I have a bear recurve that my grandfather recently gave me because he couldn't pull it anymore. I was thinking of trying to take a deer with it next year. I tried to practice with it, and found it to be much more difficult than my compound - I've got a lethal range of about 5 yards!

Do you guys use a release? I have a truball that I use with my compound - the handle kind, no wrist strap - will this work?

I tried when I first started but you just won't get any arrow ossillations with a release and most likely get feather contact with the rest.

Only way i would use a release is with a elevated rest. You need that arrow to bend around that riser.

Thanks, bigcountry.

Why would a release affect how the arrow bends?

You want to pick a spine of an arrow that bends around your riser. If you have a good release, and the correct spine, your feathers nor your strike plate should have any marks on it.

Here is a good video showing this. A hand release induces this bend. A mech release does not. But you have more of a up and down ossilation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzWrcpzuAp8

I never use a release. Good ol glove for me and bare fingers when Im hunting.

If memory serves me, I believe back in the early 80 or maybe even the late 70s, there was a trend with some target bow shooter that used old flipper releases.

If you choose to use a release, retune your arrows. You will need to adjust the spine.

I don't use a release with my recurves. I use a tab; one over, two under.

when I got back into archery, some twenty years ago, I decided to go with a release and a compound bow.
I let those Indians keep those 19th century instruments.

You know I have seen you post some silly stuff and extremely poor advise. But you do realize your on a trad forum? Don't you?

Just remember compounds where invented for those physically unable or unwilling to do the work needed to shoot real bows. Maybe someday you will really get into archery, but I doubt it.

Not even at gunpoint!!!!