OhioNovice

Looking for a new bow this year. I would like to get it this spring so I can practice over the summer before deer season starts in September.

Everyone keeps telling me the same thing, "Get the bow that fits you the best." Well how do I know which bow fits me? Every bow I go to look at is zip-tied so I couldnt draw if I wanted to. I can understand they dont want people dry-fireing thier brand new bows and tearing them up, but how am I going to know which I like without shooting them?

Are they going to let me test them right there at Bass Pro?

Im also coming from a bow that is about 1.5" too short for me and really messes with my accuracy. I measured my draw and it seems I need a 30.5", but most of the bows I find see to only adjust out to 30". Does this mean I am limited to bows that are larger than a 30" draw?

sdhunter11

you are not limited at all, There are alot of bows out there that fit your draw. I have never been to bass pro but i do know that if i pick up a bow at cabelas or scheels and tell an employee i want to test it out, they set it up for my draw and my weight and i get to shoot it at 10 yards to get a feel for it. Things to look for in a bow are hand shock, smooth draw, noise, weight, and speed (to some people). Although big places like cabelas do let you test fire bows, i prefer small tom and jerry archery shops because you get more 1 on 1 time with an expert and you get more tips and suggestions than you would with a part time employee at some franchise.

Krypt Keeper

If they won't cut the ziptie off for you to try it go somewhere else.

But put your hands on as many as you can and shoot as many as you can.

Don't buy anything you will dred shooting or not have confidence in.

You must have confidence in your equipment to have it in your shooting.

Good luck.

HDMontana

I agree with the previous responses. Just by drawing back different bows, you could rule out some because they will just not feel good compared to others. If a store does not even let you do that then go somewhere else. You really need to shoot them to get the true feel of the bow. Try to find a archery shop with a range, tell them your situation and hopefully they will help you get into a bow that you will enjoy. Also, if you will be shooting using a string loop on the bow string, you can probably shoot a 30 inch draw. Again you would need to draw a bow back with it and a release to know for sure. Good luck.

Jedi_smore

First thing is find the grip that is most comfortable in your hands. If it doesn't feel good you will never get comfortable and have a hard time with form issues. Second don't over bow yourself. The popular thought is you have to go 70. If you can't then don't, if 60 is comfortable and you believe you are going to build that upper body strength to where 70 will be comfortable then go with 60-70 if you aren't that concerned with the very little extra speed but just want that ease of use and 60 feels like butter then 60 is probably your sweet spot once again to much poundage equals bad form and inconsistent shooting. Please if you don't mind check us out on youtube and facebook

http://www.youtube.com/user/BoonerOu...?feature=guide

jgrove695

Being that i just bought a bow last month. and being a new person to bow hunting i thought that i would give my 2 cents on this topic. I went to the local bow shop and talked the guys and asked a bunch of question before i even shot a bow gave them my price range and asked them about different types of bow that i saw at all of the different sports stores. they were more than willing to help me out they told me all of the bows that i could get that were in my price range and went and shot all of the bows that they recommended to me for my price range. I was also restricted with what bows i could get because of my draw length i am shooting a 31 inch length so that limited me that way also. but talk to a local shop i found that was the best way to find out what was the best bow for me i would go back to them before i went to anyone else hope this helps

OhioNovice

Thanks guys I appreciate all the input. I actually went and talked to a local Archery Shop and he recommended a Mission Riot. I didnt get a chance to shoot one because I told him I dont have all the money together yet to purchase one so I didnt want to bother him by setting up a bow that I had no plans to buy. He doesnt seem to have as large of a selection as the bigger stores and I have a crap load of gift certificates to Bass Pro so I really need to decide what to do.

I must rather by fromn a local family owned shop than a chain store but I may not have that option if they dont have what I need.

Jedi_smore

Ohio Novice Is the main line the guy sells Mathews? Don't let the archery shop tech persuade you one way or another which bow you should buy. It doesn't matter if its 100 or 1000 dollars you have to find the one that fits you and you feel comfortable with. Don't buy the first one you shoot or touch. I would highly recommend bass pro because of their selection. If you are looking to save a little on your purchase they have some middle of the road bows that come setup you just have to tweak them. I am not saying they are top of the line and I agree the smaller mom and pop are in need of business to but you might be better off if this is your first bow purchase to go to a big box store just because they can sometimes offer more selection on the lower price range. PM me with any specific questions and I will get you the answer you need.

DylanT

Tough to buy a bow online I think but these guys are having an archery gear sale right now and you might pick up some deals for other stuff.

ihookem1

I just got my son a Mission Riot. He is doing ok with it. He got it for his 15th birthday. He started out with a 23" draw and 22 lbs. He shoots it very well but went to 36 for now. I see no reason to look at that many bows. I 'd pick the best archery shop and go with what they have. I also got a Mission Endeavor. Something tells me the Endeavor is a little bit better bow but don't know why. A good bow shop is a must. The Bass pro cards can be burned up very easily with quiovers, targets, cases broadheads etc.