The 2023 archery season is still underway in many states, but it’s never too early to reflect on past hunts. How did it go? Would last summer’s gear upgrade seal the deal on a missed opportunity in September, October, or November? If so, now is the time to prepare for 2024.
Randy Smith has owned Pappas Trading Post in Arena, Wisconsin, for 13 years. He has been shooting bows for 47 seasons. From a pro shop owner’s perspective, upgrading your bows or accessories during the winter makes sense.
“If you’re shopping for a new bow, the off-season is great for a lot of reasons, but inventory is a major factor to consider,” he said. “Sometimes people wait until the last minute to buy a bow before the season, but the winter months mean you’ll find more bows in stock. And if you need to order one, shipping will be faster, too.”
The archery industry will unveil the recent bows and accessories at the Archery Trade Association trade show in January 2024. The recent equipment will hit retailers nationwide shortly thereafter.
“The newest and greatest archery equipment will start to hit the market,” Smith said. “So you can get some great deals on last year’s gear as the new models start to hit the shelves.”
The question is: When do you upgrade your bow? Die-hard techies want a recent flagship bow every year, but the technology is so consistently high these days that an archer may not gain much from upgrading.
What about hunters who are elated with their aged bow?
“You should definitely replace your strings and cables every three to five years, depending on how often you shoot,” Smith said. “Replacing them will help you be more consistent. If you do that and don’t want to spend the money on a new bow, I would consider upgrading the accessories on your current bow.”
Stabilizers, sights, quivers, and rests are all better than they were 10 years ago in terms of weight and versatility. Adding recent accessories to an aged bow can make all the difference in how the bow feels. They can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to over $500, so you need to consider investing that much money in an aged bow.
“Some people will look for second-hand bows or lightly used bows at local flea markets,” Smith said. “Those are viable options, but you have to make sure the bows are in good condition. We don’t sell second-hand bows because if something goes wrong, it’s the dealer’s fault, even if the bow didn’t come from our store. Stores do a good job with these bows, but if you decide to buy one, make sure the bow has been inspected or if it comes with some kind of limited warranty.”
To save money, Smith advises not to buy a used bow, but instead purchase a recent, non-flagship model.
“Look for a used Mathews flagship that’s three to four years old and you’ll probably find one,” he said. “But you can buy a new Mission that’s tailored to you and costs about half the price of a new Mathews. So you could always consider buying a model that’s not the top of the line for that brand, but is new and probably as good as a flagship that’s a few years old.”
An archer might remember buying a recent bow a decade ago and how incredible it felt. How speedy it was. Would that archer notice a substantial difference compared to a recent bow today? Smith says yes.
“They’ll notice the difference when they pick it up,” he said. “It’ll be lighter, better balanced and thinner than the previous models. The cams will be different, and the modules in the new cams will allow us to adjust everything to make the bow fit their individual needs. Once you shoot it, you’ll notice how much less vibration there is and how much easier it is to shoot, even though it’s a lot faster than their old bow.”
“It’s hard to put into words, but once you hold the arrow in your hand and see it fly, you’ll know exactly where that money went.”
The advantage of improving in the off-season is that you have extra time to practice and tune your bow for the next season. Consider joining an indoor league in the off-season.
“You’ll need to practice with these new bows, even though they’re more user-friendly and forgiving,” Smith said. “Winter is when the leagues start and you can have a lot of fun shooting with other hunters, so when the next season comes around, you’ll have the confidence to head out into the field.”
