Thinking of switching from an instinctive to decked out compound bow

I've got a Bear EL I've shot since I was a kid. I've got it maxed out at 45lbs and I would like to take one deer with it but after that I'm looking to upgrade. I used to shoot it with pins and a release but have since switched to instinctive/fingers. It's a great bow but it just isn't cutting the mustard anymore. It's great for still hunting but when I feel like still hunting or hunting on the ground I'd just as soon get a recurve or longbow(which I may). I'm looking at getting a stand and I think I'd be much better off with a nice, accurate compound setup for whitetails when hunting from the trees.

What am I looking at for a decent compound these days? I haven't been up on the new products in years but I've got a pretty tight budget. Any suggestions?

Hoyt, Mathews, or PSE are the big three you should look at.

Each manufacture a high-quality bow from the mid-level starter packages to their flagship model.

All three produce a "pro-shop" or mid-level starter bow package. Hoyt markets theirs under the Reflex moniker. If you're buying new, I would expect to pay $500+ for a package that includes sights, rest, quiver, stabilizer. You'll still need to buy arrows.

The flagship models will range in price from $800-$1,300 and they will come bare. You'll need to buy everything separately.

Your best bet is to buy a 1 to 3 year old model off the used rack. You can get a 2 year old flagship model for less than half of what they cost new. On the plus side, lots of used bows are packaged with the sights, quiver, rest, stabilizer, and perhaps the arrows the previous owner had on it....which saves you money.

With a decent set of carbon arrows, any of the aforementioned bows will hit velocities of ~300fps.

Just be sure to get fitted at a shop. And be sure to shoot every damn thing they have on the rack before buying.

Tight budgets and new bows dont go well together...
My decision was between the new Mathews Z7X and a Bowtech.
Everyone said get the new Bowtech. I shot both side by side and let
the bow pick me. I now shoot a new Z7X.

All said and done (rest, sight, quiver, release, arrows, bag target, spitfire maxx broadheads,and bow)
set me back 12-1300 bucks....

All of it is mid to high end stuff as I wont buy junk. Buy once cry once kind of thing. Damn thing is a laser beam
and shoots better at 35 yards than 20 yards....go figure.

If you are anything like me you will be overwhelmed at the new bows, speed ratings, options, etc. I got good
advice here and especially at my bow shop. As stated by many, narrow the choice down and let the bow pick you.

I was fortunate enough to get an "old" (1 season) bow from a friend who was sponsored by PSE and have loved it. It's now 6-7 years old and the current bows are set up quite a bit differently, but I'm still thrilled with it.

Put on a good sight and rest, for sure. If you want to save money, watch Craigslist. Seems a lot of guys get really excited about bow hunting and after they miss one or two shots give it up. I've seen some really nice Matthews and PSE's lately for $200-$300 less than they bought them a few months back. Of course, if you buy new, you know everything about it and how it's been treated. Plan to spend around $1000 up-front for a good new bow and accessories.

I shoot both the Z7 and Z7 Extreme and love them both...

But as a poster above said...try them all out and let the bow pick you.

Thanks for all the info. Truth be told, however, there is no way I'm dropping 1k on a bow setup at this time. It just isn't in the budget. A local guy tried to talk me up on a Diamond Razor Edge package deal for 350 bucks. It shot pretty good but I don't have any experience with new bows to compare it to. I know it's not a Hoyt or PSE, and I am keeping an eye out for used "tier one" bows but whats the scoop on Diamond?

Diamond is Bowtech's entry-level priced line of bows. Similar to what Reflex is to Hoyt.

Typically they're sold as a package deal in pro shops and usually come with sights, quiver, rest, and maybe a stabilizer.

The Razor's Edge model has a wide range of adjustment which it makes it great for a youngster. Shoots pretty well so it will work for an adult. I think it maxes out at 60lb draw weight.

IMO, $350 for a used Razor's Edge is a bit high. You could buy the package brand new for less than $400.

The 350 package is NEW. When I talked about used bows I meant I'm still keeping my eye on the used market to see if something a bit higher quality than the Razors Edge shows up for around what I can afford.

$350 new is a solid deal. Make sure the package is complete. I think you'd be fine with it to start. IIRC it has a 30-60lb range adjustment.

Something to keep in mind: All bows perform their best when shot at their maximum poundage. For example, a bow with a 40-50lb weight adjustment will shoot its fastest and most accurate at 50lbs.

I shoot field and 3D tournaments. In Field rounds, most of the sponsored shooters are only drawing 50-60lbs, but for each of them the bow is maxed out at the limbs.

I'm not advocating that anyone pick the highest weight they can draw. I'm saying whatever bow you buy, the best results will be achieved if your preferred draw weight is the upper limit of the bow's capacity.

Copyright © 1996 - 2013 :: AR15.Com LLC :: All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.