Who/where to go for help? (Beginners Guide Volume III)

[TradAg02]

Reference the following link, post number 39 for background on the origination of this thread. http://discussions.texasbowhunter.co...ead.php?t=5725

You have found this site so you are headed in the right direction. Sites like this; books, magazines and dvds are all great outlets to help you along in traditional archery. However, I personally believe that nothing beats one on one contact with experienced individuals.

Look up your local 3-d shoot and find someone who is shooting trad gear. Follow them around and ask questions, most are more than willing to help out.

I know that several guys on here have are more than willing to help another shooter out, all you have to do is ask. If you notice that someone on here is from your area (most list location below their avatar), shoot them a person message and see if you can set up a time to meet somewhere. Most of us generally shoot several days a week and don’t mind having an additional shooter tag along occasionally.

I am generally at Viking archery (I do realize that is a four letter word on here), in Southwest Houston a couple nights a week. If you are in the area shoot me a message and we can schedule a time to meet up.

Also keep in mind that shooting is like lifting weights. The biggest guy in the gym doesn’t necessarily have the most knowledge about lifting weights. The same goes for archery, the guy with the highest score doesn’t necessarily have the best form or know all there is to know. Talk to as many people as you can and try and gain a little from each person, you may be surprise what you learn from the least likely sources.

[Chunky]

Excellent advice, except for picking on the biggest guys

If you are in the North Houston area, you are welcome to shoot with me.

[delriowil]

Yeah, but I still want to be like Chunky

[Buff]

I read alot as I have a lot of free time as I travel for work. This is by far the best book I have read on learning to shoot traidtional equipment. I still go back and read it when I have a problem I can't sort out. And I'm with Chunky....... whats wrong with going with the biggest guy?

http://www.amazon.com/Become-Arrow-T...e=UTF8&s=books

[mitch]

Here is another great book THE TRADITIONAL BOWHUNTER'S HANDBOOK by T.J. CONRADS it has history, how-to, and practical information for the traditional bowhunter.

[mar91773]

Great advice. I am trying to learn, I have had a few problems at the local shop( the guy thinks his bow is the best in the world and if you dont have one like him you will never be good and it made him a gold medalst an all that. I have spend hours asking questions about bows and differnt types of wood keeps going back to his bow he wants to sell me for 900 bucks). I find the web is a great help. I like this site better thank archery talk But one thing I have found with all the wonders of the web, yea cant beat havin a shop where you can hold, drool, shoot and shoot again and again, and ask and ask. Tomorrow Im goin to Durnago to go to a shop over there to ask some more questions, ( kinda sucks you have to drive for an hour to get to another bow shop). Thanks for all the help guys.
Ronnie

[Panther]

The Beginners Guide Volume threads are a great idea guys.

This forum and other traditional sites have been invaluable for getting me started with recurves.

[duck'n]

Well I came on this thread to post about The Traditional Bowhunter's Handbook by T.J. Conrads but mitch beat me to it. The book really helped me in aspects such as tuning, shooting, terminology, etc. You are right in that one on one shooting with someone knowledgeable is the best. Second to that, I think this book and the Traditional Bowhunting magazine (T.J. Conrads) are great resources. Unlike Buff, I am finding less time to read these days so I try to prioritize what I read. As far as magazines, I have let just about all of them lapse except Trad Bowhunter.

[Oneway]

Agree with the rest Traditional Bowhunter's Hanbook is awesome but there is tons of valuable info in the experiences of all the archers on this site, being new to this site as well I am pouring over all the info and soaking it in! Thank you all who take the time to help those who ask.

[Chew]

Could ya'll do a beginner's guide to aiming (instinctive, gap, SWAG )

great post. Thank you. here is some of my thought. batbcl11

[jmark100]

Good Post

[mooreje]

I am in the Keller area. Anybody know of a shop that deals in traditional equip. nearby?

[JEFFRO]

All great post's above,
but i noticed that nobody has mentioned some of the older books. by TOMSON. POPE. HILL. PEARSON. BEAR, ST'CHARLES. AND alot of others. thay are still some of the greatest archer's of our time.'
me personaly, I RECOMEND THEM TO EVERYONE...

