Rcurve

[chuck1234]

Never shot one     always shot compound with fingers wondering how had it is to learn to shoot a recurve?

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Not hard but the learning curve is different for everyone. Shooting with someone who has experience can help shorten the curve.  

Dont worry a ton about immediate accuracy, instead focus on good form and take shorter shots.  If your form is crazy, often, so will your consistency and accuracy.  Its harder to let go of bad habits than it is to learn proper form from the get go.

[JakeD]

Be careful going from a compound to a recurve.  You may not ever go back!

[John Cholin]

I started out with recurves and then went to a compound when they first became the "rage".  I did not use a release - I "shot fingers".  About 10 years later I picked up my old recurve on a lark to shoot a few arrows.  I never shot the compound again.  My success rate on whitetails did not decrease one bit.

The biggest transition is going from a mechanical release to "shooting fingers".  The hand position is totally different!  I shoot with a sight - a single pin for 20 yards.  I shoot 4" groups of 15 arrows at 20 yards consistently using cedar arrows.  I'll never shoot a compound again!

If you start now you can hunt with your recurve come September.  All it takes is some practice and you will find that the practice is fun.

JMC

[Sam McMichael]

Find out who Arne Moe is, and read lots of his comments and observations. It will greatly enhance your transition. He can really help improve your form.

[Bow-n-Head]

Get on THE SHOOTERS FORUM. Tons of info.

[reddogge]

Not hard at all but to shoot accurately you need to know how to set the bow up, how to tune your arrows to the bow, how to have good form, how to aim.

[mahantango]

X2 on Arne Moe. Form is everything and you can get away with some really crappy form with a compound due to the low hold weight imo.

[Texoma]

I was shooting a compound with fingers and no sights at the beginning of our season Oct..I bought a recurve for next years season.Started practicing with the recurve and after a solid week of practice I was confident in the recurve and really felt comfortable with it.

Then I went to practice with the compound before the coming weekend and could no longer hit with it,it was awkward feeling and feels like it weights a ton.So I took the recurve to woods and haven't looked at the other bow since.

Warning it can be addictive,I went from no Traditional bows to having 5 in 3 months.

[McDave]

Get yourself a recurve and start shooting it.  Arne Moe, who writes on TradGang under the avatar of Moebow, is a qualified archery instructor and coach, who has analyzed the shooting form of hundreds of people who have sent in videos to the Shooters Forum.  He has also made instructional videos of his own, which you can find on YouTube.  I would recommend watching all of his videos early on.  

There is a five part series of DVD's called Masters of the Bare Bow, which covers all aspects of shooting the traditional bow, and will help you decide where you fit in best.

I don't know where you live in Arkansas, but one of the best traditional archers in the US, Rick Welch, lives and gives lessons near Little Rock.  

Arnie's videos are free, the Masters of the Bare Bow series doesn't cost very much, so those are the places to start, but if you get serious about traditional archery, then lessons from Rick or one of the other great instructors around the country should be on your list of things to do.

[Captain*Kirk]

Most important thing; don't overbow yourself. A 70# compound with 85% letoff means you are holding a mere 10# at full draw, and at a 'wall' with most modern bows. A 50# recurve has no 'wall' and is 50# at 28"...more if your draw length is longer. That's 5 times what you are used to. Is it any wonder guys who are transitioning shoot poorly or give it up altogether? Start low, 25-30 pounds and work on form and muscle memory before moving up into a hunting weight bow. I would suggest a bow with replaceable limbs that you can keep the same riser and move up in weight as you progress.
That being said, shooting a recurve is not much different from shooting fingers on a compound. And I second what has been said about Arne Moe. His stuff is really, really good. You might check out Clay Hayes' stuff on YouTube as well. 'The Push' is an excellent primer on what trad is really all about.

[dirtguy]

I advise people starting to shoot recurve to consider buying a basic takedown like a samick sage or a great tree for $125 to $150. Get it with #30 limbs and work on form, form and form.

You can then get
#40, #45 or #50 limbs to hunt with. They only cost another $70-90.  It is much easier to work on form and get in lots of reps with the lower draw weight.  With the heavier limbs you have a very serviceable hunting bow with same grip you've gotten used to.

Being over bowed leads to bad habits that are hard to unlearn.

[TIM B]

Good comments above.....but don't wait any longer....get one and get to shooting it.
Good luck
Tim B

[Holm-Made]

Be realistic with your expectations.

[David McLendon]

Buy a Galaxy Ember with a 35# draw weight from Lancaster for $200, later after you develop your form buy an additional set of heavier limbs for about $90. That's a hard deal to beat.

[styksnstryngs]

Don't think that a recurve is a lazier version of the compound... You get out of it what you put into it. You look at the guys shooting Olympic recurve, they will outshoot your average compound hunter any day of the week, and three times on the weekend. If you just fool around with it, you ain't gonna get better, but if you take some time out of your day to really focus, maybe find a coach, you will improve noticably. The thing about trad is that growth is highly noticable.

[Bud B.]

Get to this forum and read some old posts.

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=79

You will see others from AR in that forum. Maybe message them and see where a nearby shoot will be scheduled. Shooting with others is a great learning tool. Eventually you will figure out which ones to try to mimic and which ones to not.

Welcome to trad archery!

[WVbowhunter]

I would say start off by ordering a light draw weight recurve, nothing that's going to be over 35 pounds at your actual draw length. I would also recommend getting one or all of the Masters of the Barebow series. And if you still have your compound take the sight off and get some close range practice shooting with your fingers barebow (think shooting at a paper plate from five yards).

[nek4me]

Don't overlook the Shooting Forum in the Archives. Lots of good info and more in depth discussions of the various topics than the current Shooting forum.

[Cherry Tree]

I'd think about how you want to shoot and what your gonna do, hunting or targets or just for fun etc. If you want to aim or go instinctive basically and then once you've decided based only on what you want not what others say or think then research and always use common sense get the basics and don't complicate it. Focus on 1 thing at a time.i would make it very simple, first thing I'd do is find a anchor point that is absolutely great figure out where and how that anchor should feel. Second just basic alignment  (drawing arms elbow online with target) and keep good posture not to talk not crunched in. If you wanna be a snap shooter don't snap shoot at first because I think it could begin a target panic learn to hold short time at full draw and keep every shot in the same rhythm this helps consistency no moment of the shot should be a fast inconsistent motion! One more basic thought would be at release bow arm not jerking apon release should be still or move slightly. Release hand should be still at release or pulling through the shot straight back online with the arrow, no sideways motion! Hope some of this helps.