Greatree Deer Slayer Review – a Recurve Bow Inspection

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LengthBow WeightDraw WeightTakedown?
Greatree Deer Slayer Recurve Bow

Greatree Deer Slayer Recurve Bow

See on Amazon.com


60 inches3.1 lbs

How to: choose arrows, draw weight, and tune your recurve
35 to 55 lbs.No

Pros
- Beautiful, long-lasting design
- Crowned arrow shelf for off-the-shelf shooting
- Almost silent shooting
Cons
- Not predrilled for accessories
- Some beginners might find it heavy
- It’s not a takedown, so storage might be an issue
Also recommended: Best Geartree Archery BowsCompare prices across top hunting gear sellers

Every bow hunter starts somewhere, and for me it was the Greatree Archery Deer Slayer. After years of hunting with a crossbow, I decided to try my hand at hunting with a recurve bow, and the beauty of the Deer Slayer sucked me right in. How well did it perform, though? It’s time to finally tell my story of the Deer Slayer in its entirety.

First, let’s talk about this bow itself. The Deer Slayer is a one-piece recurve bow constructed of hard maple and walnut woods, and the limbs are laminated in clear fiberglass to allow the gorgeous grains to show through. The arrow shelf is crowned, allowing for easy off-the-shelf shooting. The bow is available in either left-handed or right-handed variants, at draw weights from 35# to 55#.

What’s Included In The Box?

Greatree-Deer-SlayerWhen you unpackage the Greatree Deer Slayer, you’ll find the following items in the box:

  • The bow itself, the Greatree Deer Slayer
  • An arrow rest
  • A Dacron B50 string
  • Owner’s manual

You won’t find a bowstringer in the box, unfortunately, but the instructions do tell you how to string the bow without one. I have to say that I don’t recommend this method except as a last resort. A bowstringer is an inexpensive, lightweight tool that you could easily carry with you in a pouch of your backapack. I never leave home without my bowstringer when I’ve got a bow in hand.

Is The Bow Easy To Assemble?

With its one-piece design, the Deer Slayer is exceptionally easy to assemble. All you have to do is string the bow, preferably using the bowstringer you bought after the last section of this review. You did buy one, right?

What About Accessories?

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to install any accessories on this particular bow unless you have your bow technician drill the holes for you. I wanted to keep the natural, traditional feel of shooting a recurve, so I started off with this bow using instinctive shooting. Even with that technique, there are some steps you should take to getting the bow ready for the target range or hunt. So, take a look at our guide on how to tune a recurve bow for more information.

Is The Recurve Accurate And Powerful?

You can purchase the Greatree Deer Slayer in draw weights from 35 pounds all the way up to 55 pounds. Which is right for you? I went with the full 55 pound model, which is great for hunting just about any legal game in North America, but you should probably read our guide on selecting the right draw weight for your uses.

The Deer Slayer is insanely accurate, even without a sight. Instinctively shooting, I can maintain 2-inch groupings from as far back as 40 yards. This is plenty accurate enough for hunting purposes, and I’ve filled my freezer several times over with venison and moose harvested with this bow.

Can I Use This Recurve Bow For Hunting?

Umm, yes! As I said above, I’ve harvested deer and moose, and several other varieties of animals besides that. The Deer Slayer is terrific for what it’s named to do, but it is also available in powerful enough strengths to take on moose, elk, black bear, and even grizzly bear, if you get the 55# model.

Now, what makes this a great hunting bow? Besides its power and accuracy, it’s also the perfect length and weight. At 60″ AMO, the bow maneuvers perfectly through bush and in the deer stand, and it comes in at just over three pounds. This light weight makes it easy to carry around all day without getting tired.

Will Beginners Be Able To Learn On This Bow?

Since it doesn’t accept any of the accessories that I recommend for a beginner to archery, I wouldn’t recommend this bow for rank amateurs. You won’t be able to install a stabilizer, sight, or Berger button without voiding your warranty. Better to look for another bow to get your feet wet, and move up to the Deer Slayer once you have your form, technique, and stance down.

What Are The Best Arrows To Use With The Bow?

Since the answer to this question depends on what you’re going to use the bow for, it’s a bit too complicated to get into within a review. That’s why we’ve put together a guide to arrow selection, which I recommend every new archer (and even some veterans) take a look at.

How Durable Are The Limbs And Riser On The Recurve?

The entire bow, riser and limbs, are made from laminated maple and walnut, with a clear fiberglass finish to the limbs. Since it’s a one-piece design, you have to take special care not to overextend the limbs and snap them. However, the bow is highly resistant to limb twist, and will last for years if properly cared for. Just make sure you unstring the bow when you aren’t using it, just to be particularly sure you don’t have limb twist problems.

What Strings Will Fit This Recurve Bow?

The bow ships with a Dacron B50 string, but then again, most recurve bows ship with that same string. With that said, the Greatree Deer Slayer features reinforced limb tips, so you can easily switch out the string for a FastFlight or Flemish twist string. Just make sure you get a 60″ bow string at the right draw weight, and you’ll be good to go.

Is It Heavy?

At just over three pounds, some might say this is a heavy bow. For beginners, it probably is, but you quickly get used to the weight. I can tell you that after getting used to hauling around a crossbow, this bow feels downright light to carry. I don’t think of it as heavy at all, because it almost becomes a part of me in the bush.

How Quiet Is The Bow?

Here is where the Deer Slayer really shines. I’ve added much more expensive bows to my collection since purchasing this particular bow, but I’ve held on to the Deer Slayer because it remains one of the quietest bows I’ve ever shot. There is almost no hand shock, little to no vibration, and the string silencers I have on the bow make this thing darned near silent.

Recurve Bow Summary

Thanks for reading my review of the Greatree Deer Slayer. If you’re an experienced archer, this is the perfect complement to your collection as a hunting bow. I started out with a target bow and then moved to this model for hunting, and I’ve never regretted the decision.

Take a look at Today's Amazon.com price on the Greatree Deer Slayer Recurve Bow if you’re interested in buying.

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