Bowhunter brings you expert advice from legendary Bowhunters! Each issue is filled with updates from major bowhunting organizations, coverage of bowhunting locations across North America, complete coverage of the sport and much more.
INNOVATION HAS SLOWED, BUT… I REMEMBER when the word “compound” first appeared in the outdoor lexicon. I was a gun hunter, but my curiosity was piqued, and I liked what I discovered. Like many others, I added the word “bow” to hunter — a wise, life-changing decision. In those days, innovation in archery equipment was an avalanche triggered by the advent of the compound bow. New bowhunters were the benefactors of the advancements in bows, arrows, broad-heads, and all gear, including treestands, which were nonexistent in the early days. We spent weeks building callouses on our shooting fingers while experimenting with various finger-tab materials to find the best release possible. Then, we started to hear about mechanical releases, but they were considered evil, and you were considered scum if you…
TODAY’S BUDGET BOWS DELIVER MORE THAN JUST A LOWER PRICE. The first bow I ever purchased, well over two decades ago, dinged my wallet for $369. I’ll admit, I wanted to spend twice as much on the flagship bow that was hanging next to it behind the counter, but I couldn’t at the time. Looking back, that affordable bow did its share of damage to numerous P&Y critters and countless others for the next decade, and I bet it would be just as effective today. Point is, you don’t need a flagship bow to find bowhunting success. Sure, they're extremely nice to shoot, and you can certainly notice some important differences when compared to bows carrying half the price tag. But like everything else, technologies that were the rage just…
THERE ARE TWO TIMES a year that every serious bowhunter looks forward to the most: When it’s time to head out on the first hunt of the season, and when the latest flagship bows are unveiled for all to see. I’ll admit that it’s a toss-up for me as to which one I anticipate the most. Luckily, they are at opposite ends of the season, so I get to relish each one equally. This year is no different. As the latest models began to launch around November and the ATA Show rolled out the red carpet in January so you could put your hands on some of them, it was time to start slinging arrows to see what the latest bows had to offer. Whether it’s a significant innovation or…
THE ONLY THING that excites me more than the annual launch of new bows is the unveiling of new arrows and broadheads… I’m not joking! Why? Because the arrow/broadhead combination is ultimately responsible for putting an animal down quickly and humanely. During my archery tenure, I’ve shot a pile of different arrow/broad-head combos — some I loved, and some will never see my quiver again. The key to finding the right pairing is matching that pairing to your hunting style and shooting expectations. Suppose you roam the West in search of pronghorns and mule deer and typically find your shots are a tad longer and oftentimes taken in stiff crosswinds. In that case, you want to turn your attention to a micro-diameter shaft and a low-profile fixed head or mechanical.…
IT’S NO SECRET: If you expect to consistently drag a whitetail buck out of the woods, you need to hunt their blind spots. Whether that means sight, sound, or smell, you can’t get away with much when a whitetail is in sight. Obviously, if they smell you the gig is pretty much up, but if they consistently pick you off as well, it often equals the same results. That said, being perched high in a tree or in a well-hidden blind is the first defense against being spotted, and luckily for us, there’s no shortage of options to pick from to prevent this from happening. Stands Summit’s unique [1] Dual Axis Hang-On ($279) is an all-aluminum stand weighing 16 lbs. It sports a spacious 24" x 34" platform and patented…
I REMEMBER SEVERAL years ago an archery rep at a local pro shop told me that bows nowadays were nearly as efficient as an electric motor, and that innovation would start to happen slower than in years past. He mentioned that bows would have minor tweaks to performance, quietness, and vibration-dampening, but huge advancements in bow performance, like yesteryear, would be rare to nonexistent. Ultimately, that rep’s words were somewhat true, because while today’s bows are better than ever, they just don’t appear to be breaking the mold like they used to. The same cannot be said for bow accessories, and one reason why is the evolving partnerships between accessory manufacturers and bow manufacturers, many of which were made in an effort to improve your overall shooting experience. Accessory companies…
