blackwidowbowman

You have gotten some great advice. I wish I had some of it when I bought my first six to ten recurve bows.....LOL To be honest, I would suggest that you decide how you want to shoot. You know, gap, point of am, I think a longer riser for that style of shooting is better. I am an honest 28 inch draw length shooter, I perfer bows in the 60 inch to 58 inch class for my recurves. I perfer instinctive shooting, or whatever everyone else wants to call it. So I look for bows that have radiused shelfs, and radiused sight windows. Yes, I look for those, too. The lower the shelf is to my hand the better I like it.

Longer sight windows will allow you to use an elevated rest much better, which will also help if you decide to shoot three fingers under. Now that I mentioned that, a bow tillered for your style of shooting would be a great idea. I was once a stauched pistol grip person, high wrist recurve shooter, I have since switched to more of a longbow style grip on my bows. I just think is points more naturally, and give me less problems when I must react quickly. Of course it could all be in my head, but that is important too.

It may sound silly, but feel is important. Like fit on a shotgun, the better it feels as you point it, the better you will feel about shooting it, and the better you will likely shoot it. I just purchased two black widow long bows, one a test drive bow PL III and a PL X. Other than one being top of the line, they are both within two pounds of draw weight, and bow length. I have so moved to that style of grip, that I have hung up by black widow SAV Ironwood, in exchange for my Saxon Selkirk Recurve that has the traditional grip. It seems that now when I shoot my SAV, it feels far too alien to me.

The last thing I look for, is weight in the hand. I like light bows, but not too light. The heaviest bow I have in physical weight is the Ironwood. Too light a bow can beat you up, to heavy a bow can wear you out, especially if you do a lot of walking, or spot and stalking. Leave that heavy bow for the ground blind, or tree stand.

The last, yet most important thing is to stay, at least for your first purchase, with a well know bowyer. Even if the bow is twenty or more years old. I have several bears, they get hunted with too, ben pearsons, wings, hoyts, and herters. They are all sound, true they didnt have the advantage of the materials that they have now. True they don't shoot as fast, true they don't take fastflight strings, but I don't shoot them on many of the bows that can take them. They are well made, and beautiful.

Borrow a bow or two, shoot it, and make your move. If the truth be known, we have all changed bows over the years, and will likely continue to do so. You can find bows you shoot better than others, but a good shot will be able to get it done with any well made bow....