By Dave Sheedy
Hello my name is Dave and I�m an archery addict. The archery bug bit me long ago. My first bow was a PSE Nova. It wasn�t a fast bow; I got 210 FPS out of it at most. Many people make the mistake of buying a high tech, blazing fast bow as there first bow. This is a common mistake among new archers. A slower, more forgiving bow is definitely where you should start. Hopefully, by reading this article you will better understand bow selection and among other things, why faster, isn�t always better.
Phase one of selecting a bow is deciding what the bow will be used for. Is it strictly a hunting bow? Do you want a target bow? You must decide this first to try to shorten the list of bows you want to buy. Lets say, for arguments sake that you want a hunting bow for deer sized game. I would not recommend taking a shot at a deer with anything less than a 45# bow. Remember, the heavier you crank up the poundage on your bow the more speed you get, but do not make it so heavy that you struggle to pull it. Many people get the idea that a heavy bow will make a deer more dead. That is of course untrue, got to a pro shop and find out how much you can pull comfortably.
Phase two is going to a pro shop and looking at various bows. Be sure to look at everything they have, find out if you can test shoot some of them and ask a lot of questions. Do not buy a bow the first time you look though. Make a list of the ones you liked and do some research. I found a lot of help in selecting my bow online, in different bowhunting forums. Find out what different people think about the bows on your list.
Phase three is selecting the bow, talk to someone who knows a lot about bows about what your final decision is. One of my friends told me that they were buying a bow. I asked him which bow he was going to get and he said �A Mathews MQ-32� I told him that it was a very nice bow and asked him if he had ever shot a bow before. He said that he shot once or twice before and wanted to get his own now. I asked him why he wanted the Mathews and he said because it was very fast and short, making it easier to handle in the type of terrain he hunted. I then asked how he planned to shoot it and he said he wanted to shoot with his fingers. I explained to him that he should opt for a slower, more forgiving bow and he should get a longer bow also. A fast bow isn�t forgiving, if there is a problem in your shooting form you won�t hit accurately with it. While an entry level bow is slower, it is easier to shoot for a beginner that does not yet have perfect shooting form. The Mathews MQ-32 has a very short axle to axle length. Finger shooters need a axle to axle length of at least 40 inches because a short bow will pinch your fingers and like I said is less forgiving if your fingers are not on the same spot every time. My friend ended up getting a PSE Nova V4, a much better selection for him. If you are a beginner remember to have fun! Archery is a very rewarding hobby but it can be difficult at first. Don�t get discouraged, if you keep at it I�m sure you�ll be just like me, an archery addict.
