Bowtech Tribute Compound Bow

The BowTech Tribute is the mid-2000s hunting bow that tried to be fast and smooth at once, and it largely succeeded - a compact 31 1/2-inch bow rating 320 to 328 fps on its Speed module while shooting quiet and virtually shock-free through Vertical Force Technology and a built-in Hush Kit. Real hunting-weight arrows land in the high 260s to high 280s fps, brisk for a bow this calm, and the Binary Cam's purchase-time choice of a Speed or Ultra-smooth module lets one owner set it up for velocity and the next for a butter-soft pull. What owners keep coming back to, two model years and two decades on, is the draw and the shot - easy to pull even at 70 pounds, a solid back wall, and a stillness in the hand that keeps the sight on the deer. In my experience that quiet, no-flinch shot is worth more to a treestand hunter than a headline fps number, and the Tribute delivers it without asking you to give up the speed. Reported around $749 at launch and refined for 2007, it is a used-market buy now, and a clean, freshly-strung one is a lot of quiet, quick hunting bow for the money - with a military dedication and a TAPS donation behind the name that most bows can't claim. An excellent choice for the treestand or ground-blind hunter who wants speed without noise or hand shock, and particularly strong for a developing hunter who needs a forgiving bow that still performs. Buyers who prioritize the quietest, most refined shot above all should also look at the Mathews Switchback XT, while those who want Hoyt's hybrid-cam feel and a little more axle-to-axle should look at the Hoyt Trykon... read full review