"3. How long is it going to take for me to get absolutely addicted and buying new accessories and eventually a new bow?"

 I give this current obsession about two days

Before you pick broad heads, you will need to learn to shoot!

!st.  Don't buy the bow on the internet.  Go to the local archery shop.  Ask their advise.  Try lots of bows.  Look at used equipment.  Listen lots and ask only 4 questions (I know that will be tough).  Don't buy anything the first trip to the shop.  Think on it and ask us any follow-up questions. 

Ultmately you need to buy a bow that "feel" good to you after having shot a little.

I know you could save a few bucks by purchasing on the internet.  But the pro shop will then charge you to adjust the bow you bought from thei competition.  Give the guys at the pro shop your money....they are going to help you, and deserve it.  Also if you buy from them and you want to change, most shops will let you trade-up at a reasonable price.

I don't know how big you are but the 50/60# class compound bow may not be right for you.

Like we always say with rifles:  "The velocity doesn't matter, accuracy does".  It is even more important with bows......the best bow is the one that groups best for you.  Arrow velocity is greatly over rated.  The deer I killed last friday night didn't know the arrow speed.  A 1 1/4 inch broadhead just went thru her heart.  300 fps or 225 fps it didn't matter.

Just thoughts, be glad to help as you get started.

BEAR

 I'm finding that a treestand is every bit as important as a bow in these parts.

Just heed the above advice and I think you'll be fine.

Hunting bows, to me, are pretty much all the same.  If I were looking to buy new I'd look for somethign fast, short (especially for stand hunting) and light weight.

As you noted it's been 6 years since you started your bow quest. If you include the six years prior to that to today the bow race for speed has increased over 100 fps. What do we now have over the indiginus American Indians? Straight arrows for one, that are all nearly the same. Is a new expandable broadhead that much better than a nicely napped piece of chirt? No, both make you bleed alot.

I have two bows that can be cranked to 70#+ but I have them both at 45#. I know my ranges just like the Indians.

Look on a box of .22LR. They say "Dangerous to 1 1/2 miles" You rarely ever hear of people shooting a bow at a deer at over 50 yds.

The question I pose to you is: Would you rather stand tied to a post 150 yds away and have someone shoot a single .22 lr at you or a 100gr broad head launched at 300fps at the same range?

Both can kill you. I have my choice.

(it's not the  arrow)

DD

Lots of good advise DD.

I've been archery hunting close to 50 years now, and killed deer with long bow, semi-recurve, recurve, compound and crossbows.

Like many sports (contrary to what we think), equipment is very secondary in importance.  Practice, practice are really the main thing.  and the only thing that will make you a sucessful archer.

Too many archery hunters these days that just can't shoot, and they wound a ton of deer.  I find a few rotting archery kills every year.

When you start breaking arrows by hitting one on a susequent shot (maybe even a Robin Hood), then you will be ready.  It is easy to talk equipment, but don't believe anything is going to make you a good shot except practice.

Few people today can golf like A. Palmer did in 1960!  If I took the golf club he used in 1960 to a golf course, without people knowing it they would say it was impossible to shoot a decent round of golf with those clubs.  Except for safety, equipment doesn't matter.

Try to watch some film on 'Uncle' Fred Bear or Howard Hill shooting the 1950s equipment!

I don't want to cut into your bow practice.  But this is the most fantastic time of the year if you are a bow hunter...Do you pre-season scouting now.

Sure the snow and cold changes deer patterns.  but you can locate large herd areas. and you will find that deer walk in the same pathways  any time they are in a given area...familiar steps.  so even though the deer may be spending time now in the bottoms, out of the cold, when they do occasionally go along a ridge, they will be in their old tracks.

I never stop scouting deer, year round, but the snow prints are just fantastic to study.  You can see precisely where deer enter and leave thickets.

Too many archery hunters these days that just can't shoot, and they wound a ton of deer.  I find a few rotting archery kills every year.

 A lot of the rotting archery kills are also taking shots they shouldn't take. wrong angle, but they get excited to get one close enough for a shot that they take it when they should wait for a better shot.

yep, that is right NH.

I've seen hunters stop on a hard road and shoot a dozen arrow trying to hit a herd of deer that were 200+ yards back in a field.  just irresponsible.

But the most wounds are from people that can't shoot and they gut shoot deer at reasonable ranges.  I strongly favor range tests for all archers.  compound bows really brought the level of competency down from the 'olde days'.  Funny thing is that the compound weenies are now against crossbows as being too easy/sissy.  Seeing the sport over 50 years, I'd outlaw compounds and legalize x-bows.  Just my opinion.