Ok, so here's the deal, again...I've been MIA for well over a year from writing blogs or publishing podcasts but recently, I got the itch to write again. What I would like to do is take you with me on my pursuits during hunting season this year. In the process, I hope you learn something and are entertained.
Two days ago, archery season opened up in Montana. What was I doing? I was rowing my boat. I will be guiding anglers until the 14th of September and then I'm going to get after it, hard for a couple weeks. This is the first year I've taken more than a few days off to actually hunt. In the past, I blocked off a few days right around the 18th of September because that's when I've had my best hunting. Then I wing it during the days I'm not booked, hunting when I can, until the guide season comes to an end around the first of November. This year, I'm going all in during bow season and if I shoot an elk early, I'm going after deer.
As an introduction to this season, I really want to emphasize that the "season" doesn't start with opening day. You don't wake up to a specific day on the calendar and say, "it's time." If you do, you probably won't be very successful. My season actually started well over a month ago as I started pulling gear out and assessing my "needs."
First thing's first. It must have been about eight years ago when I updated my bow. (Before I get into this too hot and heavy for you gear heads just know that I am not getting paid anything to write about gear. I don't have endorsements, so EVERYTHING is straight up honest opinions of what I think about my gear or gear I've tested.) The bow I bought was a used Hoyt Alpha Max 35 for $500. It was equipped with sites, a drop-down rest, and quiver. Even at the time, it was a really good deal. I've shot 5 elk with it in those eight years. Two of them were 60+ yards out, which I thought was about the max I would ever shoot at an animal.
So, I pulled out my bow this summer and notice the sting was in pretty bad shape. I do wax it but it's showing quite a bit of wear and tear. I brought it to Capital Sports where I get most of my archery gear here in Helena, and the manager tells me that I do need a new string.
"How much?" I ask.
"About $160." He replies.
"What's the bow worth?" I ask.
"$250."
Right up until then I thought I would have this bow for another 10 years or so. I didn't think expanding my range further than 60 yards was necessary and I always thought shooting farther than that at an animal, for me, was just unethical. But...paying $160 bucks for a string on a bow that old and only being worth $250 didn't really make sense either. So, I started justifying looking for other options.
"Check this bow out," the manager said. "Just don't look at the price tag yet."
He set the new Hoyt up for me and I shot it. It felt great. I was fast as f.... It was also $1400 without sites, a rest or any accessories.
"Wow. That's a lot. And it's kind of heavy..."
"Shoot this one," he said.
It was another Hoyt. The Carbon Pro. Again, fast a f...and super light. $1900.
The thing is, you buy a bow for $1900, put 3 to $500 in accessories on it and three years later, it's worth maybe $400? The technology changes so much in the archery world that bows depreciate worse than cars. It's ridiculous.
I went to Buffalo Jump, another archery shop in town and checked out what they had on the shelf. I shot three different PSE's. Very cool. Very fast. Very expensive.
Walking out of there, I actually thought I was going to drop $1800 on a new set-up. I kept telling myself It was an investment that I would use on traveling around checking off bucket-list hunts and I would need the gear to make it worthwhile. (Oh, the lies we tell ourselves.)
Fortunately, I didn't drop the cash that day. I decided to sleep on it and the next day, went into Sportsman's Warehouse.
As I looked at the bows on the rack, I noticed they had the cool PSE's and Diamond's and BowTech's and a couple other brands. They ranged from a couple hundred bucks to $1400. The obvious difference between the cheaper bows and the high end was speed. It seemed like speed meant everything. With all the different brands of bows, speed of over 320 fps based on IBO standards, meant about an extra $500. All except one brand and that was Bear bows.
I loved my Hoyt. My brother loves his Mathews. I've talked to so many archers who love their bows. Nobody talks about Bear bows. The bow I was interested in was the Bear Escalate, which retailed for $750 and on sale for %20 off. It advertised an arrow speed of 339 fps. The fasted bow I shot was a PSE at 360 fps and $1800. But it's a Bear. I know Bear used to be the industry standard but not in the last 30 years or so...
I did some research. The Bear Escalate is the exact same weight as the Hoyt Carbon at 4.1 lbs., and only a foot or two per second slower. I shot the Bear, and it was surprisingly smooth. It had a hard wall so that you couldn't overdraw it, split limbs that were rock solid, it had a 31-inch axel length, which is super compact, and a brace height of 6.5 inches, and... $600 on sale!!! So, I bought it.
I shoot a site with 5 pins. With my Hoyt, my fifth pin is maxed out at 60 yards. I added another pin that get's me to 70 yards but I wouldn't trust shooting a hog at that distance let alone an elk. With this Bear, my fifth pin reaches out to 70 yards and at 80, I use the top of the site level. The picture above is the second day out with my Bear bow at 80 yards...ridiculous. After about a dozen or so days on the 3D range, I'm shooting kill shots at over 90% at 80 yards.
I have to be honest; I feel a little guilty about loving this bow so much. I really liked my Hoyt. I really liked how it felt. I liked how accurate it was. I couldn't believe the range at the time but now? God, I love this bow.
My increased range has a lot to do with the technology of this bow, but there are other things that happened through the process of purchasing this bow that also helped with my shooting. In the next post, I'll talk more about that. Maybe your groups will improve as well.
Until next time, keep 'em where the live...
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