# Trying to get my wife into archery



## Ol' red beard (Sep 2, 2013)

Hey there, looking to get my wife into archery and I'm looking for female opinions. I want to get her a decent bow at a good price, as we have four children and our oldest is starting to get the fever too. She's never shot before so she a complete beginner. About 5'8" so she has around a 27" draw or so ( guessing), looking for something smooth and easy to draw to get her going but with enough speed to possibly hunt with later.

So what do you think?


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## MN_Chick (Jul 13, 2008)

It's impossible to guess what bow is best for another person. All of them are good bows. The only way to know is to take her to the shop and let her shoot as many of them as she can. 

If she's got a 27" draw, then there is no reason to limit her to women's bows. As long as she can comfortably draw them, her options are wide open. 

If you want her to love shooting, then you have to get her the bow that she loves. Take a few days, and hit different shops. 

Another tip- let someone else teach her. Save some of the arguing, and set her up with a lesson or two at the shop. 

Good luck!


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## plutoviola (Oct 31, 2012)

I may not be female, but I agree with ^^^^this^^^. Being 5'8" myself and drawing 27", I didn't have to limit myself to "short draw" bows or anything. Why limit a woman to that? It actually irks me when guys seem to think they deserve a "real" bow and their wife deserves a .....something he wouldn't shoot himself. I'm not saying that's what you're doing. But take her to the shop and let her have some fun. One thing you can count on - your wife will be like every other archer out there: she'll have her own preferences and opinions.

And have fun! I wish my wife was interested in archery....


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## Ol' red beard (Sep 2, 2013)

oh shes going to choose the bow for sure, just looking for experience with some of these "mid level" bows from a womans perspective. shes into the pink color options and that's the main reason for the current list. thanks for the input


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## Fury90flier (Jun 27, 2012)

Diamond infinite edge

Color--you can get it dipped in any color/pattern you want


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## CKahler (Aug 25, 2013)

I am new and just got a Hoy Vicxen. I am 5'5" with a 26" draw. I've got the 40-50lb setup and mine is set about 39.5 lbs right now. I love the feel. My husband doesn't like the grip and the way it feels but he is much bigger and has a Matthews. I like that this one is made for a woman. But I've never tried the others so I can't speak on how they are.


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## kyvicxen (Feb 7, 2013)

For a hunting set up I started with a Hoyt Ruckus the first year. It ended up being a great blind bow, small and light. Once I was hooked I easily sold it and bought a Hoyt Vicxen Charger. The Charger is really smooth compared to the Ruckus and fit me much better - I could tell a huge difference in my accuracy moving to a longer, better quality bow. My daughter, which is much more petite (I'm 5'9) sold her Ruckus and has a Charger now too. We love to accessorize!


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## Ol' red beard (Sep 2, 2013)

All good info... Keep it coming, gotta get an idea of what dealers to hit since we live in the middle f nowhere and will be driving to dealers. Thanks


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## Jhawker (Jun 26, 2012)

I'm 5'8", 48lbs, 26.5 draw. I shoot the Hoyt Rampage XT. I had a starter Diamond Edge my first year hunting then upgraded to the Hoyt. I can't even begin to tell you the difference I felt once I made the upgrade. I wouldn't have known any different had I not started with the entry level bow, so just like the others recommended, make sure she gets her hands on a few before making a decision based on pink accessories alone.


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## KSGirl (Jan 6, 2010)

I completely agree with previous posts, let the bow choose her. I have a Mathews Passion right now and have loved shooting it the past three years. I just ordered a Jewel a few weeks ago and can't wait for it to arrive. My daughter went with a Hoyt Vixcen and she LOVES it, but it didn't feel right to me and she says the same about my Passion.  So glad to hear about another female archer in the making! Be sure to post pics of her bow when she gets all set up.


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## jonell (Feb 14, 2012)

I am glad that you are including her in the process. Have the shop set up every bow they have that will fit her and let her shoot. She will feel the difference and will know when she pulls back the right bow. Make sure they do an eye dominance test on her. I am right-handed left-eye dominant. My husband ordered my first bow (a right handed Mathews Passion). I shot it for a year and ended up with headaches and eye strain. Don't assume!


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## cxturkeyslayer (Feb 28, 2006)

I just got my new bow set up! A G5 Prime Defy and I love it but I've been shooting for years. I've never actually owned a "women's" bow, I make them my own bow! I would go to a shop that's got a plethora of equipment, not just bows. sights, releases, rests, ect to scan over, check out and most of all shoot! Recommendations are always nice but it's just a place to start. Good luck!


