So you want to get into Archery & Bowhunting?

By DrFrige & IIRC

First of all, Welcome aboard!! Many of our “brothers in arms” aren’t into archery because they either aren’t interested or they are hesitant to get into something new. Like most new people, they are looking for a place to start. Hopefully, this is where we can help.


THE MOST important point is to locate your nearest “Pro Shop” This is the first and most logical place to start. DO NOT use a place like Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shops to get your first bow.

I am borrowing the following tips for “The Archer’s Bible” 2005 reference guide.

    1. EDUCATE YOURSELF. Decide which kind of bow you are interested in starting out with. There are 3 basic bows. Longbow, Recurve and Compound.

    2. BUY AS MUCH QUALITY AS YOUR BUDGET ALLOWS: Buy the best quality bow you can afford. Don’t skimp on quality but don’t bankrupt yourself either.  Buy a bow that fits.  You are better off shooting a low-end bow that fits you, than a high-end bow that doesn't.

    3. MATCH THE BOW TO YOU: It is commonplace for new bowhunters to try and pull more bow weight than they should. Get a proshop to measure you properly for the correct weight pull and draw length. I have seen guys push bows that didn't fit someone because they had it there and could make a quick sale.  If a shop doesn't want to get you a bow that fits, go elsewhere.  A good starting point is to take your wingspan from fingertip to fingertip, then divide by 2.5.  For example a 72.5" wingspan would take a 29" draw, give or take.  That will at least get you close.

    4. FINGERS OR RELEASE: This here is a matter of personal preference. What would you rather use to release your bowstring? Many love the quick, uniform reaction of the mechanical release yet others (like my daughter) rather use fingers for comfort of feel and control.

    5. TEST DRIVE A BOW BEFORE YOU BUY IT: My daughter and I went through a ½ dozen bows before she found the right one for her. I on the other hand was too impulsive on my first purchase and had months of tweaking and tuning until I got it the way I wanted it.

    6. KEEP IT SIMPLE: I have seen this phenomenon at the range too many times. New archers come in and want the best bow with all the “fixin’s” There are so many to choose from that I am SURE one of my fellow archers will IM me with “Hey, you forgot one” I mean once you get your bow, you then have to decide on Sights, peeps, quiver or no quiver, arrow rests, Whisker Biscuits, limbsavers and stabilizers.


Like firearms, there is someone at the range willing to work with you to help you out. If your proshop has a range and instruction, take advantage of it! A lot has to do with proper stance, breathing, draw and release. Once you get into bad habits, it is very hard to untrain yourself. It is not a matter of what is better, Archery or Firearms. It is like comparing apples to oranges.

With the rising prices of ammo as of late, one of the best reasons to get into archery?
The ammo…. Is REUSABLE!!!

• Be prepared for tinkering and adjustments.  Strings stretch, cams get out of time, rests can wear, etc.  If you feel your form hasn't changed, but your shots and groups are getting worse, check your bow over before you get discouraged.   • Some days you'll do good, and some days your shooting will be bad.  It happens to everyone.  As a new archer, form and follow through should be the most important things.  You have to build a good foundation and muscle memory and the rest is easy.  Don't worry about your scores, they will improve.  I wouldn't suggest keeping score often when just starting out, just use it to check occasional progress. • You are never too bad for shooting lessons from a good coach.  At least a couple will get you started on the right foot.  It isn't like your training for the Olympics. • The really high speed bows are great for what they are, but I wouldn't recommend them to a beginner.  A short brace height and harsh cams are not forgiving of mistakes in shooting or form.   • If you peruse the internet, you will see a lot of claims of guys saying they can shoot 2 inch groups at 70 yards in the wind all day long.  Take every claim of accuracy with a grain of salt.  If you watch the average shooter at the range, they aren't getting consistent 300 scores, but that same guy will tell you he can group 3" at 40 yards every time.

In whatever brand of bow you decide to buy, get it because it fits you, you shoot it well, and you like it.  No matter what you buy, someone will say it is no good because (fill in with stupid reason).  That is just something you have to get used to, it is like the Ford/ Chevy debate.  

When just starting out, watch places like ebay and classifieds for good deals on equipment.  There are a lot of guys who change stuff without great reason, just to try something different.  I have been guilty of this myself.

I see a lot of threads on other sites about home ranges. Quite often someone says "If I stand in my garage and shoot out through the door, I can get 35 yards to my target" or some variartion of that. A few extra yards just aren't worth sticking the UPS guy or your neighbor you didn't see coming.

One of those dime or quarter size round orange stickers can greatly help your target shooting. Having something small to aim at helps tremendously.

We hope this helps and gives you enough information HOWEVER, we do know that people have questions that were not or should be covered here. If so, please feel free to ask.

You are in the right spot.

Start a new thread with any and all questions you may have.

We're always looking for more archers, so I hope you pursue it.

I would start out by going to a couple/few proshops.  The reason I say more than one, is that usually proshops push one brand heavily.  Going to more than one will allow you to hear the highlights of a few different brands.

I would get measured for draw length at a couple places also.  The vast majority of archers shoot a bow with too long of a draw.  Getting the right draw length is one of the most important factors for form and accurate shooting.
This pic should help get you close:



Poundage will be determined by what's comfortable for you when you try a few out.  If 50# is comfortable for you, I'd suggest a 50 to 60 draw weight range bow.  Your ability to draw more weight will grow quickly with practice, but you don't want, or need to, start out with too heavy of a draw.  Just be sure you're over the legal minimum hunting weight limit for your state so you can hunt.  You certainly don't need 70 pounds to hunt deer or hogs.

One bit of advice is try no tto get caught up in the speed craze.  They are generally more touchy and better suited for more experienced archers.  Errors in form or draw length are greatly magnified by harsh cams and short brace heights.  Speed bows are great and have a wonderful purpose, but they aren't the best tool to learn on.

Hey, I been shooting bows for a about two years now, started off with a Bearpaw longbow 68" long, 35lbs @ 28", which sort of got me into it. I was at a bow shop in Munich and saw a Browning micro midas 3 (used) going cheap, so I went home and googled it, and saw that I could change the draw length without needing a press and went back for it . Managed to haggle the price down 35% and bought it and three arrows . As it didn't have any sights and I'd been shooting barebow already I decided to go that way, with a glove instead of a release, it came with a quicktune 3000 micro arrow rest, so did the adjustments, and it works a treat. I'm more than happy, and am looking at getting another bow in the near future, them SKB 50lb Horse bows look to cool not to have had one .

As Bow hunting is forbidden here in Germany I don't need a 50lb+ bow, and there are enough 3d shoots here in Bavaria and just over the border in Austria to keep me busy for a while .

Personally I have used You-Tube for information gathering, there is a lot of info hidden in all of them hunting and archery clips on there, having said that I learned how to weld and a few other new skills off of you-tube to .

Tony