BowCast Blog

This year I will be reviewing the Blackhawk bow from Parker, but before I get too much into the bow I want to give you some of my background. Traditionally, I have always shot some of the longer ATA Hoyts. Not because I have been sponsored or any of that stuff but because I know they make solid bows. I also thinkthat it is the “Indian not the Arrow." If you ever doubt that just take a look at some of the Professional Hunters on T.V., those guys switch bows more often than I change the fuel filter on my Diesel. Also, other than the Drop-Away rests I personally don’t think that there have been any really HUGE advances in archery technology. Some people say that the Cam and a Half design was a big jump but it has been around since the 70’s when Darton came out with the Darton CPS design and the Single Cam was something that Mathews “borrowed” (from Jennings and Martin). It has been and always be about marketing.

So when I am reviewing this bow I come from the background of shooting a longer ATA bow, that doesn’t have parallel limbs, that has a pretty narrow grip and typically has a pretty forgiving brace height.

Okay, now that we have that on the table, "Why the Parker?". Well, I wanted to stay away from the big three and I wanted a bow that I I had always been interested but I had never really had a chance to shoot. I also like there “Grow-up with Parker” Program, it basically lets you upgrade your bow as your child grows. I think that is a great idea.

So what are the nitty gritty specs of my Blackhawk?

Draw Lengths 28" (adjusts to 27" or 26")

Draw Weights 60-70 lb

Let Off 75%

Bow Length 32" axle to axle

Mass Weight 3.85 pounds

Brace Height 7 3/8"

Arrow Speeds IBO 325 FPS

Camo – G-1

Retail Price $649.95

Personally, I think these specifications are pretty standard and there is nothing too sexy about the numbers. The magic will be how the bow shoots.

Last week UPS dropped the bow off and I started getting it setup. Below is a list of the accessories I will start with.

Sight – 5 Pin Spot Hogg Hunter .019 fibers

Rest – Original Trophy Taker Drop-away

Stabilizer – Fuse Axium 4 inch

Peep – RAD 3/16 - tubeless

You might have noticed that I didn’t list a bow sling that is because Parker has incorporated a bow sling into the design of the bow.

Currently I am going to use Easton FMJ 400’s cut to 27.5 inches with Blazer Vanes, with wraps and 100 grain points. I will be changing my fletching and wraps in a few weeks.

Before I went outside to shoot the bow I decided to tune it the best I could. I used the BowPlane and the Eze-Eye to get the center-shot as perfect as possible. I will be doing a blog entry on the BowPlane later.

OKAY, now that we have all preliminaries setup I guess you want to know HOW DID IT SHOOT? I still need to break the string in and get everything super tuned but I am pretty pleased with this little bow. I will admit that I am not used to shooting a bow that is only 32” ATA so I really need to make sure I don't torque the bow. This is my issue not the bows.

So how does it compare to other bows I have shot? The Draw Cycle is pretty smooth and it does have a solid valley, I like that. To me it feels and shoots exactly like the new Matthews bow but it has a much better grip and that my friends is a good thing.

Below is a picture of a group I shot at 40 yards, for me that is a pretty decent group. After the days shooting session I did notice that I was having some timing sessions with the rest so hopefully my groups will get a little tighter when I shoot again. I was also getting some string twist BUT THAT IS EXPECTED with a new string.

So you are saying, “Great, this is like every other review, he is holding back and not giving us the dirt”, well don’t worry if I have issues with this bow I will let you know. Also, the fact that I will be shooting this bow all summer and fall is also something very different, most reviews happen over a one or two day period and they don’t review the bow over time. I will also stress that, in no way am not obligated in anyway to give a positive review of the Blackhawk. So stay tuned.

So as an overview, the bow is shooting pretty well, nothing too crazy and it is performing like it is expected.

Below is a link to the Parker website and the Parker Blackhawk.

Parker - Blackhawk

Take Care...

J-