New bow

[Roadglide]

Any opinions on bow brands. Looking for a new one. I have a 28 DL. Will be used for hunting tree stand and blind. What's the best axle/brace height for my application. Looked at all different brands but getting info overload. Cost isn't an issue.

 

[pupchow]

I have a Mathews VXR 28. My self-imposed limit for hunting from a tree is 40 yards, and this bow is near to perfection for my use. A few ounces lighter would be nice but the draw cycle, lack of hand shock, and level of quiet are outstanding. And the ability to alter its draw length and weight, simply by swapping modules, is bonus. There are some leftovers hanging around shops.

 

[dezignguy]

I shoot a Mission Ballistic, gets the job done. Reedy’s has a huge selection of Mathew’s and Mission in stock, I was just there the other day. Excellent customer service.

 

[Bigfudge16]

Im running a mission switch atm. I like it a lot, very smooth, feels a little heavy though. That being said the diamond I was shooting before was about as minimalist as you can get with a cammed bow

 

[Roadglide]

I shoot a Mission Ballistic, gets the job done. Reedy’s has a huge selection of Mathew’s and Mission in stock, I was just there the other day. Excellent customer service.

I have the mission hype dtx from Reedys. It works but looking to upgrade. I have an issue with Reedys and wont go there again. Shop near me doesn't sell Matthews. They sell Bowtech Elite Prime and Athens. Trying to configure the best size at my DL.

 

[Mark from MA]

I have a Mathews VXR 28. My self-imposed limit for hunting from a tree is 40 yards, and this bow is near to perfection for my use. A few ounces lighter would be nice but the draw cycle, lack of hand shock, and level of quiet are outstanding. And the ability to alter its draw length and weight, simply by swapping modules, is bonus. There are some leftovers hanging around shops.

I have the same. Bought it this year as a leftover for $600 at KTP. Love the bow.

They had a V3X which is a new model 2021 leftover, hanging for $799 when I was up there last weekend.
I don't think KTP sold a lot of bows last year, lots of 2021 and 2022 leftovers at full price hanging. I'll be looking for deals there in the off season when the Phase 4 8 limbed 2023 bows comes in.

Likely prices will drop at least 2-300 off new on these leftovers.

Lately I think Mathews is kinda killing it with the switch ablilty of weights, lengths and letoff with a simple module change. Also the new in line dovetail setup is sweet so there are no accesories hanging off and you can get a quiver that has the arrows real flat to the bow. Their bows are fairly rock solid and well made too. Lot of attention to little details......but you pay for it. Which is why I buy these things as leftovers.

Mathews accessories are as expensive as fxck though.

 

[Mark from MA]

I have the mission hype dtx from Reedys. It works but looking to upgrade. I have an issue with Reedys and wont go there again. Shop near me doesn't sell Matthews. They sell Bowtech Elite Prime and Athens. Trying to configure the best size at my DL.

I buy my bows at KTP usually....because of the price and availability of leftovers, and I usually have trade in money from something else.

All my tuning and setup is done in NH at Pelletiers sports........top notch guys. Don't care where I bought the bow. Pelletiers does have Mathews and Bowtech as well. No tax in NH either.

 

[Roadglide]

I buy my bows at KTP usually....because of the price and availability of leftovers, and I usually have trade in money from something else.

All my tuning and setup is done in NH at Pelletiers sports........top notch guys. Don't care where I bought the bow. Pelletiers does have Mathews and Bowtech as well. No tax in NH either.

I found a shop near me xspot archery. Been looking at the elite omnia bowtech cp30 and the Athens vista 31. I guess it will come down to whatever I shoot the best. My current set up is 31 ata and 7 1/4 brace. Probably slow as F with a 400 grain arrow. Now I know speed isn't all that important but like the idea of shooting flatter Arrows. Trying to pick the best ata and brace height for hunting deer.

 

[peterk123]

All the major players make incredible bows today. I've been shooting bowtech for the past seventeen years. I've owned two. I'm currently shooting the realm x. I prefer longer ata. I think they are just more stable and provide better string angles.

My son in law just picked up a Bear. Fully equipped at $750. Incredible bow. I always felt that Bear was the most underrated in the market. His purchase proved it. Same technically as all the high end guys for less than half the price. All because the riser is forged and not machined. It's just as good.

 

[alcestwo]

If you're thinking of Hoyt, try Jerry's Bait & Tackle in Milford, MA. He usually has their full line plus some PSE and a couple of Diamonds. Great customer service.

