# New bowhunter needs bow advice



## DTales (Dec 5, 2008)

A few other single cam bows not on your list that come to mind:

Parker Blackhawk
Ross Cardiac 
Pearson Z 32


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## poole (Jan 10, 2008)

I dont think you can go wrong with the am35. Have you looked at the diamond marquis?


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## poole (Jan 10, 2008)

Bowtech brigadier? I would say sentinel also, but you may consider that radical looking.


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## shockman (Apr 16, 2009)

+1 on the Ross Cardiac.
Like any bow it is advisable to shoot one before you buy.
The Ross single cams are quite smooth on the draw and comfortable to shoot, and they are just as high quality as any bow you've mentioned...likely can be had at a better price point.
The Ross bows dont win the speed freak award, but mine shoots 305 with IBO setup for 3D and 294 with hunting arrows...pretty solid numbers compared with other bows on your list.

I hate to sound like a salesman for any bow company, cause I'm not, but I think Ross became underrated when they sold to Bowtech. The quality and shootability of their bows is right up there with all the big names.


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## hauntedbyelk (May 3, 2009)

*Bow Choices*

Thanks for the posts and advice. I haven't been able to locate a Ross bow to try in the Spokane WA area but have read lots of positive things about them. I tried a Diamond Marquis and liked it - pretty fast and quiet. Heard from a couple of sales reps that the 2008's had issues with the cable rollers (cable coming off wile hunting) and the cams folding. I almost bought one when our local Cabelas put some in the the bargin cave but the archery rep talked me out of it saying they had several come back. Customers probably destroyed these bow by dry firing. Advised me to wait and buy the new one that had been redesigned to fix these issues.

Anyone shoot a Martin Moab? I can get one for $459 and that leaves plenty of room to finish it out with higher end gear. It seems like a great bow for the money but no speed demon. I have to admit I'm a bit of a gear snob and tend to buy higher end more expensive stuff if I think it's better. I went into this thinking I would most likely end up with a Mathews or Hoyt but I'm finding I like some of the mid-range bows as much or better. 

I got my hands on a brand new Mathews Switchback XT yesterday that was back stock being clearanced at a local sporting goods store. It was a 60 lb bow with my drawlength and I was expecting great things after reading so much about this legendary bow on the web. Surprisingly it didn't draw quite as well as I expected. To me the new Mathews DXT, Mission Journey, Diamond Stud and Martin Moab all have nicer draws and feel like they have more speed. I think they're all essentially switchback clones with some improvements. I love the draw and speed of the Mathews DXT but don't like the string angle issue from having a longer draw length. The AM 35 would work for twice the money and surprisingly has more hand shock than the mid level bows I'm looking at. Could probably be tuned out. The AM 35 also seems to be the stronget built bow of the ones I'm looking at. Probably the most likely to survive dry firing, being dropped out of a tree stand or falling on it hiking into to my hunting area. Decisions decisions....


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## Skink (Feb 24, 2008)

*High Country Iron Mace*

The Iron Mace would be your best bang for your buck.....fast light and quiet....it's no hoyt....but try and find a hoyt that will shoot better......


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## bigleague09 (May 3, 2009)

*nooooooooo way*

you should grab a bowtech admiral.
great bow.
smooth draw.
fast for big game.
good for competion too.


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## DTales (Dec 5, 2008)

:thumbs_up on the martin Moab. It's one fine bow and you couldn't go wrong with buying it. I would also agree that the Diamond Stud is an excellent bow as well. The Stud I believe is the most underrated bow this year. Another single cam bow in the diamond line is the Black Ice which I would own in a heartbeat if I could find one in the classifieds. Let us all know what you decide on, Happy shopping!


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## OBAN (Jun 25, 2006)

*New to bows*

x2 on the Black Ice for a single cam, 08 models will get you a better price break-General, Guardian, DeadZone


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## Atchison (Apr 15, 2009)

I loved the Journey when I shot it!


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## azmtnman (Mar 7, 2009)

I liked both the Bowtech S.W.A.T. and the Diamond Stud out of all the bow that I shot. I went with the S.W.A.T because to me it felt better than the STUD after the shot.

I am 6' also with a 29" draw as well and prefer the smooth drawing bows myslef.


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## hauntedbyelk (May 3, 2009)

*Thanks for the advice*

Tried the Diamond Stud for a second time at Cabelas on Sunday and had the same impression. A very nice bow for the money. Nice smooth easy draw, quiet and reasonably fast. A little hand shock but not too bad. Waiting for a 70 lb Moab to come in at another shop so I can try it again. The Moab I tried earlier was a 60lb. I handed it to the guy shooting next to me to try and he ended up buying it. It's been a couple weeks since I tried it but I really liked the draw on the Mission Journey. Probably the best draw of the three. Unfortunately these bows are in three different shops so it's a little harder to compare. All the shops around Spokane seem to be low on stock right now which makes it harder.

