Alternating Among Different Bows

[dcolavito]

I've been shooting instinctively for a year (switched from gap shooting for years) and with the same recurve bow.

Been thinking of looking for an additional bow/s and wondered how much adjustment time I'd need in going from one bow to the other.  Is there a major investment in adjustment times if I alternate between different bows from one hunt to the next, or am I better off just sticking with the same bow.  Of course the only sure way to find out would be try it, but wanted thoughts from others who alternate among different bows.

Thanks !

[StickBowManMI]

I shoot different long bows frequently and they all seem to shoot the same. I like having different bows and I enjoy shooting them. It seems to add more fun to it.

[Cecil]

I do better if I stik with one bow. I like shooting others.

[zetabow]

I have Horsebows, ELB, Recurves and Longbows, I shoot mostly Longbow during peak tourney times but I like to have a break every now and then and have a week shooting maybe the Horsebow.

Most of my Bows are similar draw weight and performance so adjustment isn't that difficult, most of the time I can switch bows quite quickly, I think because I shoot alot and international tourney at high level I do sometime find myself hitting a brick wall with my Longbow and making a switch to another Bow for a week helps me come back to the Longbow feeling fresh, Think it helps remind me to keep Archery FUN and not get to wrapped up in the tourney side of shooting.

[monkeyball]

Hey Dave,
         Hunted most of the season with a Voodoo
Stick,the last two weeks with a 56" Bear Grizzly,
and now I am trying to get tuned in with a Hoyt
Dorado.

 It is like Steve said above,you have to keep it fun.

                             Craig

[reddogge]

Of my 14 bows, 2 are for the grandkids and 2 are in the shop and 1 is a wall hanger so that leaves me 9 to shoot and I shoot each one at least once/month.  They all shoot the same to me with slightly differing trajectories due to poundage differences.  My brain seems to compensate pretty quickly.

[mahantango]

If you are an experienced archer with  good, consistent form it shouldn't make any difference. Beware the man with many bows- he can proably shoot damn near anything.

[JRY309]

I have many bows and switch between them regularly and shoot them equally.Probalbly because they are all longbows.But when I have shot recurves,I do tend to shoot right for a bit until I get accustomed to them.It is due to the cut of the riser.Most of my longbows are cut slightly off center to center,the recurve is cut past center.But you should have good consistent form.

[sinistral]

Give in to it Dave, join the "I need that next bow club". I have six bows, and shoot them all regularly, until I am close to hunting season. Then I shoot the bow I hunt with only... well mostly I just shoot that one LOL. They all shoot a little different, but that is the fun. Jeff

[GANDGOLF]

I think as long as you anchor @ the same place ... Cant your bow the same..Release the same..AFTER 5 Warmups your computer knows what's going on .. No Matter WHAT bow you use...    

[Big Bird]

I have 21 recurves I shoot all of them.then 2 weeks before hunting season I will only shoot the one I'am hunting with.

[gilf]

I shoot a lot of 3D competitions, normally 40 targets. I have found it takes me around 10 shots to get used to a bow after that it's as if I have been shooting it forever.

I try and shoot the same bow as my main "competition" bow and only shoot different bows for fun now and again. When I switch back to my main bow I don't need those 10 shots to get in to it.

I shoot instinctive too.

[vtmtnman]

It's dependent on the person.I've watched Vermonster pick up a morrison longbow and a 57 kodiak(Two completely different bows...shooting two different speeds...not even cut the same in the windows)and at 20 yards have all the arrows in a 6 inch circle.

Have good form and lots of shooting practice and anyone can do it.

[Rob DiStefano]

for hunting and hunting practice, i shoot one bow, and one arrow type.  

mixing it up with other bows and arrow types won't help my hunting one bit.

[Bruce Martin]

I have several glass bows and also the disease of making bamboo backed longbows. Part of the fun of making the bows is exploring the variation. Poundage also differs and as I age the pounds are coming off (of all types bows). But for hunting I tune and shoot only one bow and hunting arrow and stay with it all season including all the practice. This winter with bow making I will be attempting to make the wood bows with similar pounds as the glass bows (about 55 lb).

[Pegen]

I've stuck to the same bow, same arrows for 1 year and never shot better!

[Over&Under]

There have been times I had several different style of bows, and the hardest part for me when switching was the different grip styles.  But it only took a few shoots to bet my brain dialed in.  Now I try and have bows that are somwhat similar to each other as far as the grip is concerned and that helps to switch back and forth fairly easy.

[graysquirrel]

I have tooooooo many.  But is is fun shooting all of them, especially the old ones

[cbCrow]

I used to be able to shoot different bows but as I age I always seem to come back to recurves. I know I can shoot both,longbow aqnd recurve, but am going to go to the dance with what brought me.Try it yuorself and see what hsappens.

[dragonheart]

From an accuracy point of view, you are better off IMO to stick with one bow.  At least one style of bow.  Some folks really enjoy trying differnet bows.  If you stick with one bow you "groove in" with it and you know where it will shoot.