a -

First there are a few sticky threads aimed at beginners - read those first.

Beyond that, there are really only three factors:
1. Price - what's your budget
2. draw weight (at your draw length)
3. bow length

While the purpose of your interest in archery is also a factor, in the early stages, it's a pretty distant forth to the three mentioned above.

To make matters easier, finding a range or club with single string shooters can really shorten the curve.

Viper1 out.

 

As Viper said.. Budget is a biggie, and if you are just getting into it will your interest last?? Certainly finding a club that gives lesson will give you a great introduction, you will need a safe place to shoot, develop form and consistency- all part of the fun journey but shorten the curve with a lesson or two first. If you are still peaked about archery then let budget and practicality determine your bow and by then you will know what to look for and what you want on it... If none of the above is close at hand then a nice cheap recuve like a Samick Sage or its equivalent is the way to start and a target at home if it is safe to shoot there. Like golf there are hundreds of bad habit to pick that you will have to unlearn so really lessons are the best and shortest way to get involved.

 

I agree and look at aiming methods pined near the top.

 

If you are near a bow shop, by all means go try them, ALL you can. The grips are everything and you can get a feel for what you like. If not, I did the “buy and try” method using mostly used and Amazon bows. Sold or donated all I did not like. After about 30 bows in and out of my hands, I chose a RD Longbow over recurves and have kept ones from 56-64”s in 2” increments. They feel grea, have comparable speeds of most Recurves and it’s a blissfull relationship with all. Learn to cobble together arrows and you’ll be set. Repeat and enjoy!

 

I did the “buy and try” method using mostly used and Amazon bows. Sold or donated all I did not like.

I did the same to find what worked best for me and it took me the better part of a decade to get there. I bought and sold in the classifieds here all the time.

Getting advice from a coach or club would have shortened that curve dramatically!

Great advice here, and definitely start with the stickies, like this one:

So you want to get into archery?

Guys - A few times a week, the same exact question is asked. Usually goes something like this: "I'm thinking about getting into archery", or "I shot bows and arrows years ago and want to get back into it" or "I've been shooting a compound and want to try a recurve, what's a good bow to start...

www.archerytalk.com

 

What do you want this bow for? Hunting? Target? Or are you just wanting to shoot recreationally? Take a basic lesson, but what you want to do with a bow will decide many things going forward.

 

On same note Huning and 3D are very similar in how a bow is setup myabe going sans a side quiver for 3D so you have better accuracy, but I do not use a side quiver anyhow.

 

About 30 years a father with three boys wanted to get his kids away from video games and outside, he went to the Sioux Falls shops and came back with all kinds of advice for his boys. Boys change fast and grow fast. It looked like a lot of expense to keep up with, when he was not even sure if they would like it or stick to it. He lived outside of town with a long gravel drive. I said, to get three wrist rockets, just so they try shooting at at stuff and like it. In short order his drive was almost void of all marbles sized stones. he thought they were ready so he set each kid up with a nice archer outfit. By the end of the summer all three wanted to other things. Experts have always enjoyed setting up beginners with the best stuff, that can get expensive. Basic knowledge from a broader range can be helpful for someone that is not sure where the paths will take them. This was my source for that.

 

Try before you buy. Shoot your coaches bows. Don't have a coach??? That's like going to high school every day and instead of learning from a coach or a teacher, you just take the test until you pass.

Getting a coach will prevent you from having to learn by trial and error which will be a lot of error. Shooting his equipment, you'll not only be able to ask him questions directly, but you'll also have a better idea of length and poundage. If he doesn't have equipment for you to shoot, get another coach. USA Archery Coach Locator.

Bowmania

 

I wish I would have started with a coach, I would have saved a lot of time and money, plus frustration.

 

To make matters easier, finding a range or club with single string shooters can really shorten the curve.
What Viper said....single string shooters club.

Go to Bass or other sporting goods stores and they'll try to sell you a contraption bow. Because that's ususally ALL they know

 

I knew one fellow that thought what we did looked fun. First he went to one place in Sioux Fall and didwhat they advised, then he went to another place in Sioux Falls and they told him that he was fed a bunch of crap and bought a bunch of crap, but they would give some on a trade in if he bought from them and took a few lessons to learn the right thing. Both of those shops went under. Also, the 'right thing' with the 'right stuff', a 30# 66" target bow, did not work for what he was trying to do. Then after continued frustration, he went to another archery shop and the owner with a lot of experience wanted to know what he was trying to achieve. That owner had no use for his stuff he would want to trade in, but did help him sell it. Gave him a deal on a 40 pound bow, bow quiver, and proper arrows and said he would give a 100% trade in if he wanted to upgrade in the future. Oh yes, what he wanted to do, shoot a deer from a tree stand. He in a couple of seasons got quite good at that, Fred Bear would have been proud of him.