# want to get back into archery



## spork40 (Oct 8, 2007)

i used to hunt archery growing up in texas but it has been a long time. i need a new bow but do not want to spend more than $100-150. what brands do you guys recommend? what should i look our for? what sights, rest, etc should i look for and what should i stay away from? also how do you measure your draw length? i really want to get back in but it has been a long time and all the equipment i used to use is way outdated.

i have heard that some bows just plain loose accuracy with time, any experiences?


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

:lol: 

$150 huh, that's about what the sight will cost you nowadays. :? If you want to spend $150 on a C.M.A.S.D. all you can expect to get is something used off KSL that will be old and outdated...just like what you already have.

My recurve was built in 1887 and it still shoots right where I point it and kills just as good as it did the first year I owned it. 

Bows don't lose accuracy, they just need to be tuned up. Your old equipment will still kill just fine, dust it off and shoot it.


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## spork40 (Oct 8, 2007)

i should have clarified, my old equipment is too light, it is a youth bow with a 45# draw weight. there are a lot of used bows on ksl, just wanted info on what to look for.


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## Bowdacious (Sep 16, 2007)

I would totally go used first. Go to Sportsman's Warehouse or Cabela's and they can measure your draw length. From there....Hold a lot of bows...shoot them if at all possible. Find out what feels comfortable for you. Try many different types of bows and find the one that fits. Being as how you are just starting out, I'd go with a whisker biscuit rest and a simple 4 pin sight. Some used bows will come already equipped with sights and rests. Try http://www.ksl.com or ebay.

It really just comes down to finding what fits for you and your specific needs.

Do a search on this forum and you will find what you are looking for.


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## gitterdone81 (Sep 3, 2009)

PM Sent.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

spork40 said:


> i should have clarified, my old equipment is too light, it is a youth bow with a 45# draw weight. there are a lot of used bows on ksl, just wanted info on what to look for.


OK, that makes more sense...

I still think your setting your "spending" limit too low however. You can get great two or three year old bows with everything all set up and ready to shoot for around $300-$400 all day long and twice on Sunday if you just shop around. All you're going to get for $150 is old crap. Like my recurve... :mrgreen:


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## Old Fudd (Nov 24, 2007)

Tex. Gota love them old crap recurves. Have 11 of em. I just love old crap.. LOL


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## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

yeah if you want to get something decent used you are probably gonna need to collect a few more aluminum cans 
that being said...for under $500 you can find some pretty good deals between archerytalk, ebay, and ksl...


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## Renegade (Sep 11, 2007)

You can get set up with a decent used package for $150 any day. You'll need to look around though.

Rest-fall a way
sight, make sure it collects lots of natural light
Weight-don't go too heavy, make sure you can pull it without stressing-that will alert any animal to your presence, and 40+ pounds will kill any animal in the USA if you put the arrow in the right place.
Go to a pro shop, get measured, a real pro shop-one that has employees that know archery, not a big box store where some kid is behind the archery counter who was behind the knife counter 10 minutes ago.

Try lots of bows, find one that feels good, then start looking around, you'll find one.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

if you do find a bow for a 150 bucks you may want to get real close to what ever you are hunting and forget about shooting it with that bow. 

You will be better off using it as an ax or a sledge hammer and whack the animal on top of the head. 

set your limit 300-400 and you will be way better off. like tex said the sight will cost you a 150 bucks


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## Seven (Jan 8, 2009)

Please clarify... are you trying to just find a bow for 100-150 or a whole set-up for that price? If you are looking for a whole set-up for that price then I hope you have a ton of time to spend looking and study. You do everyonce in a blue moon come across a good bow for that price, but it might take you checking KSL, archerytalk, ebay several times a day for several weeks or months. Like others have stated I would also up your spending to about 400. You can usually pick up a nice setup bow for that price that will perform nicely. I prefer archerytalk to ebay or KSL because the prices seem to be realistic. From what little I have looked on KSL and Ebay there is to many people that think their compound bow that they got 10 years ago is still worth 300. LOL.


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## spork40 (Oct 8, 2007)

that is why i am asking questions. there are a ton of bows for 150 bucks but i do not know what is a good deal and what is not. plus no one has even given me a name or a brand yet.......

what are your thoughts on PSE?

or if i did look at 300-400 what is a good deal? brand, setup? i don't want to spend that much right now but if i do not know what to look for price really does not matter.


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## Seven (Jan 8, 2009)

Asking what brand is like asking if ford, chevy, or dodge is better. We all know that Dodge is better. There is a lot of good brands: Hoyt, Mathews, martin, alpine, bear, Monster, and maybe even PSE. For the most part in my opinion every year the bows have gotten quiter, smoother, faster and nicer every year for the last 5ish years. So essentially I would suggest getting the newest bow you can find in a major brand that is your drawlength and weight. In my opinion People on KSL for the most part have no clue what the value of their bow is.


