New to Bows/ looking for advice

[BATTLEBORN]

Hi guys I'm just getting into archery. I would like people's advice on a high quality mid level bow set up. I don't want to break the bank but I want something that will shoot well and last my a while. I have been looking at the bow tech assassin, bear mauler, and a few others. All these bows have come as a package set up any where from 450-600$. What would you buy if you we're just getting into bow hunting?

Thanks

 

[gulicemo]

Check out the Hoyt Charger as well.

 

[JNDEER]

If I was just getting into bowhunting I would listen to someone who has gone through it from scratch.

Go to a pro shop. Find one you like where the people there talk to you and will explain what everything is, how it works and what you should be doing. Shoot as many bows in your price range as you can, including different model bows of the same brand. Some bows will feel bad when you shot them, others ok, and a few will probably feel nice to you when you shot it. Those are the ones you need to concentrate on. Buy the bow and have the shop set it up for you. Have them explain WHY they are setting it up the way they are, so you can understand. An archery shop could be better for getting the explanations from start to finish, but I have seen the box stores have guys who will also take the time to explain things. Pay some money to get some lessons from a Pro so they can help you, as a Greenhorn, on your form and shooting style.
Spending less money on arrows is not a good thing. Buy good arrows!

 

[Jeff Martin]

The best advice is shoot several in your price range and buy what YOU like, not what you read. I have killed critters with a bow for 26 years now, and have shot every major maker of bows, and truthfully loved them all. I now shoot a Hoyt Element RKT, but I slayed Elk/Deer with a Mathews. Again, shoot what you like.

Having said that, I think you get a lot of bow with the mid range bowtechs. The Heartbreaker by bowtech is a great mid range bow. I love that thing....

Have fun with the process !

Jeff

 

[vcb]

What jndeer said. I would steer clear of a big box store and find a archery only shop. Let them guide you and ask questions

 

[J-Daddy]

Ask around in your area and get opinions on GOOD archery shops though, trust me when I say this....For every Great archery shop there are a dozen that don't know their ass from a hole in the ground. Just because a guy has a store and a bow dealership deal doesn't mean he really knows anything.

 

[RosinBag]

I second J-Daddy. Plenty of idiots in archery stores. Find a reputable one. Remember it is a business for them and the goal is to sell.

If you have friends with bows, shoot theirs. Shoot all you can. Even a mid range bow is $600 plus accessories and that is still some coin.

 

[OR Archer]

For the budget you are wanting to stick within the two bows I recommend that you take a look at are the Hoyt Charger ($649) and the Mission Ballistic ($675 in our shop). I think these two bows are the best bang for your buck in archery right now. Each has a different feel but they are both smooth, quiet, accurate, and easy to tune. They are just a bit more than you are wanting to spend but are well worth it. If you have a chance take the time and shoot both and compare them.

 

[BATTLEBORN]

Thanks for the comments, I will take all the bows mentioned into consideration. Couple of the reasons I was asking these question are because I want unbias opinions from hunters who use them as opposed to the guy at the store who is just trying to make a sale, and there seem to be so many different makers and models that it is tought to wrap my head around. I am fortunate enought to live in a city that has a scheels, cabelas. , and a sportsmans warehouse. All big box stores I know but they all have a range where I can shoot the bows they sell.

 

[Shane]

It's rare these days to find a bow from any of the bigger brands that can't be set up to shoot well. The advice here about finding one that feels best to you is dead on. So is the advice about finding somebody that TRULY knows what he's doing to set up and tune your new bow. The best bow in the world will suck for hunting situations if it's not tuned well. A mediocre bow tuned well will be a killer. The importance of getting a bow set up well can't be overstated, and there are probably more guys working in bow shops that don't know how to do it right than there are real experts. Ask around to find out who knows what they're doing in your area.

 

[CtP]

Check out the Hoyt Charger as well.

BattleBorn,

I'm in the same boat. Went to the local archery specific store, shot a bunch of bows including the Charger. I'm gonna go back, shoot more, pay closer attention to how they feel, but I'll probably end up with the Charger. It has good speed, good ata size, comes at good price for a starter package deal.

