Got the itch.. Finally gonna get me a bow. Having never owned a compound bow can you all give some advice on what to look for? Thanks in advance. Looking at Mathews right now.

Start with this thread
http://www.aldeer.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1185258#Post1185258

There is a lot of good information. What feels great to me can be different with others. Go to a quality and local pro shop.

Proper draw lenght is very important

Great advise already. I guess i would add that once you get your bow just get use to it and shoot the same everytime. I never remove the quiver i just got use to it. Just saying make it yours and enjoy. Good luck

Don't worry about brand. Go shoot everyone you can at the local dealer and pick the one that fits you best. I walked in ready to buy and Mathews and left with a hoyt.... Haven't regretted it at all.

Go shoot as many brands and styles as you can at multiple dealers before you buy. Everybody has a different preference for the way they shoot and feel. For example, I like the way short axle to axle bows shoot and feel. I also don't like the draw cycle of most dual cams. These are my preferences but most people would call me crazy. When you shoot enough of them you'll realize that you favor certain characteristics and then you can narrow your search.

Don't buy into the hype about brands and this technology or that. That's just NASCAR Ford vs. Chevy talk. They are all good bows, they all shoot fast, all are accurate. I've never shot "bad" one. Buy the one that feels right.

Also, look into joining the BHA. They have casual shoots every weekend where you will learn a ton from the members and it's a lot of fun while waiting for bow season to come back around.

And poundage. Find someone that will set you straight on those two aspects and you're in the ballpark.

Thank you for all the great info! I'm looking for a nice used bow really. Anyone know of a place that has some?

You really need to get measured first. Archerytalk.com classifieds will have a lot to choose from, but it is imperative to know your draw length and comfortable poundage. Some manufactures make bows with adjustable draw lengths and some have to replace cams and replacing a can with cost money. You can also post a WTB in classifieds here.
All of today's bows are fast, quiet and will kill deer. Marketing does not kill deer and a bow does not have to shoot 300+ fps to get it done either.

Thank you! I'll have to find somewhere to get measured and see what .lbs I like. 60-70 seems like the norm.. but that (to me) would seem really hard to pull back.

I was in your boat last year. I started with a friend's bow to get a feel, it was close to acceptable length and poundage so I ordered one similar. I took it to a bow shop to get assistance with setting it up correctly for me. You'll find that many of the archery shops are more than willing to assist you in any way possible so don't be afraid to stop in and ask questions.
One thing I did that I'm not sure whether I regret was ordering a "beginner" bow rather than jumping into top of the line bows. Since I had never bow hunted before I wasn't sure I would like it and didn't want a $800+ reminder of my failure. I started with a Bear Encounter "ready to hunt package" that I picked up at a very reasonable price from Cabela's. Its been great but now I am fully enthralled with bow hunting and want to upgrade to a nicer bow.

IMO its an insanely different rush than rifle hunting; I love it

Awesome! Thank you! I've measured 68" across and divide that by 2.5 and it comes to 27.2. The bow I'm looking at used is set to 27.5 DL and 60# DW. I went and shot a 28DL and 60#DW and it felt pretty good I guess. Being a newb I don't know the difference. Should I go with the 27.5 or 28?

27.5 probably. Your release and or d-loop can take up .5-1" of draw length causing you to want a bow just shorter than your bodies draw length. Hope that's understandable.

It is!! I think 27DL is where I need to be..

That gets my vote

A 27" draw length may be right for that bow but keep in mind that your draw length may be slightly different for other bows due to the brace height, hand position, cam style and size, etc. Your draw length from a measurable standpoint on paper is what it is. However, from a bow spec standpoint this can vary slightly. For example, my draw length from a bow spec standpoint is between 28-29" depending on the model of bow. In other words, if you shoot two completely different bows with the same draw length, they may not necessarily feel the same or allow you to use the exact same anchor point.