Should a trad newbie shoot woodies?

Just remember to keep the eyes of the grain up

[cody94]

the first few dozen of shafts i started shooting was aluminum and then went to carbon, but now the last few dozens of shafts i have bought are wood. they just seem to suit me better, granted there not as fast, but they can shoot better than i can shoot them.

[chuprinko]

I got hooked on trad the other year, and jumped in both feet. Made my first set from a poplar board and varitas 3/8" dowel cutter. Then a pine set that flew great from my 50lb bamboo backed hickory bow, with my homemade flemish string. Just learned to keep the last one for memory sake.  Making your own it really rewarding.  Can sand, reduce shaft length, etc to match up pretty well. And just love the smell of sawdust.

[hitman]

Why not? I love wood arrows. The beauty of crested and stained wood is just like a beautiful bow. Combinations of feathers and paint is endless.

[wapiti]

For a newb stay away from woodies until you have things down as in your form and how you shoot. Once you can recognize a poor arrow flight is due to a poor release (comes from using a balanced arrow-spine, weight, staright with the right FOC) then you can wander into the world of wood arrows. Otherwise it is a bit like fly fishing in the dark.
The poor release is not a slam against ANYONES shooting as we ALL have them to one degree or another at times. Some of us quite often    :D

[buckeye_hunter]

You would be fine with wood.

There are a few things to remember with wood:
1. Wood arrows have more "history"
2. You will likely break more arrows, but it smells good when you do break cedar!
3. Often, wood arrows will be heavier and quiet down a bow.
4. You will get more "fliers". Mark the ones that do and get rid of them or use as flu flu's.
5. You will need to straighten them from time to time.
6. They sure can be dipped and painted up fancy!
7. You will need some different tools, but not unreasonable.


All that being said, I shoot carbons. Love wood, but shoot carbon arrows....

God bless,
Charlie

[gringol]

Originally posted by wapiti:
For a newb stay away from woodies until you have things down as in your form and how you shoot. Once you can recognize a poor arrow flight is due to a poor release (comes from using a balanced arrow-spine, weight, staright with the right FOC) then you can wander into the world of wood arrows. Otherwise it is a bit like fly fishing in the dark.
The poor release is not a slam against ANYONES shooting as we ALL have them to one degree or another at times. Some of us quite often     :D  

I completely disagree.  If you like wood, shoot it.  Wood is not so inconsistent that a newb should avoid it.   It's supposed to be fun, and if wood is fun for you, then go for it.

[Brock]

I disagree with Steve O....wood is no different than others if you take the time to shoot them....they dont fly or react like carbon or aluminum.  I have shot woodies forever....dabbled in the others...and if I was shooting poorly it was me..not the arrows fault.

if you want to shoot woodies then get some spined properly for your setup...or slightly stiffer than needed.  Then shoot your bow and arrows until you are grouping...stop trying to do everything.

concentrate on form...dont worry about where you are hitting...get close...5 yards away...or less.  Concentrate on form...bow arm, anchor point, focus on the spot, back tension, release, follow through...draw arrow and do it again...slow...methodical...with purpose.

I am re-reading Toxicated by Fred Anderson and this morning while reading my chapter per morning in the throne room...       A story by fella with first name of Cassius that was pilot, shot down in WWII, held prisoner, escaped, settled in Oregon and got into making yew longbows and arrows for others and hunting.  

Anyhow, this fella he knew named   Stanley Spencer  was the World Champion Target Archery for 1926 if I remember right....or maybe US Champion.  To the point after talking about why the golden era of archery started in depression and for the 20 years following it was about hard work and satisfaction of working hard and gettings it reward>

  Mr. Spencer was a proponent of athletics and physical training to become successful and NOT TECHNOLOGY.  He said, "Why, oh why, do they fill up so much space writing about spine of arrows and just how to bend them around a bow, instead of making a rigid arrow and learning how to shoot it?"  

This was the best target archer of his day....

I am of his belief that too much thought is put into spine, FOC, degree of twist on fletching, tapered shaft or parallel or barrel tapers shafts, single bevel vs double bevel.

Get your bow...get some adequately spined arrows better to be too stiff than too weak....and shoot the damn things.

I got a feeling some all knowing modern bow shooter or other like minded traditionalist told you that your problem was all in the arrow.  Bullcocky....

The ancient hunters did not know spine....they got a stiffly flexed shaft...worked on it...tried to get all their arrows closely matched in weight and stiffness as close as they could tell by hand...and then they shot them..over and over and over again.

If you arrows are shooting to left or right due to too stiff or too weak....if your nocking point and "form" is good....then soon you will start hitting where you are looking as your mind and form aligns with flight of your arrows.  It will all come together....  These are not machines that you tinker with and force to do your bidding.

They are wood and string and feather and steel....work with it and you will succeed.

If you can practice all summer and put 2-3 arrows in row in area size of your hand at 15 yards instinctively then you are shooting good.  Very few that are not string walking or gap shooting can lay there arrows side by side in the X ring like can be done with pins for sights.

it doesnt take perfectly matched arrows....to shoot a traditional bow well.

It only takes the desire to put time into practicing and learning your bow and making your form consistent where your arrow has the opportunity to do its part.  If your form breaks down...the arrows only does what you tell it.

I personally dont think it is wood arrows if they are even close to proper spine for your bow...you can be over or under spined and still wont make a huge difference.  Your form is the greatest impact to accuracy...period.

I also see you talking about hammering out trade points from steel or spoons...how about work on one aspect first before you try to conquer the archery world and all the parts.

personal opinion...you want accuracy and all that goes with it now...not after putting some time and self-evaluation in first.

if that is the case...get some carbons as there are only 3-5 sizes to choose from....and start gap or walking the string for better accuracy.

just dont blame wood arrows....never had a reasonably straight, reasonably spined, or reasonably matched arrow that caused me to shoot poorly...NEVER.