All you need to buy is a release and some arrows and your good to go. After reading the Holy Injexions thread, it seems like a great way to go as far as arrows are concerned.

 

[shaun]

Ask around in your area and get opinions on GOOD archery shops though, trust me when I say this....For every Great archery shop there are a dozen that don't know their ass from a hole in the ground. Just because a guy has a store and a bow dealership deal doesn't mean he really knows anything.

I third this. For this reason I very minamaly deal with my local pro shop and a make the 3 hr drive north to Rocklin to work on my stuff

 

[BATTLEBORN]

Thanks again guys, I am going to scheels today to shoot the charger. I shot the bear mauler yesterday and I can get it from cabelas bare for $350. It looks like it is getting good reviews but I'm a little apprehensive because I had never heard of bear bows before I started searching for a bow. The other question I have is how much would a middle of the line accessories set up cost me on average if I bought a bare bone bow and set it up myself.

Thanks

Battle

 

[shaun]

Bear bows used to be a big name company along with Martin back in the good ole days

 

[Evan Williams]

Great comments all! I would second OR on the ones that we sell...ballistic and charger! But u need to get as many bows in your hand that u can! U can't buy a bow u can't test first! And if a shop is charging u to test...might want to find a new shop. The whole process could take a few different trips! Be prepared with time when u go in. If u tell them u have 10 minutes u are wasting a trip and ur time! I have spent 10 hrs (between testing, talking, set-up, shooting and customer out the door) with some guys! If they don't have the patience with u be grateful for what time they give u and keep looking! Wish u all the best in your search!

 

[BATTLEBORN]

I shot the Mission Ballistic yesterday, I am torn between the Assassin, Ballistic , and Charger. All around the same price in package form. Also still trying to decide if I want to buy the bare bow and set it up myself or buy the package deal. Any more opinions???

 

[c5mrr270]

The first thing I would do is go to a pro shop and get your draw length figured out. That way when you try out some bows you will be comparing apples to apples. A bow with too long or short of a draw length is going to be uncomfortable and you might end up writing off a bow you would have liked. The other thing I would do is make sure and get a bow with an adjustable draw length because as your form develops and you experiment with different accessories, releases, etc. you'll likely need that adjustability. Also where are you located, some guys on here might be able to recommend a good shop?

 

[TooFarEast]

If you are looking for a high quality bow at a mid range price, I would suggest looking into a used bow. Most used bows don't come with a factory warranty except for 2 manufacturers that I know of, Athens Archery and Elite Archery. I just bought a used Athens Afflixtion off of another website and had a great experience and got a great deal. I made sure to research the bow I wanted and the seller (you need to be careful, especially on the internet). I got a bow for about 1/2 the price of what it was new 2 years ago, and it is in mint condition. I shoot left handed so it is difficult for me to find a good used bow, so that is why I had to search the internet. If you shoot right handed you may be able to find one a lot easier locally. I did not have the luxury of shooting the bow prior to purchase, so there is a little more risk involved.

Another thing is archery is not for everyone, so if you are not 100% sure this is something you will like, you may not want to invest too much money on your 1st bow. Also, there are several different types of bows, solo cam, binary cam, long ATA, short ATA, etc. You may want to get a cheap bow just to get involved in the sport until you figure out what type of bow you really want. This way it will be easier to upgrade once you figure out what you like.

 

[BATTLEBORN]

@ c5.. I have had my draw length measured twice, one guy said I was a 28.5 the other said I was a 29. I understand that is only a 1/2 inch difference but why would they not come up the same? Also which one should I go with? I will take your advice on the adjustable draw though. I am located in Reno, NV, As far as I know there is only one true archery only shop in town, I stopped in there but felt like I got better service at the three big box stores mentioned above.

@ Toofar.. I have been keeping a close on the classifieds on RS and AT, seems like there is a ton for sale but again it is tough to get a hold of what is a good deal and what is not since I am not real familar with all the different models. I am trying to limit the money I spend for the exact reason you stated of not knowing If i will l stick with archery. I have a buddy who has a Mathews helium coming in today. I might shoot with him for a while as I continue to research and decide what I want to buy.

 

[J-Daddy]

I listed a Hoyt Vector Turbo today on here in the classified section if you want to look at it.