Want to get into traditional
04-24-2003, 10:09 PM
#1
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,679
Want to get into traditional
Hey fellas. This is my first time on the traditional board. I am really thinking about getting into the traditional side of archery. I was wondering what your reccomendations would be for a first timer bow. I don' t want to pour too much money into it at first until I know that it' s for me. Also what pound bow would you guys reccomend. I am 6' 2" , 250#, pulling a 70 - 80# compound is no problem and I have a 30" draw. Any other tips and advise is appreciated. And yes I will seek out the instructions of a traditional pro shop in my area. Just wanted to get your opinions also.
Thanks,
Kerry
Thanks,
Kerry
04-24-2003, 10:18 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Arkansas USA
Posts: 26
RE: Want to get into traditional
Go to a traditional shoot. You' ll be hooked on traditional. Folks will let you shoot their bows. See what you like. Buy a cheap 45-50lb used bow ($75 or so). Check eBay. Play with it for a while, go to some more shoots, then you' ll know what feels right for you. Then you might want to get a more expensive bow...
However, don' t get overbowed!!!! 50lbs will kill any deer with NO problem... and is much more fun to shoot than 60lbs!!
I shot 80lbs for a while with wheels (Many years ago!!).... I' m wiser now... I killed my deer this past season pulling about 44lbs from a 35 year old recurve.
chad
However, don' t get overbowed!!!! 50lbs will kill any deer with NO problem... and is much more fun to shoot than 60lbs!!
I shot 80lbs for a while with wheels (Many years ago!!).... I' m wiser now... I killed my deer this past season pulling about 44lbs from a 35 year old recurve.
chad
04-25-2003, 07:28 AM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,175
RE: Want to get into traditional
I agree. Someone that has enough stuffin' s to draw 80 pounds on a compound should be able to get by with something in the 50 pound class for a first stickbow. Even so, it' s FAR better to start out too light in draw weight than it is to try starting out too heavy. It' s more important when starting out to get your form and technique down pat than it is to get raw power into the arrows. And, like GarMan said, 50 pounds is more than enough for deer.
It used to be standard practice that going to a recurve from a compound was the way to go, since recurve and compound grips were so similar. Actually, many of today' s compound grips are more similar to longbow grips, so I don' t think that old rule of thumb pans out any longer. Still, a recurve is a bit easier to shoot well than a longbow, since it' s more centershot. A non-centershot longbow is pretty critical on arrow spine. I' d recommend starting out with a recurve for that reason. Since you' re a fairly big feller, I' d say stick with bows that are AMO 60" or longer at first.
Check out the used bow market first. I was in the proshop the other day when a guy walked in with a no-name recurve he bought at a thrift store for $7. Added a $12 string, nock point and a rug rest and he was set up for flingin' arrows for less than $25. Old Pearson, Shakespeare and Wing recurves are often found in good shape for $50-75 and still shoot very well. Actually, any time you find a stickbow for less than a hundred bucks that is in good shape, it' s a bargain. That' s less than the cost of materials to make a bow.
Unlike compounds, there is very little that can go wrong with stickbows. The main thing to watch for are twisted limbs, delaminations in the glue, splits at the inside corners of the nocks and fractures in the glass. Even most beat up bows can usually be sanded down and refinished and look made to look like new again. Even twisted limbs can be cured, more often than not. I' ve revived many junker recurves over the years. The only fatal damage is delamination, transverse fractures in the glass. Split nocks can sometimes be repaired by adding limb tip overlays, back and belly, but you have to know how to do it yourself to be cost effective.
If you' re looking at buying new, I' d recommend either CheckMate or Martin' s Damon-Howatt bows. Bear, I feel, is a little pricey for what they make these days.
Check out the books ' Instinctive Shooting' I and/or II by G. Fred Asbell and ' Become the Arrow' by Byron Ferguson. Two totally different shooting techniques but lots of great info. You can either emulate one style or the other, or pick and choose elements of each style that work best for you.
Good luck, keep it simple and enjoy!
It used to be standard practice that going to a recurve from a compound was the way to go, since recurve and compound grips were so similar. Actually, many of today' s compound grips are more similar to longbow grips, so I don' t think that old rule of thumb pans out any longer. Still, a recurve is a bit easier to shoot well than a longbow, since it' s more centershot. A non-centershot longbow is pretty critical on arrow spine. I' d recommend starting out with a recurve for that reason. Since you' re a fairly big feller, I' d say stick with bows that are AMO 60" or longer at first.
Check out the used bow market first. I was in the proshop the other day when a guy walked in with a no-name recurve he bought at a thrift store for $7. Added a $12 string, nock point and a rug rest and he was set up for flingin' arrows for less than $25. Old Pearson, Shakespeare and Wing recurves are often found in good shape for $50-75 and still shoot very well. Actually, any time you find a stickbow for less than a hundred bucks that is in good shape, it' s a bargain. That' s less than the cost of materials to make a bow.
