ORIGINAL: JeramyK
First thing I'd do is check your state regulations and find out what the minimum legal poundage is for bow hunting your state. From there I'd head to a pro shop and shoot a few different bows. You need to find a draw weight that you are comfortable with. Remember bows tend to have their best performance at the top end of their rated draw weight. So a 40-50lb bow maxed at 50lb may turn out to be a betterperformerthan a 50-60lb bow cranked down to 50lb. I could be wrong and if so I'm sure someone here will correct me.
The hardest thing with selecting the right bow is that nobody can really tell you what bow to buy. It's much like buying a car. There are so many models out there. Each has it's own characteristics and price range. It really comes down to what you are happy shooting. It won't take you long to feel the difference between bows A, B and C.
Here is NC regulations for bow.
Bow and Arrow
_ Bow-and-arrow hunting is limited to longbows and recurved
bows having a minimum pull of 40 pounds and compound bows
with a minimum pull of 35 pounds. Only arrows with a fixed
minimum broadhead width of 7/8 inch or a mechanically
opening broadhead with a minimum width of 7/8 inch in the
open position may be used for taking bear, deer, wild boar or
wild turkey. Blunt-type arrowheads may be used in taking small
animals and birds, including, but not limited to, rabbits, squirrels,
quail, grouse and pheasants. Poisonous, drugged, barbed or
explosive arrowheads may not be used for taking any game.
_ It is unlawful to hunt with a crossbow, except for disabled
hunters with a crossbow permit.
Crossbows Crossbows are legal hunting weapons only for
disabled persons with a permit from theWildlife Resources
Commission. Refer to the “Disabled Sportsman” section on
page 11 for qualification and application information. Crossbows
used under this permit must have a minimum draw
weight of 150 pounds. Bolts must use heads as described
for arrows in the preceding section.
http://www.ncwildlife.org/pg02_Regs/2008_09_Regulations_Digest.pdf