I would like to try hunting with a traditional bow, but I do not have a bow Yet. I currently Hunt with a compound, but would like to try something different and more challenging. What do I need to look for in a traditional bow (longbow, or recurve)? My local bow shop mainly deals with compounds and I have always been able to try out bows before purchasing. Where do I need to look once I have gotten a better idea of what I would like?
Actually you will probably not know what you really like or want until you get your feet wet a bit. A lot of folks like to go from compound to recurve and make the tranistion quite well. But there are also exceptions. If I were you I'd try to get to a larger shoot and try out some used bows. See what you like.
Other then that I'd recommend getting something in the 40-45 pound range for your first bow. Don't think that you can handle a 60 pound bow right off the bat. But don't feel bad, the other day, I put on a string for my friends 70 compound. I pulled it back a few times, and honestly had trouble. Then I froze at full draw and had trouble letting up on it. But I can shoot my 74# longbow without much of a problem. You will be using different muscles is what I'm sayingI guess. You can expect to loose about 1-2" of draw when moving from a compound to traditional. Don't get too short of abow for your first one at least. Seems like shorter bows are the fad these days.If you're around a 28" draw, I wouldn't go lower then about 62" for a recruveor about 66" for a longbow.
Have fun!
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"I do not Hunt animals to Kill them. I kill animals because I Hunt." Roger Rothhaar
You look for, Reflex-Deflex in a longbow and make sure it's comfortable to you. But about the only thing about alongbow is sometimes Recurves are faster than a Longbow and Longbows will slap your arm about every time you shoot it. I hope this helps. Tell us what ya' get.
EnglishHope
ive never had a problem with armslap while shootingany bow....if you have armslap work it out of your form.just use a shoelace to hold your clothing back in the wintertime or when shhoting with a coat
I have a longbow that my dad got while in the army at New Mexico in 57, and a friend from work has given me a Shakespeare Sierra recurve to practice with. Both have a draw weight of 45#s and both seem to shoot well. My 3yr old daughter and I have taken several squirrels with both bow, but my concerns are - what are considered the standards for traditional bows. I want to get a functional bow that can be used for any type of game I want to hunt, from squirrels and rabbits up to Elk and wild hogs. Ben Pearson, Fred Bear, Palmer, Martin,Hill, ect. the list goes on and from what I hear they all make good bows, economical up to expensive, I want quality and am not sure what quality is in traditional archery. I need guidance, but have no one local to turn to for advice.
I didn't reply sooner because Bob pretty well covered it, although in my opinion the best bow length will vary depending on the design.
There are gobs of great bows on the market that pretty much cover the spectrum in prices. You can get a great old bow used for $100 or less, or you can spend well over $1,000 on one. The big trick is finding "the" bow for you, and nobody can decide that but you.
For elk and pigs, it can be done with lower poundages, but I'd try to stick to 50# or more for those critters.
Besides getting a good bow in the right poundage, things I look for are: how the grip fits me, how smooth the draw is, how quiet the bow is, customer service and warranty, etc.
What part of the country are you in? Most likely there will be a tournament or event within reasonable driving range where you can go and check out different bows and make an informed decision.
Chad
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I appreciate your advice and will begin my quest for a bow. I live in SW Ga. and will start looking for competions in the area. From what I have been told and read, I believe I will start looking for a bow with a draw weight of 50-55#. Any addition information or insight will be greatly appreciated.
I got my first traditional bow in 1981. It was a Doug Kitterage T/D recurve out of a catalog called "The bow hut". I still, at times, miss that bow. Once it becomes part of you it will always be there.
My second one was a Martin Hunter that was 70# recurve. It was too heavy. At least for the length that it was. You call pull comfortably more weight if the bow is longer. A 60" bow will stack on me. 62" is getting close to a stack.
Personally I would recomend a Pronghorn T/D longbow. It's still within reach as far as price and Herb makes a really great bow.
You never want to over-bow yourself. If you want to go heavier you would have no problem pulling 60# if your bow is 64"-66" if your draw is 28" or less.
I prefer a longer bow for many reasons. Draw weight is the last consideration. SMOOTH is my most important consideration. A pronghorn with an Osage riser and bamboo limbs would put you in another realm with practice.
I tell ya what I recommend. Why a cheaper one to start out with. Believe me you won't regret this. Cause it will take 6 months just to find out what is what.
And you will want to change most likely. I should have did this. I notice Rudderbows are decently priced, and probably be great to start out on. Cause starting out, the dominant inaccracy is the shooter. Over time, you can see the difference with a nice piece of equipemtn.
What to look for in a traditional bow???
You will be using different muscles is what I'm sayingI guess. You can expect to loose about 1-2" of draw when moving from a compound to traditional. Don't get too short of abow for your first one at least. Seems like shorter bows are the fad these days.If you're around a 28" draw, I wouldn't go lower then about 62" for a recruveor about 66" for a longbow. 
.just use a shoelace to hold your clothing back in the wintertime or when shhoting with a coat
