Welcome to the group- If you are accepted you will now find yourself the target of the United States' most awsome marketing machine- "The Bowhunting Industry" ha ha ha ahhhh

Really here are my 2cents

#1 Take a hunters safety course, wait take two! Do the bowhunting one also. Just because you aren't going to hunt with a gun you should still learn the saftey issues surounding hunting and the appreciation for how increadibly dangerous it is and how increadibly safe we all make it!

#2 Go to the local Rod & Gun club and ask where the best pro shops are that carry used gear and have a shooting range. Tell them that you are interested in learning about bow-hunting but don't have a big budget. Someone, no 10 guys will pipe up and you now have 10 resourses to call or ask about gear, land access, licensing etc.

#3 Find someone with an Eastmans Bowhunters Journal magazine. This one publishes articles by hunters for hunters. If you find it uninteresting or it gets in your craw, you may not enjoy the sport and then go buy a Cannon - camera that is.

#4 Go to the pro shops and look at the used gear, right now is a good time to start looking for gear that guys are upgrading. Here is my suggestion.

a single cam bow that is about 4 years old, that fits-
Whisker buiscuit arrow rest
String loop
Peep sight
3 pin sight - CHEAP you will replace it anyways
carbon arrows - CHEAP you will loose and break them
"the bag" style target
100grain tips
a good release.

NO MORE- no broadheads, no bow quivers (a piece of PVC works well for an arrow holder when suck in the ground), no string silencers, no wrist sling, no other crap to get in your way. In fact use just 2 pins to start with 15 yards and 25 yards. This will get you started. (20 yards for a pin if you shoot indoors)

Good luck- Enjoy the practice and you will enjoy the hunt.