Going backwards?

[kbetts]

I want another wheel bow. I've felt some new ones, shot a couple and still feel like I prefer the "old" single cam style. I also hate the ridiculous width of the new platforms. I sold my 60# Mathews z3 and now find myself looking at one in mint condition and 65#. I can work on it myself and oh how I love the slim riser and limbs.
Shoot what makes you happy, right?

 

[NMSbowhunter]

Compounds and trad are not mutually exclusive in my book. I shoot what I like. I love the simplicity of my longbow and as I am slowly getting better, I may someday transition completely out of compounds, but who knows. For now, I like them both, because they have their own strengths and weaknesses.

I agree about the more recent compounds being so wide. I have 2 Mathews Heli M bows, one at 60 and the other at 44. I love the lightweight and slim profile aspect of those older bows.

 

[kbetts]

I love my trad bows and will never give them up, however, there are instances such as the buck I shot last year, that given the conditions and situation, I would've tried to bow kill him if I had the extra 20 yds of range.
I just love archery.

 

[gcr0003]

Am I having deja vu or is this like the second or third thread you've made about going back to piddling with compounds? Either way, I am very much in a similar camp to @NMSbowhunter. I shot my longbow almost exclusively last year until I got a deer with it then I pulled out the compound and had some refreshing hunts with it. I don't have the stuff to work on my own compound but they both have a place in my hunting arsenal. I thought about selling mine, even listed it once or twice, but I am glad I still have it.

As far as single cam bows I don't think a whole lot of people still make them, but I could be wrong. I know Bear and PSE does, but the old archery heads I talk to say the mathews z7 and switchback are the best single cam bows ever made. Regardless if that is true, considering how cheap they can be had for, as well as your past experience with mathews it may be a good option for you to scratch that compound itch. My buddy had the newer PSE single cam and then went and tried a used switchback and sold the PSE. I shot it and it is a sweet little bow. It feels very compact and agile, which would be nice in the tree when moving around for shots. I have heard good things about the Bear bows but I have not shot one myself.

I don't like how fat most of the bows are today either. I have an older Elite Synergy and I very much like the single solid limb design vs the split two which makes the bows so wide. It isn't a single cam but I really do like its draw cylce. I am not sure who is still making solid limb bows though.

 

[HuumanCreed]

I currently have a Mathews V3 27 which I will admit is one of the most easily bow to handle. But I still love shooting my Creed more and it is a lot easier to tune. I still keep up to date with the newer bows but just for curiosity reason mostly. I honestly don't think tech for compound can get anymore 'revolutionary' but it keep my intrigue.

But again, I think you're right. Shoot what make you happy. Even if its a brand new bow, nothing wrong with that too.

I'm using a trad bow only this year. But next year I'm going to be mixing it up because at the end of the day, its about what you have fun using.

 

[Weldabeast]

K i s s

 

[BTaylor]

I want another wheel bow. I've felt some new ones, shot a couple and still feel like I prefer the "old" single cam style. I also hate the ridiculous width of the new platforms. I sold my 60# Mathews z3 and now find myself looking at one in mint condition and 65#. I can work on it myself and oh how I love the slim riser and limbs.
Shoot what makes you happy, right?

I know where there is an LX 70# @ 29".

 

[MattMan81]

I had dreams of having more time as the kids got older to spend some time and become good enough to hunt trad. Boy am I wrong. Part of me is thinking just stick with the crossbow. Forget the compound as well.

 

[kbetts]

Am I having deja vu or is this like the second or third thread you've made about going back to piddling with compounds? Either way, I am very much in a similar camp to @NMSbowhunter. I shot my longbow almost exclusively last year until I got a deer with it then I pulled out the compound and had some refreshing hunts with it. I don't have the stuff to work on my own compound but they both have a place in my hunting arsenal. I thought about selling mine, even listed it once or twice, but I am glad I still have it.

