Keeping an old bow?

[cornfedkiller]

My current bow is 15 years old, and I'm contemplating getting a new one.. I don't think my old one is really worth much so I'm thinking about keeping it, but I'm not really sure why. I hear guys mention having a backup bow, but I'm not really sure what for. I have only had 1 bow my entire life and only once ever could've used a backup, but it wouldn't have been with me on that trip anyways.

The bow has some sentimental value, but I'm not really sure how much. I can picture myself hanging it on the wall in my gun room for the next 20 years, and then throwing it in the dumpster when its really not worth anything. My kids are a long ways away from being able to shoot a 60-70# bow, so it doesnt really do them any good either.

To the guys that keep an old bow, are you glad you kept them, or do you wish you would've just sold them while you could've maybe got a couple hundred bucks for it?

 

[KneeDeep]

I've kept my first bow, for many of the same reasons you mention, just sentimental value and the idea of a "backup" bow. I always think about turning into a bow fishing bow as well.

That said, I've tried to sell my 2nd, 3rd, 4th bows etc! Not always successfully as there are now 6 compounds in my garage, only three of which I shoot regularly, had to let the few I did sell go for really cheap.

 

[Stache Attack]

Oh golly, I’ve sold a lot of bows in the last 15 years I’d guess 11-15 bows from target, hunting, to recurves. I’ve thought about keeping some big bull bows, winning target bows… I’ve ended up selling all but three bows. One of each I have. Bows have a crazy diminishing value. Only old bow I’d buy now is a carbon matrix(queue comments)

I’d say sell it and get it into the hand of someone who needs it or atleast will use it. If you don’t need to make a couple bucks give it to a young gent who can shoot it. Though again I’m a sucker for young kids who want to shoot archery.

 

[RedSnow]

I had a limb crack on my bow a week before opener this year. Pulled out the old Mathews LX and had it running for first few weeks of season. Killed a decent buck with it.

 

[Macro]

Keep them! They still shoot as well as they ever did (now ME on the other hand is a different story!), and they are virtually the same as any new bow I may get.
Besides, I rarely ever buy a "new" bow. Most of the ones I get are as old or older than the ones I already have.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I gave away my first bow to a buddy who never hunted with it much. My second bow I still have, the one I killed my first and subsequent deer with. A neck and 2 shoulder injuries ended my bow hunting, but I still have it. A Hoyt Pro-Vantage. Old school nowadays. I would give it away in a heartbeat to a youngster or someone just getting started.

 

[Macro]

I have two Mathews Custom Safari bows. Together, they have killed every big game animal in North America. Unfortunately, they are not only 15+ years old, they are also 43+" axle to axle and have a draw weight of 100 pounds. However, they can be turned down to about 80 pounds. You'd need about a 29"-30" draw length for these bows to fit you, but if anyone is interested, they are yours for the cost of the postage....one or both. You can get the same KE with a newer bow that only has a 75#-80# draw weight.....but at least the price is right.....and you'd even have a back up bow (as well as a third bow if you cannabalized parts from both bows to keep one of the two original bows functioning).

 

[4rcgoat]

I had a limb crack on my bow a week before opener this year. Pulled out the old Mathews LX and had it running for first few weeks of season. Killed a decent buck with it.

Ahhh the good old lx. Have that as my backup as well.

 

[Kularrow]

I have a 26 year old Mathews ZMAX. It’s not taking up any space plus it’s fun to shoot at a lower poundage than my hunting rig.

 

[5MilesBack]

It's hardly worth the time and effort to sell a 15 year old bow, especially after paying to ship it these days. I always have backup gear for pretty much everything I use. I refuse to have down time when I need the gear most. I have 16 and 17 year old bows that both shoot great still. They're back-ups to my backup at this point, but they're not worth selling because no one wants a bow that old. If I ever find a local kid that wants to get into archery though that's LH and has my long draw length, I'll probably give it to them.

 

[87TT]

My first bow was an old Redhead from Basspro. I killed my first elk with it. I tried to give it to several people with no takers. I ran into a young serviceman at deer camp who had a really old bow and was just starting out. I gave it to him set up and ready to shoot, with a bunch of arrows.

 

[sodaksooner]

I have a 26 year old Mathews ZMAX. It’s not taking up any space plus it’s fun to shoot at a lower poundage than my hunting rig.

Thought that bow was awesome. I ended up buying an Ultra 2 a few years after that. Just sold it for a pittance a couple of years ago.

 

[jbond007m3]

I kept my old Athens around. Didnt shoot it for 2-3 years. Then I started going back to my childhood hunting grounds during rut. So now I have a bow up there and a bow down here. Both shoot great and are capable.

 

[Charlie Brown]

The week before leaving on an elk hunt last year I had limb problems on my 5year old bow. Couldn't be repaired before I left. It gave me a week to dust off and fine tune the bow that it had replaced. How happy do you think I was that I had kept that old bow for a back up

 

[SuspiciousFish]

I have an old Hoyt Aspen from around 2004 that I still have. I enjoy shooting it because the bow draws more like a recurve and it is a good backup for hunting.

 

[syoungs]

Ive given my first couple bows away to friends that wanted to get into the hobby, they werent worth a ton of money and I dont like dealing with people selling used stuff anyways.

My current bow is 9 years old. Ive went and shot new bows the last couple years but havent found anything I liked enough to justify the price compared to what I have. I am going to be a 2 bow owner shortly though, I want a 30" ata to setup for turkey hunting out of blinds. Mine works fine for that now, but I suffered a massive injury to my left elbow awhile back, and want a 50# bow to start shooting a bit faster.

 

[Laramie]

I have always given my old bows to a new hunter in need. I do wish I had one of them back as it was a great bow that really fit me. If you have one that you absolutely love to shoot, keep it.

 

[Balazar]

I have a 2013 Elite that was my first real bow (youth bows before that). I have been using it for 10 years. This year I decided to finally buy a new bow. The old Elite still shoots great. Definitely in need of a string right now. But shoots great. I wouldn't mind donating it to someone genuinely interested in getting into archery. They would need to get a string and probably mods to make it work for them. Looking at it from the view of the person receiving that donation. Once you have put a string on, mods, rest, stabilizer, quiver and sight with labor for assembly and tuning. That is starting to creep up on the cost of a new beginner RTH package.

 

[Dapper]

On an elk hunt far from home I drew my newer bow back, just to pull it back and the lower limb broke. The next afternoon I shot a big bull with a backup bow that was 25 years old. I later got a newer, shorter bow and used it for a number of years. As I've aged, now 70 , the longer bow (the one that its lower limb broke and was replaced under warranty) seemed to draw back smoother and easier for this old guy. So now I'm shooting that bow. So I tend to keep my old bows, figuring I'm not going to get anything for them anyway, and then they've come back to be my current hunting bow.

 

[2blade]

I've had 2 bows break limbs in the last 5 yrs or so. One was 2 weeks before the season, the other was during the season. Both times I had a back up so I was able to hunt.

A friend of mines cousin also had a limb break during the season a few years back. No back up bow so down the mountain he went to buy a brand new replacement for 1200 bucks. It was either that or pack it all up and go home.

Needless to say I own 2 bows!