Thinking about taking the plunge into traditional archery

[South MS Bowhunter]

Congrats on starting your journey, now it time to relax and enjoy it.

As most other have already stated ingraining a repeatable consistent form with a repeatable anchor point again repeatable every time you draw the bow it the same form and anchor.

Get this part down and prevent bad habits from forming (Don't ask how I know).  

I also agree read the New to Trad archery information and then go over to the shooting forum and look up Moebow and RangerB Videos, a lot of good information from those guys.

Also look up Terry's Form Clock at the top of that forum for proper form alignment.

[achigan]

Welcome!. You've been bit, you're infected. No cure needed! Enjoy the ride...

[beendare]

I was where you are now not so long ago. I think Kirk nailed it on the good advice.

I really enjoy shooting my recurve over my compound but I'm not lethal with it yet- no worries, its right around the corner. I made the mistake of "just shooting" and my shooting plateaued quickly. Now I am blind bale shooting and grooving in good form- unbelievable the difference.

[Mryan2176]

I sold my compound last winter three weeks after i started shooting a traditional bow. Best decision i ever made. I hunted with a compound for 10 years and shot quite a few deer. Got my first traditional bow deer   this year. It feels natural to me and all the excitement has returned. The instant i watched that arrow fly through the air and hit the deer right where i was looking, i knew i would never want to use wheels again. These guys gave good advice and it was the only reference i had. I don't have anyone to learn from, may not be the best way to learn, but it's all i had. Moebows videos really helped me,. If your lucky enough to have someone to help you, that is for sure the best, But there is a ton of great knowledge to be had from these guys. The search function on this site answered most of my questions. Check out Moebow on youtube, like mentioned, his videos really helped me and other people. Be warned : traditional bows seem to multiply. I started with 1 and ended up with 6. I'm suprised i'm not single. Like someone else mentioned, i spend way more time shooting and enjoying my longbows and recurves then i ever did my compound bows. Way more fun and carrying a stick and string in the woods just feels right to me. Good luck. Matt

[Tca126]

Thanks for all the help thus far. My draw weight on my compound is 70# so I'm thinking somewhere around 45-50# will be perfect. As for purchasing the bow, I don't have any shops that carry recurves in my area so should I just order one with all accessories from 3 rivers and hope for the best?

[warden415]

tca126 sent you a private message steve

[Altiman94]

Glad you found us!!  You're going to love the journey.

Everyone's given some great advice so far, you'll find most of what you need to know on this forum somewhere either by asking questions, searching threads, or reading the stickies already out there.

I'm still not 100% hunting with a trad bow yet but I enjoy shooting it alot more than the other options.  You can be a very proficient hunter with one, just check out the harvest forum.

[Boobacker]

Tca126 I sent u a PM.

[CRS]

My simple advice is to start light in poundage and longer bow.  The charts in the beginner tab are great, but go with the longer bow in your draw length.

It is best to shoot different bows.  I know this somewhat problematic for you.  You will find one that feels better to you.

If there are any local trad guys around, they can help.  I wish you lived close as I would be more than happy to let you shoot all the different styles from my small collection.

Welcome and enjoy!

[Mojostick]

From having worked in sport shops, owned a sport shop and having worked in the Cabela's archery dept., I strongly suggest you select a weight 20-25lbs less than the compound you're shooting. If you're shooting a 70lb compound, think 45-50lbs for your recurve. If you can't shoot 70lbs out of your compound and 60lbs is more comfortable for you, then think more 40-45lbs for your recurve.

Remember, there is no letoff. Also, when you get your new recurve, you're probably going to want to shoot it a lot. With a 40-45lb bow, you can shoot it for a long time and enjoy it. A 50lb bow isn't as nice to shoot for longer periods of time.

For deer, don't worry about 40-45lbs for killing power. With the right setup and moderate ranges, you'll shoot right thru deer with 40lbs. You can hunt most anything in North America with 45-50lbs, with the exception of brown/grizzly bear.

[Keb]

It's a ride like no other, you will soon realize like roger rothaar wrote in a recent book you been snookered, by the latest products out there.

I been snookered for a longtime.

[far rider]

Come on in, the water's fine!
 

[paoliguy]

I would suggest you look for a traditional archery club in your area. That made all the difference for me. Guys there had all sorts of bows to try out, plenty of good advice, and there was always something for sale or trade. Ours starts up for the new year next weekend, I can hardly wait.

Another thing I enjoy is regional archery events. I happen to be fairly close to Cloverdale IN where they have the Trad Nationals every year. There are always tons of vendors at these events who will let you try before you buy. I suspect there are some events like this in PA too.

Welcome, and should you find yourself in Indiana drop me a note and we'll shoot some stumps!