First bow, rookie shooter, what do you reccommend

[spear]

A question for all your archers out there. Im looking to get my first bow and start shooting so I can start hunting in 2012.
I have been looking mostly at "ready to shoot packages", I have a few choices, any suggestions or advice would be great.
I am a 29-29.5" draw, R.H.

Pse Brute
Pse Stinger
Diamond Rock 2.0

I would definitely consider a used package, trying to keep budget to 500.00 and under to start.

[jetboat jim]

pm is incoming

[bc_buckshot]

also pm coming

[avadad]

I really like my pse stinger. I like the the short axle to axle length as it makes shooting from tree's and thick stuff much handier. The bows of today are by far superior to the one's available when I first started 20 years ago...makes shooting a bow real easy. I live in victoria as well so if your interested in shooting mine send me a pm and we can figure something out.

[Stéphane]

First of, congrats on getting yourself prepared before hunting season. I was in your position last year, and I did quite a bit of research. My proshop is PSE dealer but I wasn't sold on them at the time. I wanted a light bow that had a good reputation. I took me some times, but when I chose which bow I wanted, I was really satisfied. Although it wasn't a PSE, my proshop ordered it for me, set it up and helped me quite a bit in choosing the right accessories.

What I'm trying to say is this: do your research(other people's opinions are just that) on what it is that is important to you (for me it was the 3.5lbs). Secondly, get it from a proshop near you and from a guy you can trust. As for the accessories, keep in mind that what comes in a package may or may not fit what you want. I bought my bow bare, and bought the exact accessories I wanted. For instance, I didn't want a quiver on bow (remember, I'm a freak about weight), so I bought a hip quiver instead.

Buying a package will work if you want to just keep it as is for the time you own the bow. However, if you start replacing everything on it, you paid for a package for nothing.

Now the greatest news of all: The 2012 bows are out, so you can get a great deal for a 2011. That's what I did last year.

Again, I am happy to welcome you in the world of archery.

[Bow Walker]

Head on up to Duncan and stop in at Bucky's Sports. Talk to Richard Kennett. He'll help you, plus he has a good selection for you to handle and try. He's got some used ones too.

Plus - a package deal will get you started with the minimum of outlay ($$$).





Stephane - while I agree in principle with your comment about people and their opinions, and buying from pro-shops, I don't necessarily agree with your hint about the quality of advice that can be obtained here in these forums. I know (or trust) that you mean well, but there are some people on here that have a lot of experience and are willing to pass it on to beginners or others who have questions. Not a slam at you personally, I'm just saying........

[Bow Walker]

That Stinger package @ $500.00 looks mighty good for the price.

With practice you could hunt with that next year and hunt with confidence.

[Chillybilly]

Don't buy Diamond. There warranty service is terrible! I have been waiting over 6 months for new limbs. I went out and had to buy a new bow so I could hunt this fall. I bought the Brute, bare bow and added my accessories on. Nice shooting bow at a good price.

[rocket]

being a rookie my suggestion is to try and shoot a couple not sure where you are but most club members are pretty good, I have helped many rookies. to the point of letting them shoot my bow, just to get a feel. Lets be honest 500 bucks is alot to shell out if you are unsure about a bow. You don't buy a car without a test drive. go by a proshop and shoot a couple of bows, if they won't let you go somewhere else, if they are a good shop they will let you shot it. What's the worst thing a broken arrow because they should be making sure you are number 1 safe. Saying all this I would suggest a longer axle bow atleast 35" and atleast 7 inch brace. as far as brand it's kinda like ford vs chev everybody has an opinion, bottom line your the one shooting it and if your not comfortable and confident you'll never shoot well. Ps Welcome to the bowhunting world and it's always,CHEV. LOL

[Gumsehwah]

Are you wanting to go Compound, recurve or longbow?

[GOLDEN TOP SNIPER]

Im in the same boat . id love to get a new bow. .not brand new , but a nice good used one . Iv been lookind at a 2009 Alpine Silverado 30 inch draw , 4.2 pounds . hybrid I.B.O. 328 Brace height 7.25 .. Wish i knew what all that meant .. lol. but i did find a lot of info and im learning the differences .. if anyone has this bow , or has some suggestions .. id like to hear them ..

