The archery industry introduces new products annually at the Archery Trade Association Show, and this year’s crop is better and more affordable. Despite a growing economy, companies have focused on great gear at a reasonable price. Bear Archery is high on that list, and here are some of its 2020 offerings. Read the summaries below and then head to www.beararchery.com
Status EKO: The Status is Bear Archery’s top-of-the-line bow and features the EKO system that allows shooters to select from let-off poundage of 75, 80, 85, or 90 percent.
Although the percentage of let-off isn’t as important to target archers, it can be critical for hunters. When that big buck needs to take one more step for the perfect shot angle, you could be holding for seconds or minutes, and a higher percentage of let-off makes that possible.
The Status, with its quad options, is really four bows in one and delivers an arrow at 344 fps. It comes with a built-in level that makes you shoot more consistent, and helps the pro-shop set up the perfect bow for you. Bear has both embraced popular camo patterns like Realtree Edge, Veil Stoke, Veil Alpine, One Nation Midnight, True Timber Strata, Iron, and Fred Bear Camo, a remake of what he introduced long ago.
Divergent EKO
Short bows have always been popular with hunters for their added nimbleness in tight places like tree stands and ground blinds. The Divergent is lightweight and measures just 30 inches axle-to-axle. It’s available a draw weights beginning at 45 pounds and can be ordered in right- or left-hand models. It includes the EKO technology so adjustments in let-off and draw length are ultra-easy. Ironically, changing from the lowest to the highest draw weight let-off changes arrow speed by a minuscule 3 fps, and you can make changes at home without a bow press. At just $699, this is a great bow at a reasonable price.
Legend Series
Keeping economy in mind, bowhunters can opt for the RTH Package that includes all the hunting options to bag that buck including sight, rest, and stabilizer, while still launching 340 fps from a single cam set-up.
The Paradox is the most affordable bow in this series. Its solo cam technology develops 340 fps with an 80% let-off and an incredible adjustable draw length from 23 to 32 inches. The Paradox MSRP is just $399 and you can opt for the Intent model that comes in black for $349.
Royale Youth Bow
I have the privilege of introducing a 13-year-old to bowhunting and specifically sought out the Royale. This new youth model from Bear is the perfect model for a youngster with draw weights that range from 5-50 pounds and a draw length that adjusts from 12-26 inches. Heck, skip the Teddy Bear and buy that child a Royale. It costs just $299 and had all the hunting amenities just like mom’s and dad’s bows. Best of all, this bow comes as a complete package, so you won’t be laying out extra cash for bow accessories. Every youngster wants to “jump right into any new activity,” and the Royale is totally accommodating.
Horizontal Heaven- New Crossbows
Bear Archery is probably the best know bow brand in the world and has applied decades of stick-n-string knowhow to the horizontal format. For example, the Bear X Constrictor launches at a blistering 410 fps and assumes a narrow stance of just 10 inches for a slender silhouette. Included with this model is the top mount 5-arrow quiver that allows arrows to be positioned on the left, right, or above the riser.
Additionally, the package included an illuminated scope, adjustable stock, adjustable trigger, anti-dryfire, cocking rope, rail lube, string wax, and TrueX arrows that have special nocks to fit the narrow crossbow perfectly. All this is in an MSRP package of $599.
The Constrictor CDX has fewer features and a normal quiver for $100 less, while the Intense maintains the narrow profile with a shorter power stroke for just $399. Even the Intense CD that sells for $349 still shoots at 400 fps.
Each Intense and Intense CD includes three all-new TrueX Crossbow Arrows from Bear X. TrueX arrows feature TrueX Nock Technology and come fully equipped with 100-grain field points, inserts and TrueX nocks for consistent and accurate arrow flight shot after shot. Every TrueX arrow is inspected and sorted for straightness within +/-.005”, fletched with 4” vanes, 20” long, and 370 grains for bone-crushing penetration with each shot.
Burris Oracle Bow Site
If you are also a center-fire rifle hunter, you probably know that Burris has made range-finding scopes for several years. For 2020, they bring that technology to compound bows. An archer simply draws his bow, touches a button with his finger, and the exact range aiming point is immediately illuminated. This site can store flight data for two weights of arrow. Perhaps you want to use a heavy shaft for elk and a lighter arrow for deer, you do not have to re-sight the bow. The aiming dot is illuminated so it’s ultra-effective in early and late light and adjusts to accommodate bright conditions at midday or in bright snow. Finally, since Murphy’s law applies doubly to bowhunters, the sight has a fail-safe pin at 20 yards. Should your battery fail, you can still hunt effectively at close range.
The unit fits on the front of your bow just above the grip, and its 1.1 pounds will help reduce vibration and work as a stabilizer to give your shooting form a forward balance. www.burrisoptics.com
GSM Fusion Camera from Stealthcam
Scouting for game and security around your home has just improved dramatically. The new GSM Fusion sets up easily and links to your cell phone or home computer to transmit images instantly and economically. Operating on both AT&T and Verizon networks, you can select from a plan in which you pay by the number of photos transmitted. For just $10, you can send 2,000 pictures a month, a substantial saving over many competitors.
Your Fusion can double as a home security camera. Hardwiring cameras can be very expensive, and the cell nature of this camera eliminates the need for electricity. It’s also a great reason to have a few extras cameras.
Additionally, the GSM Fusion mates with a Solar Pack that will eventually pay for itself. Cell cameras are notorious for eating batteries, and you normally must change batteries several times per year. This is not only an unavoidable expense but risks your camera going black at the time you need it most. www.gsmoutdoors.com
Hunter Safety System
Safety harnesses are not new unless you are a new or mentored hunter. As responsible sporting men and women, we need to train our youngsters to hunt safely as well as effectively. This HSS Hybrid Safety Harness is treated with ElimiShield to combat human odor and fits like a hunting vest that contains six accessory pockets for plenty of room to store gear that’s easily forgotten. The design is light and trimmed so that a youngster will feel and look good while wearing it. It has a secure mesh cell phone pocket (very important to a youngster), and the entire harness weighs just 2.5 pounds. Eighty-six percent of tree stand accidents occur while climbing into or from a stand, so the Hybrid Safety Harness blends perfectly with the HSS LifeLine. Combining these two elements teaches safety from the ground up. www.huntersafetysystem.com
ElimiShield Core Scent Elimination
ElimiShield offers the nation’s first FDA-Compliant direct-to-skin foam scent elimination product. It’s Core Body Foam kills 99.9% of odor-causing bacteria without the use of alcohol. The Body Foam is designed to be applied directly to the skin before going out and will last the entire hunting day. Simply use the foam as you would soap, applying to underarms and other places were odor is likely to occur.
Elimishield Core not only kills odor-causing bacteria, but germs that cause illness. Those working in the ElimiShield booth used the foam each morning before shaking hundreds of hands and were obliging to folks like me who didn’t want to catch the flu. Because ElimiShield Core is FDA-Compliant, its contents are listed on the bottle. At the top is aloe leaf, which makes it very friendly to your skin. www.Elimishieldhunt.com
