What size recurve for me?

[MulieMike]

I am wantng to switch from compound to recurve but i 100% know nothing about them. I was given the offer to borrow a Bear recurve (light poundage) and see how i like it and if i want to proceed with my decision, I am hoping to get the bow in my hands within the next couple weeks. if/when i decide to make the switch i am looking at putting a order in for a Blacktail Elite TD because they are made here in my home state and have heard nothing but great things about them. The Blacktail web page has a sizing chart which i believe will get me in the general area (62") but i have some questions???

1. do i have to get a 62" bow? or can i drop to a 60" (is there a advantage in longer or shorter bows) I prefer shorter for some reason
2. What poundage do you recomend?
3. what draw length for me?

I am 6' 190lb guy in pretty good shape. the compound i shoot is 28.5" draw 74# bow 80% let off.
I plan on hunting all kinds of animals with the recurve down the road but mainly elk and deer

Thank you in advance for any info you have for me. And if you need any other info from me please dont hesitate to ask.

Mike

[lpcjon2]

Before you order any bow, I would sugest going to some trad events or shoots(maybe even the Blacktail shop) and try and shoot some bows. And dont get over bowed in weight it will only hurt your accuracy(holding weight on a trad bow is way different than wheels).
  The most important thing for a beginner is to work on your shooting form with the trad equipment. It is a little different than the Wheels was. And dont go by what length you drew with the wheels it will be different with trad gear. Good luck and check out the shooters forum on the main page for tips.Tim

[owlbait]

Mike, those Blacktails are top of the line. Great choice, but be prepared to wait. 60" should be no problem. I wouldn't start over 55#, and may begin right at 50#. I'm sure you'll get plenty of advice. Congratulations on coming over to the trad side, and WELCOME!          

[MulieMike]

Tim, thank you for the response. I spent about 2 hours in the shooters forum last night and was very impressed on how helpful people are on this forum.
Couple thinks i learned is it sounds like my DL will more than likely be shorter when i make the switch, but not quite sure how much yet. Also like you said be prepared for a big change in holding my draw weight.

[MulieMike]

owlbait, ....the wait....i am in no huge hurry to hunt with the bow and have commited to using my compoud this year i am hoping that by borrowing and purchasing a cheaper used bow in the mean time i will have a good head start when my bow arives in a year +/-

[PaddyMac]

x2 on lpcjon2. Do not overbow. Try before you buy. I've heard a good but not firm rule of thumb to get what you can hold at full draw for 10 seconds before shaking... comfortably. Not 15, not 7.

I shoot a lighter bow than I can draw because of tendon issues. If I shot a 57#, just 4 above what I'm shooting now, I'd cripple myself after a couple dozen arrows and be out of action. And more importantly not have much fun doing it. I took a little gamble going up to my longbow, but so far, it's just fine.

I had to learn that the hard way, going from a 75# compound to a 62# recurve.

[bfrbmj]

Mike-  Good luck in your journey with trad archery.  I have been hunting with a recurve around 8 years, so I am no expert, but have a little experience in what you are dealing with.

You will get a ton of info from the real experts on this site and by getting some trad videos and books.  I would shoot that Bear bow as much as possible and try to get good fundamentals in your shooting form.

By shooting as much as you can, you will find the answers to your questions.  Some like short others like longer bows.  Draw weight(45-55?) depends on your strength, but remember don't overbow yourself at first like the others have said.  Your style and strength and body type will determine draw lenght.

Also, you can get on Norm's list, but it is a long(14+ month) wait.  Think about a used bow first in classifieds (maybe while getting on the list).  I wouldn't get a new Blacktail for my first bow until you know you are serious about recurves.  By the way, I just got my second recurve which happens to be a Blacktail(64" 58#@29-I am 6' and 29" draw).  It was worth the wait but I had something to shoot and hunt with during that time period.
Good luck.

[fisherick]

Don't over bow yourself! Buy a takedown model with lighter limbs (40-45#) to start shooting using proper form. This weight will make a fine deer killer also. When ready buy a second set of limbs in the 50-60# range for elk hunting. A longer limb bow will be more forgiving (62") and a shorter bow more manuverable.
I have a 43#-62" Td bow I shoot year round, and a 54#-60" TD bow that I use for elk hunting. Keep your arrows in the same grains per pound for each bows draw weight and the tradjectory will be similar. BTW my 45#-54" bow had two pass thru kills on bucks last year.

