Im probly putting too much into this but ive been venturing into trad completely but i have soooo many ?'s , but im narrowing it down ive found a couple bows i really like . Actually 3 but one of them is a Hoyt buffalo n i was wondering how u guys felt about this bow my only hangup is im going trad , so am i not really going trad by shooting this bow? I ges im torn cause it is a nice bow n i like it alot but havent shot one yet ,but kinda feel like im not completely indulging the spirit of trad archery if i buy this bow. I dont kno just torn i guess, Anyway dont beat me up too bad but true feelings plz
well the hoyt buffalo is trad bow in my opinion, not made of wood but the design is the same. Don't worry about starting with a Buffalo you will own many other trad bows down the road, LOL Just the way it goes for most of us any way, D shaped long bows, RD long bows, Selfbows, wood curves, Etc.
Its about the fun in the journey
Its all about yourself and not what others think. If that's the bow that suits you and you are confident in go for it. Nothing untrad about a Hoyt Buffalo.
Single string, metal or glass, its your choice not anyone else is shooting the bow. Good luck and have fun.
Hoyt Buffalo is a trad bow and darn near indestructible but a new one is a hefty investment for a first bow, especially with you never having shot one, and there is a pretty big depreciation if you decide to sell it. They have plenty of fans and folks who don't like them. I would sure give some thought to finding a dealer or better yet a trad club where folks are shooting many different makes and models and try to shoot as many as you can, see if there is anything you gravitate toward. Good luck!
Nothing wrong with that bow. Go for it if that's what you like.
I have no issue with it either but I agree with mangonboat too if you haven't shot several already.
As was said earlier, don't get in this to please anyone but yourself. Shoot what turns you on. A very large part of all of this is the feeling you get with your equipment, both tactile and mental.
If you think it is neat to shoot a simple stick, do it. If you want a bit more tech, do it. Just give either of them a chance. Most can't just pick up a stick and shoot lights out. It takes dedication and practice.
ChuckC
If it doesn't have wheels it's a real bow to me. Go for it!
Welcome to the light!
Don't get hung up on what others think because it doesn't matter. Metal bows have been around for a very long time. Google Seefab and Grimes that was used in the 50's. .
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=150496
Not sure if you watched this video, but it's of Aron Snyder a friend of mine hunting bear with a Buffalo. Trad is what you decide it's going to be, only real stipulation I have is the bow must have no let off. Aron shot a crap load of different bows before he settled on the buffalo. He was familiar with the grips from Hoyt and the bow shot where he was looking. And in the end it doesn't matter, very few men on here stop buying bows, you will get another and another and another, I could keep writing that,lol! Buffalo is a fine bow, my very first real bow I got back in about 1977 was a Bear 76'r, had a magnesium handle and solid fiberglass limbs, I have another one now just exactly like that first one and I killed a turkey with it a couple years ago, still super proud of that! Have fun!
Umm, a Buffalo is a recurve. A recurve is a trad bow. You have no worries!
Besides, I would not even worry about what other folks think is trad or not. Some guys think only Hill bows are trad. SO WHAT!!!!
Shoot what makes you happy, and let the next guy do the same.
Bisch
Buff is a very nice bow and great to shoot especially if you are transitioning from a wheel bow. The ability to use an elevated rest even if just in the beginning will help also.
Follow your heart, and be true to that, and you will get more satisfaction. Get what ever bow that satisfies your desires and needs. If any certain bow makes you "feel un-traditional like", and you then get it, you will never be completely happy with it.....even if the bow is considered trad to everyone else. You are not here to do what makes others happy and satisfied. You are the only one that knows your own heart. ...follow it or be sorry.
Shoot/hunt for yourself. Don't worry about what someone else might think of your bow choice.
My first traditional bow was a Bear Kodiak. I shot the heck out of it and loved it. I shot a lot of other bos as well during that time and eventually found something I liked a little better, a Brackenbury. Same thing all over. I shot it a lot, still do. I now have several bows and a new one on the way and a new lighter set of limbs coming for the Brackenbury. Buy what you want. Keep testing new bows. Enjoy it.
