Warden41272

Why does ATA length matter so much for target-type accuracy? I'm shooting a short ATA bow, and have been told by experts it isn't suitable for accuracy, like a 3D tournament (as an example), and that at extreme ranges, it'll throw arrows all over the target. Why is this, if you practice enough? I'm a huge fan of accuracy, and just don't understand why this is. Could someone please explain this to me?

Black Stick

I'll try. A heavier bow is going to be harder to move at the last second than a lighter bow. Naturally, a heavier bow will probably be longer than a lighter bow. Longer ATA also makes the bow more forgiving and stable than a shorter bow. Hoyt is best know for their target bows, which are typically heavy and very long. The Tree Stand is a great bow for hunting because you are aiming at a vital zone, which is pretty big, but with practice, you can become great. A machine can shoot a perfect 300/30x on Vegas targets with the shortest bow on the market. If your form is as good as that machine, then so can you.

Bullet Hole Bailey

Id say blackstick did good!

More forgiving, little heavier, probly be able to hold it still better, and possibly could feel better in the hand but that all depends on what type and make of bow it is...

drockw

^ well put. think about when you draw your bow back and when you first get it back it kind of cambers left and right. the shorter the bow is, the harder it is to get it to settle. if you shoot a 41" bow or something like that, you will notice a huge difference in stability vs. a 33" bow. target shooters would even consider a 35" bow short in some situations.

its kind of hard to explain, but you will understand if you shoot a really long ata bow for a while.
DErek

Black Stick

GO to your local pro shop and have them through a rest onto a Hoyt target bow (Ultra Elite) for you. Shoot it. I think that is the best way for you to understand this.

Black Stick

BTY, doesn't it suck to be left handed? It took nearly 2 months to get my 82nd when they had right handed models on the rack. My marquis took more than three months. Granted, I did order them in Mossy Oak Obsession, but still. That is a long time to wait for a bow. I heard that only 1 in 30 archers are left handed. I find that hard to believe, but I thought I'd through it out there.

Warden41272

Yeah, it does. I've been looking at a High Country Speed Pro or Iron Mace, but apparently they don't make a left handed bow...or at least nobody seems to have one.

Black Stick

I bet if you called them, you would be able to find out. If not, check out the Elite GT500. BTY, assuming that it is available in LH, I am adding it to my list of bows to shoot.

OHbowhntr

Just switch,that's what I did!!!

There are a few things that come into play on why a LONGER a-t-a bow is more forgiving, a lot of it is in the riser, but you can get better forgiveness out of a parallel limb bowthan other wise, I think it's in part due to the deflection of the limbs, but also because of the longer riser. The longer riser will be slightly less affected by torque vs. a short riser or shorter a-t-a. But that's only a part of it. When you get into shooting a SHORT a-t-a, the string angle, and cams are completely different as well, and that also plays into it. TFox or one of the guys who's a "staff shooter" I'm sure can add much more than my measely $.02 is worth though.

But for me personally, I have the bows in my signature, and I find that the Trykon XL is much, much, much more forgiving than my Highlander, even though their a-t-a's are the same, but I have an older Hoyt "Franken-bow," a Striker/Striker II mixed bow that has a 38.5 a-t-a and is a single cam set-up, and it's more forgiving than my Highlander as well, but not quite as forgiving as my Trykon XL.

Black Stick

I think Doug is going to be shooting that 06 Hoyt for a long time the way he talks about it.

Thanks for taking my $.02 to the next level. I'd also like to hear what MeanV2, and bigbulls have to say as well.