Trad Gang
Main Boards => The Shooters FORM Board => Topic started by: DaveT1963 on April 03, 2013, 08:51:00 AM
-
All I have to say is that I was a skeptic before I went. I mean I have been shooting trad for several decades and thought I had heard it all and seen it all. I did not think my shooting would actually improve all that much. All I can say is that I was wrong and I am now a believer..... what I go the moist from his class is that I now know exactly how to tune up my bow/arrows and when I make a bad shot I know why and how to correct it. I highly recommend his class. My email is DaveT1963@ymail for anyone that has questions or wants more info. Go to his class if you are frustrated with tuning and/or desire to be a better shot.
-
I glad you had a good time and that you came away with some added know how. We must never stop trying to be come better bowhunters. I would like to try his class at some point.
-
How did you change your anchor?
-
Dave ,
For someone of your shooting quality to saw this, I'll take that as good as gold. I would like to make it sometime. Did you shoot your vixen?
-
Yes I shot my Vixen but had to use a lighter weight stock bow at the end of the day (you shoot a lot). Not sure my shooting quality is all that but I managed to slip a few through the vitals along the way :-)
-
Dave,
I'm a relative newby to trad archery (since Jan. 2011), but took 2-day class from Rick last Summer in Arkansas and learned more in the first 15 minutes than I had in the previous 9 months of asking questions, reading threads, etc.
Good training early (or late) is always good!
Bob C
-
How much does he charge if you go to his school? I just looked at his website but it only said a $250 deposit.
-
When I went in 2011 I think the class was $500, and well worth it.
-
A shooting bud of mine attended Mr.Welch's class last summer.
>>>>>>>>>>What a difference<<<<<<<<<<
-
Glad to here you thought it was worth it. Hope Rick's doing good these days.
db
-
the class was 600 (200 deposit). Rick is the real deal and his shooting speaks for itself. I tried all kinds of aiming/shooting styles and all have weak points.... what I like about Ricks style is that it is repeatable and teachable. While I may never get to the level Rick is, I know that with proper practice what he has taught me is making me a better shot.
-
Does her make you change to a static release if your a dynamic release? I'm willing to change a lot but I think I'd have a really hard time change to a static release.
-
I guess $500-$600 is not too bad, it about max of what I can pay though.. I may look into doing it by this time next year. I can shoot pretty good. My problem is I am a solo shooter. I do not know anyone else that shoots trad. Being self taught I am sure I could learn a lot. When you shoot by yourself the learning curve is real slow. One weekend in class could theoretically speed my learning curve up by years.
-
I don't think Rick cares if you have a dynamic release or a static release. What he cares about is that you don't collapse and that you learn to hold for 2 seconds before release.
-
Awesome! Thanks for the info McDave!
-
Can some describe his anchor,
-
Rick uses a double anchor, which is his thumb knuckle brushing his earlobe and the back of the cock feather touching his nose. The thumb knuckle is cocked like you were cocking a revolver. The feathers on the arrow are mounted such that the back of the cock feather will touch your nose at full draw, which provides a draw-check, of sorts. For example, on my arrows, the feathers are mounted such that the distance between the quill and the valley of the nock is 2". You will have to experiment to get the right distance. Don't be too quick to fletch a lot of arrows, because it is likely that after you shoot for a while, you will decide that you need to move the feather a little forward or backward from the position you first chose. The feathers that seem to work best with this are left wing with shield cut. This double anchor doesn't work for everyone, because people's faces are different, so if you want to use it, mount the feathers to touch your nose and experiment around with the second part of the double anchor until you find something that works.
After using this for a while, I took a class from Rod Jenkins that increased my expansion a little, and I found out that my orignial feather position was cramping me. By then I had fletched a lot of arrows, and didn't want to change the feather position, so I just moved my anchor under my nose rather than on it, which works just as well and gives me slightly more draw length. Byron Ferguson uses this under the nose anchor, which you can see in the illustrations in his book.
-
If is not to much to ask, could you posts pic, what the thumb cocked looks like. I am picking up his method from his videos, but the anchor is giving me problems.
-
It's difficult to get the right angle to show this in a photo, so I made a sketch. As I said, people's earlobes and noses are not all in the same relative positions, so if you have to contort your face or put your head in an unnatural position to get this, it would be better to just use the nose anchor and find a different anchor on your face or jawbone for your thumb knuckle.
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s175/mcdavid1944/Welchanchor_zps6ed6c53e.jpg)
-
McDave, Thank you for the excellent description and the sketch....I'm frustrated with my shooting and when I get done marrying off 3 daughters I'm heading to Ark. for Rick's school.