[Biathlonman]

What I've done/doing.  Take $600 and go to the classifieds and start buying bows.  Buy one and shoot it for a week or two, then sell it for what you gave for it.  If the weight was to light go heavier, to high go lower, long/short, high mass weight/ low mass weight.  After 10-15 you'll know exactly what you like and if you do it one at a time you really won't be out much if anything.  Going to trad shoots and shooting everything you can get your hands on can expedite the process.

[slivrslingr]

Don't know where in Oregon you're located, but it would be worth the drive to head to Raptor Archery in Hood River.  It's an all traditional shop and Ted, the owner, will help you out.  He has a good bunch of bows in the shop and you can generally shoot any of them.  Give him a call before driving up as he spends the spring in Idaho guiding.

 http://www.raptorarchery.com/

[SportHunter]

Buying used is definitely a great way to sample numerous bows and see what you like. Ive bought and sold many bows over the past few years and having the ability to shoot different styles really helped me get a good feel for what I like. I'm just now contemplating ordering my first "new" bow.

[MulieMike]

Thanks for all the input so far! Luckly i have a uncle who lives about 20 minutes from the Blacktail shop and i am visiting him in a couple weeks to do some fishing. I am planing on calling Norm to set up a apointment to meet with him and pick his brain and see what he recomends. I also talked to the guy who is letting me borrow a 43# bear recurve and i will have it in my hands on saturday, pretty excited to learn how to shoot something without all the bells and whistles

[smokin joe]

MulieMike:
You have been getting good information here. I am about the same size as you and I shoot recurves in the 50-53 pound range. Peak weight at full draw will feel weird to you at first and starting with a bow in the low-to-mid 40s is a smart way to start. You should stick with that bow for several months before moving up in draw weight. When you move up in weight, do so in increments of not more than 3 pounds or so at a time. Big jumps in draw weight can lead to all kinds of bad form problems. It is best to prevent those problems.

Congrats on the start of your trad journey. You will have a great time.
Joe

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I'd like to extend an invitation to come by my shop if you get up in the Portland area. i have an assortment of different designs you could try out on my range here. i also have some stock bows you may be interested in too...  Kirk

[fatzboys]

i started two years ago with a 6o inch 45lb recurve.i now shoot a 64 inch 41lb recurve.my wheele bow draw length was 29inch .my trad draw is 27 and a half.lots a fun if you forget about speed and work on form.my 2 cents

[BWD]

Imo, don't spend a bunch of money on your first bow. You don't have a clue what you really want, and no one can make that decision for you. Shoot as many as you can get your hands on, and you will figure out what you want given time.
By the way, your first bow will not be the last bow you buy. It's just the beginning, so be patient.

[Steve Clandinin]

Hey Mike,you recieved an open invitation from Kirk at Bigfoot bows.My advice to you is to take it! You'll learn more in one hour from Kirk than you will in six months by yourself.The Oldtimers and experienced Archers on here are a wealth of knowledge,you won't believe how helpful someone like Kirk can be.When I started shooting close to 50 years ago this site and someone with Kirks knowledge would have saved me years of frustration.Just my 2 cents worth.

[MulieMike]

Originally posted by Kirkll:
I'd like to extend an invitation to come by my shop if you get up in the Portland area. i have an assortment of different designs you could try out on my range here. i also have some stock bows you may be interested in too...  Kirk

Kirkll, I live in Hillsboro! I will make it into your shop soon.
Thanks.

[Shane C]

I'm pretty sure I'm an oddball. My draw length on my compound was 29" with a 60# draw weight 75% letoff. I immediately with with a 54@28 62"amo recurve and my draw length is 30.5ish. I'm still starting out, but this is what feels comfortable for me I can hit kill zone consistently. Again, I'm pretty site I'm an oddball so probably don't follow my lead.  

[Bobaru]

If you live in Oregon and want to hunt Elk, I believe you need at least 50#.  

You should be able to switch from 74# compound to 50# or 55# recurve.  But, be prepared for a real difference between the two.

In my opinion, you should get that bear bow (hopefully it's at least 45#) and shoot about 10,000 arrows.  Only then can you really get the feel for a recurve.

Also, if you're not really certain you will like it, get a 62" Samick Sage take down.  The complete bow cost $ 129 and extra limbs cost $ 70.  You can do one heck of a lot of learning on that small amount of money.

Blacktail bows are a 15 mo. wait.  That's a very long 15 months, I can assure you.  But, if you know what you want, it's worth the wait.