I will be recieving a Mathews Switchback XT as an insintave award, soon. I am not a complete newbie to bow hunting but with limited time to bow hunt in the past I never updated my York Bushwacker from its original setup if that will give you some idea of how long I've been "out of it" so to speak!

I've been looking through catalogs and see that things have gotten better, more complicated, and expensive! I could really use some advice on what works well on a hunting bow.

Some particular questions are,
1.Whisker Biscuit vs. drop away. Wich drop away?
2.Sights, lighted or not? Do good sights really start at $100 or can a good set be had cheaper
3.Arrows, how much straightness do I really need?
4.Broadheads, 75 to 100 grains.

The bow will be set at 70# draw weight and be used primarily for whitetail from a tree stand.
Advice and suggestions will be appreciated. Steve

Go with a drop away rest Trophy ridge is good and trophy taker is another good one. Sights I use copper johns dead nuts sight excellent sight and they run around 79 dollars and up depends where youget it at. Arrows I have Gold tip Pro-hunters, XT's, and expeditons they all shoot fine I use the expeditions all the time because the prohunter run around 100 dollars plus and the XT are about 70 and the expeditions are around 56 dollars.

Excellent advice from 323.
I have both a drop away (NAP) and WB. I think for your purposes the WB would be the best bet, total containment.
I like the drop away for elk where we have to run n gun and ranges can sometimes be longer.
Copper John is great, so is Spotthog...with either you won't need a light.
Gold Tip XT's are excellent arrows and if your stumped on broad heads, Muzzy 3 blade 100's are "the" default head of choice, IMO.
With similar set ups we are getting complete pass throughs on 6 point bull elk, deer are gimme's.
Good luck, have fun !

I've got an '05 Switchback geared up with the following:

Muzzy Zero Effect - Very simple to install, DEAD silent.

Copper John Dead Nuts - Black, cheap.

Arrows - Gold Tip Expedition, no need for anything any straighter. 0.006" in plenty!!!

Broadheads - 100gr, Razorcaps. Everything else is second best...

My Mathew's Ultra2 is setup as follows:

* Muzzy Zero Effect Arrow Rest
* Trophy Ridge Matrix Micro 3 Pin Sight
* Carbon Impact 1½" Dia x 5" Super Fat Stabilizer
* Sim's Limb Savers (for solid limbs)
* Sim's Cable Guide Rod Vibration Dampeners
* Mathew's Detachable Quiver (5 arrow cap.)

Arrows

* Gold Tip 5575 XT Hunter Carbon shafts
* 100 gr Rocket Steelhead Expandable Broad heads

Release

* Cobra Target Release

The great advantage of the Muzzy Zero Effect is, as previously stated is dead silent and and impossible for the arrow to fall off the rest. They have a model for roller cable guides also I believe.

Pics of the Muzzy Zero effect are at http://www.bghi.us/index.php?x=ultra2

Hello the campfire:
I don't know if you are an old fart like me or a young man, but I like the setup my son arranged for me to get back into bowhunnting after too many years away. my old bow was a fifty lb pull bear recurve and ceder arrows. It took a hoss to pull much more than that with mo let off.

I have a Mathews Balck Max, (set at 60 lbs.) with a wisker bisquit arrow rest. I have an un-lighted three pin sight and use Muzzie 100 grains that have replacable blades and practice blades and are priced right.

I kill the hell out of hay bales and foam targets, but I don't know yet how it does on live whitetails. Ome suggestion is to have the pull reduced to 55 or 60 pounds for the first year or so. It really helps you get tuned in to the bow and is easier on the arms ad back until you get built up. My opinion is that 50 lbs is plenty to take whitetails in most of the country.

Be sure to let us know how your setup is working and what you would change.

Great luck to you.
Judge Sharpe

I just switched my rest from a wisker biscuit to a trophy taker shakey hunter. Very pleased with this rest.

IMHO, if you're just getting back into it, take the slow approach and jump in one foot at a time.

The rest is very important. Consider if you will be doing any still/stalk hunting, or will it be primarily by tree stand. The full capture rests, like the Wisker, has allowed me much more freedom of movement and mind by not having to worry if my arrow is on the rest while moving around or bending, contorting or what have you on the tough shot.

With the sight, consider how far your maximum shot distance will be. There are very successful bow hunters whose max self imposed range is 30 yards. They use one pin. The brand doesn't matter. Fiber optics are important for light gathering. You'll need it in the early morning or late evening. Whether or not to use a light depends on the law in your area. For someone just starting over, just get a 3-pin adjustable and spend the $150.00 next season if you feel you need it.

Arrow straightness becomes more important when distance increases, and hitting a quarter at 60 yards will win you the tournament. For 30 yard hunting situations, any well known manufactured arrow of the correct weight and spine will fit your needs without issue.

To find the best broadhead/arrow combination, take a look at the Easton Archery site and play with the selectors based on your draw wt & length.

This, of course, is just my opinion. It was formed when I ruined my Mathews Q2 (please don't ask - way too embarrassing) and had to use a 60# PSE with barely a nail as a sight, no stabilizer and beaten up arrows on a bow hunt.
I bagged one of the best deer of my life.

I'm now wholly convinced that it is the Indian, not the Arrow that harvests the game.

Good Luck
EMC2

Hello All, Just an update. I've had my new bow for a week now and after throwing a couple hundred arrows down range I'm realy becoming comfortable with the set up. Allthough the Mathewes is everything they say it is (fast and quiet) it took a few days of shooting to get used to. Qite a bit different from my old bow.

The setup I decided on was a Nap Quick Tune 2000 dropaway rest. G5 M-E sights and peep. Alpine Quiver, Limb Saver stabilizer, Beeman ICS Hunter arrows, and Muzzy 3 blade 100grain broadheads.

I had my mind set on everything above when I went into the bow shop except for the rest. The shop owner talked me into the quick tune because of the cable less Cam Away system and he said it was quieter than most drop aways.

So far no complaints about anything, but the real test for me and equipment will be in a couple months. Can't wait for test day!!

Thanks, everyone who replied!