Bows...
 

Which is better, a compound or a recurve? I've got a Recurve and I've been thinking of doing a little hunting for carp this summer, but i was also thinking about picking up a cheap, used compound at a pawn shop and setting it up for them. Which would be the better bet?

RE: Bows...
 

Either will w fine....I'd say you'd be better off using a recurve than using a high letoff compound...Low letoff compounds work good but high letoff ones are tougher to shoot fast due to the jerk when the cams breakover...I use Firebrand bows which are similar to Oneidas cept they have no cams or wheels..The nice thing about them is you can adjust the letoff from 0-99%...I shoot mine with the letoff in the 30% range..That way I can still snap shoot quickly.

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Yup.
Snap shooting is the way to go.
I can do it with my compound that is setup for deer if I just add the reel, but a quick handling recurve is best.
No sights, or gizmos, just something to hold your line.

Get a shorter ATA length bow. Longer ones can be a pain if you are shooting from the shore with reeds in the way, or when trying to climb over stuff when wading.

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Buy one of each. On windy days you can tie a rope around the riser of the compound, throw it into the water, and it'll keep your boat from drifting. :D

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Now, now JRW....

Washington Hunter, if you already have the recurve, then by all means use it.

A recurve has several advantages over compounds in bowfishing. They are lighter (usually), faster to shoot (usually), and you don't have to come to full draw (nice when the fish are really close or in log jams).

Me, I shoot a 17 year old compound that weighs 7lbs. Why? Because it's more challenging... ;)

(okay, actually I'm too cheap to get a better bow)

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It was said tongue in cheek. No need for anyone to go get their peep sights in a wad. Some of my best hunting buddies shoot compounds. I pray for their hethan souls. :D

Besides, I figure I earned a few sarcasm credits for not responding to the crossgun thread. [X(]

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Ok, well I was leaning more towards the recurve anyhow due to the fact that I'm cheap. Now, what I'm wondering is how will the water affect the bow if at all? I got this recurve when I was 8, it was my very first bow, and I'd really rather not have it get messed up if the water is going to ruin it.

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I havent experienced any water damage on mine yet, i would definitely recommend the recurve.

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water wont hurt it...dropping it on the rocks, the deck, hitting trees if wading, that might mess it up. actually, the things that will mess up a wood bow, #1 insect repellant. some of that stuff can do a number on the finish. believe it or not, ive seen more damage to bows done by a sloppy, or off center cabled arrow. the loop in the noc end falls toward the riser and rips them up. especially those thick mono cables. the crimp on those are huge, and ive seen them gouge a bow a quarter inch deep!

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Ah, I knew you were kidding Jason. ;) (btw, what's a peep sight? Is it like a clicker? snicker...) I do have a nice Browning Nomad recurve that I could use for bowfishing but it's too pretty....


Washington Hunter, your bow will get a protective layer of carp slime on it which will protect it from any water. (kidding... well, it will get carp slime on it) My husband shoots a recurve and it's getting some nicks from being bounced around in the boat, but no water damage.

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:D classic!

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Well i haven't gone bowfishing yet even though its on my to do list, i would probably use an compound just because I been using that for just under an year but i think whatever you would be more comfortable using.

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yea...thats the most important thing....if you use a compound and are comfortable with it,[or a recurve], use it for bowfishing. both have their plusses. the compound can reach out and touch a carp at greater distances, where a recurve is much faster to shoot when a snap shot is needed.

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See, that's the thing. I'm just as comfortable with a compound as I am a recurve. I shot a recurve for 7 years before I got a compound so shooting one is like second nature. It's all a matter of which you guys think would be best suited for the job.

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well...if you can shoot both well....in my opinion, definately use the recurve. the quickness, the ease of shooting , and the weight. but then..usually you can shoot a compound with sights alot farther out, say your boats in the mud, and the fish are out about 20 yds., that extra cast can really help...guess this is not answering your question, my advice...use the recurve for a few weeks, then use the compound for a few....then you can decide on the bow that suites your kind of bowfishing.