Recurve Bows

[Zuljin]

I do plan on shooting instinctively. I don't even want sights or a bunch of bolt of stuff. I have it for my old compound still.

When I was bowfishing, the pins and peep sight I had quickly became useless anyway. It's easier to aim down the arrow than through a peep, at a pin, on a fish that's underwater and sometimes moving.

I don't expect this will be exactly the same though. Bowfishing is often a matter of feet away, not 20 yards. Way different arrows too.

 

[45_70sharps]

Start practicing instinctive shooting with your wheelie bow.
Pull the sights and get shooting!

Don't use the arrow as a sight.
Just look at where you want the arrow to go and shoot.

 

[BrewerBear]

I quit hunting with a bow a long time ago because I did not enjoy shooting a compound,finally found a recurve I liked at a decent price,Damon Howat Mamba and enjoy shooting it.

 

[lhommedieu]

"...Don't use the arrow as a sight.
Just look at where you want the arrow to go and shoot."

That's good advice. One way of saying this is that where you are looking is your "front anchor" and where you are putting your rear hand and indexing against your face is your "rear anchor." Knowing that you are on a line between front and rear anchors allows you to shoot straighter, imho, than concentrating on the arrow as a "sight" - but that's just me.

The confusion lies in thinking that if your eye is close to the arrow and you are shooting down the line of the arrow, then you must be using the arrow as a sight. That's not true: the arrow just happens to be on the line and will follow its trajectory.

 

[Zuljin]

Okay. Rip 'em up.

http://www.martinarchery.com/2012/sabertd.php

http://www.martinarchery.com/2012/jaguartd.php

The difference I see between the two is that the Saber has some vibration reducers, "VEM"s on it and spacers (?) between the limbs and riser. I've seen pictures of the Saber taken apart. The spacers (?) are separate pieces. Martin offers replacement "VEM"s too.

When I thought of this, I was thinking of going one piece (so called even though they are often made from multiple pieces and types of wood on one bow), but TD costs less and there is the lighter draw weight option by just swapping limbs. Martin doesn't say these are ILF, so I may be locked into only Martin limbs, but it doesn't look like Martin is going away any time soon.

 

[Zuljin]

And a third

http://www.martinarchery.com/2012/explorer.php

 

[Disintegr8or]

I've got a Bear Grizzly http://www.beararcheryproducts.com/bows/traditional/grizzly that I love to shoot. 55lb draw, not too hard to control.

 

[45_70sharps]

That's good advice. One way of saying this is that where you are looking is your "front anchor" and where you are putting your rear hand and indexing against your face is your "rear anchor." Knowing that you are on a line between front and rear anchors allows you to shoot straighter, imho, than concentrating on the arrow as a "sight" - but that's just me.

The confusion lies in thinking that if your eye is close to the arrow and you are shooting down the line of the arrow, then you must be using the arrow as a sight. That's not true: the arrow just happens to be on the line and will follow its trajectory.

Rear anchor is a key. The rest is just muscle memory and practice.
I explain it to people that can't get their head around the idea of not using anything as a sight like this.

How do you sight when you throw a rock? You look at what you want to hit and throw. Same thing.

If you wanted to learn from the best, there is a book called "Become the arrow" by Byron Ferguson. I have never read it but Byron is probably one of the best shots with a longbow that has ever lived.

The man shoots aspirin out of the air and has a whole slew of trick shots that you can't believe.

 

[PapsD]

Rear anchor is a key. The rest is just muscle memory and practice.
I explain it to people that can't get their head around the idea of not using anything as a sight like this.

How do you sight when you throw a rock? You look at what you want to hit and throw. Same thing.

If you wanted to learn from the best, there is a book called "Become the arrow" by Byron Ferguson. I have never read it but Byron is probably one of the best shots with a longbow that has ever lived.

The man shoots aspirin out of the air and has a whole slew of trick shots that you can't believe.

X2.

good form and consistency from shot to shot is vital. Some tuning problems can actually becaused by poor shooting form.

The thing I've learned about shooting that helped me the most was to visualize hitting the target before the shot and don't over think the shot.

 

[J8D]

I quit hunting with a bow a long time ago because I did not enjoy shooting a compound,finally found a recurve I liked at a decent price,Damon Howat Mamba and enjoy shooting it.

