# Bow recomendations



## LUNDGE

Got a buddy looking into getting a bow, whats the best bang for the buck out there today, a no brainer, middle price range to hunt deer with.?? He"s leaning toward a hoyt,but i think theres a better package out there? Let me know what you guys suggest, thanks


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## Cajunsaugeye

Hoyt.No need to look elsewhere.

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## labelguru09

Mission by Matthews very good bows for the money i have the endeavor and love it

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## Flathead76

Find a used hoyt ultratec that fits his draw length. If you can find anyone dumb enough to part with a 2004-2006 model. You can pay 250 tops. In my opinion the best hoyt ever made.


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## Cajunsaugeye

While,as stated above,I'm a Hoyt lover,I will suggest taking a look at the Quest by G5 line of bows.Packages on eBay can be crazy cheap.I have shot them and would recommend them to anyone needing a budget,yet good performing bow.They do not get the praise they deserve.Good quality(excellent in fact) shoot great and leave money in the wallet for other things.Easily adjustable by yourself.Might be the perfect way to go.I will suggest dumping the Bowjax on the limbs and installing limbsavers and cat whiskers or leeches on the string.Will be quiet as a mouse after.

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## jray

bear period no one else makes that much speed for the money imho and they shoot great


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## AnthHol

Keep an eye on Archerytalk. A lot of guys on there upgrade to a new bow ever year or two and you can find some great bows for sale in the forum for reasonable prices. Missions are great for the price. I own a Mathews and wouldn't trade it for anything. But I've shot Bear, Martin, Bowtech, Hoyt, PSE, and Elite and he should be able to find a bow he's comfortable shooting for a decent price from any of those manufacturers. After all, him being comfortable and confident with his bow is what really matters.


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## davycrockett

This question gets asked at least a couple times a year on the various archery forums. I was tone of the ones that was asking a few years ago. Best advice you can give your friend is the same that was mentioned to me. Don't get hung up on one brand. Handle and shoot as many as you can. Every one has different preferences. One guy may think brand "A" bow feels right but the next guy can't stand it. After shooting five different bows I chose the one that felt right. I knew it was the one. IMO there are a lot of great bows on the market today and it's a toss up to me. Good luck!


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## wildman

Get a Bear or something all set up off of Craig's list.. You can find them for cheap around this time and if he is just starting out he doesn't have to spend a mint to see if he really likes it.. They are like cars once they are taken off the lot or a year older the lose value..

Archery Talk is another place to look..


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## Mad-Eye Moody

Anything listed above that fits will do the job at 30 yards, which is the outer range for novice archers in my estimation. I am one of those btw.


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## Bowhunter57

davycrockett said:


> Don't get hung up on one brand. Handle and shoot as many as you can. Every one has different preferences. One guy may think brand "A" bow feels right but the next guy can't stand it. After shooting five different bows I chose the one that felt right.


davycrockett has nailed it 100%!

Archery is full of choices and that's what attracts so many to it.  Go to an Archery Pro Shop or at the very least Bass Pro or Cabelas and talk to experienced archers.

I've shot several brands over the years and enjoy them all, for various reasons. The archer manufacturers are VERY competitive, so you're going to get a good bow, but the right one for YOU is up to YOU.

Good luck with your choices!
Bowhunter57


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## FAB

2X behind bowhunter and Davycrockett.


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## Bulldog1149

50 bucks for my bear Jennings set up. Low dollar. Ready to shoot. 


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## Bulldog1149

Can text a few pics. This bow has a lot of poundage range. 


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## Jmccourtie

I agree, for the price they are great. The actual Mathews are better but more money!


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## OHsportsman

Just got the new bowtech assassin. Huge upgrade for me, I was shooting Browning coyote lol but I absolutely love it. Seems durable, shoot very quick and has awesome let off

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## bigbuck150

Try some and see what you like. I like PSE's.


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## [email protected]

If ur looking for the best bow for cheap I'd get bear. If you want the best bow, I choose Hoyt.


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## Homey

I agree with some of the others - shoot as many as you can - most shops have ranges. The main thing is to get something that you can use to put the arrows in the kill zone. Pretty much any of the bows on the market can do that, so get one that feels good to you and fits your budget. I am not entirely sure that the high-end bows are worth the extra $$ for most hunters going after whitetails. I am sure they are higher quality, but I think you end up paying a lot extra for a marginal increase in real-world performance. I got my first bow upgrade last year (my first was a Bear whitetail 2) - a Diamond Archery Outlaw from the bargain cave at Cabela's. Right off the shelf, after not really shooting for about 20 years, I was getting kill-zone groups at 20 yards. Got my first ever bow-kill last season with it.


