What factors do you prefer in a bow

[PrimitivePete]

Hope this thread stays positive but aside from having a bow that you are confidently accurate with, what would you say is the next attribute that is a must for you. For me it has to be Owl quiet, I hunt with my bows exclusively and I prefer bows to be as quiet as possible. The deer I hunt are Public land deer and they are spooky as heck so I need to be the ultimate Ninja when getting a shot off. My new to me t/d Pronghorn fits that perfectly. It's super quiet and I can bunch my arrows right on the spot I'm expecting to hit. So what are your feelings, is it speed, grip, looks?

[Gordon Jabben]

I shoot mostly Hill style bows.  I have owned a lot of them and the two I shoot the best have the most hand shock.  I guess I would have to say hand shock.
Seriously though, I'm with you on wanting a quiet bow.  Also one without glare. 

[Wudstix]

I would say it is "feel", and quiet speed.
 

[kennym]

Grip, quiet , speed and looks for last..

[GCook]

Quiet, forgiving, relatively good speed (180S fps and up) easily repeatable grip, stabile limbs and good looks are fine too.

[Tradcat]

Quiet, smooth drawing, perfect grip, beautiful wood combos. Did I forget to say Quiet?

[gregg dudley]

Grip that is comfortable for me and easy to locate.  That's probably why I gravitate towards "pistol grip" recurves over longbows. 

That being said, I got rid of one of the best shooting bows that I ever had because I could not get the dang thing quiet enough to suit me. 

[Wudstix]

Quiet kills, speed helps.  Feel is everything.
 

[Dave Lay]

Quiet, grip I dont have to think about, durability, physical weight that’s not to heavy or light. And like Gregg Ive sold some really fine bows I couldn’t get quiet enough for my tastes.

[Sean B]

This is actually a great question. I’ve owned a lot of different bows over the years and my main factor is grip, smoothness and mass weight of a bow. I don’t care about speed or “quiet”. I’ve killed a lot of animals at close range with a bows that many would deem loud. I prefer a bit more mass weight and a grip that feels “right” that has a shelf that sits right on top of my hand. It’s all personal preference!!

[Al Dean]

I don't want to say quiet, rather a bow with a pleasant sound.  I detest bows with a sharp obtrusive crack at the shot.
# 1 is feel, a bow I can feel the shot with and there are very few.

[MnFn]

Grip.  I like the idea of the arrow right over my hand but with some bows it seems I have to really work at finding the right nock  height or I get bit by the fletching across the top of my bow hand.  I could probably just burnish the feathers I guess.  Of course, my sausage like fingers (as my son describes them) might have something to do with it. 😁


I also do not like hand shock. But actually in the last thirty years I have only had one custom that I didn’t like for that reason.

Smoothness sounds good to me but when I think about that it is hard for me to quantify that in a bow. Maybe I’ve just been lucky with the twenty plus bows I’ve owned.  Or, having an average draw length probably negates this. IDK.

In bow length, I have had bows from 48” to 68”.  I prefer 60”-62” long.  I had a 56” Shrew Classic Hunter that I really liked also.

And finally, l like quick bows without them being unstable at the shot. Some weight in the riser helps. The Tall Tines Stickflinger is probably the bow that works best for me, although I have liked quite a few others as well.

62” 49@28” and a pleasure to shoot.

[Sam McMichael]

Smoothness of draw and quietness are paramount. Lots of other characteristics are desirable, but these are the most important to me.

[dnovo]

Grip is number 1 for me. If the bow feels right when I grip it, the rest fall into place. Accuracy is fine when the bow fits my hand. Speed is not a big deal as long as the bow isn’t a complete dog.

[M60gunner]

Grip, if I can’t get into the grip the bow no matter how quite, pretty, fast, expensive an’it goin work for me. Now I have been know to make a grip fit me. That’s why God invented belt sanders.

[Gdpolk]

Must haves

• a grip that fits me perfectly without me having to think about it
• adequate poundage for what I am hunting (though it doesn't have to be the most that I can pull or shoot accurately
• it has to feel right, I know that's subjective but you all know what I mean.  I can't pick it up and have a "meh" response to it
• quiet
• be right handed

After that it's really just aesthetic preferences.  I quit buying bows when I got my two piece Sarrells Sierra. 

[Wudstix]

Must haves

• a grip that fits me perfectly without me having to think about it
• adequate poundage for what I am hunting (though it doesn't have to be the most that I can pull or shoot accurately
• it has to feel right, I know that's subjective but you all know what I mean.  I can't pick it up and have a "meh" response to it
• quiet
• be right handed

 

Looks like most of us want that "personal feel".  I have three bows that are my main "core group".  Two Big River bows, 1 recurve and 1 D/R longbow, 65# and 66#.  Respectively, they both feel good in their own way.  One MOAB that when I first held it sent chills down my spine, 63#.
I have other bows that were acquired, just because.  A Kota Badlands that comes out occasionally for some spot-n-stalk hog hunting.(70#)  There are also a Bear Grizzly, Howatt TD and Damon Howatt Hunter that are all floaters.  All the grips are just a tad different, but right for the bow. 
 

[LookMomNoSights]

Grip, grip and grip!  58" thru 62" at my perfect draw weight ......  I'll make the rest of it work.  If that grip is not right on the bullseye or extremely close for me,  it becomes like a distraction and my shooting is doomed.