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## bugchuker (Dec 3, 2007)

I bought a Fred Bear Lights Out Pkg bow for 300 bucks, its new and shoots great.


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## Renegade (Sep 11, 2007)

swbuckmaster said:


> if you do find a bow for a 150 bucks you may want to get real close to what ever you are hunting and forget about shooting it with that bow.
> 
> You will be better off using it as an ax or a sledge hammer and whack the animal on top of the head.
> 
> set your limit 300-400 and you will be way better off. like tex said the sight will cost you a 150 bucks


See this is really weak advice.

You want to examine the limbs very closely & look for hairline cracks-they will indicate a dry fire, which could lead to damage & injury down the road.

I was in the business for a while-on the manufacturer side. It the past 10 years, there are really no bad bows out there that have been made. The one exception I can think of is the 2008 Bowtech General that was recalled and fixed by Bowtech. For that reason though, I would not buy one of those used-you can't be sure if it was fixed in the recall.

Almost all of the companies proved outstanding service and warranty repair if needed. PSE is a very good company, very reputable, and a great reputation for customer service.

If you get a bow that isn't quiet enough, you can always stick Sims Limbsaver stuff all over it to quiet it down. Good luck!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

weak who you calling weak?  

when it comes to racing shopping carts, or go carts, ill put you into the wall. ill show you weak! -_O- 

I think you can find a dang good carp bow for 150 bucks and don't think anyone will laugh at you but I don't think you can find a dang good deer hunting bow for that. Sure it might kill a deer but is is going to impress the Jones at the archery shop now is it?

Weak? hu I can bench 110 lbs at least once, I can curl hamburgers/donuts all day long if I wana. :O>>:


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## Renegade (Sep 11, 2007)

swbuckmaster said:


> weak who you calling weak?
> 
> when it comes to racing shopping carts, or go carts, ill put you into the wall. ill show you weak! -_O-
> 
> ...


 :shock:


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## troutslayer (Apr 1, 2008)

I am still shooting a old fred bear whitetail II bow that my pops bought new back in 1987 I believe. Still shoots great , and with the right equipment on it, it can still be a very effective bow. Last year I bought a new tru glo sight for it, a whisker biskit and it was ready to go. 

Check em out. You can get them on e-bay for under 150 bucks easily all set up. Its been a great bow.


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

I am not trying to be mean but My arrows cost more per dozen than you are willing to spend on an entire set up. '

I had a good friend teach me a long time ago to "only cry once". In other words don't buy something that is not what you want because that is all the money you have and then have to go out and buy another one later when you should have just bought the one that you wanted in the beginning. Wait until you have more money and buy something better. I am not saying to spend $1,500 which is what the good stuff is going for. I know that what ever you buy for $100-$150 will be older and not too great unless you somehow found someone who was EXTREMELY desperate. Tex is wrong.............my sight was $250. 
I can't remember a day at the range when someguy who showed up with a dinasaur bow was not laughed at either behind his back or too his face........I am kidding on that (sort of) but EVERY time, people are telling him about bows they have for sale. That $300-$500 range and leaning towards the $500 will keep the wolves away.  It will also make you a better shooter. Bows really improved in the last few years.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I don't believe all of the hype personally. There certainly is a big difference between $200 and $400, but beyond that...I spent $400 on a Bear full setup 3 years ago, great bow! To say that anything less than $500, $700, $800. $1,000 is crap; well, what kind of car do you drive? Nothing less than a $60k car is worth anything? Get what you can and make it work; when the budget allows upgrade at that time. You certainly do get what you pay for, but you truly pass the efficiency frontier once you pass the $400 range IMHO; your 8th hundred dollar bill does not do nearly as much for you as your 3rd hundred dollar bill.


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

I am sorry if I came accross as upity or pompas. I just saw a thread that opened up with "Want to get back into archery" and then the "looking to spend $100 - $150" and I thought to myself, "He aint wantin' to get back into it very bad".
If I were to be getting back into archery for that budget, I would seriously do what Tex is saying and not get a compound bow with all the whistles and bells because those accessories cost money. I would buy an old recurve with a few wooden arrows and just have fun!


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## Renegade (Sep 11, 2007)

elk22hunter said:


> I am not trying to be mean but My arrows cost more per dozen than you are willing to spend on an entire set up. '
> 
> I had a good friend teach me a long time ago to "only cry once". In other words don't buy something that is not what you want because that is all the money you have and then have to go out and buy another one later when you should have just bought the one that you wanted in the beginning. Wait until you have more money and buy something better. I am not saying to spend $1,500 which is what the good stuff is going for. I know that what ever you buy for $100-$150 will be older and not too great unless you somehow found someone who was EXTREMELY desperate. Tex is wrong.............my sight was $250.
> I can't remember a day at the range when someguy who showed up with a dinasaur bow was not laughed at either behind his back or too his face........I am kidding on that (sort of) but EVERY time, people are telling him about bows they have for sale. That $300-$500 range and leaning towards the $500 will keep the wolves away.  It will also make you a better shooter. Bows really improved in the last few years.