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## BanksideBandit

Bowtech Assassin

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## CWG

Having owned them ALL, from pse, bear, bowtech, hoyt, mathews, onieda....I only owned one each of those, till bowtech, my last three bows were from them, and several years ago, got a Tribute and dam...haven't even had the itch to try anything else.

do have him visit archerytalk.com but you're posting here so he doesn't have a computer? 
fanbois will settle into whatever brand they love, and like me, most have tried different bows.
its like asking whats a good fishing rod reel combo-
important thing, have him research and read up


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## CWG

and do not get talked into a used bow based on price alone, if he can't lift vertically 50 pounds with both hands in front of him, he'll never draw a 70#
my biggest mistake was buying a great deal on a hoyt ready to go, on ebay. 
I had no clue about draw length, pull weight, nothing, it was a solid deal, arrows, case the whole nine yards, I could barely use it, didn't even know I could back the limb bolts out, just struggled with it.
do visit archerytalk.com they were crazy helpful when I joined that site in 03' and its easy to trust someone selling a rig with hundreds of posts (vs. ebay, or craiglist) they'll steer your friend in a direction that will have him addicted (like the rest of us) in now time, LOL


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## buckeyebowman

FAB said:


> 2X behind bowhunter and Davycrockett.


3X. Find out where the archery shop near you are and go shoot as many demos as you can. This will give you an idea of what's out there and how different bows feel. Most importantly you will learn what draw weight range you are comfortable with and what your draw length is. These are vital! No sense buying a 70lb bow if you can only draw 55. And keep in mind that you might be able to draw a 70lb bow with ease on a warm Summer day wearing a T-shirt, but after sitting for hours in a cold stand all bundled up things might no go so smooth.

Here's another consideration about buying used. Generally the warranty does not transfer. I still have my 2004 Mathews Outback w/a lifetime warranty, and Mathews maintains a parts inventory for eery bow they've ever made. Peace of mind in case something bad happens.


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## Pooch

Haven't seen anybody recommend a Parker bow. I'm not a "brand" guy, but parker makes a nice bow. Have had one for about 4 yes now. Other brands before that. Parker doesn't spend Matthews money on advertising so they could be had for a little less $. There's a shop in Hubbard,OH ,D&J Archery, nice small shop. George carries parker and Hoyt. He'll set you up. Like mentioned above not everyone likes the same bow, gotta get what fits and you feel comfy with or you'll never shoot to your potential.


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## buckeyebowman

Pooch said:


> Haven't seen anybody recommend a Parker bow. I'm not a "brand" guy, but parker makes a nice bow. Have had one for about 4 yes now. Other brands before that. Parker doesn't spend Matthews money on advertising so they could be had for a little less $. There's a shop in Hubbard,OH ,D&J Archery, nice small shop. George carries parker and Hoyt. He'll set you up. Like mentioned above not everyone likes the same bow, gotta get what fits and you feel comfy with or you'll never shoot to your potential.


I gotta say, a buddy of mine bought a Parker crossbow a couple years ago. About their middle of the line bow and it is awesome! Very quick and EXTREMELY accurate. Plus, their customer service is second to none. Last year he dropped his bow, cocked, but with no arrow in it, in his concrete driveway when the bow sling slipped off his shoulder as he bent over to pick up his seat. Shattered the right limb! His warranty was registered w/Parker and he took his bow back to the dealer. I told him don't lie, don't make stuff up, just tell them honestly what happened and let the chips fall where they may. Well, Parker sent a whole new head, that is, front piece and both limbs w/cams FREE OF CHARGE!!! That right there is the best reason for buying new! I can't imagine that any less attention to detail goes into Parker's compound bows. 

I would also like to second the opinion about the Mathews Mission line. They are very well made bows priced at a significant fraction of Mathews (or MacPherson) bows, with an insignificant loss in performance. 

That being said, I would still advise shooting as many demos as possible! Different bows FEEL different! And, for me, the FEEL is a big part of the equation. Heck, that's why I shoot an "antique" 1994 Mathews Outback! I've never found a bow that FEELS the way that one does, especially on the draw cycle. Yes I've shot bows that were significantly faster than mine, but Jeezaloo, some of them drew like a seized up lawnmower! I don't want that on a deer stand! And, it should be mentioned, I've killed deer with bows that shot a lot slower than the one I have now. I don't care what brand of bow you shoot, let the BOW pick YOU!


