Getting Started....Newcomer

[HotRod Hunter]

Welcome to the Fire

[kyle1974]

I agree with the folks above that say go to a pro shop to be set up. For your first bow, you want to make sure you're starting with the right platform.... it will make everything so much easier. They should take the time to set you up with the correct bow, and show you the features... maybe help you practice a bit.

[jsk]

Bienvenidos Payton! You buy the bow that you like best. Go shoot several different ones and buy the one that you shoot best and with the most consistency. There are lots of guys and gals here that will help you out and feel free to ask, but get the bow YOU like! Happy hunting and post some pics whenever you can. We love pics...how 'bout your new bow? Glad to have you. jsk

[Payton]

Wow! Thanks for the hearty welcome.

Ok, well the boyz and I are gonna head over to Viking this morning. Timing couldn't be better for my youngest Trace. He is turning 10 tomorrow.

We'll look at getting him setup first. I'll post back on what we end up with.

[IowaHunter]

If you get to the northwest side of town - the tech at Gander Mountain is really good for all the off the wall questions. They're also good at letting you shoot a while. If you get to the north side - Gander Mountain again (no I don't work for them) has two guys that are real helpful - Joe and Doug. I buy my add-on's from them and shoot for 15 minutes at a whack. The BPS in Katy is spotty because the guys work firearms and the archery counters.

[BmacBmac1]

You have contracted a lifetime disease and there is no cure!

Welcome!

[Mark44]

welcome! not sure there is one comprehensive "Get Started" thread - just fire away with individual questions and you'll get lots of help. that's what I did and the folks here were tremendously helpful and supportive.

Black Ice rules - it's what I shoot.

[Bowwiz]

Welcome to the addiction of the greenscreen..

[Ranchingaggie]

Welcome to you and your son!! Yall are gonna have an awesome Christmas and a lifetime of fun and memories!!! The time I spend with my kids flinging arrows or shooting cans/rabbits is PRICELESS....just don't get enough with all the other things we have going on with them.

[Bowtechlady]

If you are in Sugarland, you are real close to Viking Archery. I got my first bow there and I didn't know squat about it but Lanny set me up and helped me on the range and my first hunt I harvested a WT doe. I have been hooked every since...

[Bullrdr82]

Payton-

You are going to the right spot for getting stuff set up since you are in Sugar Land. Viking is the best place around that area, that I know of atleast.

There are normally get togethers in Katy and other places. I would say go talk to those guys.

But the most important thing to remember with the green screen is dont be afraid to ask questions. We we all in your shoes at one time with starting a new sport. Ask as many questions as you need to, there are quite a few very knowledgeable people on this site.

Welcome to the fire!!!!!

[Bowtechlady]

I forgot to mention once you do get a bow, get out to some of the 3D Shoots. It will help your skills, you will meet a lot of really nice people, you will have a lot of fun, and you will have opportunities to shoot others bows and get feedback on different products.

I started about 5-6 years ago and have now had many nice harvests and made lots of friends!

[Payton]

Well I just got back from Viking Archery and also Gander Mountain in Rosenberg.

The guys at Viking were helpful once I got my turn. It was busy over there as they had the range tied up with a kid class. Nevertheless they seem to be really big on Hoyt. I wasn't able to shoot anything but at least I was able to handle a few of the Hoyt bows. The Alphamax 32 seemed like a real nice bow, light, good feel in the hands, etc but without a chance to shoot it I really don't know how else to evaluate them:

http://www.hoyt.com/compound_bows/hoyt_alpha_max32_compound_bow.php

They had a Fred Bear "Element 2" for my 10 year old that would have been ok I guess. We didn't jump on it just yet because to be honest it just looked cheap. They did have a real nice Hoyt Trykon Sport but it was $330 bare.

http://www.hoyt.com/compound_bows/hoyt_trykon_sport_compound_bow.php

Afterwards we went to Gander Mountain and he seems to like the Diamond "The Edge" bow. He shot it for 10 minutes and it looks like that is what we'll get for him. That Hoyt Trykon Sport would be nice but $330 bare and then adding on the sight, rest, stabilizer, ..... it seems like alot for a kiddo. I'm worried that after few seasons he's going to outgrow it and the we'll have to start over outfitting him.

In the meantime the bow options for me so far are the Diamond "Black Ice", Diamond "Iceman", or Hoyt "Alphamax 32". So far I haven't found anything in Browning, Red Head, or Parker that I like. That's all the brands I have looked at so far.

It seems to me that the logical choice for me would be to buy a bow that I can get serviced locally. Althogh in my other hobbies I have always managed to learn to fix or tweak it myself so local service wasn't always the major decision factor. Should it be in archery?

Looks like I'm gonna be killing you all with dumb questions.

[1FREAK]

welcome in.

[bonniemc]

Welcome to the fire!!