I'll bet the guys at your favorite pro shop send you Christmas cards every year.


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## cowmilker (Dec 17, 2008)

Here is a decent bow, I bought this bow from this dealer this spring (their price has gone up a bit, I got mine delivered for $230 but with no peep/d-loop) . It does break your budget by about $125, but it is brand new fully set up (2007 model), all you would need is arrows/tips, and release.

http://cgi.ebay.com/BOW-PSE-NOVA-SENERG ... 4aa3ee43e8


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

Cowmilker, 
What are you doing up at 12:58 am. You need to get up in two hours to start bringing in the cows.


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## cowmilker (Dec 17, 2008)

elk22hunter said:


> Cowmilker,
> What are you doing up at 12:58 am. You need to get up in two hours to start bringing in the cows.


Left for work at 01:30 I work graveyard, I just work at the plant, have not ever touched a live cow. The COW in cowmilker comes from C.ream O. W.eber. I once had been accused of milking the clock.


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## spork40 (Oct 8, 2007)

come on guys, even after three pages of responses i have not received a lot helpful feedback except criticism, 

ok, so if i move my price range to 200 to 300, how do i know i am finding a good deal?
also, where can i go to shoot lots of different bows? in that price range? used dealers?


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

You could try Cabela's, I know they had several on clearance and several in the bargain cave just to shoot some. You should be able to try out any used one that you buy from an individual too. Utah Archery Center seems to have many fans...any archery shop-just call to see what they have.


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## Seven (Jan 8, 2009)

spork40 said:


> come on guys, even after three pages of responses i have not received a lot helpful feedback except criticism,
> 
> ok, so if i move my price range to 200 to 300, how do i know i am finding a good deal?
> also, where can i go to shoot lots of different bows? in that price range? used dealers?


 We all wish that what you ask was a simple question, however it can be quite complicated when working with used bows.

a newer( within 3 yrs) PSE Nova like someone else posted could possibly be a great starter bow to get back in. if you shop around you probably can get one for fully set up for under 300.

Or if you want I will sell you a an 06 Hoyt powertec that has adjustable draw weight and length. I think it adjusts from 27 to 29.5 and is a 60-70 Lb draw. I will include a fuse whisker bisquit rest, a hoyt quiver, a fiber optic sight, a release, and I think I can round up 6 arrows to go with it. I looked up on archerytalk and ebay and have found the same bow selling from 250 to 450(depending on accesories). I will sell it to you for 250.00. I feel that this is a great deal.. It have been a good bow, however I haven't used it in two years, and am thinking that I will take the money from the sell to look into a used muzzleloader. I can post pics if you want but it might not be till early next week. I am going on a trip the rest of the week and will have limited internet access.


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## cowmilker (Dec 17, 2008)

Dude, you should got look at the DI!


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

cowmilker said:


> Dude, you should got look at the DI!


That made me laugh.............It was mean, but made me laugh.


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## cowmilker (Dec 17, 2008)

elk22hunter said:


> cowmilker said:
> 
> 
> > Dude, you should got look at the DI!
> ...


What's so mean about that? I shop at the DI 2-3 times a week. I can't afford it but I shop there anyway.


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## IDHunter (Dec 17, 2007)

If the money is the difference between you being able to archery hunt or not, then get the cheaper bow. A "nice" bow for $150 is going to be very very difficult, but you do what you need to do. My suggestion is if you find a bow online that you think might work, post the details here. Hopefully you'll get some decent advice on that specific bow.

Anyone who would laugh at you for shooting a cheaper bow is someone you don't need to be spending time around. Some people hunt to better themselves, and some people hunt in hopes of impressing others. Don't ever become the second person.

Probably the best place to find a good used bow is the classified section on ArcheryTalk.

Good luck!


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## spork40 (Oct 8, 2007)

thanks for all the great advice and support. i ended up finding a hoyt ultra mag in my price range that is basically brand new. the owner bought it only to buy a target bow shortly after and let the hoyt sit for a few years. it has a drop away rest, ok sights, new string, peep, stabalizer, 10 brand new g5 gold tip arrows and a locking hard case. i have been able to shoot six or seven bows in the last week and i really like how this feels, even when compared to a new bear and a new hoyt. i cannot wait to practice.


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

That is Awesome! Congrats on finding what you were after and not haveing to spend too much money. I honestly didn't think that you could pull it off. Maybe you did have to raise your range, I don't know but at least you got something to get you out and shooting.


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