[n2suntzu]

Originally Posted by Buff

I read alot as I have a lot of free time as I travel for work. This is by far the best book I have read on learning to shoot traidtional equipment. I still go back and read it when I have a problem I can't sort out. And I'm with Chunky....... whats wrong with going with the biggest guy?

http://www.amazon.com/Become-Arrow-T...e=UTF8&s=books

Ditto on this.

[mooseman]

If you are ever in the Bryan,College Station,I will help you.Eddie.Hands on help is always better than reading or watching.

[Zanespurs]

I like these threads. I have to say trad shooters have been some of the most helpful and giving of their time when I was (and still am) learning the art.

[Bowkill]

Hello, I'm new to shooting a recurve, I have hunted with a compound for many years. I'm looking for some advice on arrow selection, I have found the local archery shops to not know or carry alot.

I have a Samik Sage 50 @ 28, I draw about 27 probably. I bought a half dozen carbons, Carbon Express Predators 30/50 s. The guy @ West Houston archery where I got them suggested leaving them 30". I have 125 field points. They seem to fly pretty good.

I have found all of it very confusing, should I add weight tubes ? Different arrows ? Are these heavy enough for good penetration on a deer ? I appreciate any help.

Thank you,

Joe

[TradAg02]

Have you shot any broadheads yet? If not you will want to shoot a few to confirm that you are shooting the correct arrows.
As far as arrow weight, I have killed a lot of animals in the past with a similar setup. However a heavier arrow will improve penetration. Any weight you add to your current arrows will affect their spine.
Since you are in Houston you may want to go by Viking. They have a program that will provide you arrow recommendations based on the specs you provide.

[MMorton]

A good start is gold tip 3555s.....

[Tedak]

Can someone recommend a trad shop in the Beaumont area? I am new to the board and the sport I would like to get a bow. I have read some good reviews on the Sage for a first bow but am afraid that with my draw length 30 plus inches it might not work for me.

[jreyna920]

I don't know of any trad shops and Fannet has a club with several trad shooters. I'd look there. Check out 3riversarchery.com

[SixForty]

Hi, im new to both the forum and bowhunting. Hunting is my main reason for my interest in archery but I am leaning more toward traditional shooting than compound bows. I have my hunting grounds secured, now I am looking for a bow. I have been to Bass Pro and talked to a gentleman there about recurves. I have looked at a PSE coyote and a martin jaguar. I liked both of them, maybew the coyote a little more. The guy at the shop told me because of my size (I'm 6'9") I would not need to have more than a 40 - 45 lbs bow because the length of my draw would have me shooting faster on a 40 or 45 than somebody with shorter arms would shoot on a 50# bow.
I was telling all this to my father in law who is also just getting into bow hunting but decided to go the compound route. He got to talking to the guy at the range where he shoots who sold him his thousand dollar bow, and this guy told my FIL that it might be dangerous for me to shoot a recurve because my draw length could cause the bow to break. Now I can imagine the damage a bow drawn that tight might do when it breaks. But still I wonder why the guy at BPS would even let me shoot one if there was a danger of breaking and hurting me.
I realize both guys are trying to sell me something. What I need to know is which one to believe...

[jerp]

Welcome to the fire! Somebody with more experience (maybe even one of our resident bowyers) will chime in but here's the deal as I understand it. If you have an really long draw length you need a longer bow. For example, drawing a 64" bow back to 32" will be easier and give you better performance than trying to draw a 58" bow to 32". A bow too short for your draw length will likely present stacking and other potential problems. I would go see or at least call a bow maker (Like Bob Sarrels, a site sponsor) and explain your situation. By the way, you might start over and post this as a new thread in the trad forum - I think you will get more responses (the last post on this thread prior to yours was back in May)

[Loreva13]

Hello SixForty!