That's a good looking bow. I like a metal riser for the added mass. Shoot what ever you like and how ever you want to.
I agree with all of the posts above - shoot what you like.
My only comment would be that if you have not shot it yet, you don't know if you will like it or not. If at all possible, shoot one in your poundage range plus a couple of others so you can make comparisons.
Or, do like many of us and buy LOTS of bows looking for the one you like best :cool:
The only thing I will ask you is , do you want to be talked into it , or talked out of it ?
nothing wrong with using modern materials and tech for a trad style bow. go for it!
Nothing wrong with the Buf.
Just shoot what you like.
I will say this though....
You very well may end up wanting to try LOTS of different kinds of bows.
Buying used sure can put a lot more bows in your hand for less money.
Metal handle bows go back loooong way, so no worries about not being/feeling "trad". That term is real overworked anyhow. ;) Some of us have been here since before "trad" was "Trad" and it is amazing all the stuff from the "before compound" era that was used.
Life gets a whole lot easier when you stop worrying about what others think. It is especially true with something so personal as your hunting bow. Bonding with a bow is pretty cool.
Can't say much more than has already been said, but have fun and enjoy the journey! It never ends :thumbsup:
Steve Jr
I own 2 buffalos, they are great trad bows. My only complaint was in my last hunt in Wisconsin the temp was -17 degrees. And I could feel the metal rizer sucking the heat out of my hand even through my gloves. Other than that they are impressive bows, fast and smooth. And they take down nice and easy. I own over a dozen wood bows. I love them all metal or wood.
I will advise also that you find one and shoot it before purchase. The Buffalo is one recurve that I for the life of me cannot shoot well. I do have an old Martin takedown with a metal riser that I took my first trad elk with.
100% in agreement. You would be one in a hundred if this is the only bow you ever buy. I consider myself conservative and I own or have owned around twelve so far. Just fun to try a new bow once in awhile.
My only suggestion is I would not spend big bucks on the first bow without trying one like it first. If you don't have access to other trad guys or a trad shoot, there are a number of bowyers who will let you try one of their bows first before you buy it.
Relax, forget about what others think and enjoy the journey.
Best to you,
Gary
The Hoyt Buffalo is as "trad" as anything, in fact the whole line of Hoyt recurves is hard to beat. I've had a Gamemaster for ten years and will probably never let it go.
Just make sure to shoot a few different bows so you will know what weight range you will need. Whatever you do don't start out with a bow that is too heavy for you my friend.
Get the Hoyt! Fred Eichler a trad guy helped design it. Hoyt was making trad bow long before the compound craze.
That said I was in the same boat your in at that time it was,a Hoyt Gamemaster Buf wasn't invented yet or the Dorado. I wanted to go totally trad. I went with a Custom made bow by a very popular Bowyer great bow over bowed myself so it took a few yes to work up to it. I then wanted a new bow looked at the buffalo and decided I wanted to try a. Long bow so I bought a beautiful custom R/D longbow love,that bow. If I were to get another bow it will be a Hoyt Buffalo orTiburon.
Nicest thing about Hoyts is you can try different grips and buy weaker or heavier limbs if you want. So if you decide you want a custom wood bow made you will know what kind of grip you like. And for me personally I prefer a slimmer grip.
And on my last note I was,shooting a Hoyt compound when I switched to trad getting a Hoyt trad bow would have it a smoother transition. Most Hoyt dealer will have a Buffalo for,you to try out. As far as test shooting a custom you may have to find a trad shoot in your area.
Good Luck!
I don't dislike the Buffalo but I never could quite warm up to a metal risered trad bow. I get as much enjoyment from looking at beautiful wood bows as I do shooting them, so something was always lost with the metal riser.
I kinda shy away from metal handle bows because they are cold when the temps drop. I remember the freezing hands from my compound days, even in SC. I see you are in Tx so may not be a big deal for you.
