What you hold there, my friend, is nearly 60 years of engineering that has gone into a weapon that is thousands of years old. In physics, the bow and arrow is a 3rd class lever that can propel an arrow a long distance using energy stored in the bow. Designed in the 1960’s, the compound bow sported wheels and cams at the top and bottom of high strength limbs made of laminated fiberglass. This maximized energy storage in the limbs and made it easier for the archer to draw and hold the bow string. The modern compound bow continues to improve every year, shooting arrows faster and quieter than ever. A suitable compound hunting bow should be built and strung to handle the most extreme hunting conditions. I’ve had my current bow for over 10 years and it’s been dragged over granite boulders, stumps, through willow entanglements, dropped dozens of times on a hunt, stepped on, caught on deadfall and, one time, it survived being thrown 50 feet in a moment of self disgust.
The riser is the center of gravity of the compound. Every part of the bow is either attached to it or to something that is attached to it. The riser is where you grip the bow and is normally made of aluminum and is constructed to be lightweight. You’ll find every accessory hanging from or attached to the riser (see more at Find Your Bow). The most important will be your rest. It’s where the arrows sits prior to and during launch. There are too many products to list here. My field experience steers me towards the practical, with reliability, durability and simplicity dominating the aggressive bow hunters needs. A simple and proven fall-away rest will enable your arrow to fly as straight and possible and can survive the harshest hunting conditions. Bow sights will help you aim in low light conditions and will provide windage and elevation so you can put your arrow where you want it. Once again, there are too many products out there. A simple 4 pin, 20 to 50 yards, naturally illuminated sight that is both durable and easily tunable should be mounted on your bow for the most demanding hunts. Fancy sights prove to be fragile and, once broken, your hunt is over until you can go into town and find a bow shop. If you decide to go with a bow mounted quiver, there are plenty of solutions. I personally love shooting without a bow mounted quiver and carry my arrows on my back. There are other products out there that provide vibration dampening and stabilization, but, in my experience, are simple add-ons that do not provide any noticeable advantage to the hunter.
Limbs, strings, cables, wheels and cams are the mechanisms that allow the archer to maximize stored energy prior to launching an arrow. Draw weight is measured in pounds and it’s the amount of force needed to draw a bow. The standard number that dominates the sport is 65 pounds and that works just fine for any big game bow hunter. The cams provide let-off, where there is a reduction in weight from peak draw weight to full draw weight. A good let off comes in handy when you draw early on an animal and have to wait for a shot. Most compound bow configurations use a wheel and cam or double cam configuration. The double cam, or binary cam, system utilizes additional cabling to ensure that both cams stay in correct timing. I’ve shot both and I’m more comfortable with the simpler single cam design that has proven rugged and simpler to tune. The pulleys, cams and cables enable the archer to harness the energy in the limbs, normally stiffer than that of a traditional bow. Strings and cables wind around between the cams and wheels and allow the archer to interact with the bow by drawing it. Strings will host, in some cases, a peep sight and some sort of knock point. A simple, large diameter peep will be perfect for low light shooting. A loop nock point is great. It simplifies nocking your arrow and clipping on your preferred release prior to shooting. Tip: Keep your bow simple. A complicated or over decked-out bow will put you in the bow shop for repairs when you should be in the field. I’ve seen it happen too many times.
I would not be overly impressed or swayed by manufacturer claims and gimmicks. Choosing the right bow for you can be fun. Before I selected my most recent bow, the Diamond Stud , I shot close to a hundred others at bow shops and hunting stores. I shoot standing, sitting and kneeling. Obviously, I was looking for tight groups and fast arrows. In the end, I traded off a little speed and complexity for a simple, but rugged bow that I’ve fielded for over 10 years. I probably won’t replace it until it breaks.