DoninVa

I have been shooting a recurve since 1998. I had shot a compound for 15 years before that. I took third in the state with pins and fingers once and probably owned about 25 different bows. I had killed a few deer with my compound but wanted to get away from all the adjusting and other things associated with the compound.I wanted to set the curve up and just shoot. Hunting is very tough where I live. If I see 8 deer a year and get a shot at 2 with bow or gun, I've had a great year. After shooting for almost 5 years, I just have to be honest, and realize I will never get any better than I am with the recurve. I started shooting about 10" groups at 20 yards and after 5 years, I still shoot about 10" groups. Some days I will shoot 3 or 4 groups that touch but I am just don't do it enough to be able to hunt with any confidence. I have great respect and admiration for you guys that can shoot 2" groups at 20 and 30 yards but I sadly will never be in your group. I will probably keep a curve around and go to any shoots close like the GASS (which I really enjoyed ) but will concentrate on the wheels from now on. I would like to thank all the guys that have given me advice and tried to help me in the past. Don

nluck

Did ya try and other styles using your recurve?

or did you use the same style for 5 years...maybe you should of tried different styles and found one that likes you.


either way .......i'm one of the few that thinks archery is archery no matter if you have wheels or not.....i just get satisfaction from the stick......good luck with your wheel bow

john nail

Don>
It doesn't matter what you shoot. Hang around and Gass with us.

Your life is made of time, not money.

Arthur P

I've been shooting recurves and longbows for a l-o-n-g time. I like making selfbows and, recently, laminated glass longbows. I LOVE shooting sticks. But arthritits and other physical problems have caught up with me and I don't shoot so good with 'em any more. Letoff on compounds lets me shoot fingers/no sights just as good as I ever shot sticks. When I feel like shooting my longbows, I shoot 'em. When I'm feeling puny, I shoot the wheels. Whatever turns my crank on any particular day is what I shoot.

Don't be bumming out over it. There are a lot of other people floating in the same boat you are.

DoninVa

Thanks guys, I have owned some great stick bows. I have had a Horne longbow,one of OL's great take down longbows,Chekmate firebird, Chekmate hunterII,Black Widow SAIII,3 Assenheimer's,Predator recurve and a bunch of older bows off e-bay. I finally realized it's not the bow but the shooter. I have only tried instinctive shooting. I really don't like gap shooting. I would just use pins before I would gap shoot.Nothing wrong with gap shooting but not for me. I tried 3 under and out to 20 yards it worked pretty well but after that it got kind of funny and my bow was loud as it was tillered for split fingered.I would love to shoot a stickbow but 2 good shots out of 6 won't cut it in the tree stand. Don

Tuffcity

Don,

Have you ever tried working with a professional coach? The inconsistency may be partly a result of some unnoticed form problem.

RC

LBR

I agree with TC. Also, even though you don't like it, you might try gap shooting as a way to get it together, then move on to a different style. That is how I started, and now I only gap on long shots. You can get bows tillered for 3-under that will reduce the noise, if that is what works best for you. You are always welcome here, regardless of what equipment you use.

Wish you the best,

Chad

Long Bows Rule!

DoninVa

Thanks guys, I like the trad. community. You are some great guys and gals. I will always come to this site as there are some good things to learn here. I won't completely give up on the curve but where I live, there aren't many trad. shooters so I have to learn on my own and it just gets frustrating when you can't seem to get it together. I will try some of your suggestions and see how it goes.Don

subsonic

Don- More traditional archers than will admit shoot that way. Do not be so hard on yourself and deprive yourself of the fun of traditional archery. Just get closer!

Brian_L

Hey Don! Gosh, I hate to see you hang up your recurve for the only reason it sounds like it's what you would prefer to hunt and shoot with. I'll 3rd the suggestion on the coach. There are quite a few shooting clinics offered and I'd bet the farm that 1 or 2 days with a qualified instructor could have you on the right track again. Bob Wesley actually has a shooting camp in North Carolina and he teaches the indirect aiming method. He's helped hundreds of archers from beginners to those that have been shooting for years. I've thought of going myself to improve my shooting. There are a lot of other options too; many of the shoots this time of the year offer shooting clinics. Quite possibly there's one coming soon close to your area. I'll be honest with you Don, I think a lot of archers have problems with 100% instinctive shooting. I think you'd find there's more archers then you think that use some form of an aiming method. If you prefer to shoot a compound then by all means, do what makes you happy. But if you really like shooting and hunting with your traditional equipment, DON'T QUIT! I say this without hesitation, with a little instruction and lots of dedication and practice, you can be a very proficient traditional bowhunter. Which ever direction you take, good luck and shoot straight.