Traditional Archery???

[T Bone]

I havn't heard of white wolf, but like any new bow, be sure to shoot it before buying. You've lots of good choices out there.

The one thing i've seen with older recurves is that if stored standing up, the supporting limb will twist.

 

[DKO]

Bob Lee Archery (Bob Lee formerly of Wing Archery) has always built some very nice traditional bows! like any other bow its all about fit and preference good luck and have fun with it!

 

[ELKCHSR]

Jay St.Charles from Pacific Yew Longbows puts out a top notch quality takedown long bow

Type Pacific Yew Longbows into your browser and it will come up

They are a little spendy, but will last a lifetime...

He is a second generation bowmaker and his dad was Glen St.Charles who help found Pope and Young

I've got a couple and they pull very nice and break down to half the size so they are easier to transport or fit into a pack when traveling along

 

[sweetnectar]

I found a couple of traditional bows at a garage sale several years ago for $2 a piece. I've played around with them a bit and they would do the job if they guy shooting them knew what he was doing.

 

[NVLongbow]

I have shot traditional since the late 60's when I got my first 35 LBS Bear fiber glass by saving S&H Green Stamps. (My folks wouldn't let me get a bb/pellet gun until I was 10.)

I have shot several bows since then.

I use to hunt big game based on the theory that you have to shoot a heavy arrow to get the max energy out of the bow to penetrate bone.

Shooting a heavy arrow; I did not find much difference in bows of like construction.

With age and shoulder problems I had to go down to a lighter bow.

Lighter bows shooting heavy arrows make it difficult to shoot instinctively at a distance. That is because unless you have a anchor point that is low on your face, the target ends up behind the arrow tip, below the shelf/rest or behind your hand. Not good when you are trying to concentrate on a spot as you do with instinctive shooting.

I started experimenting with with lighter arrows and bows.

For the last 4 years I have been shooting a Fisk http://www.fisklongbows.com/index.html

I believe the "Black Wolf" to be one of (if not the) flattest/fastest/accurate shooting bows available. That is because of the Reflex/Deflex/Trapezoid Limb Design that uses a special bamboo and carbon for some of the lamination's.

I have filled 3 out of 4 elk tags with this bow and farthest retrieval has been 42 yards. You can't shoot as far as a compound so plan on fewer shooting opportunities. But a long bow and sharp broad-head can be very effective.

I am going to try and attach a picture of the bow and a heifer that I got last year.

Sorry for rambling,
Longbow

 

[Gerald Martin]

Laying it down- I shot recurve for about six years, switched back to a compound three years ago. A couple pieces of advice for what its worth. Most people generally think that a recurve is a bit easier to shoot than a longbow. You may want to start with a recurve and then go on to longbow if you like traditional archery.The learning curve is pretty steep as it is.

"Stacking" is where most of the draw weight is concentrated in last several inches of the draw cycle. The more evenly distributed the weight is along the draw cylce the easier a bow is to shoot. For example if you shoot a 29 inch draw and your bow is 55lbs@29", with bow that stacks you might be pulling 30lbs @26", 35#@27", 40#@28, and 55#@29. Those weights are just to make a point, that's not scientific. A bow that has a lot of stack doesn't feel as smooth and it is harder to have a consistent anchor point. IMO a consistent anchor point is the most important thing to shooting well.

As far as draw weight goes... I started out with 60#@28 and pulled around 57# at my 27" draw. For me it was plenty but I was able to handle it. I never wished that I had more weight personally. A lot of people think that they can handle 65-70# starting out and then regret it later. I think 55# is fine but only you can make that decision for yourself. I personally wouldn't want to shoot much less than 50# for elk but I know some people do.

For starters I would suggest you grab a bow off ebay to start. Grab a 50#@28" and you'll probably be pulling 55-60 at your draw. Shoot that bow for a while, learn the ropes and then you'll be better able to make informed decisions when you want to get a custom bow. They all shoot about the same and you won't be able to fully appreciate the difference if you get a custom bow to begin with.

Finally, this is the most important. Get a good DVD or video that explains how to develop good form and how to bare shaft tune your arrows to your bow. Or better yet find someone who can coach you and teach you all those things in person.

You will have ton of fun. Traditional archery is adicting an very rewarding. The only reason I switched back to a compound is because I didn't feel like I was able to keep up my practice to a level that the animals I hunted deserved. I will switch back to my recurve sometime in the future.

Good luck ! Gerald

 

[Gerald Martin]

One other thing.With your 29''- ish draw length get a bow at least 60'' AMO. 62" AMO would probably be even better. The shorter a traditional bow is, the more pinch you will have on your fingers from the angles of the string.

 

[griz]

#1 get a bow that fit's you. #2 do not over bow yourself. ( check your state law for minium draw weigth for elk ) good luck.

 

[Horn Seeker]

Layin It,

Dont buy one of those bows... seriously... I have been shooting trad for almost 5 years now and have been shooting custom bows (my own and many others) all the while... I have also shot all three of those, they cannot compare...

There are many, many bowyers out there that sell bows for $450-550 brand new. Those same bows can be picked up used for $300 or less... If you are interested, let me know and I'll keep an eye out...

Much good info above... get one that you feel good about. Take your time, shoot some hear and there.... If you were to come to Billings in March to the MBA convention you'd have a chance to shoot a bunch of trad bows, all from great MT and WY bowyers... and also...many will be raffled off too!

Good Luck,

Ernie

 

[Tim in Wa]

Or do a search and find Bingham Products,they are in Utah, they sell plans and all the stuff you need to build either a longbow or a recurve.Winter is here and you could prob. use a project to keep you out of trouble anyway

 

[Snapshot]

I agree with Ernie. Get yourself to an event where you can lay your hands on some bows and shoot them. Doesn't matter if they are new or used; try out as many as you can so you know what feels good to you. Then you will have an idea of what to look for and won't risk spending good money on something that isn't good for you. I have been to lots of traditional events where someone will be selling a used bow that you can shoot to see how it feels. Same with new bows if you happen to run across a vendor at a traditional event.