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## Lhoug (Sep 19, 2013)

You should have her try out a few bows to see what she likes. I am a bit more limited and started out with a Mission craze(now I have a Jewel). That might be a good option for your daughter as it is highly adjustable and great if she is still growing. It also has several color options. For instance pink or green zebra stripes if that is important .


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## Lhoug (Sep 19, 2013)

To add to that the Mission Craze is very smooth and quiet. It's easy to shoot and is pretty accurate


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## FredandKaren (Aug 12, 2012)

Perhaps you might want to go to local shops that have used bows for sale. Some can be very expensive and if she isn't in to it that is a lot of wasted money! She may not realize what she really likes until after she has 1! I started out with a kids/womens bow that I bought used. I only wanted it for target shooting. Well that lasted a year until i wanted to go hunting! I got in to it more than I had ever imagined!! Now I have a Bowtech Heartbreaker and love it!
I totally agree with Jonell!! I am left handed and right eye dominant and had shot a gun for years. Nobody ever realized I was leaning across the barrell to aim. So I assumed I needed a left handed bow. The guy at the bow shop helped me realize! So I shoot right handed now!
Good luck!!


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## recurveman (May 27, 2008)

The G5 Bliss is a great bow and very smooth. Its been rated high too on its shooting velocity. Its an under rated bow in my book. If she pulls 27 the Bliss goes that far. If she would pull 28 then get a 2012 Torch NIB it goes to 28" but still basically the same bow.


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## Camochicka (Jan 24, 2013)

Im 5'10" and I have adiamond razor edge. I loved it for beginning, but as I get more comfortable I wish I would of got a bigger bow. Mine is pink camo. I was holding my husbands bow and it seems to fit me better because it is bigger. He has a Matthews.


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## Angie.Keeler (May 9, 2012)

Mission just released a female bow called the FLARE today! I believe MSRP is at $499. To me it basically looks like the old Mathews Passion women's bow. Anyway it's supposed to be pretty smooth, and get over 300 fps. I think adjustability is between 24"-30" draw length, and 35-60 lbs. Definitely worth checking out! They've even got a sparkly pink version!


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## bassmasteraj (Jan 5, 2013)

Just got my new bow, a bowtech assasin, 27 1/2" draw length, 46 lbs. I love it wish I would of got this one instead of a girls bow the first time. Your wife just needs to go to a shop and shoot them to see what is most comfortable for her.


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## Camochicka (Jan 24, 2013)

Sorry I was under my husbands login.


bassmasteraj said:


> Just got my new bow, a bowtech assasin, 27 1/2" draw length, 46 lbs. I love it wish I would of got this one instead of a girls bow the first time. Your wife just needs to go to a shop and shoot them to see what is most comfortable for her.


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## weave (Oct 17, 2002)

I just got my wife a Strother HOPE and she loves it. Is is fast and quiet


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## minnie3 (Jul 28, 2009)

maybe consider the affordable samick takedown light recurve option.
simple, fun and go from there, if there is interest.


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## ttate (Jan 31, 2011)

minnie3 said:


> maybe consider the affordable samick takedown light recurve option.
> simple, fun and go from there, if there is interest.


If I would have been given a recurve for my first bow I'd never be shooting today lol....I'm just not that good.....


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## threetoe (May 13, 2011)

Fury90flier said:


> Diamond infinite edge


This is the way to go for a FIRST Compound Bow.

Why you ask?

This bow adjusts from 5-70 pounds draw weight and from 13"-30" without a bow vice.

Lets look at the time line of a new shooter...
She will increase in draw weight rather quickly as she learns and exercises the specific muscles needed to draw a bow. 
She will NOT be able to draw the weight that she will end up with - right away.

If you buy a 30-40 lb bow she may not even be able to draw 29 at first.(that's about the minimum for a 30-40 LB bow)
If she can't draw it, what's the use?

You can buy one for less than HALF the price of the Jewel and see if she really likes this sport. Then she can get one in a few years. 
The Edge has a respectable IBO of 310. (My girl is drawing 24.5" and 40 pounds and getting almost 240 FPS !)
My Sweet Heart started at 26 pounds and the EDGE has grown with her.

My Doll still wants a Jewel and some day she will have one. By then she will know her needs and can buy one within her specifications. 

The EDGE is a real nice bow.

After my Angel Girl retires her Infinite Edge, I'll IMMEDIATELY have a cool back-Up bow that I can use to introduce others to the sport.
I'll have a nice bow that will fit ANYONE for use as a backup in the camp!.

