Questions to Ask When Buying Your First Archery Bow
New to Bowhunting and confused on where to start? Whether you’re making your first purchase, picking up a new bow for the year or replacing your gem after a few decades, you have to make sure you ask the right questions.
Where Should I Buy a Bow?
First you need to decide if you’re an online shopper or if you’ll be hitting your local archery shop. For newbies, it’s highly recommended to connect with someone in person who is knowledgeable about bow setups, features and maintenance. To do that you’ll have to find a physical store.
How Much Weight Can I Pull?
A slow and smooth pull back is always necessary when hunting wild game. Therefore, for beginners an easy draw cycle is vital. A draw that’s too heavy leads to jerky movements and uncontrollable arrow speed. Finding your unique draw weight is a must for practicing your mechanics. Also, always get yourself a true draw length measurement. A draw length too long or short leads to inaccurate shots.
Which Bow Length So I Choose?
Compound bows range from 28-33 inches. Another reason to try a bow in-person is to get a feel for the bow length and see what feels best for you. Also take into consideration where you will be using the bow. Shorter bows are typically used for smaller area like ground blinds.
What Brace Height Should I get?
Brace heights are a game of inches also but they are very important to the draw. Shorter brace heights are harder to draw than longer ones. However, shorter brace heights lead to faster bows. See what feels best for you and for what you’re hunting.
Should I Buy a Heavy or Light bow?
Heavier bows tend to be a bit stronger and easier to balance. Those who are stronger and prefer a tougher build should take this into consideration. Hunters who aren’t looking to carry a heavy load way back into the country might want to start with the lighter bow option.
Last but not least, how much is the bow?
Let’s not forget about the biggest question – How much does it cost? New compound bows may run well above $1,000. Of course, if you are a beginner and not subscribing to all the bells and whistles, less expensive options are available. Some are as low as $200-300. This is where you want the internet’s help instead of a single retailer. Do a quick search of the bow you’ve decided on to see what online retailers are selling them for and compare.
Knowing what to ask and how to evaluate your needs and measurement is an important task before making the big bow purchase. Review these questions with an Archery Pro to make sure you get the right bow for you. We highly recommend the Mathews V3X which fits our Viper Dovetail Sights perfectly!
