Budget longbows usually come with a catch. Maybe it stings your hand, maybe it’s loud, or maybe it only likes one arrow and sulks about the rest. After shooting plenty of them, I expect to find the catch within the first dozen shots. With the new Deerseeker 68″ Zebra longbow, I’m still looking. I’ve been shooting the 35 pound version with a mix of 500 and 600 spine carbon arrows and a few wooden arrows, and it handled every one of them well. It’s fast, it’s light, it’s quiet, and it has one of the best-looking risers I’ve held on a bow at this price.

Deerseeker Zebra Longbow Specs at a Glance

• Length: 68 inches
• Draw weights: 25 to 65 lb at 28″ draw (I tested the 35 lb)
• Limbs: Bamboo core with black fiberglass, reinforced with micarta tips
• Riser: Laminated Dymond wood, bamboo, and rosewood
• Design: Slight reflex-deflex
• Handedness: Right or left hand
• Included: 16-strand twisted Flemish string, leather shooting glove, leather armguard, string silencer, hair rest
• Price: $219.99 on Amazon at the time of writing

First Impressions: That Zebra Riser

The riser is the first thing you notice. Deerseeker laminates Dymond wood, bamboo, and rosewood into a layered, striped pattern that earns the Zebra name. Photos don’t do it justice. In person the grain has real depth, and the color shifts as the light moves across it.

The second thing you notice is the grip. It’s small and slim, and I love it. If you’re used to a big, palm-filling handle, it feels different at first, but I found it feels right. The bow sits low in the hand, there’s very little to torque, and your fingers wrap around it until you forget it’s there. That’s what a grip should do.

Build Quality: Limbs, Tips, and Reflex-Deflex Design

The limbs are laminated with a bamboo core and black fiberglass. The tips are reinforced with micarta, which matters because tips take the most abuse on any bow. Stringing, unstringing, and leaning it against a tailgate all show up there first.

Deerseeker tapers the limbs, which is meant to give a quiet shot, and I’ll cover how that played out below. The bow also has a slight reflex-deflex profile. In plain English, the limbs curve a bit differently than on a straight longbow, which helps smooth the draw and add arrow speed without making the bow unfriendly to shoot.

Why Choose a 68″ Longbow Over 62″ or 64″?

Most longbows run 62 to 64 inches, so a 68 inch bow raises an obvious question. The answer comes down to physics, and it’s why many 3-D and target archers like longer bows.

Stability and forgiveness. Longer limbs bend through a gentler curve as you draw. That gives you a smoother draw and release, and small form mistakes, such as a bit of hand torque or an uneven release, have less chance of turning into a bad shot.

Longer draw lengths. On a shorter bow, a long draw can make the limbs stack near full draw, and the bow gets stiff and harsh. A longer bow doesn’t bend as sharply at the same draw length, so it stays smoother and puts less pinch on your string fingers. If you draw 29 inches or more, that really matters.

The tradeoff. A 68 inch bow is more to manage in tight spots. In a ground blind, tree stand, or thick brush, a shorter bow is easier to handle, which is why many bowhunters stay at 62 to 64 inches. In open woods, on a 3-D course, or at the range, the extra length is a real advantage.

What’s in the Kit

For the money, the kit is generous. You get a twisted Flemish string with 16 strands, and you can twist or untwist it to adjust your brace height. A real leather three-finger shooting glove, a real leather adjustable armguard, string silencers, and a hair rest are all included.

You can string the bow up and start shooting the same afternoon, without a second order for basic gear. For anyone new to traditional archery, that makes it an easy bow to recommend.

Arrow TestING: 500 and 600 Spine Carbon and Wood

Budget bows usually show their weakness when you change arrows, so I wanted to know how picky the Zebra is. At 35 pounds, I tested a wide mix of arrows:

• 500 spine carbon arrows
• 600 spine carbon arrows
• A range of point weights and arrow builds
• A few wooden arrows, because this is a longbow

It shot every one of them well. There were no sideways flyers and no hour of tinkering to get one arrow to behave. Whatever I nocked, the bow handled it. At 35 pounds, that flexibility is a big deal if you like to experiment or keep a quiver full of different arrows. Your own spine needs will depend on your draw length, point weight, and arrow length, but the Zebra gave me a lot of room to work with.

Speed, Weight, and Sound

The Zebra is fast. Arrows leave the string with more snap than I expect from a bow at this weight and price, which is the reflex-deflex design doing its job. It’s also light in the hand, so it’s easy to carry, easy to hold, and easy to keep shooting long after you should have quit.

And it’s quiet. At the release, I get a soft thump and little else, with no twang and no vibration humming up the limbs. Some of that is the tapered limbs and some is the string silencer in the kit. Bowhunters know how much that matters, but even if you never hunt, a quiet bow is more pleasant to shoot.

What This Bow Is, and Isn’t

The Zebra is a value-priced longbow. It’s not a hand-built custom bow with a waiting list, and it isn’t trying to be. It’s a fast, smooth, well-mannered bow that shoots great and looks great.

It’s also a long bow. If you hunt tight brush or shoot from a small blind, a 62 or 64 inch bow will be easier to move around in.

Who Should Buy the Deerseeker Zebra Longbow?

• First-time traditional archers who want a complete kit that’s ready to shoot
• 3-D and target shooters who value a stable, forgiving bow
• Archers with longer draw lengths who want a smoother draw
• Bowhunters in open country who value a quiet, light bow
• Anyone who wants a backup bow that’s fun to shoot

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a 68 inch longbow too long?
It’s very comfortable on a range or 3-D course, and in open woods. It’s less convenient in a blind or thick brush, where a shorter bow is easier to handle.

What draw weights does the Zebra come in?
Deerseeker offers 25 to 65 pounds at 28″ draw, in right-hand and left-hand versions.

What arrows work well at 35 pounds?
In my testing, 500 and 600 spine carbon arrow setups both shot well, as did several few wooden arrows. Your best spine depends on your draw length, point weight, and arrow length. Experiment to find out what shoots best for you.

Final Verdict

The Deerseeker 68″ Zebra longbow is fast, light, and quiet. It shot everything I fed it, from 500 and 600 spine carbon to wooden arrows, at 35 pounds without complaint. The extra length adds stability and forgiveness, the riser is beautiful, the slim grip feels great in my hand, and the kit gets you shooting right away. It did something I didn’t expect from a budget longbow. It made me stop looking for the catch.

Where to buy:

• Amazon (best price): https://link.amazon/B0i2PJWeJ
• Deerseeker website: https://www.deerseekerarchery.com/Bow/Longbow/68inch-Zebra-Longbow/

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