Getting Back into Archery

[louisianahunter]

Good morning everyone,
I've been a very casual bow hunter in Louisiana, always keep shots under 25 yrds. Been using a 12-year-old budget bow that’s served me well enough, but I just drew a late archery New Mexico mule deer tag—and I know that’s a whole different game when it comes to shot distance and precision.

So I’m finally diving back into the world of archery and upgrading my entire setup. I’ve got the time (and now, thankfully, the means) to invest in something solid. I’m not looking for budget or used gear this time, but I also don’t want to spend more than I need to just for the sake of buying top-shelf.

That said, I’ve been out of the loop tech-wise for the last decade, so I could really use some guidance on where to focus. I'd say I'm pretty close to a "new bow hunter" despite the fact that I have killed a few with my old bow. I’m planning to hit up my local pro shop next week and ideally walk out with a full setup so I can spend the next 9 months getting dialed in. Really appreciate any input on where to start, what’s worth the money, and what you wish you’d known when you upgraded. Happy to have recommendations on what bows/rests/sights to look at or recommendations of topics to think about my priority.

• How much does axle-to-axle length really affect stability for longer shots?
• Is a carbon bow worth the premium in terms? I thought heavier mass was better for stability?
• Bows like the Mathews Lift look interesting, but I’m hesitant about being locked into proprietary accessories—any thoughts on that trade-off?
• Low profile quivers seem to be pretty important?
• Are most rests/sights/stabilizers still generally compatible across brands, or are there new trends in integration I should be aware of?
• What other questions should I be asking that I might be missing as someone jumping back in?

Sorry I know I'm shot gunning a lot of questions at once. Typically when buying a rifle I'll take months reading reviews/holding guns before committing. I figure what matters most right now is I get shooting soon. Also this bow will probably get used more for white tail woods, but I'd rather it built for out west (maybe elk next year?).

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bump79]

Good morning everyone,
I've been a very casual bow hunter in Louisiana, always keep shots under 25 yrds. Been using a 12-year-old budget bow that’s served me well enough, but I just drew a late archery New Mexico mule deer tag—and I know that’s a whole different game when it comes to shot distance and precision.

So I’m finally diving back into the world of archery and upgrading my entire setup. I’ve got the time (and now, thankfully, the means) to invest in something solid. I’m not looking for budget or used gear this time, but I also don’t want to spend more than I need to just for the sake of buying top-shelf.

That said, I’ve been out of the loop tech-wise for the last decade, so I could really use some guidance on where to focus. I'd say I'm pretty close to a "new bow hunter" despite the fact that I have killed a few with my old bow. I’m planning to hit up my local pro shop next week and ideally walk out with a full setup so I can spend the next 9 months getting dialed in. Really appreciate any input on where to start, what’s worth the money, and what you wish you’d known when you upgraded. Happy to have recommendations on what bows/rests/sights to look at or recommendations of topics to think about my priority.

• How much does axle-to-axle length really affect stability for longer shots?
• Is a carbon bow worth the premium in terms? I thought heavier mass was better for stability?
• Bows like the Mathews Lift look interesting, but I’m hesitant about being locked into proprietary accessories—any thoughts on that trade-off?
• Low profile quivers seem to be pretty important?
• Are most rests/sights/stabilizers still generally compatible across brands, or are there new trends in integration I should be aware of?
• What other questions should I be asking that I might be missing as someone jumping back in?

Sorry I know I'm shot gunning a lot of questions at once. Typically when buying a rifle I'll take months reading reviews/holding guns before committing. I figure what matters most right now is I get shooting soon. Also this bow will probably get used more for white tail woods, but I'd rather it built for out west (maybe elk next year?).

Thanks in advance!

• Axle to axle length is about string angle primarily. With a shorter ATA bow you have a steeper string angle and with longer shots and slider sights you're peep alignment is critical and when it's steep it's harder. It really depends on your draw length. What's your draw length? A 33" ATA fits most guys well enough for hunting.
• IMHO Carbon isn't worth the cost.
• With a Lift, you can still use normal accessories. You don't have to use the integrate stuff but it's nice.
• I love a Tightspot 5 arrow (longer version) quiver and second gripper. The low profile quivers are nice but not mandatory. However, these have been out forever and you can find them on classifieds all the time. No brainer to me.
• I personally am not a big fan of long stabilizers when hunting. Just find a decent carbon non-fancy one and get the balance right. It's not about make or model but about the effort you put into getting it right.

