Northdraw
Buying your first hunting bow comes down to four numbers and one honest question: will you shoot it enough to get good with it? Here is how to read the numbers, and how to choose without overspending.
1. Draw length: the number that matters most
Draw length is how far you pull the string back, measured in inches. It depends on your body, not on the bow. Too long and the string slaps your forearm and your anchor point moves around. Too short and you feel cramped, and your form suffers. To find a starting point, measure your wingspan from middle fingertip to middle fingertip with your arms straight out, and divide by 2.5. A 70-inch wingspan gives a 28-inch draw length. Our calculator does it for you and shows which bows cover your number. Every bow on this page adjusts across a range of draw lengths. Pick one whose range puts your number comfortably inside, not at the very edge. If it doesn't feel right when the bow arrives, we exchange it within 30 days.
2. Draw weight: start where you can hold, hunt where your state requires
Draw weight is the force needed to pull the string, in pounds. More weight means more energy in the arrow, but only if you can draw smoothly and hold steady. A good test: you should be able to draw without lifting the bow over your head and hold at full draw for 20 to 30 seconds without shaking. Many states set a minimum draw weight for deer and other big game; others do not. Rules change, so check your state wildlife agency before the season. That is why adjustable bows make sense for a first bow. The Ridge goes from 20 to 70 lb, the Summit, Ridge Pro and Ridge Speed from 30 to 70 lb. Start lower to build good form, then turn the weight up as you get stronger.
3. Let-off: how much weight you hold at full draw
A compound bow uses cams to reduce the weight you hold once the string is fully back. That reduction is the let-off. With an 80% let-off on a 60 lb setting, you hold about 12 lb at full draw. That's what lets you wait for a deer to step clear of a branch without shaking. The Summit and Ridge Pro offer 80% let-off, the Trail 70%.
4. Speed: useful, but not the first thing to buy
Bows are rated in feet per second (fps) under a standard test. A faster arrow drops less over distance, which forgives small errors in judging range. Our bows are rated from 300 fps (Trail) to 340 fps (Ridge Speed). Your real speed will be lower than the rating if your draw length is shorter, your draw weight lower or your arrows heavier, and that is normal. For whitetail at typical bow distances, accuracy and a quiet shot matter more than the last 20 fps.
5. Axle to axle and brace height: how the bow handles
Axle-to-axle length is the distance between the two cam axles. Shorter bows (30 inches) are easier to move in a treestand or ground blind; longer bows (32 to 34 inches) tend to feel steadier at full draw. Brace height is the distance from the grip to the string at rest. A higher brace height (7 inches and above) is generally more forgiving of small form errors.
6. Ready to hunt or bow only?
A ready-to-hunt (RTH) bow comes with the accessories you need: sight, arrow rest, stabilizer, peep sight, D-loop and often a quiver and a release aid. It's the simplest way to start, and it saves you from buying parts that don't fit. The Ridge ships ready to hunt; the Summit can be ordered with a Ready-to-Hunt Package. A bow only makes sense if you already own accessories you like, or want to build your own setup.
7. What else you need before the season
- Arrows matched to your draw weight and length (spine). See our arrows.
- Broadheads for hunting and field points for practice, ideally the same weight so your sight stays on. See broadheads.
- A release aid if your bow doesn't include one.
- A target to practice at home, and a case to carry the bow.
The Deer Season Pack groups the Ridge with arrows, broadheads and a case.
8. Our picks
- First bow, hunting this year: Ridge Ready-to-Hunt ($289) or the Deer Season Pack ($399).
- Steadiest hold: Summit, 80% let-off ($399, or $449 with the Ready-to-Hunt Package).
- Light for the treestand: Ridge Pro, 3.5 lb ($309).
- Fastest: Ridge Speed, 340 fps rated ($329).
- Tall archers: Summit or Ridge Speed, up to 31 inches of draw length.
- Left-handed: Ridge, Trail kit or Target Pro.
9. Safety before the first arrow
Never dry-fire a bow. Check the string and cables before each session, use arrows matched to your bow, and practice with a safe backstop. Hunting rules belong to your state: read them, and take the hunter education course your state requires.
