Recently while attending the Archery Trade Association show in Louisville Ky, I toured all of the new bows, crossbows, treestands, packs, and every accessory you can imagine in the world of hunting. Contrary to the SHOT show, the ATA is strictly a hunting show. Well, with the exception of the 2% that is for target archers, the rest of the show is specifically a hunting show. If you have ever attended SHOT, you see that more and more it is being dominated by target shooters, law enforcement and military gear and hunting is becoming a smaller and smaller portion of the show. That makes the ATA, in my opinion the best show for hunting equipment and accessories. While it is an archery show, so no firearms are present, everything else necessary for hunting is available to see, test, handle and order if you want.
Each year I spend a lot of time searching for items that take my breath away, or impress me or at the very least are items that I think every hunters will benefit from. This story and the next will focus on the best of the best as I see them. This is solely based on my opinion and my experience with over 40 years afield. These are not in any particular order.
BOWS:
One of the benefits of the ATA is all of the bow brands have their bows available to shoot for those willing to wait in line to shoot them. I did not shoot them all, preferring to focus on the bigger brands due to time constraints. However, of those I shot, the top three for me were:
Elite Impulse 34 – I shot the 34 because it was available and was unable to shoot the Impulse 31. I have read all about the “shootability” of Elite bows and like many in the industry have noticed many of the top shooters making the switch to Elite. So I had to shoot it for myself. Of all of the bows I shot, I was most impressed with the Elite Impulse 34. Its solid wall, and the ease of holding it at full draw made this the smoothest, most comfortable bow of all of them to shoot. I was very impressed with the Elite and would definitely consider purchasing one if I were in the market for a new bow.
Hoyt Carbon Defiant – Hoyt once again showed why they are the premier bow manufacturer in the business. And their Carbon Defiant is not a disappointment. For those who prefer split limb designs this in my opinion is the best of the best. It is well balanced, draws smooth and there is virtually no hand shock at all when shot. The defiant is easy to hold at full draw and very comfortable to shoot.
Prime Rize – I wrote about it when it first came out and still am amazed at the accuracy and smooth draw of the Parallel Cam Technology of the Prime bows. These bows have been my perennial favorite ever since they were introduced. The smoothness of the draw, and the ability to hold it steady make the Prime a great choice. Not to mention the Parallel Cam technology which eliminates all cam lean thereby making the bow easier to tune.
ARROWS:
GoldTip:
GoldTip Kinetic arrows are a game changer for the micro-diameter arrows that are all the rage now. These arrows have a straightness of .00025 and a weight tolerance of 0.5 grains per inch. Making these the most accurate hunting arrows available today. Couple the GoldTip straightness tolerances with the F.A.C.T. (Front of Center) technology and the GoldTip arrows are the most balanced and most accurate arrows on the market.
Tournament archers can also benefit from the technology of GoldTip with their larger diameter arrows. The XXX Pro are manufactured at the absolute maximum diameter allowed in tournament archery today. At a whopping 0.421” and at only 9.3 gr/inch it is a 3-D tournament favorite.
TARGETS: – when attending trade shows, it seems every year there are more and more target companies telling the world their targets are the best of the best. While many employ the same technology as others, sealed foam, or open layers. Bag targets with different faces many are just the same ole target. Sadly, it seems that in the world of targets, the prices continue to increase and the sizes of the targets decrease. It is personally frustrating to pay $200 for a target that is less than two feet square. When sighting in a new bow at a long distance, larger targets would be much more useful and beneficial and can be made in the same price point. Having said that, the biggest brands still dominate the market. Block, Rinehart, Morrell, all have excellent offerings. For those who prefer 3-D targets, Delta, Rinehart and Glendale all have great targets.
Glendale Buck: While not new this year, the Glendale buck is still the best target available in the 3-D arena. Available in three different sizes, the Glendale Buck is a probably the best bang for your buck. With the ability to shoot four sides of the target with a quick change over, the buck will handle thousands and thousands of shots. When you consider it is close to $250, it is expensive, however with calculating that there are really four targets in one, it is the best bargain in the 3-D target industry. I would definitely recommend the Glendale Buck over all others for backyard practice.
Next post we will look at some of the accessories available to hunters. Including broadheads, quiver, packs, treestands and packs.