If it was me and I wanted the best bang for my buck, I'd do this:

• Bow: Get a leftover new Prime Revex or RVX. You then get free strings and cables every 2 years for life if you're the original owner. You can pick these up new for $750 or so.
• Rest: I personally think rests are a little over thought for the average guy. I've had QAD, Ripcord, AAE and Hamskea. I like the micro adjust on the QAD best and I've never had an issue with them. Just get one of these with micro adjust and use whatever you're used to for cable or limb driven.
• As for a bow sight - it's tough to go wrong with a major manufacturer. They've make some great upgrades the last few years. I'd find a HHA Nytrx or Spott Hog Boonie.
  • https://www.hhasports.com/products/nytrx/
• Stabilizer - Personally, I love the Beestinger Counterslide 15" as you can move it forward and back, take away and add weight to get it just right. Easier, more compact and not that expensive.
• Quiver - Tightspot 5 arrow longer version. Add dual gripper or foam in the top for extra security.

 

[louisianahunter]

• Axle to axle length is about string angle primarily. With a shorter ATA bow you have a steeper string angle and with longer shots and slider sights you're peep alignment is critical and when it's steep it's harder. It really depends on your draw length. What's your draw length? A 33" ATA fits most guys well enough for hunting.
• IMHO Carbon isn't worth the cost.
• With a Lift, you can still use normal accessories. You don't have to use the integrate stuff but it's nice.
• I love a Tightspot 5 arrow (longer version) quiver and second gripper. The low profile quivers are nice but not mandatory. However, these have been out forever and you can find them on classifieds all the time. No brainer to me.
• I personally am not a big fan of long stabilizers when hunting. Just find a decent carbon non-fancy one and get the balance right. It's not about make or model but about the effort you put into getting it right.

If it was me and I wanted the best bang for my buck, I'd do this:

• Bow: Get a leftover new Prime Revex or RVX. You then get free strings and cables every 2 years for life if you're the original owner. You can pick these up new for $750 or so.
• Rest: I personally think rests are a little over thought for the average guy. I've had QAD, Ripcord, AAE and Hamskea. I like the micro adjust on the QAD best and I've never had an issue with them. Just get one of these with micro adjust and use whatever you're used to for cable or limb driven.
• As for a bow sight - it's tough to go wrong with a major manufacturer. They've make some great upgrades the last few years. I'd find a HHA Nytrx or Spott Hog Boonie.
  • https://www.hhasports.com/products/nytrx/
• Stabilizer - Personally, I love the Beestinger Counterslide 15" as you can move it forward and back, take away and add weight to get it just right. Easier, more compact and not that expensive.
• Quiver - Tightspot 5 arrow longer version. Add dual gripper or foam in the top for extra security.

Hey thanks for the response this is giving me a great place to start. I'll have to look into specific products.

My draw length is around 29" but I want to get checked by two different pro shop staff if possible. So I think around 33ATA is right.

What about Prime makes you favor their bows?

As far as cable vs limb driven are there any trade offs? On my old bow all I've used is a whisker biscuit lol.

When it comes to sight I've heard movable sight isn't the best for western and fixed is preferable? I was thinking 3 pin with floating 3rd for compromise.

And I guess 15in stabilizer is short to you? I think my current one is 6 or 8".

 

[louisianahunter]

Additional question to any:
I've always used the shitty release I bought 12 years ago. Is now a good time to look into other release styles (back tension/thumb/hinge)? Or just upgrade to better wrist trigger release?

 

[Bump79]

Hey thanks for the response this is giving me a great place to start. I'll have to look into specific products.

My draw length is around 29" but I want to get checked by two different pro shop staff if possible. So I think around 33ATA is right.

What about Prime makes you favor their bows?

As far as cable vs limb driven are there any trade offs? On my old bow all I've used is a whisker biscuit lol.

