10 Best Recurve Bows for Hunting of 2021
A recurve bow is basically a bow with flexible limbs that curve towards you when strung. These limbs then curve away from you when unstrung, which means energy is stored on both the string and limbs.
This results in more speed to the arrow as compared to straight-limbed bows and this gives you an advantage when hunting. The arrow covers a longer distance and it has more penetrating force once it hits your target.
That said, we have analyzed the best recurve bows for hunting in the market in this review, so read through and take your pick.
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10 Best Recurve Bows for Hunting – Review
- 1. Best Overall Recurve Bow for Hunting: SinoArt Falcon
- 2. Best High-End Recurve Bow for Hunting: D&Q Takedown
- 3. Best Inexpensive Recurve Bow for Hunting: Toparchery Youth
- 4. Best Ambidextrous Recurve Bow for Hunting: Toparchery Traditional
- 5. Best Hunting Recurve Bow for Kids: Bear Archery Titan
- 6. Best Wooden Hunting Recurve Bow: Southwest Archery Samick Sage
- 7. Durable Recurve Bow for Hunting: Toparchery Longbow
- 8. Ergonomic Recurve Bow for Hunting: Keshes Takedown Bow
- 9. Upgradable Hunting Recurve Bow: Southwest Archery Spyder
- 10. Accessorized Recurve Bow Set for Hunting: Toparchery Takedown
- How to Buy the Best Recurve Bows for Hunting
- How to String a Recurve Bow
- FAQs
- Conclusion
10 Best Recurve Bows for Hunting – Review
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1. SinoArt Falcon (Best Overall) |
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2. D&Q Takedown (Best High-End) |
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3. Toparchery Youth (Best Inexpensive) |
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4. Toparchery Traditional (Best Ambidextrous) |
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5. Bear Archery Titan (Best for Kids) |
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6. Southwest Archery Samick Sage (Best Wooden) |
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7. Toparchery Longbow (Durable) |
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8. Keshes Takedown Bow (Ergonomic) |
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9. Southwest Archery Spyder (Upgradable) |
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10. Toparchery Takedown Bow (Accessorized Set) |
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PRODUCT |
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1. SinoArt Falcon (Best Overall) |
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2. D&Q Takedown (Best High-End) |
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3. Toparchery Youth (Best Inexpensive) |
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4. Toparchery Traditional (Best Ambidextrous) |
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5. Bear Archery Titan (Best for Kids) |
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6. Southwest Archery Samick Sage (Best Wooden) |
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7. Toparchery Longbow (Durable) |
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8. Keshes Takedown Bow (Ergonomic) |
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9. Southwest Archery Spyder (Upgradable) |
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10. Toparchery Takedown Bow (Accessorized Set) |
1. Best Overall Recurve Bow for Hunting: SinoArt Falcon
Photo: SinoArt
- Bow Length: 58.6 inches
- Materials: Magnesium Alloy, ABS, Wood, Leather
- Draw Weight: 30-70 lbs.
- Hand Position: Right Hand
As the best overall, SinoArt’s Falcon is characterized by a durable, high-quality aluminum-magnesium alloy riser that has an ABS grip to give you a comfortable hold.
The limbs are also durably built because they are made using hardwood chips sandwiched in leather. This leather protects the chips from damages while also making the limbs highly elastic for high-speed throwing.
Combined with the riser, the limbs are designed with a superior dampening function to reduce vibrations after shooting.
Another feature that makes this stand out is its comfortable user-experience design. The hard edges of the metal riser and limb pockets have been rounded to prevent any scratches to your skin.
Additionally, the riser is not fully solid; it has holes in between that help to reduce its overall weight to 2.75 lbs., which is easy to carry.
Other features include multiple draw-weight sizes that range from 30-70 lbs. to cater to different types of users, a 57-inch multi-strand string, a takedown design for easy assembly/disassembly, and black/camo color options for blending easily in the wild.
The only downsides are that the unit is only designed for right-hand use and no arrows are included in the set.
Pros:
Cons:
2. Best High-End Recurve Bow for Hunting: D&Q Takedown
Photo: D&Q
- Bow Length: 57.8 inches
- Max. Draw Length: 28 inches
- Materials: Aluminum Alloy
- Draw Weight: 30-70 lbs.
