What is the Tikka of hunting bows

[ramsdude47]

Bows don’t get discussed quite as much as rifles on here. It’s pretty hard (impossible even?) to find any questions about rifle recommendations that don’t get lots of Tikka replies. It’s an understandable response, especially given sales pricing in years past - Tikka unquestionably gives a lot of bang for your buck.

What is (are) the hunting bow equivalent(s)? Light, relatively cheap, reliable, smooth, quiet.

I understand both rifles and bows have a very personal element, but it’s pretty clear Tikkas are a great value at their price point. Surely the same kind of value exists in the world of bows.

 

[Billy Goat]

Bear.

 

[D.Rose]

I would say the Hoyt Torrex which replaced the Charger would get my vote. The Charger was a very solid mid priced bow for money. If you replaced the factory strings with custom set I believe you would have as solid of a set up as you could buy. The next in line would be the Mission by Mathews. I believe both would be a great value for the money.

 

[manitou1]

Bear.

 

[Elkhntr08]

Older Elites, Energy 35 or Ritual 35.

 

[peterk123]

I do not own one but I have to agree with Bear. Everyone focuses on the big three but Bear cranks out some incredible bows. High quality and affordable. My daughter has one that has a fully adjustable draw length and you can crank the weight from like 20 pounds (maybe even less) up to 70 pounds. I would hunt with it in a nanosecond.

 

[Deadfall]

Bear for sure

 

[5MilesBack]

It's a little different with bows than guns. There's more to it than whether it will shoot and hit what you're aiming at consistently. I can pick up just about any stock rifle and shoot it well, but with a bow there's a lot more to consider........ATA, BH, cam system, geometry, draw length, string angles, grip, draw weights........they all contribute to the shootability of a bow and how it fits the individual.

 

[ramsdude47]

Yea I figured that was the reality of it. For that reason I'm of the school of thought that I want to buy 3 or 4 (or 5, 6, 7!) high value budget bows and put them through their paces to find 2 or 3 to keep. I know the higher $ ones hold better resale value, but getting back 85% of $1,200 still amounts to a bigger temporary ownership expense than 70% of $350.

So far I have a Hoyt Powermax, Elite Synergy, and Bear Anarchy. The highly reputable bow shop I popped into made it sound like Bear's are junk, but it is reassuring to hear good things here and elsewhere.

 

[Hoot]

Yeah, I'd have to agree with everyone, Bear has that niche carved out nicely. Another good one is the Hoyt powermax, or Torrex now but I havent shot one.

I have no idea on quality, and I personally dont like the feel of PSE, but they just came out with that John Dudley entry level bow the embark...

 

[Deadfall]

Yeah, I'd have to agree with everyone, Bear has that niche carved out nicely. Another good one is the Hoyt powermax, or Torrex now but I havent shot one.

I have no idea on quality, and I personally dont like the feel of PSE, but they just came out with that John Dudley entry level bow the embark...

I just got the torrex xt a couple months ago. Shot the torrex and the xt. Torrex has alot of vibration. The xt is easier to pull and really smooth for the price range. Got a few hundred arrows through it now and haven't had any issues. Bought the package deal. Not a big fan of quiver, had to epoxy the foam in. The sight is good for a guy like me.
Did have to snug up all the screws after the first couple dozen arrows. They've all stayed put since.
I'm not a high end guy. I have no complaints with the xt.

 

[P Carter]

I picked up a 2016 Bear Escape for like $300 at cabelas in 2018. It’s a 350 iBO bow, quiet, and I’m hitting the targets just as well as the hoyts and Mathews out there. To be clear, certainly some guys have big brands that outshoot me, some guys have big brands that don’t know what the heck they’re doing. So far as I can tell, proficiency with a bow is much more about time at the range than the bow itself.

 

[Zac]

Probably the PSE Drive, or Dudley's Embark. I absolutely hate the name Embark

 

[D.Rose]

When I think Tikka I think of very tight tolerances, great fit and finish, smooth and very accurate right of the box with basically no extra work. I do not think that when I think of Bear bows.

 

[Greenmachine_1]

I've been shooting PSE's drive series. For the money, I have been happy with them. Currently have a Drive R for the tree stand and a Drive XL for 3-D, hunting in the mountains, and anything else where I have to carry it more than a mile or 2.

Really like the XL due to the fact that it's sub 4 lb bare bow and I enjoyed shooting it.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Billy Goat]

When I think Tikka I think of very tight tolerances, great fit and finish, smooth and very accurate right of the box with basically no extra work. I do not think that when I think of Bear bows.

Have you seen any of the legend series bows?

Problem is Bear has two different lines of bows. I'm not real familiar with the box store line, however the legend series that's only sold in pro shops is a great series of bows. I have shot many of them. They are everything you are saying they aren't.

 

[silasbowhunter]

I’d find any used bow for $350-600 from 2012 on and call it good!

Find one that has the specs you like and get to shooting.


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[D.Rose]

Have you seen any of the legend series bows?

Problem is Bear has two different lines of bows. I'm not real familiar with the box store line, however the legend series that's only sold in pro shops is a great series of bows. I have shot many of them. They are everything you are saying they aren't.

The bows I'm referring to are mid priced and not top end bows with msrp of $1000. I'm sure the flagship top bear models are great but 99% of mid level bows suffer from the same inconsistencies with limb tolerance and slop in the limb pocket that will need to be shimmed out. I'm just saying there's a reason you don't see Bear bows on any national archery tournament trail these days. If I was trying to squeak out the maximum accuracy I could get on a budget I would look places other than bear.

 

[Billy Goat]

The bows I'm referring to are mid priced and not top end bows with msrp of $1000. I'm sure the flagship top bear models are great but 99% of mid level bows suffer from the same inconsistencies with limb tolerance and slop in the limb pocket that will need to be shimmed out. I'm just saying there's a reason you don't see Bear bows on any national archery tournament trail these days. If I was trying to squeak out the maximum accuracy I could get on a budget I would look places other than bear.

You don't see them on tournament circuits because they don't pay contingency money. Money clouds a lot of what you see at big shoots, between what people get paid to shoot, given to shoot, or shoot in hopes of winning money.

I know several guys who have competed in IBO with a bear and done very well.

 

[dkime]

Mathews Switchback XT, many of these are sitting around as backup bows and were arguably the greatest mathews made in most opinions