[325]

My first bow was a PSE Stinger. A great bow at a great price. I have since "moved-on" to an APA Viper. Definitely quieter, faster and smoother than the Stinger, but also 3x the $$.

Another bow you may want to consider is the PSE Bow Madness. They are available in ready-to-shoot packages, and you will not grow out of the Bow Madness like you may the Stinger.

[spear]

thanks for all the input guys

[Riverbc]

Another bow you may want to consider is the PSE Bow Madness.

I bought a Bow Madness earlier this year, after shooting with a bow that was given to me. (2006 PSE Triton) I love the BM...it shoots great, plenty of speed. I shot my first animal (Blacktail) with it this fall.

[bugler]

Just a question about your draw length. Was it measured by a pro shop or experienced shooter? I ask because these days 29" plus is longer than average (ie. you should be a big guy, maybe you are) and many people are shooting bows that don't fit as well as it could, mostly too long. Just something to consider.

[afflicted 1]

I will agree with bugler make sure of your draw length and its better to go a little short than long. Dont get caught up in the speed game go for a comfortabe draw and something you think will be fun to shoot

[ncurrie]

I am also interested in this, as I would love to learn how to shoot with a bow. I have no clue where to even start, anyone in the okanagan would the shop on Kamloops be the best spot to look?

[Bowzone_Mikey]

ok then ....
I can only speak for compounds .....and to a much lessor degree Olympic style recurves
The best thing anyone that wants to start out can do is go to a reputable shop .... actually more than one .... so that a guy could fondle as many bows as he could before pulling the pin and buy one.

you want something that feels comfortable in your hand at rest and at full draw, as well as after the shot. Every manufacturer out there does something slightly differant with their grips and risers .... as such each bow has a slightly differant draw cycle ... ie: how fast the power is built up .... where the valley dumps etc(compound)....etc

Now you will want to contact a club of somesort .... if the shop has a range ... then lessons are in order.

I could reccomend differant manufacturers. there isnt really a bad one out there. But I will state that under no circumstances should you buy from a box store like Cabelas or Bass pro or wholesale etc.... simply because you wont get the service that you will at a real dealer... somewhere above somebody had stated that Diamond warrantee service sucked as he was waiting 6 months for Limbs .... I suspect the problem is his shop or dealer more than Diamond/Bowtech ... Bowtech has worked damn hard at warrantee service since their Alligence limbs of the mid 2000s incident ... and that is the first poor rating for their service I have heard in several years .

ncurrie .... talk to Ken at hardcore in kelowna ... he knows his stuff .....also i can pm you a few other dealers in the ok that are not presently on the site sponsor list ....I deal with one of those on a regular basis and get great service plus they carry the brand of bow and assesories that I prefer.

[Bow Walker]

Well said Mikey.....good advice for anyone who is thinking of getting into archery. The personalized service and advice that a person gets (and is available) at 'pro-shops' and dealers is something that you just cannot put a price on - and so very often, do not get at the 'box stores'.

[AlanF]

I too am interested in starting bowhunting. What do you think of the packages from Hunter's Friend.com? Do you see some components of this kit that you would steer away from. Even with the $70 shipping, it still seems like a good deal to start out with.http://www.huntersfriend.com/2012_PSE_Stinger_3G/best_compound_bow_for_the_money.htm I would like to use the bow for hunting island blacktail and I have a draw length of 26.5"
Thanks for any input!
Alan

[Bow Walker]

Alan, are you going with the "most popular" choices in the bow package?

I've always liked the way Hunter's Friend takes care of business.

That is a great deal and with practice, you should be good to go next season.

.........with your 'shorter' draw length, you will probably want to get that draw weight up around the 60 lb mark to get a decent speed out of it. Anything at or higher than 250 fps will get you pass-thru's on deer for sure.

[AlanF]

Yes the "popular choices" option seems like what I would go for unless someone could recommend otherwise for me! Are there any other bow combos on this page for less than about $600 that look like a better option? http://www.huntersfriend.com/bowpkg2-specview.htm
Thanks
Alan

[Bow Walker]

Well......

I'm partial to the Diamond Outlaw package, simply because I know and like Bowtech/Diamond bows. The only thing is, you'll need to add a release to complete the 'package' and PSE already includes one.

