Draw length reality check

[crazynate]

I'm 5'8" and I draw @28-3/4. I see it all the time with guys that have short draw lengths. If you open up more and pull through the shot you will gain more draw length. I just taught this to a friend and he went from 25- 28 inches just by having proper form.

[Archie]

I'll throw in too... I'm 6'0", and draw 31".  I measure quite regularly, and carry a bare shift with a zip tie around it (to mark the length when I draw) in my back quiver.  I was taught from the beginning to fully expand when drawing, and not hunch.  My dad was 5'9" and drew 29", my brother is 6'2" and draws 32.5".  Maybe we just have long arms, but I also think it has a lot to do with technique.  When my draw shortens up, is because I'm collapsing before release, and I have to watch out for that.

[MIBIGHNTR]

30" for me....  Was questioned and looked at funny when I had some arrows cut at a local shop.  The employee handed me a measuring arrow and said "Lets just make sure", while smiling.  I smiled back and said, "Don't trust me, huh?".  He watched me draw and come to anchor, "Well, I guess you're right!".  I am only 6'1" but have a long torso and broad chest and shoulders.  I agree that there is no magic formula and everyone is different.

[J. Cook]

I'm 6'1" but have a 28" draw.  For me, I can draw to 30" comfortably but I don't get a good anchor point / sight picture view.  I see quite a few guys that pull 30" but their form is crazy...i.e. really leaning back, or pushing their head back, or an anchor point at their ear, etc.  I shoot so much better with a compact draw and a better sight window picture and alignment.

[KeganM]

I went from 27" AMO to 31" AMO by dropping down in draw weight and working on my form. I was overbowed and never fully engaged my back because I shot so quickly. It's been worth it though, as the longer draw and lighter bow combo has been perfect for filling the freezer every year!

I'm a hair over 6' with longer arms and a lanky build. The ruler to the chest thing was never accurate for me, and even using the clothespin test varied. I would still under draw when I got tired, and I would carry that same under expansion over to lighter bows, too. It wasn't until I started working on the bale with a light bow that it began to change, but it took a while because I was stubborn and only went down a few pounds at a time. Oh well!

[Alexander Traditional]

Originally posted by J. Cook:
I'm 6'1" but have a 28" draw.  For me, I can draw to 30" comfortably but I don't get a good anchor point / sight picture view.  I see quite a few guys that pull 30" but their form is crazy...i.e. really leaning back, or pushing their head back, or an anchor point at their ear, etc.  I shoot so much better with a compact draw and a better sight window picture and alignment.

This is me exactly. I'm 6'4" and have fairly long arms. I've measured different ways and usually show around 30" draw. I get the best sight picture,and release with 27.75" I thought I was drawing a full 28" but it's not quite,and I have my arrows cut to 28 now so it's easy to tell if I'm short drawing. As said above I could never figure out what was going on when I was shooting bad,but I would be way behind the string with head back and could never get a good release. I guess everybody is different and it is probably different with every bow,but I do good drawing a little less than I could.

[newhouse114]

I'm 6' and have fairly long arms, about a 76 inch wing span. When I shot wheels I had  a 32 inch draw with the anchor I had for the trigger. I draw around 29-29.5 trad and probably less from a tree.

[old_goat2]

In my opinion, the reality is most people without some serious coaching never reach their full draw potential either due to bad form or being overbowed or a combination of the two. I'm 5'11" with a measured 31" draw and good form, my wife is 5'8" and a 29" measured draw. And we can still bend over and shoot under tree limbs etc. Well I can she has some arthritis issues. Bend at the waist shooting downhill and keep your upper body fixed and your draw length shouldn't change.

Edit: have to say though that me and the better half do have longer arms than average, not quite Gorillas in the Mist long, but pretty long!

[Bowwild]

At the risk of making a "Form Post" instead of answering the poster's question:

The three methods I'm aware of:
1. Ruler on sternum.
2. Wingspan (Wingspan in inches, minus 15, and divide by 2).
3. Actual: Draw and mark arrow at back of bow or clothespin or arrow mark.

