Currently I shoot a Hoyt Trykon from 2005. It shoots accurately and has always done what I've asked of it. It has helped me take quite a few deer over the years.
That said I feel like its time to upgrade to a new one. The new bows are so much better and I have the money strashed to buy a new one but I feel like I'm leaving my old friend behind.
How do you guys decide when its time to upgrade your setup?
This past fall I faced the same decision: buy a new bow or invest a little into my Bowtech Assassin? The peak draw weight on my bow had dropped from 72-73# when new to a mere 66-67# with the limb bolts fully cranked down. That wasn't the problem though. 66# will kill just about any animal in North America. The problem was with the string stretch that happened slowly over the course of a few years, the tune of my bow had suffered BAD! I noticed it when shooting before the season at 30 and 40 yards, that my arrows were not flying like darts, but rather were fish-tailing all over. Took it to a buddy of mine that owns an archery shop and he said that my strings and cables had stretched and he probably wouldn't be able to twist them enough to bring it back to spec. I ended up ordering a set of custom Vapor Trail VTX strings and cables, had him set up and re-tune my bow and after a couple hundred shots, was back in business and killed a nice 8 point buck a couple days before Halloween. I almost bought a brand new Elite Valor when I went to the shop to have him look at my bow, but when looking at the specs of the bow, it wasn't any faster than my old bow, and even if it would have been, I would not have been able to get much for my current bow with stretched strings and cables on it. It cost me about $140 for the new strings and cables, an 18 pack of beer for 'labor' to have him set it up for me, and some new string silencers and such. Call it $175-200. To sell my old bow and buy the Valor would have been a $300-350 hit. Plus, I've killed a couple of my biggest bucks with my Assassin and shoot it very well. The technology in bows, in my opinion, is getting to the point that the main 'selling points' for new bows will no longer be SPEED, but rather how quiet, efficient and tune-able they are. The IBO speed on my 6 or 7 year old Assassin is 333 fps...most new bows are in the 335-360 range. I think engineers have basically gotten all the speed out of the modern compound bow, and will now make them quieter and more shootable. The other major consideration is the price of these new 'flagship' bows. You're not touching one for under $1,000. Period. That was also a major factor in my decision to go the strings/cables route. WAY more cost-effective than buying a brand new bow that isn't any faster than what I have now. All set up for hunting shooting broadheads I get about 301-303 fps out of my bow. That is plenty fast for me. Unless you have a major issue with your current rig (broken or bent cam, cracked limb, etc.) and cannot get parts, there is no need to run out and buy a new bow every other year. That Hoyt Trykon was a good bow. If you shoot it well and it has sentimental value, a new set of strings and cables will make it new and it'll keep filling your freezer. Is the additional 20-30 fps worth $800 to you? That's the REAL question...good luck and shoot straight!
Thanks Ere and eye!! I am not really against crossbows, however, it seems like a pride thing. It is a reminder that I am going to be 57 yrs old the next time I pull back on a deer. I am healthy enough to scout several miles at a time, can walk with no problem and can run up and down ladders and steps good part of the day for work. Pull back that 52 lbs and it reminds me that my better days of arm strength are past me. If I screw up next fall, I will be getting a crossbow and might just keep my Mathews Avail for warm weather. I am surprised at the doctor who told a poster to not pull back a bow. My doctor just told me to lay off it for a few weeks. Of course , I was out there in 1 week. Even pulled back on a buck but decided not to shoot. I felt it was a success , just getting the bow back and I already had a doe that year anyway.
Even though my shoulder was giving me grief I tried to get back into archery 12 years ago. I tried out some new bows and had a miserable time trying to shoot them. Ended up having my shoulder scoped that spring and the orthopedic surgeon told me right out I should never try to shoot a bow. He recommended I take the test for the handicap permit that was available back then. Had to wait until October to take the test and then qualified for the permit. In the meantime I borrowed a crossbow and began practicing. Once I got the permit I did get out to hunt some that season, no deer though. Over the next 6 seasons I did harvest 5 deer and have since upgraded from the borrowed crossbow to a new one. About 3 years ago I had shoulder replacement surgery and will continue to use a crossbow as long as I am able to get into the woods. Other health issues have made hunting more of a challenge and am now stuck using a ground blind. Don’t be afraid to go the crossbow route if that is what it takes to hunt safely and pain free.
hookem; I've had my right shoulder done twice and my left once all within the last five years. 2 years ago I bought a crossbow, some weeks or days I feel good enough to draw, and when I don't, I take the crossbow. Having both keeps me in the woods. I still prefer my compound but having options helps.
I have been thinking of using both. In the early season when its 50 degrees I can pull it back. When it gets cold, inhere are times I can hardly pull it back. I started pulling the bow back very 45 minutes or so while I'm in the stand. I could go down to 45 lbs I guess , but I just love my bows. I shoot in my basement all winter . It is a 20 yd. range down there. I just might get one next year but I just love shooting my Misison and my Mathews. I like my Mathews better though.
For the hunter with shoulder issues:
I too have shoulder issues. 3 procedures to my right shoulder at once in 2007/8.
And still have an issue with my rotator cuff.
I have thought the last couple of years of dumpling my compound bow & getting a crossbow. But I was able to have a good year bow hunting this year.
But, sir, if you are in that much pain & discomfort, it's time to switch to a crossbow.