The PSE Stinger 3g package looks like a keeper. Save your $$$ and go with that one. It'll last you for a lot of years.

[GOLDEN TOP SNIPER]

That PSE Stinger sounds good !. lol. im ready to get out the credit card !. is that a canadain site ? Hers the thing tho . I Like a Finger Tab .. i think it works better for me . Faster , course that with a older bow . but still . i prefer it . i have used quick releases and dont like them . .what does everyone suggest then ? use Tab with any Bow ?

[bugler]

If you are going to shoot finger tab you want a longer axle to axle bow than most that are made these days. I shoot fingers on a Hoyt Protec that is 38" ata and that is about as short as you would want to go I think. Hoyt makes another one that is longer, can't remember what it is called. You also want a slightly longer than average brace height. I, like you GTS, prefer fingers for hunting but you will have to do some homework to get the right bow, and likely need to make a special order, pay more money.

And Alan, you don't need speed so much as weight to get pass throughs on most game. Shoot a bow that you can draw smoothly, straight back, without popping a vessel in your forehead. Then find an arrow to match it, lean toward the heavy side. Affix a quality broadhead and you will kill whatever you want to.

[AlanF]

Ok when I order up the stinger 3g, should I order the 70lb version? It has I think 30lbs of adjustment in draw weight. I understand I shouldn't try to overdo the draw weight especially starting out. Would I be better off with the 60 lb version?
Alan

[Bow Walker]

GTS - the shorter the A2A on a bow, the more chances of finger pinch at full draw. If you're stuck on shooting fingers with a compound bow I\s suggest that you go with one that is at least 36" A2A. Maybe longer - depending on your draw length.

AlanF - I think (given your shorter draw length) that I'd recommend getting the 60 lb bow and maxing it out. You'll probably find that you get more efficiency out of it that way rather than going with the 70 lb bow and turning it down to where it's comfortable to shoot all day long. Plus - a 60 lb bow (IMHO) has more re-sale value than a 70 lb bow does.....just thinking ahead.

[GOLDEN TOP SNIPER]

HM .lol once again, A lot to think about it . Perhaps finding a bow where you can do both . use finger tab and switch to release later ? . Decisions ! Decisions !

[Bow Walker]

A bow that has the needed A2A for finger shooting can certainly be used for shooting with a release later on - the reverse isn't true, unfortunately.

[GOLDEN TOP SNIPER]

ok ..that helps. im going to bass pro on thurday in calgary . im not going to buy , but i will look thru what they have and hopefully someone there will be a knowledgeable enuff to get me started with some ideas as to what i need . .

[bugler]

I would be surprised if they have anything in stock that is longer than 34" a2a. I'd be curious to know if they do....

[ncurrie]

ok then ....
I can only speak for compounds .....and to a much lessor degree Olympic style recurves
The best thing anyone that wants to start out can do is go to a reputable shop .... actually more than one .... so that a guy could fondle as many bows as he could before pulling the pin and buy one.

you want something that feels comfortable in your hand at rest and at full draw, as well as after the shot. Every manufacturer out there does something slightly differant with their grips and risers .... as such each bow has a slightly differant draw cycle ... ie: how fast the power is built up .... where the valley dumps etc(compound)....etc

Now you will want to contact a club of somesort .... if the shop has a range ... then lessons are in order.

I could reccomend differant manufacturers. there isnt really a bad one out there. But I will state that under no circumstances should you buy from a box store like Cabelas or Bass pro or wholesale etc.... simply because you wont get the service that you will at a real dealer... somewhere above somebody had stated that Diamond warrantee service sucked as he was waiting 6 months for Limbs .... I suspect the problem is his shop or dealer more than Diamond/Bowtech ... Bowtech has worked damn hard at warrantee service since their Alligence limbs of the mid 2000s incident ... and that is the first poor rating for their service I have heard in several years .

ncurrie .... talk to Ken at hardcore in kelowna ... he knows his stuff .....also i can pm you a few other dealers in the ok that are not presently on the site sponsor list ....I deal with one of those on a regular basis and get great service plus they carry the brand of bow and assesories that I prefer.

that would be great, I would appreciate that.