cpahunter

Let me first admit, I am still what I consider a newbie in regards to archery but have been a gun hunter for about 40 years. Please don't throw me out - yes I still hunt with a gun.

Now to the subject matter. I just have not taken the time to read much in the last three months, much less think of posting. But a little history first.

I decided in 2002 to go into Archery in hopes of going on an archery Elk hunt in MT. So I read all the reveiws I could, tried a few bows and purchased a 2002 Cybertec. Nice bow, took a wild hawg with it. Then the 2003's come out, new and improved. Read all the reviews and tried a bowtech. Had to have one, so I sold the Cybertec (don't ask how much money I lost) and bought a Pro 40 DC. Actually shot better. I do think the bow had some to do with it but agreed I now have shot for a year, at that time.

More to the point, so having about had it with taxes I decided to read a few reviews ---- and whoa all the new bows with great reviews. But wait what is going on!!! In rifles, we essentially are using the same bolt actions for over 100 years with some modifications. Heck, the 30-06 will celebrate its 100 year anniversary in two years. The 1911 semi-auto pistol is now nearly 100 years old. Yea, I know the new WSM and WSSM but really no major changes. Sure bullets change, but this is an archery forum.

So back to my subject " The Problem with Archery?!" I can't keep up with the changes ---- that's what's the problem. I can't afford the Divorce, I mean the new bow each year. If a person is going to change bows each year why don't they just lease them to us. You know lease not buy. If you don't intend to keep something you rent it. So maybe I should have placed this on eders or somewhere. Hey, new business venture. Bow rental!!

Please don't flame me too bad. I say all the above with tongue in cheek. I just would love to go try some of the new bows but I think I'll stay with my old antique 2003 BowTech Pro 40 DC.

Now that I have ranted, think I'll do a few more tax returns.

Kanga

Hang on a CPA that can't afford a new bow each year that just dont add up

But yes I know what you are saying but in all honesty do what I do instead of throwing out all those pennies that seem to appear in your pocket out save them
By the years end there will be enough to buy 2 or 3 bows plus a bunch of arrows

Swamp Dawg

cpa, I hear ya. I have had the same browning A-bolt 30-06 for about 12 years. I could care less if I don't get another one for another 12 years. I could not go out today and find a better rifle (for me). But every few years, I just have to get a new bow. I think that is part of what makes archery so much fun for me. All the tinkering, etc. I think if you buy quality equipment, you should not lose that much money when you go to sell. IMO, it needs to be a Bowtech, Matthews, Hoyt, or something similiar that has a good resale value. I see used Bowtechs and Matthews selling on ebay for $400-500 all day long. Buy quality accessories as well and hang on to them. That will save a little! I bought a Liberty a few months ago and am already getting the fever to buy a Pat DC! Good luck.

albertakid

Cpahunter
I feel your pain I also have just gotten into archery after many years of rifle hunting and after buying a Parker Hunter mag and shooting it for a while I made the mistake of trying a Bowtech patriot and ended up with it too. Not unlike yourself I cannot afford a divorce, but unlike you I live in Montana so if you are really looking for an elk hunt let me know i have a few friends who guide. Anyway back to the subject of archery I think I have found the right bow for me ad am going to try and stay out of the bow shops and turn a deaf ear to all this new high tech stuff in order to stay married.

I think it is important to remember guys have killed elk with two sticks and a string of buffalo hide so all of this junk is probably unessesary. I hope to get my brain back in the mail soon and maybe I will sell out on technology and go traditional? But it is fun to watch an arrow fly(you can't really see it with a compound)and smack the target hard.

HighBow

Guys, you don't have to update ever year, heck my 2001 Bowtech Extreme Solo is still the fastest 60 lbs bow I have had in my hand, and I'll be hunting with it for years to come if I can stay alive and healthy, my 2004 Bowtech Justice VFT is nice too but just because you see a new bow doesn't mean run out and buy it, just buy as you feel the need and have the $$$ hid away from the wife.

Len in Maryland

I'll try to answer your question. Guns have improved over the last 100 years, but the old ones still work well. Least I say better production of ammunition, improved sighting systems, muzzle breaks, light-weight stocks, etc.

