Newbie Question
 

Let me start by saying I am sorry. I am sure you folks have seen this a thousand times already. I scrolled through on some posts, but still am not sure what I am going to do. So I thought I would ask.
I have been bowhunting with a compound bow for over 20 years now and absolutely love it. I took up rifle just 8 years ago for the commradrie with friends, but realized I liked the camp and friends, but not the rifle and in WV you can use a bow to fill your rifle tag. So I sold my 30-30 and am looking at going back to some basics with a bow ( not true traditional ) but no wheels or let off. I am a die hard Hoyt fan. That is just me. I like the equipment and the company support. So here is my deal. I am looking at either of their recurve bows. but in all honesty, I am not certain where to begin. I have ordered a couple books " beginner's guide to traditional archery " precision shooting ' and " Insight into instinctive shooting ". Yes I know three book is pretty ambitous, but season is about over and winter is just rolling in.
Anyway. I am looking for some advice and recommendations on equipment.
I currently shoot a 60lb compoundwith a 30" draw length and65% letoff. I am thinking about going with either a 45 or 50lb recurve. but on measuring for draw length, what I have read shows a different way to figure draw length on a recurve. To which I came out to a 28" draw. Nowas I understand it, if I am wrong and need to draw 30" I will be addingpotentially5 extra pounds of Pull and as a beginner I do not think I would be ready tobe off by that much.So just to confirm with those who have done it. What are your thought on the drawlength Ineed and also. If I go with a 50lb recurve with a 28" draw as a beginner what would be the best arrows to start with? I know nothing about wood/cedar arrows and choosing the proper spine. I figured carbon, as that is what I shoot now, Thoughts? Or would I be better off just waitng till I get through all three books and then come back and ask?

RE: Newbie Question
 

I dont know much but here is what I do know.

Most archers who make the switch do loses an inch or two in draw.
Most bow will give you their draw weight inat 28 inches because most guys draw in that area (most not all). If you go over 28 thedraw weight will go up. Some bows will stack weight around 29inches and upso make sure you ask and draw them first. One thing to think about is that my draw lenght has changes alot since I started, my form, stance, and everything else have shortened it upa little.

Good start with the books.

I went from a 65 compound to a 45 recurve, I shot that for a few months and thenStarted shooting a 60 long bow. It was not that hard to switch.

As for arrow spine get arrows that are close in spine, your shop will have a chart and get you started with some carbons. Lots of guys are shooting carbons and from what I have read they like them. Once your form and other aspects of shooting get better then you shoud get more tecnical with spine.

Before you get all tied up in equipment just start shooting, reading, and learning. Nothing is set in stone and EVERONE dose it different so get comfortible in your own form (I dont think I spell form right)

I hope I helped, keep it fun and good luck.

RE: Newbie Question
 

i shoot a 60# recurve BUT i use a trigger release. tabs are nice too. fingers i feel are the trickiest to get use too. as far as arrows for 50-60# i use either alum. in 2018 or 1916. both are fine. i also shoot light carbons and they fly nice off the shelf. thinner diameter and they seem to penetrate deeper too. if you want to go out this year you have to practice every day. start at 10 yards and move back to 15, then 20, 25,30,40. forty should be shot at just to make a 20 yard target seem easy.i personally wouldn't make a shot past 30 and maybe 30 if in the perfect conditions (broadside, looking away, time to concentrate etc). the lighter the bow (50 lbs is nice) the more you can shoot and the quicker you will be good at instinctive shooting. good luck and let use know how it goes.

RE: Newbie Question
 

Around here, you don't have to mess with whether you're shooting 'true tradtitional' or not. We're pretty open minded around here.Some of us might poke fun at jimmy for using a trigger though...[8D]Really, unless you're going to shoot tournaments, don't worry about "The Rules." ;)

If youuse a straight but unlocked elbow when shootingwith a compound, you will drop 1-2" on your draw length when going from a compound to a recurve. If you use anoticeable bend in the elbow when shooting a compound, then you might not see any reduction at all, becausethe lack of letoff with therecurve pretty much forces you shoot with a straight elbow.

The old rule of thumb for figuring out how much poundage you gain or lose per inch is, take the draw weight marked on the bow and divide by 20. That will tell you how many pounds that bow should vary per inch from it's marked length. A 40 pounder would be 2 pounds per inch. A 60 would be 3 pounds per inch. That holds prettymuch true until you hit the point where the bow begins stacking, meaning the point where the weight jumps up more than an extra pound per inch.

Unless you go to a very short bow, most bows won't begin stacking until they get to 30" or over so stack is something someone with a long draw lengthlike me has to consider.You won't need to worry much about stack.

To be on the safe side, I'd say get a 45 pounder. That way, if you do wind up drawing 30", you'll still be around 50 but the bow will have enough oomph for hunting deer or black bear if you draw 28". With a takedown, you can just order another set of limbs in higher poundage if/when you feel like you need and can handlesome more horsepower.

About arrows, my bows don't like light carbons. They're noisy and have a lot of recoil with light arrows. I haven't figured out why (probably my draw length?), because even my carbons weigh out around8.5 grains per pound on the 50 pound bows I use. My bows seem to shoot best, quiet and no shock, when the arrows getaround 11 grains per pound.

These days, if I'm not shooting wood, I use Carbon Express Terminators. They're fiberglass/carbon composite so they have the weight I need with the small diameter of ICS carbons, and they're more durable and more consistent in spine and weight than ICS carbons in the same price range. Just something to think about.

