Petersen's Bowhunting March 2022 - New Gear Guide

Given that, I apologize if our annual Equipment Issue — packed with more than 125 new-for-2022 items—only makes your head spin a bit faster. Then again, it’s our job to keep you informed on the latest and greatest bow-hunting products. Your job is deciding which ones fit your style and budget. Since there’s no way I can cover all this year’s new gear here, I’ll simply share my experience with one new product — Garmin’s Xero X1i Pro bow sight — and how it helped me last fall. Garmin’s Xero compound bow sights and crossbow scopes combine a laser rangefinder with a host of other technology that allows users to range targets at the touch of a button and receive a single, spot-on aiming point in the sight window. The…

You see, my pal was hunting a giant whitetail buck that had been about as mythical as a rainbow-colored unicorn. And all of a sudden, this buck started showing up in daylight on his Stealth Cam. I knew my friend had been hunting him, and this call could have been housing some huge news. Well, the buck appeared 15 yards beside my friend’s blind. He then proceeded to walk right out in and stop, quartering away. My friend told me he took careful aim and settled on the crease of the buck’s front shoulder. As he continued with his story, my vision blurred, my hearing deteriorated and my brain drifted off somewhere in left field. His voice kept wavering in and out of focus while my mind took its own…

A FINE LINE [PRIME INLINE SERIES] The new Inline bow series from Prime Archery aims to take accuracy and feel to a whole new level The Inline 1, Inline 3 and Inline 5 — featuring axle-to-axle lengths of 31, 33 and 35 inches — are powered by Prime’s all-new Inline Cam System. Much like Prime’s Parallel Cam technology, the Inline Cam is designed to create an equally loaded cam throughout the draw cycle. Prime accomplishes this on the Inline Cam by bringing the cable track in line with the string track for perfect alignment. Prime says this Inline binary system results in the most accurate compound bows ever made In addition, the Inline Cam System provides a smooth, easy draw without sacrificing speed, as the Inline bows feature IBO…

THE X FACTOR [RAVIN R26X, R10X & R5X] Ravin Crossbows wowed the crossbow-hunting world in 2021 with its blazing-fast R500 and ultra-short R18. Ravin continues the innovation in 2022 with three new or enhanced models, all featuring integrated silent cocking. The R26, one of the company’s flagship models, has undergone a facelift for 2022, sporting a new black finish in addition to the silent cranking capability. The R26X fires bolts 400 fps and features a slim profile, measuring 5.75 inches wide between the axles when cocked (9.25 inches uncocked) and weighs roughly 6.5 pounds. The new R10X takes Ravin’s popular R10 model, with its 11-inch power stroke and 142 foot-pounds of kinetic energy, and ups the impact by 20 fps, now sending bolts a scorching 420 fps. Like the…

GO LIGHT [CARBON EXPRESS MAXIMA SABLE RZ] The latest add to Carbon Express’ legendary Maxima line is the Sable RZ. A lightweight hunting arrow that features TriSpine Technology with 360-degree spine consistency, this .244-inch inside-diameter hunting arrow ups speed and flattens trajectory. Made of 100 percent carbon, the innovative shaft gives bow-hunters a solid strength-to-weight ratio and ensures laserlike flight and deep penetration. Available as one dozen bare shafts or a half-dozen fletched with 2-inch Quadel vanes in black and gray, all Sable RZ arrows come with inserts, Launchpad nocks and shaft-protecting Bulldog nock collars. Spine sizes include 350, 400 and 500. $164.99 per 12 (shafts); $89.99 per 6 (fletched) | feradyne.com/carbon-express FLETCH THEM FAST [BOHNING CAULDRON THREE-VANE FLETCHING JIG] Time, perhaps more than ever, is at a…

MAKES SHOOTING EASY [TRUFIRE EXERT] TruFire brings high-end, target-quality fit, function and features to a wrist release that is as comfortable in the woods as it is on the 3-D course. A precision-milled, internal, dual-sear system eliminates bow-weight stack and produces a crisp, clean feel. The trigger also features micro-adjustable tension and travel to offer personalized fit and function. The index-finger trigger is set with the push of a button, and the open-hook design makes connecting to your string loop fast and easy. The weight of the matte black finished release is intended to improve follow-through, while the adjustable body post provides more than an inch of length adjustment. TruFire outfits the new Exert with its tried-and-true buckle strap and the very useful Foldback feature that keeps the release…