Want to get into bow hunting but feel like the redheaded stepchild of the bow world.

Right handed, left eye dominant with a 32-1/2” draw. Don’t want to splash out on anew no and screw up the selection. All that could go wrong, where do you suggest I should start?
get a recurve for practice and fewer dollars til I figure out my setup then go to a compound?

Let me know what you think.

I picked up a vintage recurve a number of years ago while in a local gun shop. 40# @ 28", right around what is legal to use for hunting certain species. I hadn't considered hunting at the time, more curiosity & wanting to learn to shoot. Had it out for one hunting season, but as with my escapades with rifle, no joy as a relatively novice hunter. Couple years ago I purchased a 2nd recurve, this time a takedown 45# draw limbs. Not sure of draw length for the lbs, but probably also around 28. Been meaning to build a tiller to confirm what poundage is for both bows at my draw length. This brings me to your stated draw length of 32.5. Sure you measured that correctly, seems very long? I'm 6 feet tall & always thought I had long arms since shirts I buy end up having sleeves too short! My draw length is 26.5" when drawing the arrow knock to the corner of my mouth.

I have no plans to get a compound bow at this time. Now that I've been practicing with the recurves for a few years, I have my form to where I'm quite accurate. I've since purchased a set of 50# limbs for the takedown bow & am able to shoot it comfortably at my draw length. I played around with sights a little, the original vintage recurve had an equally vintage single post sight on it. Ended up breaking it and after fashioning several DIY versions for the new bow, gave up on sights altogether. I now shoot instinctive, both eyes open. When I had the sight, I would close one eye as in rifle shooting. Since getting accustomed to shooting with no sight, I've found going back to a sight does nothing to improve my accuracy at the short ranges I shoot the bow. Certainly with a compound bow & sight, one can shoot accurately out to much longer range, but that's just not my thing for hunting purposes. Probably why I'll never bag a deer with my bow, but I enjoy the early season outings.

So FWIW, go out & get a decent quality takedown recurve to get you started shooting. Start with limb weight you can draw easily to dial in shooting form. Most takedowns on the market these days allow you to order different weight limbs separately. The bow may then be used by wife, partner, kids.....

My 40# vintage recurve
https://zr3iyg.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

The simple sight before I broke it, doh.
https://z729yg.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

Last fall up in the subalpine of the Monashees with the takedown bow.
https://btjpkq.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none


Short range practice sessions are yielding some decent groups. No need to mention that during a hunt, the 1st shot has to count!
https://btj9yw.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

Something very satisfying & therapeutic about shooting a bow.

Too bad you’re draw is so long I have 2 left hand compound bows I don’t use anymore. I have switched to trad for the simplicity

My advice if you’re interested in shooting a compound start with a compound. If you are interested in a trad bow start with a trad bow. They are very different shooting style and learning curve

Right handed, left eye dominant is an issue as I am the same way. I shoot a right handed bow as left is just goofy for me and never going to happen. Same way with rifles for me right handed. Write with my right and shoot and golf left. The books say left eye dominant guys should shoot left? At your draw length very few compounds made that go to 32.5 and even fewer in left. PSE freak or a Hoyt XXL might fit the bill, only high end stuff it seems for the long draw guys. Your arrow speeds will be great with that long draw.

My dad has the same issue and he is the same length he shoots very well with a bare compound.. his is the longest Bow-tech they make.

Couple of things. First, eye dominance is hard to get over. I'm a lefty but thanks to a childhood eye injury my left eye is not great thus I have shot everything right-handed once I got trained on guns as youngster and got stopped doing screwy things like looking over the stock. I picked up a bow right handed and haven't looked back.
Clubs and using their gear are your friend here, also hanging out with a resident coach/experience if they have them will help. Someone who knows (real world - it's hard to find them on the internet) can show you some options until you get comfortable. Also, firm up on that draw length, make sure it's right.

Quick story on eye dominance, a friend of mine had brain surgery, went blind in his right eye. Bought a lefty bow and picked up where he left off. Took some adjustment but forced it and it came.

Then its the recurve into compound. I'm a hardcore one stringer (Hardly "trad" but that's what we get called :roll: so I am biased, but if you want the wheels, start on them, but given your D/L you should really talk to a decent proshop and run through your options.

IF you are going to recurve and you're set on that, longer is better for your massive span. Go 70" and you can get that relatively inexpensively with a 25" ILF (target type) riser and ILF long limbs and go cheap and light on them (limbs) to start to get into good habits and upgrade and up in weight when you progress.......again, having some kind of guidance will help with that. Do not go shorter than 66" or heavier than 30# to begin with. There is no cheap, shorter hunting type "traditional":confused: bows that will be kind to your draw length, stacking and finger pinch will be horrible.