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[Smokey River]

After shooting 3D course with my compound yesterday I've decided I want to dip my feet into the traditional world. I have a entry level samick sage to get started with. Trying to decide should I shoot off of shelf or keep the elevated flipper rest. Going this week to get proper spined arrows. Would enjoy any feed back or input from the seasoned Trad guys

 

[Stykbow]

Congrats on taking the plunge! It's a really fun ride. Shelf or elevated rest is just a personal preference thing. I shoot off the shelf myself, but one of the greats of trad archery shot off an elevated rest. Both have their advantages. It seems easier to tune with an elevated rest, but shooting off the shelf gets the arrow closer to your hand which imo helps with instinctive shooting.


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[user 972]

as Stykbow said, the rest is personal. when I started I used the shelf just for the fact I wouldn't have to worry about the arrow falling off the rest. with no one to 'mentor' me, I didn't know the advantage of the shaft being closer to the hand. it just worked out that way.
what:
poundage?
draw length?
arrow material?
point weight?

we may be able to help you with your arrow choices. that was my biggest problem when I started out. it's different than setting up a compound.

 

[Smokey River]

Thanks for responses fellas. It's 45lb draw is 29in. I'm leaning towards carbon starting out either Easton axis traditionals or beamon centershot plan on shooting 125gr tips just gotta figure out how much brass I'll need in front

 

[TN Song Dog]

3 Rivers Archery website has a dynamic spine calculator to get you started. Those Easton Axis are nice, and the Carbon express Heritage are not bad (more affordable too). Have fun!

 

[Stykbow]

I'll be of little help with carbons. I like aluminum myself, but carbon will react the same as other materials on spine issues.


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[user 972]

I'm almost exclusively carbon. I draw somewhere between 48-50# and the 27" range. I use GT 3555s (.500 spine) and 175gr up front. I've been tempted to buy some .600 spine to try them out.
just to be clear, I use 175gr points, not a combination of brass inserts and points. I use the inserts that come with the shafts.

one thing I would like to point out. how well you release the string (or how clean is your release I might should say) will affect the arrow flight and impact. don't be to judgmental on your arrow flight with just one shooting session. try it over several shooting sessions. and don't do it while you are tired.

I had several different brands of arrows and noticed that each seem to fly different. I had better results after I picked ONE shaft and stuck with it. IMO, brand doesn't matter but consistency does. I suggest sticking with ONE shaft. a black shaft will act different that a graphic shaft (camo, wood grain, etc)

 

[Smokey River]

Went to my local shop today shot several different arrows the 400 spine seemed to fly the best for myself aka newbie and also the shop owner. I decided to shoot off the shelf just seemed simpler.

 

[Smokey River]

He gave me a couple to shoot as I work on my release then I'll go paper tune and go from there. I have a brand new bow tech and I'm more excited about getting setup to shoot the recurve

 

[Stykbow]

Eddie hit on this earlier, but remember that you'll probably get kinda crappy arrow flight for a while. Once you get used to shooting without a release aid it'll get better. The main points here are don't get discouraged and have fun.


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[user 972]

The main points here are don't get discouraged and have fun.


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that was the best piece of advise I ever got from other shooters. if you stick with it enough you will hear 'don't do that, do this/ don't do this, do that'. in reality, you have to find YOUR OWN STYLE. mine is probably several different things put together

 

[Smokey River]

Thanks fellas. I'm all about the fun and enjoying it but defiantly see where it could get frustrating

 

[forest ninja]

U are welcome at the ole Farts this Sunday.im sure everyone there would be glad to help even me.lol

 

[southernhunter]

It's different but you'll love it. They guys here have help me a lot. check out other forums as well for learning info. Facebook has some good traditional archery groups. The hardest thing for me to learn was their doesn't seem to be a Constant. What works for one will not others and Vice. In my experience compound shooters all do it the same to some degree. I haven't found this to be true with traditional archery. In fact a ordered a whole series of well know DVDs so I could learn the right way after getting frustrated with mixed info on the web. To my surprise Not one guy on the DVDs shot the same. In fact some was totally contradictory to each other. At that point I just began to look to what worked for me plus the obvious fundamentals of archery. I don't claim to be even a good shot but I have had a blast and seen a big improvement in my shooting. Maybe I only speak for myself but I have found it to be a long journey unlike compounds where I could shoot groups within days of picking up the first one. Though I have had to change me whole mind set from when I first picked up a recurve. I have found a new appreciation and love for the sport. Of course everyone's different and you may not find any of my experiences apply to you. Then again that would kinda be like my experience. Lol

 

[user 972]

SR, how are you coming along with your shooting?

