In this side-by-side product review article, our hunting editor walks you through everything you need to know in order to pick the best hunting bow for your specific needs and hunting situation. We’ll take a look at what makes a great compound hunting bow and a great recurve hunting bow. Also see our buyer’s guide, How To Choose The Best Hunting Bow.

Best Hunting Bows

	BEST OVERALL HUNTING BOW	BEST COMPOUND HUNTING BOW	BEST RECURVE HUNTING BOW
	Topoint Archery Compound Bow	Bear Archery Cruzer G2 Adult Compound Bow	Bear Archery Super Kodiak Recurve Bow Right Hand
Draw weight	19-70lbs	5 to 70 lbs	55 lbs
Draw Length	19-30" adjustable	12” to 30” draw length range	Up to 60”
Special Features	Riser: Aluminum Cam: Dual / Adjustable	Incredible adjustability	Hard-Rock Maple wood, Dynaflight 97 Flemish string.
Customer Ratings	4.0 / 5.0 Stars	4.7 / 5.0 Stars	4.7 / 5.0 Stars

Also see: Hunting Bows Comparison Table

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Quick Answer: Best-Rated Compound & Recurve Bows for Hunting – 2021

1. Topoint Archery Compound Bow
2. Bear Archery Cruzer G2 Adult Compound Bow
3. Diamond Archery Infinite Edge Pro Bow Package
4. Bear Archery Super Kodiak Recurve Bow
5. Samick Sage Takedown Recurve Bow

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Hunting Bows Reviews

#1 Topoint Archery Compound Bow

What I looked for in a good compound bow is value delivery. For those just starting to hunt with compound bows we need something that gets you in the field quickly and won’t break the bank.

I think this bow makes a really good starting point for hunters just getting started in the compound bow world. I’m not saying it’s the ultimate highest possible quality and bleeding edge tech, it’s just a good balance of features.

On the bow are rubber limb dampers which quiet and smooth the bow shot. On the front is a rubber stabilizer which smooths minor hand movements while lining up the shot. Honestly this bow has almost everything you could want from the quiver, release, tools, peep sight, and more.

It comes in 5 different colors so there’s something for everyone.

Best for the beginner hunter who wants an entire package that’s ready to go hunting as soon as it arrives.

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#2 Bear Archery Cruzer G2 Adult Compound Bow

If you’d rather go with a compound bow that has a name you know you can trust, then look no further. Yes, you’re going to pay a bit more but the reliability and quality are going to increase to match with this Bear Compound Bow.

I’ve rarely seen a bow that can be adjusted so widely and that makes this a great choice for those who don’t know their measurements or preferred weights. It’s also a good benefit for growing kids who can use any draw length from 12” – 30” and 5 – 70 pounds.

Among the features of this bow are a 4-pin sight, wrist strap, stabilizer and quiver. Once you get this bow to full draw you can take advantage of the 70% let off which makes a 50 pound draw feel like a 15 pound draw at hold.

If you don’t know how to adjust your bow, don’t worry. This bow comes with a great manual that walks you through the steps of setting the draw length and draw weight for you.

Best for a reasonable priced bow from one of the most trusted makers in the US.

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#3 Diamond Archery Infinite Edge Pro Bow Package

Ready to go one step further toward the top level of compound bow hunting? There might not be as many “accessories” with this bow but that just means the manufacturer spent more time on the details of the bow that really matter.

While the jury may be out as to which one’s really the best bow between the Infinite Edge versus the Cruzer G2, there’s no doubt they’re neck in neck.

You can expect about 310 fps on a shot from this bow (depending on settings and arrows). That said it’s easy to adjust this bow down to 5 pounds of draw weight or up to 70.

Some users warn that this bow does not come with a warranty when purchased through Amazon – though I was unable to confirm that for sure. If in doubt, reach out to the seller directly!

Included are a 3-pin sight, quiver, arrow rest, and string damper. The only thing you’re going to need to get out hunting is a good set of carbon fiber arrows with nice broadheads.

Best for the widest possible adjustability and draw length so users can grow with the bow.

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#4 Bear Archery Super Kodiak Recurve Bow

There are few bows as legendary as the Bear Super Kodiak. If you’re not aware, the hunting legend Fred Bear has his name directly integrated into this fantastic arrow slinger.

This right handed recurve is set to 55 pounds at 28” of draw. You can safely draw it up to 30” but the draw weight of the bow will rapidly increase well past that 55 pound setting as you draw further.

