first, go to a shop and get your draw length figured out. and for hunting, get the heaviest draw weight you can pull back while keeping your arms parallel to the ground, at least thats what they said in my archery hunter safety class.
You have to be fitted for a bow just like a suit. Dick's in Bangor has some of the best bowtechs. Do a google search and you can locate the needed data to comparison shop for a bow that meets your size, length and strength characteristics. But a Bowtech will "fit you" for a bow that will perform as it should.
Sounds good. The problem I have with a bow is I would want to pull back with my left hand but site in with my right eye. When I was real young I used to bring my rifle up to my left shoulder and cross over to site with my right eye. My dad immediately remedied that and made me bring the rifle up to my right shoulder. It was odd at first but now it is like instinct.
I would second the recommendation of going someplace that has a bow tech, but Dick's wouldn't be my first choice. Look for a local archery proshop, and stay away from the big chains. I'd say to go to Old Town Archery, right downtown, and support the local economy. Plus, if you need a bow that's not on the rack, you have a lot better chance of getting it ordered by a private shop than a chain store. And OTA has a better choice than Dick's.
Canerod speaks it straight yet again. My referencing "Dicks" was for lack of a better choice near to me and you. The fit and feel of the bow is critical to success. As Remington said "Eye dominance" is also a big factor in choosing a bow. I have always shot right handed/left eye dominant........but the eye and hand alignment should match.
Aroostookbasser has it right. Get a bow that fits, get it set up properly, and practice as much as possible. My biggest recommendation is to not to fall for the "faster is better" mindset. Keep the arrow weight up and the bow will be quiet. To beat a whitetail's reflexes at 25 yards, an arrow would need to be traveling over 400fps, and that's just not possible, so far. If your rig is too noisy, the deer is moving before the arrow gets there, and that's not a good thing. Keep it quiet and know your abilities. The anti's don't need any more ammo.
I used to shoot an overdraw before I picked up a sponsorship. Once I got free ACE's, I stopped shooting aluminum for 3-D. I have a 27" draw, so I was able to use a longer carbon and keep it at 5gr/lb IBO minimum.
Sweet........... but I'll stick to my aluminum shafts and my 30" draw. Shot overdraw for a year and lost a fortune in carbon arrows. Haven't regretted for a minute the decision to change back.
