I'm a newbie looking to get into bow hunting. My cousin indefinately loanded me his Black Bear bow since he never uses it - it's Bear Archery, Inc. bow that is ~10 years old and been shot VERY little. Turns out the bottom cam is screwed up. The guy at the local bow shop said it's to old to get parts for, and the only way to fix it would be to find another one that can be scrapped to fix this one.

So, does anyone know where I can get parts to fix an older Bear bow?
or
What used bow would you recommend for someone looking to get into bow hunting inexpensively. The main issue is my draw length is about 25-26 inches. I'm not looking for a bunch gadgets or top of the line eqipment at this point.
Thanks in advance.
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go to archerytalk.com and put an ad in the 'want to buy' section.

A "newbie" should get all the guidance he can, at a good bow shop. They should have plenty of low-cost options, including used bows. A good shop can fit you properly, tune the bow to perfection, give you lots of shooting tips, and adjust things if something moves. These things will do more to increase your enjoyment and odds of hunting success, than anything else.

Saving a few bucks on an online bow is not the way to go for a new archer, in my opinion. The difference in enjoying archery or becoming discouraged is in the setup and tuning, not in the bow brand or cost.

An archery newbie with a screen name straight from field archery competition.... Just a coincidence, I suppose.The 36 yard fan target on the Hunter Round was one of my weak spots.[&:]

When you're talking compounds, while an experienced shooter can get a good deal on a used bow at the online classifieds, I have to agree with Straightarrow for newbies. There are so many adjustments that have to be correct, androutine maintenance that must be donein order for them to function properly that you need a technical advisor until you learn the ropes.

There was a time whenyou could spread some newspapers on the kitchen table and completely disassemble a compound with nothing but a few allen wrenches, screwdriver and a pair of pliers. Those days are long gone. These days, much of the routine maintenance must be done with a bow press,so most guys have to take their bows to the shop to get it done.Buying your bow from a reputable dealerwill likely set you back a little more in the wallet, but itgoes a long way toward building a relationship with the person who's help you are going to need.

Someone that's got more time than money can make everything they need, including bows. Here'sabow I made from a $10 red oak board from Lowes. I got the scrap leather for the grip from a flea market for $3and still have enough to do another half dozen grip wraps.Draws 60 pounds at 30":



Point is, it doesn't take a lot of money to get into bowhunting if you don't want it to.