gettin started old skool?

[RustyOlRanger4x4]

im looking into getting a long bow and im not real sure what im looking for ive gone through all the old post and found some cool stuff. ive been hunting forever and all my bow hunting has been done with a compound bow and im getting bored with it and im thinking about going to a long bow. what do ya`ll reccomend i dont have a ton of money to spend so i dont need a $500 custom or anything and what weights are good? i have a old bear grizzly recurve its a 45# bow and its tuff to hold mainly due to the fact i never shoot it im use to my 65# compound with 70% let off but with a little practice 45 wont be bad i think it`ll be a good weight with some work. and ive been looking at some of ya`lls post on wooden arrows do they sell them all set up so all you have to do is put a broad head on it or do you have to dl all the fletching and staining and all? and wheres a good place to look for bows online ive seen several people mention bad stuff about cabelas arrows are there bows the same? thanks for any info, sean

[Arthur P]

You've got a nice vintage bow there in that Grizzly. Not worth a lot of money because there are so many of them around, so you really need to be shooting it. Get those muscles used to pulling and holding full draw weight at anchor.

45 pounds is good for most any deer/feral pig size game. Some of the bigger hawgs, I think I'd want more punch. I've turned 350 pounders into barbeque with a 55 lb recurve.

There are lots of good deals on longbows on the various sites, in classifieds and on auctions. And there's the Samick Viper I recommended in a thread last week. I'm seeing more and more of them. They're definitely not custom class as for fit, finish and performance, but they are solid, dependable budget bows to get you into longbow shooting.

You can get wood arrows already matched, dipped and fletched, but expect to pay premium prices for them.

Actually, I would not recommend wood to someone just starting out with traditional. I'd go with aluminum or one of the carbon/glass composite arrows instead. Wood can be kinda tricky. You're going to be learning enough new tricks with a stickbow to keep you plenty busy without having to worry about your arrows.

[RustyOlRanger4x4]

thanks for the info yeah the grizzly i currently posess is older then iam it was one my dad got before i was born and when he quit hunting 16 years ago it got stuck in the closet and i got it out a few years ago and still have it ive probably only shot it 5 or 6 times im use to shooting my compound ive been shooting for years and almost every time i shoot that recurve i bury arrows 5' under ground or pop holes in the fence you definatly have to practice with them. i just need to make my self do it. do you know of a site that sells the viper bow you mentioned? thanks,sean

[johnkeltgen]

I got a question: I'm looking to use a recurve on BIG game (talking moose, elk, bear, etc.) I'm assuming I have to get a recurve that will draw 70 pounds, more or less. I'm 6'4" and, if I remember right, a recurve's peak weight is measured at 28". So, having a 31" draw, what weight would that work out to? I forgot the average pound increase per inch on a recurve. I'm not trying to inflate the ego here or get into a p*ssing contest, just trying to assure you I can handle that kind of draw weight with no problems. Not only do I shoot at least once a week, but I am always working out my arms, back, neck, and shoulders in preparation for a large bow like this. I know, that kind of weight can present a problem if you aren't ready for it Also, are there any large companies that make a recurve in that weight range? Most custom-built bows are WAY out of my price range. Shoot, gotta go!

[Arthur P]

Rusty... Here's one place I found on the net for the Viper. Understand - I can not say good or bad about them because I've never done business with this outfit. They came up on a Google search:

www.thebowman.com/mall/cbowtradl_AIMHunt.asp

John, the standard rule of thumb is 2-3 pounds per inch of draw, so a 60 pound bow will probably draw somewhere between 66-69 pounds for you. However, many bows start stacking right past 29" and the draw weight jumps up to 4-5 pounds per inch. You are right on the edge of having a draw length that demands a custom bow.

Before you give up on custom bows, check out the bows and prices at:

www.recurves.com

I have done business with that outfit and can give them my highest recommendation.

[RustyOlRanger4x4]

thanks for the site. that is a pretty good deal on a starter bow and they have alot of weight options too. thanks, sean

[lcoast]

Rusty, good luck with it. You will be pleased.

John, 70 pounds is a heck of a lot of bow. You will get different thoughts on this but I personally don't believe you need any more than 55 pounds of draw weight for any North American game. Hitting the spot with a sharp broadhead with some weight to the arrow is what is required.

If you are dead set on 70 pounds, work up to it. I once held a 65 pound bow at full draw for way too long, couldn't move cause i would have been busted. And I ached for a few days afterward. And 70 pounds is a lot harder to draw after 2 hours in a tree stand at 30 degrees than after 2 hours at 70 degrees.

=keith=

[RustyOlRanger4x4]

i just got out in my back yard and started shooting my recurve i dont have arrows spicificly(sp?) for that bow yet so im shooting some cheap old carbon arrows and i can honestly say im enjoying my self and shooting pretty good no peep sites or pins or anything just me and the bow and its fun so im definatly going to invest in a long bow and some good arrows once i get some money up and all but for now this is pretty fun and i might just stick with it my compound bow diddent seem this fun with the peep site and and kisser button and mechanical release and all but this one makes me smile i might just check out e-bay to and see if theres some good deals there

[K_N]

Here is a helpful link with all kinds of bowyers and arrow makers though I would not spend the money on one of those high dollar custom bows untill you have shot for a while and figured out what you like.

http://home.att.net/~sajackson/archery.html

Dont let those wood arrows scare you. They are real easy to make. You dont have to stain them or paint them or crest them or all that fancy stuff if you dont want to. Just have to coat them with something to weather proof them and glue them together.

[UncleNorby]

Rusty

You just found out that archery in its purest form is FUN. There's no hope for you now. Those gadgets can really distract you from the enjoyment of it all. Glad you've shed the training wheels. Good luck with your longbow.