A new bow? If your bow's more than a few years old, you're missing something special.Like everything else these days, even a walk down a grocery-store aisle, the price of a new compound bow can take your breath away. Is the technology worth the cost? The answer from the staff at Petersen's BOWHUNTING Bowhunting is the practice of taking game animals by archery. Technique In contrast to a rifle hunter, who may shoot effectively from ranges in excess of 200 yards (about 180 m), archers will usually restrict shots to 45 yards or less, depending on factors such as would be a resounding re·sound v. re·sound·ed, re·sound·ing, re·sounds v.intr. 1. To be filled with sound; reverberate: The schoolyard resounded with the laughter of children. 2. , "yes!" Even the new economy models offer improved, and perfectly acceptable performance. For chronograph-whirling speed, for the advantage of the most sophisticated technology available today, the top models are where it's at. Today's technology is worth every penny when speed is combined with hunting silence, easy tuning combined with shootability, plus tack-driving accuracy are paramount in making the tough decision to shell out for a new bow. These attributes create higher scores on the range and increase confidence when hunting. Today, it's easy to choose a new bow because of the very qualities you seek--especially for those lacking in your old model. More Speed There was a time when arrow speeds of 300 feet-per-second (fps) were something truly exceptional. Today, 300 fps--even faster--are essentially commonplace. The best bows have become more efficient, transferring more draw-weight energy directly into the arrow. Nearly any company I could name boasts 300-fps-plus IBO Ibo: see Igbo. speeds on their top models. Speed Cams New hybrid and single-cam designs are responsible for much of this speed. Hoyt's revolutionary Cam & 1/2 (half) is one, powering popular models such as the Vtec, Xtec, and ViperTec to 300-fps-plus, while also being extremely forgiving and easily tuned. Add Hoyt's Spiral Cam & 1/2 (half) to the TurboTec and 330 fps is made easy with the right poundage and arrow. Precision Shooting Equipment's NRG NRG Energy NRG NRG Energy, Inc. NRG Natural Resources Group NRG New Radiancy Group NRG Network Referral Group NRG Network Resource Grapher NRG Numerics Rapporteur Group NRG Neuroprosthetics Research Group NRG notional requirements generator Hybrid and Single cams provide models like the Mach-12, Vengeance, Primos STL (STereoLithography) A 3D printing file format created by 3D Systems for its stereolithography system. Also supported by many numerical control, rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing machines, STL provides the surface geometry of the item in triangles. , and Firestorm Lite with high speeds; while Archery Research uses the Ram Cam And A Half in AR 31, 34, and 37 to beat 300 fps. Mathews' rocket launcher, the Switchback, uses a Straightline Cobra Cam, which produces speeds of 318 fps without kick or sacrificing smoothness. Other Mathews Straightline Cam options are had from the Outback, LX, Ovation, and a number of others that blast past the 300 fps barrier. Some of the fastest bows around wear the BowTech label, the new Binary Cam System now giving Old Glory and Allegiance VFT VFT Venus Fly Trap (dionaea muscipula) VFT Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman (polymer science equation) VFT Variable Frequency Transformer VFT Virtual Flight Test VFT Visual Function Test bragging rights of 320 fps-plus, while extreme models such as the extremely stable 40.5-inch Constitution and extremely short 31.5-inch Defender VFT easily break 300. APA (All Points Addressable) Refers to an array (bitmapped screen, matrix, etc.) in which all bits or cells can be individually manipulated. APA - Application Portability Architecture Innovations uses dual high performance power to give the brand-new Black Mamba arrow-burning 340 fps speed; the APA Taipan taipan a very venomous snake because of its large output of highly poisonous venom; dark brown on the dorsum with creamy yellow belly. Called also Oxyuranus scutellatus. hits 318 from the Venom single-cam. High Country Archery's Striker Cam is capable of producing unbelievable speeds. Liberty Archery's Liberty I is lightweight and super short (21.5 inches axle-to-axle) but spits arrows out at more than 340 fps. The list could go on indefinitely, but includes Alpine's Twin Force Cam, Archery Pro's LB1, B1, and SB1 cams, Jennings' j-REV single cam (cam and idler wheel perfectly balanced to work together more efficiently), Parker's Phoenix Cam, and many others. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Nearly all of the newest cam designs are equipped with sealed ball bearings, for less friction, greater efficiency and speed, not to mention zero maintenance. Engineered Speed Speed also comes through careful engineering in other areas. Look to features such as High Country's carbon risers and VFA VFA volatile fatty acids. Armor-coated tapered split limb technology, helping their models handle the stress of 5.5 grains-per-inch (gpi) HCA HCA, n.pr See acid, hydroxycitric. Speed Pro arrows and 350 fps speeds. The balanced design of a long riser and short, parallel limbs configure to more efficiently, and with more stability, transfer energy, as seen in models from APA, Moon Archery, Mathews, BowTech, AR, Jennings, and Diamond, among others. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Low brace height measurements have long been an avenue to easy speed, but could prove unforgiving. Today many speed bows include easy handling and shootability. I know from experience this is true of Hoyt's six-inch brace height TurboTec. There are others--from Darton, Fred Bear, Parker, Martin, Alpine, Ben Pearson, and Renegade, all easily pushing past 300 fps. If speed is your ultimate consideration, look to BowTech's Black Knight Black Knight A company that makes a hostile takeover offer on a target company. Notes: An allusion to the fairytale villains, this term demonstrates how a targeted company sees its adversary. (up to 350 fps), APA's Black Mamba (340 fps), Liberty's Liberty I (340+), and Mathews' Black Max 2 (340+ fps), some of the fastest bows now available (speed ratings provided by manufacturers). Add Quietness The bigger surprise is that many of the bows already discussed also prove whisper quiet. As said many times on these pages, a quiet bow buys you two things. One, it may overcome the animal's ability to react to the shot. Secondly, on a rare occasion, a quiet bow may actually earn you a second chance. Quiet bows are part of the industry's most recent bent, since Sims Vibration Laboratories made us see what was possible. Factory-installed Sims accessories are now portion to the silence of many of today's popular brands. New Hoyt and Reflex models all include Sims AlphaShox, LimbSavers and Super String Leeches that make even their fastest models dead silent. Parker uses Sims LS Vibration Reduction Modules on two points of the riser of Phoenix models to reduce unwanted vibrations, plus Parker installs LimbSavers and String Leeches on all top models. Darton, Jennings/Bear, Martin, Moon Archery, Kodiak Outdoors, Pro Line, Liberty, and Ross also include Sims LimbSavers and/or String Leeches out of the box. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PSE PSE 1. pale soft exudative pork. 2. portosystemic encephalopathy. , AR, and Browning include proprietary String Chub Chub, in the Bible Chub (kŭb), in the Bible, an African people. This may be a textual error for Lub (i.e., Lubim). chub, in zoology chub: see minnow. string silencers on all performance designs, while Richwood/CSS has a proprietary string silencer of their own. Alpine includes complete proprietary dampening systems on all new Tundra Series bows' including Shock Suppressors limb silencers, cable guard dampener/slide cushion, Micro Web String Silencers, Bi-Polar Dampeners on limb pockets, and Mid-plane riser vibration dampener. All BowTech models come with proprietary Hush Kits; Medusa-looking silencers for cable and string, VibraBlock limb silencers, and cable-guard muffler. Points of Silence Mathews was one of the first to take incorporated bow silencing elements to task. Every Mathews' model now includes Harmonic Dampers in every riser, elastic-web-suspended dampening weights. The flagship models include String Suppressors capturing the bowstring after release, bearing-equipped Roller Guard (now with dual Harmonic Dampers), and V-Lock Zero Tolerance The policy of applying laws or penalties to even minor infringements of a code in order to reinforce its overall importance and enhance deterrence. Since the 1980s the phrase zero tolerance has signified a philosophy toward illegal conduct that favors strict imposition of Limb Cup System. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The new PSE Vengeance and Browning Top Gun both include String Recoil recoil /re·coil/ (re´koil) a quick pulling back. elastic recoil the ability of a stretched object or organ, such as the bladder, to return to its resting position. Suppressors, string "bumpers" capturing the string on release to stop vibrations cold. String suppression is also part of Bladerunner's silencing regime. Kodiak Outdoors' BowLogic risers include built-in vibration-reducing stabilizer QLS QLS Quiet Line State (Cisco) QLS Que Lo Sepas QLS Quick Look Study QLS Queue Length Threshold QLS Quantum Leap Strategy modules (Quadra Lateral Stabilization), as well as L2R L2R Learn to Read L2R Layer 2 Relay L2R Live To Ride L2R Love to Ride L2R Local to Remote limb-pocket design, locking and padding the limbs in place to reduce recoil and noise. Wheeler Archery includes Vibra-Sorb material cradling limb cups and surrounding limb bolts. Martin Archery uses rubber dampeners in Vibration Escape Chambers to squelch squelch v. squelched, squelch·ing, squelch·es v.tr. 1. To crush by or as if by trampling; squash. 