Unlike many cheap recurves, this is a full maple wood bow with glass-backed limbs. Many inexpensive bows will make the riser (center) from a cheap but good looking wood and then add on composite limbs.

I will say that the dark grey and rich red Hard-Rock Maple look fantastic!

On the bow is a Dynaflight 97 Flemish style string that will need a nock added to make a reference point.

Best for those who want to invest in a bow that will last multiple generations of recurve shooters.

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#5 Samick Sage Takedown Recurve Bow

Just can’t stand that price tag on the Bear Archery Super Kodiak? Well, you’re in luck because the Samick Sage can get you out there hunting at a much cheaper price. Let’s make sure we know what the differences are, however.

There are a couple of advantages to this bow so let’s go over them. Take down bows like this one mean you can remove the limbs. That means it’s easier to pack and transport, plus you can swap limbs with other compatible limbs to change draw weight over time.

That said, the light wood colors used are unattractive and look cheap. The wood is used on the riser only and the limbs themselves are composite modern limbs. There’s nothing functionally wrong with that, but one of the best features of recurves is the art of the bow and this bow sacrifices that art.

I like that you can order this bow with limbs for 25 – 60 pound draw weights. So, in the end, I have to say that while this bow might not be the most beautiful recurve, it’s very customizable and inexpensive so it makes a great choice for beginners.

Best for new archers or those on a budget.

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Hunting Bows Comparison Table

The 5 Best Hunting Bows		Draw weight	Draw Length	Special Features	Customer Ratings
Topoint Archery Compound Bow		19 to 70 lbs	19'' to 30"	Riser: Aluminum Cam: Dual / Adjustable	4.0 / 5.0 Stars
Bear Archery Cruzer G2 Adult Compound Bow		5 to 70 lbs	12” to 30”	Incredible adjustability	4.7 / 5.0 Stars
Diamond Archery Infinite Edge Pro Bow Package		5 to 70 lbs	Up to 31”	Infinite Edge Pro, Left or right hand models	4.7 / 5.0 Stars
Bear Archery Super Kodiak Recurve Bow		55 lbs at 28” of draw	60"	Hard-Rock Maple wood, Dynaflight 97 Flemish string.	5.0 / 5.0 Stars
Samick Sage Takedown Recurve Bow		----	62"	29” max draw, Brass bushings for accessories	4.6 / 5.0 Stars

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How to Choose the Best Hunting Bow

• Compound or Traditional Bow?
• Why Compound Bows Make a Good Choice
• Compound Bow Hunting
• Considerations for Traditional Bows
• What Type of Game Do You Hunt?
• Which Hand Do You Shoot With?
• FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Maybe you’ve been shooting bows for a while and now you want to go hunting. Maybe you’re just getting started and you want to get out hunting as soon as possible. No matter what your background is, there’s a hunting bow that’s going to meet your needs somewhere out there.

If you’re like me, however, you probably don’t want to spend a week researching every detail. You’d rather get that bow ordered and hit the archery range as soon as possible so you can be out there bagging game like… yesterday!

Alright, if we’re going to get you out hunting as soon as possible then here’s how it’s going to go. I’ll walk you through everything you need to know in order to pick out the best bow hunting bow. We’ll take a look at what makes a great hunting bow and what to avoid.

I’m also going to review a handful of the best compounds bows for the money. For traditional archers like me I’ll throw in a few classic stick bows you can use to get started hunting fast!

Let’s get after it.

Compound or Traditional Bow?

This choice is yours to make and it’s mostly up to what you prefer. While stick bows are fun they take a long time for most people to master proficient enough to reliably hunt with. Compounds are quick and relatively easy to learn and they’re hyper-accurate these days.

So, which one is right for you?

Stick with a compound bow if you don’t have a burning passion to learn to shoot a recurve or longbow. Compound bows are easier to hold back while you’re aiming, they’re easier to shoot good groupings with, and they can be highly customized to your situation.

Go for a traditional bow like a longbow or a recurve if you really want a challenge. If you’re like me and grew up dreaming about Lord of the Rings and slaying Orcs then a longbow may speak to you for entirely Romantic reasons. That said, make sure you shoot consistently enough to not wound your game.

Why Compound Bows Make a Good Choice

The best compound bows for beginners have several friendly characteristics to look for:

Let me explain some of these in more detail so you can really understand what makes compounds so beginner-friendly.

