Cari took this 10pt this past weekend on our trip to the hill country. She had bucks running does all over her and finally got this one to stand still long enough for a 16yd shot. The deer expired 70 yds later after taking a 100gr NAP Hellrazor through the lungs from a Hoyt vetrix shooting Easton axis arrows. This was her first buck with a bow.

It was a cold predawn morning with the moon up and the sun starting to rise as me and Ash walked to the blind. We checked the pit blind for varmints and then climbed on in. It wasn’t 10 min and I could see deer starting to move in. A large doe came in with a nice 9pt behind her. About that time the feeder went off and deer scattered, I told Ash to get her bow up and get ready. I could see several smaller bucks and the large 9 in the distance when the doe eased back in. We were hunting does for Ash as Cari had dibbs on the last buck we were allowed on the property. Ash got her bow up and the doe put her head down and Ash was able to draw. She held for a few seconds and made a perfect broadside double lung hit on the deer. At the shot I watched the arrow disappear throught the does side and hit the ground 20 yds the other side of the deer. She only made it 45 yds before going down for the count. The bucks stood around and we watched several more come and go before we got out and recovered her deer. She was shooting a pearon sidewinder set at 41lbs shooting 24″ beman ics jr arrows with 4bld 85 gr magnus stingers. After high fives and laughter we took the deer back to camp to show everyone and for Ash to clean. She is skinning her own deer now as well as mine. I have her trained good!!!

Well I finally got my 101 last friday. What can I say but wow!! I really like this bow and have found the one I am going to shoot this year. The 101st is a 36.25   ATA bow with a 7″ brace height. It has both the new roller guard and string suppressor. I shot it with the usual 29″ 70lb 350gr arrow and got a speedy 327 fps out of it. I then backed the bow down to 62lbs with the same 350gr arrow and was still getting 306. Crackers who has a shop and makes custom strings and tuning was able to get 346fps out of one at 61lbs with a 306gr arrow!! This bow is not as quiet as the guardian but is not loud either. The draw is smooth with just a slight hump where it breaks over to a solid wall that you will not creep out of. I am going to get me in a 60lb and shoot it in 3d this year, will have to shoot a heavy arrow to get down to 280fps. The bow has the slim grip that feels great in the hand and is standard on all the bowtechs. This bow is going to be a big hit with both speed and forgiveness. I also shot this bow with a 400gr arrow at 70 pounds and still got 312fps, talk about drive through some flesh. Stop by your dealer and try one, I think you will like it.

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.

New for 2008 in the Mission line by Mathews will be the Journey.

parallel limbs, a fully machined riser, 80% letoff, 7 1/2″ braceheight, 314 IBO rating, walnut grip and a 31″ Axle to axle. Weight 4.25lbs, draw weights in 40,50,60, and 70lbs with a draw length from 25-30.

We finally know what will be new in the Bowtech line this year.

First we have the General, this is pretty much a 31 1/4″ guardian with a 8 1/4″ brace height and a 314 ibo rating. It is center pivot like its parent, but has a roller gaurd like a Mathews.

On a more of an Allegiance riser we hav the new 82nd Airborne, it has a 30″ riser, 36″ ata, 6 1/4″ brace height with a 350 IBO rating.

The 101st Airborne is the same as the 82nd but has a 7 1/4″ brace height with a 340 IBO rating.

There will be new camo this year, and the the cam will also be a different color.

 In the Diamond line we will have the Marquee which is a 34″ single cam with roller gaurd and a 324 IBO.

For a head that flies like a field point,cuts a huge hole, and leaves a lot of blood on the ground you can’t go wrong with the slick trick. These are extremely tough heads made with german steel blades that come extremely sharp. I have pounded this head through hog shoulders at close range and not even chipped a blade. I have one that I practice with all the time and is shot into foam,sand,mud, etc and has held to all of it.

The heads come in 85,100,and 125gr versions. With the 85 having a 1″ cut and the other 2 a 1 1/4″ cuts. These are all 4 blade heads and do massive damage with great penatration. These heads have always shot to my field points out of many different bows. They fly like darts!! Give them a try you will not be disappointed

This is a collection of stories from the legendary Jim Dougherty, who is a member of the bowhunters hall of fame and rubbed shoulders with the likes of Fred Bear, Howard Hill, Ben Pearson and others. This includes stories from California to Africa and every where in between. Lessons learned as well as a lifetime of bowhunting memories are shared in his unique and wonderful voice.

I truly enjoyed this book as well as still reading Jim’s monthly articles in Petersens Bowhunting mag. You can order this online at

shop.bowhuntingmag.com

A great read from a great bowhunter.