Getting Started Question

[Jcup]

So my GF is looking for a new hobby. And she mentioned getting into archery. Anyone have any tips or ideas on getting a set up for a female? I dont really know much about the sport and I have an old old mathews that my grandfather passed down to me that ive only shot a handful of times. I doubt she would be able to draw it. But could it be adjusted to get her into it? or should I look into getting her own setup? Might be nice to do it together anyways.

Of course we aren't looking to spend a ton of money right away. Just something to get her feet wet. See if she likes it. Anyone have thoughts on how much it would take to get a newbie started?

Do archery places let you try them out? We live in Brainerd so we have a FF, Gander... Anyone know of any outdoor ranges around here?

Thanks for any help!

[Sorgy]

Jcup,

Take a ride to a real Archery Pro Shop. With trained archery pro's. I am not sure what is in the Brainerd area.

In the St. Cloud area I know of Archery Country and one other pro shop(cannot remember its name).

Bows are not a one size fits all. Draw length are very critical- almost all modern bows have cams now with different mounting locations - some allow a wide range of draw length adjustment for a youth. I would recommend a bow that has the adjustable cams.

Draw weights - 60 to 70 lb max for men usually and 40-50 max for women and youth. Do not get a bow that has too much draw weight.

Do some homework and you can get set up with great used equipment for the price of entry level equipment.

A real pro shop will help you with all of your questions and help steer you in a good direction.

If you start out on the right path with equipment that fits you and is modern(last 10 years) you should have lots of fun with archery.

Proceed with caution- it is easy to find archery stuff to upgrade and spend money on. Enjoy the sport. Join a league ect.

Good Luck

Steve

[outdoors247]

Sorgy has some excellent suggestions. I will echo his statements about going to a pro shop and shoot a few different models to see what fits her the best.

One brand I can recommend since I have one is Mission. They are made by Mathews and have the same great warranty that Mathews bows have but don't have the crazy price tag you are used to with a Mathews bow.

I believe there is a Archery Country in Brainerd too. They have a store in Waite Park and one in Brainerd. That's where I would start the search.

[DonBo]

I just went through this with the daughter of a good friend. An archery pro-shop should be your only choice for starting out. I'm sure there's at least a couple in the Brainerd area. The shop we went to let her shoot 6-8 different bows at several different price levels.

I told her to not pay any attention to brand name and just go with what felt good to her. A nice comfortable grip and smooth draw is what you're looking for.

She ended up with a Bear package with everything needed from rest and sight to release and arrows for under $700. You can spend a lot more and you could spend a lot less. If you have a strict budget, tell the shop and they will do their best to keep it within that price range.

Good luck and let us know how it all works out for you.

[Jcup]

Great stuff here, we will check out the Archery Country in town. Thanks guys.

[BoxMN]

Have her shoot the Diamond Infinite Edge while looking. It is very adjustable, lightweight, and reasonably priced. Even has a pink color model if that is the kind of thing she likes. My grandson (17) got the camo model and it works great. If my wife was thinking about it, I think this would be the first model I would have her shoot. Have fun!

[wannafish2]

Good for her! I agree that the Diamond Infinite Edge is a great starter set up. I got the Diamond Razr (same set up, just a few years older) Plus, my friend wanted to start so her hubby and I got her an Edge. All you will need is for her to get maybe a small stabilizer, a string silencer, a release (if she wants) and some arrows. The shop will set the poundage after she pulls it a few times and after that it is easy to adjust if you need to (you can do it yourself without a press). Stick with some fixed blade broadheads if she shoots under 50 lbs and with some practice she'll be shooting with you this fall.

Have fun!

[wannafish2]

Oh, and the whole set up will be under $400. Very reasonable, for a name brand bow (Diamond is made by Bowtech).

Wannafish2

[whiskeyman]

The are made by Bow Tech, we bought my son one two years ago and my daughter one last year. They are easy to a just draw length and weight.

[Powerstroke]

My daughter has a Mission Craze. They are super adjustable and shoot just as well as any top of the line bow. It should be the last bow I buy her. I adjust it to my draw length and practice with it too. Its a great bow.

[Scoot]

Powerstroke, I bought my son a Mission Craze too- he loves it. I've been very happy with it too. I did a ton of research on youth/women's bows and I settled on the Craze. There are a few other good options too, but the Craze was a great choice for us.