Thanks guys well the story goes , i have 27" draw and shot mathews for years 60-70# . Ive owned 3 other recurves a great plains 60#, hoyt dorado55#, and a lowery custom recurve 60# but always ended up selling because i overbowed myself , remarkably there isnt a decent trad archery shop within a hundred miles so im learning as i go . I loved the bows but couldnt be consistant and always went back to compound, but i enjoy trad so much more , so this time ive sold my compounds to take away other options and im gonna go with 50-52# @28@ thinkin that should keep me at 48-50# light enough i think to help me but still strong enough for me to feel confident in the woods i have $1100 to spend on a good bow the other bows are a bear kodiak takedown 56" 52#@28"and or a black widow 60" 53# @29" used but good condition and price i really like all three but have settled on which one yet . So u see my dilemma , not soo much worried bout others just want to completely indulge in the trad way of life , im starting with carbons but after i biuld confidence i want to go to woodys , if you had the choice of the 3 bows which would yall go with thanks guys
The bear or the widow either one ive absolutely no doubt you would love. Which model widow is it? Based on my own personal preferences for feel and such....the black widow would likely be my pick depending on the model, and id pick one of those 2 instead of the metal riser..
Its the black widow psa v its 60" and 53#@29" i was trying for a 56" bow but i do really like it , it has couple small wear scratches in riser buti think i cand lightly sand them out or just leave them for history n character
Some like shorter bows. I find 60" very manageable in the woods and stand, and I like the smoother feel of draw the longer bow gives.
I had an SA III...very similar to the PSA. The bow was incredible. I wish id never sold it.
Thanks Shadow i do like it alot , i just have so many questions bout tuning and tip weight for good foc, arrow spine, arrow selection only problem is dont have anywhere to go close to here for answers n dont have equipment to go thru the steps to cut length as far as cutting for tuning , kinda just stressin myself out i ges along with bow selection , want to get everything rt soon so i have couple months to practice n biuld confidence to hunt
I know how you feel bar_bn I bought a Bigfoot Sasquatch TD longbow and am on fire with it. Was told at the last shoot I should bring another bow if I want to shoot longbow class. Bow is set up so that the string makes no contact at all with limbs but I guess people look at the aggressive limb design and call it a recurve.
That makes no sense
Try not to stress, even though I know its hard not to. The problem with tuning is, nothing is concrete. A set up for one archer may very well not be true for the next. It takes time and patience. Dont rush,or things just seem to get worse. Many think tuning is useless unless a good solid release has been developed. Otherwise, just the (poor)release alone can cause poor arrow flight...so tuning is kind of useless at that point. Form and release can take quite a while to nail down....some cases years. Personally, I always suggest that the shooter use charts to get close, and just go out, start shooting and have fun. Start working on one aspect of form to begin until its happening the same way every shot....then tackle the next aspect of form and repeat and so on. Just have fun, no stress, no hurried feeling. ..or failure is a real threat.
If you still want to try to tune arrows, If you dont have a saw to cut carbons with, maybe starting with aluminums might be better for you. A cheap small tubing cutter works fine if its sharp and you go into it very very easy, so as not to egg shape the shaft. Ive done a slew like that. Ive killed many deer cleanly with aluminums and trad bows.
Just take one question or concern at a time, and ask about it. There is tons of help here on TG.....some of the very best around are right here, and willing to help. Just be specific in your needs. :campfire: If I can help, I certainly will. Ask away here or on private message.
I like bows with some wood in them. With that being said, I don't own a bow that isn't a take down with some phenolic here and fiberglass there; not very "trad". Those Hoyt Buffalo's are real shooters.
what is your budget,, not sure if you mentioned that yet but a bear to a widow can be a 600.00 difference I think..
it comes down to the arrow flying thru the air! a well tuned and a perfectly set up recurve like a buffalo or a 150.00 bear will shoot just as good as any 1000.00 bow,, trust me on this.
you need to invest in the arrows and spend time getting them perfectly matched,, any bow where you HIT what your shooting at will be the magical bow,, maybe invest in a nice custom string which does make the bows shoot different....
most of us here bought all kinds of bows and eventually learned that a new more expensive bow didn't do anything for our accuracy it just gave us something different to look at and drool over while sitting in the stand.
also metal riser will get cold but wrap it and you'll be fine,, the buffalo has a decent resale so you won't loose too much when you move on..
