# archery



## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

Wandering if there are any archery entusiasts here. If so, what type of bows do you all like to use? I use to bow hunt all the time some 15 years ago but I don't have a clue as to what bows are out there these days. I used to use an XI Magnum and a little later a High Country Royal Hunter. I can't seem to find those anymore. I am looking to get back into archery and any insight would be most useful. Thanks..


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

Almost sounds like me. But everytime I look at the price of those new bows I kind of frown and think, do I really want to get back into bow hunting with a compound. 

I have several recurve bows in the closet and I would really love to catch a deer with one. But for some reason I just don't feel confident enough. I can shoot good. I kill rabbits and squirrels with a recurve, but everytime I've shot at a deer it would hear the string and dodge the arrow. I didn't have that problem when I use to hunt with a compound.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Started with a *Darton * a long time ago. The second year one of the limbs broke, *Darton * was really good about it and replaced the whole bow. I couldn't get it to shoot for me even though it was the same model as the one that broke the limb. I finally sold it and bought a I believe *Hastings*(close to 35 years ago so the brand name slips my mind, I know it was made in Hastings Michigan.) since bought out by *Darton*. In 2001 I bought a *Matthews.*installed a red dot sight on it and love the thing a lot. Probably the last bow I'll ever own.
Watch yard sales, lots of times guys who got new stuff willsell the old one at a yard sale cheap.

 Al


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## Tad (Apr 2, 2003)

I have an older PSE, they have improved a lot in the 10-12 years since this bow was built but it works and we are busy on the farm still for most of bow season so I am not going to spend money on a new one to go 3 or 4 times a year. I would watch craigslist ours has TONS of them starting july aug when they hard core guys start pulling them out.


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## Ohio Rusty (Jan 18, 2008)

Bows have changed to the point where they are no longer bows but handheld computers !! There is so much that has gone into their new design, they hardly look like a bow.

I started with recurves, Bear and PSE mostly. Did ALOT of fish and frog shooting then. I shot an early Bear Whitetail compound for a while then shot an Oneida Eagle. That was my favorite. After rotor cuff surgery, bow shooting became limited (I didn't want to tear it again) so I went to a crossbow. I still have a working longbow and arrows .........
Ohio Rusty ><>


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

Bows have come along way in 15 years . high country is still around . The biggest change is how quiet they are and weight . Also , easier to draw back . competitive 3 D shooting has drop offed . The newest models are just tweaks of last years model. Crossbow are now the hottest thing going are as far innovations or tweaks . Ghillie suits are becoming popular . I was told to be careful on used models . You can get good deals from guys who are constantly buying the latest bow and putting their last year bow on sale .


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

Oldcountryboy said:


> Almost sounds like me. But everytime I look at the price of those new bows I kind of frown and think, do I really want to get back into bow hunting with a compound.
> 
> I have several recurve bows in the closet and I would really love to catch a deer with one. But for some reason I just don't feel confident enough. I can shoot good. I kill rabbits and squirrels with a recurve, but everytime I've shot at a deer it would hear the string and dodge the arrow. I didn't have that problem when I use to hunt with a compound.


I have considered the recurve as well. Mostly from a cost standpoint and nastalgic (prolly not spelled right lol) reasons. What kind of recurve you got?


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

alleyyooper said:


> Started with a *Darton * a long time ago. The second year one of the limbs broke, *Darton * was really good about it and replaced the whole bow. I couldn't get it to shoot for me even though it was the same model as the one that broke the limb. I finally sold it and bought a I believe *Hastings*(close to 35 years ago so the brand name slips my mind, I know it was made in Hastings Michigan.) since bought out by *Darton*. In 2001 I bought a *Matthews.*installed a red dot sight on it and love the thing a lot. Probably the last bow I'll ever own.
> Watch yard sales, lots of times guys who got new stuff willsell the old one at a yard sale cheap.
> 
> Al


Was your Darton the lightning model? I heard they are really fast.


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

Wintergrower_OH said:


> Bows have come along way in 15 years . high country is still around . The biggest change is how quiet they are and weight . Also , easier to draw back . competitive 3 D shooting has drop offed . The newest models are just tweaks of last years model. Crossbow are now the hottest thing going are as far innovations or tweaks . Ghillie suits are becoming popular . I was told to be careful on used models . You can get good deals from guys who are constantly buying the latest bow and putting their last year bow on sale .


I checked Cabellas, Gander Mountain, and BassPro's but couldn't find the High Country Models. I live out in the sticks and the nearest sports store is prolly over a 100 miles away. Do you know of anyone the sells them online? Are they still a pretty good Bow?


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

Online Store Â« High Country Archery . High country bows are like darton . popular in certain parts of the country .


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

Yes they are still a good bows . I believe Ikes ( youtube reviews are good ) . Their is a guy in Colorado that like them and reviews on youtube .