I'm 5'5. (used to be a LOT taller when I was a teenager - 5'6").

1. Ruler on Sternum: 24.5" draw
2. Wingspan: 25" draw (65-15 divide by 2)
3. Actual: 26" (clothespin).

I use Actual because I have visually checked that I am properly extended to be able to engage my back in the shot. If under drawn I can't engage the back. If overdrawn the back is too engaged.

So when I'm at full draw my index finger is at the corner of ny mouth. My thumb knuckle is behind my jawbone, and most importantly, I can feel my rhomboid muscle in the draw side shoulder blade engaged. to release I budge the rhomboid a bit further and drop the string.

Why does it (back) matter? Avoidance of target panic.

[CoachBGriff]

I always thought I was drawing 28 inches, but when I ordered a new bow from black widow they measured my draw and I was getting a full 29".

I'm only 5'10''.

[Tajue17]

just cut a piece of cardboard a couple inches wide and stick your arrow thru it and slide down towards fletching.  now draw back the string so the cardboard hits the back of riser and slides on arrow indicating your REAL draw length,   now do this while sitting, standing, turned sideways, ect and see how its always a little different.

[Bowwild]

Be careful, if you want an accurate measurement, with the clothespin or cardboard on the arrow method. I like this method best too but you have to note if the riser shape stops the pin or cardboard before it touches the exact spot where the arrow projects from the bow back. Could make you think  your draw length is 1/2" longer.

Someone standing BESIDE the bow to make a mark on a full draw arrow at this bow back/arrow interface is quite accurate as well.

I've never tried this, only just now thinking about it.  If you taped a marker to the back of the bow that just touched the shaft of the arrow. You could draw the arrow and see where the mark stopped. That would be where you'd measure the draw length.

Of course someone will now make a simple contraption to mount such a marker and they'll be rich and I'll continue raiding my wife's purse to fill my coin jar until it gets to $160 again (in two years).

[LBR]

The yardstick test gives me 27.5".  My actual draw length (checked many times over the last 20+ years) is 30.5-31, depending on the grip.

Learning to draw the bow properly--standing up straight, using back tension--will generally add to most.

[Sam McMichael]

I have had people stand beside me and mark the point on the arrow at the back of the bow, and I have used the bow with the measuring arrow to determine that I draw a whopping 25".

When I first took up archery, with a recurve, I determined I drew 27", but it is 25" when using a slightly bent arm with the longbow.

[forestdweller]

Draw length also depends on your anchor point, how much bend you have in your bow arm, and even the shape of your riser.

With my longbow I'm drawing about 27 1/2" with my recurve I was drawing about an inch more.

If I were to draw my bow without a middle finger at corner of mouth anchor I could easily stretch out to 30" which I have done in the past.

I am 5' 9" and shrinking, I can have a 31 inch draw, but it hurts a little.  I pull the string back and hook the string on my ear and then just hold onto that ear until I am on target, then smoothly let my ear slip from my fingers.  This also cures TP.

[Bladepeek]

[Nathan Killen]

I'm 5'8" and just a little feller, but Craig can testify I've got a 29" draw. I also think it has a lot to do with form and shooting style.    

[tradarcher4fun]

My draw length increased an inch after taking a Rod Jenkins class.  I thought I knew what back tension was untilI I took the class.

[Looper]

The yard stick in the chest is way off for me. The wingspan -15/2 is close. One thing I know for absolute certain is that an arrow that is 29" to the back of the broad head is way too short for me. I missed a nice fat pig early this year because I mistakenly put a too short arrow in my quiver (early morning, no coffee, running late). Drew on a chunky little sow only to have the broad head hit the riser an pull the arrow completely off the string.

A few years ago, after a lively discussion on here, I experimented with some shorter arrows. Even down to a 27 bop. Let's just say that I'm happy shooting the way I do, and I'm not changing up just to fit someone else's mold. I could see changing it I couldn't hit a barn, but I can usually hit were I want at reasonable distances.