Looking for a New Bow.... Suggestions Please!

[MarineBuckHunter]

Hey everybody, how's it going? I'm looking to purchase a new bow and wondered if anyone had any suggestions, opinions, or thoughts on a quality bow. I just recently started bow hunting so I haven't shot very many and plan to try out a few. Price is not a problem... I would just like a quality, dependable bow.
Thanks for the Help.

:confused::confused::confused:

[msfcarp]

I just purchased a new bow after 3 years of hunting with a 20 year old bow. I think you should go in a reputable shop, not a big wharehouse type, where you can get personal attention, tell them the price range you are looking at and just start shooting different ones. Pick out the one that feels best to you. I shot 10-12 different bows and narrowed it down to 3 to pick from. I bought a bowtech tribute, shot very smooth, if money is not an object, I would closely look at a Mathews switchback xt. I bought the tribute because it was a year old new, and $200 less than the switchback and I thought performed as well. I know others will think different, just my 2 cents.

[Kelly Johnson]

You should come up to the Rock Financial center tomorrow for Outdoorrama.

KD Outdoors has dozens of bows and a super sweet range to shoot in;)

Special show pricing on all the new stuff from Martin, Mathews, Hoyt and PSE.

Great place to see them all.

[Loaded4bear]

This is real easy.....


1) Go someplace that lets you shoot some different models.....PSE, Mathews, Bowtech, etc.....



2) Buy the one that "you" like...you can't go wrong with the mainstream manufacturers


3) Go to a store/shop that takes care of you as a individual customer and listens to your needs

For me it was KD Outdoors...Ken does a real nice job of offering suggestions and letting you make the final decision. I've got a new Switchback XT in the pipeline and I'm really excited to get it shooting!

[Bullrider115]

Agreed... You can't go wrong with KDOutdoors. They will help you every step of the way.

[116Rob]

Elite GTO, it's getting great reviews!!

[kingfishcam]

KD has a buch of discounted bows at the Outdoorama. Unbelieveable prices at the show!!!

[kingfishcam]

Elite GTO, it's getting great reviews!!

There have been more sitings of Cougars in Michigan than GTO's. But I look forward to shooting one!

[Swamp Monster]

There have been more sitings of Cougars in Michigan than GTO's. But I look forward to shooting one!


Ain't that the truth!! Since I own a Synergy and have shot other Elites, I may order one sight unseen though.

[DaveMI]

I just picked up a GTO a few days ago but they didn't have the right module in stock for me (28.5") so I have only shot it a half dozen time's, Hitting my forearm each time so it didn't take many shots to stop. I belive the module in it is for 30" and the first thing I did when I got it home was run it through a chrono. 70#'s, 30" draw, 352gr. arrow with nothing on the sting but a loop it is running through the chrono in the low 340's.

I will give more review's on how it is when my modules get here and I can shoot it more!

[madmike22]

shoot alot of bows. I shot 18 different bows narrowed it down to five then three then two and now i own a hoyt katera. My final five were mathews s2, bowtech general, bowtech alligence, hoyt katera, and hoyt katera xl. I loved all of them because they were all really really smooth. I picked the katera because it had the nicest combination of speed, smoothness, comfortable shooting. It doesnt matter what the rest of us like its what fits you better.

as to the guys with the elite bows good luck getting parts. Because of dartons lawsuit against them i believe they cannot sell them to dealers anymore or make parts. If you like the elites just buy a hoyt. But hoyt wont be getting sued because they are stealing the darton cams. They are paying darton for the rights to use it.

[MarineBuckHunter]

Thanks for all the info you guys... Looks like KD will be the place to go.

[Swamp Monster]

as to the guys with the elite bows good luck getting parts. Because of dartons lawsuit against them i believe they cannot sell them to dealers anymore or make parts. If you like the elites just buy a hoyt. But hoyt wont be getting sued because they are stealing the darton cams. They are paying darton for the rights to use it.

Sorry, but you don't know what your talking about! What you believe and the truth are two completely different things. And by the way, Hoyts use a Hybrid cam system and the Elites use a Binary cam....these are different systems. Darton own "A" patent on a Binary cam that they license, per agreement, to Bowtech. Unless your a patent attorney and know the details of this case, your beliefs are simply opinions.
As for Hoyts, I love the original cam 1/2 and some of the newer versions, but do some research and see if Hoyt paid Darton before or after there cam 1/2 was released. And then research the saying, the pot calling the kettle black......

[Swamp Monster]

Thanks for all the info you guys... Looks like KD will be the place to go.

He carries the top companies and will take care of you! Let us know what you end up with!

[madmike22]

Its common knowledge that bowtech and hoyt have both paid darton for using there 970 patient. Bowtech after they were sued by darton. Hoyt before. Elite was sued last year by darton and again this year. The courts have put an injunction on elite preventing them from making any new bows or making parts for the bows that infringe upon the 970 patient. Darton is now going to go after the dealers if they sell one that they have in inventory as well. They are wanting the dealers to return all of them back to elite. One of the owners of elite archery was and employee of bowtech and was one of the reasons they got sued. He branched out on his own and copied the same patient and is getting sued for the third time. Actually 4th time. There is a wrong way and a correct way to do things and Elite archery just isnt doing it. Look at Ross. They are new, make a fantastic product. And guess what not one single lawsuit against them.

