Compound Bow Comparator

To conclude, the Bear Instinct is a very good choice at very reasonable price point. The Instinct is quick, smooth, forgiving and has little to no vibration or hand shock which makes it a very shootable bow. For the bow hunter this will be a very value conscience and reliable choice. The addition of a prestretched string might be a good choice if you prefer a peep without rubber tubing attached. This rig will do well in many hunting situations and overall is a steal at $399 msrp. Read full review...

The Bear Element is a value-tier single-cam hunting bow from 2006-2007 that has earned its reputation the hard way - by still being in the woods. It pairs a durable machined 6061-T6 aluminum riser and Bear's reliable compression-molded quad limbs with a fuss-free single cam, a firm draw stop, and a quiet, forgiving 75% let-off shot, all in Realtree green hardwoods camo across a wide 24-to-31-inch draw range and 50-to-70-pound weights. It was never fast - the 300-304 fps catalog figure rides a soft reference setup, and real hunting speeds sit below it - but speed was never the point. What I keep coming back to is the ownership record: buyers are still hunting these a decade and more on, several on the original string, which tells you more than any chronograph would. An excellent used buy for a first-time or budget-minded whitetail hunter, or for anyone who wants a dependable, low-maintenance backup that shoots dead in the hand, it is particularly strong at close-to-moderate treestand and ground-blind range. Buyers prioritizing more length and a little more speed should also look at the Bear Code, and those wanting the widest draw-weight adjustability for a growing shooter should consider the PSE Brute. Read full review...

• Very shootable rig
• Quick and quiet
• Value price tag

• Owners consistently rate it a strong-shooting bow for the money - Bear's value single cam that punches at its price
• Long service life: multiple owners report a decade-plus of hunting, some still on the original factory string
• Quiet, smooth-drawing single cam that owners describe as easy and dead in the hand at the shot
• Wide 24-31 inch modular draw range adjusts in tool-simple one-inch steps, no bow press needed for the module changes

• String isn't prestretched
• Not very compatible with peeps without rubber tubing

• A 2006-2007 value single cam, not a modern speed platform - hunters set on flagship fps should cross-shop a current bow instead
• Available used only now, so condition varies - budget a fresh set of strings and a quick pre-hunt tune, especially on well-worn examples