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

My *Darton *was several years before the SL 50 and lighting. 
I still think *Darton *bows are good bows. I just got a better deal on the *Hastings*back then and latter the *Matthews *due to the dealer and the indoor range they have. Good place to spend a cold blustery winter day with some friends.

 Al


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

Wintergrower_OH said:


> Online Store Â« High Country Archery . High country bows are like darton . popular in certain parts of the country .



I appreciate that. I will certainly check them out.


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

wildcat6 said:


> I have considered the recurve as well. Mostly from a cost standpoint and nastalgic (prolly not spelled right lol) reasons. What kind of recurve you got?


One is a 40# browning wasp, one.....the one I hunt with.....I have no ideal as I've had camoflage tape on it for years and I''ve forgotten what kind it is. But it's a 45# recurve. Then I also have a homemade stick bow the measures 49# at 28 inch draw. I would love to kill a deer with it but I hate shooting it as it has a lot of shock when shooting it. I also have a bear 40# fiberglass recurve. I like shooting it also. I use to keep it rigged up for bowfishing. Then I have several 20 pound recurves that I would let my kids and neighborhood kids shoot around with. 

This is only half of what I use to own in recurves and longbows. My wife made me downsize a couple of years ago. She was getting tired of bows falling everywhere when she'd open the closet door. Now that I'm getting a divorce, I wished I had kept them.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

My two old Bear bows have served me so well over the years, that I just hate to turn them loose for fancier models. (Price sticker shock might also have a lil something to do with it, lol.) I use my Bear Whitetail for bowfishing fun, and my Bear Pronghorn for both hunting and competition 3D shoots.


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

I'm not sure if a 45 lb meets the legal requirement to hunt deer . There is store near fort wayne Indiana that specializes in recurves . Three river archery ?


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

Oldcountryboy said:


> One is a 40# browning wasp, one.....the one I hunt with.....I have no ideal as I've had camoflage tape on it for years and I''ve forgotten what kind it is. But it's a 45# recurve. Then I also have a homemade stick bow the measures 49# at 28 inch draw. I would love to kill a deer with it but I hate shooting it as it has a lot of shock when shooting it. I also have a bear 40# fiberglass recurve. I like shooting it also. I use to keep it rigged up for bowfishing. Then I have several 20 pound recurves that I would let my kids and neighborhood kids shoot around with.
> 
> This is only half of what I use to own in recurves and longbows. My wife made me downsize a couple of years ago. She was getting tired of bows falling everywhere when she'd open the closet door. Now that I'm getting a divorce, I wished I had kept them.


Wow, you do have a lot of bows. Which one is your favorite?


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

I have a Browning Fusion from maybe 1982...Still works great.


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## nicholasjvela (Apr 19, 2012)

Personally I am just starting out in Traditional Archery, and purchase my supplies from a geeky store (www.medievalcollectibles.com):pound: I am starting out in homesteading, and archery is my top skill thus far. 28" Draw 40 draw weight


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

Wintergrower_OH said:


> I'm not sure if a 45 lb meets the legal requirement to hunt deer . There is store near fort wayne Indiana that specializes in recurves . Three river archery ?


Probably depends on what state you hunt in. Here in Oklahoma, to hunt deer, 40# is the minumum for any kind of bow you use except crossbows have to be 100 #. I've heard of people with 35 # bows taking down full grown elk bulls. 



wildcat6 said:


> Wow, you do have a lot of bows. Which one is your favorite?


I can't really say, I purty much like them all. I love bowfishing with the smaller poundage bows and I love target shooting with a small homemade stick bow I made last summer. I'd like to make another one of about 30 pounds to use for small game and bowfishing.

Forgot to tell you. I don't do this much anymore, but I use to do a little bit of trick shooting with a mid poundage bow. I loved to amaze kids with some of the tricky positions I'd get into. I'd do shots with my body turned completely away from the target, or almost in a 270 degree turn. I'd shoot with my arms extended over my head, or with my back to the target I would double over and shoot in a upside down position. Or lay down on my back with my head toward the target and shoot overhead toward the target. I'd tell them that sometimes I get real sleepy while deer hunting and I'd lay down to take a nap. Then I'd show them the laying down shot. Also, had the "caught with my pants down shot". Plus several more made up shots. 

A couple of years ago I ran into a young lady in her mid 20's that I knew from when she was a little girl. She asked me if I still do all those trick shots. I was amazed that she remembered me doing them.


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

Oldcountryboy said:


> Probably depends on what state you hunt in. Here in Oklahoma, to hunt deer, 40# is the minumum for any kind of bow you use except crossbows have to be 100 #. I've heard of people with 35 # bows taking down full grown elk bulls.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow, that's impressive! I am not anywhere near that level. In fact it has been so long it will probably be like starting over again. Sometimes it amazes me how a kids life can be so deeply impacted when you don't even realize your doing it.


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