New to the sport
 

Hello,

I am new to this forum, and new to bow hunting and whitetail hunting. I won’t do my first hunt until next fall, but the idea of hunting with stick and string has always been something that sounded challenging and interesting. I finally got the bug bad this fall listening to several coworkers discuss past hunts and experiences. My Dad was and is an avid rifle hunter, but I never really got the jones for that as a young man. Enough with the intro.
I will be buying a compound rig in the spring so I can spend my summer learning how to shoot, so my winter will be occupied researching what to buy. We have what is regarded as a good outfitter within an hours drive from here so I will be going there. I have read a couple books on the basics of bows, and have heard a lot of opinions, so I am going to ask for a few more, and ask a couple questions.
Opinion 1: PSE bows are proprietary, and only work with PSE sights, rests, etc. Is this true?
Question 1: What is a good way to measure your draw length?
Opinion2: longer bows are better for a novice. True? What constitutes a longer bow? 34 inch or more axle to axle?
Question 2: This one is pretty loaded. Can one buy a decent setup including all accessories for less that $500? If so what equipment have the members here used, or recommend, that fit this criteria. If not what is a reasonable budget.

TIA

RE: New to the sport
 

Hi Sagittarius, welcome to the board! :)

I' m sure you' ll get plenty of answers to your questions. There are alot of knowledgable folks here.

This is false. Sights, rests, quivers,etc. are interchangable. PSE does offer their own accessories but you are not limited to them.

The best way is to visit a pro shop. They will be able to get an accurate measurement.

Longer bows are more forgiving but doesn' t necessarily mean it' s better for a novice. The best bow is the one that feels best to you. From this board you can get a few opinions on what bows to try out. But you really should try them out and see which one fits you best.

You can buy a decent setup for half that! (Minus arrows) Cabelas and Bass Pro shops both offer complete packages that would be great to start out with. But if you' re willing to spend up to $500 you can get a really nice setup. PSE, High Country, Darton, Browning, Reflex, etc. All make good bows easily within your range.

RE: New to the sport
 

I' ll add a couple things.

You can get a quick draw length estimate by measuring your wingspan, subtract 15 and then divide by 2. That should get you close.

Long axel to axel lengths are good for accuracy. The minimum length will depend on your draw length. Shorter draw length shooters can handle shorter bows, more easily. I' d recommend most beginners to stay above 36" , but once again, this will vary with each archer.

RE: New to the sport
 

Thanks for the input. So, by that formula my draw is 30.6 inches. A longer bow is doable I would imagine? Glad to hear about the PSE bows. The outfitter I mentioned is a certified dealer, and tech for PSE. As far as buying online or phone I think my novice status will be better served by going to a knowledeable pro shop. Another question regarding brace height. What is the impact of the different lengths?

RE: New to the sport
 

Shorter brace heights can give you more speed but less forgiveness. For example problems with poor shooting form may be more noticable with a shorter brace.

Longer brace heights are the opposite. Little slower but more forgiving. In my opinion this is better for someone just starting. Also for people with long draw lengths.

Here is a good link with further explanation : http://www.huntersfriend.com/bowsele...braceforenergy