Want to give bow hunting a try so what's a good starter bow that won't break the bank but will do the job?

Define:break the bank

$400-$500

And cheaper than that if possible.

Best advice I can tell you is to click on the link for "shops & ranges. Find your local pro shop, walk up to the counter, look the guy behind it in the eyes, say these exact words ( I have never hunted with a bow, I have no idea what the heck I'm doing, my budget is $___ , help?

99% of pro shops I've ever been in have a wealth of knowledge and experience and they do what they do because they love the sport and want to help others succeeded. Alot of shops even have a short indoor range and will let you shoot a few different bows to find what is the most fun/comfortable to shoot.

good luck to you and have fun with your new addiction!

Used.

There are some good packages in that range. Pse, bear and diamond all have something as well as others. Go shoot some and see what you like. I started with a Martin Bengal and killed deer just fine with it. That now was way more accurate than I was. I've since upgraded but I had a chance to cut my teeth and figure out what I wanted in a bow setup. Resist the urge to be up sold, especially if you are just starting out.

Here's a few
diamond

PSE

Bear

These packages include everything you need. You could piece it together but the choices can be migraine inducing. A package like one of these would allow you to see what you like and upgrade as you want down the road.

I have a Diamond Edge full package Id let go for @ 250.

There are a lot of good used bows out there- the classifieds section of TexasBowhuter.com has always got some for sale. The first thing you need to do is find out what your draw length is. Buy a new bow and they will fit it to your draw length. Buying a used bow you will need to know your draw length. There are lots of folks that have to have the newest, latest, and greatest bow every year so you can get some good deals on already rigged out bows that will only be a year or two old.

I really appreciate all the info guys. It'll help me out a lot.

On the subject of draw length...go find a Pro Shop or ex-competition shooter turned PRO SHOP guy to help determine your draw length...DO NOT go to sales store (employees may or may not know the correct way to determine draw length)...When I started, I had several different folks tell me my draw length (sales store types) and I could shoot, but not great...years later, when I went to a Pro Shop and told them my draw length, they insisted on taking through the process again...when they set me up with a bow in the correct draw length, it was like someone turned the lights on...and I could shoot lights out! Just saying, go to a PRO SHOP to determine your draw length...then go buy whatever setup you can hit with consistently...

this is pretty darn good advice! Alvarado Archery has several used bows and carry Bowtech and Mission by Mathews. They both makes several that will fit you and your budget, Ask for Steve Ken or Randy