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## vc1111

I've owned five Mathews bows. The Legacy was the only one I didn't like.

I bought a Switchback XL about six years ago and still haven't handled a bow that I think is substantially better, so I still use what is working for me.

As has been said, there are many great bows out there. The only bows I do not like are the Hoyt bows. It isn't that most of them shoot poorly or feel "wrong," ... it's just that, in my opinion, many of them are ungainly looking. It seems as though Hoyt wants some of them to look like something out of a Star Wars movie with the riser comprised of compound wavy curves all over the place. I look at them and think, "I don't care how well it shoots, it's ugly."

Now before you Hoyt guys get your shorts all wadded up, I'm just giving my opinion on how some of them look, and of course, that is a matter of taste. If you like a bow that tries to be artsy, that's okay with me.

Some of the newer Mathews bows are bit quirky looking too. As all brands of these bows continue to morph more and more toward newer, more "modern" designs, such as parallel limbs, they are starting to look less and less like "bows" at all.

We're just talkin' here, but that's the impression I get of today's bows in general. It's sort of similar to the transition from beautifully checkered wooden stocks on long guns, to the rather lifeless look of the composite materials so prevalent out there now.


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## Dave.s

Bowtech assassin hands down... shot 1,000s of arrows through mine in the last 3 yrs, and have taken many deer on it with zero issues... I did upgrade the rest from the octane to a whisker buiscuit and the stabalizer to a doinker from the short one that it comes with but i love that bow.


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## buckeyebowman

Dave.s said:


> Bowtech assassin hands down... shot 1,000s of arrows through mine in the last 3 yrs, and have taken many deer on it with zero issues... I did upgrade the rest from the octane to a whisker buiscuit and the stabalizer to a doinker from the short one that it comes with but i love that bow.


I'd remind you that there's a ton of folks out there who would not view the move to a whisker biscuit as an upgrade! I will say that when my Trophy Ridge Drop Zone gives up the ghost, that's what I'll be moving to! I love simplicity and the fewest moving parts in things like that. The Drop Zone rest's arm moves straight up, then straight down! The whisker biscuit just sits there! 

Ever notice how the demo bows you shoot at the shops are all equipped with whisker biscuits? Nuff said!


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## brian jones

vc1111 said:


> I've owned five Mathews bows. The Legacy was the only one I didn't like.
> 
> I bought a Switchback XL about six years ago and still haven't handled a bow that I think is substantially better, so I still use what is working for me.
> 
> As has been said, there are many great bows out there. The only bows I do not like are the Hoyt bows. It isn't that most of them shoot poorly or feel "wrong," ... it's just that, in my opinion, many of them are ungainly looking. It seems as though Hoyt wants some of them to look like something out of a Star Wars movie with the riser comprised of compound wavy curves all over the place. I look at them and think, "I don't care how well it shoots, it's ugly."
> 
> Now before you Hoyt guys get your shorts all wadded up, I'm just giving my opinion on how some of them look, and of course, that is a matter of taste. If you like a bow that tries to be artsy, that's okay with me.
> 
> Some of the newer Mathews bows are bit quirky looking too. As all brands of these bows continue to morph more and more toward newer, more "modern" designs, such as parallel limbs, they are starting to look less and less like "bows" at all.
> 
> We're just talkin' here, but that's the impression I get of today's bows in general. It's sort of similar to the transition from beautifully checkered wooden stocks on long guns, to the rather lifeless look of the composite materials so prevalent out there now.


I picked up a hoyt nitrum 30 the other day and I love it! I shot all the Matthews bows, only one I liked was the Z2. Soon as I held the nitrum 30 and shot it once I was sold!

Hoyt Nitrum 30 @ #70, Hoyt 5.5" stabilizer, Hoyt QAD Rest, Hoyt Quiver, Hoyt bag, even came with a Hoyt Hat lol & Im Shooting the Easton D'Torch Arrows.


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## buckeyebowman

Nice looking bow!


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## youngbuckohio

Just like already mentioned, I would also suggest not getting hung up in what others are telling you what to get. tell your buddy to shoot as many bows as he can until he can see which one fits and feels the best to him.


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## For my Son

I loved the Mathews switchback but couldn't afford it so I bought a PSE. I'm very happy with it, hopefully someday I can spend the extra to get an upgrade but until that happens my PSE will continue to "stick em"


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