 

[nitsy33]

I have a 2104 hoyt CS30, love it to death. Not going to sell it but might get a newer bow just to have 2. Go shoot a few and see what one fits you the best and feels good, i was set on the faktor til i shot the cs. Open that wallet as i saw prices upwards of $1500+ for a bare top of the line bow,ouch.

 

[kerryman71]

If you're thinking of Hoyt, try Jerry's Bait & Tackle in Milford, MA. He usually has their full line plus some PSE and a couple of Diamonds. Great customer service.

Second on Jerry's. I bought a PSE from someone on this forum. Took it in to get it tuned and adjusted, had arrows made, etc. I spent well over an hour in there, shooting and adjusting the sites upstairs in the indoor range. One of those places where you could probably spend the day drinking coffee and shooting the breeze.

 

[bren42970]

I shoot a Mathews Vertex. It passed the 25’ drop out of a tree stand test and dropped a buck with it Saturday

 

[carmyne]

Elite Omnia gets very good reviews from guys on archerytalk... Elite has a much bigger fan base than I realized.. That said I bought a Prime this year and like it very much.

 

[Mark from MA]

I found a shop near me xspot archery. Been looking at the elite omnia bowtech cp30 and the Athens vista 31. I guess it will come down to whatever I shoot the best. My current set up is 31 ata and 7 1/4 brace. Probably slow as F with a 400 grain arrow. Now I know speed isn't all that important but like the idea of shooting flatter Arrows. Trying to pick the best ata and brace height for hunting deer.

Speed doesn't matter. I shoot overly heavy arrows and only cut on contact heads for penetration. I only shoot 60#.

I'll not argue the forever argument of blades vs. open on impact. Use what works for you.

I do shoot these lower brace height bows better than I ever thought I would. I don't hold the brace as much of a thing anymore as long as the cams are tuned.

 

[peterk123]

Speed doesn't matter. I shoot overly heavy arrows and only cut on contact heads for penetration. I only shoot 60#.

I'll not argue the forever argument of blades vs. open on impact. Use what works for you.

I do shoot these lower brace height bows better than I ever thought I would. I don't hold the brace as much of a thing anymore as long as the cams are tuned.

Times 1000!

 

[Mark from MA]

I shoot a Mathews Vertex. It passed the 25’ drop out of a tree stand test and dropped a buck with it Saturday

LOL Years ago I dropped a Mathews DXT from head height in a 20 foot stand to the forest floor. Went to put it on the plastic hook I had tied on the rope, and the hook broke and I was standing there holding the end of the rope in my hand.......saying NOOOOO as it fell.

Shot a deer with it the next day. Honestly I don't even think there was a scratch on it....luckily it didn't hit rocks.

 

[Mark from MA]

All the major players make incredible bows today. I've been shooting bowtech for the past seventeen years. I've owned two. I'm currently shooting the realm x. I prefer longer ata. I think they are just more stable and provide better string angles.

My son in law just picked up a Bear. Fully equipped at $750. Incredible bow. I always felt that Bear was the most underrated in the market. His purchase proved it. Same technically as all the high end guys for less than half the price. All because the riser is forged and not machined. It's just as good.

I shot a bear legend pro at KTP just for shits and grins. It was not bad at all for $550 brand new. It was kind of cool too in the old papa bear camo....lol.

 

[71montess]

I found a shop near me xspot archery. Been looking at the elite omnia bowtech cp30 and the Athens vista 31. I guess it will come down to whatever I shoot the best. My current set up is 31 ata and 7 1/4 brace. Probably slow as F with a 400 grain arrow. Now I know speed isn't all that important but like the idea of shooting flatter Arrows. Trying to pick the best ata and brace height for hunting deer.

I just had a bow restrung at Xspot. Fast turn around , good price, think his wife works the register.

 

[Roadglide]

I just had a bow restrung at Xspot. Fast turn around , good price, think his wife works the register.

Yup. This the first year I've really put the work in for bow hunting. I bought a mission bow from Reedys about five years ago. I've had some issues with them recently so I've moved on. Guy I work with told me about xspot. My bow has never really been tuned correctly but my half assed lazy approach to bow hunting was part of the problem. Its still not right in my opinion but its good enough for the rest of the season and I will upgrade this off season and get it dialed in correctly. xspot picked up a problem with my rest that Reedys missed. They should've picked that up immediately. Figure I'll give them the business for a new bow

 

[kerryman71]

I shoot a Mathews Vertex. It passed the 25’ drop out of a tree stand test and dropped a buck with it Saturday

LOL Years ago I dropped a Mathews DXT from head height in a 20 foot stand to the forest floor. Went to put it on the plastic hook I had tied on the rope, and the hook broke and I was standing there holding the end of the rope in my hand.......saying NOOOOO as it fell.

