The first thing to consider with new bows is accuracy. Most mid-priced bows have as many bells and whistles as their high-end cousins; they just cost less. In today's highly competitive bow market, poorly made bows don't survive. As you head to your favorite archery retailer to check out the latest and greatest archery gear, realize that the probability of finding a bow with everything you need in the price range you can afford is good.

Accuracy is vital because -- regardless of how fast your bow is -- if you can't hit the broadside of a barn, you won't harvest anything. An accurate bow is one with a long brace height. Extremely fast bows usually have a brace height in the 6-inch range. If you are an accomplished archer, a 6-inch brace height may be all you need. If you are an average shooter, a longer brace height in the 7-inch range is a good choice. The longer the brace height, the more accurate and forgiving a bow will be. If you aren't as steady as you used to be or not as accurate as you would like to be, a long brace height is a must. Most competitive archers shoot bows with at least a 7-inch brace height. Some professional archers shoot bows with a brace height that is 8-inches or more.

When choosing a bow, you need to know which features you need and which ones you can live without. Most hunters want a bow that is as quiet and shock-free as possible. A quiet bow makes harvesting game easier. Deer are notorious for jumping the string. Since bows are quieter and faster than they used to be, not as many deer know an arrow is coming until it is too late. A quiet, shock-free bow is a smooth-shooting bow. The smoother your bow shoots, the more accurate you will be.

The weight of the bow is another thing to consider. If you hunt out West, where packing a bow in on your back for miles each day makes every ounce count, having an extremely lightweight bow is very important. If most of your hunting is done in a treestand within a mile of your car, it isn't as important. Most bows weigh between 3.5 and 5.5 pounds. If you fall into the first category, it may be worth paying a few extra dollars for a lighter bow. If you fall into the second category, a heavier, less-expensive bow may be more of what you are looking for.

Pay close attention to the type of cam system a bow has and consider what type of system you want to shoot. (This means you'll need to shoot a few for comparison.) A few years ago, the favorite among most bowhunters was the single-cam bow. Single-cam bows are usually easier to tune than other cam configurations and are just as fast too. In the last few years, cam-and-a-1/2 systems and binary cam systems have become very popular. All three options are fast and fairly easy to tune. Often the deciding factor will be which one feels best to you.

The last thing to consider is speed. Speed is important, but unless I'm shooting at mule deer and antelope at long distances, where an extremely fast arrow can make the difference if I misjudge the distance to an animal, I don't pay much attention to the IBO speed of a bow. In a hunting situation, almost any bow with an arrow that isn't too heavy will put most big game animals down at forty yards or less. If you enjoy taking long shots, faster bows are available to accommodate your need for speed. Some bows can send arrows sailing at over 340 fps. If you like speed and have the money, you have plenty of options.

Bear Archery Lights Out Compound Bow

Another option is choosing a bow package. Some bow companies sell their bows with a sight, rest and quiver all ready to shoot at a price that is less expensive than if you bought each item individually. If you want to save a dollar or two, this is a great option.

Below are three bows that are perfect for archers on a budget who are looking for a great shooting bow that is accurate, light and moderately fast. All three bows are available from Bass Pro Shops.

Bear Archery Lights Out Compound Bow

The most talked about feature of Bear Archery's Lights Out Compound Bow is the price. Priced under $400, it is one of the most reasonably priced bows on the market today.

The shortest and lightest high-performance compound bow Bear Archery offers today, this bow's performance starts with Bear's patented compression molded Flare Quad limbs. This special limb design provides durability, smooth energy release and equal stress distribution to efficiently and quietly deliver the arrow to the mark. Noise and vibration are reduced by Bear's improved string suppressor and aluminum pivoting limb cups. The two-piece synthetic grip reduces vibration even further and provides the warmest grip available for cold-weather hunting. Superior forgiveness and accuracy are delivered by the 8.75' brace and minimum reflex machined aluminum riser.

RedHead Toxik Compound Bow

The Lights Out delivers great arrow speed (up to 300 fps). Designed for a smooth, quiet draw and powerful release, the single-cam rotates quietly on a sealed stainless steel bearing and reduces cable friction with its asymmetric power track for better performance and longer cable life. Realtree APG HD finish. Axle-to-axle length: 30'. Bow weight: 3.7 lbs.

RedHead Toxik Compound Bow

The Toxik Compound Bow from RedHead sports a Parallel limb design featuring Vertical Force Technology that virtually eliminates hand shock and recoil plus a 4-inch idler wheel and aggressive single cam for sizzling top speeds. Adjusts from 25" to 30" in 1" increments -- maintaining 80% let-off at each increment to ensure a stable, comfortable fit -- all without a bow press. Moderate axle-to-axle length and brace height create extra forgiveness. Two-piece wood grip is specially engineered to reduce hand torque. Tough machined-aluminum riser, pivoting limb pockets. Easy to tune for a precise fit. Color: Realtree Hardwoods Green HD. IBO Speed: 311 fps. Weight: 3.9 lbs.  
 

Diamond by BowTech Rock Compound Bow Package

You get a lot of bang for your buck with the Rock Compound Bow Package. Diamond's bow packages have factory-installed accessories, plus they're tuned, test-fired and ready to shoot. This package includes a three-pin fiber-optic sight, Hostage Capture arrow rest, four-arrow quiver, braided sling and peep sight.

Extremely mobile with a short axle-to-axle length makes the Rock perfect for any bowhunting location, whether in open space or in a tight stand or blind. With shorter draw lengths that start at 26' and adjustable draw-stop and let-off ranges, the Rock ensures a perfect fit.

Expect stunning arrow speed thanks to the newly engineered 65-80% let-off single-cam system from the single cam experts at BowTech. Parallel Limbs and the single-cam system deliver an extremely smooth draw. Machined-aluminum riser and one-piece rubber grip. Brace height: 7". Axle-to-axle length: 31-9/16". Color: Realtree Hardwoods HD.