Competition shooting bows

[CoastieHunter]

OK, this might be a "rant" but also a little bit of insight for me.

I picked up my first bow "PSE Gamesport" when I was about 10 yrs old and began shooting. I had a great coach (my dad, eventhough he never shot a bow) and a nice indoor range in Dallas we would go to twice a day. I was one of the youngest people there and I got tips from a lot of old timers. Well basically with that Gamesport (hunting bow NOT target shooting) I managed 4 "robin hoods" and got to where at 25 yrds would consistantly shoot a lifesaver. I would go through about 5-8 knocks in about 1 hour of shooting.

My question is this:

Why would you buy a bow 3x's more expensive that you can only use for target shooting? Why not buy a hunting bow 1/2 the price and use it for both?
I mean a target bow you can't exactly hunt with with a 3' stabalizer, cams the size of watermelons etc...

 

[JeepKuntry]

People buy target bows for many reasons. I'll list a few. Many target bows are bought due to colors that are flashy, not camo. The pic cams/modules with lower weights. Especially indoor, your goal is to get bullseye. Doesn't matter if gets there at 300fps or 200fps.

 

[POSSUM HUNTER]

alot of companies will give the top shooters a bow that is a specific color and design then they can put it on the shelf and charge an extreme amount........ with that said Hoyt and Mathews puts a lot of money into there compition bows and they shoot well, if you can afford them.

all the 3D i have shoot was with my hunting bow

 

[JayMc]

Why do people buy more guns than they "need"?

Why do my golf buddies buy new drivers 3 or 4 times a year when they don't "need" them?

It's all about choices and priorities.

 

[Crow Terminator]

One thing to consider is that some people just like the sport of archery target shooting and do not hunt. I actually know quite a few people that are like that. You gotta admit, target colors do look pretty good out on the 3D courses. It gives it sort of a custom look. So that's one reason.

For the people that hunt and shoot 3Ds, often the bow they select for one or the other is way different. Competition shooters favor longer bows say in the 36-40 inch A-A range, with a 7+ inch brace height, non aggressive cams, and lots of bling bling on accessories. The sights are normally on long bars away from the bow, and range from moving sights with scopes to fixed pins in the .019 to .010 range (vs the normal hunting setup with fixed pins in the .029 range). They tend to shoot long stabilizers with v-bars that actually change the stabilization of the bow...where as hunters use shorter stabilizers with the goal mainly to dampen noise/vibration. And then you get into arrow selection...target shooters want light weight, thin walled fat shafts for cutting scoring lines. Most prefer target nibbs for their closer weight tolerances, reared up with short low profile vanes for shooting flatter. Hunting shafts are leaning more towards thicker walled, smaller diameter heavier shafts. Reared with higher profile vanes/feathers for better steering with broadheads. And of course most shoot aluminum inserts in them for screw in broadheads and points. Two totally different worlds.

Sure, you can have one bow and do both with the same setup but it's a lot easier just having one bow set up for hunting and one bow set up for target. They do have special classes where you can still be reasonably competitive with your hunting setups (they have restrictions on what type of equipment you can use).

 

[CoastieHunter]

Ok.. with that said.

It's my personal opinion that it's a waste of money to buy a "target" bow for 2k worth of bling bling when I could do the same thing with my $200 bow.

Only difference was with mine I couldn't bullzeye all day long at 50 yards like theirs can.

I understand it's a preference and what ever floats your boat.

It's just crazy in my mind. More of a ranting thread really.

Guess I could buy a million dollar lambo or buy a yugo and dump 30k into it and it would be just as fast.
Apples to oranges I suppose.

 

[Fordman]

Ok.. with that said.

It's my personal opinion that it's a waste of money to buy a "target" bow for 2k worth of bling bling when I could do the same thing with my $200 bow.

Only difference was with mine I couldn't bullzeye all day long at 50 yards like theirs can.

I understand it's a preference and what ever floats your boat.

It's just crazy in my mind. More of a ranting thread really.

Guess I could buy a million dollar lambo or buy a yugo and dump 30k into it and it would be just as fast.
Apples to oranges I suppose.

Are you saying you can do that with a hunting rig? or are you saying you can trick out your hunting rig to shoot targets?

 

[Radar]

I don't own a target bow , but I wont fault those that do . In general without going into great detail , target bows usually have a longer ATA , and are specifically setup for target shooting , while hunting bows tend to be shorter and setup for hunting .

 

[CoastieHunter]

[/quote]
Are saying you can do that with a hunting rig? or are you saying you can trick out your hunting rig to shoot targets? [/quote]

Do what? Shoot accurately at 50yrds? No I can't and never have. I could shoot decent at 40, great at 30, excellent at 20, forgetabboutit at 10

I never "tricked" out my hunting bow. It was a basic PSE gamesport with Easton Arrows and 100gr field tips.

And I'm not ragging on people buying a target bow only. I just think you get more for your money buy buying a "hunters" bow -vs- a competition bow. One you can only use for one thing, the other you can use for both.

