Welcome to the addiction known as archery!
For starters, do as mentioned above and go to a pro shop and try out as many as you can. Go to several. As far as draw weight is concerned: don’t overdo it on your draw weight. I’d recommend a weight that you can comfortably draw straight back-by that I mean point your arrow at the target and draw back without moving the bow. Too many folks try to draw too much weight. If you have to point the bow any direction other than at the target to draw you need to reduce the draw weight. After time you will gain strength and you can increase your poundage accordingly. I can draw more than most bows’ max weight setting, but it isn’t necessary. I shoot a 65# bow....I can shoot it all afternoon and even hold my draw for quite a long time without fatigue and it does quite well on the range and in the woods.
A 7” brace height bow will be a good starting point. They are more forgiving as compared to ones with a shorter brace height. The shorter the brace height, the less forgiving it is. I am referring to the bow being forgiving to your flaws in form, torquing of the grip, and consistency in general.
To be consistent with a bow you need to develop good form, a solid, consistent anchor point when you reach full draw and as close to a torque free grip as possible. All of these will kill your accuracy. Patience is also key. Don’t expect overnight results. Shoot often, take a break when you aren’t doing so well, cool off a bit then get back at it.
Also, if you buy a used rig, check to see if the draw length is adjustable....some setups, like some of the Mathews bows have a specific draw length that they are made for and would require a new cam that matches your draw length.
Enjoy it and best of luck finding a setup.
For starters, do as mentioned above and go to a pro shop and try out as many as you can. Go to several. As far as draw weight is concerned: don’t overdo it on your draw weight. I’d recommend a weight that you can comfortably draw straight back-by that I mean point your arrow at the target and draw back without moving the bow. Too many folks try to draw too much weight. If you have to point the bow any direction other than at the target to draw you need to reduce the draw weight. After time you will gain strength and you can increase your poundage accordingly. I can draw more than most bows’ max weight setting, but it isn’t necessary. I shoot a 65# bow....I can shoot it all afternoon and even hold my draw for quite a long time without fatigue and it does quite well on the range and in the woods.
A 7” brace height bow will be a good starting point. They are more forgiving as compared to ones with a shorter brace height. The shorter the brace height, the less forgiving it is. I am referring to the bow being forgiving to your flaws in form, torquing of the grip, and consistency in general.
To be consistent with a bow you need to develop good form, a solid, consistent anchor point when you reach full draw and as close to a torque free grip as possible. All of these will kill your accuracy. Patience is also key. Don’t expect overnight results. Shoot often, take a break when you aren’t doing so well, cool off a bit then get back at it.
Also, if you buy a used rig, check to see if the draw length is adjustable....some setups, like some of the Mathews bows have a specific draw length that they are made for and would require a new cam that matches your draw length.
Enjoy it and best of luck finding a setup.