I wouldnt pay more than I had to for a first bow anyways. I bought mine used for $150 and used it for 2 seasons. It was great to learn with. I discoverd what I wanted and didn't want in my second bow. Also, I had no problems with taking it totaly apart and trying different options on it. It was a cheep way to learn. I got lucky with the bow I now have. Bowtech stopped making the Stalker series last year and I bought one new on clearance for $300. It was just what I wanted extremely light, fast, and compact. Plus it had a great brand name backing it up (not that the brand name helps kill a deer). Anywho, the point is take this first season to learn and spend as little as you have to. Trust me it all starts to add up. Then when you know exactly what your looking for go get it. Good luck.