 

[CoastieHunter]

I don't own a target bow , but I wont fault those that do . In general without going into great detail , target bows usually have a longer ATA , and are specifically setup for target shooting , while hunting bows tend to be shorter and setup for hunting .

Exactly, but as stated earlier. A hunting bow can be used for both. A target bow; for the most part, cannot be used for hunting. I suppose you could but to take a 2k bow in the woods and risk it isn't worth it to me.

 

[JayMc]

All bowhunters are archers, but not all archers are bowhunters.


CoastieHunter - how new is your truck?

 

[Radar]

All bowhunters are archers, but not all archers are bowhunters.


CoastieHunter - how new is your truck?

Good way to put it , Jay .

 

[CoastieHunter]

All bowhunters are archers, but not all archers are bowhunters.


CoastieHunter - how new is your truck?

Truck???

If you're talking about the one I drive it's an '00 Suburban.

Not quite sure why your asking though.

 

[JayMc]

All bowhunters are archers, but not all archers are bowhunters.


CoastieHunter - how new is your truck?

Truck???

If you're talking about the one I drive it's an '00 Suburban.

Not quite sure why your asking though.

Just curious. I drive a '97 4Runner. I don't see the need to purchase anything newer than about '97 nor do I see the need to own such a big vehicle.

I'm still trying to find out why you asked about why folks would want a "target" bow.

I guess both your question and mine were just rants and don't really mean anything.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

I hate to admit it but Jay makes some good money. He is very conservative and takes care of his family. He puts them first and has made VERY good financial decisions so they will never go without. If he bought a bow a month I would not fault him. I didn't read the whole thread so this may be out of line. He did vote for Obama.

 

[JayMc]

I hate to admit it but Jay makes some good money. He is very conservative and takes care of his family. He puts them first and has made VERY good financial decisions so they will never go without. If he bought a bow a month I would not fault him. I didn't read the whole thread so this may be out of line. [color:#FF0000]He did vote for Obama.[/color]

I can't believe you'd do that to me.

 

[UTGrad]

There is a political forum.

 

[CoastieHunter]

I agree...

Seems like I might have come off like "what are you thinking" it was just a question really on why someone would buy something so expensive when you get the same thing with something cheaper.

EX: My suburban, I have 3 kids, a wife, and usually friends. Thus the size.
Needed something to tow my motorcycle, bingo
Oh and it was free.... BINGO!!

 

[Hoss]

It's my personal opinion that it's a waste of money to buy a "target" bow for 2k worth of bling bling when I could do the same thing with my $200 bow.

Only difference was with mine I couldn't bullzeye all day long at 50 yards like theirs can.

It's just crazy in my mind. More of a ranting thread really.

The main thing is it is THEIR money. I don't see why someone would plunk down $200 on a round chunk of plastic and roll it down a wooden plank to knock over some wooden pins wrapped in more plastic. But they do. Same way with buying long sticks of Carbon, wood, metal with hammers glued to the end to knock a white chunk of rubber coated in plastic into a hole in the ground 450 yards away. But they do.

Why do some people plop down $100,000 or more on a car that can go from 0-60 in a few seconds when 70mph is as fast as you can drive anyway?

Everyone gets to express themselves any way they want.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

There is a political forum.

 

[Radar]

It's my personal opinion that it's a waste of money to buy a "target" bow for 2k worth of bling bling when I could do the same thing with my $200 bow.

Only difference was with mine I couldn't bullzeye all day long at 50 yards like theirs can.

It's just crazy in my mind. More of a ranting thread really.

The main thing is it is THEIR money. I don't see why someone would plunk down $200 on a round chunk of plastic and roll it down a wooden plank to knock over some wooden pins wrapped in more plastic. But they do. Same way with buying long sticks of Carbon, wood, metal with hammers glued to the end to knock a white chunk of rubber coated in plastic into a hole in the ground 450 yards away. But they do.

Why do some people plop down $100,000 or more on a car that can go from 0-60 in a few seconds when 70mph is as fast as you can drive anyway?

Everyone gets to express themselves any way they want.

 

[JayMc]

There is a political forum.

He was talking about your hippie love for Obama.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

There is a political forum.

He was talking about your hippie love for Obama.

It's Obama's Momma I have the love for. You know the white fluzie.

 

[Crow Terminator]

Well why do hunters spend $200+ on a single treestand when you can kill deer from the ground for no extra cost? Heck...why even use a bow at all when a single well aimed and placed rock picked up from the ground for free, could kill a deer? David did it with Goliath Iron sights work good enough to kill a deer on a rifle...who needs high power, precision scopes? Heck why go to the gas stations for gas or drive a vehicle when your feet/legs can get you to and fro your destination?

Don't take a trip down the road of what other people choose to do with their money brother. It can get bumpy

 

[TN Deer Slayer]

I don't own a target bow , but I wont fault those that do . In general without going into great detail , target bows usually have a longer ATA , and are specifically setup for target shooting , while hunting bows tend to be shorter and setup for hunting .

Exactly

 

[BigCountry71]

Blah Blah Blah......

You aint buying it for them so what does it matter