Good bow and for the beginer it's nice because of the adjustment. I recommend getting 5# lighter than you think you will shoot because the bows will usually adjust to about 3# over marked weight.
Point weight test kits, mine runs from 75gr up to 315gr. So there is a lot of basic tune I can get from that without cutting. It will get you shooting and let you practice without all the worry.
Shoot what you want and don't get focused on the opinions of others. There are some out there that get hung up on what the other guy is doing. I shoot with a guy who string walks. Consistently he out shoots me. Big deal, he's happy and that's all that matters.
And yes there are some shoots out there that have some rules to keep things on an equal playing field.
I say shoot what you want, when you want. If you're strictly doing 3D shoots and competing than you may want to stay with a bow that will allow for those specific rules.
If you're hunting with it primarily than shoot what you're most accurate with.
I'm not sure why we have this divisiveness within ourselves.
-Jeremy :coffee:
While this is a fun and informative site, when it comes to the decision you are making, we are all a forum of....one. As so many have said, suit yourself.
If you draw it and hold with your own muscles, it is a bow too me. Here of course it must wear a single string, have naked limb tips, and be without mechanical advantage.
There are some types of "traditional" bows I won't even pick up, let alone shoot. I love recurves. I once considered getting the Hoyt buffalo. There isn't a more reputable company than Hoyt in the archery world. Personally, I much prefer the beauty of exotic woods in a hefty riser.
There are only a couple people whose endorsement of anything would tempt me to try the product, Fred Eichler is one of those people.
There are LOTS of people, many of them on this site, whose experience and advice I value greatly. I've met only a couple.
I owned a Buffalo and shot it well for 4 years however once I tried ILF I sold the Buffalo and went ILF. I'm shooting a Titan III riser and BF Extreme limbs which are premium limbs I bought used. As fine a shooting bow I ever hope to have. Also have a Morrison wood riser, Black Bear warf and a Gillo G1 barebow target riser. So many limb and riser choices as compared to the Buffalo made sense to me. I shoot a simple feather rest and furniture pad sideplate too.
As far as the metal handle I wrapped my Buffalo with tennis racket tape and it kept the MD cold at bay. No problems there.
What ever your choices enjoy your new bow.
My biggest suggestion is do your best to shoot a few bows before you settle on one to invest in.
I say this just because what I thought I wanted was drastically different from what I ended up with once I shot a few different bows.
I shot a hoyt Dorado for a couple of years, and I definitely consider deer I took with that "trad" deer!
Good luck, and share pics once you decide!
Do not get the Hoyt Buffalo.... I figured I would throw it out there to go against the grain. Now if you listen to me, I have a bridge for sale too :readit:
How much for the bridge Charlie? Have owned and driven over many but haven't found "The One". :laughing:
I've been "traditional" for over 50 years, and I just bought a one-piece composite recurve for helping a couple of friends learn. It's all good.
Nothing wrong with a Buffalo at all. The grip is similiar to a coumpound so a easy transition. A Hoyt dealer should have one or be able to get one to try. They come up used ever so often on this and other forums. Good choice but i would try before you buy IMO.
I don't have a buffalo but do shoot a gamemaster. Just because it's metal doesn't make it non trad. I shoot it better than any of my other bows and it's the one that just feels right. So that's the one I grab most often.
I went through the same conundrum as you last year. I really wanted to stick with a wood bow but I found it really hard to find one I like at my long draw length. I finally pulled the trigger on a Buffalo and am loving it so far. It's the bow that's most natural and effortless for me to shoot so I'm just running with it for now.
