Been tinkering around with setups. Got me to thinking what does most people look for in a new hunting bow?
Could be name brand, wood combo's, looks,functional, recurve or longbow. What's everyone's thoughts?
I have, and had, lots of hunting bows over many years.
I have come to believe that it is not the bows itself... But the confidence you have in it :archer:
I have been lucky to find two really great bows in the last month or two. With age, I have had to drop weight. What I like about them is that they shoot a wide range of spines in wood arrows, very quiet, light physical weight, and no stacking. For what ever reason, one shoots high for me while the other, like the old saying, hits where I'm looking. I'll probably sell the high shooting one although it's about perfect in every way and is a beautiful bow, just hits higher than I'm used to.
Quote from: woodchucker on August 07, 2025, 08:50:05 PMI have, and had, lots of hunting bows over many years.
I have come to believe that it is not the bows itself... But the confidence you have in it :archer:
I like that Woodchucker! A lot to be said for that element...... if a bow just fits you just right in all the right ways it becomes a sort of extension of your self. And that's the bow you'll take care of business with :thumbsup:
I like short bows.
31 flavors of ice-cream, which one is the best?
The one you shoot the best!!!!!
I agree it's the one you have confidence in. Out like some 30 bows I own all made by myself I have favorites. Some are definitely go to bows. Just was looking for what makes you wanna shoot one bow over another. Myself has progressed to a shorter static tip design. I'm into the pretty but not to undermine a quick and quiet shooter. I perfer a 3 piece recurve over a longbow.
For me, a good hunting bow is short, maneuverable, lightweight, quiet, fast, and accurate. Takedowns are a huge plus when traveling, either flying or packing into the backcountry.
I like a bow that :::::
Feels good
Shoots good
and Looks good :archer2:
My 2 cent limbs have to have bamboo core
I tend to like thinner deflexed risers.
There are many characteristics that make up a great hunting bow.
My number one overall choice is the one that shoots as natural in the field as it does on the range.
I agree with Terry and Woodchucker.
But beyond that, I gravitate to to around 60" recurves and 66" ASL's and I like bamboo and yew.
I don't keep a lot of bows around. I pretty much settle on one bow for the fall.
This is my favorite hunting bow. It's a Jt traditional Apollo 2 50#@28 58" . What I like about it is it's accurate, efficient and maneuverable.
I prefer a quiet bow that gives me above average performance and allows me to put the arrow where I want it to go in 90% of the shots I take.
As I said in a similar post here a ways back,the one that puts dead animals in the back of a truck
I've been at this for about 65 years now and have shot just about every type of bow made -- longbows, recurves, selfbows, hybrids, etc. Have come full circle more than once. The last few years, it's been ASLs again, though I also shoot a shorter recurve out of a blind for turkeys.
I lean toward physically lighter, leaner bows. Don't like big risers. Also like straight or low wrist grips. Prefer bamboo or yew in the limbs under glass.
Though I like shooting some bows more than others, I've always felt that shooting accuracy was on me. Doesn't really make much difference which bow I'm shooting. What makes a good hunting bow? Whatever I have in my hand at the moment.
Ok, I have opinions. For me, I like long Hill style bows for a few reasons. Quiet without silencers, forgiving (string angle and pinch), durable, and lightweight and I like the heaviest draw weight I can shoot comfortably and for me that is around 60 pounds.
a good hunting bow will always be a quiet shooting bow,, everything else doesn't matter if the owner shoots good with it.
The person shooting it makes a good hunting bow mostly in my opinion.
For whitetail hunting I like bows that are very heavy in mass weight. Habu, Black Widow etc. I prefer them to be 62" minimum and I only draw a touch over 27". Longer bows are more accurate and whitetails out of trees with bows with no sights can be small targets. I no longer care about speed. Quiet is important. I also am much better at tuning arrows than when I was younger so I now prefer less bow weight. 45 pounds is plenty for whitetails and I'm way more accurate with 45 pounds than 55.
My answer is a mix of Terry's and Jon's. First and foremost, it has to be a bow you shoot well. I've had a few bows over the years that I thought would be the cat's meow and they turned out to be bows I couldn't shoot at all. I sold the best shooting bow I ever had and wish I wouldn't have. 64" Habu Bushmaster. It was a heavy bow and shot and smooth and quiet as any bow I ever shot. And I could shoot it well. I just thought I needed something newer and better. Oh well. The one issue I had with that 64" bow was hunting out of a ground blind. I set my ground blind up to practice shooting out of it and the only way I could keep from hitting the blind with the bow was to cant until it was almost sideways. Had to go to a shorter bow to hunt out of that blind.
Over the last several years I have been favoring 60" D/R longbows, 63-67#. However, I just recently acquired a Moosejaw Razorback 66" longbow at 61# that may be first to the dance.
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:
Ones that feel good in my hand and I can shoot accurately. My two favorites are my two-factory camo 1980s Bear Kodiak Takedowns. They feel good, they shoot good, and I love the way they look.
Quote from: kopfjaeger on September 16, 2025, 08:02:27 PMOnes that feel good in my hand and I can shoot accurately. My two favorites are my two-factory camo 1980s Bear Kodiak Takedowns. They feel good, they shoot good, and I love the way they look.
Good looking setup
Head Hunter; I have to agree with your assessment. Perhaps it's a PA thing.
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:
QuoteWhat makes a good hunting bow?
Easy - a good bowhunter, first and foremost.
Next in line, and more important than the bow, is the arrow.
Lastly is the bow, where all that matters is a bowhunter's bow control for consistent accuracy.