Shot a deer with it the next day. Honestly I don't even think there was a scratch on it....luckily it didn't hit rocks.

Same thing happened to me recently. I had my PSE attached to my backpack. Attached the carabiner to the backpack (so I thought) to lower it out of my stand and down it went. Landed bow first, with the backpack on top of it. Pretty much landed flat. Gave it a quick once over, shot some arrows and no problems. Just noticed today that the leveling bubble on the site was broken, but I don't think I even use it so no big deal.

 

[Roadglide]

Same thing happened to me recently. I had my PSE attached to my backpack. Attached the carabiner to the backpack (so I thought) to lower it out of my stand and down it went. Landed bow first, with the backpack on top of it. Pretty much landed flat. Gave it a quick once over, shot some arrows and no problems. Just noticed today that the leveling bubble on the site was broken, but I don't think I even use it so no big deal.

Caught the quiver on the ladder rings as I was pulling it up. Ripped one of the fletchings off one arrow. Got out to my stand this morning before first light and realized I left my release in the truck. This whole season has been one dumb thing after another for me.

 

[kerryman71]

Caught the quiver on the ladder rings as I was pulling it up. Ripped one of the fletchings off one arrow. Got out to my stand this morning before first light and realized I left my release in the truck. This whole season has been one dumb thing after another for me.

I get you. I've come close to doing the same thing. I keep mine attached to bow in the case, and when I take it out it goes right in my pocket if I'm going in before shooting light. I usually have issues when I'm packing up at the end of the day in the dark. Luckily all I've left behind are a couple climbing aiders that I made myself.

 

[dezignguy]

Doesn’t hurt to have a spare release tucked away in your pack. That reminds me to put my spare back in my pack just in case.

 

[Roadglide]

Doesn’t hurt to have a spare release tucked away in your pack. That reminds me to put my spare back in my pack just in case.

Going to try a handheld release this off season. I'm not a fan of the wrist ones.

 

[Mark from MA]

I get you. I've come close to doing the same thing. I keep mine attached to bow in the case, and when I take it out it goes right in my pocket if I'm going in before shooting light. I usually have issues when I'm packing up at the end of the day in the dark. Luckily all I've left behind are a couple climbing aiders that I made myself.

The whole treestand thing/packing in packing out/setting up is just fraught with disaster. The older I get the worse it gets. Ive dropped more shit out my stand this year than ever. Ive had stands that are half set up, that should have taken me 10 mins to set, but have taken me 3 trips up and down and an hour because Ive dropped shit or other issues.

The one thing that has helped me is using stand brackets like the Millenium or XOP pre set brackets. It takes all of the hanging there trying to get the strap around while holding the weight of the stand out of the equation. And I leave them in a few pre set trees and just pull the stand.....it lets you do two things.....only have one stand for a bunch of trees, and keeps your stands out of the weather and most important, from being hunted by anyone else if your on public land.

 

[Mark from MA]

Going to try a handheld release this off season. I'm not a fan of the wrist ones.

I've probably got the oldest scott mongoose wrist release known to man. But it works, and I've shot about 100 deer with it, but I always wanted to try some of these new ones.

 

[Roadglide]

I've probably got the oldest scott mongoose wrist release known to man. But it works, and I've shot about 100 deer with it, but I always wanted to try some of these new ones.

The fact that I’ve never properly learned how to shoot a bow is my biggest problem. The index release is too clunky for me. Feel like it stretches my draw length and I’m always futzing with it while in the stand. It’s constantly in my way. There’s a reason I don’t wear watches.

 

[kerryman71]

The whole treestand thing/packing in packing out/setting up is just fraught with disaster. The older I get the worse it gets. Ive dropped more shit out my stand this year than ever. Ive had stands that are half set up, that should have taken me 10 mins to set, but have taken me 3 trips up and down and an hour because Ive dropped shit or other issues.

The one thing that has helped me is using stand brackets like the Millenium or XOP pre set brackets. It takes all of the hanging there trying to get the strap around while holding the weight of the stand out of the equation. And I leave them in a few pre set trees and just pull the stand.....it lets you do two things.....only have one stand for a bunch of trees, and keeps your stands out of the weather and most important, from being hunted by anyone else if your on public land.