Adjustable draw weight

Means that you can start out shooting a lightweight pull like 30 pounds. As you practice and gain strength you can increase that, say, to 50 pounds in gradual increments.

Simple sights

Aren’t necessary, but it’s easy to upgrade them later. As a beginner you’ve got enough to focus on without trying to dial in expert level sights. A consistent, simple bow sight is pretty cheap to get started, too!

Let-off percentage

Refers to how much of the bow’s draw weight “disappears” at full draw. Thanks to the advanced cams on modern bows the stress of holding the bow at full draw can be reduced by 80% or more. That means a 50 pound bow would feel like a 10 pound bow at full draw!

Don’t be fooled, though. Compound bows are fine tuned hunting bows for even the most expert hunters.

Compound Bow Hunting

Let’s talk about some of the advanced feature that make compound bows some of the best bows for deer hunting.

Releases

Used to draw and fire the bow using precision mechanical devices. These take the load off your fingers and release the strong more evenly to create a better overall shot consistency.

Of course, you can shoot other bows with a mechanical release and some compound bow hunters shoot with their fingers. In general, though, a modern release with a good compound bow guarantees a much higher quality shot.

Advanced sights

Can be used to compensate for range, windage, and other factors. Compound bows are generally built with attachment points for precision sights such as the very fancy auto-ranging Garmin A1 digital sight.

Advanced sights can compensate for different distances or you can have more than one pin set to ensure accuracy from a wide variety of distances without the guesswork of a traditional bow.

Draw length

Can be adjusted on most compound bows to accommodate many hunters. Most people’s draw length will be between 26 -30 inches though yours may vary if you’re particularly tall (or short) or if you have unusually long (or short) arms.

Note: Traditional bows can generally be drawn to almost any length as well. The further you draw them, the more the draw weight will increase. Both compounds and traditional bows should not be overdrawn.

Considerations for Traditional Bows

Because stick bows like longbows and recurves are much different, let’s make sure you understand what you’re getting into should you choose to hunt with them.

With longbows in particular they’re very tall and can be hard to conceal and shoot from ground blinds.

If you should choose to hunt with a stick bow you may want to go with a lower draw weight than a compound bow. Stick bows are harder to draw and all the weight rests on your fingers. Once drawn the weight does not let off so you have a very short window of time to fire the arrow before fatigue sets in.

Good draw weights for a beginner might be as follows:

Now, I’m not saying people of any gender can’t draw more or less weight. You have to know yourself. If you come from a background of compound bow shooting you might be able to start with a bit more. If you know you’re a couch potato with bad hand-eye coordination you might want to start lower.

One major problem is that you can’t increase the draw weight like you can with a compound. You’ll have to buy a new bow altogether if you want to go from 30 pounds to 50 pounds.

That said traditional bows, unlike compounds, tend to retain their value very well over time. Compound bow technology is constantly changing and hunters are chasing the “new thing”. Whereas traditional bows have been more or less unchanged for hundreds of years.

What Type of Game Do You Hunt?

While you can certainly hunt just about any game with any type of bow, some make more sense than others. Which one you want to use is ultimately up to you.

Let me walk you through a couple examples to get your mind moving in the right direction and then we’ll let you loose on the bows!

Turkey hunters

Tend to use blinds to get the turkeys in close. Turkeys can startle easy so minimal movement is ideal. That’s why small form factor compound bows make the most sense because they take the least amount of movements and space to draw within the confines of a blind and your target on a turkey is quite small.

Whitetail hunters

Have a long history of hunting with traditional bows. Today it’s almost all done with compounds. From a treestand a compound bow makes the most sense because it’s difficult to draw a recurve from a seated position and nearly impossible to do so with a longbow.

If you’re hunting from the ground or stalking your prey longbows and recurves become much more viable and they’re fun to master.

Small game

Some birds and squirrel can be loads of fun to hunt with traditional bows! Using special arrows called “flu flu arrows” which are designed to only travel a short distance you can safely aim at targets on tree branches or flying targets.

Do not use a compound bow for this because they will launch your arrow a dangerous distance if you miss. On top of pretty much guaranteeing that you lose your arrow you could hit a human or valuable target in the distance.

Which Hand Do You Shoot With?

It’s worth noting that shooting bows means picking a hand with which to hold and draw the bow. Most bows cannot be switched from one hand to the other.