On the other hand, it's been a long time (duringthe pre-carbon arrow era, actually)since I shot a metal riser recurve. The extra mass in the metal riser could very well eliminate most of what I don't like about light carbons.

I'd also suggest adding another book to your reading list. "Become the Arrow" by Byron Ferguson. Read everything, try out different techniques, but don't try to directly copy any of theirshooting styles.All things don't work for all people. Take theconcepts you like from each of them and incorporate those things into your shooting while you develop yourown shooting style.

Don't worry about asking a question here that's been asked before if you can't find the answer you need in the archives. There's nothing boring or repetitive about getting someone started with traditional.:)

RE: Newbie Question
 

Last year at this time I was rigt where you are, And I'll say some thing. Arthur is right on the money. Also I would tell you to just get on www.recurves.com and get a falcon and shoot they are only 225 and if you dont like it or want to move to a fancy bow your not out much. Thats what I did but I love the bow to much to sell it and get a fancy Blacktail or widow. and I have shot those fancy bows and to tell you the truth I think the falcon shoots just as good for a lot less money. This is just what I did and I was happy I did. I went from a 70 lb compound to a 60# recurve. Glad I dropped the weight. It was tuff at first but I can shoot all day now.

Arrows, This have been a hard one for me. Most shop,s don't help you on this because they sell to many compounds, I shoot aluminums but I want something different . Just can't figur if I want carbon or wood but I am leaning to wood.

RE: Newbie Question
 

Thanks folks....

I appreciate all the excellent feedback. I am not looking at doing any hunting this year with a recurve, may not even next year. Figure the transition may take a little bit of getting use to and I am pretty serious about not hutning anything until I am 100% confident to a set range. Even after 23 years with a compound. I will not shoot past 25 yards, but that is my preference. If I didn't get with in 25 yards, I didn't do my homework well scouting and will try another day. I did take two really nice 7 pointers this year. One a small basket and the other was his Daddy. The rack are symetrically identical other than overall size.
Two of my books came in today. So I guess I will get started. From your answers and info, I now have a much better feel for what I am looking at and realized that I did better understand some of the research I have been doing. I think I was trying to make the switch more complicated than it really is. I had talked with one person a few years back, when I thought about going to a recurve and he quickly talked me out of it. Stating he tried and it was difficult and complicated and he said stick with a compound. So I did, but I think it is time to try it for myself.
The added bonus is that I also Teach Hunter's Education and it will help me better cover some of the difference between Traditional and Compound. So for me this is a win win.
Thanks again for the help and I will let you know how it goes. I am looking at getting a recurve sometime after the Holidays and to start shooting as soon as I can get something set up in my basement for winter.
Thanks

RE: Newbie Question
 

Wow... I've never heard of anyone saying a recurve is more complicated than a compound before. More difficult, to a certain extent. Requiring more practice, yes.But not at all complicated.

Just think. To tunea compound, you have to adjust tiller, axle to axle length, poundage, cam timing (and synchronization on dual cam bows), centershot, draw length,nock location, arrow spine, adjust the sights... And then, if you shoot year round,it has to be retuned at least every few months!

Then you have maintenance to do:cleaning and lubing the axles and bearings in the cams and the moving parts of an arrow rest, checking all the e-clips, screws and bolts to make sure they're in place and tight, cleaning the cable guard and slide, waxing the string and cables, replacing the string loop or serving ocassionally, spending$150 or soat least every couple of years - and every year is even better -to get the bow stripped down, inspected, cleaned and lubed, getting string, cables and guard slide replaced and then you have to go through all the tuning operations again.

Then there's the releases (at least one spare in reserve at all times), sights, stabilizers, anti-vibration dookickies, extra material for replacing worn or broken string loops, portable bow presses for minor repairs at home or in the field, allen wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, spare peeps, fiber optics, special lubricants, tape measures, trips to the shop to handle problems you aren't equipped to correct... Now that's complicated. Not to mention expensive! If you forego all the maintenance and simply buy a new bow every couple of years, it's even more expensive. ;)

There are only three things you need to do to tune a recurve. Arrow spine, brace height and nock point location. If you use an elevated rest, add centershot adjustment.

Maintenance consists of waxing the stringand giving the finish a dusting or polish once in awhile. Strings... Well about once a year you spend anywhere from 8-15 bucks for a new string (or make your own) and it takes about a minute to change it out. Another couple of minutes to twist it up to adjust your brace height to your predetermined height. Put on a nock point in the same spot your last one was, thena few test shots to make sure everything is back where you want it and you're done. The only time you really have to change anything is when you change to a different kind of arrow.

Gear I would suggestis mandatory for a recurve or longbow,and you've likely already got most of it, is a bow square, serving tool, bow stringer, arm guard and a glove or tab. Nock pliers if you plan to use the brass nocksets, although you can just tie on a few wraps of dental floss for a nock point. I went a step further and bought a couple of spools of string material and made a jig for making my own flemish twist strings.

Just think of all the time you would spend maintaining, fixingand retuning the compound and all the trips to the shop you won't have to make. That will all turn into free timeyou can spend shooting with the recurve. And with all the money you'll save, you can buy more recurves, or try longbows as well. :D

Really, recurves are so much simpler than compounds there is hardly any comparison. There is absolutely no reason to be intimidated by them. You might find they are not really your thing, and that's okay. But I'm betting you'll really enjoy shooting a 'curve. I wish you much success.