I too enjoy shooting my recurve. I could shoot at targets all day long. Heck, one of the funnest parts of hunting with a recurve (spot an stock for elk) is stump shooting. I don't know what it is but shooting a traditional bow is just a blast. I would take shooting my recurve over shooting anything else I have ever fired (155 mm, M60, 12 gauge, M203, 30-06, air strike, writst rocket, etc...) combined.

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

I don't know what it is but shooting a traditional bow is just a blast.

I would say it is because it is fun, simple, effective and age old to boot. Mike

 

[45_70sharps]

Plus a nice longbow is a think of beauty!

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

Yes they are a thing of beauty. I will try to take some decent pics of some bows I have finished and some in progress as well. I was only going to build one but...... I have given away 11 if my memory is right and only sold a few. I get attached to them and don't want to get rid of them when finished. Same thing with my flint knapping some of them just have something that makes you have to keep it. Mike

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

Here is an eight point shot with sinew back osage bow I built. Used a home made arrow with a kay county flint tip.

 

[Zuljin]

I've been on eBay and traditional archery buy and sell sites for a week hoping to find a non TD. After talking myself into a TD because it makes the most sense, I went to Bass Pro and Cabelas and molested some non TDs. Falling for the romanticism of those.

I see people buying and shooting bows from as far back as the 60s and even some from the 50s. Given a bow is in good shape, how much does flat out age effect it?

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

I would expect a good osage bow to last a couple of lifetimes if taken care of. Which by the way don't take much. Don't keep it strung up all the time, only when shooting or hunting. Other than stringing backwards or dry fire or torquing a limb while stringing or maybe breaking a string there just is not that much to go wrong. One more thing is letting someone else shoot your bow. Be sure they do not over draw it or that can spell splinters or loud snaps. Both of which do not sound good<gg>. Mike

 

[nutty_gnome]

Please point me to a reputable online version of the DIY osage bow process. I've already googled too many bows made from coat hangers by kids on youtube.... I'm curious to see the process if not try it myself. N_G

 

[45_70sharps]

That depends. A selfwood bow, meaning one that is made from a single piece of wood is vulnerable to all kinds of mistreatment. Some woods will take bending and releasing more times than others.

Most bows you buy today have a wooden core and are structurally covered in something called bowtough which is a material similar to fiberglass. If those are treated properly they should last for a very very long time.

When you see a bow from the sixties or seventies, there were selfwood bows, fiberglass bows, and some made like today's bows except they had fiberglass over the wood core. Fiberglass does not take repeated shock as well as modern materials. I would look at any old bow with fiberglass carefully and check for cracking. I would also stick to 50 pounds or less on an old bow just for safety.

Another thing to remember is that an older bow or a newer selfwood bow needs to have one of the older materials for its string.
The newer stuff, someone else will help me out on what it's called, will put too much energy into the limbs and that can result in catastrophic failure.

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

Osage will take about anything you throw at it. It is also one of the springiest woods there is. I just made a little bush bow that pulls 55 at twenty inchs. The bow is very short just over 40 inchs long. It rode in the back of my pickup for ten years roughed out just needing tillered and nocks cut. I don't think I will ever ever think about a finish. It don't need it. It is a cool little spitter for shooting out of small portable blinds. If you look up OJAM there are several small pieces of footage showing the different steps. I would go to the library and get the Jim Hamm book called Bows and Arrows Of Native Americans. An excellent site to look into would be Paleo Planet. They have several bow tutorials there. Mike

 

[Zuljin]

That depends. A selfwood bow, meaning one that is made from a single piece of wood is vulnerable to all kinds of mistreatment. Some woods will take bending and releasing more times than others.

Most bows you buy today have a wooden core and are structurally covered in something called bowtough which is a material similar to fiberglass. If those are treated properly they should last for a very very long time.

When you see a bow from the sixties or seventies, there were selfwood bows, fiberglass bows, and some made like today's bows except they had fiberglass over the wood core. Fiberglass does not take repeated shock as well as modern materials. I would look at any old bow with fiberglass carefully and check for cracking. I would also stick to 50 pounds or less on an old bow just for safety.

Another thing to remember is that an older bow or a newer selfwood bow needs to have one of the older materials for its string.
The newer stuff, someone else will help me out on what it's called, will put too much energy into the limbs and that can result in catastrophic failure.

That's fast flight string, if I've read right. The older bows take new strings made of dacron.

I've also read about using phenolic on the tips to make old bows fast flight compatible. Not sure if that's correct info though.

 

[Zuljin]

Bear Glass Powered Bearcat, #45. Either early 60 or early 70s. Coin is silver in color and recessed. Can't tell if tips are overlayed.