 

[Grill-n-man]

You fixing to have alot of fun and can say that traditional archery is the crack of archery. I cant even write my name left handed but got a left handed bear recurve some guy was going to trash. Well back to the question(s). The rest part has been answered. Picking arrow type, spine, point weight, length, fletchings, etc is the hard part. I have and shoot recurves and longbows (some have a shelf some dont) ranging in draw weight from around 40 - 60 pounds. I like full length carbon arrows with a 5" sheild cut feather with a right helical twist. Carbon wont bend like aluminum so they are either good or broken simple. Most are 500 spine but do shoot some 400 spine but going to try some 600s with light points before to long. Point weights from 100 to 150 gr. My suggestion would be to get a 500 spine, carbon or aluminum doesnt matter, full length arrows and several different weight points and play around with to see what works best. Its a far sight easier to screw a point in and out than mess with those weighted inserts and weights when starting out. Just my suggestion

And HAVE FUN

 

[user 972]

traditional archery is the crack of archery

I like that. can I borrow that? :tu:

 

[Grill-n-man]

ec but of course

 

[Smokey River]

Fellas shooting is coming along. Consistency in accuracy lacks yet but I'm starting to feel more comfortable with my form and release

 

[user 972]

Fellas shooting is coming along. Consistency in accuracy lacks yet but I'm starting to feel more comfortable with my form and release

here's what I did. I started at about 5 or 6 steps, shot at my target until I was satisfied with my accuracy. then stepped back 2 steps farther, repeat. since I'm a 'point and shoot' shooter, this worked for me. if I stopped at 10 steps yesterday, I start at 10 steps today. if my shots at 10 steps today started off lousy, I took two steps closer and started again.
I wouldn't shoot too much, or tried not to, to make my muscle tired and start making bad releases any more than I should. I get to shooting and forget how much I've shot and start messing up my shoots. if I'm paying attention, when I start to mess up I stop.

you will develop YOUR OWN STYLE over time.

 

[Stykbow]

you will develop YOUR OWN STYLE over time.

Yep! I'm telling you, the best thing you can do is forget everything you e been told about how to shoot a trad bow. Just go shoot it and develop your own style. The worst thing I did starting out was tweak my style to match what I read. That really screwed me up. Finally just went back to what I was doing and never looked back.

 

[Shag]

These guys have given great advise. I've lurked here on tndeer for years and only recently registered. I've only posted a time or two since then. I mostly post on Trad Gang and The Leatherwall (check out these two sites if you haven't already...worlds of trad info there if you can overlook the blowhards). Thought I'd chime in on this one though.

I've been into traditional archery for about 6 years now. The first couple years were the roughest. I had nobody to light the way for me and everything I read online had a complete contradiction to it on another site it seemed. So I learned everything the hard way...trail and error, and a dogged-damned determination to be able to do it. I have came a long ways. I'm no Howard Hill...but I'm comfortable shooting at hunting distances and am fairly proficient at setting up and tuning trad bows and arrows now.

The guys are spot on...you have to find your own style. The more sites I looked at, the more books I read, the more vids I watched, the more I overthought it and screwed myself up. Take in all the info you can, pile it all together, and do what works for you. Most importantly, find a comfortable, repeatable anchor point...it's all down hill from there.
And FOLLOW THROUGH after release...that was the hardest for me.

I would have thought with that bow, at that weight, a 500 spine arrow would be a better fit. But if it works, roll with it.

If you are located close to Cookeville, you are welcome to borrow a couple Masters of the Bare Bow DVDs. They didn't do much for me but make me think too much. But there are several helpful segments on them. I refuse to read shooters form forums or posts anymore...if I think long, I think wrong lol.

Good luck in your endeavor into traditional archery. It is very rewarding when it all comes together. Recurves and longbows are the only bows I bring to the woods and the water now.

 

[user 972]

welcome aboard, Shag. :tu:

 

[Shag]

Thanks, eddie c! Glad to be here. I wish there was a little more action on this part of the site.

 

[Stykbow]

Yep, this section is kinda slow. Welcome, Shag.


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[user 972]

Thanks, eddie c! Glad to be here. I wish there was a little more action on this part of the site.

it wasn't long ago that compounds, crossbows and trad equipment was lumped into one forum. some progress has been made.

 

[Grill-n-man]

Smokey R Hope you are remembering to have fun while figuring out the world of traditional archery. Just thought I might give you a list of items/tools that might help you out while doing this. A bow square comes in handy but not necessary, I simply use one for a starting point at times. A set of nock pliers, Now I would suggest getting a decent one that can remove nocks as well as crimp them. The one I use is made by carbon express and like it alot. A sack full of brass nocks, them little buggers will squirt out your hand like a greased pig and end up in that void of nature where all things you only got one of go. And last a tape measure or ruler to check brace height, if you stick with it over time you will be able to check brace with your hand with thumb sticking out towards inner most part of handle. Very simple list and can be had pretty cheap and will last a life time or until you leave them on the tail gate and drive off. I think I got about $40 total in all my stuff

Just a little more to help. I shoot 3 fingers under with arrow nocked under brass nock so to set nock I start around 1/4" - 3/8" above center (this is where i want the throat of my nock to be so brass nock is installed right above this point). This is where the bow square comes in handy. Dont crimp the brass nock all the way just enough to to make sure it stays in place. Try it then if you dont like it then loosen the crimp ( type of nock pliers can make this easier as well as the sack full of nocks, remember greased pig ) and move it up or down and try and so on until to find "the spot". Brace height has a simple rule of thumb so to speak for a starting point = longbows 6-6 1/4" and recurves 7-7 1/2". This is not set in stone but a simple start and something else to tinker with as its just as simple as twisting or untwisting the string.

This is as involved as I get but there are others who are more advanced in their tinkering but I like to keep it as simple as I can.

If you got any questions about this or anything else send me a PM. On here alot at times but at times not. Dont care a bit at all to help and can send pics of some of what im talking about if that would help.

PS dont over think it