Originally Posted by
Ambush
It's that time of year when everyone wants to get out and do something. And for many that means getting ready for the up-coming hunting season, which hopefully translates to some new gear.
And there will be the usual ".. what bow should I buy" threads.
After the OP's question, the next several replies will be "...shoot as many as you can", "get one that fits", "buy what I have, it's awesome" and the ineveitable "buy what's right for you".
All good advice, in general. But how does a newbie get to that point, especialy if the shops he might try have a limited knowledge of archery gear to start with. Case in point. I was at the archery counter, of a hunting shop, this spring, while a young [to me] was inquiring about bows. He was a tall robust fellow. The salesman suggested a 28" draw length [DL] and 60# draw weight [DW]. I politely suggested that this man was at least 29" DL, more likely 30" and would be better served with a 70# bow. The salesman just laughed it off, as if I was plainly stupid, and I went about my business. Turns out that nearly every bow on the rack was 28" DL and 60# DW. Sell what you got, I guess.
I'm going to only discuss modern compound bows that will be used for hunting. Target shooting has some basic differences and that is a subject better addressed by some of the other shooters here.
First let's discuss what you need for a first bow. If you want to try archery, there is no better way to make sure you WON'T like it than to handi-cap yourself with an ill fitting, poorly put together assembly. How to avoid that.
My first piece of advice for the in-experienced, is to buy a new, middle of the road bow. If you like archery, you can shoot that bow for years. If you buy the cheapest set up you can find, and decide to pursue the challenge, then you'll have to unload that cheapy, at a loss, and then buy again. If you buy top of the line, you may end up with well over a grand gathering dust, because archery really wasn't the blast you thought it would be.
Next would be adjustability. Many bows are draw length specific, meaning you will need to purchase a cam or module to change the draw length and in most cases need access to a bow press. Many bows will advertise "26" - 30" DL, but that doesn't mean you don't need new components to do it. Ask to be sure. Fortunately, there are quite a few bows out there that can be adjusted with just an allen wrench, in a few minutes. Some need a press and many not. Look for a bow that has this feature. Shooting a bow that is too short is bad, shooting a bow that is too long is a recipe for disaster! And to make it more complicated , your draw length may well change as you progress and "find your form". The bonus to a bow that is easily adjusted for DL, is it makes it much more sellable because it will fit virtually anybody.
Next up is draw weight. This will create some controversy, but this is my opinion based on my own hunting experience and that of my bow hunting friends.
Most stores will try to sell you a 60# bow. 60# is the new 70#, they will tell you. And they stock 60# because it has a much wider sell option. A big guy can shoot 60#, but a smaller guy can't pull 70#, hence the business sense to stocking and pushing 60# bows. If you can easily handle a 70# bow, then there is no reason not to buy one and many reasons why you should.
It is literaly free horsepower. Flatter trajectory which tranlates to less margin of range error, and more kenetic energy which allows for more broadhead choices. More energy also means more pass throughs, faster bleeding and better blood trails. Heavier DW allows the use of heavier arrows, which is the paramount consideration for penetration, assuming your bow is tuned and shooting sharp broadheads.
Remember, you can turn a 70# bow down to 60#, but you can't turn a 60# bow up to 70#. Never "over bow" yourself, but also there is no value in "under bowing" youself either. It's important to remember that if you are new, you won't be able to pull your potential DW right away. But with twenty arrows a day, in two weeks you'll gain several pounds with like nothing. You have to wake up those bow muscles.
Axle to axle length and brace height.
In years past a longer bow was called "more forgiving" and add in higher brace height and you had a good shooter. That has changed considerably. It's rare to see a hunting bow more than 34" axle to axle, these days, and they shoot good, so don't get too concerned about that. Just avoid the extremes. Low brace heights still demand very good form and control, so it may be wise to stick with something between 6" - 7".
Buying a "Read to shoot" package, or commonly abreviated to "RTS".
These packages will give you the ability to just take it out of the box and start flinging arrows. But a few things to remember. The accessories, like sights, peep, rest and stabilizer, will be bottom of the line, which if you carry on, will almost certainly need to be up-graded. More money.
Also "RTS" means that everything is there, not that everthing is tuned and ready for optimal performance. And many times it is quite the opposite. if you buy a RTS package froma shop, have it gone over by the shop, while you are there. Check, nuts and bolts, cam alignment and basic set up. Get the proper arrows while you have the bow out and in your hands. Don't under spine or under weight your shafts.
Speed bows and draw cycle. The trend is definitely toward speed these days and that's not all bad, but it comes at a cost. And that cost is usually a smooth draw cycle. To get speed you need some very aggresive cams, usualy coupled with a short brace height. If you look at the draw cycle graph of a speed bow, you'll see a sharp peak and a fast drop to the let-off, at the wall. A more rounded, less severe curve indicates a smoother draw and perhaps more shootable to many people. I do find it amusing to see a salesman go on about the speed of a bow, like speed is everthing and then recommend that bow in 60# to a shooter that can easily shoot 70#. Remember the "free horespower" from above.
For the new shooter, avoid extremes in all areas.
So to sum up, if you came to me to get set up for your first bow, what would it look like.
Middle of the road in price.
Draw length adjustable without buying cams or modules.
30" to 34" axle to axle.
6" to 7" brace height.
Smooth drawing over speed.
A draw weight that you can shoot comfortably.
I would suggest going with the RTS, simply because they add little cost to the set up. Rather than adding on middle of the road components and later up-grading them, just use what it comes with and then go right to quality, long lasting accessories.
Some archers will no doubt dissagree with parts of what I'm advising, and that's fine. This is only my opinion from my experience.
Happy shoppng, shooting and better hunting!
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