2. shot noise. Martin's new ShadowCat, for instance, includes seven VEMs across the riser. AR bows include specially milled riser chambers that actually guide vibrations away from the hand, and limb pockets with a specially formulated insert for enhanced fit and recoil reduction. Alpine VX Series "Inter-Loc" limb mounting system, and VX-1 solid limb pocket mount, locks limbs in nylon like a vise for zero movement and less noise. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] McPherson and Ben Pearson bows include Vib-X polymer gel-filled noise and vibration reduction "stabilizers" milled into risers. Jennings/Bear models include a Double Taper Lock Limb Cup to hold super-tough compression-molded limbs; Jennings uses a silent SwingArm cable guard, Bear uses a Shock Stop string suppressor sup·pres·sor n. 1. or sup·press·er One that suppresses: a suppressor of free speech. 2. A gene that suppresses the phenotypic expression of another gene, especially of a mutant gene. . Whisper Creek's new Innovator showcases several patented features created to achieve total shot silence. BowActuator beneath limb pockets, Pocket BowSuspension Technology in riser areas, and Tuning Fork Technology are part of the process, as well as using Sims String Leeches and a CounterForce Modular Solo Cam with incorporated BowDamp technology. The Innovator reaches speeds of nearly 300 fps. Pivoting limb pockets are a worth-while silencing design, maintaining the characteristics of bottomed-out limbs at every draw weight. Look for such designs on bows from Hoyt/Reflex, Martin, Mathews, Fred Bear/Jennings, Whisper Creek, Ross, Ben Pearson/McPherson, APA, PSE/Browning, Bladerunner, Archery Pro, Hi-Tec, Wheeler, Merlin, Renegade, and others. Parallel Silence Parallel limbs promote silence, a technology that's rampant on today's bows but not likely to be seen if your bow is more than a few years old. BowTech's Vertical Force Technology parallel limb design started the rage, using the vertical energy of each opposing limb to cancel the vibrations of the opposite while maintaining speed and promoting silence. Parallel limb design is now seen on models not only from BowTech, but Fred Bear/Jennings (FNT FNT Font (File Name Extension) FNT Front FNT Fontana (postal locality, Malta) FNT Fascinating New Thing (song) FNT Flint, MI, USA - Bishop Int'l Airport Force Neutralizing Technology), Mathews, Diamond, Moon Archery, APA, Bladerunner, Martin, AR, Alpine, Ross, Darton, HCA, Archery Pro, and Browning. There are others as well. Set Up Made Easy Compounds once required routine maintenance and tinkering to provide top performance. Modern no-stretch string and cable materials largely solved such woes, but modern designs also make bow tuning a snap. Single-cam designs make tuning no more difficult than maintaining a set brace height. Newer "cam-and-half" systems are able to provide acceptable accuracy even when out of sync. Companies like Hoyt and Darton, as examples, provide laser-engraved hash marks on their cam systems to assure tuning is no more difficult than keeping strings/cables within these parameters, so that a stretched cable is instantly recognized. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Most importantly, new cam designs allow more adjustment capabilities within a single bow. For instance, Hoyt's Cam & 1/2 (half) allows 2.5 inches of draw length, plus "hard" or "soft" back wall adjustment, available with 65- or 75-percent letoff. Kodiak's BowLogic Quick Draw S-Cam includes five inches of draw length adjustment, while Forge makes bows that the entire family can shoot; with nearly 30 pounds of draw weight range adjustment, and 6.5 inches of draw length adjustment, all from a single bow! Alpine's Fast Trac One Cam has five inches of draw length adjustment, the Stalker II Cam eight inches, the faster Twin Force Cam, four inches. Browning's Trance Cam provides four inches of draw length adjustment, and 80- or 65-percent letoff from one bow. All these designs allow adjustment without a press or modules. Nice. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Accuracy Plus Shooting machines have begun to show us just how accurate today's newest bows are; many shooting arrows into the same hole at any reasonable range. This comes via space-age materials, but also more careful engineering that creates straighter tolerances, tighter parts fit and more secure and reliable parts anchoring. Archery Pro's Laser Straight Technology is a good example, providing perfect alignment of the riser, arrow rest, cams and sight pins, while Wheeler Archery, in models such as the T-Rex, offer Center Line Riser Technology to perfectly center the arrow between the axles and provide less torque and more accuracy; as well as increased energy transfer and speed. Hoyt's Tec bows' bridge risers create a stiffer, more stable platform with less weight. Combine these with .75-inch (three-quarter) Split Limb Technology with Uniform Stress Distribution that spreads energy evenly across the entire limb and eliminates vulnerable V-grooves and heavy reinforcing bolts. Limbs are held in place through a pivoting, locking limb pocket bracket and Triax Pocket Stabilization System milled right into the riser, increasing the breadth of contact between dowel dowel /dow·el/ (dou´'l) a peg or pin for fastening an artificial crown or core to a natural tooth root, or affixing a die to a working model for construction of a crown, inlay, or partial denture. and riser for exceptional strength and stability. The Cam & 1/2 (half) also provides absolutely level nock nock n. 1. The groove at either end of a bow for holding the bowstring. 2. The notch in the end of an arrow that fits on the bowstring. tr.v. nocked, nock·ing, nocks 1. travel. Ross's offset riser causes the string to come straight off the cam and idler and track directly down the middle of the riser to prevent torque and left/right nock deviation. Darton's new Limb-Bolt Locking Washer Assembly allows super-smooth weight adjustments to be positively locked into place via setscrew. Richwood Archery/Custom Shooting Systems' LT precision lathe-turned idler wheel plus one-piece Teflon bushing and compression spacer combine to guarantee greater accuracy. Darton's C/P/S (Controlled Power System) improves accuracy by providing perfectly level nock travel, and uniform performance from a wide range of draw length. Fred Bear's new SQ32 includes a new synchronized Hybrid Cam System assuring top accuracy through perfect synchronization of top and bottom cams, silky-smooth draw, and perfectly level nock travel. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Martin Archery's Nitrous-X shoot-through system eliminates the need for a cable guard by launching the arrow directly through the buss cables, which eliminates torque and allows straight-line shooting in a setup capable of 310 fps from models like the ShadowCat Hunter. Some accuracy-enhancing features also correlate to silence, found in secure limb pocket designs from companies such as Mathews, AR, Alpine, Jennings/Fred Bear. Pivoting limb pockets, mentioned on models above, are also an accuracy enhancer. Locking limb bolt/limb pocket designs also assure hard-earned tuning remains constant. When limbs are anchored solidly and precisely, accuracy follows. Why do you need a new bow? To take advantage of all the up-to-date technology related above. If a blazing fast arrow, church-mouse-quiet shot, easy tuning and arrow-clattering accuracy are elements you seek, a new bow awaits you offering all of these things, most often in a single package. What are you waiting for? RELATED ARTICLE: Shopping For Your New Bow Alpine Archery, Inc. (208) 746-4717 www.alpinearchery.com APA Innovations, Inc. (866) 353-7378 www.apaarchery.com Archery Pro LLC (Logical Link Control) See "LANs" under data link protocol. LLC - Logical Link Control (423) 949-5038 www.newberrybows.com Archery Research (800) 385-5046 www.archeryresearch.com Ben Pearson Archery, Inc./McPherson Archery (800) 441-6734 www.benpearson.com Bladerunner Archery (866) 256-4499 www.bladerunnerarchery.com BowTech (888) 689-1289 www.bowtecharchery.com Browning Archery (800) 644-0245 www.browning-archery.com Darton Archery (989) 728-9511 www.dartonarchery.com Diamond by BowTech (877) 269-2776 www.diamondarchery.com Escalade es·ca·lade n. The act of scaling a fortified wall or rampart. [French, from Italian scalata, ultimately from Latin sc Sports/Fred Bear/Jennings (866) 556-2754 www.escaladesports.com Forge Bow Company (414) 732-7400 www.forgebow.com High Country Archery (423) 949-5000 www.highcountryarchery.com Hi-Tec Archery (435) 638-7459 www.hitecarchery.com Hoyt (801) 363-2990 www.hoyt.com Kodiak Outdoors, LLC (480) 222-4002 www.kodiakoutdoors.net Liberty Systems, Inc. (408) 983-1127 www.libertyarchery.com Martin Archery, Inc. (509) 529-2554 www.martinarchery.com Mathews Inc. (608) 269-2728 www.mathewsinc.com Merlin USA (603) 899-9888 Moon Archery (403) 845-2095 www.moonarchery.com Parker Compound Bows, Inc. (800) 707-8149 www.parkerbows.com ProLine proline (prō`lēn), organic compound, one of the 20 amino acids commonly found in animal proteins. Only the l-stereoisomer appears in mammalian protein. Archery (718) 845-9280 www.prolinebows.com PSE Archery (800) 477-7789 www.pse-archery.com Reflex (801) 363-2990 www.reflexbow.com Renegade Archery Co., LLC (715) 568-2730 www.renegadebows.com Richwood Archery, Inc./CSS (304) 781-3945 www.richwoodarchery.com Ross Archery (913) 451-7677 www.rossarchery.com Wheeler Archery (989) 644-5825 www.wheelerarchery.com Whisper Creek Archery, Inc. (801) 335-0006 www.whispercreekarchery.com |
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