Before buying your (and MY!) first bow

I am excited to buy my first bow. I can only buy one at the moment so I need to choose wisely. The most frequent question is: What is you're going to use your bow for? And as much it would be great to use same bow for all: learning, target shooting and hunting, it may not be you option. I am not yet sure if I want to hunt. For me to go from an "I hate animal killers" perspective on hunting to "let's shoot me some dinner" I'd say would be mentally confusing, ergo dangerous and ethically shocking to my system. I may need to let this one grow on me, I am however impatient and say I decide to hunt and I have no bow to do the job, I'll kick myself.

A bow meant for learning and target shooting doesn't require certain poundage, which (in Wisconsin) is 30 pounds in draw weight for deer hunting. I've been shooting a compound bow with a draw weight approximately 20 pounds, not more; I realize that I am throwing in a lot of specific lingo here, which to a beginner, even myself still doesn't always make a complete sense. I'll write one of my next posts on some basic terms and slang you'll get familiar with very quick once you start exploring archery.

So, when picking your bow either for learning, target practices or hunting, you need to know how much you can draw. I found it very important and challenging. With that being said it's worth mentioning that besides a certain arm muscle strength, you need to start off with good eye sight (or if necessary - with proper corrective eye glasses or contacts :), balance and I guess self - composure, because YOU WILL MISS the target. A lot. Lol!

How do I know how much I can draw? Unless you end in a reputable archery shop, where they will take your measurements to adjust a right bow to your draw length and then let you shoot it, you may not know until you try shooting whatever bow(s) you have available. Like I posted earlier I was lucky to be able to do everything right from the start thanks to my friend and finding the club, which for the most part is equipped in everything that a beginner needs, including an advice and support from experienced and advanced archers. Some clubs offer free assessments, clinic events, etc. Try Googling them for the area where you live.

My 7yo in "her" full draw, first time shooting. I say: Not bad :)

The draw weight requirement however can be "fooled" by buying a bow with a "let-off". A "let-off" is a standard mechanism in 95% compound bows that I saw that allow you to "freeze" the bow at the full draw, but with a "feeling" of a reduced pull weight. The weight isn't actually reduced, it just "feels" like it, preventing your arm from fatigue. Oh my... I hope it make sense, I do however realize it most likely won't until you get to do it, like I had to.

More about bow types and their features soon and till later for now. Thanks for reading.

P.S. My daughter just saw the post and said: "Remember I was better than you?" Ha, Ha! Yes, she was :)