I find it tough to understand why more gun people don't play archery.
When I do an off the cuff, cost benefit analysis of guns compared to archery, bow and arrow beats rifles, hand guns, and shot guns--even beats a .22 over the long run. If I don't hit my arrows with other arrows, then I can shoot each arrow, it appears, hundreds of times before I have to get another arrow. But it's likely that I'll just have some of my scuffed up arrows re-fletched at my local archery store. All other things being equal, I should be able to shoot with the arrows I have for years and years.
I can't beat the cost of archery at all. The recurve I'm shooting now, a Ben Pearson Cougar at about 50 pounds, cost me $30 at a local gun show. The rubber fletched, carbon arrows cost about six bucks each at my the local archery store. My bag is recycled shrink wrap bagged at the local feed store for $5. Target is an orange juice jug. I shoot in my back yard, so there is no gas and no range fees.
I get the same buzz shooting arrows I get from shooting guns. But I must say, I spend more time at a gun range session than I do shooting archery, so the gun buzz from a good, aimed fire session lasts longer and is some how deeper.
But I get great exercise from archery, so I'd like to encourage folks, even apartment dwellers, to take it up. A ten foot indoor archery shot feels the same to my back as a 70 yard shot in the woods.
If you spot a bow at a gun show, I'd suggest you snag it and work out the rest later.
CDFingers