A good beginner bow

[walleyefisher0990]

I was thinking about getting into bowhunting but have really no idea as to what bow we be a good one to start out with. Any info would be great thanks

[Deitz Dittrich]

almost an imposible question to answer, A few more questions need to be thought about here. As one bow may shoot great for one person the same exact bow will not shoot for another. A persons height is a huge concern. I am 6ft 3in, and have a huge wing span, 31.5" draw length. Short A to A bows dont work well for me but may be perfect for you!

I myself would stick to the major companies. Hoyt, Martin, Mathews... to be honest they dont produce a bad bow. So any from them that feels confortable to you would be great. Its all in how much you want to spend. I, this last winter spent about $750 for just a bow... which I didn't think was too bad...My boat (Triton Tr186PDC)cost me about $18,000 used... and my new Bike(Trek1500) just cost me over $1000.. its all in what you enjoy!

[TomBow]

Step one, don't worry about what brand to buy. Go to an Archery Pro Shop that deals exclusively with Archery equipment, not a sporting goods store where the person in the "archery" dept. may or may not have alot of experience. Most of the bows available are of about the same quality as the more expensive bows so you don't need to spend big bucks to get started.
The Archery pro shop will get you fitted to the bow, making sure that YOU know your draw length, draw weight (how much you can pull, don't over do the weight, it's better to start a lower than the max. you can pull so you can control the shot comfortably) and help you decide which arrows and point weights to use so the arrows fly well from the bow. A good shop will take the time to help you and won't try to get you to buy the top of the line bows they sell. Look up the Easton Tuning guide available at the Easton Archery HSOforum online. Read through it. It will give you a good idea of basic bow set-up which is something good to know so you don't have to run to the shop whenever you have a problem. I can send you an article I wrote on selecting equipment if you give me your email adress.

Best of Luck! Once you start shooting, you'll be hooked!

[simplefish]

I agree that the best bow for you is the one that fits you best. I do have a few suggestions though. If you are of average hieght, and build, for a beginner a longer axle to axle will probably be the best to start out with. Longer bows generally have longer brace heights (the distance between the point where your arrow nocks on the string and where your hand cradles the grip). Brace heights help for accuracy and forgivability. Generally these bows are a bit slower but this is perfect for those just starting out. You don't need speed to take down game. Also, I reccomend shooting with a release aid. This also helps with accuracy and is easier on the fingers. Very important: don't buy a bow at a department store. I bought my very first bow at a department store and couldn't get it to shoot strait. I brought it to a pro shop and found that it had 2 differant limbs, and a riser from another bow. Also, you don't need an expensive bow. Many people buy packages that include the bow, a sight, arrows, ect. Just about everything you need. Most importantly I reccomend going to a reputable archery pro shop. If you would like the name/number of the one I go to shoot me an e-mail, [email protected]. I'm not sure I can post it here or not. Most of all, have fun.

[Pooh]

i think an anrchery shop is also the best place to start, where bouts are u from? i live in wadena 30 minutes from the nearest actual bow shop, but the one in parkers prairie. John is a great guy and will give you a great deal on every thing.

------------------
this is just my 2 cents
Pooh

[TomBow]

Another tip, when you go to a bow shop, take someone with bow experience that you can trust with you. They can give you some ideas on what you need to get and what you don't. A tip on the bow packages, carefully inspect the components of the package. A friend recently bought a bow "kit" (bow, rest, sight included) and the sight was a cheap piece that cracked after about 2 dozen shots. Metal parts is the way to go because they won't flex or crack under extreme weather conditions or simply shooting. Best of Luck.

[BLACKJACK]

My Bass Pro catalog has a PSE Nova Hunter package - bow, fiber optic sight, rest, and quiver for $199. Not a bad package to start out with. I agree with the others, going to a good archery shop is worth the time and advice, but sometimes they don't have what you want or all they have is $500 bows.