Summary
The Bear Wild is a great bow for an archer looking to hit the hunting woods. Although it doesn’t have top level performance, it would be more than adequate for the typical hunting scenario. What’s more, the Wild comes with Bear’s limited lifetime warranty and Bear’s reputation for making quality bows for the past half century. If you are looking to get your hands on a bow that won’t blow you away, but can stack up arrows in the bull, this bow might warrant a closer look.
Table of Contents
Intro
The wild places of this world call to some louder than others. While some feel most at home in the canyons our city streets have become, others feel most at home with a view of the stars and the smell of a campfire.
If you feel most at home in the wild lands, and enjoy pursuing the ultimate challenge of bowhunting, you may find the Bear Wild is a good tool to have in hand. This bow’s rugged design makes it ideal for hunters looking to tag out and lay some meat in the freezer without breaking the bank. If you are looking for a bow that can stand up to the conditions of the hunt, the Wild may just fit the bill.
Ratings, Pros and Cons
What we liked:
- Rugged and simple construction
- Accurate
- 5 color choices
What we didn’t:
- IBO Speed
- Limited draw weight range
Features / Specifications
| IBO Speed Rating (fps): | 310 |
| Bow Weight (lbs) | 4 |
| Brace Height (inches): | 7.25 |
| Axle-To-Axle (inches): | 32.25 |
| Draw Length Range: | 24-31″ |
| Let-Off: | 80% |
| Draw Weight Range: | 50-70 |
| Riser Construction Material: | Aluminium |
| Limb Construction Material: | Composite |
| Price Range: | Low-Mid |
| Handedness Availability: | Both Left and Right Hand |
| Warranty: | Limited Lifetime |
Videos
In-Depth Review
Riser
The riser of the Bear Wild is about what you’d expect from this mid-level bow. It is machined from a solid piece of aluminum, which makes it strong and fairly light. This feature makes it ideal for someone looking for a rugged bow that isn’t looking for anything special. The riser also includes a single string stop on the belly, which is a good way to quiet the bow down upon the shot.
Finally, the cable slide on this system is the same system Bear has been using for years. While some would scoff at this old system, others would appreciate its track record of dependability.
Grip
The grip on this bow has been integrated right into the riser itself. This is very common design for Bear bows and makes a slim grip that is comfortable in the hand. Designers also tried to cut the riser in a way that would allow you to address the bow the same way every time. Having a grip that you can grab the same every time is very important for developing good accuracy.
Cam System
The S7 cam system on the Wild is a smooth drawing single cam system. Single cams bows tend to have less performance than dual cam bows, but also tend to be more accurate (outdoornews.com). Another benefit you may enjoy from the single cam system is the simplicity of the tuning process. While cams on dual cam bows can fall out of time, with a single cam bow you don’t have that issue.
What’s more is the valley on this bow gives comfortable room for the shooter to relax at full draw. A large valley in the draw cycle is appealing to many shooters, but ideal for those who are inexperienced. If you aren’t looking for a speed demon, but rather want a bow that is comfortable to draw and easy to maintain, the Wild might be a good option.
Draw Length and Draw Weight Adjustment
Like many bows these days the Bear Wild is easy to adjust all by yourself with the help of a few allen wrenches. You can adjust the draw weight within a 10 pound range by simply twisting the limb bolts. This feature is good for folks who have a general sense of what poundage they like to shoot and don’t need a wide range of choice.
In order to adjust the draw length you have to remove a few allen bolts within the cam itself. You’ll need to reference the owner’s manual to see what the module setting needs to be, but it can easily be adjusted from 24”-31” in draw length without the use of a bow press. This is ideal for folks who like to tinker and fine tune their equipment on their own.
Limbs
The split limbs on this bow are a good set of limbs that can get the job done. They come in 50-60 pound models and 60-70 pound models. Again, this is best for folks who have a general sense of what poundage they like to shoot. Bear also went the extra mile with these limbs by installing the Bear Trap limb pocket. These metal limb pockets are designed to last, once again making this a good bow for rugged use.
Styling
In the style department the Bear Wild is pretty average. It has standard waffling and branding common on other Bear bows. For the archer that wants to stand out, this bow may still have what you are looking for in terms of color choice. Bear produces the Wild in 5 color choices including RealTree, shadow, olive, sand, and orange. Being able to customize your bow may not affect the function, but might be a nice perk you are looking for.
Shooting
In terms of shootability the Bear Wild is a great bow for the average archer. Since the bow has a 32.25” axle to axle and a 7.25” brace height, this bow will be more forgiving than some other bows on the market. This feature is beneficial for an archer who doesn’t have that many arrows under their belt. Another nice feature of this bow is the 80% let off. At 80% you should be able to hold this bow for extended periods of time while shooting targets or on a hunt. One strike against this bow is the absence of a truly solid back wall. Solid back walls are generally preferred, but not something an average archer will notice. Although this bow does have a stop, there seems to be some slop while holding at full draw.
“How does it compare?”
Bear Wild vs Escape
If the Wild doesn’t have quite the performance you are looking for, the Bear Escape might be a better choice for you. The Escape is one of Bear’s flagship models and can zip arrows downrange at 350 feet per second.
This sort of speed not only helps the arrow close the gap quicker, but also allows the bow to shoot extremely flat. Those are two reasons why some hunters prefer to use a fast, and flat shooting, bow.
Bear also went all out with the Escape by installing their hinge cable guard and new limb pockets. If you are looking for Bear’s cutting edge design the Escape is a good choice.
Bear Wild vs Infinite Edge Pro
Another bow that might be worth a look if you want a super adaptable bow is the Diamond Infinite Edge Pro. The whole Edge series is exceptionally versatile, and the Pro is the most recent release.
This bow’s draw weight can adjust from a chipmunk scaring 5 pounds clear up to an elk hunting 70 pounds. There are lots of shooters who can appreciate the wide range of benefits that versatility offers. In addition to having a range of draw weight, the draw length on this bow can be adjusted from 13”-31”. This is an exceptional advantage for a growing shooter, who would otherwise outgrow a bow in just a year or two.
Wild vs Brute Force
Another bow that compares to the Wild is the PSE Brute Force. This middle of the road compound bow outperforms the Wild in terms of speed, sending arrows downrange at 332 fps.
Again, if you are looking to hunt skittish whitetails the extra speed might be the edge you need. Secondly, the PSE is a dual cam bow, and uses the same cams on their flagship Bow Madness lineup. These cams have earned a reputation for being smooth, yet have performance.
If you don’t mind the extra issues a twin cam bow may cause, the Brute cams are a popular option. Finally, this PSE bow offers more range in draw weight and has the ability to adjust within a 20 pound range. The extra range is great for shooters who like to experiment with different setups, or who aren’t as sure about what draw weight they can handle.
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