birdhunter1

Ok guys My bow hunting friends have finally led me to the dark side and I am about to buy me a bow for the first time. It was recomended that I get the above mentioned bow since it has a long brace height of 8-3/4" and I want a short bow just cause thats what I like. Cabelas has a package deal for $299.00 It looks like the bow will be ready to shoot the day it arrives.
I know a bow is a personal item that really must fit the buyer on several levels but if you have used this bow did you like it or would you go for something else? I really dont want to spend much more on a beginer bow since I am afraid I may not like a $650.00 Mathews sq2 after I buy it.
Yea right.
Thanks for any input.

PA DropTine

Congrats! <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

As far as that particular PSE... I cannot help you... but I have owned PSE in the past... and was happy with their bows and customer service. My daughter shoots a PSE and that little bow [Spyder] is awesome.

As far as being &quot;ready to shoot&quot; when it arrives... well... most bows will be ready to shoot to a certain extent... but you will need to make a few necessary adjustments before shooting... or ya might just end up shooting the neighbors cat while aiming at your target. Also... I've never bought from a catalogue... but I am willing to bet the sight is not attached... or even assembled for that matter. Also, the arrow rest is probably packed in bubble wrap... and may also need assembled before installing onto the bow. Little things like this may present a problem to any new archer... and in the end... a trip to the local pro shop will be in order. &quot;I need help installing the sight and rest that I bought from your competition.&quot; Shop owners love guys that do this because they can almost charge you whatever they want. In some shops... I have seen an automatic $20.00 fee [or more] if the bow was bought somewhere else... and that fee is applied every time you need service. That's one way of the shop owner saying, &quot;screw you for buying the bow elsewhere.&quot; Can you blame him?

No offence, but I would advise against buying your first bow from a mail order catalogue. I think it's a bad idea for several reasons...

When you buy from a catalogue you will not get the service you will need with that &quot;first&quot; bow. How do you know what your draw length will be? Will you use a kisser button and a peep? There are just a few [of many] things that need addressed when buying a bow.

Secondly, when purchasing through a local pro shop... you will probably learn a lot more about that bow... than from any catalogue description. Friends are great for all kinds of help when starting out... but in the end, the bow is yours, not theirs. I know of several archers that let their &quot;friends&quot; work on their bow... only to have that same bow need a trip to the archery emergency room afterwards.

Sometimes, the only help you will find will be in the form of a pro shop. If the bow you own was not purchased at that shop... your needs go to the end of the line every time. After all, if you owned a pro shop... who would you service first... the guy who bought his bow from you... or the guy who bought from your competition?

Finally, take a look at the thread entitled, A Disappointing Trend Taking place in my Area. It will give you a little insight into a rapidly growing problem in many states.

Again, congrats and best of luck in your search for a new bow.

-DT

Edited by - PA DropTine on 01/20/2002 10:55:04

birdhunter1

I wish Lufkin TX had a pro shop to go to. We have a pawn shop that sells bows but when I went in there two weeks ago and the guy asked if I was finding everything ok I told him I want to buy my first bow and dont know what all I need his answer was &quot;those are all the bows I got for now.&quot; Then he walked away.
That is the reason I am going to order one, I am a 31&quot; draw according to buy friends.
I want to go to a pro shop but I dont know of one anywhere around here but I was looking at the cabelas catalog and the bow was recomended buy friends.
I know what you mean about needing to go to a pro shop as a newbie I will probably tear up more stuff than the usual bear but I have to do what I have to do.
Thanks
kenny

PA DropTine

Hmmmm... no local pro shop... man that stinks.

Still... I would look in the yellow pages... or on the internet... anything... to try and find one within one hour [or so] drive. There has to be at least one resource that will have a listing of archery shops... even if it is in the next county over. I truly think it would be worth it.

Dang... tough luck... but maybe you will find something. Regardless... best of luck and welcome to bowhunting...

-DT

Edited by - PA DropTine on 01/20/2002 13:14:42

tm

Unless this ones different than those I've had the &quot;pleasure &quot; of working on even if it comes complete it's by no means ready to shoot. I've spent quite a bit of time straightening some of their setups out. Again a drive to a shop is probably in order.

JagMagMan

As PA said check other sources, ther eshould be a good shop around the Tyler area. I'd haul it down Hwy.59 to Houston before I'd buy through the mail. Proper fitting and setup are worth the time and extra money!