I've thought of adding a quick connect hook to the equation just to be able to do as you mention, get the stand where I want it and strap it in without having to hold the weight at the same time. Something I recently discovered which helped me is to have the strap shorter than the width of the tree where I can reach around and get the end of it and pull just what I need at the clamp and get it over the button, then pull tight. Before I would use the weight of the clamp and throw it around the tree and grab it, connect it to the button, then have to pull up all the slack. Inevitably the stand would drop a little and I'd have to readjust. I've only done it the new way a couple times and it has worked well. I think I'll still get a quick hang hook though.

I have a Lone Wolf Assault II with four sticks and the quiver. I bought the four sticks because the deal they were running basically had the fourth stick free, plus I'm on the shorter side. It also came with the quiver, which I used until recently. I found that with three sticks and stretching it out a bit I can still get up to 18' to the bottom of my platform, so I dumped the fourth stick along with the quiver which is more a PITA than anything. I'm thinking with another aider or two I may be able to dump the third stick and only need two, but that will be some trial and error.

Another issue was my backpack. I would attach my stand to my backpack and carry it that way. There are some straps on the backpack that I'd hook through the stand and connect, then pull taught, but when you unclip it, the clips are catching on the stand etc. I dumped that idea and just went with bungees through the stand and around the pack and it was much quicker getting attached and unattached, but I still felt like I was carrying the damn rucksack I carried in the Army, LOL. After a recent hunt I got home and pulled everything out of the backpack and looked at how much space it would take up. I bought a butt pack with harness system with a waist belt, that allows you to remove the pack. I took the harness and attached my stand to it and attached the pack to the back of the stand with the sticks and carried it in that way. Much better. Last hunt I took put the pack back on the harness system and was able to go up the tree with the stand and pack on with no issues. Only thing I had to haul up was my bow.

 

[Mark from MA]

I've thought of adding a quick connect hook to the equation just to be able to do as you mention, get the stand where I want it and strap it in without having to hold the weight at the same time. Something I recently discovered which helped me is to have the strap shorter than the width of the tree where I can reach around and get the end of it and pull just what I need at the clamp and get it over the button, then pull tight. Before I would use the weight of the clamp and throw it around the tree and grab it, connect it to the button, then have to pull up all the slack. Inevitably the stand would drop a little and I'd have to readjust. I've only done it the new way a couple times and it has worked well. I think I'll still get a quick hang hook though.

I have a Lone Wolf Assault II with four sticks and the quiver. I bought the four sticks because the deal they were running basically had the fourth stick free, plus I'm on the shorter side. It also came with the quiver, which I used until recently. I found that with three sticks and stretching it out a bit I can still get up to 18' to the bottom of my platform, so I dumped the fourth stick along with the quiver which is more a PITA than anything. I'm thinking with another aider or two I may be able to dump the third stick and only need two, but that will be some trial and error.

Another issue was my backpack. I would attach my stand to my backpack and carry it that way. There are some straps on the backpack that I'd hook through the stand and connect, then pull taught, but when you unclip it, the clips are catching on the stand etc. I dumped that idea and just went with bungees through the stand and around the pack and it was much quicker getting attached and unattached, but I still felt like I was carrying the damn rucksack I carried in the Army, LOL. After a recent hunt I got home and pulled everything out of the backpack and looked at how much space it would take up. I bought a butt pack with harness system with a waist belt, that allows you to remove the pack. I took the harness and attached my stand to it and attached the pack to the back of the stand with the sticks and carried it in that way. Much better. Last hunt I took put the pack back on the harness system and was able to go up the tree with the stand and pack on with no issues. Only thing I had to haul up was my bow.

I carry a very small pack which fits into by bigger pack. That small pack has only the things I will need in the tree. Calls, small foldable saw, strip of hooks for hanging bow and pack, some heater packs, etc. I can either hitch it to my saddle or pull it up with the bow. My big pack stays on the ground near the tree.

Im running a millenium M7 with skeletor sticks and one 3 step aider used only for the first stick. Gets me about 17 -18 feet. I use a cabelas large type fanny pack it has a good belt, shoulder straps and cross chest belt. The Millenium has its own pack straps and i leave them loose so it kinda sits on it the top of the fanny pack, when its on my back, and its pretty comfortable.

I also have presets where i run a much bigger Millenium with the chair, if I want long, super comfortable sit.

Honestly, where I hunt on state land, I never see anyone. The thought of pre drilling trees with a cordless in likely spots in the spring, and using slide in Grade 8 bolts like I used to in my private land sets in CT, and on my private land sets around here if the landowner allows, is getting more and more interesting. That way I carry 12 bolts and just go up the tree sticking them in as I go, and pulling them out when I leave.