chriswky28

Hi. I am new to the forum and new to bows. I figured since gas was so expensive that I'd come here to prevent driving all over town. To be honest I have never even shot a bow but am here for advice. I have determined ( from internet studies) that I will need a 28" draw length since I am a smaller guy. ( 5'8" 170 lbs) And honestly i don't believe I'll be able to handle a large draw weight. I am in the market to buy a new bow and it is a real headache trying to determine which will be right for me. There have been several people that have told me the mathews black max 2 is an awesome bow. I'm sure it's all a matter of opinion, but that's why i'm here. based on the criteria I have listed here, can anyone give me some advice? THanks

brad patriot

check out www.bowtecharchery.com you got to shot one.you won't believe the speed and smothness.

ranchand99

I would make one trip to bass pro,cabelas or some other place where you know they sell a variety.You really need to hold/shoot them for yourself.I'm like you I asked alot of opinions,then when I showed up I started testing them all.I ended up buying a Diamond Victory.Parkers are nice bows too.You will get the Mathews is better than everything.Or we're better than everything else,if you go to a dealership,because that's how they make money.A big place like Bass Pro will be able to determine exactly what your draw is,and you can shoot a variety of bows.They will set it up too.You don't need high poundage to hunt deer.I used 60lbs for my first 6 years of bowhunting.I had pass throughs,and took deer,and hogs.Don't try and overpower yourself.Concentrate on a well tuned bow,with a properly selected arrow,but most importantly a sharp broadhead.If you have any specific questions Pm me or post back here.I'm sure youwill get plenty of opinions here.I would like to say one thing though.Don't fall for the name brand hype.Try several out then make your decision.Hope I helped.

PatriotDually

I would definitely go to a Pro Shop instead of bass pro or cabelas, ive never had good luck at those large chain stores. Alot of time those guys are just looking to sell a bow and dont know much about setting up a bow, or helping out a new guy.But yes, you have to shoot them and be properly measured for your draw length,peep site, etc... Talk to some locals around your area and find the best Pro shop around you, and go check it out.

Terasec

Hello, and welcome to the sport,
I am also fairly new to the sport,
My limited advise would be as others have stated try as many bows as you can,
also as for draw weight,
dont feel inclined to go as high as possible,
A lower draw weight is much more comfortable, and you can hold a draw steady for a longer period of time than at a higher draw weight,
i have a 60-70# browning set at 60, and wouldnt mind if i had a bow at 55#,
no matter what you choose, enjoy and hope to see your questions posted

ranchand99

Well,I was lucky because the guy at Bass Proin Savannah(Chris) New exactly what he was doing.I was impressed.If you don't trust the staff at yourBPS or Cabela's,then handle the bows,and shoot them,buy what you like,and then go to a pro shop,and get it set up.They will set it up wether they sold it to you or not,anything they can do to make money......

Retail stores are less biased than dealers.Trust me on that.

Here are my top6 picks to atleast check out.In no particular order.
Parker
Diamond/Bowtech
Martin
Mathews
Fred Bear
PSE

bigbulls

#1 determine you TOTAL bow buget. This will include bow, sight, rest, stabilizer, quiver, arrows, broadheads and any of the other little accessories such as limb savers and such. This is the absolute biggest hurdle to figure out.

After that shoot as many bows in your price range as you can.

Things to look for are.............

A narrow grip. the narrower the grip the less contact you will have with the bow and the less torque you will introduce to the bow while you are holding at full draw.

A generous axel to axel length of 34 incles or longer. You generally do not want a very short bow to start out with. The shorter the bow the easier it is to jerk, pull, or otherwise move the bow when you are shooting. It is also a lot easier to hold a longer bow steady than it is a short bow.

A generous brace height of at least 7 inches. The longer the brace height the quicker the arow gets off of the string and the less influence you have on the arrows flight.

A smooth draw cycle with a generous valley and a good solid back wall to pull against. You do not want the bow to build power too quickly (steep power curve) as this will be dificult to draw back when the weather gets cold. Same goes for a bow that has a very short valley. If you creep foward even a little bit you may have an accidental shooting or pull your arm out of joint (at least it can feel like that).

Don't get all worked up about speed. Speed only makes you miss quicker. Usually to get speed a bow sacrafices forgiveness in other places. There are a few bows out there that are able to offer great speed and still remain a forgiving bow.


If you are going to want to shoot the bow at 60 pounds, which I would reccomend, then you will get better performane from a 50 - 60 pound bow maxed out than you will a 60 - 70 pound bow backed off on the weight.

To determine how much weight you can draw comfortably sit flat on the floor with you legs crossed (indian style) and hold a bow straight out in front of you. With out lifting the bow at all draw the string straight back to you. If you can do this three times or more than you can pull that weight comfortably.