Looking for a new bow - where to start

[ileggett]

I am in the market for a new bow. I am shooting a 2012 Bear Encounter and just want to get into something a little nicer. I have read countless forums and everyone has a different taste. I want a faster bow with a smoother shot and less noisy. I don't know much beyond that. Where should I start to find out what is the best option for me?

[hogslayer]

If you have an average draw length, I would head down to rock creek archery and shoot some bows.  He is a bow tech dealer so keep that in mind.  In my opinion a lot of the top now manufactures make a high end bow that you would be happy with.  It's up to you to see which grip feels the best and what draw cycle you like the most.  I would stick with Hoyt, Bow Tech, Elite if I were going for a new bow.

[ileggett]

If you have an average draw length, I would head down to rock creek archery and shoot some bows.  He is a bow tech dealer so keep that in mind.  In my opinion a lot of the top now manufactures make a high end bow that you would be happy with.  It's up to you to see which grip feels the best and what draw cycle you like the most.  I would stick with Hoyt, Bow Tech, Elite if I were going for a new bow.

Thanks. I have been looking towards Hoyt and Elite. I will check out Rock Creek.

[theleo]

Figure out what sort of axle to axle bows you'd like to try. I like bows with the ATA to be 34"+ but I don't hunt in areas with real thick brush that shorter bows might be an advantage and I don't have a particularly short draw length. Figure out what balance you want between speed and smooth draw cycle. A lot of the speed bows have fairly smooth draw cycles but are pretty stiff to draw or you have bows like the No-cams that are just plain smooth but are slow. Once you get an idea on what sort of balance you want in all those areas look at all the manufacturers and find the bows that match up to what you're looking for. In no particular Hoyt, Prime, Mathews, PSE, Bear, Elite, Expedition, and Obsession (along with a number of others) will all have bows that could fit what you're looking for. It's up to you to shoot all of them.

[biggfish]

I'd figure out what your budget is first and then don't shoot anything outside of that. You may find that stuff in your target price are junk compared to higher end if you try them.