 yards for hunting now the bow is so accurate.

I'm not saying you will hate the Bear, I know I would have rather socked the 300 bucks into the Hoyt from the start and saved myself all the tuning headaches. If you do decide bow hunting isn't for you that Hoyt may still fetch 375 a year later but the Bear you will be trying to sell for 100.00 if your lucky from my experience.

 

[INDPrepper]

It will do what you need it to do.... if you fall in love with bow hunting you will be looking to upgrade though within a year or two. Once you start to learn about what differentiates a 300 bow from a 500 you will want the 500. That bear bow is gonna have bottom of the barrel strings and a few other things that while minor to a newbie you will notice as you get better and better.

I am only speaking as a person who did the whole entry level Bear bow thing and even upgraded to a closeout Bear Empire that was suppose to be their top of the line single cam bow a few years back. Once I moved to a Hoyt Powermax this year I could not believe the difference in speed and accuracy for just 499.00. I have extended my comfort zone from 30 to 40 yards for hunting now the bow is so accurate.

I'm not saying you will hate the Bear, I know I would have rather socked the 300 bucks into the Hoyt from the start and saved myself all the tuning headaches. If you do decide bow hunting isn't for you that Hoyt may still fetch 375 a year later but the Bear you will be trying to sell for 100.00 if your lucky from my experience.

You know i've thought about that. Instead of getting a starter i could just go ahead and get something a little bit higher in terms of overall quality and such.

 

[Hookeye]

Take it a notch further and get a good recurve
Cloverdale is in June, can try various demo bows.

In compounds I like the feel of older draw cycles.
I'll also trade some speed for a bit more comfort.
New hot rod stuff today hurts me.

Having shot for 30+ yrs, I like what I like.
Have a buddy that just messes with archery.
Bought an OK bow that fits him properly.

He hasn't shot that kind of gear enough to have a "checklist" of what he likes and wants.

Cool thing is..........he adapted well to what he bought.
Pretty entertaining to watch a beginner, with OK gear.............shoot quite a bit better than OK.

 

[Hookeye]

I think almost every brand has a "middle" line up.
Probably their biggest sellers too (for good reason).
Very competitive.
In the old days one had to buy top end gear to have decent stuff.
Now one can buy veritable hot rods in the main line models.
Today's beginner, or even avg bowhunter.............has it pretty darn good!
The stuff may not be cheap, but compared to what it used to be.........much better bargains today.