Buying my first compound bow - advice please

[IronNoggin]

This year's Outdoor Life Reviews:

https://www.outdoorlife.com/gear/bes...for-the-money/

[guntech]

I would suggest a compound capable of 50 to 60 pounds and not a really short bow... and see if you can manage to use it bare fingered... your bottom finger will get sore but once it gets a callous you can shoot a lot without any glove and this is much nicer when hunting...

[Woodchuck Dan]

This year's Outdoor Life Reviews:

https://www.outdoorlife.com/gear/bes...for-the-money/

Thanks Nog and to everyone else in general - I will most likely choose a bow from this list - I shoot left handed so 90% of what will be physically available will be right handed - Wouldn't surprise me that I will have to order off the internet

Did a 2 hour loop to the only archery store in the area that is brick and motar and they were closed Will go back within the week (Call next time.. right..)

[guntech]

Thanks Nog and to everyone else in general - I will most likely choose a bow from this list - I shoot left handed so 90% of what will be physically available will be right handed - Wouldn't surprise me that I will have to order off the internet

Did a 2 hour loop to the only archery store in the area that is brick and motar and they were closed Will go back within the week (Call next time.. right..)

Left eyed as well ?

[WWBC]

As others have said go to an a bow shop. Having the bow setup to fit you will make a huge difference in your accuracy and enjoyment.

You would probably find a 60lb bow to be about right assuming you have healthy shoulders. ( most high end bows can be reduced 10lbs from max)

-don’t be afraid of longer axel to axel length bows. They’re more stable and easier to shoot well.
-avoid “speed bows”. They’re harder to shoot well.
- make sure your arrow is matched to you bow. ( arrow spine and length)
- 3 pin sights are great. Having too many pins gets confused. Slider sights are great also, but they get expensive.

You’re probably better off buying a good used now than buying a “ready to hunt combo”. Most of these combo’s have accessories that you’ll be wanting to upgrade in short order.

[KBC]

Don’t buy a bow based on what hand you are. Buy a bow based on eye dominance. If you are left eye dominant, buy a left hand bow, right eye, right hand bow.

I don’t know if there’s many people shooting a compound with fingers. You will be far more consistent with a release.

[Woodchuck Dan]

KBC / Guntec - So I'm cross dominant - Right handed - Left eye dominant. Since I only started shooting at the start of 2023 I taught myself to use my rifle left handed. (Really glad I made this decision.) Going to buy a bow based on eye dominance yes.

WWBC - Yes the "combo packs" seem unwise to me. // I'm hesitant to buy a bow second hand due to their complicated nature and my total ignorance. Same reason why I purchased my first rifle new, but will be buying more second hand now that I am becoming familiar with them. Seems to make it more likely to have a problem I don't understand right off the bat.

[Woodchuck Dan]

So I made my decision - Bought this bow: Bear Legend XR LH RTH 70# Stone

Quite excited. Bow is being fit / tuned right now and getting a dozen arrows for it.

Ended up going with a local dealer in Salmo in the West Kootneays here where I live. https://boharchery.com/

Guy clearly cares about archery and is a person who I can come to with mechanical questions / upgrades / maintance needs. Is really the only person in the West Kootneays still doing this and seems worth building a relationship with rather than using the internet. Also pretty competitive pricing.

Thanks to everybody who helped me make this decision.

--

So my mum is one of the longest standing Suzuki method piano teachers in Ontario. One of their core philosophies is regardless of innate talent, if you learn correct technique and practice intelligently you can master a skill. Common wisdom is this process takes 10 years / 10 000 hours / repetitions - but I don't think that bit actually comes from the Suzuki method.

Happy to be walking up this hill for the next decade as I also learn how to hunt and accurate operate a firearm.

[guntech]

Don’t buy a bow based on what hand you are. Buy a bow based on eye dominance. If you are left eye dominant, buy a left hand bow, right eye, right hand bow.

I don’t know if there’s many people shooting a compound with fingers. You will be far more consistent with a release.

When I was into archery I was testing and shooting a lot... and it was just more convenient to use bare fingers... and it didn't hurt my accuracy much, I won a lot of 3D shoots on the Island way back then...

Bows have come so far today. I am sure the op is going to love his new bow... fantastic amount of adjustment. Back in my day a PSE Laser Mag was top of the line... a nothing bow today.

[IronNoggin]

... Back in my day a PSE Laser Mag was top of the line... a nothing bow today.

Exactly what I ran with for years way back when.
Took a lot of game with it before my shoulder went south.
Passed it on to a fellow who still uses it today...

Cheers