I'm also trying to pick out a rest and sights. I like the Trophy Taker and Trophy Ridge fall away rests I tried. I tried a few other fall aways that I definitely didn't like. Some flipped the arrow right off the rest, some slapped and were noisy, some were too narrow to hold an arrow if you were off camber slightly. Heck for that matter I like the Whisper Biscuits for a simple full capture easy to use sight. Not sure about the sights or how many pins I need. For hunting I don't see myself needing more than 4 pins. It might be fun to have a couple more for practicing at the range.


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## azmtnman (Mar 7, 2009)

If you liked the Stud watch this website for deals on this bow, he had them for $359 back in February. They are onsale right now for $549. You may try contacting them through their website to see if any deals on bows that you are interested are coming up soon.

www.archeryprostaff.com


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## hauntedbyelk (May 3, 2009)

*Daimond Stud on Sale*

A Diamond Stud at $349 would be very hard to pass up. They have them in stock at our local Cabelas for $550 right now. Thanks for the weblink. I added if to my favorites and may send them an email. I'll be out trying bows again this weekend.


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## Anynamewilldo (Jan 3, 2008)

See you have a cabelas. We just got a Gander mt and they are selling Ross if you have one near. You will get a much..much better price on one here in the classifides then at the box store generally on a Ross. Great bow. GL


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## mtelky (Apr 19, 2009)

try a 09 pse brute i have a shoulder injury as well and found that this bow is just what the doc ordered. fast quiet and easy to draw. mine is 70# 29" . i bought one picked it up and been able to shoot with out a glitch. i shoot every evening 20 to 50 shots. doesnt bother my shoulders a bit..


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## elkhuntin (Aug 27, 2007)

You've talked about the high end Alpha max bows have you look at at Hoyt powerhawk or superhawk less price can get a complete set up for under 500.00. when I have shot them are somewhat similar to the alpha max less speed but still very nice and will kill a deer or Elk all the same.


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## hauntedbyelk (May 3, 2009)

*PSE Brute*

I tried a couple 09 PSE Brutes and was really impressed by the first one. It was smooth drawing, very forgiving and shot very well for me. Little to no hand shock. The second one must of had something out of tune. It had a lot of hand shock after the shot. The thin grip is a bit too small for my hand. Still, a great bow for the money and in my top 5 list for a mid=priced easy drawing bows.


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## hauntedbyelk (May 3, 2009)

*Hoyt Powerhawk and Superhawk*

Tried both of these bows at a pro shop and had high hopes that one would work for me. Hoyt quality at a mid-level price is pretty appealing. Unfortunately the short ATA's didn't really work for me. Too much string angle. Same with the Mathews DXT and Alpha Max 32. I got some coaching today on changing my anchor point - putting knuckle of index finger behind corner of my jaw. Makes my anchor point lower, extends my drawlength a bit, protects my shoulder a bit more and might make short ATA shooting work for me. Will have to try it and see. In the meantime it feels pretty darned awkward.

Also tried a closeout 08 Ross Cardiac today at Sportsmans. Turned it down to about 60 lbs. The one I tried had a relatively nice draw, similar to the Moab but not as smooth/easy as the Diamond Stud, Mission Journey or Mathews DXT which all had nicer draws even with a few more pounds of draw weight. It had a whisker biscuit installed and the lower brace/mount slammed down hard on my knuckle with every shot. That could easlily be fixed with a different rest but I was still surprised how hard the bow kicked back and down. Might be something wrong with this one and that's why it's still in the store.


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## azmtnman (Mar 7, 2009)

Check this deal out on a package Diamond Justice bow.

http://www.huntersfriend.com/2008_D...ale/diamond_compound_bow_package_discount.htm


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## hauntedbyelk (May 3, 2009)

*Bought the Diamond Stud!*

After a long search and trying out every bow I could get my hands on I finally pulled the trigger yesterday and bought the Diamond Stud. Put on a Trophy Taker X-treme FC - full capture fall away rest, Flashpoint Black Gold 5pin sight and an Alpine quiver. Love the rest and still deciding whether I picked the right sight / peep combination. The Stud seems like a terrific bow for my tastes which are (1) smooth / easy draw cycle (2) accurate/forgiving (3) quiet, and (4) speed. The 33 inch ATA works well with my 29 in drawlength. I bought the 60-70 lb version and I'm currently practicing at 60. It draws like butter with no real hump. It's exceptionally quiet and has virtually no hand shock. Already shooting very tight groups (three arrows all touching.) When cranked up to 70 lbs it's pretty darn fast. Even at 60 it feels pretty fast. Will have to run it through a chronograph to see. I compard this bow to everything I could get my hands on including all the high end Mathews, Hoyts, Bowtechs, PSE's, etc. I was not able to find a better single cam for my needs at any price. When I look at the price I paid ($550 - bare bow) it's an amazing value. I love that the draw length is adjustable without having to change modules and you can customize the valley to your liking. It's definitely worth checking out if you have similar tastes. Thanks to all who responded to this thread and provided advice and recommendations.