Unlike compounds, there is very little that can go wrong with stickbows. The main thing to watch for are twisted limbs, delaminations in the glue, splits at the inside corners of the nocks and fractures in the glass. Even most beat up bows can usually be sanded down and refinished and look made to look like new again. Even twisted limbs can be cured, more often than not. I' ve revived many junker recurves over the years. The only fatal damage is delamination, transverse fractures in the glass. Split nocks can sometimes be repaired by adding limb tip overlays, back and belly, but you have to know how to do it yourself to be cost effective.
If you' re looking at buying new, I' d recommend either CheckMate or Martin' s Damon-Howatt bows. Bear, I feel, is a little pricey for what they make these days.
Check out the books ' Instinctive Shooting' I and/or II by G. Fred Asbell and ' Become the Arrow' by Byron Ferguson. Two totally different shooting techniques but lots of great info. You can either emulate one style or the other, or pick and choose elements of each style that work best for you.
Good luck, keep it simple and enjoy!
04-25-2003, 09:34 AM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: California
Posts: 600
RE: Want to get into traditional
Welcome, it' s good to see you here. Good advice above. I too recommend that you start with something in the 45-50# range at your draw length. I' d recommend a bow that' s at least 62" long though. Especially if you' ll be buying an older bow. The less finger pinch, the better off you' ll be and the better your release will be. You will want to establish what your draw will be with a recurve so that you can look for an appropriate bow. For instance, if you draw 30" with a recurve, you' d want to get a bow that pulls about 45# @28" to end up with a bow that pulls right around 50# at your draw. It works out to be roughly 2 1/2-3# additional draw weight for every inch you pull over 28" or whatever the bow is marked at.
Get a good set of arrows that match your bow. You won' t be able to use the Easton arrow charts as they tend to be about 10# or more too stiff in spine for recurves and longbows. Also, most pro shops know absolutely nothing about trad equipment, so be very careful about the information that they feed you. They are, after all, there to make money and a lot of archers coming from compounds to traditional fall prey to the shops ignorance.
Hook up with some of the trad shooters in your area. Call the local or state trad organization and see if they can turn you onto some guys in your area. If you know of a group of guys that shoot trad gear, get together with them and pick their brains. Keep coming here and hit other trad boards and pick our brains. Buy a book or two as was mentioned above and read them cover to cover several times.
Be patient with your shooting. The quick results that are obtained with a compound aren' t likely to materialize with a stick. You' ll find that it' ll take a lot more practice and dedication to become even somewhat proficient with trad gear. Most of all, have fun with it. There' s nothing more satisfying to me than knowing that I can confidently carry a simple stick and string into the woods and put the arrow right where it needs to go for a clean and efficient kill.
Get a good set of arrows that match your bow. You won' t be able to use the Easton arrow charts as they tend to be about 10# or more too stiff in spine for recurves and longbows. Also, most pro shops know absolutely nothing about trad equipment, so be very careful about the information that they feed you. They are, after all, there to make money and a lot of archers coming from compounds to traditional fall prey to the shops ignorance.
Hook up with some of the trad shooters in your area. Call the local or state trad organization and see if they can turn you onto some guys in your area. If you know of a group of guys that shoot trad gear, get together with them and pick their brains. Keep coming here and hit other trad boards and pick our brains. Buy a book or two as was mentioned above and read them cover to cover several times.
Be patient with your shooting. The quick results that are obtained with a compound aren' t likely to materialize with a stick. You' ll find that it' ll take a lot more practice and dedication to become even somewhat proficient with trad gear. Most of all, have fun with it. There' s nothing more satisfying to me than knowing that I can confidently carry a simple stick and string into the woods and put the arrow right where it needs to go for a clean and efficient kill.
04-25-2003, 10:04 AM
#5
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,679
RE: Want to get into traditional
Thanks guys, all good advice.
I won' t be trying to hunt with it until probably the 2004 season as I know there will be a lot more practice involved with the traditional bow.
There is a pro shop that specializes in traditional equipment in the area that I will be going to to learn this sport. Hopefully they will be good guys to deal with.
Thanks for the tip, I' ll check out the thrift shops around here as well.
Be patient with your shooting. The quick results that are obtained with a compound aren' t likely to materialize with a stick. You' ll find that it' ll take a lot more practice and dedication to become even somewhat proficient with trad gear.
Also, most pro shops know absolutely nothing about trad equipment, so be very careful about the information that they feed you. They are, after all, there to make money and a lot of archers coming from compounds to traditional fall prey to the shops ignorance.
Check out the used bow market first. I was in the proshop the other day when a guy walked in with a no-name recurve he bought at a thrift store for $7. Added a $12 string, nock point and a rug rest and he was set up for flingin' arrows for less than $25.
04-25-2003, 11:26 AM
#6
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,175
RE: Want to get into traditional
Just noticed where you' re from, bigbulls... Your neck of the woods should be flat CRAWLING with trads! I' m sure you' ll hook up with some soon and they' ll make sure you get started out right. 
