I remember my very first compound in the early '80s was a Bear Whitetail hunter. Man was that thing archaic. Shot it for a couple of years and then bought a Hoyt Prohunter. That was like going from a Vega-look it up kids-to a Corvette. I thought I'd never part with that Hoyt, but of course I did. But I will never forget the difference in those two bows. Blessings.........Pastorjim
Now we're talking nostalgia! I do wish I would have kept a couple of my very first bows as well. First bow I ever owned was given to me by my older brother. A Golden Eagle Hawk Turbo. Steel cables, no let off. I killed a couple of deer with that thing when I first started out. I then saved and bought a Reflex Extreme Solo Cam. Like pastorjim stated, what a night and day difference. Those two bows I'd love to have back, just to keep around for sentimental reasons.
I wish I still had my first bow. A camo Bear Black Panther. Don't know why I got rid of it...... oh yea because I was a teenager then and teenagers know everything!
Had a hoyt ultramag for a few years it was my first. To say i miss it may be an overstatement. I upgraded to an Elite Synergy so its hard to like the old hoyt next to that.
loved my Jennings gale force. it was so smooth. but I really miss my martin speedfire. I felt like half the time I never even used the sights and I never missed. it was a 2 cam bow with a rock solid wall. I am shooting a mission single cam now and I hate single cams. the wall is spongy.
1970 Bear Grizzy, 45#. It was my first bow, I got it around my 11th birthday in 1982. My brother sold it when I was living in Alabama in the early 90's. I would love to have that bow back.
I had a Mathews MQ-32 that really impressed me. At the time it was the first really good set up that I owned and it really made a tremendous difference in my shooting and as a result my hunting success.
My '08 Bowtech Allegiance. Should have kept it when I bought the Hoyt Faktor (which I love as well). Still have the Patriot (gave it to my son), but he doesn't shoot it or hunt at this time.
I had the Monster 7 that I wish I still had from time to time. I just enjoyed shooting out to 100 yards with it. My wife bought me the Chill after I returned home from the service.
I wonder how many of us that loved our vintage equipment so much would actually realize how crappy they were after shooting new technology? I think it would be fun shooting the old stuff just for a different challenge. I would definitely have to have a modern rest instead of those old rests that you peeled the backing off and stuck it to the side of the riser. or the old break through technology of the TM hunter. man I'm getting old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! still loved the aluminum arrows.
i'll have to look for some photos of my old bows. some of you newbs or young guys definitely missed out on a lot of the frustrations of the old bows. for some reason the old martin warthog sticks in my mind. one of the only compounds with laminated wood limbs. man that is when Bowtech & Mathews was not even thought of and martin dominated everything. this is a great thread! brings back a lot of memories. xx75 was my aluminum arrow of choice as well. hard to find now. loved it when I shot a deer and heard the arrow tinging on everything as it ran away. good times!! oh remember when everyone shot those old 4 blade satellite broadheads you bought at Kmart.
I recall when you couldn't even hunt with a compound bow in Pa, it had to be a recurve or long bow. When they became legal, that's when I got my Bear Polar LTD. I've kept most of my XX75s from my kills over the years, so after I clean them up and spin test them, I'll still have plenty to last me.