[michigan head hunter]

he didn't ask for all of that i shoot a martin fire cat i looked for the bow that didn't brake the bank go and give ever bow a try and find what you like . good luck :yikes::yikes::yikes::yikes::yikes::yikes:

[Swamp Monster]

Its common knowledge that bowtech and hoyt have both paid darton for using there 970 patient. Bowtech after they were sued by darton. Hoyt before. Elite was sued last year by darton and again this year. The courts have put an injunction on elite preventing them from making any new bows or making parts for the bows that infringe upon the 970 patient. Darton is now going to go after the dealers if they sell one that they have in inventory as well. They are wanting the dealers to return all of them back to elite. One of the owners of elite archery was and employee of bowtech and was one of the reasons they got sued. He branched out on his own and copied the same patient and is getting sued for the third time. Actually 4th time. There is a wrong way and a correct way to do things and Elite archery just isnt doing it. Look at Ross. They are new, make a fantastic product. And guess what not one single lawsuit against them.

Show me documentation that the courts have put an injunction on Elite building bows with the current system....not last years, this years. Last years case was settled and Elite is no longer selling last years cam system. Unless your an engineer and a patent attorney, you have no idea if Darton has a strong case or not...you're purely speculating. Speculation is nothing more than opinion by the way. Show me documentation that Darton is going after dealers? Yes, Dartons lawyers sent some letters to dealers but there was no threat of lawsuits to those dealers, it was a letter informing them of the case. Get some facts instead of internet forum chat! 08 GTO's, Exteme XL's are all being built and shipped right now. And I know the whole Bowtech/Elite story but maybe you should find out who Elite is owned by today.
Ross makes a great bow. Love my CR334....a little slow but nice smooth, and quiet.

[Burksee]

Thanks for all the info you guys... Looks like KD will be the place to go.Wise choice grasshopper! ;) And it's right down the street too! :coolgleam

[Swamp Monster]

he didn't ask for all of that i shoot a martin fire cat i looked for the bow that didn't brake the bank go and give ever bow a try and find what you like . good luck :yikes::yikes::yikes::yikes::yikes::yikes:

The Firecat is on my list to try as well. Looks like a nice bow. If I can get used to that grip and cover that ugly 70's martial art tiger on the riser I may buy one. I've always liked Martin bows just haven't owned one for a number of years. That Firecat seems like a lot of bow for not a lot of money. Considering the other top bows are running $800 to $900 that Firecat seems like a screaming deal!
How are the factory strings?

[madmike22]

Darton did send letters to all elite archery dealers threating to sue them and letting them know that they to could be held liable for selling a product that infinges upon there 970 patient. Darton has filed for an injunction for this years bows and should be heard by the end of this month. Elite is pumping out the bows trying to get as many sold to the dealers as they can before the end of the month before the injunction comes down. They are already in talks with darton about settling again. This time darton is going to be so easy on them. They want to shut them down or buy them.

[Swamp Monster]

Darton did send letters to all elite archery dealers threating to sue them and letting them know that they to could be held liable for selling a product that infinges upon there 970 patient. Darton has filed for an injunction for this years bows and should be heard by the end of this month. Elite is pumping out the bows trying to get as many sold to the dealers as they can before the end of the month before the injunction comes down. They are already in talks with darton about settling again. This time darton is going to be so easy on them. They want to shut them down or buy them.


:lol: So which is it? The courts have put an injunction or Darton has filed for an injunction? You have claimed both in a matter of 10 minutes. Ofcourse there is talk of settling...this is the archery business afterall and lawsuits are rather common! Darton did not send the letters, the lawyers sent the letters. Ask Rex. I could see Darton buying them....two good designers and finally a bow line that would sell.....a win win for Darton.
As for Darton going after Elite dealers? You won't see it happen, that's my opinion. Would be a horrible business decision on Dartons part and Rex understands that. Hence the reason Rex did not send the letters.

[madmike22]

I dont think darton will go after the dealers. They might if this goes to court and they win the lawsuit and the dealers continue selling the elite bows they have in stock. But that may also hurt alot of there dealers because most dealers carry several brands. Darton has an in junction and filed a new one. I wish darton would purchase them. I have been a darton fan for years. Managed a darton/pse proshop for years. I think the dartons are highly underrated. I have owned a maverick for 6 years now which is the longest i have owned any bow. It was just replaced last week with a hoyt katera. I shot the new dartons and they felt just like my maverick. The pro 3000 series didnt feel any different, didnt seem faster or any smoother. Its not a bad thing because my maverick was a fantastic bow. But there current crop just didnt seem up to steam with the rest of the industry for the price range they were in.

[Swamp Monster]

I had a Darton Wrangler...the twin cam version of the original Maverick. I liked it but it was a beast to keep tuned...the factory strings were horrible and even with heavy aluminum arrows, the thing had a ton of vibration and recoil. I spent a lot of hours working on that bow. I remember having to tighten down everything every 20-30 shots since thigns would vibrate loose. With a quality strings today I think it would have been a better bow but I gave up on it long ago. I should have purchased the Maverick....chalk it up to a lessoned learned! Every Maverick owner had great thigns to say.I owned a few older dartons back in the day but couldn't tell ya what they were. Anyway, Rex is a genius of sorts but I don't think his bows relfect that nearly as well as they should. The packages that other manufacturers have put together on the shoulders of Rex have been nothing short of excellent, including the Elites. I'm not defending what Elite (and many numerous other manufactures) have done....if they are in the wrong, then they need to pay the piper but there is a lot of speculation out there right now and only the lawyers and the eventual judge have the real info.

Anyway, I hope it is settled sometime soon, one way or the other!

[Slice]

Well the Bowtech Guardian is a nice bow. Oh and there is one being raffled off this weekend at the Hunt of a Lifetime Benefit shoot being held at Capitol Archery in Redford. The bow is definately worth a $5 ticket.