Likewise, bows have improved. The difference, however, is the the demand for archery, while stagnant for the first 3/4 of this century, is increasing every year. The access to hunting around heavily populated areas, in part, has prompted the demand. The desire to improve the 'bow', especially prior to 1990, was impaired by the demand. The demand has produced the need to grasp the latest technology and materials available to give the consumers something more attractive. Since there is so much available in the two categories mentioned, releasing it over a period of time is beneficial to the manufacturers.

There are many new designs in progress right now that may or may not be introduced next year. It's the way most industries operate. My two year old truck does not have all the nice features of the current model. My computer was outdated when I bought it. My two year old television is now much cheaper and new technology makes it look 'old'.

I think you get the point.

Straightarrow

cpahunter,

Keep in mind, there are many hunters still hunting with a stick they carved from a tree and homemade arrows with flint broadheads. You don't need a new bow every year to kill animals. Your current bow or your last one, will be efficient weapons for at least a couple decades. There is far more to be gained by working on form and practicing a lot, then there is by supposedly upgrading equipment. Of course, many of us like new toys, and there's nothing wrong with that. It helps with the economy, and makes sure there are no holes burning in our pockets, but there isn't much to be gained by upgrading frequently.

PABowhntr

Very well said Len.

Cpahunter,

Other than what Len stated I would also add that this year's bows are not leaps and bounds "better" in terms of design and construction than bows from five years ago. There is a noticeable improvement for those of us who "go through alot of bows" but to the normal person I do not think they would really see a significant change from a 1999 Hoyt Magnatec and a 2004 Hoyt Ultramag. That is just my opinion though.

Double Creek

Buying new gear every year keeps it exciting for me. Sure, my 1996 Jennings Apex shot just as good as my 2003 Protec does, but the new gear gets me off my can and out in the yard shooting.

Arthur P

Before I got my ProTec a couple of years ago, I was shooting an old Hoyt Superslam Legacy from around 92-93(?) and shooting it plenty good enough to win a few tournaments. The look on them Mathews shooters' faces was SO gratifying. LOL

I look at things way different than Len does. The industry was NOT stagnate through the first 3/4 of the last century. We started off with English style longbows backed with fiber or baleen. Doug Easton started making aluminum arrows in the 30's. Developements in WWII brought us fiberglass backings and made reliable recurves at a price people could afford and longbows nearly went extinct. Recurves went through a LOT of refinements and designs. Fiberglass arrows made an impact. Compounds came along and recurves darn near went extinct. And they've been upgraded every year. Multiple wheels with heavy cam hangars finally gave way to dual wheel bows with axle holes drilled through the limb tips. That was a major innovation at the time, not even 25 years ago.

But all those innovations came about while NFAA field archery was cock of the walk. We had some unmarked distance 'animal shoots' around hunting season to get the old eyeballs accustomed to judging yardage. That was it. And, frankly, I think the average shooter in those days was at least twice as good as the average shooter today. Most guys I've shot with lately, I doubt they could finish half a field archery round. And hardly any of them know how to stack pins for a shot at 70 or 80 yards. Poor little maroons... [&o]

Then along comes IBO and 3D in the mid-80's. The arms race began right then. The guys that couldn't judge yardage decided a faster arrow would help them beat out the guys that could. Beman introduced pultruded carbon arrows. All of a sudden, speed became more important than accuracy, consistency, quietness or shooting comfort, and it just got worse every year since.

Speed put money into the industry, for sure, but it flat ruined field archery. Suddenly, the byword was "I don't like shooting at spots". Bull! What the heck is that 12-ring? A SPOT, dipwad! Truth of the matter was they couldn't match the scores they shot with their old bows, the draw cycles were so horrid they were getting worn out after about 40 arrows, and they knew there were another 72 arrows to shoot, so they quit shooting field archery. 3D shooters are Wusses!

Now, finally, manufacturers are starting to bring those old time shooting qualities back into their bows while maintaining most of their speed gains. I hope they continue in that direction. We've got plenty of speed already. And, about 15 years ago, traditional archery was reborn with a whole variety of recurves and longbows. Then folks began rediscovering primitive archery, whittling bows out of trees, making arrows out of rivercane, knapping flint heads...

No. Archery has definitely NOT been stagnate, especially since the end of WWII.

Now the manufacturers have worked themselves into a corner. They HAVE to come up with some new wrinkle every year or folks feel betrayed and jump ship to another brandname that does have a new wrinkle. The archery industry is the perfect epitomy of the free market economy at work. Ain't nothing wrong with archery. It's the American way. LOL