- Hand Position: Right Hand
D&Q’s Takedown is a premium recurve bow that is designed for the experienced hunter. The riser is solidly built using an aluminum alloy and it has an ergonomic grip that fits perfectly in the palm.
This section also has multiple pre-installed brass bushings for easy upgrading later on, such as when adding on sights, bow fishing reels, etc.
That said, the unit comes as a complete set with 6 fiberglass arrows, a bow sight , an arm-guard, finger guard, arrow rest , 2 string nocks, a bow stringer tool, and a carrying case.
Being a takedown bow, it is very easy to assemble/disassemble and it fits easily in the carrying case as a compact package for easy transportation. With all these features though, the unit is very costly. It is also not available for left-hand use.
Pros:
Cons:
3. Best Inexpensive Recurve Bow for Hunting: Toparchery Youth
Photo: Toparchery
- Bow Length: 57 inches
- Materials: Nylon, Epoxy
- Draw Weight: 20-40 lbs.
- Hand Position: Both
If you want to buy an affordable recurve bow but you are on a tight budget, we highly recommend Toparchery’s Youth . It is conveniently built to accommodate left and right-handed shooters because it has two arrow rests on either side of the riser.
That said, the riser is built using high-strength nylon fiber while the limbs are epoxy-made, which makes them hold enough stretch and resistance. The bow has a takedown design that allows you to easily take apart or assemble these sections for easy transportation.
You also get 20, 30, and 40 draw weight options to suit beginners and intermediate users. However, you don’t get arrows in this set and the riser lacks bushings for upgrading.
Pros:
Cons:
4. Best Ambidextrous Recurve Bow for Hunting: Toparchery Traditional
Photo: Toparchery
- Bow Length: 53 inches
- Max. Draw Length: 28 inches
- Materials: Fiberglass
- Draw Weight: 30-50 lbs.
- Hand Position: Both
Toparchery’s Traditional is characterized by a convenient ambidextrous design plus a good grip on the riser’s durable faux leather to help you shoot comfortably using either hand.
Aside from that, the unit has strong fiberglass limbs that are also stretchy for high-speed throwing.
That said, it is available in different draw weight sizes but with the same fiberglass limbs. These include 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 lbs., which are ideal for beginners to professionals.
However, no arrows are included in the set. The bow also lacks a takedown design for easy assembly/disassembly.
Pros:
Cons:
5. Best Hunting Recurve Bow for Kids: Bear Archery Titan
Photo: Bear Archery
- Bow Length: 60 inches
- Max. Draw Length: 28 inches
- Materials: Composite
- Draw Weight: 20-29 lbs.
- Hand Position: Both
With a draw weight of 20-29 lbs., Bear Archery’s Titan is the ideal recurve bow for children because it is not very difficult to pullback. It also has a draw length of 22-28 inches, which is accommodative of kids that around 5-10 years of age.
Aside from that, the unit has an ambidextrous riser that allows for left- or right-hand use. This riser has curved edges for comfortable fitting in the palm.
Even though the piece comes on its own, there is an option that includes a generous pack of accessories, which includes two arrows, an arrow quiver, a target, an armguard, a finger tab, and a sight pin. This allows your kid to do some target practice before going into the actual hunting.
On the downside, the bow does not have bushings built-in for upgrading and it lacks a takedown design for easy transportation.
Pros:
Cons:
6. Best Wooden Hunting Recurve Bow: Southwest Archery Samick Sage
Photo: Southwest Archery
- Bow Length: 62 inches
- Max. Draw Length: 29 inches
- Materials: Maple Wood, Fiberglass
- Draw Weight: 50 lbs.
- Hand Position: Left Hand
Southwest Archery’s Samick Sage has a beautiful wood construction that showcases the grain lines on the riser section. This part also has soft rounded edges for comfortable use.
On the other hand, the limbs are made using hard maple wood, which is sandwiched in black fiberglass for wear resistance. Overall, the bow is very sturdy but it still has a takedown design with the parts being removable for easy transportation.