I say.

Diamond Infinite Edge.


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## Robin_The _Hood (Apr 12, 2013)

The diamond edge is what me & my boyfriend both got for our first bows, because they are so adjustable.


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## katielynn13 (May 7, 2013)

The Matthews mission line just came out with a new model called the Flare...our local shop got one in and I shot it (because it was the pink sparkle version and couldn't resist thanks to my addiction to anything pink) and I was beyond impressed with how smooth the draw was and how nice it shot! I had all 4 arrows touching in the bullseye without even using a peep..I can't even do that with my hoyt that has a peep half the time! They have a camo version, a black version, a pink sparkle, and a few more supposively being released this winter. An extremely reasonable price too!


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## deadeye 12 (Mar 6, 2012)

Im in the same boat.... I was out practicing last night and my wife walked out and said "hey let me shoot that thing." Lol well at first I thaught she was kidding but now I know she wasnt. I knew there was no way she could shoot my hoyt spyder set at 70# so I told her I had a older bow in the shed I would get out and let her try. Well I got it out and set it up and she loves shooting. Never missed the target and went out to 40 yds. I was impressed. Shes never picked up a bow. Now im also wondering, she is left handed but cant even begin to draw with her left hand. So im guessing she will need right hand? Or could the bow be set to high? But her b-day is next week and none of the shops here have any womens bows or low poundage bows in stock. We only have 2 or 3 shops and their pretty small.Needing some help there since I cant take her to pick one out. I want it to be a comfortable, steady, and a really smooth drawing bow. She likes the jewel but is pretty open minded the only thing she said was she will not get a camo. "It has to be black or pink." All help appreciated. Im excited to have a new archery partner.


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## weave (Oct 17, 2002)

My wife's HOPE. Only thing different now as I put a DCA stabilizer on instead of the Bowjax one.

This thing is as fast as most men's bows. I was blown away by the performance of this bow.


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## Kellg79 (Oct 22, 2013)

Well this isn't a bow but the champ made by TRU Ball would fit very well






http://truball.com/Assassin.html


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## Stubby'smom (Mar 20, 2010)

MN_Chick said:


> It's impossible to guess what bow is best for another person. All of them are good bows. The only way to know is to take her to the shop and let her shoot as many of them as she can.
> 
> If she's got a 27" draw, then there is no reason to limit her to women's bows. As long as she can comfortably draw them, her options are wide open.
> 
> ...


Couldn't agree more!


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## Stubby'smom (Mar 20, 2010)

deadeye 12 said:


> Im in the same boat.... I was out practicing last night and my wife walked out and said "hey let me shoot that thing." Lol well at first I thaught she was kidding but now I know she wasnt. I knew there was no way she could shoot my hoyt spyder set at 70# so I told her I had a older bow in the shed I would get out and let her try. Well I got it out and set it up and she loves shooting. Never missed the target and went out to 40 yds. I was impressed. Shes never picked up a bow. Now im also wondering, she is left handed but cant even begin to draw with her left hand. So im guessing she will need right hand? Or could the bow be set to high? But her b-day is next week and none of the shops here have any womens bows or low poundage bows in stock. We only have 2 or 3 shops and their pretty small.Needing some help there since I cant take her to pick one out. I want it to be a comfortable, steady, and a really smooth drawing bow. She likes the jewel but is pretty open minded the only thing she said was she will not get a camo. "It has to be black or pink." All help appreciated. Im excited to have a new archery partner.


I have no idea how far you are from x-force girl on here but she has a shop in va and I am sure they carry bows for ladies. You should be able to find her on at with the huntin shak or bling sling


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## ttate (Jan 31, 2011)

deadeye 12 said:


> Im in the same boat.... I was out practicing last night and my wife walked out and said "hey let me shoot that thing." Lol well at first I thaught she was kidding but now I know she wasnt. I knew there was no way she could shoot my hoyt spyder set at 70# so I told her I had a older bow in the shed I would get out and let her try. Well I got it out and set it up and she loves shooting. Never missed the target and went out to 40 yds. I was impressed. Shes never picked up a bow. Now im also wondering, she is left handed but cant even begin to draw with her left hand. So im guessing she will need right hand? Or could the bow be set to high? But her b-day is next week and none of the shops here have any womens bows or low poundage bows in stock. We only have 2 or 3 shops and their pretty small.Needing some help there since I cant take her to pick one out. I want it to be a comfortable, steady, and a really smooth drawing bow. She likes the jewel but is pretty open minded the only thing she said was she will not get a camo. "It has to be black or pink." All help appreciated. Im excited to have a new archery partner.