-
Hey thanks, I been trying that a anchor, gonna take some reps to get used to it.
-
McDave,
Question about your illustration above. It shows the nose touching the feather quill where it contacts the arrow. I was assuming from his video, that your nose touched the end of the feather. Can you please clarify for me?
Thanks,
Doug
-
I took Rick's class last September. On me personally, the tip of the shield fleatching touches the end of my nose. I have actually developed into a 3-point anchor. Thumb knuckle in lobe of ear, end of thunb into jaw and nose to fletching.
Very consistant, and very accurate!
I would recommend Rick's class to anyone - new to shooting or an experienced shooter, to improve their technique!
-
Not being a very good artist, you'll have to cut me a little slack.
Anyway, the nose is contacting the back of the cock feather that you can't see, that is pointing at a 90 degree angle away from the bow. It is behind the arrow shaft, in my sketch. The feather you can see is one of the hen feathers. The nice thing about a shield cut is that it seems designed to fit the shape of a nose (some noses, anyway). If you get your nose too close to the quill, you'll hit it with the bowstring. If it is too far out on the feather, your eye won't be over the arrow.
-
I almost need a bow 5 pound lighter, I draw a inch further with that anchor.
I picked up a lot from his video, the instinctive part, training my brain and bow arm, and getting my bow to shot where I look, the hold and the other tid bits.
But gonna take soe worker on the anchor.
-
I attended Rick's course last July. I was averaging 270 at the 40 target 3D course I go to prior to the class. Afterward, my scores improved to the 320 range. I've only made 1 shoot this year and my score was 346. 3 of the shots I took were from the 35 yard stake as the traditional stake seemed too close. It was a great investment. I was self taught and struggling. If I hit a slump I back off, watch his DVD and progress. His course gave me the tools I need, now I just have to sharpen them.
-
How much draw lenght did you guys pick up, I just recovered from shoulder surgery and the thumb knucle on the lobe is creating more poundage.
-
Mine didn't change, still at 29". Rick adjusted the fletching on my arrow by moving it about 1/3-1/2" away from the the nock. I use to anchor with my index finger in the corner of my mouth, shooting 3 under. I switched to anchoring with my middle finger at the corner of my mouth, thumb knuckle at my earlobe and now the back edge of the feather touches the tip of my nose. Rick fletched my first arrow w/ a left wing, shield cut feather. He used a Helical Jig. "IMPORTANT" if you're a left hand shooter, use right wing feathers, left wing for a right hand shooter. This causes the feather to naturally contact your nose. Now I have 3 anchor points.
I could write for hours but it's best to experience it first hand. He is a true instinctive shooter whose motto is "How far ... Don't know, don't care.
-
Does Rick sell his DVD or do you get it when you take the course.
-
He sells them. I bought the volume 3 video before I attended the course. It allowed me to start working on his method of shooting (stance, anchor, feather placement, philosophy) before I went to the course. The good thing about that was no wasted time trying to adjust to a new style. Rick fine tuned what I was doing but I had committed quite a bit to ingrained habit prior to attending. Just google Rick Welch and select the Dakota Bows online store. The DVD's no replacement for the course but it does help and I watch it regularly to reinforce what was learned. Also, Traditional Bowhunter magazine did an article on Rick last year. I can't find the copy but I believe it would have been the Feb/Mar issue. It was what sold me on going to his school. If money permits, I'll go again in the future.
-
I just got back Wednesday from Rick's course and it wasa great 2 days, I also had gotten the dvd's well before I went and ingrained the form at the house. We just tweaked it and now I am shooting lights out. Rick also changed my arrows to Victory VAP and wow what a differance, tune easy, fly great and smoking fast. I highly reccomend the arrows and the course with Rick
-
Has anybody attended that has had a Bad case of TP and came away able to overcome it? I know it a shooting course to improve basic form etc... but has anybody ever been helped as for TP?
-
Keith I agree. I went in feb. It was best $$ on archery. And the VAPs r awesome.
John, I never had TP but Rick and I discussed it. I believe he is your man.
-
Rick was being pestered by a local about having target panic. He wanted Rick to fix the problem. Rick said it would be no problem, all he had to do was take his course. If you shoot 3 under or split finger, glove or tab (Rick even said with your teeth), he can teach you. He's not bragging, he can back what he says. If you're like me, you'll spend a couple hundred or more on non essential things throughout the year. Suck it up and go if you can. Call me at 765-414-1856 if you have any other questions. Also, Rick got me using the VAPs and they're great for hunting or target. I've got a couple dozen Goldtips and Eastons collecting dust now.