[Newt]

O.K. So I've been out of the compound bow world for about 5 or 6 years now, and I'm looking at getting back into it. I found a great website that gives numbers on almost every bow you could imagine (except High Country). I've got it narrowed to about 5 different bows (based mostly on price). I'll post up another thread concerning these bows, but for now I've got another question. How much affect should I base my decision on concerning the "forgiveness ratings"?

P.S. - Here's the website I found.... http://www.huntersfriend.com/bowspecs7.htm

P.P.S. - Art/Byron... if this thread needs moved, please feel free.

[H&Hhunter]

I have just recentley started bow hunting again. And I love it!

I don't really know about this forgiveness rating thing. But I can tell you this I bought Matthews Q-2 and the thing is so accurate and easy to shoot it's scary. I let my brother shoot it the other day he hasn't puicked up a bow inprobably 15 years. He shot about a 3" group at 20 yards. these new bows are just that easy to shoot! Another friend of mine hasn't shoot since highschool twenty some odd years ago he picked up a MAtthews at the SCI show in Reno and hissecond arrow busted the knock off the first one as did his third. the Matthews guy had to ask him to PLEASE spread his group a bit..I find the Hoyts to shoot just as well.

Compared to the old Typhoon XT's a martin panthers of the 80's I'd say any bow you pick will be easy to shoot.

I shot a bunch of bows and my two favorites are any Matthews and the Hoyts. I really don't think you can go wrong with any decent bow in todays advanced world of Archery equipment.

[NRA4LIFE]

I second H&H here. My first bow was a Martin when I first started out as a poor college student. My second bow (and currently) is a Hoyt ProVantage. Unless it breaks, I'll never get rid of it. Unfortunately, my current state of residence does not allow bow hunting and any other hunting for a given species (deer or elk) in the same year. So my bow hunting is limited for the moment.

[cracked butt]

The last bow I bought was a Martin Phantom about 5 years ago. Its an absolute joy to shoot. Forgiveness rating? Not sure if that's aplicable if you shoot with good form. I'e been shooting stickbows, recurves, compounds etc, since I was 6 years old, the only bow that never shot for me very well was a 1980's Bear Whitetail compound. The first compound I owned when I was 12 years old, a Darton MX-20 is still used by my wife, and she shoots very impressive scores with it in league shoots.

For the most part, a bow is only as good as its shooter. Don't base a buying decision on charts, speed ratings, or other numbers. Visit a GOOD archery shop and spend some time there trying out several bows, find one that fits you well, feels right to you, and have the bowsmith set the bow up to fit you personally along with arrows matched to the bow.