As far as single cam bows I don't think a whole lot of people still make them, but I could be wrong. I know Bear and PSE does, but the old archery heads I talk to say the mathews z7 and switchback are the best single cam bows ever made. Regardless if that is true, considering how cheap they can be had for, as well as your past experience with mathews it may be a good option for you to scratch that compound itch. My buddy had the newer PSE single cam and then went and tried a used switchback and sold the PSE. I shot it and it is a sweet little bow. It feels very compact and agile, which would be nice in the tree when moving around for shots. I have heard good things about the Bear bows but I have not shot one myself.

I don't like how fat most of the bows are today either. I have an older Elite Synergy and I very much like the single solid limb design vs the split two which makes the bows so wide. It isn't a single cam but I really do like its draw cylce. I am not sure who is still making solid limb bows though.

No, you're right. I love archery. I'll tinker, get bored with it and start over. I like the process as much as anything.
The only thing that has remained fairly consistent over the years is shooting a single cam Mathews.

 

[BTaylor]

I had dreams of having more time as the kids got older to spend some time and become good enough to hunt trad. Boy am I wrong. Part of me is thinking just stick with the crossbow. Forget the compound as well.

Dont give up the stickbow idea.

 

[kbetts]

Dont give up the stickbow idea.

Trad bows are just plain fun to shoot. Low pressure, simple equipment, it's where I find the most peace.
The stresser with a trad bow is when you've got a critter at around 27 yards and cause you had to climb a little higher than usual.....the target looks awful tiny....

 

[MtnCodger]

I’m still going with the first bow I ever purchased myself in 2011, a Diamond Dead Eye 70# @ 29.5”. It was affordable for me at the time and I’ve been able to upgrade the components as I like. It’s the same slender, single cam design as you mentioned before. It’s fast, effective and I still enjoy it. I looked at some new models this spring but I’m getting a new string and new arrows for ole reliable instead.

 

[Maverick1]

Shoot what makes you happy, right?

Right. I shoot a bow from 2009 because I like how it shoots and it makes me happy.

Newer bows are marginally better in terms of speed and being quiet, but also wider and heavier. I’ll keep what I’ve got!

 

[Horn]

Interesting that we all want a light bow. Me too, when I said I wanted a lighter bow last year I was asked if I knew that a bow "should have some weight to it" I bought the light one. I might still shoot my solo cam better to be honest, switchback XT. I do have much more time with it though

 

[Horn]

I don't like how fat most of the bows are today either. I have an older Elite Synergy and I very much like the single solid limb design vs the split two which makes the bows so wide. It isn't a single cam but I really do like its draw cylce. I am not sure who is still making solid limb bows though.

APA still makes solid limb bows. Hard to find dealers, and they are 2 cams but people who try them seem to like them. The air model is only 3.2#

 

[BackSpasm]

Am I having deja vu or is this like the second or third thread you've made about going back to piddling with compounds? Either way, I am very much in a similar camp to @NMSbowhunter. I shot my longbow almost exclusively last year until I got a deer with it then I pulled out the compound and had some refreshing hunts with it. I don't have the stuff to work on my own compound but they both have a place in my hunting arsenal. I thought about selling mine, even listed it once or twice, but I am glad I still have it.

As far as single cam bows I don't think a whole lot of people still make them, but I could be wrong. I know Bear and PSE does, but the old archery heads I talk to say the mathews z7 and switchback are the best single cam bows ever made. Regardless if that is true, considering how cheap they can be had for, as well as your past experience with mathews it may be a good option for you to scratch that compound itch. My buddy had the newer PSE single cam and then went and tried a used switchback and sold the PSE. I shot it and it is a sweet little bow. It feels very compact and agile, which would be nice in the tree when moving around for shots. I have heard good things about the Bear bows but I have not shot one myself.

I don't like how fat most of the bows are today either. I have an older Elite Synergy and I very much like the single solid limb design vs the split two which makes the bows so wide. It isn't a single cam but I really do like its draw cylce. I am not sure who is still making solid limb bows though.

I normally ignore most of the things this guy ^ says but I have an z7 someone gave me and the thing is smooth as butter. Still prefer my new fast compound most of the time but I have killed 4 bucks with the z7 and have had a great experience shooting it.


Edit: I am also #tradcurious and have a recurve arriving tomorrow