Terms of Art

[JimGoza]

As a brand new bow person I am just passing curious if anyone else out there had as much problem as I did in getting started. Since I don't have a bow store anywhere nearby I was left to my own devices to find out what draw length, etc. I had. But when it came to the specs on bows even more so. Does it have to be so difficult? Are these AMO measurements really the most helpful things out there? Maybe I just don't get it yet, but it seems kind of made-up to me. And  arrows! I was, and am still almost entirely lost. Length, composition, fletching,(they all come without tips - and there are 100s of different tips - some will fit some won't). All to say, maybe this is as good as it can get, but I have to think that there are a lot of people who would like to get into archery - but don't live near a store - and who literally cannot figure out how to simply order an expensive bow and arrows and get started. I couldn't, (and while it may not mean much, I did go to law school and pass a bar exam). For me, it finally took just diving in, wasting some money, and gradually sorting it out for myself. Call me crazy, but it seems unnecessarily complicated.

[stringstretcher]

There is more information on the internet than you can or ever will get from any generalized archery store. If you can think of a question to ask, the net will give you an answer.  Some where on here is the answer to all your questions about archery.  So being a new person, you have access to  and untold amount of information that some of us could never dream of, as we had to find out the hard way.

I don't mean to come across the wrong way, but the only reason you never got answers to your questions was not because you did not have a "store" to visit, but instead, you never ask?

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Sorry you are having such a  difficult time.

There are resources out there to help. I know it can be frustrating but when it comes together it is awesome.

Here are some videos a memeber is putting together for people in your shoes.

If you ask me he is doing a great job at reducing guess work and frustration.

  http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=115429  

Like Charlie recommends, this charlie also recommends you ask questions! Lots of them!  Use the search function here on trad gang.  It is a great tool for questions that typically get asked over and over.

good luck and keep it fun!  sometimes you will get 5 answers to one question.  there will always be some experimenting and finding what woks best for you.

[team fudd]

If you still feel lost keep reading this forum,  they have much to teach,  welcome to the campfire.  We all start somewhere and it can be very confusing without a mentor but if you do enough research the learning curve can be shortened considerably.  Folks at places like three rivers can be invaluable in helping to pick out equipment or one of other many knowledgeable sponsors.  Or just ask questions on here and you will get the answers you seek.  Practice form first and foremost,  Masters of the barebow series is a good place to start.  Good luck in your journey, it will be a fun one.  One more thing,  it can be as complicated or as simple as you want to make it.  Many get caught up in details but we all just enjoy the flight of the arrow. Find a bow and arrows that shoot well for you and stick with it but this game is full of trial and error no matter how much you know.

[centaur]

If I was new at the game, I think this link would be very helpful...

 http://www.tradgang.com/docs/trad.html

After a while, you should find that traditional archery is not as complicated as say, a legal brief, but like any new endeavor, there is a learning curve, and trad archery is a sport where few, if any, ever reach perfection.
There is a ton of great information on this site, so enjoy the ride. It will all come together if you persist.

[Killdeer]

(Insert lawyer joke here. )

When I started out, there was no Internet. I got a copy of The Archers' Bible by Fred Bear and went from there. There is all kinds of info out there which can be yours just by becoming friends with a search engine. I have gone through the basics with many beginners through the Private Message route here.

Now get to it!  
Killdeer  ~whiner...   :rolleyes:    

[Rob W.]

I always seem to try and re-invent the wheel no matter what I read or hear. It took me a long time to figure out what bows, weight, arrows, etc. doing that. Even when I found this place I still had to find out for myself. I think all the time spent made me better at all this than having someone tell me the perfect setup off the bat.

I do wish I would have found this place sooner and had someone that lives close to mentor me. Almost anyone here will PM or call you to help get started.

After awhile you will think setups are so easy a lawyer could do it.  :D  

Rob

everything is comlicated when it invoves a human!

if it wernt for humans, everything would run smooth as butter.

[JimGoza]

Stringstretcher, No, I don't take it personally at all, and in fact, you actually CAN make fun of me if you want to, but i read stuff for WEEKS and when I ordered arrows, i thought that arrow "inserts" were "tips." It was only $4 more for tips, but it took another week before I was able to shoot an arrow. (I thought about getting one of those little Martin kits that comes with 3 arrows, and that way i could have gotten started right away, but i knew that I would outgrow that $168 kit pretty soon, and i wanted to get something that i could grow into.) So yeah, i still think it is more complicated to get into the sport than it needs to be. That said, I am overwhelmed with the good wishes and advice that i got here in here in just a few hours. I'm definitely hooked, and a big part of that is how cool and encouraging trad archery folks are with newbies like me. Thanks all of you for making me feel like part of the club! I will remember this, and hopefully be able someday to pass it on. I truly appreciate it.

