There's a few big shoots in the Southeast--Twin Oaks in TN, the Jerry Pierce Memorial in MS, the Ben Pearson in AR (compound and trad), the Howard Hill, Children's Hospital Benefit, and State Championship in AL, the "Real Thing" in LA......probably several others I can't name off the top of my head. All will have vendors with bows you can try out, plus most trad shooters will let you try their bow.

My advice: don't go too heavy (especially starting out), don't let someone else tell you what the "best" bow is for you, don't get caught up in advertising hype (there are some really nice bows that cost $1,000 and up, but you don't have to spend that much to get a really nice bow). This is one of the rare cases where you don't always get what you pay for, and choosing a bow is a very personal thing. One person may swear bythe same bow the next person swears at. Internet "experts" are a dime a dozen--there's lots of good info. to be garnered, but the trick is being able to tell the good from the bad. Just because someone has owned 900 different bows doesn't mean they know how to shoot any of them. Do your homework, but most of all have fun.

Good luck, and welcome to our addiction!

Chad