Bow Reports

The Barnett Wildcat C6 name harkens back to the classic original wooden Barnett Wildcat from a generation ago, but apart from the name, the affordable price might be the only thing this latest incarnation has in common with the original.

More tried and true gear ready for your next bowhunting excursion.

Bear advertises the H15 Cams as being even smoother and easier to let down while achieving speeds comparable to Bear’s previous-generation cams.

At the heart of the Synergy’s smooth performance is the Synergy Cam, a new cam that follows Elite’s tradition of twin-track cam systems.

Having just mounted the scope, I fired offhand at a deflated balloon on a very large 20-yard target in preparation to sight-in. To my astonishment, I pinned the balloon to the target. Assuming it was a lucky shot, I fired another bolt with the same result.

TenPoint’s reputation has been built on top-quality, no-compromise crossbows with some truly innovative, cutting-edge features, some of which are found on every TenPoint model in production.

The Z5 Cam & 1/2 is touted as producing the same speeds as the earlier Rocket Cam, with an even smoother draw cycle. Anecdotal evidence supports that, as does the draw force curve.

After nearly five years since the introduction of the original 3800, the designers at Darton have managed to develop a bow that is both tried and true and cutting-edge new.

Can a bow that sells for just shy of $1,000 be called a bargain bow? For shooters who want the stability, durability, light weight, and look of a carbon riser bow with the high-tech features, speed, and shootability that BOWTECH is known for, the Carbon Overdrive is certainly a great bow for the money.

Hunters will appreciate the Barnett RAZR’s light weight, compact size, accuracy, and speed, but in particular those hunters who enjoy spot-and-stalk hunting and therefore spend a lot of time carrying their crossbow, will find that the RAZR compares favorably to any crossbow in production.

Hunters who place a premium on pleasant shooting properties and low noise, with more than enough speed to hunt effectively for any species at any range, will find that the Bear Venue fills the bill nicely.

Any crossbow shooter who is a fan of ARs will probably love the Carbon Express Intercept Axon. And because it won over a non-AR fan like me, I suspect it will appeal to a wide range of crossbow shooters.

The Quest Radical does exactly what it was designed to do: It delivers a solid, reliable, good-looking bow with a sufficient range of draw lengths and draw weights to grow with a young or beginning bowhunter.

Any bowhunter seeking high performance in a moderately priced bow should put the Mission Blaze on a short list of bows to consider.

For the bowhunter who shoots regularly enough to be well-conditioned, and who likes to take advantage of maximum speed for flatter trajectories and longer range, or added penetration when hunting big, dangerous game, the PSE Full Throttle is a bow well worth test driving.

If accuracy, smooth and pleasant shooting, and quiet are high on your list of priorities, and if you are among the many bowhunters who find there is nothing to match the feel of a single-cam bow, you’ll find a lot to like and nothing to dislike in the Mathews Creed XS.

The Hoyt Carbon Spyder 30 features a carbon riser, unlike the previous Hoyt Spyder series, which did not. And though it somewhat resembles Hoyt’s carbon bows such as the Carbon Element G3, the fact is, the riser itself differs in design.

Nothing radical about the Alloy—Prime’s Parallel cams are innovative, but the design is too obviously sensible to be considered radical.

For 2014 Mathews has introduced the Chill R. At a glance, it’s a little longer than its predecessor at 33 inches axle-to-axle compared to 30.5 inches, and the limbs appear to have a slightly sharper angle of take-off from the riser.

At the heart of the Agenda 6 is Bear’s now-familiar hybrid system, the H13. It is a hallmark of Bear’s cams that they allow draw lengths to be adjusted without use of a press and, in most (though not all) cases, without changing modules.

PSE has tweaked the aggressive Core Hybrid Cams on the original DNA to produce the DNA SP (Smooth Pull). The new CS Cam powers the DNA SP and, by shaving 7 fps off the top speed, achieves a significant softening of the shot cycle.

This year Elite boasts some new technology that boosts the speed of its new Energy Series bows without compromising shootability. In fact, if anything, the design of the Energy series bows enhances shootability.

The Hoyt Carbon Spyder Turbo compound bow will impress archers who likes smooth, pleasant shooting and speed.

Updated technology and some important new features aside, and granting that the Bear “look” has evolved somewhat over the years, appearance-wise everything about this bow says “Bear Archery”

Hoyt’s Spyder series, including the Spyder 30, Spyder 34, and Spyder Turbo appear to be natural successors to Hoyt’s Vector series of bows.

The Covert SLS is one of four Carbon Express crossbows currently in production, and the most compact of the three Covert Series crossbows.

A casual glance at the Charger hanging on a rack would not distinguish it from most of Hoyt’s other offerings, including the popular Spyder series bows.

The 410 boasts significant improvements over its predecessor, most notably a mass weight that is a full pound lighter at 7.2 pounds, and two inches narrower at 22 inches.

There is no denying that the design and overall appearance of Oneida bows are radically different from more conventional compound bows. Many shooters like it, some find it off-putting.