It was a nice warm evening. Dad and I had been sitting around camp and talking. Dad said” You ready to get in the stand?” Dad asked.”Yeah. Let’s go.” I answered. We got in the truck and stopped half way to the stand. I asked Dad” Which stand are we going to?” He answered” The Doe Hole.” When we shut the stand door and got quiet we didn’t have to wait long before a whole group of does came in. I picked out a big doe that was leading the group. Dad got the gun up to the window of the stand then I got adjusted putting the stock directly on my shoulder then looking through the sights putting the cross hairs on the shoulder. “BOOM!” Went the 357mag. The doe I was shooting at crumbled to the shot. Dad and I high-fived. “ Another deer in the fridge.” I said.

If you are looking for a smooth, fast 33″ hunting bow the Katerra could fit the bill for you. This bow is pretty much a remake of last years vulcan with some updates. For one the bow has lost almost half a pound and is more portable, though I have always liked the hoyts for being very stable without a stabilizer due to the extra weight of the tech riser. The ata is 33″‘, the brace height is 6″, the cam is the new z3 cam 1/2 in place of the vector cam. The new cam is really smooth and has picked up the speed some as well. IBO rated at 330fps I was able to get 319 out of it at 29″ 70lb with the usual 350gr arrow. With a 30″ draw it will easily shoot the ibo rating and have heard of some shooting the longer draw up close to 340fps. What I like about this bow and its 36″ brother the Katerra xl which has a 7″ brace height is the ability to throw a heavy arrow fast. When shooting the katerra with a 425gr arrow I was still able to get over 300fps with it. With the same arrow out of the xl I was in the upper 280’s(the xl is rated slower than the shorter bow. I shot a 635gr arrow out of the katerra and got 235fps, talk about shoot through something!! I personally like the longer xl due to it being smoother drawing and more forgiving, but you cant really go wrong with either one. The only thing I do  not like about the new hoyts and this years bowtechs as well are the string suppressors. On the hoyt they actually make the bow louder and we have been taking them off. The ones on the bowtech are not as loud but look like an afterthought and are in your line of sight. the hoyt also needs more than the one string silencer that they are putting on the bows now, but I always take them off any way because they dont last long and catwhiskers are quieter in my findings. Other than that they are smooth, fast, and forgiving bows. I love the feel of their grip, not too fat or too thin, or any cold medal to have to hold on to. If your in the market for a new bow give them a try, also when looking for a new bow make sure you shoot every model you can get your hand on and not what somebody is telling you is the best. Archery is very personal and what one person likes another will hate. Try as many as possible and make your own decisions. If your local dealer will not let you shoot the bows first find one that will. You will also come out better going to a proshop over the box stores by getting better service and one on one help. The prices at the proshops are also in line with the box stores if not cheaper, I know I am cheaper than gander mtn or cabelas on most anything.

I hear alot of people are disappointed with Mathews at the moment for not bring out a speed bow and kinda just sticking to the same lines of the last 4 years. It is all over the forums. In light of this though the DXT is a great little bow. With a 29.75 axle to axle, and a weight of 3.75lbs the bow is very hunter friendly. I tested the bow with the usual 29″ draw 70lbs with a 350 gr. arrow. Most short bows will not shoot as fast as their longer counterparts, but this did not factor in here. The dxt shot a 10 shot average of 307 over my chrono, faster than the 33″ drenalin. This bow is just as smooth as the drenalin and also easy to shoot. I figured with the short ata  and 7″ brace height that it would not be forgiving. I was wrong! It is no less forgiving than the drenalin, only difference is I had to move the peep higher and further out than usual due to the short length. A string loop is also a must with the angle at full draw. The dxt has less hand shock than the drenalin both with and without a stabilizer and is the quietest bow that I have in the shop. Shooting some of my 375gr axis hunting arrows through the dxt still turned up a very respectable 293fps, well above the drenalin I am currently shooting. If you are looking for a bow to hunt out of tight spots with, believe this is the one to have. Go shoot one at your dealer and see for yourself. This bow is quieter and faster than the bowtech general and you dont have the gaudy string suppressor staring you in the face.

I have found the broadhead for me. I have in the past and will continue to try all the new heads that  come out on the market, but I have found the hellrazor to be one that I could use from  now on. Weighing in at 100gr and having a cutting diameter of 1 1/8″ the 3 blade head is as tough as they get. We have used one head on 6 deer now with no chipped blades,bends or any kind of failure. They have all been pass throughs and have held up to hitting the dirt and rocks on the other side. I have had really good bloodtrails and nothing has went over 60yds. After harvesting deer with this head and easton axis arrows all I do is wash them off good and sharpen on a flat diamond stone and then strope them on leather. Getting the heads to shave again only takes a few minutes. If you are looking for a tough dependable head where you dont have to fool with replacement blades look no further than the hellrazor.

We have been hunting pretty hard on the weekends for the last 8 weeks and have managed to fill the freezer up. the tally is

3 spikes

1 5pt cull

1 17″ 8pt

7 does

8 were taken by bow and the other 4 with the rifle. we still have 4 left to take on our 2 leases and will probably wait till the end of dec. for them. Ashlyn is going to get one with her bow, she doesnt even want to hunt with the rifle anymore. I have no doubts she can score in the hill country. She is shooting great and has her weight up to 44lbs. She has came a long way in a year, last christmas she was at 25lbs. Pretty good for a 10yo. Heres a few pics. Enjoy

Between my full time job, full time bowshop and trying to hunt I havent had much time for anything else. Now maybe it will slow down a little in the work department and can get back to doing the fun stuff more. It has been a good deer season so far with my daughter,wife and myself having harvested 12 deer so far. We have now turned to deer hunting less and squirrel and varmint hunting more. I also have in the new 08 bows and will do some reports on them and anything else new that comes in to the shop.