Posted: 8/10/2004 8:00:56 PM EDT
| I'm going to buy a new bow and I don't want to spend a ton of cash on it, I'm trying to find a parallel limb design, the Cabelas PL-1 is the one im leaning towards buying, anybody here own a Cabelas bow or have any experience with one? have any problems with it? what do you guys shoot that isn't a really expensive bow? |
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Do not buy archery gear from a mail-order house. Period, end of subject, no dissent allowed here. Small stuff, like broadheads, quivers, maybe sights, sure, but bows, arrows, etc, etc should come from a pro shop....if you know enough about archery to buy from a mail-order place.....it won't be cabelas. As for bows, go visit your local pro shop.....If you knew me in real life, you'd know how tight I am w/ money, and how I despise paying someone for their trouble of carrying something for me....except for archery. It's the one subject where I'll gladly pay a premium for the expertise that comes with it. Personally, I shoot a High Country bow right now, though in the past I've had...well, pretty much one of everything. There aren't any 'bad' bow makers out there (well, maybe browning), there are just lots of bad places to buy from....namely, mail-order houses. Chances are, if you visit a few pro shops, you'll walk away w/ good stuff within your budget. |
I've got two of them....and I disagree. There are dozens of bow companies, each with several (if not dozens of) different models. Dollar for dollar, I'm sure HC makes some good bows.....but the one I hunt with was expensive as could be (carbon riser). Most generalizations are wrong. |
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ditto on the pro-shop, I've shot/owned a high country and a hoyt reflex; prefer the reflex. like folks have said before, go on down to the local pro-shop and handle a couple to see which you like the best. bows are kinda like a good suit, they have to be measured and fitted to your body to "operate correctly" if you will. i've never been to a shop that wouldn't let you shoot a couple arrows out of a couple different bows to see what you liked best. if for some reason the guy (or gal even?) behind the counter doesn't measure you're draw length, ask for what kind of poundage you want on it, etc....then go somewhere else, or talk to the owner. your'e making an investment, you want to get what you pay for. i dont know when archery season starts in your neck of the woods, but here in new york it's 2 months away....i've been getting back into "bow shape" for the last month, and as far as i'm concerned that's cutting it a little too close...I shoot about 50-100 arrows a day, and 2 weeks before the season starts i'll take just ONE shot a day...because hopefully i'll only take one shot during the season itself. (well...that's not entirely true, here in new york i'll get a couple of doe permits as well, plus my archery permit for a doe/buck, so maybe it'll be three shots in a season  )I want to know that i can put half a dozen arrows in couple inch circle at 30 yards before i even think about loosing an arrow at a deer. i owe it to my quarry to shoot straight and shoot well. |
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I have a hoyt magna tec and I love it, it is a parralel limb design. Before I upgraded I shot everything, Matthews, $700 PSEs, and so on. I have $600 in my mag tec, (quiktune3000 rest, release, & decent sight) and it will hit roosting starlings. For a 400 dollar bow, this is pretty good. I used to shoot with the local proshop guru and I could give him a run for his money against his tricked out 3D bow, and I was shooting cheap hunter XPs. Recently I got a set of beeman shafts and I love them. I know some of you are calling BS with the accuracy of this bow, well it is not BS. I cant shoot this well now, but a year ago I shot an hour a day rain or shine. I shot this bow so much that I wore out 2 dozen carbon arrows(they started shattering and flying sideways). This amount of practice may be the reason that it worked so well, but the bow is capable of it. A personal peeve of mine is vibration through the riser after the arrow has left the bow. The truss riser design of the Hoyt bow reduces this to near nothing, especially after a pair of limb savers. My dad bought a cybertec and it is fast, however, the cyber tec requires good technique & follow through. For the money I dont think I could have a better setup(that fits me).  
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The last bow I bought is the 2002 Hoyt Ultratec with the XT2000 limbs, Cam &1/2. Of course, I ordered it from a pro-shop, in person w/ full service. I've never once considered buying a bow from Cabela's. IMHO, you just don't recieve the level of service from Cabela's that one comes to expect from a pro-shop. The pro-shop I do business with has sold me 5 bows in the past. They must be doing something right, I keep coming back. |
Dolo, you would probably spend at least $400. If you live in the MKE area there are several good shops nearby. I used to like that one in downtown Waukesha, can't remember the name now. Anyway they moved out on 94, west of Waukesha several years ago. The owner, Kaz, is a good guy. |
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I bowhunt only with Oneida bows. I have an older Oneida Screaming Eagle and it is one of the smoothest and simplist bows I have ever shot. They are alittle pricey but well worth it!!!!! Smoothness of a longbow with the perks of a compound. I know its not a parallel limb bow but still an option. Just my .02 
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+1 also... I agree and disagree with the pro shop. For your first bow, go with a pro shop. Most bow hunters will buy a press, start working on their own bows. When you are confident in your skills, go with mail order if that's where you find the best deals. I have had to put my foot down with several bow shops when I didn't like the way they did something. |
I got in for $200. If you just want a starter bow, then get a decent used one, or a cheap PSE. I got a used old Hoyt at a garage sale, 55-65lb double cam, ancient thing. Then you will tweak, upgrade, and work on your shooting until you break down and get a better bow. Arrows will likely be the bigest single purchase other than the bow, as they run 45-145/doz. Aluminum arrows are fine and will get the job done, but you will have to straighten them out daily. In some old westerns you see indians sitting around a campfire with an arrow in hand, they were straighting their wood arrows. Carbon is the way to go, I love my beeman ICS 340s, great value. Find somebody to shoot with who is a good archer, or occassionally shoot at a pro shop where you can get tuning tips and shooting tips. If I had not shot with the local proshop guy I would not be able to hit an elephant . Oh, and by the way, your first dozen or two of arrows should be cheap, if you shoot outside you will lose most of them eventually, I still have 16-18 in a local sports field. The bottom line is just shoot, you will find what you like and dont like in the "feel" of a bow after a waile and will be able to pick a bow that fits you when you upgrade. |
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Ditto that on the pro shop. You might pay a bit more on the intial outlay of cash. But it's like using your favorite gun shop. These guys have long memories. Spend some bucks in there and in the long run you will save on tune ups before season. Deals on arrows, fletched or bare, all your peripherals. |