Archery on a budget

Joined
Feb 17, 2016
Messages
21
Draw odds for rifle deer in ND have been pretty bad recently. So one of my friends has decided to try archery. I told him that he should prepare for a $1200 bill for a new bow... Minimum. He had a little sticker shock at that and was wondering if you can get a decent setup for less than $700 or $800. I don't have much experience with new budget gear. Anyone have recommendations? Should he try to find a used bow instead of a new budget bow?

Thanks
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
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Colorado Springs
If he has an average draw length.....absolutely look for a good used bow. Have him get measured by a "competent" bow tech for draw length and try shooting a few new bows at a good shop to get a feel for what he likes. They should be able to recommend something to him in the used market that shoots similarly to what he finds that he likes. Then for the trouble, make sure he brings whatever he gets back to them for servicing and setup. You can find some great used bows for under $400.

I'm left-handed with a 32 1/2" draw, so I usually don't have the luxury of finding used bows that will work for me.
 

Felix40

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Jul 27, 2015
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New Mexico
Used is the way to go for sure. Just remember that itll cost $100 or so to have a shop tune a bow if it needs it. I probably have less than $500 in my setup.
 
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
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I bought a brand new Mathews Z3. It was a 2016 model and I bought it right after all the 2017 Mathews models came out. Kinda like new cars, when the New Years models come out you can find some decent deals on the older model.
I had a trophy ridge sight and a whisker biscuit already . So I bought the bow and a Mathews quiver and 6 new Easton FMJ arrows and I think I was out the door for under 700 buck set up.
 
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go used. i just got a hoyt nitrum 30 for under 450 on archery talk i couldnt pass it up. they were a 1000 new a year and a half ago. depreciation on bows is crazy. id look for a bowtech experience or elite energy 32. should be right around 400/450 used
 

kodiakfly

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Bill Winke just did an article on budget bows in Bowhunter or Bowhunting...whichever one he writes for. I get both of them, so I don't recall which it was. Anyway, he talks about this very thing and if a guy isn't picky, one can buy reputable, NEW bow set ups for $500-$600 pretty easily. They may not be as fast or as sleek as the top end bows, but just like he says in the article, budget bows today have the number that top shelf bows had 5-10 years ago and they were killing deer then, they'll do it now. Used is an option for sure and there's some gems to be had. But if your buddy is new to archery, he may take value in having bought a new set up from an archery shop, as they'll usually take really good care (last minute peep adjustments, fix a center serving, help level a sight, etc) of a customer who buys the bow there.
 

OR Archer

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Feb 29, 2012
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Mesa,AZ
A couple of really good "budget" bows are the Hoyt Powermax and PSE Vendetta VX. Both are $600 or less. They shoot good speeds, tune well, and have plenty of adjustments for a newer shooter. Fully set up with good equipment they would come in under a $1k. Gives him the confidence that the bow is new and has never been mistreated or damaged.
 

JWP58

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Nov 21, 2013
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I picked up a year old pse source hd last year for 350 bucks. You don't have to spend a ton to get a bow suitable for hunting. Will it be what some pro hunter with groupies is shooting? No.
 

Boreal

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Nov 11, 2013
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Anchorage, AK
Find a bow shop that does consignment and get a used bow through the shop. They should do initial tuning with the purchase. Either that or they'll steer him toward a consumer level bow that will certainly get the job done on a deer, but without the titanium bolts and super-cams of the flagship bows. Just practice with what you get, then practice some more.
 

AKMAN

Lil-Rokslider
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Jul 14, 2016
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191
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Alaska
Nobody is more into gucci gear than I am, but I bought a "Blackout" Intrigue (read: Bass Pro branded Diamond Infinite Edge with a single cam) that had a crappy sight and a crappy rest and an OK quiver for $299 with a promo they had going last July. I swapped out the rest and wrist sling, bought some good Easton arrows and still came in a hair over $400.
I shot that bow 3 - 4 times a week through the fall. By October, I could hit a two inch dot kneeling, sitting and standing every time, first shot at 30 yards. I passed my bow hunter safety course with flying colors hunted deer during archery season for the first time in my life.
That is by no means a statement about my shooting ability, and more a statement about getting into archery hunting on a budget.
I knew my bow wasn't a "speed bow" and I knew I wasn't going to be shooting at elk 80 yards away, but I had complete confidence in my ability to ethically harvest deer at my predetermined max range (35 yards) and it got me archery hunting for about $400.

All that being said, I recently bought a new for 2017 "designer" bow at full MSRP and have been throwing money at it ever since.
But the less expensive bow got me started and would have worked just fine for this year too.
 
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
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North Carolina
Draw odds for rifle deer in ND have been pretty bad recently. So one of my friends has decided to try archery. I told him that he should prepare for a $1200 bill for a new bow... Minimum. He had a little sticker shock at that and was wondering if you can get a decent setup for less than $700 or $800. I don't have much experience with new budget gear. Anyone have recommendations? Should he try to find a used bow instead of a new budget bow?

Thanks
the hoyt powermax package is a great starter bow that comes as a package for 699
 
Joined
Jan 17, 2014
Messages
661
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Truckee
He has many options especially for a primary deer bow . Brand new bow set ups for around $600-$700 with some arrows no problem. These are capable and perform with or ahead of the expensive set ups 10 years ago that were slaying everything we kill now.
 

qwerksc

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Jan 11, 2017
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California
I bought a Mathews switchback xt, on archerytalk, loaded, bought some new arrows and a tune up and I'm in for under $500. It's an older bow, but smooth shooting.
 
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