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## azmtnman (Mar 7, 2009)

Congrats on the Bow purchase. There are a lot of great bows out there for sure and you certainly picked a great one.

I have a flashpoint ignite on my bow and I really like although it is on the heavy side. If you are still deciding on sight, I recommend that you check out Limbsaver's new prism sight in the 5 pin model. It weighs only 4.4 oz and the pin brightness is exceptional. Although a nice feature of the flashpoint is the way the plastic cover dims in real bright light.


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## SLASTER77 (Jul 16, 2008)

Go with a Mathews Drenlin, great smooth shot, real light, all around awesome shooter!!!! I personally have a Mathews Apex 7 and Conquest 3, they both are awesome bows also, the C3 is a great all around bow to learn with and is real forgiving for new guys like myself who only started shooting last july/august and only started hunting for the first time this past season
you won't be dissapointed with a mathews


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## SLASTER77 (Jul 16, 2008)

also, they may be a little more money but WELL worth it, not hard to tune or anything


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## TNEPPER (Dec 14, 2007)

*Bowtech*

My brother-in-law has a messed up shoulder and bought a bowtech 82nd. the shop i shoot at can get those bows set with no hump and at 50 pounds they are still shooting over 300 fps.


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## PSE434ARW (May 20, 2009)

Ive heard alot of really positive reviews on the PSE Bow Madness XS Single Cam. Their not priced to bad at $499 at most dealers. Ive been thinking about picking one up in 60lbs. for a practive/target bow


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## hauntedbyelk (May 3, 2009)

*Tried a PSE Bow Madness*

I tried a Bow Madness a couple times at the pro shops. To me they were fast, sweet shooting bows with a reasonably smooth draw cycle. I had a hard time getting used to the aesthetics of this bow with the pre-stressed split limb design. PSE's thin grips don't really fit my big hands very well and I didn't like the idea of carrying a bow with a bare aluminum grip on a cold winter day. Lots of folks seem to like the Bow Madness and I can see why. When I got down to the last 5 bows in my search it was really hard to decide. All were very high quality and any of them would have worked. The differences were pretty minor and little things made the difference - minor draw cyle issues, aesthetics, hand shock, grip, etc. The Diamond Stud seemed to be the best combination of features for me with no significant detractors. Now if I could just get the setup and tuning dialed in. It's close but not quite there yet.


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## Woolecox (May 23, 2009)

Matthews DXT
PSE Bow Madness
or
One of the "lesser" Bow Techs without all the funkiness.

I shoot a Matthews Reezen 7.0- like it a lot but might have too harsh of a peak to suit your taste. It is fast, smooth, accurate, but loud. 

I also have a 2006 Bow Tech Tribute- love it. If you can find one, buy it. Smooth, accurate, quiet. Nicest bow I have ever shot. Tune it once and forget it. It has put a lot of meat in the freezer.


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## camoman73 (Jul 7, 2007)

Pse bow madness!!! You will love this bow a heck of a lot of bow for the buck!!!


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## Woolecox (May 23, 2009)

hauntedbyelk said:


> After a long search and trying out every bow I could get my hands on I finally pulled the trigger yesterday and bought the Diamond Stud. Put on a Trophy Taker X-treme FC - full capture fall away rest, Flashpoint Black Gold 5pin sight and an Alpine quiver. Love the rest and still deciding whether I picked the right sight / peep combination. The Stud seems like a terrific bow for my tastes which are (1) smooth / easy draw cycle (2) accurate/forgiving (3) quiet, and (4) speed. The 33 inch ATA works well with my 29 in drawlength. I bought the 60-70 lb version and I'm currently practicing at 60. It draws like butter with no real hump. It's exceptionally quiet and has virtually no hand shock. Already shooting very tight groups (three arrows all touching.) When cranked up to 70 lbs it's pretty darn fast. Even at 60 it feels pretty fast. Will have to run it through a chronograph to see. I compard this bow to everything I could get my hands on including all the high end Mathews, Hoyts, Bowtechs, PSE's, etc. I was not able to find a better single cam for my needs at any price. When I look at the price I paid ($550 - bare bow) it's an amazing value. I love that the draw length is adjustable without having to change modules and you can customize the valley to your liking. It's definitely worth checking out if you have similar tastes. Thanks to all who responded to this thread and provided advice and recommendations.


