Getting Started

[BT]

O.K. , your mind is made up and you are focused on that compound...now what

My advise is don't jump in with both feet on the first attempt.

More cash has been wasted do to novice error than anything else (I dare say) and there is no reason for you to continue the trend.

My suggestion is to start with a quality bow manufacturer and get it together with their budget model first.

Lets put it this way...you don't have to shoot a high weight/super fast bow to take a trophy so why bother if such a bow is not giving you an advantage?.

I believe the advantages of a low priced bow package out weights the higher end models due to the fact that you are going to be shooting sooner and sooner is better than later

The lower priced packages also allows you to have more money left over for other needs like climbing stands/blinds and such.

(It takes more than a bow to take that deer)

High let off is a great thing but for the beginner I would suggest a good wheel bow which is far smoother as opposed to a cam which is not by comparison.

A wheel bow also is a great all around design for finger shooters.

Shooting with fingers is something I would like you to consider because it is impossible to get in your stand and sudden remember the release you left at home.

If you don't have your fingers when you reach your stand,you probably wont want to hunt anyway

Shooting fingers is fast vanishing but it is hard to tell who is shooting what (release/fingers)when you look through winning scores at organized 3-D shoots.

The shorter the bow,the harder it is too shoot.

A longer bow is desirable for ease of learning to shoot as it is more stable so don't chase fashion...do what works

Brace height is another thing that can enhance or decrease the ability to shoot as well as possible.

Measured from the back of the bows grip to the string,the "Brace height" is best when set 7 1/2"+.
(The more the merrier!)

Bows with longer brace are going to be slower but this is not a race!

Balance should be set so that the bow (when held loosely in the hand) falls forward on release.

The front stabilizer can serve to do two things by aiding in quiting the bow and (with the correct weight) aiding in getting that forward motion.

A wrist sling is an important part of the bow.

A bow should be held lightly in the hand and not held at all once the bow is drawn.

Do not grab the bow on release!

This is the job of the wrist sling and it will do its job.

The urge to save your bow from certain fate is uncontrollable at first but don't worry....trust

Bow quivers that attach directly to the bow are inhibitors and I would suggest either learning to shoot with it on at all times or not at all.

My personal suggestion is to get a hip quiver and leave the counter balance off the bow till you master your skills

Peep sights,although not needed are popular and can help to get you shooting better in a hurry.

I would suggest not using the tube type though as this kind of alignment system is a weak link on any bow

If it is possible either get your pro-shop to tie in a peep or use a clamp over type which holds onto the string rather than being held by the string.

This is a basic list of do's and donts and mostly suggestions and if you don't see what you want to know ask...everyone is eager to assist!

[timhicks]

Great post
A few other things that I must reply with. Dont worry about getting the bow with the most poundage. This is a problem that many people make a mistake on. Make sure your draw length is right. This is a must to be a better archer. The little things will come later,dont buy a bow because of name or pressure. A good bow shop hould let you try alot of models.This is what they are supposed to be there for.Patience is a must,,with yourself and your new bow.Rome wasnt built in a day. Practice and discipline come next.Practice ,the same shot,the same release point .

[Greg Krause]

I agree with nearly everything you said. I really like the Reflex line of bows for many of these reasons. They are fair priced, you can find them over 36"ATA, can be had with cam&1/2 or accu wheels and they offer these bows with a good brace height. Speed is one of the most often talked about aspects of the bow, a fast bow is great, but it can be a stumbleing block for beginers. The faster the bow, the harder it is going to be to shoot......period. I would stronly suggest against shooting a set up in the 300fps range for a newbie. I would prefer to see them in the 250's to 270's with a middle weight arrow. After they get shooting good they can always go to a lighter arrow or unload the string to gain some speed.
The one aspect I sort of disagree with you on is the fingers vs release. Fingers shooting is great and I may be looking at a fingers compound in the future. It's a great way to shoot for hunting, but I think it's a longer road to the top of good shooting. I have also had many friends who shot fingers and were pretty good shots. I got them to switch to a release and their shooting improved. A release can cause the onset of TP. My father has this problem. He is able to shoot a release from Winn. You pull the triger as you draw, when you want to shoot you just let that finger release. Just like letting a string go, just much crisper and cleaner.
One thing I would touch on is DO NOT overbow yourself. I would go on the lighter side for a beginer. There are a lot of people out there taking game with 40-60# bows. Don't go straight to 70#' just cause you can pull back your friends bow and that's what he shoots. You want to be able to draw it at odd angles and you shouldn't have to strain to get it back or have to yank it back. The more you shoot, the stronger you will get and the more #'s you can add later.
We all may not all agree 100% of the time here but we are here to help and assist. If you have questions or problems on any aspect of this, just ask. Here there really are no stupid questions.

[Greg Krause]

One more thing. Find a good pro-shop to help get you started and set-up. Later, when you know more you can buy over the web to save money. I would also HIGHLY recomend asking if they or someone in the area can give lessons. Learning the basic do's and dont's of form and shooting in the begining, saves a lot of time down the road. I have friends that did everything I said about form and shooting when they started, they are better than many people who have been at this much longer. They are not constantly battleing bad habits that they picked up learning how to shoot.

[michihunter]

All great suggestions. One thing I'd like to add is to remember that the bow is a "personal" choice based on comfort. There is no "best" bow out there except the one for you. Your friends best Mathews, Bowtech, Hoyt, etc is not necessarily the best bow for you. And another thing to remember is that price is not always the best indicator of quality!!

[BT]

Well said!

[smj]

Just to add a bit to the "don't over-bow" yourself comments made above... I find that most new archers will shake when they draw a bow. I think this is simply because they don't have the muscles developed that are specific to that motion. However, those muscles do quickly come on line and that shake goes away. To help figure out what is to much draw weight, try this: Sit on a bench, not standing, and draw the bow. If you can pick the bow up to holding level, and draw it back without having to point the arrow at the ceiling, but rather, can keep the arrow pointed at the target the whole draw, you are probably OK with that weight. That might sound funny, but I have seen a lot of shooters who have to point the bow at the sky to draw it, and then rely on let off to be able to hold it long enough to take a shot. This action uses different muscles. (Try it!) However, if you are in the woods and have that shot you have waited a year for... What happens if you can't make that much movement without spooking the game, or can't raise the bow to the sky due to brush? My thought is that if you can't draw the bow with the bow level and the arrow coming up on target, you have to much bow. A little shake is OK, so much shake that you have to worry about the arrow dropping off the rest is way to much!

As for best bow out there - I always figure if there are three bows in my price range, the one I shoot best and like the feel of best is the best bow out there for me!

Typically, a bow with more brace height is a more forgiving bow. Forgiving is important when just learning how to do this! Also, power cams give faster bows - however - they are also the most difficult to draw. Stay away from power/speed cams for the first bow. One thought would be to see if you can switch cams as a future upgrade to the first bow you buy. Just a thought!

[BT]

ttt