[McDave]

One reason "one size doesn't fit all" is because different bows require different arrows.  A 50# straight-limbed Hill style longbow will probably shoot a different arrow than a 50# reflex/deflex recurve, even if they are each drawn to the same draw-length.  Of course, if they are drawn to different draw lengths, they will require different arrows for that reason.  It is even possible that the same identical bow drawn to 28" by the different archers will require a different arrow, because different styles will sometimes affect arrow flight.

A bowyer or a knowledgeable salesperson will generally be able to get you in the ballpark if you describe your bow and drawlength to him.  But as you get to know a bow, you will probably change to a slightly different configuration for your own personal reasons.  Or, you may decide you want to use a heavier tip, or broadhead.  In that event, you will need to use a stiffer shaft to offset the effect of a heavier point.

You should study bare shaft tuning.  Masters of the Bare Bow Volume II has a section on this by Ken Beck, the owner emeritus of Black Widow Bows, and there are other sources of information on this.

For now, you should be assured that you are correct in concluding that there is no simple formula, and there are good reasons for that.  It will all make sense to you as you continue to learn about arrow flight and traditional bows.

[el greco]

I am sorry to say that but isn't anything we do for the first time difficult to conquer?Could a totall beginner go tommorow and play golf?Or could somebody speak a new language in a few days?You need to show patience,and enjoy the fruits of your hard labor down the road.
(and because you re a beginner you shouldn't start with an expensive bow as you said.Buy one of the used ones here in the 200 price range.)

[Green]

Jim - where do you live in Texas.  We'll get you some qualified help by hooking you up with a member that hopefully lives close by.

[Dimondback]

Hey JimGoza,
           Don't get discouraged man! At the end of the day it is just a stick and a string. I have only been back into traditional archery for about 5 months, and through this site and the unbelievable depth of knowledge here, I am now actually building laminated longbows! While everyone here is forthcoming with information, the SEARCH function at the top of the page will get you a 99% answer most of the time. Good luck, relax and have fun with the learning....if it were easy everyone would do it!

CPT D

[Orion]

Might want to pick up a good how to book like "Traditional Bowhunter's Handbook" by T.J. Conrads, "Shooting the Stickbow" by Anthony Camera, "Timeless Bowhunting," by Roy Marlowe, or "Instinctive Shooting" by G. Fred Asbel. Any one of them will answer about 95% of your questions and save you hundreds of posts on this site.

[Izzy]

The difficulty in this sport is all in your mind. You may not get to your happy place in the 1st week of shooting but this game is as simple as it gets. To me all of the trials and tribulations of getting started were lessons and adventures in hindsight.
        Have fun with this thing. Get out there and rub elbows with other shooters. As far as getting stumped, this site here will "unstump" you of any issue with a little research.

[old_goat2]

wow, you think it's hard now, you should of tried it before the internet got user friendly so to speak. I learned everything with a subscription to bowhunter magazine and a copy of the Bowhunter Warehouse Catalog. You said you were a lawyer, if your a rich lawyer, I would suggest spending some coin to go to a school like Rick Welch or the like. Or travel to where there is a real traditional archery store like Rocky Mountain Specialty Gear here in Colorado, they will give you a lesson and explain all the stuff you need to know, I'm sure the other traditional shops out there are similar, but never been to them. Good Luck and soon you will realize a lot of the stuff you mentioned is good to know, but not terribly important to good shooting, but does play a part in some fashions.Have fun!

[Jim Wright]

Seconding what Orion suggested, Shooting The Stickbow by Anthony Camera is a great "all things traditional archery" book and Tony has that rare ability to pass on information in laymen's terms where even I can easily grasp it.

[wingnut]

Where in Texas are you?  There are a bunch of bowyers across the state that could and would give you a hand.

Mike

[JimGoza]

Guys, thanks! The support and encouragement in here is AMAZING! But really, what I was talking about is the complexity of labeling, like bow measurements are AMO numbers, and the string length is 3" less, I mean who figures that out before they buy the wrong string? And how when you buy arrows you don't KNOW that they don't come with tips, much less which ones you need - stuff like that. I actually do like the complexity and technical detail of it, but it seems too complicated for a beginner to easily get what he needs to get started. But hey, it's do-able. Those of us who want to are able to figure it out, so enough whinging from me!
And yeah, old_goat, if I was a rich lawyer I would definitely go and get schooled. That would be fantastic! For now I think that, with all the help and support you can get in here, I will be able to advance in the sport and stay interested for a long, long time. Thanks again all of you for the great advice and encouragement!

[JimGoza]

Lastly, Wingnut, I'm in Brownsville, at the very southern tip of the state. Thanks for asking. If anyone knows the people around here that shoot trad bows, it sounds like you would be the guy who knows them!