Compound Bow for a beginner

I am considering getting into bow hunting to extend my deer season. I wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions for brand/model of a compound bow for a beginner with no-experience. I plan on taking lessons at a local archery center and will look to practice as much as possible.

Also, is being used an option and simply having the bow fitted to me at a pro shop? Or is it best to try a few out when buying new and have them fitted at time of purchase?

I am a 30 year old male 210lbs if that helps with suggested bows.

Thanks!

Ryeguy

I decided to take up archery myself a few years ago and was in the same situation, if I could do it again I would definitely buy a used bow. A couple of my friends got really nice higher priced bows for the same money I spent on a RTH package new.

I'm also the type to figure it out on my own so I read books about bow tuning and learned how to setup my own. If you aren't into that, getting a bow setup to fit you at a shop or by an experienced person is definitely mandatory.

A lot of it comes down to how much you can spend. I would personally spend more on accessories than on the bow itself as I found I made a very cheap bow accurate with a quality rest and sight. (And practice)

Everyone has a different opinion about how you should do things, this is just my thoughts.

Dumb question but curious to the answer.
Can see if one wanted to get into archery getting a compound bow, but for one who wants to extend their hunting season why not a crossbow?

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Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers

why not a crossbow?

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x2 for a crossbow, I would add to that and suggest a recurve style crossbow like excalibur, easy for a beginer to use.

Compunds are great but the wheels can get damaged easily and leave you with an expensive repair.

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Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers

Dumb question but curious to the answer.
Can see if one wanted to get into archery getting a compound bow, but for one who wants to extend their hunting season why not a crossbow?

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Compound bow gives me a new hobby (not that I already have enough of those), where I can shoot at a local range. In the future, it could also be a hobby I share with my young kids.

A crossbow would definitely get the job done from a hunting standpoint, and I wouldn't need as much practice as a compound bow, but I will get to shoot it for a much more limited amount of time during the year. For example, my local shotgun club also has an archery range, but crossbows are not permitted.

Go to a real Pro shop (not Basspro or Cabelas) and try out a few different bows and see what suits you best. Let them show you the basics and go from there.

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Originally Posted by thunderbolt

Go to a real Pro shop (not Basspro or Cabelas) and try out a few different bows and see what suits you best. Let them show you the basics and go from there.

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second that
Antler river archery outside of London is one hell of a bow shop.
Shoot many bows and you will find they all feel different, let the professionals set it up for you and they will show you every steps while they do it,
and if it was me for hunting I would shoot a mechanical broad head so you know it shoots just like a field tip. Unless its tuned for the broadhead you plan on using right off the bat.
Stay away from triggers and bows, I have had nothing but issues with there bow guy.

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Originally Posted by Ryeguy

Compound bow gives me a new hobby (not that I already have enough of those), where I can shoot at a local range. In the future, it could also be a hobby I share with my young kids.

A crossbow would definitely get the job done from a hunting standpoint, and I wouldn't need as much practice as a compound bow, but I will get to shoot it for a much more limited amount of time during the year. For example, my local shotgun club also has an archery range, but crossbows are not permitted.

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That makes sense

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Originally Posted by thunderbolt

Go to a real Pro shop (not Basspro or Cabelas) and try out a few different bows and see what suits you best. Let them show you the basics and go from there.

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Bingo. And if you're interested in a used bow, many shops have used ones in stock as well. Not all bows have rotating mods to adjust the draw length. So don't get stuck buying a used bow off kijiji that you can't get mods/cams for to change the length. A good shop will help you determine your proper draw length and get you a bow that fits.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ryeguy

I am considering getting into bow hunting to extend my deer season. I wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions for brand/model of a compound bow for a beginner with no-experience. I plan on taking lessons at a local archery center and will look to practice as much as possible.

Also, is being used an option and simply having the bow fitted to me at a pro shop? Or is it best to try a few out when buying new and have them fitted at time of purchase?

I am a 30 year old male 210lbs if that helps with suggested bows.

Thanks!

Ryeguy

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I started bowhunting when I was a bit younger than you are. I suggest you go to Shooter's Choice in Kitchener. I have always been treated well in there and they aren't that far from you and I. They have an indoor range and they will give you an hour of free range time with a purchased bow (I am not sure if that is new and used or just new). Whatever you do, I would suggest you purchase a used bow from a reputable bow shop rather than finding one kijiji. You might pay a bit more but you should eliminate any problems with bows who have not been properly taken care of. I really enjoy the Bowtech lines of bows but that is a personal choice.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ryeguy

Compound bow gives me a new hobby (not that I already have enough of those), where I can shoot at a local range. In the future, it could also be a hobby I share with my young kids.

A crossbow would definitely get the job done from a hunting standpoint, and I wouldn't need as much practice as a compound bow, but I will get to shoot it for a much more limited amount of time during the year. For example, my local shotgun club also has an archery range, but crossbows are not permitted.

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I just traded my Bowtech Carbon Icon 60# RH bow in for a Excalibur 340 Mag at Shooter's Choice this weekend. Like you, I had hoped my kids would want to enjoy archery. However, neither one of them took an interest. I practiced 4 times a week at HAHA and twice a week in the backyard. As they got older, the adjective "competitive" has been placed in front of their sports and I noticed my practice time on the bow began to evaporate. Last year, I didn't do any bowhunting because I didn't get in proper practice time and I made the decision this summer to switch a crossbow. Crippling a deer because I couldn't practice my form isn't something I want on my conscience. I can always come back to the vertical bow when my kids are finished with competitive sports and I have more time for practicing. You can make whatever choice you would like but if I had a time machine I would tell my younger self to go the crossbow route and save myself a bit of headache.

Dyth