2.  Recurve or compound?

 Once you have decided a good budget you then have to decide whether to buy a recurve or compound. Recurve bows  cost less but require more skill and are typically used by experienced archers. Compound bows, on the other hand are much quicker to learn and e easier to operate all around.
http://s2.hubimg.com/u/7145083_f520.jpg

As you can see in the picture to the left there is a great diference between the two visibly. Compound bows are shorter and easier to carry in any sort of situation. The bow is more manageable when shooting from obstructed areas such as from a tree or in the brush. A compound bows cams can be adjusted, therefore changing the force needed to draw it back. For example, new archers will often use a softer cam, while a professional or more experienced archer will use a harder came, therefore causing more speed. The advantages of the compound bow over recurve bows has caused it's ever increasingly popularity.