Well good for you...I am so impressed that you encouraged her the way you did. Since my husband and I have been shooting together we have had so much fun this last couple years hunting together and last year was our 1st 3-D Season and we had a blast. Our daughter who is 16 also got into it with us. It is something you can do as a family that everyone is all the same so to speak. As far as bows there are alot out there. Lots of women like the heartbreaker by bowtech. I have shot it and it is a good bow for the price and you can def get it in black or pink. Good luck to you and your wife and welcome her to the sport from me....Happy shooting....


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## GigiSO (Nov 10, 2013)

I'm really grateful for having found this thread. I've been shooting an entry level Samick take down recurve for about a year and I absolutely love it, but I'm interested in trying a compound bow. I strictly do target shooting and personally have no interest in hunting. I'm wondering how that might influence recommendations?


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## ttate (Jan 31, 2011)

For target shooting I would def look into a bit longer ATA. I am shooting a Vicxen right now that is 33 inch ATA. I am thinking of getting the Carbon Spyder 34... Longer ATA is more forgiving and stable. I also have a 10 inch beestinger with 8 oz on the end stabilizer to hold more steady.


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## I_Fortuna (Nov 20, 2013)

I agree with ttate. I think it would be better to start with a recurve or longbow. These bows are the ones that foster the love of archery. It also depends on if you are only going to shoot targets or for hunting as well. I believe in starting small (pound wise) and working my way up. This gives the muscles a chance to develop more gradually. Hubby just bought me a vintage longbow and I can't wait to shoot it. I also have 2 compound bows that I love.


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## bowcrazey1 (Nov 12, 2013)

The Bowtech Heartbreaker would probably work for her. That's what I shoot, and it's amazing. Or the Bowtech Assassin is basically the same bow, but longer draw ranges. As a woman in archery I hope you can get her goin strong!!!


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## MissStalker (Nov 28, 2013)

1) let her pick out her own bow.
2) if you buy her a bow, will she shoot it?
3) see if your local range will start a couple's league 
Getting the right equipment is only the start, find fun things to do with shooting & she will get hooked. Just target practice in the backyard might get dull after a while, but friendly competition & fellowship with other couples (or just women) at the range and/or in the woods will always be a fun time.


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## JStarr11711 (Oct 4, 2013)

plutoviola said:


> And have fun! I wish my wife was interested in archery....


Think again. lol Since I got my wife into archery, I've got 3 times the archery bills!Nah, I love it! My wife, my son, and I all shoot our bows daily. It's alright with me though. That woman is a shooter, for sure and I love how competitive we all get! My son is getting there. We're a Mathews family.. Z7Xtreme Lost Camo, Heli-M Tactical, Jewel Lost Camo, Passion Black, and Totally Lost Creed. Not that other makers are bad. We have a Hoyt Spyder, ViperTec, Vixcen, and PSE Stinger that we shoot for bowfishing. Hoyt Spyder is my elk/turkey bow.


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## Pete53 (Dec 5, 2011)

as a husband i always wanted my wife to be an archer but she never wanted to much. if i was you i would try to find a good used bow with draw weight of either 30-40 lb or 40-50 pound, bow actual weight that`s not to heavy,and get a bow either used or new that is easy to adjust from 24 inch draw length to at least 28 in. if the bow will do more draw length adjustment that`s even better.for her first bow i would not over spend yet but once you know she likes archery then buy her want she wants spare no expense she`s your wife ! as we say in my house don`t mess with the cook ! good luck hope it works out,Pete53


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## ttate (Jan 31, 2011)

JStarr11711 said:


> Think again. lol Since I got my wife into archery, I've got 3 times the archery bills!Nah, I love it! My wife, my son, and I all shoot our bows daily. It's alright with me though. That woman is a shooter, for sure and I love how competitive we all get! My son is getting there. We're a Mathews family.. Z7Xtreme Lost Camo, Heli-M Tactical, Jewel Lost Camo, Passion Black, and Totally Lost Creed. Not that other makers are bad. We have a Hoyt Spyder, ViperTec, Vixcen, and PSE Stinger that we shoot for bowfishing. Hoyt Spyder is my elk/turkey bow.


Isn't it just grand....We have the same problem in our house. Husband, Myself and our Daughter all shoot. We are a Hoyt Family... We have a CRX 35 for the hubby I have a Vixcen and the daughter a Charger...I am looking to upgrade to the Carbon Spyder as well as the hubby so year we got some dough wrapped up in it, but we love our time together so it is worth every penny.


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