How long have you been shooting? Long enough to get an idea of what type bows you like, or are you just getting into the sport?

There are lots of very well made bows, covering the price spectrum from one end to the other. There are also some pretty crappy ones thrown in for good measure. Then there are those that are well made, but are crappy to some individuals because of how they shoot.

Opinions run rampant in traditional archery--"you can kick my dog, run off with my wife, crash my truck, cuss my momma, but you better not talk bad about my bow!" [8D] Some of us take it like a personal insult if a less than positive review is given on their favorite brand. I've been guilty of it myself, from both sides of the fence. We have to keep in mind they are just opinions, and won't cost anybody one dime or a drop of blood.

Nobody can tell you what bow will work best for you, we can just give our opinions on what we like, and the reasons for it. There are some things you can consider though, regardless of opinion:

Reputation--some guys make a great bow, but are known to purposely be months off the given wait time, not answer e-mails, not return phone calls, etc. Too many great bows on the market to deal with that. There are also dealers (some bowyers and companies don't have time to deal directly with the public and get the work done) that may be carrying a brand that they don't have a clue about, or a store may have employees that don't know a thing about traditional bows. I've heard about different weight limbs being put on a take-down (for example, a 55# top limb and a 50# bottom limb), limbs taken off one riser and put on another to "make" a bow for a customer, etc. I'd avoid those.

Service--Ask a LOT of questions, and consider the answers. Do you get a detailed, honest answer or just get brushed off? Do you have to wait a week or two to get an answer? Ask for references--see what other customers have to say about the bows and the service.

Warranty--See what kind of warranty you get. Look for a "catch"--for instance, some warranties will be void under certain conditions, pro-rated warranties usually sound good until you do the math, etc. Ask the bowyer or dealer how flexible they are with their warranties. Some are void if the bow changes hands, even if you trade it off the day after you get it. Some may cover your bow long after the "official" warranty is up, or if it changes hands--that will help the resale.

Longevity--I know that up-and-coming bowyers got to start somewhere, but there are several that just can't make a go of it and are out of business in a short time. A lifetime warranty is worthless if the bowyer or business is gone.

Price--If you have the money, more power to you, but it is a big consideration to a lot of us. I agree that a bow can be an investment, and if you keep it for a long time it amounts to pennies a day, BUT....you don't get to pay for it with pennies a day--you got to have the cash up front. Many of us swap bows as often as we swap underwear--I've been guilty of it, but am pretty much cured of it now. Some folks never seem to stick with the same bow, and most all of us have been through a trading phase. That is something to consider when buying new--when you sell, you won't get near the full price back for it. Unless you know what you want and know you will keep it, $800-$1,000 dollars is a lot of money. Shoot, that's a lot of money period.

What you really want--If you have your heart, mind, and soul set on a particular brand, most likely you will never be satisfied until you get one. I know an excellent archer or two that I am positive could shoot any bow they put their hands on well, but have a mental block and are convinced they can only shoot their chosen brand. It's not uncommon either--archery is probably 90% mental. What I'm getting at here is if you have already decided that "Brand X" is going to be the best bow for you, then most likely it will be, regardless, because you have already convinced yourself of it. In that situation, you'd just as well bite the bullet and get it. Might be a hard bought lesson, or it might work out best in the long run.

Like Troy said, bows are often the exception to the "you get what you pay for" rule. You can pay a lot for a crappy bow, you can pay a little for a very good one. Very often what determines if a bow is a good one or a bad one depends on whose hands it's in.

I don't know of any big shoots in Iowa off-hand, but I'd definately try to shoot a lot of different bows before investing a lot of money, unless you just have the money to buy a lot of new ones and just keep the one you like best. You might start out with a good used bow--you can usually pick these up for a lot less than a new one. Most of the above applies when looking at used--the dealer or bowyer should be willing to answer your questions on their bows, even if you aren't buying a new one from them.

Hope this helps--sorry I don't have a better answer.

Chad