Ben Pearson Pride

BEN PEARSON
Ben Pearson changed the way bows may be designed in the future: the company let the bowhunting public directly dictate what the bow should look like and how it should perform. The Pride is the result of an online solicitation of Ben Pearson faithful to produce the ultimate deer-hunting bow. Ben Pearson actually compiled all the input they received from archers and bowhunters to come up with a bow that addresses consumers' "want list."

Pride: You can be sure that what-ever features and characteristics you find on the Pride are today's most popular trends. The Pride is 32 inches long because most bowhunters want a short bow. It features a new sleek riser that company engineers shaped to reduce the transmission of vibration, and then they gave it a great-looking two-tone wood grip that looks and feels very rich. The Pride features a green anodized Hurricane Hybrid Cam system that produces a very fast 312 fps with the bow's 7 3/4-inch brace height. If the Pride isn't exactly what you were looking for, you have the chance to make your voice heard, because Ben Pearson is going to use input from its Web site as the basis for at least one bow design each year. The suggested retail price is $579. Contact: (251) 867-8475; www.benpearson.com.

MCPHERSON ARCHERY
McPherson Archery is a division of Ben Pearson, so you will find the same Hurricane Hybrid Cam among McPherson bows that you find in the Ben Pearson line. McPherson bows also take advantage of the same Frequency Ridged Riser. Ed McPherson designed the riser to dissipate vibration quickly by creating areas of interference where vibration waves cancel.

Bishop: The Bishop looks like a target bow, but it also has ideal specifications for serious hunters. While several bow company representatives I spoke with appreciate that most bowhunters look for short bows, they also note that their most serious customers (the ones who take most of the trophy game) look for longer bows. The new Bishop is 39 inches long and has a 7 1/2-inch brace height. The IBO speed rating is a very acceptable 308 fps with the 75 percent let-off Hurricane Hybrid cam. This is a very impressive combination of forgiveness and speed. As such, it offers one of the best combos on the market. While some bowhunters will fly right past the Bishop in their quest for shorter bows, this bow is the real deal. The suggested retail price is $749. Contact: (251) 867-8475; www.mcpherson-archery.com.

PARKER CROSSBOWS
Parker has been making crossbows for several years. For 2005 they have two bows in the line: the Safari-Magnum and Safari-Classic. The Magnum is a fully camouflaged sys-tem with a composite stock, while the Classic features a wooden stock and distinct painted limbs.

Safari-Magnum

Safari-Magnum Outfitter: As mentioned, the Safari-Magnum is decked head to toe in camouflage. Superflage is the single option. This includes the cams, limbs, riser and limb pockets. The Safari is a very fast bow in part because of its aggressive cams. At 150 pounds, it reportedly produces 320 fps with a 13-inch power stroke. The bow is 39 inches long and weighs 7.4 pounds with the accessories installed. The Outfitter package includes your choice of a triple reticle or triple red dot scope, a camo-matching quiver, four bolts, bow silencing accessories and a rope cocking device. The suggested retail price for the package is $600.

HORTON CROSSBOWS
The biggest news from Horton this year is the exciting introduction of a custom trigger to their already accurate line of crossbows. The Talon Ultra Light Trigger is a two-stage trigger that is as smooth as silk, so the bow has the same customized feel as a fine rifle.

Hunter Max 200: The Hunter Max 200 is one of several new bows that feature the new Talon Ultra Light trigger system. The Hunter Max is a great performing crossbow with a speed rating of 320 fps from the 200-pound compound limbs with a com-pact 13 3/4-inch power stroke. Other features include harnesses that run inside a protective sleeve, solid glass limbs and attractive Advantage Max 4 camouflage. You can buy the Hunter Max 200 in a package form or just the bow. The bow-only retail price is $650. The package price is $775, and it includes a scope, quiver and four bolts. Contact: (800) 551-7468; www.crossbow.com

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