BullsAndBows

Hello everyone this is my first post and firgive me if its a little rough. But i could really use some help. Ya see a few years ago my father bought a custom made recurve that 62"long, and is 54 pounds at 28". Well he has started makeing his own bows and passed the bow down to me. Ive really becomekinda handywith it. But im Not get the acurracy and consisteny that i truly believe im capable of achieveing. But my draw is only 26" soo i want to kno how much weight am i actually shooting? What is the kinetic energy equivalent to? What size arrows, wooden and Carbon should i be shooting? Also what grain broadheads?Also feel free to add anymore information that u think i need to kno. I will say thati have already Harvested 2 deer with this bowand ialways used the arrowsn that myshot with it. But I feel that i should do my best to be the most proficient hunter i can be, and im a lil embaressed that i set out to the woods without haveing already done so. Please if u people could help it would be much appreciated. Thanks, Hunter Smith.

(my father is currently on anextended hunt in montana and doesnt haveaccess toa phone or else i would be askin him. But i thought i should do my best to get this issue resolved so i came here)

BullsAndBows

Aye sorry i meant Trad-bowhunting in the title. I cant spell real well with a damn keyboard.

PAstew

What kind of recurve is it?

If you are drawing 26, subtract 2 lbs for every inch under 28. So, you are drawing 50 lbs. So you want a complete arrow weighing 450 to 550 grains.

If you're not getting the accruacy you want, make sure you are shooting the correct arrows. A 1916 aluminum at 28 bop should work well for you. Or, 50/55's at 28" bop woods will work as well. both with 125 grain points. A carbon will fall into a 35/55 at 29 bop with 150 grain point.

My 1st suggestion is make sure you have the proper brace height and nock height. The brace will fall between 7 1/2" to 8" on most recurves. If you are shooting split finger then start at 3/8" above the shelf. If you are shooting 3 under, then 1/2" to 3/4" above shelf.

2nd. At this point of the game, you should be working on nothing but your form. Shooting at 5 yards to a blank target. Make sure you are coming to a solid and consistant achor point on every shot. Hold the bow steady and at target after releasing the arrow. Next, go outside and shoot at a tennis ball. Toss it and fire two arrows at it. Repeat hundreds of times.

If you choose an aluminum or carbon, Magnus and Zwikey heads in 125 or 160 grain screw ins are awesome. If you choose cedar or a different wood shaft, Ace standard, Magnus, STOS and plenty others are great broadheads.

Quit worring about kenetic energy. If your bow and arrow set up is tuned properly, your 50 lbs bow with a 500 grain arrow will kill an Elk.

Best of luck and welcome to the traditional side.

Arthur P

The old rule of thumb was to take the bow's marked draw weight, divide by 20, and that'll give you the approximate pounds per inch you need to add or subtract, depending on whether your draw length is longer or shorter than the length marked on the bow. Subtract for shorter, add for longer.

Centxrecurve

ok elaborate if you will on the tennis ball. Do you mean in air or on the ground. I see ppl in some of the traditional tournaments holding bows at odd angle while shooting.

PAstew

Yes, on the ground. The purpose of this is to learn how to instinctively shoot a small object at an unkown distance. You can think about it this way, How do you aim when you throw a rock? Answer, you don't. Your mind automatically tells your arm how hard to throw it in order to hit the target. By shooting at a tennis ball or stump shooting, you are training your minds eye and your muscles to automatically push your bow arm to the target in order to hit it.

The fun part of traditional archery is being able to cant the bow as much as you want and still hit the target. We lay on a stomachs with the bow parallel to the ground, bend backwards, shoot opposite hand. Anything to improve your shooting and mix it up for fun.