traditional school me

[Deb]

was looking at a recurve

I'll bet ya a dollar that someone on here will loan you one for awhile. My recurve is the only bow I shoot these days. Well, sometimes I shoot my selfbow but not often.

[YLEKeyeOT]

Tips from a nubie...

Disclaimer - I just recently started shooting trad, so I'm certainly no expert; in fact, I don't even play one on TV!!

I took the advice mentioned above and just bought a Sammick Sage from 3Rivers. Compared to others, they are really inexpensive and as mentioned you can bump up to heavier limbs for ~$70. My reasoning was simply I had no idea about anything! Had folks recommend just go shoot a bunch of different bows and you'll find one you like. Well, that is all fine and good unless you have absolutely no basis for comparison and you are simply trying to get where you can actually hit something you are shooting at!!

So now that I've been shooting for a couple of months, my groups are getting tighter and I'm venturing out to farther distances. I'm getting used to my anchor points and aiming technique.

I think I'm now approaching a point where shooting some other bows just might provide me with some valuable insight.

Oh, one last thing - it takes a WHILE and a lot of 'arrow flinging' to begin to get comfortable not having the crutches of pins, peep, and release!! ...at least it did for me.

[White Falcon]

I personally never unstring my bows except to tune.
Another good Trad site is "stickbow.com"!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[chester12]

Charles (oneway) here can get you outfitted with a good starter bow. Even before, but once you get one find a 3D shoot near you and ask the people with the cool looking bows, and they should be more then willing to help you out.

[Engine Co. 29]

Deb is correct about the 40#, or something around that. I certainly wouldn't go above about 43# at your draw length. It would be better, and more enjoyable to go lighter, than heavier. I started out with a 53# bow, I would have been much better off if I would have started light, and worked on relaxing, and form. It would of saved me a lot of pain and frustration. Also, depending on your draw length, you may want to think about something about 60" long, or somewhere close. This will give you more limb surface, which will make it easier and smoother to draw back. If you can't relax and shoot it, you won't keep it.

[Bowtech Lefty]

I would like to add that depending on your draw length, the draw weight of a trad bow will vary. Most trad bows are weighted at a 28" draw length, for example 40# @ 28". But if you're draw length with a trad bow is 26", then you're going to lose about 2.5 lbs. per inch, so you would be pulling only 35# on that bow. Same if you're draw was 30", you would be pulling back 45#. Hope this makes sense and good luck, traditional archery is addicting!

[Chunky]

welcome, you can also find some good used bows in low weights on some of the classified sites.

[Loreva13]

Welcome, you will find trad to be both simple and challenging but that's what makes it so much fun! I don't think I can add much to what has already been said. Read the sticky's at the top of the trad section and definitely try to get with experienced shooters, it will help lots. Good luck and have have!

[live2hunt65]

good luck

[Dragonheart]

The essence of the flight of the arrow. Pure archery in its greatest art form.

[limbbender]

Be careful not to overbow yourself.Start with a light poundage bow to develop your form.