Bows over the years? The real question???

[Mr.Bro]

Which was your best?
My first compound was a Carrol 850.
My last was an Elite Terrain.
The absolute best was a 60lb Matthew's DXT. Single cam with a Wisker Biscuit. 3 pin Trophy Ridge, Kwikee Kuiver and 3 blade Muzzys.
A Killin machine.

 

[Rabbitkil]

Switchback XT that I had bought from a member here was my by far favorite bow

My first was a bear whitetail 2

 

[tree_ghost]

I have owned a bunch of them over the years. Switchback and the DXT were both great hunting bows. I also loved my Prime Ion. However my all time favorite bow was and still is my 2011 bowtech invasion. It's my go to hunting bow still to this day. My 2022 Solution is my backup lol.

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

Hoyt Carbon Element

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I still shoot a Mathews Switchback.

 

[Ski]

I'd have to say my best bow is the one I'm using now. It's a Bowtech RevoltX. Smooth, easy tune, and easy to hold on target. For hunting I always liked Hoyt because they're good bows and have a hand hold that kept me from having to hold onto cables while carrying through the woods. But not as smooth as the bowtech.

 

[Iglow]

The best? Probably the 1987 Jennings Forked Lightning. Still have that ole warhorse hanging in the hunting room.

 

[batten_down]

Another Switchback guy here. Never found a reason to change. It's a great bow.

 

[knightrider]

Had a golden eagle 32, in the early 2000's , best feeling bow i ever had. Killed a bunch of tick toting woods goats with that bow

 

[Lost Lake]

They've just gotten better and better for me, but I killed an obscene number of deer years ago with a 75 pound Hatfield recurve and cedar arrows.

 

[Iglow]

Had a golden eagle 32, in the early 2000's , best feeling bow i ever had. Killed a bunch of tick toting woods goats with that bow

Tick toting woods goats!!!

 

[tree_ghost]

They've just gotten better and better for me, but I killed an obscene number of deer years ago with a 75 pound Hatfield recurve and cedar arrows.

My goodness you must be a mountain of a man shooting 75lb off the fingers!!!!

 

[Lost Lake]

My goodness you must be a mountain of a man shooting 75lb off the fingers!!!!

I'm not a real big guy. About 5' 8-9"and 185lbs.

But I've been pretty stout from about middle school on. My draw length is 27" on that bow, so it was probably more like 72 lbs at my draw and at that time I was an instinctive snap shooter.

No way I'd do that GAP shooting today. I like 45-50 pounds for that!

 

[tree_ghost]

I'm not a real big guy. About 5' 8-9"and 185lbs.

But I've been pretty stout from about middle school on. My draw length is 27" on that bow, so it was probably more like 72 lbs at my draw and at that time I was an instinctive snap shooter.

No way I'd do that GAP shooting today. I like 45-50 pounds for that!

We're almost the same size. I'm a hair shorter though and like to Gap shoot @ 50lbs also!

 

[Lost Lake]

We're almost the same size. I'm a hair shorter though and like to Gap shoot @ 50lbs also!

Cool!

I'm really enjoying the lower draw weight. Honestly, I'd have probably done better with 60-65 pounds back then, but, everybody shot heavier bows then.

Bows today are much faster at lower draw weight.

 

[Crow Terminator]

I killed more deer with a Newberry SB1 than any other bow I've owned. It was a killer. But the one that won me the most $ was a Mathews Chill X. I never even hunted with it.

 

[mayberryrick]

I've had a lot of bows and a lot of good one but have a Chill R currently and love it.

 

[knightrider]

We're almost the same size. I'm a hair shorter though and like to Gap shoot @ 50lbs also!

Ok im gonna ask a dumb question, what is gap shooting?

 

[Andy S.]

I still shoot a Mathews Switchback.

Same here. I've owned three bows over 31 years. PSE Fireflight Express, Mathews Legacy and Mathews Switchback.

 

[recurve60#]

1991 high country safari was my best.

 

[tree_ghost]

Ok im gonna ask a dumb question, what is gap shooting?

It's an "aiming" system for a traditional bow with no sights. There are some good YouTube videos that will explain it far better than I ever could. Just search "GAP vs instinctive shooting"

 

[Ski]

It's an "aiming" system for a traditional bow with no sights. There are some good YouTube videos that will explain it far better than I ever could. Just search "GAP vs instinctive shooting"

I never could do it with my recurve but once I got a compound it was pretty easy and I was able to shoot 20yds about as accurate as I do today, even though my first compounds didn't have sights and were finger released. Beyond 20yds as arrow drop rapidly increased, the gap aiming got harder to judge. But at 20yds it felt like cheating. Then I got sights, a peep, and caliper release and been cheating ever since lol

 

[Savage]

I'm shooting a Matthews Z3 now that is getting a new set of limbs as we speak. That gives me the opportunity to drag out my old Switchback XT that still shoots lights out at 18 years old.

 

[ADR]

one more in the switchback group

 

[david k.]

For about 35 years I was a "buy a new bow every 3 years" guy.... The last new bow I bought was a Mathews V3X a couple of years ago...its an awesome bow. That said, somehow, I had never owned or shot a Switchback but after reading so many stories about them over the years, I decided to buy one about a year ago.

I bought a very clean Switchback XT, put on brand new strings and cables from Catfish and had it perfectly timed and tuned in about 30 minutes. Now I'm a believer....I've barely shot the V3X in the past year and doubt I'll ever buy another brand new bow again....I might watch for a really nice Mathews Reezen because, before I owned the SBXT, it might have been my favorite bow of all time.

 

[timberjack86]

1991 high country safari was my best.

Same, miss those old high country bows

 

[Savage]

Same, miss those old high country bows

They are back in business.

 

[DaveTN]

My best bow was the last recurve I had in the 80's. Can't remember what it was though. (CRS) My last compound was a "Sabre" made by Newberry Bows in Dunlap, TN. They are out of business now. I sold it to my BIL in 2007. I think he probably still has it.

 

[Iglow]

Same, miss those old high country bows

Had a High Country, it was a good'en.

 

[timberjack86]

They are back in business.

Gonna check them out.