Thanks to all you guys for the info i really liked the buff but in the end i went with the black widow could pass it up but thanks yall i appreciate it
" Couldnt pass " sorry typo
If it's what you want, what difference does it make?
http://i1152.photobucket.com/albums/p495/burton862/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-07/CC5AAFD2-17A0-4703-B133-9710CBFB85E2_zpsatjbtgjj.jpeg Ok try to post a pic if it works lets see
http://i1152.photobucket.com/albums/p495/burton862/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-07/CC5AAFD2-17A0-4703-B133-9710CBFB85E2_zpsatjbtgjj.jpeg Ok try to post a pic if it works lets see
your hand won't freeze to that one, and widows are real nice to. (//%5Burl=http://s1068.photobucket.com/user/Arizona_Bowhunter/media/IMG_20160210_193150519_zpsi90o8xtz.jpg.html%5D%20%5Bimg%5Dhttp://i1068.photobucket.com/albums/u442/Arizona_Bowhunter/IMG_20160210_193150519_zpsi90o8xtz.jpg)[/url] [/IMG]
coarse I enjoy the buffalo in warmer weather. this was not it.
(//%5Burl=http://s1068.photobucket.com/user/Arizona_Bowhunter/media/IMG_20151122_145448393_zpsjbo35xio.jpg.html%5D%20%5Bimg%5Dhttp://i1068.photobucket.com/albums/u442/Arizona_Bowhunter/IMG_20151122_145448393_zpsjbo35xio.jpg)[/url] [/IMG]
Those are nice, i wish i knew how u posted the pics like that instead of a link
QuoteOriginally posted by Bar_BN:
Those are nice, i wish i knew how u posted the pics like that instead of a link
Hit the "IMG" to the right of the pic and it'll copy. Then just hit ctrl V to paste into your post. Nice bow. :thumbsup:
(http://i1152.photobucket.com/albums/p495/burton862/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-07/CC5AAFD2-17A0-4703-B133-9710CBFB85E2_zpsatjbtgjj.jpeg~original) (http://s1152.photobucket.com/user/burton862/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-07/CC5AAFD2-17A0-4703-B133-9710CBFB85E2_zpsatjbtgjj.jpeg.html)
If it speaks to you when you hold it and draw it and if it gives you that special feeling when the arrow goes where you want it then shoot it again and again. Just remember when asked how many bows does one man need? Just one more.
The Buffalo is definitely a trad bow. But I can also see your line of thinking with wondering if you are embracing the trad spirit fully. I like building things with my hands and I enjoy seeing quality craftsmanship from others as well, so to me, a lot of the lure of trad archery is in the look and feel of a bow that's made at least partially out of wood. Especially if it's hand crafted. That doesn't make my wood riser recurves any more trad than somebody elses metal riser recurve. It's just an aspect that's important to me. Some people prefer a solid wood longbow over wood/glass laminate bows. Some prefer a D shaped wood/glass laminate longbow over a recurve. Some like wood riser bows simply for the look while others are drawn by the idea that it was carefully crafted by hand. Many of the top end wood/glass recurves today are built mostly by machine with minimal actual hand work, but still look like a handcrafted bow. Some people avoid certain brands for that reason while others love them, and there's no denying the beauty of some of the CNC machined wooden risers out there. If your only concern is the performance of the bow and the Buffalo fits you, and you were questioning if it was trad enough just because you want people to approve of it, then get the Buffalo and don't worry about anybody else. If you were questioning if it was trad enough because some of the things I mentioned above are important to you personally and you are considering settling to get better performance, then I would advise you to wait until you have tried some of the wood/glass recurves that are out there and then make your decision based on all of the advantages/disadvantages of each. Or do like most of us do and buy every bow you come across that's for sale. Regardless of what you choose, there will always be somebody that thinks their bow is more trad than yours.
Very nice,that would have been a tough decision.
I almost went with the buffalo almost but the beauty of the widow wudnt stop calling my name