Traditional Archery Questions

[Gobble Nole]

I was just curious if anybody on here shot long bows or really knew anything particular about them.  I was thinking about getting a long bow with the wooden arrows and starting to learn about the different parts of instinct shooting and practicing to take a deer or turkey in the future.  I looked at the 3 rivers archery website today and there is a lot too it.  The Barta Bow seems to be the best for the money but it is hard to tell.  I know that most people recommend a custom long bow but that is some real money.  I really am looking for any advice on the subject, pound pull, bow length, material, arrow material, broadheads, etc...  Any advice or references is appreciated, thanks in advance...

[TnTurk]

I've got two trad bows, but they are both recurves.  I'm not as familiar with longbow specs as I am with a recurve bow. There are several traditional archery websites with forum boards that you can join or just browse through to get information that your looking for. I personally like tradgang.com and the traditional archery forum at gon.com.  Both sites have guys on there that are more than willing to help with your questions and help you find the answers your looking for.  Good luck and God Bless.

[TnTurk]

Also, you might want to shoot Boff a pm. He's a trad hunter with plenty of experience with traditional archery equipment.  Try this site for helping chose your correct arrow spine when you finally decided on your bow, it's really accurate.     http://www.heilakka.com/stumiller/

[drenalinld]

Here is a great longbow for getting started.
http://www.martinarchery.com/bows2004/stick.htm
This thing is so much fun!!! It weighs 12 ounces and shoots like a dream. I have it in 55# and every time i get together to shoot compounds with friends, we break it out and everybody wants one.

I would recommend looking at bow shops for used traditional bows to get started with instinctive shooting. I would hate to spend a lot of money on a custom built bow until you have a better idea what you want.

[BOFF]

Also, you might want to shoot Boff a pm. He's a trad hunter with plenty of experience with traditional archery equipment.  Try this site for helping chose your correct arrow spine when you finally decided on your bow, it's really accurate.     http://www.heilakka.com/stumiller/

Steve nailed the site for getting the correct arrow spine/weight to shoot per bow. I'd recommend going to tradgang.com and read everything you can. I'd also recommend buying a used bow off the classifieds. good folks there. Let me know how I may help.


God Bless,
David B.

[davesonic444]

Good advice here. Try bowsite's leatherwall as well. My first suggestion is to go light as you can find in pull weight. Even 30 or 35 till you learn the proper form.
Dave

[J Hook]

Also try

www.tradgang.com

All the Big Boys of Trad are there.Lots to learn there,as well as many Custom Bowyers,that dont require to sell your home to own one! Good Luck!

[headbanger]

sent you a novel...eh...pm

headbanger

[schuylkillspur]

A lot of good deals right now on the Trad gang class, I'm taking a longbow along to Kansas this year, Hope I can get it done.

[Fox Fire]

+1 on TRADGANG.COM, anything you want to know about traditional bows/hunting/shooting/building & have a really good classifieds section & ther a great bunch of guys to boot, one of my fave haunts.

The bow: dont get all macho & over bow yourself, keep in mind trad equipment dont have let off, a 45 pound bow mite be all ya need to start, to heavy poundage will create problems & bad shooting habits.

[ibtx]

Learn to come to a full draw & establish an anchor point first.  Don't worry about anything else until you have established your draw & anchor. 

[crooketarrow]

  I've been building and hunting with self bows and shoot arrows for 21 years. In that time I've took 36 bucks and 15 gobblers. We won't speak of the misses.
The #1 thing that happens when someone steps back. When hunting maybe they'll miss a buck or gobbler OR HE'S OUT PAST 20,30 FOR SOME. Under 20 for me with a self bow.
  Right away they start douting, thinging man if I'd my compound he'd be dead. The dout sets in your mine aways wins. Unless your dictate and tell yourself from the on start I'M GOING TO DO THIS NO MATTER WHAT. I'll say this, self satisfaction with doing it is something not to many hang with long enough to do it. Plus it's just plain more fun to shoot like this. Get a judo and take a hike ,scout or what ever. I take a bow with me all the time. It's 100% better than shooting across the lawn.

[crooketarrow]

  SORRY ABOUT THAT
  You might want to go cheap until your sure you want to really give it a try.
  The classified here and the other forums talked about here might help you. I go to flea markets and yard sells and pick a few bows up every year. I pass them on to local kids.
  Keep the poundage low say 45#'s or about 10 to 15 pounds lighter than the compound your shooting. Out to 20 yards it still has enough kinetic energy if you use a 450 ,500 grain arrow. 45# You can still get pass thoughts.
  But remember traditional bows are slow copared to compounds. Give it a try it might be for you. It's differntly more fun.

[bulldog18]

Definately start with lower poundage. I shoot a 60-65 pound compound and went to a 45 pound longbow. I now shoot 50 pound longbows and have been shooting trad for about three years now. I prefer the longbow over recurves. I highly recommend tradgang and stickbow.com. A bowyer that I highly recommend is Nate at www.bamabows.com His least expensive is very reasonable and I have two of his bows and love them. Good luck

[lonnie sneed jr.]

I have shot stick bows for 42 years, There are some good non-custom bows on the market. I will tell you this, and if you do this you will NOT be sorry. Go  10# lighter or more than what you shoot on a compound. 50-55 lbs. will kill anything in the USA. Good Luck