I went into the local archery place today (Saugeen Shafts) looking for used bows, I want to get into bow hunting, I can only hunt deer 2 weeks with rifle/shotgun. So I looked around a bit and said to the guy behind the counter "I'd like to get into bowhunting, and Im looking for a used bow, do I need to find my draw weight and length?" (I know NOTHING about bows). He said yeah and brought out some type of testing bow or something and showed me where to put my fingers and to pull it back to my mouth, so I did and he said I was about 28inches. Then I said about the weight, and he said well you have ot use one to see what your comfortable with. I said dont you have some used ones,a nd he said yeah only a few though. He continued on to telling me I would have to take lessons to get to know everything before I purchased one..

So I signed up. Its every Tuesday from 7:00-8:30 pm over 8 weeks for $90.00 CDN which I thought was pretty decent. Is there anything I need to know, because to tell the truth I know absolutely nothing about bows. All I know is that there is compound and crossbow. I dont really know much about hunting with one..questions like how do you finish a deer with a bow if the first shot isnt fatal? But this course won't teach anything about hunting, its an archery course which will cover how to use it, its components..maintenance etc..

Welcome to the addiction that is bowhunting. This board is a great place to learn things. The readers are good about answering even the simplest questions from rookies (like me). I've learned a lot just by reading other people's posts and responses. As a starter, I think you'll find the answer to your question about finishing a deer under the topic "Would you slit a deer's throat?"...a lot of guys w/ a lot of experience on this board. Good luck.

Welcome. I am no expert by no means but I can tell you one thing that I totally suprised me when I started bow hunting and that is the dang damage that a bow can really do to an animal. You have to thing although the arrows dont have the concusion that a bullet does. It does make something like a inch and a half two inch hole ( I'm just guessing not possitive on the cutting size here) anyway it makes one heck of a hole in and out.

I had this one doe that I made a less then perfect shot and when I found her she had some of her guts hanging out the other side coming out of the hole that I put in her.

An arrow placed just right can drop em in their tracks, I have seen it on tv and I have done it twice.

Anyhow read that post that DORR was talking about there is some good info in there. And dont dout what a bow can do, I promise you will be suprised.

You probably also just signed away all of your free time and money, and maybe even some of your not so free money[>:]. Really, it is a great sport, and you can spend as much or little money as you want. The time is still an imortant part. Lessons are a great start. Read these sites as well as others, Archeytalk.com, bowsite.com, and whatever else you can find.

Most of all, HAVE FUN!!! You will meet really great people in the archery world, both online and in person. Enjoy.

JMAC