off the shelf

[fazhu]

Hello all.  Why do people shoot "off the shelf"?  I can understand an increased reliability but what are other reasons that you shelfers have?  I ask the question because I have been shooting feathers off the shelf but am wondering about vanes and a little plastic rest. Opinions? Thanks.

[saumensch]

It brings the arrow closer to my ehand and makes it easier for me to shoot where i look/point.
That plus the better reliabilty are enough reasons for me.

Also asked the other way round: "Why not?"   :D

[ChrisM]

Originally posted by saumensch:
It brings the arrow closer to my ehand and makes it easier for me to shoot where i look/point.
That plus the better reliabilty are enough reasons for me.

Also asked the other way round: "Why not?"    :D  

X2  

[smokin feathers]

x3 close to hand and simplicity

[Leon.R]

Less to worry about and seems to work just fine...

[Swamp Yankee]

All but one of my bows shoot fine off the shelf.  Simple is good so that's how I leave them.  One 52" bow however, will only shoot well for me with an elevated rest; so an elevated rest it is on that bow.  Guess I just don't shoot well enough to see any difference in accuracy in the 20 yard range.

[Shakes.602]

Just 'Cuz I Do!! hahaha Warning My Friend...Vanes & Trad. Bows is a BAD MIX! I never had any luck with them, even off a Raised Rest.

[reddogge]

Closer to hand and can't come unglued or fall off or break.

[3arrows]

Try it,you might like them in wet conditions.

[Bill Carlsen]

Paul Schaefer used an elevated rest and plactic vanes. He is about the epitome of what I hold to be a true hunter and archer. It is all about shooting accurately. If you find that shooting off an elevated rest with vanes makes you a better shot the why would  you not do it? Those who have trouble getting vanes to fly well just haven't got to the point where they have the correct combination of correct arrow spine, vane size or type. Vanes, elevated rests and trad bows are very compatible if you are willing to take the time to get it right.

[Javi]

I shoot off the shelf because I want to and I can...  

Same reason I shoot wooden arrows

[Charlie Lamb]

I'm with Bill 100% !!!!!  

[Night Wing]

My arrow never falls off the shelf like it would with an elevated rest when I'm stalking javelina.

[Bill Carlsen]

Night Wing...then, I would say, your experience with elevated rests is limited. That's an assumption I am making but when I was shooting off the shelf an arrow fell off the shelf as I was taking the bow off of a bow hook in my stand, and almost cost me a 10 point buck. I was fortunate the arrow did not hit the stand and that acorns were falling as the deer just looked in my direction thinking he heard an acorn fall (another assumption). I was able to get another arrow on the string and shot him thru the heart. Arrows do, indeed, fall off the shelf. After that incident I got out my old Sta Jac Arrow cinch and it has been on all my bows ever since.

[maxwell]

All my Recurves are set up with an elevated rest, mainly because I listened to Paul Schafer years ago. I have never looked back or regreted the move.

[dragonheart]

Why?  I shoot a longbow and with the arrow on the shelf it allows for me to have the arrow down on my hand and I can feel the arrow on my trigger finger of my bow hand.  With the shooting method I am using that has advantages for me.    

Elevated rest can work well on recurves for the mentioned resons, improved clearance, accuracy, etc.  

Jack Harrison uses brush rests on his longbows and describes how to instll them in his book.  They are actually pretty cool looking an look functional.

[COLongbow]

An elevated rest will forgive a less than perfect release because there's a small, flexible contact point. Mine improved arrow flight dramatically, and consequently my accuracy. Here's my set up. I believe my arrows fall off much less than on the shelf.

 

[S C Mercer]

I agree 100% with Bill C's posts.  

 I switched to an elevated rest after reading everything I could ever find about Paul Shafer's style of bowhunting.   Best changes I have made to date and I have no plans to ever go back to off the shelf.  I even have Bear Weather Rest set up on my Morrison Longbows after talking to Dave Windauer (Shafer Silvertip Bows Bowyer) at Denton Hill one year.  He showed me his longbow set up this way and after using this same method on my set up, it shoots amazingly well, even at long range.  

Guess to answer your question in reverse, that's why I DON'T shoot off the shelf.  Steve

[SlowBowke]

I try to shoot the few bows I am fortunate to glam onto from our traditional past the way they left the factory.

The ones with feather rests like Traps are indeed shooters and I seem to shoot THAT type of elevated (although some dont consider it so) a "bit" better but as in most things in traditional archery it is not ONLY about "making it the best possible".

I shoot off the shelf quite well and far and above "needed" for hunting accuracy at the ranges I shoot and have to say I agree with the simplicity and dependability for hunting.

Off a NEW bow, shoot as you wish, for me its mostly about tradition and repect for the bowyer of decades past and a rememberance of hunting methods then.

I shoot them as close to original condition as I can. It's not odd to find a time era accurately made or an original arrow from that same time blessing my quiver out hunting as well.

Both work, enough said from me on that.

God Bless
Slowbowke

[Jake Diebolt]

I always had trouble with arrows coming off the rest, or being really noisy on my arrow.