First Bow?

[24on48hunting]

Welcome to the addiction known as archery!
For starters, do as mentioned above and go to a pro shop and try out as many as you can. Go to several. As far as draw weight is concerned: don’t overdo it on your draw weight. I’d recommend a weight that you can comfortably draw straight back-by that I mean point your arrow at the target and draw back without moving the bow. Too many folks try to draw too much weight. If you have to point the bow any direction other than at the target to draw you need to reduce the draw weight. After time you will gain strength and you can increase your poundage accordingly. I can draw more than most bows’ max weight setting, but it isn’t necessary. I shoot a 65# bow....I can shoot it all afternoon and even hold my draw for quite a long time without fatigue and it does quite well on the range and in the woods.
A 7” brace height bow will be a good starting point. They are more forgiving as compared to ones with a shorter brace height. The shorter the brace height, the less forgiving it is. I am referring to the bow being forgiving to your flaws in form, torquing of the grip, and consistency in general.
To be consistent with a bow you need to develop good form, a solid, consistent anchor point when you reach full draw and as close to a torque free grip as possible. All of these will kill your accuracy. Patience is also key. Don’t expect overnight results. Shoot often, take a break when you aren’t doing so well, cool off a bit then get back at it.
Also, if you buy a used rig, check to see if the draw length is adjustable....some setups, like some of the Mathews bows have a specific draw length that they are made for and would require a new cam that matches your draw length.
Enjoy it and best of luck finding a setup.

 

[djocon93]

Thanks for all the tips guys! Talked to a couple local shops and got the same sort of response from both... the gist seems to be if I want to spend $650 plus on a bow, they're happy to help me try out a few and see what feels good. If I want a "starter" bow or used just buy blind and have them help me set it up. Measured for draw length at 27.5 or 28". Both shops suggested a 60lb bow but didn't seem interested in letting me try the draw on anything to see what feels comfortable unless I was ready to spend $800 plus on a rig.

So based on what yall have said and what they said I'll probably get something with 60lb limbs that can be turned down to 50.

 

[the_great_white]

So based on what yall have said and what they said I'll probably get something with 60lb limbs that can be turned down to 50.

I have a Bear with 80% let off and 70# draw I turned down to 50# because I have a torn rotator, so I'm only holding 10#. Let off is something to consider as well.

 

[the_great_white]

Also, if you're willing to make the drive, Bow Hunters supply in Bowdon is an awesome shop. They let me fling a few arrows before I bought mine.

 

[24on48hunting]

Also, if you're willing to make the drive, Bow Hunters supply in Bowdon is an awesome shop. They let me fling a few arrows before I bought mine.

Great folks down there! I bought my Wife’s bow from them and have done business with them on numerous other occasions.

 

[djocon93]

Might have to make a trip then!

 

[the_great_white]

Great folks down there! I bought my Wife’s bow from them and have done business with them on numerous other occasions.

I have as well, used to be in there a lot when They were still in carrollton. Plus, they had more lefty bows to choose from than anyone else .Most other places only ever had like 1.

 

[testdepth]

I have been shooting archery since I was 12 using a HERTERS 25lb draw recurve bow my father bought me. Now I am 53 and shoot a compound now.

For someone like yourself with no experience there is no need to drop that kind of money on a first compound bow. Do yourself a favor and pick up a used Diamond Infinite Edge (Made by Bowtech) or Mission Craze (Made by Mathews). Fully adjustable from 5lbs to 70lbs draw weight. Fully adjustable draw length. You don't need a PRO shop to make any adjustments and you don't need a bow press to do the work. You can make all adjustments yourself. It will take time to develop the muscles needed to draw heavier bow weight so build up to it. 50 to 55 pounds of draw will kill any animal in north America. What you need to develop is accurate shot placement from 45 yards or less to ensure a quick humane kill on any animal you hunt. You can typically pick up a used Infinite Edge for around $300 and it comes fully set up with sights, case, arrows, quiver etc etc. This bow is easy to draw and hold at full draw. Once you get used to it and want to stick with it then buy a more expensive bow if you want.

If you choose not to go the above route then your best option is:
Find a bow shop that will set up all of the same class bows and different models they sell, for your draw length and weight. Then shoot them all before deciding. All compound bows are not the same. If a shop refuses to do this for you, then I would not spend my money there.

When I selected my compound I shot Hoyt, BOWTECH, DIAMOND, Mathews, Mission, PSE and BEAR. Out of all of these the BOWTECH had the smoothest draw from start to full draw without struggling to do so. I owned a BOWTECH Captain and sold it. I bought an older Guardian and it's a little heavier but it is so very very quiet. When I shoot it the only noise heard is the whisp of the string cutting through the air. I am also very accurate with this bow setup and can stack arrows touching at 40yds easily. Takes time though.

 

[Rattlesnakemp]

Any shop that won’t let you shoot unless you’re going to buy just leave. That’s BS, Big Woods Goods in Holly Springs Ga. has a big selection and they will let you shoot their shop bows. Just tell them you’re new to Archery and would like some help! Totally agree 60lbs or less and keep it simple with a fixed 3 pin sight. You should be looking for a smooth easy draw that feels good. Big woods isn’t a PSE dealer but if you can find a Evolve 31 in 60lbs it’s a great super smooth drawing bow, also Elite is a great drawing bow. You want something that you want to shoot a lot so you can practice!

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

As far as draw weight, 70 pounds is the most popular option, but I dont recommend it. I can shoot my 70 lb bow just fine and I like that bow a lot, but I can't shoot it all day and its not necessary for anything you can hunt in GA. I've regretted not going with 60 lb limbs on that bow for a while. My other bow with 65 lb limbs is turned down to about 61-62 lbs and I enjoy shooting that weight a lot more than I enjoy 70.

A friend and I both bought used, cheap, old compound bows just for backyard practice at 30 yards or less.
Mine was set to 45 lbs by a prior owner. It goes up to 55, I'm told.
His was set at 80 lbs at the shop where the first owner got it, and although it's been turned down somewhat by loosening the limb bolts, it's STILL in the mid or high 70's, I think. We took it to an archery shop but the owner said a bow that old (30 years) wasn't safe to use, or put in his bow press. So we didn't get it tuned up or tested for exact draw weight.

My friend and I "can" shoot this bow that has 70-something peak draw weight and a 50% let off, but we don't like it.
It's more work than it needs to be. The arrows bury themselves too deep into the target block to get them out easily without bending the shafts. And if the arrows miss the block and hit the ground, or a tree branch, they almost always bend or break.

We both think that 45 lbs is good weight for fun shooting within 30 yards or so.

NOW, HERE'S A QUESTION: How many compound bows are adjustable down to 45 lbs? Is that too low for most designs from most manufacturers?
And, can they be adjusted by the user, who doesn't have specialized training or tools, like a bow press?