Golden Eagle Compound

[ohno]

I was thinking of getting a compound bow (I've never owned or shot a compound before).
I found what may be a deal on an older (6 yrs) Golden Eagle $100, I don't know the model. I comes w/ a couple of alum arrows (bent), quiver and sights.
30" draw and 40-60# pull

I have a couple of questions.
1.) Is this an OK brand of bow? IE. Any known defects?
2.) How about for a beginner?
3.) What should I look for when I look at the bow?

Any other tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
O.

[sealevel]

ohno not having ever seen this bow i can`t say good or bad the only thing i can tell you is make sure the draw lenght is rite for you. For a beginner the brase height should be around 7 inches. 100 bucks your not losing much if it don`t work for you.

[bsa30-06]

ohno, i was in your shoes awhile back and i got alot of excellent advice and help from the guys on this site.I haven't been shooting a bow long enough to give you any real advice, but i can tell you the best thing i did was find a place that offered lessons they provided the equipment and tought you you the basics and proper form this helped alot. A good archery shop will help alot aswell.The second best thing you can do is ask alot of questions aimed at the archery boys on this site they have alot of good advice and aren't afraid to share there knowledge with you.I hope this info helps you,good luck.

[ohno]

BSA I'm going to take your advice and take some lessons before jump right into this whole archery thing.

I've too many hobbies and not enough time/money to do all of them.

Thanks for your input.
O.

[Dirty]

Here's the best advice when it comes to archery, spend as much as you can afford. Spending 100$ on an old bow is not worth it, you are better off to put it towards something new or almost new. In addition, I personally would never buy second hand unless I knew the seller very well. You can never know the whole history behind a bow, and all though bows today are made to withstand dry firing it can still come back to haunt you.

[bsa30-06]

ohno, i think you'll learn alot from the lessons i know i did.Remember to use this site to help you ask lots of questions the guys helped me alot,if you go back thru some of the old posts you'll probably find alot of answers to your questions.I wont attempt to give you any advice other than ask all the questions you can think of,i havent been doing this long enough to offer advice i'll leave that to the other guys.I did find out however that this can be an expensive hobby, but if you take care of your equipment it should last a long time.Good luck with your lessons.

[huntwriter]

ohno, Golden Eagle is a good brand. There is not much difference between all major brands quality wise for any given price class. You get what you pay for, like with everything else in life. Having said that, for a beginner you should get a very good bow in the region of 300 to 400 dollars.

As has been said here already, the best thing to do for you would be to try many different bows, preferably go to as many different dealers as possible and talk to them. You soon will find out which one is a sales person and which one is an archer taking his time to make sure you get what you need.

Also talk to archers in your area plus on the internet. Do a lot of research. You also can buy some bow hunting magaziens, they always have product reviews and field test to read up on.

Learn how to shoot a bow and how it has to be set up for you. That way you can avoid a lot of hassle and let downs. Oh, yes. Do yourself a favour and disregard brand names completely and try every brand until you find the one that suits you and your needs. A bow has to become part of you like your arms or legs and that only can happen if the bow fits you in every aspect. For me it might be a Jennings for someone else a Hoyat and for someone other still a PSE. Brand names are unimportant.

And lastly, let the bow be set up in a pro-shop by a prfessional not by a friend or buddy. I am shooting bows for over 25 years and could set up my own bows if I wish. But I don't. Its the job for a profi just like I do not "doctor" around with my firearms, what ever needs to be done is done by a professional.

Good luck to you and let us know how you getting on with your new found addition to extend your hunting season.

[The 'Hummer']

If anyone's interested, I have a compound, a Darton Maverick, sights, release, case, about 2 + doz. XX75 & 2 doz. XX78 arrows, extra strings & numerous trimmings for sale. Bucky's Sport Shop in Duncan has it on consignment at the moment. Had three bows, decided it was time to 'shed' one.