I'm thinking of getting a compound bow...need some suggestions?

Hello "afreshpath"!

I am somewhat in the same boat as you ... except I encountered catasrophic injuries in a severe motor vehicle accident. Looking just at my shoulder injuries, I had a shattered shoulder blade, a totally torn rotator cuff, and the bicep tendon snapped ... not the best combination for engaging in archery!

However, I was determined to regain as much strength in my shoulder as possible, and I am engaged in archery to build up my shoulder, and to open a new avenue for me in hunting! WHen you look at the leg injuries, walking the fields day in and day out are now out of the question!

I currently have two bows that are filling the bill quite adequately. I am using a PSE "Deer Hunter" compound bow with a 27" draw and 55 pound pull. My recurve bow is a Martin "Jaguar" takedown bow with a 40 pound pull. At this point, both of these bows are hunting legal in NJ, and I am showing high levels of success with both!

What I would do, if I were you, would be to identify the minimum draw weight that is legal in your state for hunting, then get either a compound or a recurve bow that is 5 to 10 pounds heavier than the minimum, and start from there on your road to recovery. It is wiser to purchase this way and gain a level of success, than to purchase too much bow, and get discouraged when you can not master the heavier pull. It is always possible to start low, master it, move up and sell the smaller bow, than to get too much bow to begin with, and not master it!

Good luck and good shooting!

Buying a bow is like getting a new suit. It's good to know your measurements, but if you have never owned a bow prior, it's a good idea to get measured before making a purchase.

The draw weight is a factor, but will change as you practice the unnatural movements of drawing a bow and build strength in your chest, shoulders, and arms.

What you really need to focus on is the draw length. This is what you should be fitted for prior to buying a bow. Draw length is the measurement which is calculated by your own personal stature; length of your arm and the measured distance of your hands in a full draw situation.

Based on your needs for a very adjustable draw weight, with such a wide range, I think the 2012 Bear Outbreak would be a great choice. It has a draw weight range from 15-70#, and also has an easily adjustable draw length. It's the most flexible bow I've seen. The price is very reasonable too! You can check it out on this site.

I bought a Parker Blazer this year and I absolutely love it. There are plenty of faster, maybe nicer, bows on the market, but the Blazer is inexpensive as far as bows go, and has a lot of built in adjustment. It comes in 2 models - first one is adjustable from 45 to 60 lbs. the second one from 55 to 70 lbs. Adjustable cams have draw length between 26" to 31". Very smooth, very quiet. They also offer nicer bows, but the Blazer is tough to beat for the $. Some of the higher end bows require the purchase of different cams to change draw length, Parker cams are adjustable. For a beginner's bow, you can't go wrong. Lifetime warranty & Made in the USA.

http://parkerbows.com/index.html

i have a 2011 bear strike it is a Great bow easy to adjust at home without any special tools or anything and it wont break your bank you can get them on ebay new for about $369.99 and that's everything but arrows or you can look on there and find used ones for even cheaper and you add the accessory's good luck on getting a bow

get a matthews, lil pricey but definitely worth it in the long run