Damon Howatt (now pat of Martin) Cavalier, #45. Maybe 1958 to 197?. Tips not overlayed but they do have that string grove just below them.

Both look mighty fine and priced right. Tempted to buy now.

I feel way to excited about this. :cross:

 

[45_70sharps]

Those both sound like bows that I would love to add to my collection.
45# Is enough for deer hunting And depending on your length of pull it may be a little heavier than that.

A 45 pound bow is a great bow to start with.
It is heavy enough to shoot well and light enough to let you concentrate on your form.

 

[Zuljin]

I've read 30-45 pounds for getting into recurve. I'm looking at 45-50, mainly 40-45. Mainly, mainly, 45.

Texas used to require 40 for hunting, but recently did away with any weight requirement. From my understanding, 40 was not at all unreasonable. Sure, there are a great many more variables to a good kill shot than draw weight, but flicking toothpicks at American large game aint gonna work.

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

Many deer are dead because of a 40lb bow. Use the heaviest arrow you can spine for the bow and shoot two blade SHARP broad heads and you can get pass thru shoots regularly if you choose wise shot angles. Mike

 

[Zuljin]

Oh, y'all are in for a lot of stray cat feeding once I start into arrows.

Fishing arrows were easy. Fiberglass rod, knock, barbed tip. Bam. Fletching and spining? Nope. The hard part was rigging them up to stay on the line.

I was digging through my junk and found some old broad heads I had picked up years ago. I don't think any of these are suitable. 3 and 4 "blade". "Blade" because they aint sharp enough to cut butter. I'm not sure they'd even cut the air between me and a target.

Do I get to use real feathers? Will Grackle feathers work? I can get those all day.

 

[45_70sharps]

Many deer are dead because of a 40lb bow. Use the heaviest arrow you can spine for the bow and shoot two blade SHARP broad heads and you can get pass thru shoots regularly if you choose wise shot angles. Mike

Very true. I've always liked ash arrows. Heavy and strong. Put a good two bladed head on it and it does wonders.
Cedar arrows came into being mostly because they are light and a bit faster so they were good for target shooting. Heavy will pass through better and don't break as easy.

I was digging through my junk and found some old broad heads I had picked up years ago. I don't think any of these are suitable. 3 and 4 "blade". "Blade" because they aint sharp enough to cut butter. I'm not sure they'd even cut the air between me and a target.

Do I get to use real feathers? Will Grackle feathers work? I can get those all day.

You can sharpen a broadhead up pretty well. I keep a small clean file and a small diamond stone with me. I like two blade, but a two blade broadhead with the two little bleeder blades on the sides works well. They are inserts. Bear and zwicky are good.

You want feathers for sure if you are shooting off the shelf or using your finger as a rest for the arrow. You wont get good flight with vanes.

I don't know about Grackle feathers. Turkey are the right size and there are right and left feathers. That is important. Your fletching jig will determine left or right feathers.

 

[Zuljin]

Awwwwww yeah!

Just bought a BEAR ARCHERY BLACK PANTHER HUNTER RECURVE BOW RH / 40# / 52".

The bow is marked 40/45#. I forget what my draw is since it didn't matter before, but I'm not monkey arms, so I expect I'll get ~40 out of it. Dude on eBay said it scaled 40# @ 28" on his digital scale. His eBay business seems to be selling archery gear, so...

Best I can figure, with the serial # starting with a K and the bear coin being silver in color and raised, this is a 1972 or after model. Possibly sold at Montgomery Wards. Some say Sears, but I've seen Sears branded bows marked with the Sears name.

It's a shoot off the shelf type, too. I was hoping for that. A solid 45# would have been 10/10 on druthers, but hey, I've let several bows slip by already.

Paid $160, shipped. Have seen them go for more.

Whatcha think?

 

[45_70sharps]

That is going to be a fine bow for you.
I think there is a good chance that you will find your length of pull to bring that near the 45 pound mark, but don't worry about that.
You are about to fall in love. Shooting that thing will become an obsession!

 

[PapsD]

That's a good deal for a bow like that. Like others have said 40lbs is plenty. It'd make a good bow for Turkey hunting too.

5lbs isn't gonna make much difference in speed.

 

[J8D]

Great score!!!! I have watched the older Bear bows off an on for awhile. I would like to get a smaller bow for blind hunting. That thing is going to be a blast. Congratulations.