Brand new- Internature TD Hunter. 55# @ 28", 58"AMO/ $140+ 13shipping
E-Bay
Martin TDRecurve 70#@28", 62"AMO $50+8shipping, 3 days left
Martin One PieceHunter 55#@ (28"?), 62"AMO, $51/free shipping, 6 days left

I've been wanting a recurve, and since myold compound broke, its time to buy, even though I can't really afforda nice one. I'm considering the three above. Being left-handed limits my options. I'd appreciate any advice or recomendations, for even though I like all three, I'm scared I'll end up with a nightmare for being such a cheapskate! Thanks for letting me benefit from your experience!
-Drew

Howdy,
I'd take that 70#er out of the equation. I don't know how much experience you have, but 70# is huge. It sounds like you may be new to the trad world, so I'd look for something more like 45-50# draw.
C-

The Martin TD #55 seems a good bow, I doubt if it will go for just $51 but That would be my option.

#70 would be too much for anybody

I think they all might be a little over bowed for a first traditional bow (I'm assuming this is your first trad bow). I'd stick to the 40-45 pound area. What is your draw length?

Actually, I'm new to the bow as an adult scene altogether. Because asa kid Ididn't understandright handed/ left eyed, I never was worth a damn with a bb gun, so I shot bows until around 14or 15. Twenty years later, I'm interested again. Maybe that childhood experience is why I shoot better without sights and want a recurve rather than a compound. The compound I just broke was a $35 pawn shop beauty I found about 6 months ago, they basically let me have as they couldn't sell a left hander! It felt good at 70#, but yea, everything I've seen says that will be too much on a recurve. I just want to make sure I get one strong enough to hunt anything with, one that will meet any needs I put to it down the road!

I understand that you want to hunt anything with it. 40-45#s have killed many deer and elk as long as you do your part and match it with the correct arrow and put it in the boiler. Problem is, is that if you start out too heavy you will run into problems with your form and accuracy. I lot of new trad people dismiss this advice and start out too heavy. Many feel that if they can pull back ????? on a compound and can bench press ????? they should be able to pull and hold 70 pounds on a trad bow. Usually if you buy a used bow, it should hold most of it's value and if you need to go heavier you should get your money back to buy something different. Nice part is that a higher poundage (within reason)bow should not cost more then a low poundage bow.

Well, I found a cheap late 70's Ben Pearson compound, 60#@29", $20 at ebay. Just gotta point out, I've been building houses for ten years, so 2-3 years ago I wouldn't have minded shelling out $400 for a bow, but right now I'm back in school working on an architecture degree, I try not to spend anything I don't absolutely have to. Let me know if this line of thought seems reasonable:
If I learn to shoot by going through a couple of cheap bows, when I get back to working and can afford a nice one I'll know a lot more about what featuresI'm looking for, and due to comparison it will feel really smooth and give a lot of pleasure to shoot.
And bobco says "40-45#s have killed many deer and elk..." I appreciate the time you took to advise me, but NC law says you have to have at least 45# on your bow to hunt with it...
-Drew

I'd go with 45#'s then. Right within the 40-45# range.

Im thinking on getting a recurve in the 60# draw wt.I have shot 55# recurves at the archery shop and and think a 60# would be just right for elk.I would go 55#-60#s
Elkshed

Yeah, 55-60 strikes me as being about right. Right now I like this Ben Pearson for learning, but as I get better I still want to take off the training wheels. They're nice for now as I work on form, stance and muscle memory etc. BTW, mine is so old it looks like a one piece trad with the recurve sawed off in order to bolt on a couple of cams. I shoot it without sights, only a cable bar, stabilizer (it needs it), and a flimsy plastic arrow rest. It's not drilled for a drop-away.