If you write with your right hand, you may be a right handed shooter. Or you may not. Bow shooting is based on dominant eye and not dominant hand so you need to double check.

To find out which eye is dominant use this test. Once you figure that out, you can order a bow to match. So, if you’re left eye dominant, you want a left handed bow. In that case you’d hold the bow with your right hand and draw the string with your left while aiming with your left eye.

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What else do I need to hunt once I buy my bow?

Answer: This is precisely why the #1 pick on our list comes with everything you need.

Once you get your bow you’ll want to tune it in for yourself. You can do this yourself if you’re skilled or you can take it to a local archery shop to get it done right!

Your bow must be tuned for the arrows you’re shooting which should be selected and cut to length for you based on your draw length and draw weight.

You’ll also need to pick out some broadheads for hunting which should, again, be selected based on your bow.

Then you’ve got to practice until you can drive tacks with your bow under pressure. If you miss you could wound the animal which may live crippled or perish days later where you cannot retrieve the harvest. Always practice ethical sportsmanship.

Question: What is the best bow for whitetail hunting?

Answer: Honestly a good modern compound bow tuned for you is by far the best bow for whitetail hunters. That said, many choose to hunt whitetails with recurves or longbows as well!

The most important consideration is probably the distance you’ve set and practiced with your compound bow.

Use a multi-pin sight to set your bow for 15-20 yard shots at one pin. Another pin can be for 25-30 yard shots.

For beginners, shots at distances greater than 30 yards can be challenging and difficult to shoot consistently enough to reliably harvest an animal.

Question: What is the best bow sight for hunting?

Answer: Similar to what we just spoke of, it’s hard to argue with an affordable multi-pin sight. They’re cheap, easy to set up, and reliable.

For those hunting from elevated stands you might consider a pendulum sight. These sights adjust themselves to the angle of a shot which helps compensate for minor changes in trajectory caused by shooting down from steep angles.

You can find a good pendulum sight at a pretty affordable price these days so honestly that might be the best choice for treestand hunters. Most of them only have a single pin, though, so you’ll have to learn to adapt!

Conclusion

At the end of the day the best bow for the money depends on your needs. The bows I focused on here are mid range models. Most bowhunters don’t need the nose-bleed prices of elite level bows, but if you fall in love with the sport then it might be worth an upgrade some day.

If you want to get out there and start hunting there’s a bow on our list that can get you there. I always recommend that you also take your bow to a local archery shop and have it tuned for you. They can also answer some of your questions about safe use and how to get started.

Remember that no matter which bow you choose, you should expect to spend at least a few weeks practicing on a target before you head out hunting.

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Thanks for reading The 5 Best Hunting Bows. We hope this article has helped you to discover the best choice for a hunting bow for your needs and preferences.  You might also be interested in our related and informative deer hunting article entitled, Deer Hunting Regions of the United States.

You might also be interested in these related review articles:

SHOOTING & ARCHERY  AIR RIFLES | AIR RIFLE SCOPES | COMPOUND BOWS | CROSSBOWS | PISTOL CROSSBOWS | RECURVE BOWS | HANDGUN SAFES | BIOMETRIC GUN CASES | RIFLE CASES | COMPOUND BOW CASES | CROSSBOW CASES

HUNTING GEAR  HUNTING BOWS | CROSSBOWS | HUNTING ARROWS | TREE STANDS | HUNTING BOOTS | HUNTING BACKPACKS | HUNTING RIFLE SCOPES | HUNTING BINOCULARS | LASER RANGEFINDERS | HUNTING HEADLAMPS | TRAIL CAMERAS | HUNTING GPS | BOW SIGHTS | SPOTTING SCOPES | HUNTING BLINDS

How We Researched

To come up with the top hunting bows, we researched a variety of sources for reviews such as REI, Backcountry, Moosejaw, EVO along with our own personal experience.

We also consulted online magazines for product research and reviews to get as much unbiased information as we could. To help weed out fake reviews we used Fakespot.com to make sure we only looked at genuine reviews.

With so much quality gear available, we had to narrow it down based on what we felt were the best options were for the price. The author, Casey Fiedler is an avid hunter and outdoorsman. He has successfully guided groups of hunters across remote wilderness areas. 

To help narrow down the selection he used his personal experience along with recommendations from fellow hunters and hunting outfitters.

After extensive research, we came up with our list to help you choose the right one for you.

Sources