Traditional bow question
 

I currently shoot a Bowtech compound and wanted to buy a traditional recurve. Does anybody out there shoots both types conistantly? I would like to hunt with both but not if it going to mean not being able to shoot both at any given time with great accuracy. Basiclly what I am saying is that a race car driver is not going to use two types of cars to win one race! He is going to rely on the one he drives the best (or two identical models) Any one that can do this with both types of bows?

RE: Traditional bow question
 

Hedhuntr,

I have been shooting compounds for 10 years and Recurves for 3 1/2 years.
I go back and forth all the time with no problem.
I credit Rick Welch's Instructional Video more than any factor for shooting a recurve as well as I do. Not that I'm great, lol.
Rick shoots three under and uses a two point anchor with his thumb knuckle touching his ear lobe and cock feather on the arrow touching the tip of his nose.
Rick fletches his own arrows so the cock feather touching his nose is measured for him and a little more precise.
But the factory feathers on my ACC arrows seem to work with this anchor for me just fine and seems to be about the right length when touching my nose.
Using Rick's anchor, I have always been able to shoot a 3" to 4" group at 20yds since day one.
I consider this pretty good shooting for a recurve with no sights or peep like my compound has.
I'm not nearly as good as Rick since he's a world champion but it's not too bad for me.
I can quit shooting my recurve for several months at a time and come back and be consistant using Rick's anchor.
I guess, this sounds like a plug for Rick Welch.
Yes, it is in a way but I truly believe in the man's method of shooting.
If other traditional shooters followed Rick's advice, they would be more successful hitting what they're aiming at whether it's targets or more importantly...Hunting!
Just my humble opinion. ;)
I love my compounds but they aren't half as much fun or satisfying as shooting a Recurve or Longbow. :)


Sag.


My favorite custom Recurve.
My Trails End by Dale Dye in Montana.

RE: Traditional bow question
 

No reason you can't shoot and enjoy both, but remember they are two different pieces of equipment--a stock car and dragster are both cars, and have some similarities, but are also totally different in ways.

Rick Welch is one heck of a shot, no doubt (not much of a talker though), but his methods may not work the best for everyone--the same goes for Larry Yein, Bill Leslie, Bob Wesley, Byron Ferguson, G. Fred Asbell, etc. Most all will have the same basic rules, but all have their own styles. The exact same anchor will not work the same for everyone, as different people have different facial structures--an anchor that puts the arrow right under my eye might be way off for you. I'm not saying Rick's video won't help, and it could be right on for you, but if it's not don't get frustrated and think you don't have any hope--just try something different. There is no one style that will work best for everyone.

Sag., out of curiosity, do you know which world shoots Rick has competed in? I know he's smoked the Lofton Classic several times in recurve, longbow, and selfbow (quite a feat) and they refer to it as a "world championship", but it's not quite that big (nowhere near it). Heck, I have come in 6th or 9th in longbow there, and I'm a far cry from 9th best in the world.
Same went for the Howard Hill shoot back when it was going on--dang good shoot, lots of dang good shooters there, but the competition itself could in no way be sactioned as a true world championship.

Chad

RE: Traditional bow question
 

Chad,

You're right as Rick's methods might not work for some.
But I couldn't hit worth anything with a Recurve at first until using Rick's anchor.
I use a 3 point anchor on my target compounds and the 2 point anchor of Rick's worked like a charm for me on my recurve.
Not sure about all the different world championships and the locations Rick has won them.
He has also won 70 state titles to boot.
Heck, how do you know you're not 9th best in the world if you finished 9th in a World Championship match ? ;)
My respect for you has grown greatly, Chad. ;)


Sag.

RE: Traditional bow question
 

I think, in principle, it can be done and certainly has been, however, I have noticed some things with some compounders that has indicated to me they wouldn't do well with traditional bows. One is cocking the bow elbow, apparently to compensate for a too short draw length adjustment on the compound bow. This sort of thing will fling arrows all over the place if attempted with a traditional bow.

The other issue is finger shooting as opposed to mechanical release aids. I think it's much more difficult to get a clean, crisp release with a tab or glove than a mechanical release although the latter is also susceptable to unintentional discharge so maybe the issue is really transitioning between a triggered shot and a released shot or vice versa.

That I think might be easier to do than keeping a firm bowarm pushing at the target during draw and release, but both are issues I suspect archers ought to address in transitioning back and forth.

Beyond these things, I don't see much cause for dispute because in fact most traditional practitioners nowadays are also compounders and have in fact come from that discipline. So there shouldn't be any question about whether or not it can be done because it is being done quite frequently.

I'm probably a bit of an anomaly because I started traditional and have remained as such except for a one season experiment with a compound that convinced me a block and tackle bow wasn't for me. I'm always hopeful that those who transition from compounds to traditional bows finally decide to abjure the training wheels but that's a vain hope in many instances, sort of like giving up one's pacifier or mommy. :D

RE: Traditional bow question
 

I shoot trad bows most of the time, but decided to try a compound this summer because of a shoulder problem. When I finally gained enough information and experience to adapt my basic trad style to the compound I found I could shoot it pretty well. I use a bare finger release (no glove or tab, just fingers) and have done so for many years. I couldn't get the hang of a release, so I finally found a 3 finger draw / 2 finger release using my regular anchor point would work. I had to adjust to keep the compound vertical to use the sights correctly, but I finally got that down. Switching back to a trad bow and shooting instinctively has been no problem for me, but I've been shooting that way for 40+ years. Jumping back to the compound finds me mentally talking myself through the shot sequence, but it works. I just hope the doctor knows his business and keeps my shoulder working for a few more years so I can stay traditional. Them compound bows is heavy :D

RE: Traditional bow question
 

Lol--do I detect a hint of sarcasm?:D I wasn't trying to take away from Rick's accomplishments--I found it downright amazing that he was able to swap up bows and still pretty much smoke all the competition--I think in all the classesd he shot in second place wasn't even close to him. However, the fact that I was able to place that high is proof that there wasn't that many great shooters there;).

I should take this opportunity to thank you for mentioning the double anchor--since I first saw you talk about it, I've been working on it myself, and it does help a bunch! Now, if I can only make myself do it consistently......

Mainly, I just wanted to mention that there are different ways of acheiving the same goal, and not every method works right for every archer. I've seen guys that took a position that looked downright painful to me, and they still couldn't shoot very well, but insisted on maintaining it because "so-and-so said to do it like this in his book/video".

Do you plan on making any of the bigger tournaments this coming year? I'd love to see that bow in person--it's a beauty! If it shoot's 1/2 as good as it looks, you got a winner.

Chad

RE: Traditional bow question
 

No sarcasm at all, Chad.
in fact, I was LMAO after I typed my reply to you. :D
Heck, I aggravate the compound guys all the time on the Technical Forum and at Archery Talk.
I'm a little more serious on the Traditional Forums I frequent as most Traditional shooters can't abide my humor or Pot Stirring.
Unlike you, most of them don't have much of a sense of humor.
They tend to get mad at Ol' Sag. LOL ;)


Sag.

RE: Traditional bow question
 

Sag thats a nice lookin bow.Where can I get a copy of ricks video?

CB

RE: Traditional bow question
 

As a matter of fact it is possible to shoot both accuratey! I'll let the cat out of the bag before ArthurP get's me any way. I shot my buck this year with an old 1973 Alaskan compound with sights on a Monday. I went back on Wednesday to get my stand and shot a doe there with my longbow. The buck was 9 yds. and the doe was 12 yds. "Anybody can kill them with wheels and sights." It just takes more practice to get to that point with traditional equipment.