That said, the riser is fitted with brass bushings that allow you to fit in upgrades like quivers, sights, stabilizers, etc.
However, the unit is only designed for left-hand use and is available in a single size, which is in 50 lbs. of draw weight. This is quite hard to pull back and is therefore recommended for professional hunters.
Pros:
Cons:
7. Durable Recurve Bow for Hunting: Toparchery Longbow
Photo: Toparchery
- Bow Length: 56 inches
- Max. Draw Length: 30 inches
- Materials: Aluminum, Maple, Fiberglass
- Draw Weight: 30-50 lbs.
- Hand Position: Right Hand
With a high-strength cast-aluminum riser forming its core, Toparchery’s Longbow is very sturdy and durable. On top of this, the aluminum is nicely polished to give a very shiny and beautiful finish.
As for the limbs, these have a maple core with a sturdy fiberglass coating for wear resistance. Overall, the two sections form a 56-inch-long bow that has a max draw length of 30 inches, which is ideal for tall users.
A durable 53-inch 14-strand Dacron string is included in the set and this must be twisted before installation to keep the strands stronger together.
You also get multiple draw weight sizes (30-50 lbs.) for beginners to experts but no arrows are included in the set. The unit is also solely designed for right-hand use.
Pros:
Cons:
8. Ergonomic Recurve Bow for Hunting: Keshes Takedown Bow
Photo: Keshes
- Bow Length: 62 inches
- Max. Draw Length: 29 inches
- Materials: Wood, Fiberglass
- Draw Weight: 15-55 lbs.
- Hand Position: Right Hand
This recurve bow has a wooden riser with an ergonomically-designed grip for comfortable holding. Additionally, this riser has rounded edges that prevent any accidental scratches to your skin.
Brass bushings are installed on the riser for easy upgrading using extra tools and accessories to enhance performance. That said, a sight is included for improving precision while an arrow rest is built-into the riser for right-handed use.
Aside from that, the limbs are also made using wood and laminated in black fiberglass for reduced wear-and-tear.
Other features include multiple draw weight options (15-55 lbs.) for beginners and advanced hunters, a durable 14-strand Dacron bowstring, and a takedown design for easy carrying. However, no arrows are included in the set.
Pros:
Cons:
9. Upgradable Hunting Recurve Bow: Southwest Archery Spyder
Photo: Southwest Archery
- Bow Length: 62 inches
- Materials: Wood
- Draw Weight: 20-60 lbs.
- Hand Position: Right Hand
Southwest’s Archery Spyder is characterized by multiple pre-installed threaded bushings on its riser that allow you to fit in upgrades like mechanical rests, quivers, sights, stabilizers , etc.
The riser is wooden and it is made using four naturally-sourced kinds of wood to create a beautiful design with a glossy polished finish.
More features include a takedown design for easy assembly/disassembly and a stringer tool is included for safe installation/removal of the 14-strand Dacron string. To make it easier for you, detailed step-by-step instructions with photos are included in the set.
You also get multiple draw weight options from 20-60 lbs. with 5-lb increments but the kit is quite expensive and no arrows are included.
Pros:
Cons:
10. Accessorized Recurve Bow Set for Hunting: Toparchery Takedown
Photo: Toparchery
- Bow Length: 53 inches
- Max. Draw Length: 28 inches
- Materials: Aluminum Alloy, Fiberglass
- Draw Weight: 30-40 lbs.
- Hand Position: Right Hand
This unit is packed with some convenient accessories, which include an arrow brush and a sight for accuracy enhancement.
The bow is also very sturdy because it has an aluminum-alloy riser and fiberglass-laminated limbs for wear resistance. This design is also quite lightweight because, with an overall length of 53 inches, it weighs only 2.65 lbs.
With 30 and 40-lb draw weight options, the bow is ideal for both beginner and professional use. On top of this, its 28-inch draw weight places it right at the optimum size for the body types of most users.
Though only meant for right-hand use, the unit is optimally designed for this hand position for comfortable use. However, no arrows are included in the set.
