Man don't do it.It'll get under your skin and you won't be able to shake it.

Seriuosly I was in the same boat as you last year.Made the switch and have since sold my compound.Some of the things i have learned,some the hard way.

Get a bow that is 15#'s lighter than your compound draw weight.If your shooting 70+
#'s now don't get anything over 50#.

bear and martin make some quality bows,not custom,but good bows, and you don't have a several week or months wait on delivery.

Alot of guys will tell you to get a 60" or 62" ,or longer, bow to start.To me it really depends on your draw length.If your draw is under 28" you can get by with a 58" bow.If you are a knucle dragger then a longer bow would be a little smoother shooting.

Speaking of draw length,you will lose 1 to 2'' switching over.depends on the bow grip and your shooting style.With a real high wrist grip and a up right stance you may only lose 1".The lower the grip and the more you lean over into the shot,the more you lose.

Some guys will tell you that the bow tiller makes a difference,but in reality you can shoot any bow 3 under.If it's tillered for split finger it may be a tad louer and lose a little effiency,but not enough to worry with.

Shooting 3 under and learning to "gap"shoot will get you on target a lot quicker.Just my personal experience there.Byron fergusons book "become the arrow" is a good way to get started.

DONT overdo it.I had a tendency to shoot a lot when I started because it was so much fun.I wound up straining my shoulder and almost missing the bow season due to injury.Start out with a fairly light bow and take it easy.

If there is any way you can go to a shoot it would be worth it even if you have to drive several hours.I have been thru several custom longbows and recurves already.The one I keep coming back to is a 52" 30 year old bear kodiak mag.Having the opportunity to check out some bows in advance will save you some time and money finding the right one for you.Good luck and good shooting.You might want to check out www.tradgang.com.The board there is a little busier and they have a good classified section as well.


CB