When it comes to sight I've heard movable sight isn't the best for western and fixed is preferable? I was thinking 3 pin with floating 3rd for compromise.

And I guess 15in stabilizer is short to you? I think my current one is 6 or 8".

I agree with the 33 ATA at 29". That would be a good fit.

I like the quality of Prime and they shoot great. There's so many good bows now it's tough to say xx is sooo much better. So for me the free strings and cables every two years is killer. At $150+ a set in 6 years that's $450. Then even if I get a new bow I can keep that one as a backup for life that always has free strings.

Oh man, the limb vs cable driven is like the fixed vs mechanical debate. I don't really want to dive into it Both work fine IMHO.

I like a 3-4 pin slider for out west. Must have a 2nd and 3rd axis adjustment.

Well, the 15" counterslide is like having a 6" back bar an 9" front. So it's way more compact that you'd think. I've had both the 12 and 15". 12" is super nice for whitetail.

 

[CoWapiti]

I just went through the same thing in terms of upgrading my setup. I ended up with a Lift 33 I purchased new at a huge discount from my local dealer. I'm a 30.5" draw and the 33ATA feels great to me. My old bow was a similar ATA. I went with a Hamskea Epsilon for the rest and like it so far. I chose a spot hogg boonie 3 pin vertical for the sight and absolutely love it. I went with the bridgelock dovetail mount and personally really like it compared to a traditional mount on the side of the riser. I totally understand the mentality of feeling forced into buying proprietary accessories but almost all of these sights/rests etc are available with mounting solutions to fit almost every bow so you really aren't stuck buying anything. I did go with the mathews 1 piece low pro detachable quiver as it is touted as one of the best designs out there and I have to say, it's pretty dang nice. Fwiw, I'm not a mathews fan boy. This is my first mathews bow, but I'm really enjoying it so far. I haven't purchased a stabilizer yet and have been shooting without one, but might buy a crossover 821 stabilizer to try out. The adjustable concept seems interesting to me, and people seem to like them.

I didn't feel like a carbon bow was worth it for the price. I shot a few before buying and they are nice, but I didn't feel like spending that kind of money.

I also upgraded releases from an old Scott little goose to a Carter Like Mike II. I really like the Carter a lot more and feel like it's helped improve my shooting. I also picked up a Wise Choice thumb button and shoot them both frequently. I don't know that I'll hunt with the thumb button this year, but maybe in the future. I'm just more comfortable with the Like Mike right now.

Good luck with your upgrading and have fun!

 

[HTNFSH]

I've been a short bow guy forever, (29/30) and a good friend talked me into trying a longer ATA bow. My primary and backup are both 33's and so much nicer to shoot. I've got a 29.5" draw.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Additional question to any:
I've always used the shitty release I bought 12 years ago. Is now a good time to look into other release styles (back tension/thumb/hinge)? Or just upgrade to better wrist trigger release?

I switched from a Scott Little Goose 2 index to a Spott Hogg Whipper Snapper thumb. I don't think I can ever go back to the index. I chronically punched with the index and could not figure out pulling through. The thumb release has helped a ton. I do still punch sometimes, but I am actually improving whereas before I was stagnant. If only chose the spott hogg due to its price and not being sure if I would like the thumb button. If I had to redo it, I would spend the money and get a nicer release. The spott hogg is good, but it has a kind of long trigger. A more expensive option would be more adjustable. I will upgrade at some point.

 

[AlwaysChasinTailNHorns]

Additional question to any:
I've always used the shitty release I bought 12 years ago. Is now a good time to look into other release styles (back tension/thumb/hinge)? Or just upgrade to better wrist trigger release?