Congratulations my man! That is a great bow and a great set up. I use a 3 arrow Alpine on one of my bows (BT Tribute). It is solid and quiet. I have heard good things about that Flash Point sight. Never used one. Best one I have used for hunting is the Spot Hogg, Hogg-ItHunter. Wrapped of course with a 3 position brightness light. You can hunt at night with this set up. Very easy and precise to sight in as well.

I think you and your son will enjoy many quality years of bow hunting together. Until he discovers girls that is!


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## Woolecox (May 23, 2009)

If anyone else is in the market for a new (or used) bow, here is a good place to start. It is the _Outdoor Life_ magazine's 2009 annual bow test results. You can also search the web and find the 2008, 2007, 2006, etc. test results.

Check out the link:
http://www.outdoorlife.com/photos/gallery/gear/hunting/2009/04/bow-test-2009?photo=0


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## Jwillman6 (Jun 4, 2007)

I do not think you could go wrong with the AM 35. If I were able to buy a new bow it would be an AM32 or AM35 without question. I liked the Reezen and the BT Captain, but the Alpha's were the best for me.


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## bigbadbanshee75 (Mar 2, 2009)

i beleive if you get a hold of a martin and feel the draw cycle youll be hooked. its smooth and easy on the shoulder. they may be a mid range price bow but they perform as good if not better than the high priced bows. also if any concerns come up with a martin their customer service is by far the best there is!!!


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## hauntedbyelk (May 3, 2009)

*The search for a bow starts again...*

I'm back on the search for a new bow as I had to return the Diamond Stud due to some tuning issues the shop was not able to resolve. Couldn't establish a decent valley or letoff at my draw length. The bow was creeping on me like crazy and at full draw with 63 lbs I was holding 25+ lbs plus another 10 or 15 to keep the darn thing from creeping. See my thread in the bow tuning section for details.
So I'm back on the hunt for a new bow. Tried a Diamond Stud in another shop and it didn't seem to have the same problem. It had a little let off and valley at my drawlength and probably could be tuned for a bit more. Also tried a Diamond Black Ice and a Mathews Drenalin. Both were very nice. The Black Ice has an amazingly smooth draw cycle and the Mathews was similar. Top three right now are the Diamond Black Ice, Mathews Drenalin and Martin Moab. Funny thing is they are are three very different price points but to me they are similar in quality and shootability.


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## hauntedbyelk (May 3, 2009)

*Bought a Mathews Drenalin!*

I ran into a great deal on a new 2008 Drenalin today and ended up buying it. Seems like a great bow with a smooth draw cycle and plenty of speed for a hunting bow. I plan to get it set up this week and start shooting it. I was able to shoot two demo bows in the store at 60 and 70 lbs. Not quite as smooth a draw as the two Diamonds I tried (Stud and Black Ice) but a nice overall balanced bow. Very quiet and very little handshock even with a bare bow. I'm looking forward to shooting it later this week. Always liked the Mathews bows but didn't see the vaule at full retail. Fortunately I got a great deal and got what seems to be a great bow at a mid range price.


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## hauntedbyelk (May 3, 2009)

*Mathews Drenalin Setup*

Got my new (2008 closeout) Drenalin setup and all I can say is Wow! This bow feels like it was made for me. The technician did a super job setting it up and in 90 minutes I was shooting tight groups. I chose a Trophy Taker fall away rest - full capture - side loading and it works great. It's simple, quiet and picks up the arrow just right every time. For a sight I got the Black Gold Flashpoint 5 pin and a Meta Hunter peep 3/16". It's just the right size to match up with the Black Gold Sight and lets plenty of light through. The bow was pretty quiet right out of the box and had very little hand shock. I experimented a bit and added a 3 1/2 inch Limbsaver S coil and Norway String Tamer and now it's incredibly quiet and has no hand shock at all. Topped it off with an Alpine 5 arrow quiver and it's an absolute joy to shoot. I'm finding my skill and confidence with this bow is growing each time I shoot. The bow was a little stiff when I first bought it but 50 or so shots later the draw cycle smoothed out even more and now it feels like I'm drawing 55 lbs when I'm actually drawing 64. I'm shooting 377 grain Gold Tips at 282 fps at 64 lb and 29 in draw. The slim limb design makes it nice and lightweight. Easy to carry and hold at full draw for extended periods. Can't wait to get back to the club and get my long range pins set.


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## azmtnman (Mar 7, 2009)

Congrats again on finding a bow. Enjoy and let us know how you like it.


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