[mr. whitetail]

ok before i start, let me just state that i just started bow hunting this past archery season and instantly fell in love with it...i will probably only go out for rifle if all else fails....but to the point.

Im currently in the market for a new compound bow, and right now i have no understanding of the meaning behind ata's and brace heights and so forth. I started out on a 2003 Hoyt MT sport with 50-60 pound pull...not sure on the ata, but i do believe it had an 8 inch brace.... i guess what i'm trying to figure out is which ata i should get. I'm looking at the Hoyt Maxxius 31 which has an ata of 31 duh i get it but why would they make a maxxius 35?

thanks and sorry for being a newbie but i just love compound bow hunting way more than shotgunning or rifle.

 

[RayRay]

The longer the ATA is the more stable the bow is. That is why target shooters like a longer ATA, but in a blind or treestand the longer ATA gets in the way. I like some where in the middle road.I use my bow for spots in the winter, 3-D in the spring & summer, & I hunt with it in the fall.

 

[jim stemler]

ata=axle to axle. general speaking longer bows are more forgiving in mistakes from poor form and bad release.but what really matters is what shoots best for you

 

[JD3]

I didn't read this whole article but I looked through it and it seems to have a lot of good information: http://www.archery-engineering.co.za/conversions/compound_bow_selection_guide..htm
It is a Compound Bow Selection Guide. Probably can find other selection guides on the internet or in magazines.

 

[huntingfool]

get yourself a bow with ata of 34 inch's and a brace of 7 inch's. don't worry about speed to much learn to shoot the right way first then move on. if you hunt from a tree stand a ata of over 34 makes it hard to move around in stand without hitting something

 

[PAkilla86]

Well man as others have said the longer ATA and higher brace heigth usually means a lil more stable and added accuracy. However dependent on your draw length a longer ATA bow may cause more problems and difficulty for you than is even worth it..and instead of having a more stable bow you end up with a bow that you cannot truelly take advantage of due to a shorter DL.

I guess what im trying to say is to better suggest something for you....please let us know what your DL is.

 

[treed74]

They made the Maxxis because of longer draw lengths above 29".

 

[Born2Hunt]

Go to a pro shop in your area...shoot some bows and ask some questions....Be certain to get one that fits you.

 

[mackgee]

Definitely need to go and shoot them all and see which one you really like more. Good luck!!

 

[shootbowtech]

ATA length is really all relevant to what you want to do with the bow. If you will be primarily hunting with the bow, pick something short, in the under 34" range. Accuracy and stability is not nearly as important in this situation as it would be if you were planning to shoot indoor spots or 3D archery competitively. If you hunt in PA, you also probably hunt primarily from a treestand, and in this case, the under 34" range is perfect. If you have a very long draw length, 30" and up, you should be looking into a longer ATA bow. I would recommend something in the 36" range. The maxxis 31 is an awesome choice, a great all around hunting bow, and great for dabbling in 3D archery. More importantly however, is which bow shoots better for you. Spend some time shooting both ATA lengths, and find the one you are more comfortable shooting. I'm a 29" draw length, and I love bows in the 34-36" ATA range, I shoot them better than bows of any other length. Pick something comfortable, and practical for your situation, and practice practice practice.

 

[Buck Whisperer]

Ive been hunting archery for 6 years and i still consider myself to be a newbie at alot of things pertaining to archery. I just got a new bow a few weeks ago, its a hoyt katera and the ata on that bow is 33". It shoots excellent. Extremely smooth, quiet, and accurate but im not quite comfortable with the way it sits in my hands yet. Over the last 6 years ive grown accustomed the feel of the fat grip, overall balance, and the ata length of 40" of my jennings buckmasters bow. Once i get used to the new grip and overall feel of the katera im confident that this bow is going to give me a huge advantage over my old bow this fall. Im still keeping the buckmasters as a back up bow. id hate for something to happen to bow during the season and not have one as a back up. I just put a new string, new rest, new sight, and a tune up on it last year with new arrows and heads. Its still as deadly as it ever was.

 

[mr. whitetail]

my draw length is 29 inches, and i did a little more research on my 2003 mt sport...the ata on that is 35 with a brace height of 8.5 inches. honestly guys i cant thank you enough for all this input....there is nothing than drawing back on a bow and letting the arrow fling. I was debating on weather to get the hoyt maxxis or the mathews z7 and before we start getting bias here....i love both bows truly...and i've had the pleasure to shoot both but i just love the way a hoyt feels in my hand....it honestly feels like this bow is nothing more than a natural extension of my hand...so i think i'm going to be getting this bow really soon...thanks once again fellow archers