Saturday, July 13, 2013

Shopping For A Bow And How To Get Started

By Justin Phillips


First thing first, decide how you are going to use the bow. If you are a hunter, thing about the weight of the bow along with arm length. You don't want something bulky holding you down. If you are a target archer, you want a longer bow to help you stay stable.

Choose whether you would prefer a compound bow or a recurve bow. While compound bows are easier to aim and become easier to pull the further you draw, recurves become more difficult as you draw back and rely heavily on skill and experience for accuracy. Even though compound bows are more popular, recurve bows are a much better choice for beginners, since they will teach proper shooting skills without relying on the built-in guides and gadgets on a compound.

Before shopping make sure you know your budget. If just starting out recurve bows are great and affordable under $100. Compound bows are way more expensive.

Determine your draw length, which is the distance that you can naturally draw a bowstring. To get a rough measure of your draw length, stretch out your bow hand as if you were drawing a bow, and make a fist. Place that fist against a wall and assume proper shooting posture, and then have someone measure from the wall to the corner of your mouth. Note that if you're right handed, your bow hand will be your left hand, and if you are left handed it will be your right.

Choose your best draw weight. This is the force you need to pull back the string. Archers will need something easier so they don't get tired fast. Average strength males will want a draw weight of 50 pounds or so while a woman wants about half of that weight.

Shopping in a big store may not offer knowledgeable staff so make sure to go in with information at hand. You will want to buy from a specialty store if you can but it isn't always possible. Make sure you get someone helpful as you want to make a sound decision.




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