I am going into my eighth month shooting traditional, a recurve for that matter. Before I had shoot compounds for more than a decade since I was about 6 or 7. I can tell you shooting tradition is a lot more fun and challenging. I wish I had taken it p earlier. I don't have much advice beginning that I am new but I am sure the people around here can give you great advice especially about your potential draw length at your height which I imagine is long. I am sure there are bows out there that are safe for you to shoot and individuals who could custom make you a bow. If were you I'd find some tradition shooters in your area and have a talk with them. They could help point you in the right direction. Best of luck to you and I hope you decide to stick with the trad route. It is far more rewarding in my opinion.

ttt

[equin]

I'm inexperienced, too, but like Jerp said, with your height, I'm assuming you probably have a much longer draw length than most and would require a longer bow. Most recurves and longbows have a draw weight measured at 28" of draw. The further past that point, the higher the draw weight, usually around 2 to 3 pounds per inch. Also, the further you draw a bow, the more acute the angle of the string becomes, especially with shorter bows, which can result in something known as "finger pinch." The longer the bow, the less "finger pinch" you'll experience since the angles of the bowstring when drawn won't be as pronounced as with a shorter bow.

Also, even though most bows have their draw weight measured at 28" of draw length, they can usually stand to be drawn a bit more than 28", but not much more before they break. So like your FIL said, it can be a problem if the bow was not made and/or designed to be drawn past a certain draw length before risking breakage. If I were you, I'd get a custom bow made by a professional bowyer who knows your draw length. That may be a more expensive route than buying a mass-produced bow like the PSE, but at least you'll get a bow that will be made for your added draw length which, at 6'9" of height, I'm assuming may be much longer than most folks' draw lengths. Bob Sarrels of Sarrels Archery is one bowyer here in Texas who goes highly recommended from many here on this forum who have his bows. He's in Austin, though, which I realize is a bit of a drive from where you're at in Arlington.

Anyway, if you go to the 3Riversarchery.com website and go to the section on arrow shaft selection, there should be a webpage that helps explain how to measure draw length for traditional shooting. I usually put a clothespin a few inches down the shaft from the point and draw the arrow with the clothespin on. The clothespin will then hit the back of the riser (the part of the bow facing away from you as you draw) and will move along the shaft until you come to full draw and anchor. Afterwards, I measure from where the clothespin stopped along the shaft to the nock end of the shaft to get an idea of my draw length. I do this a few times and then average it out. At 6' tall, my draw length when I first started was around 27.5". After working on proper form, though, I've managed to increase my draw to around 28". I've heard of others being able to gain an inch or more, though. So that's just something to take into account when you first measure your draw length.

Either way, welcome to trad!

[moe monsarrat]

If you want to learn how to shoot a traditional bow quickly and the right way, call me. Moe Monsarrat 512-769-0680 (email: moemonsarrat@ymail.com) Austin area. I can save you a lot of time. The only requirement is that you have your own equipment.

[STATON]

I really want to thank all of you for the advancement of my recurve skills. I have shot compounds since I was about 16, I'm forty-five now, and for the past two years have bought recurves off ebay and three months ago bought a Samick.
Thanks to Bowkill alone I set my brace height at 8 1/4" instead of 5 1/2" (due to falsehoods on the interwebs) and found "the sweet spot" immediately.
I forgot how important and helpful this place was due to my dependency on the compound world.
Thanks again, everyone

[Chew]

Originally Posted by STATON

I really want to thank all of you for the advancement of my recurve skills. I have shot compounds since I was about 16, I'm forty-five now, and for the past two years have bought recurves off ebay and three months ago bought a Samick.
Thanks to Bowkill alone I set my brace height at 8 1/4" instead of 5 1/2" (due to falsehoods on the interwebs) and found "the sweet spot" immediately.
I forgot how important and helpful this place was due to my dependency on the compound world.
Thanks again, everyone

Staton, were you on tbh back in 2004 or so? Good to see you on here again. I used to be fugitivehunter on here

[STATON]

Hey, Chew good to see you. I was wondering who was still around.