Good luck,
Big Mac
I didn't buy the bow for speed, kind of. This is one reason I was interested in speed. My shoulders are so sore I can hardly pull back the bow. I am at 52 lbs and my shoulders are sore. When I was in the stand in 2018, I was so darn cold I was shivering. It was snowing and sleeting. About 15 min.. before closing a pretty nice buds comes up from behind me and turns 90 degrees. I raise the bow, thinking this deer has no idea I am here. I go to pull back the bow an I am so stiff I could not pull back 56 lbs. I pulled back as hard as I could and tore my rotator cuff again. The pain was terrible and letting that buck walk was a wakeup call. I figure , if I buy a new bow that everyone sais are so fast , I could get the same speed with a lot less poundage. The new bow worked. It did not work quite as good as I wanted it to. I was hoping for the same speed at 45 lbs as 55 lbs with my old bow. I may lower poundage to 50 or so . As for speed, I like speed , cause I am a terrible judge of distance . With my 325 gr. arrow, I have shot several pass through arrows. I am exercising my arms for more strength but at 56 yrs old it is not working very well, my rotators just get even more sore. I bought this new bow as a last ditch effort to not start using a crossbow. The day will come when I will need a crossbow, no way out of it and do not plan on quoting bow hunting. I will continue to reduce pounds down to about 45 lbs and if I can't pull 45 lbs back on the stand before getting down for the hunt , I will buy crossbow.
Mr Bass, I respectfully disagree with your statement about Mathews and others catching up. Sales, sure, technology, nope. The commercials would lead you to believe that, but IMO, they have always been behind others in quality and craftsmanship. Single cam technology was actually an old technology but Mathews was able to bring it back, develop it and market it effectively.
It's all i will say about that, we are all entitled to our own opinion. Single cam principal was actually invented in the 70's.
Darton rules the archery world in patents and technology. They wouldn't have to sell another bow in the history of the company and bring in enough money via royalties.
The thing with newer bows is that pretty much every brand makes very nice bows, just some fit other people better than they might fit you. Others buy purely from hype and marketing. All of the brands copy off each other for the most part. I'm still using a 2012 bow and after shooting dozens of newer bows recently, I still have no reason to change.
Mathews in particular were one of the pioneers of these newer style compounds, but everyone else eventually caught up to them.
Not much new tech lately.
Speed means very little in the grand scheme of things. Speed is really the last thing i'd look for in a bow unless you are thinking of shooting 40-50 lbs. Even at that, recurve guys are killing deer and getting passthrough's shooting 150 fps. Don't dwell on speed, pay more attention to valley, wall, ease of drawing, grip feel...is it repeatable... Way more elements to choosing the right bow for you than a name or dollar amount.
Ihookem, 236 fps isn't slow. To you maybe...but what is slow? so a deer at 20 yards is 60 feet, you don't think 236 fps is fast enough? Ask a recurve guy what fast is and it will change your whole perspective on judging bows on speed. I know a lot of hardcore traditional guys and they kill the crap out of deer. The problem with compound guys is they think they have super powers. a deer at 35 yards will duck an arrow at 350 or 150. it's all been proven time and time again. chasing a speed number is not the way to choose a bow.
If all you shot is 3D unknown, then get the lightest arrow possible and shoot 330 fps, that should improve your scores a bit. To shoot a sub 350 grain arrow at a deer is just asking for trouble. This thread has nothing to do with speed or arrow penetration, but most are buying a bow to hunt. i'd never chase speed and I wouldn't buy a light arrow. only way I'd chase speed would be if I was going to make a super heavy arrow and build that arrow for 650+ grains. Then at least that speed will benefit you
I would also like to comment how it is not wise to get caught up in the Mathews Triax, Vertix and now the new one . I had the bow shop put on 25" pull for a Triax . It shot my arrows 236fps @ 55 lb pull with the Triax. This falls far short of the Avail . Again, my Avail shoots the same arrows 250fps @ 52 lbs. Not everything is what it appears. The Avail is a much better bow for shorter draw lengths. I found this out when I stopped at Wicked Archery in Slinger by the Cabelas. I mentioned I wanted a Triax. My BIL loves his. The owner said I will not be happy with a Triax with a 24.5" draw. He was right. Told me I would be happier with an Avail or a 5Max?? Had I went with the Triax , I would not have gained much of anything for speed, maybe 5 fps. and that's it.
I bought a new Mathews Avail in November. I had a Mission Endeavor for 7 yrs. I bought a new one cause I can't pull back too much anymore. I was concerned that the new bows were all hype. My Mission shoots my arrow at 230 fps @ 54 lbs. My new Mathews shoots the same arrow @ 250 fps @ 52 lbs. So , I gained 20fps with 2 lbs . less pull. That is considerable better , but now as much as I hoped for. The reason I hoped for more is cause these Mathews reps like The Crush people , like Tiffany makes them sound like more than they really are. I watched every Youtube and writ up I could find before dropping $ 1007 after tax . Tiffany, in an interview said she shot a big buck in the front shoulders at 45 yds. and got the buck. She mentioned " bone crushing speed" . She shoots the same draw , with the same pull weight . There is no way it is bone crushing speed when it starts at 250 fps. and at 45 yds it is no faster than my Mission @ 20 yds. I shot a buck too far forward . It was a bruiser and hit his front shoulder. I can tell you it did no bone crushing in any way shape or form. It went in about 3" and that was it. A lot od this is Bull crap to make their product look much better than what it is. It is a bow that shoots an arrow, nothing more. I am happy with the bow. I needed a new string anyway and traded my sons Mission Riot for $100. Had I kept my old bow a new $150 string would be needed so I am really only out $757. I lie the bow . The back stop is solid and believe it helps with accuracy compared to my 3/4" backstop on my Mission. It is a better bow and am happy with it. It is my last compound and should have bought a crossbow anyway. My rotators are shot and 52 lbs pull hurts cause I'm so sore.
