Former Marine and recurve archer from Washington State, writing plain, practical advice for new archers and crossbow hunters.
- Shooting since
- 2024
- Home range
- Washington
- Current bow
- Sanlida Royal X8, 45 lb
About Country Bow
Country Bow is straight archery advice for people just starting out: what to buy, how to shoot and what to skip, from my own shooting where it’s my gear and from research that says so where it isn’t.
// Why Country Bow
Straight talk, for beginners.
After four years as a Marine machine gunner, firearms were second nature, but I wanted something I could practice anywhere, not just at a range. A backyard made it possible, so I bought a 45 lb recurve and thought I could figure it out without watching a single video. I could not. 😅 I burned my arm on the first shot and dry-fired the bow at the range. Country Bow exists so you skip those mistakes.
Three rules run the site: I review my own gear from my own shooting, I say when a guide is research, not my own shooting, and I write for the archer in their first month, not their tenth year.
And every guide takes a side. You get the route I’d pick and the reason why, not a list of every option.
Jedain Aaron · Founder// The story so far
- 2023Country Bow starts.The first crossbow guides go up.
- Jul 2024My first bow.A 45 lb Sanlida Royal X8. Three shots and I was done.
- 2026The new Country Bow.Calculators, a complete beginner’s guide and the free range log.
- nextA first bowhunt.A deer or a turkey, taken with my own bow.
// Our authors
Who writes for Country Bow
// FAQ
Questions I get a lot
Quick answers about me, the site, and how I test gear.
Are you a certified coach?
No. I’m a recreational archer who’s shot a traditional recurve since 2024 (and a former Marine, so I knew rifles long before bows). Where a topic needs a coach or a rulebook, I link to one.
Do brands send you free gear?
No. Gear I review from my own shooting I bought with my own money; researched guides say so at the top.
How does the site make money?
Affiliate links. If you buy through one, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes the verdict.
Have you been bowhunting yet?
Not yet. A deer or a turkey with my own bow is the goal. Hunting posts are researched, and say so.
What bow do you shoot?
A Sanlida Royal X8, a 60″ one-piece recurve at 45 lb. It was my first bow, and too heavy at the start: the first time, I got three shots in. I’d tell a beginner to start at 40 lb, or even 35.
Can I ask you a question?
Please do. Use the contact page. I read every email.
// Follow
Follow the ride on Instagram.
// Free printable
Get the range log I actually use.
Seventeen printable pages: session log, score tracker, a 30-day drill challenge, a bow maintenance card, a first-season checklist and more. Join the monthly email and it lands right away.