I shoot a Carter wise choice thumb release, before that I shot a b3 hawk and before that I shot an entry level Truball. To be honest releases are a personal preference in my opinion but I will say from my experience when I switched to a thumb release I felt much steadier in my shot, saw groups get tighter, and it helped a lot with long distance shots as it did away with my target panic and trigger punching it helped me settle in a lot. With all of that said the b3 hawk was a great release and I only found myself punching at further distances oddly but again that was a me thing and that was a few years back my forms gotten better so just try some stuff at your shop and see what’s comfortable for you. With stabilizers I run a 12 inch AAE mountain series front bar with a 10 degree off set and a gripper and AAE mountain series 10 inch bar on the back I love the AAE stabs as their light and weights are weight customizable. For my rest I run an AAE prophecy and it’s bullet proof and super user friendly had my bow punching bullet holes within 3 shots of rest tuning. As far as my bow goes I’ve gone back and forth between my Darton Spectra e32 and my PSE DNA SP (pse flagship bow from 2014) I find myself mainly using my PSE these days as its light (3.8lbs), fast (345 fps ibo speeds), and it’s just been so reliable things a shooter and has laid down a lot of animals I’d recommend looking into some pse bows but Darton makes a phenomenal bow and very user friendly and affordable to work on and tune if you don’t mind the weight of them. For sights I’ve got an hha tetra frame with a UV3xl slider scope, I’m not a solo pin guy so I like to have references when things happen fast as they usually do in hunting. I run a tight spot quiver it’s straight forward and tough. Arrows I’m running are pigmans demon hunters in a 350 spine with their executioner broadheads (see Lusk archery for his review on them) they’re front deploying mechanical broadheads that are flat out tough and man do they leave a hole and fly identical to field points. At the end of the day you should go to your shop shoot every bow and release they have and find what works best for you, rests are very important, as are sights, ultimately you gotta find a bow that’s comfy in the hands and does what you want it to (speed, smooth draw, low flex? All depends what you want). Hope this helps!

 

[OMB]

I've sort of been in the same boat, my Bowtech Allegiance is old enough to vote at this point, and deciding to do my Iowa archery tag this year, it was time. I shot everything, and couldn't feel enough difference between the carbon bows and everything else that justified the 50% cost premium. The Hoyt felt great, but another $1k great? YMMV.

I was super impressed by how much speed the new bows get while being super quiet, especially with the short ATA bows. I thought really hard about the Lift 29.5 but ended up deciding on the 33. String angle with a 30" draw seemed like a lot with the shorter bow. Picking the 33 up tomorrow and looking forward to shooting all summer to see what I like/don't like.

 

[billysmals]

I also think ATA matters not just for string angle, but also balance. Longer bows are easier to balance and create stability. There is a gradient to this of course. The difference between a 33in ATA and a 34-35 ATA may not be much to notice. I personally find a huge difference in a 27in ATA and a 33-35in ATA when it comes to stability and balance. I'm a western hunter and also shoot a 33in ATA. I find the 33in ATA to be the best all around length. It's long enough to create good stability, but you can maneuver it. I have hunted from tree stands and ground blinds and it doesn't get too cumbersome.

A heavier mass bow is less affected by wind. So does that make it more stable? Yes and no. This is a physics thing, not an archery thing. The heavier the object, the more force require to move that object. So when the bow is drawn back and has a higher mass weight, it will require more force (wind) to shift it-which can create stability. But also, a greater mass bow means your bow arm may fatigue faster, which can make you less stable when you shake from fatigue-so less stabile. It's a balance of your application. On the extreme end...Page Pierce is world champion target archer whose bow weighs 20+ lbs. But she isn't taking that into the woods....

Most hunting bows are 4.5-4.8lbs. Light bows are 4lbs or under-but this is usually a short 29-31 ATA. A light 33in bow is 4-4.3 lbs to me. If you are putting the same accessories on the bow does it really matter that one bow is 4.5lbs and the other is 4.8lbs? Or even 4.3 and 4.8 lbs? Maybe, maybe not. I can't really tell that much difference. I don't really even think about weight as much. If a bow happens to be light then that's a bonus for me, but I don't walk in going "I need the lightest bow..." The mathews lift/lift x is sweet. The 33in version is 4.3lbs, but my bow is 4.6-4.7lbs. The difference is 0.3-0.4 lbs which is like 5-6 oz or so. But I also don't shoot with a quiver on. So when you subtract the weight of the 5 arrows and the quiver, my bow may be equal weight or even less when compared to another's lighter bow when typically set up with all the accessories on it.