New to Bow Shopping - Which Elk Bow?

[treillw]

Haven't bow shopped in nearly 15 years. What are the top of the line bows out there to consider for elk hunting? Just starting research. Lots of options - Bowtech, Matthews, Hoyt, Prime, PSE......

Help me start my journey off on the right foot and maybe trim a few miles off of it

Currently shooting a 70# draw weight Bowtech Allegiance.

Thanks!

 

[Ucsdryder]

The advice is simple. Shoot them all.

 

[coyote13]

I just went through the same thing. I have a 2006 Allegiance that has been my favorite bow, nothing ever impressed me enough to change.
I started looking last year, shot every bow i could, i tried to stay with Bowtech and i bought a Realm X last year, its a good bow but it never felt right.
I starting looking again this year shooting all of the flagship bows and I ended up buying a Prime CT5, it is the first bow that i was truly excited by in years.
The best part for me is that the grip & draw cycle feel just like my Allegiance.
At the end of the day, all of the manufactures are making good bows today you need go and shoot them all , multiple times until you find that bow that says "take me hunting" . Also the close second for me was the Elite Ritual 35, but the draw cycle on the CT5 was better on my shoulder, not that the Elite is bad, its just different.
Good Luck

 

[HookUp]

Let the bow choose you. They all have things you will like and dislike. Then go buy a used one off archery talk and save a pile of cash. Don't over look bows that are 2-3 years old the tech hasn't changed.

 

[Scottyboy]

Will keep echoing the “shoot as many as you can” recommendation.

I shot mathews, hoyt, prime and bowtech before deciding the helix was right for me. I actually shot them all and then shot them again a week later to reaffirm my thoughts.

 

[ElkArcher918]

With engineering technology and materials science being what it is today, most of the top of the line brands make excellent hunting bows. It really boils down to personal preference and budget. Shoot as many bows within your budget and see which feels and shoots best for you. You'll be surprised how quickly you'll be able to narrow down your choices. Shopping for a new bow is a fun experience, enjoy.

 

[nphunter]

I would make sure you go shoot them somewhere where the people know how to set up a bow and one that someone take the time to set to your proper draw length. So many bows are out of tune significantly when sitting on the wall at the shop. Some shops do a great job setting them up and some shops just take them out of the box and put a loop and whisker biscuit on them for people to shoot.

All of the new bows feel great, personally i would buy new from someone with a great warranty. I prefer Hoyt personally after shooting them for years they just feel great to me. I also keep bows for a long time and like to know that the manufacturer will fix them or replace them if i have issues. I have used the warranty on several brands of bows. There are a lot of company who make awesome bows that will be out of business in 10 years from now so i would personally avoid companies like that since you kept your last bow for 15 years.

To me unless a bow has adjustable yokes i will shy away from buying it, i have owned both and personally to me and the way i like to setup and tune a bow that it is important to me. Some are ok with shimming cams or changing grip pressure but i prefer not to have to do those things. Some new bows have limb stops some have string stops, personally i prefer the string stops but my wife and son like having limb stops.

There are a few newer companies like Prime that have great bows with incredible fit and finish. If you are the original owner they will supply you with new strings every two years for the life of the bow. They have terrible resale because they are draw length specific but that is ok if you plan on keeping them.

 

[406unltd]

I’d recommend shooting all the brands you can at the local shop and then try to get a longer ata hunting bow for the added stability. Just my opinion. Any of them are gonna be awesome for elk at 70#. Good luck

 

[Ranch Fairy]

Shoot your current bow, 550 grain arrow with some awesome cut on contact heads.

 

[TJfromTX]

Speaking of Warranties...... has anyone had experience with Mathews? Looking seriously at their bows, and was wondering.

 

[CAhunter]

Speaking of Warranties...... has anyone had experience with Mathews? Looking seriously at their bows, and was wondering.

I damaged both limbs on my previous Mathews bow by falling in some shale on a hunt. I went through my archery shop and they had new limbs shipped out and replaced in less than a week at no cost to me. This was during archery season. I was impressed.

 

[TJfromTX]

Awesome to hear! Thanks for the info.... Shot the Vertix at the shop about a month ago and I've been thinking about it since.

 

[elkguide]

Do you have a great bow shop? What brands do they sell?
Go and shoot what they have and find out what you like, what feels/fits you best.

I drive 1 1/2 hours each way to get to the shop that I trust, even though I drive past 3 other shops on the way. A good bow shop/technician is worth the extra travel.

 

[TJfromTX]

I do. They sell all the major brands and I've tried many. Just like you I drive over an hour and past 2 other shops to get to them. A shop with great people and great service are hard to come by nowadays. Glad I found them.