[Chew]

Yeah..didn't recognize you from your profile pic! Nice helmet! =)

[westtex]

Here's some of my good starting advice, especially since I started about a year ago or so. It's mostly on how to find the info your looking for.

1. If there's not a store, check out three rivers. They have great stuff. I got a video of rick welch on there for shooting instinctive. guy knows his stuff plus video works better for me than a book.

2. local archery club - nothing beats seeing it in action, plus most guys are pretty cool and might even let you shoot their bow.

3. go to a tbot,traditional bowhunters of texas, tournament shoot. I ended up arriving late to my first one and just asked some people if I could join. They helped me out for the next couple hours, it was totally awesome. plus you have a good chance of finding vendors that want you to try out their stuff.

4. Ask all the guys at the club. So many guys have been extremely helpful because I told them I was new and had no clue. Just like on here. don't be shy, plus everyone still misses even if they've been shooting for years.

5. check out the SCA, it's not exactly related, but anybody that's in it and likes archery is guaranteed to be a trad shooter. They might know who to get in touch with about traditional stuff in your area.

6. Getting desperate, check out gun ranges. Some guys there will be into hunting and I bet some will be into archery too.

7. put a texas bowhunter sticker on your truck. You never know when it'll spark a conversation. I have a trad bowhunter sticker on mine and it's helped out.

8. The library, yeah that's right, I bet they have books on archery. The book you don't read is useless, unless you need a doorstop.

Just getting the right info was a tough starting point for me, so I hope this helps you with ideas at least on where to find information

[Pastordriskell]

I am in Jacksonville tx. I am available to help.

[Patriot57]

I am new to this forum, but it looks like a lot of good info on Trad shooting. I have shot a compound for quite a while and I am starting to shoot a recurve now

[Junkers88]

New guy here as well. Haven't shot a bow in probably 20 years and then it was only for fun while drinking beer at a friends house. Ordering a Samick Journey with this next paycheck and will be spending time between now and then on here reading everything I can get my eyes on.

[Cheapsk8]

Made a red oak bow inspired by poorfolks bow website. I has not broken yet and flung 50 or so arrows through it. Not really a bow hunter mainly wanting something to shoot in the yard. Get better and may hunt with it but still a lot of learning to do.

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Tedak

Can someone recommend a trad shop in the Beaumont area? I am new to the board and the sport I would like to get a bow. I have read some good reviews on the Sage for a first bow but am afraid that with my draw length 30 plus inches it might not work for me.

Precision Archery in Bridge City. Shooting range and all. Good as any shop anywhere

[FKFL]

Please keep these beginner guides coming! I am twenty-five and don’t even have a bow yet but am hoping to have a recurve in the next few months. I really appreciate these threads. Is there a thread that is a beginners purchasing guide? I know I can use google but I feel like there is always an agenda to promote certain brands. Thanks in advance.

[Maui-diver]

Originally Posted by TradAg02

Reference the following link, post number 39 for background on the origination of this thread. http://discussions.texasbowhunter.co...ead.php?t=5725

You have found this site so you are headed in the right direction. Sites like this; books, magazines and dvds are all great outlets to help you along in traditional archery. However, I personally believe that nothing beats one on one contact with experienced individuals.

Look up your local 3-d shoot and find someone who is shooting trad gear. Follow them around and ask questions, most are more than willing to help out.

I know that several guys on here have are more than willing to help another shooter out, all you have to do is ask. If you notice that someone on here is from your area (most list location below their avatar), shoot them a person message and see if you can set up a time to meet somewhere. Most of us generally shoot several days a week and don’t mind having an additional shooter tag along occasionally.

I am generally at Viking archery (I do realize that is a four letter word on here), in Southwest Houston a couple nights a week. If you are in the area shoot me a message and we can schedule a time to meet up.

Also keep in mind that shooting is like lifting weights. The biggest guy in the gym doesn’t necessarily have the most knowledge about lifting weights. The same goes for archery, the guy with the highest score doesn’t necessarily have the best form or know all there is to know. Talk to as many people as you can and try and gain a little from each person, you may be surprise what you learn from the least likely sources.

Following.,,Thanks