PSE KUDU

[TimRadke]

So here's my thinking... please tell me what you think.

I'm looking to get back into traditional a bit, PLUS I need a bow for bowfishing this spring.  My longbow is too heavy for me (%$@#* broken arm!), so I need another traditional bow.  I decided I want a recurve, as I want to take a deer with every legal means in Wisconsin (compound, longbow, recurve, shotgun, rifle, muzzleloader, handgun and crossbow*).. I only need recurve and handgun, but I digress.

I think I decided on a less expensive lightweight recurve that has the inserts for a bowfishing jug, and once I shoot for a while and get my form down, upgrade to a heavier custom recurve (RER), and keep my cheaper recurve as my bowfishing bow... I'm looking at the PSE Kudu.

Anyone shoot this bow?  Worth the $250, or would I be better off spending a little more on a little better one?

Thanks for your time!

* - crossbow legal in WI for those over 65, or those with a medical condition.  A shattered elbow from falling 20 feet to the ground out of a treestand  constitutes a "medical condition".  If the thought of killing yourself by falling out of a tree isn't cause enough to make you wear your safety belt, try this for a reason -- you may have to hunt with a crossbow if you still want to hunt!

Thanks again!
-Tim

[RidinMyK2PastU]

I used to have a PSE Kudu, until I took it back to Cabelas with the limbs starting to crack on the riser sides. I did hunt with the Kudu, and harvested my first recurve deer with it, but I honestly would say try a different bow. Some great deals in the classifieds.

You can search for the Kudo on this site, and find another post I wrote for another guy asking the same question.

If you have any specific questions, just ask.

[Orion]

Interesting.  Except for the crossbow, I've killed deer in Wisconsin with all of those weapons.  Also killed a few deer with a self-bow I made.  Didn't set out to do it, just like hunting with a lot of different stuff.

Should you decide to go the Kudu route, a friend of mine has one, along with a bow quiver and several aluminum arrows, a hard case and maybe some other stuff, in like new condition which I believe he is looking to sell.

[La. bowhunter]

On the cabelas website when you look up this bow if you read the ratings there are several people who complain about busted limbs so you may want to look at some other inexpensive bows on the market.

[OzarkRamblr]

When I got back into archery the Kudu was the first bow I bought.  I think I only paid $150.00 new for mine, that was a few years ago though.  It's a decent enough starter bow & certainly good enough for bow fishing.  

Limbs splitting can be caused by overtightening the limb bolts, keep that in mind.  Might not be a bow problem so much as a user problem.  I never had a lick of trouble out of mine & I'm hard on stuff.

[mrkbsm]

I had one until last month (sold it) and never had any major trouble with it.  If I wasn't careful and didn't order my strings with an extra large upper loop, they would start to fray from rubbing the edge of the limb while unstringing it.  It worked for deer and bowfishing.  
Cracking limbs could be over-tightening as mentioned above, but it could also have been a bad run of limbs for a while in their factory.  
If you look around, it's quite possible you could find one used and pay a bit less.

[beaver#1]

i hunt with one right now. it is my first trad. bow also.  i am very hard on all my hunting stuff and i have never had a problem out of mine,  good stater and looks to be a good one for a while,  like said above, all of the limb problems might just have been a bad bacth of limbs, mine are fine