Where do I start?

Lots of questions need to be answered. A few to get the ball rolling:

Are you new to hunting, or are you a seasoned rifle hunter?

Do you want to get into traditional archery, or hunt with a compound?

What kind of budget do you have?

Most name brand name bows are perfectly functional for hunting, you certainly don't need to spend a pile of money and get a tricked out Mathews for your first bow. But hey if you have the financial means maybe you would.

Im a seasoned rifle hunter.

I have not tried either one. traditional archery, or hunt with a compound
which would be easier for a girl?

I would probably spend up to $500. It all depends.

Best suggestion I would have is get yourself to a reputable archery pro-shop and ask all the questions you can. Tell them what your expectations are and what your limit is. They should be able to set you up and get you started.

AntlersOutWest

Was in your same 'boat' about 3-4 years ago, I ended up getting a Martin Tracer Magnum from this company online.

http://www.huntersfriend.com/

It was a package deal, they set it all up and even shots several arrows to get the accuracy close.

I was and still am real happy with their service and my bow.

Make sure you get the correct draw length, very imortant IMO.

I did tons of research online and went to a couple of SHOPS as already suggested. Find one you like and that feels comfortable to you.

I had about your same budget also.

I'd go with a compound for starters, but that's just me. :)

good luck!

Thanks for all your info.

As far as compound vs traditional, there are probably advantages to starting with either from a shooting form perspective. However if you want to actually hunt, a recurve/longbow will severely limit the range.