I wouldn't go a pound over 45 starting out...... Get some good books on archery form and then use them as a guide for developing you own solid, repeatable form......

Good luck........

My 53#longbow shoots 530gr arrow 180fps, but my wifes new recurve thats only 35# shoots it only 10fps slower believe it or not. So a good 45# recurve should easily do the job.

okay, here's my advice and I've shot a hell of a lot of bows over the past few years.

buy a used bow off tradgang, archerytalk or women-outdoors ( send me a PM and I'll give you the links )

look for a good , 3 piece TD bow, 50# range. You're a man, you can handle 50# no problem. I'm a weakling and I shoot 52# very well.

bare shaft tune your carbons - and after you get them shooting well, tip them with the Magnus Stinges with 5" or 5 1/2" feathers.

practice every day, and go kill a big one.


Now, what Bowyer to choose ? Thats a tough one. Ask questions and run them by us - we'll give you hones opinions !

Here are3 bows that I'd consider good deals, and by that I mean these bows will shoot, they're going to be very nice shooting bows and will hold their values depending on agreed on price

http://65-242-99-131.hagenhosting.com/cgi-bin/classifieds.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&am p;db_id=10820&query=retrieval

if that Morrison is TD it'd be a good one

http://65-242-99-131.hagenhosting.com/cgi-bin/classifieds.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&am p;db_id=10774&query=retrieval

another Morrison, few bowyers are finer than him IMO. 48# @ 28" there, a bit more than I'd pay but maybe negotiable.

http://65-242-99-131.hagenhosting.com/cgi-bin/classifieds.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&am p;db_id=10562&query=retrieval

a bit heavier at 54# but I bet its a pretty bow, and Assenheimer bows are good ones


www.tradgang.com has a very nice classifieds section

www.bowsite.com seems like all their bows are a bit overpriced

www.blackwidowbows.com sometimes have threads that have bows for sale

EBAY can have good stuff too

Jody, those are some top of the line bows that you mentioned with a hefty price tag. I don't disagree that they are very fine bows, but maybe not for a first traditional bow. I would agree though used is probably the way to go. There may be a better value to be had for the money.IMO there are no real downfalls with a three piece. You'll have a bit more weight in the riser and will have the ability to change limbs, that is if you like the riser enough. It will also be more convenient to travel. I shoot one piece bows really because it is a personal preference.

Anyway, I'm thinking more in the line of a Chek-Mate.

Hey dwd2001, you sorry dog!! I recently started getting into trad b/c I was wishing to get drawn for that Mcalester hunt. This is the second year I put in for it and the second year I have failed.

I just ordered a string from LBR (Chad), on this site, and put it on my bow Monday. I have been shooting it the last 3 days. It is a lot of fun, but I have a lot of practicing to do beforeI hunt with confidence with it. My bow is an old Browning Wasp recurve @ #45. I pull 74 lbs with my compound and don't have much trouble shooting this recurve for an extended amount of time.

I took everyone's advice on this forum and bought Bryon Ferguson's book "Become the Arrow". It was a good read and had a lot of helpful advice. Although I didn't get drawn for the hunt at the ammunition plant, I still plan to hunt some hogs and deer with the recurve this year.

I am orginally from El Reno, OK, not too far from you. I am now living in McAlester b/c of work. I have played ball with a few guys from Norman in College @ UCO in Edmond. Congrats on drawing for the hunt and keep us posted on how things are progressing.

Trent

BobCo19-65 I found out long ago if you're going to take up a new sport, get good equipment.

I just started golf and 1970's blades and a 1980 wooden handled driver didn't get it done. I bought $400 worth of Callaway X-14 irons, a set of Cleveland woods and a Callaway driver and am MUCH happier with the results I get with the better equipment.

Not only that, I can resell all this stuff for what I have in it.

A used Chek-Mate II or something would certainly be a nice bow. Theres a firebird on the dolores board, but other than that I didn't see one.

I highly suggest good deal, used bows, something you can get your money out of later.

Just my opinion.

And if I fail at my new sport with good equipment ? I know it wasn't the equipment that failed me

Respectably,

Yea, but until someone gets their "feet wet", it's hard to make decisions on what will actually work for someone. What works for one, may not work for another.

As long as the grip fits the hand correctly, and the bow does not stack excessivelyor have excessive hand shock, then a $100 bow could work as well as a $1,000 bow for a beginner. I wouldn't suggest using price as the determinant factor of what will work for someone.

Most bows will shoot consistantly, it is the shooter that will be inconsistant. A bow that will help the shooter shoot consistantly will be the one to buy. But how does a beginner know which one will help them shoot consistantly, they don't IMO.

I wouldn't consider that to be a fact. A top end bow still could work for one, but not another.

I agree whole heartly, I found out the same thing. I thought I wanted one thing, but I really didn't know whatI wanted. Now I got some time under my belt, Inow have honed in little more. But still not sure.

yeah, but his time is limited in getting a bow, and getting good enough with it to hunt his mcAllister hunt

I'd also reccommend aHoyt Gamemaster ..... nice little bows, a bit loud, reasonably priced.

All bows will shoot ....... the higher dollar bows are built better, feel better, a bit faster ...... they're gonna be a bit everything IMO and thats why they're $100-200 more.

I coul dhave bought a $99 set of Wal-Mart irons and instead went with Callaway X-16's ........ good qualityirons that are going to help me becomea better golfer, faster.

I'm going the opposite direction from trad to compund - just waving at you as we pass.

I've shot recurve since '70 and the switch to compund has been a lot of fun (and learning). I don't compare the two - they're really that different.