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Old 09-04-2007, 07:47 AM
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Vulture6
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 216
Default RE: Which Bow?

Tex - I just went through the same process and bought my first compound bow. Everyone's advice will be to shoot as many bows as possible and pick the one that feels best to you.

From my personal experience

1. Set a price range, and be prepared to spend $100 - $150 more than your target.
2. I tried the big box stores locally and the small pro-shops. The big box stores (D*cks Sporting Goods, Gander Mountain) have a decent selection and may or may not have competent staff. For me, it was really hit or miss finding someone who knew more than I did (and I didn't know anything).
3. Shoot as many bows as possible - take a little notebook and write down your opinions on each bow... especially if your are going to shop more than one store.
4. Don't be afraid to ask shooting advice -- there's no point in trying to impress the bow shop staff with your knowledge. Be a sponge, ask questions and seek advice. It's one way to learn stuff you don't know, and at the big boxes, it a way to determine if you have decent help.
5. Compare apples to apples -- if one bow is completely set up (string leeches, compensator, etc) and another is not, you're not doing yourself any favors.
6. When you first go in the shop, they'll ask you your draw length - let them measure it each time you go. If you're not used to shooting, the first time you draw back to get measured you'll set your anchor point. Next week in the next shop, you'll probably set another anchor point. The more you test shoot bows, the more comfortable you will be setting your anchor point and finding your natural draw length. When I first went looking, I drew at 29". A week later, I was measured at 29.5". My new bow is set up at a 30" draw - and it's very comfortable.
7. If the draw weight is adjustable, consider buying the heavier bow and having the shop set it on the lighter draw. As you get used to the bow, you can always increase the draw weight.
8. If money is an issue, don't scrimp on the bow. You can always scrimp on arrows or a release -- that you can upgrade later. You can get decent carbon arrows for not a lot of money and hunt them this season, upgrading to better arrows next season. The same is true for broadheads. It's a whole lot easier to justify spending an additional $200 next season than it is to justify buying a different $600 bow just one or two years later.
9. If money is an issue, consider a used bow. You never know what you are getting (the history of the bow), but if you are buying it from a pro-shop, ask the guys there to check it out. Inspect the limbs yourself for cracks or "lines" that don't belong there. With a used bow, consider buying a new bowstring and cables -- just to be on the safe side.

When you do make your decision, don't look back and don't play the "what if" game. Buy the one you like the most and take it to the range. You won't be sorry. It's hard to buy a "bad" bow if you stay within a certain price range and recongnized brands.

BTW - once you get your bow, if you aren't going to the range several times a week, it would pay to draw it 10-15 times a day -- you'll be using muscles that you haven't used in a while!

Good luck!
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