Pros:
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How to Buy the Best Recurve Bows for Hunting
1. Bow Length
Longer bows tend to shoot further and are more accurate than shorter ones. They are also more stable. Typically, any length above 58 inches is good enough and this is ideal for hunting large animals at long-range. A bow that is less than 55 inches will give you average performance.
However, when holding the bow directly in front of you, the lower limb should not touch the ground. Therefore, you should select its length based on your height.
2. Draw Length
Draw length is the measurement of how far the string can be pulled before releasing it to throw the arrow. You should calculate your draw length then pick a recurve bow that fits within that figure.
That said, even after calculating it, this does not make it exact. You have to try out the bow to see which draw length is comfortable and works for you.
3. Right or Left Hand
You can only fire accurately if you pull the string and arrow using your dominant hand. For some its right, others left and you should pick a corresponding recurve-bow that suits this.
That said, this is usually determined by the arrow rest placement on the riser. Some units have one on each side of the riser, which optimizes it for ambidextrous use. This is highly recommended for versatility.
4. Draw Weight
This is a measure of how hard it is to pull the bow’s string towards you. Measured in pounds, the higher this value is, the harder it is to draw the string.
It is important to start with a small value of around 20-30 lbs. then advance slowly as you build your muscles.
You should also consider your age and gender, in which kids should begin with lower weights of 20 lbs. or less. In fact, a draw weight of around 10-15 lbs. is ideal for the young ones.
As for women, a good starting point would be around 30-35 lbs. while for men, a value of around 40-50 lbs. is ideal because they are usually more muscular.
If you want to be a good bow hunter, you need to practice regularly so that you can use the heavy draw weight pieces (60-70 lbs.). These will give you more power and speed when shooting the arrow. If you are already a pro, check out SinoArt’s Falcon , which has a 70-lb option.
5. Quality Construction
For maximum strength and durability, the unit should have a metal riser and flexible limbs that are made of wood, fiberglass, epoxy, etc.
6. Ease of Assembly
It is important to unstring and dismantle your recurve bow after use for compact storage. This will also help to maintain the tension and draw weight. As such, you need to look for a unit that is easy to assemble/disassemble, which is usually categorized as “takedown”.
How to String a Recurve Bow
Photo: D&Q
Once you have picked your recurve bow, you need to be able to assemble or dismantle it easily for compact storage or transportation. For this, you need a bow stringer and these are the steps to follow:
- Place the big string loop on the upper limb and the small loop on the lower limb. Insert the small loop in its slot but let the large loop hang lower on the upper limb.
- Using the stringer, place its pocket on the lower limb at the bottom of the bow. Place the saddle end on the top of the bow behind the large string loop.
- Hold your bow horizontally then step on the bow stringer and lift the bow. This will bend the limbs so that you can easily slide the large loop into its groove on the upper limb.
- Drop the bow to relax the stringer then remove it. This should leave tension on the string.
- Check if both loops are secured tightly. If they are, you are good to go. If not, repeat the process from step 2 so that you can loosen the string for proper installation.
FAQs
1. How Do You Measure Draw Length?
Measure the length of your arms from tip to tip by stretching them out to form a T. Divide this length by 2.5 and there is your draw length.
2. When and Why Should I Unstring a Recurve Bow?
You should unstring your bow after use, especially if you don’t plan on using it for some time. The reason is keeping the string on for a long time makes the limbs bend inwards. This will result in a loss of tension and draw weight.
3. How Far Can a Recurve Bow Shoot?
This depends on 3 factors: arrow weight, draw weight, and draw length. If the arrow is too heavy or too light, it won’t go far. If the draw weight and length are too low, you won’t shoot that far.
That said, the effective killing range of most recurve bows is 10-35 yards depending on the factors above.
Conclusion
In conclusion, SinoArt’s Falcon takes the overall best recurve bow for hunting spot because it has a durable magnesium-alloy riser plus hardwood limbs laminated in leather. It has multiple draw weight options for beginners to pro users and the parts are easy to assemble/disassemble.
However, D&Q’s Takedown recurve bow offers the best in terms of premium features such as multiple accessories and brass bushings on the riser for upgrading. If you don’t mind its price, this is a good option to consider.
For kids though, we recommend Bear Archery’s Titan because it has a low draw weight and short draw length.
