So you want to shoot Trad

[Page Master]

Idea: what about this?

What do you guys say we keep the chatter to a minimum and only add;

1) Advice that you would give a new shooter

2) Tips and any resources you recommend to improve your trad bow shooting

3) Bow/ arrow setup

I’m thinking a bunch of different Advice/ Perspectives all in one thread.

Guys that already commented can edit to clean this thread up and make it something we can point new shooters toward when the inevitable, “ Where do I start?” Question comes up.

Demmer is probably the best barebow archer, currently on the planet. I think if you're watching Levi Morgan to learn compounds, Demmer would be your barebow example. Tom gives lot of good mechanical advice for your form and shot execution.

My advice would be to get a light, cheap bow to learn. You don't learn to ride a motorcycle by getting a 1200RR. You get a 250cc made for beginners. So get a cheap, 35# sammick sage or galaxy and learn what you like and don't like. I would also suggest getting as heavy as possible arrows so you can learn shot trajectory, gaps and arrow flight in a visual way.

Facebook trad buy/sell/trade groups have a plethora of cheap/semi-new equipment constantly for sale.

 

[Btaylor]

If your intent is to become a traditional bowhunter, you should first focus on becoming a traditional archer. You dont have to be much of an archer to be pretty consistently successful with a compound but I dont know many consistently successful traditional bowhunters that arent pretty good archers as well.

 

[TaterTot]

Idea: what about this?

What do you guys say we keep the chatter to a minimum and only add;

1) Advice that you would give a new shooter

2) Tips and any resources you recommend to improve your trad bow shooting

3) Bow/ arrow setup

I’m thinking a bunch of different Advice/ Perspectives all in one thread.

Guys that already commented can edit to clean this thread up and make it something we can point new shooters toward when the inevitable, “ Where do I start?” Question comes up.

1) Get a coach

2) Stay off the Internet forums unless you want to debate the benefits of 3 fletch vs 4 fletch or argue about foc

3) Any bow in the 20-30lb range that can handle your draw length will out shoot you.

 

[OneSkinnyHunter]

So as a person who has never really tried a trad setup and has been looking at them it appears that the Hoyt Satori would be a great place to start. I say that given the amount of options for setup and tuning that it has. However, it doesn’t seem to be as popular as more expensive bows that aren’t as easily tuned (at least in my novice opinion). Is there a reason for this that I don’t see? Thanks for the input ahead of time, I’m just here to learn something

 

[Wilderlife]

I made this video last year and I've posted it here before. It's just some advice I had based on shooting trad for about a year and trying to navigate a heap of the information that was coming at me on the internet.

I'm in the middle of making an overview video about my new longbow and I'm debating whether to include some longbow and arrow tuning information in that video or whether to make a separate video instead. Either way, I want to make another video to do with advice for newbies and have it be a follow up to the one above.

 

[Ahutch]

With all that's been advised already. 99% spot on advise!! Only thing I feel I can add is if there's someone around that shoots trad, hit em up! Shoot with em, who cares if they ain't a olympic level shooter, go fling some arras and have fun.



Hutch

 

[Ahutch]

I will say this also, I can not and will likely be a good while before I could afford even a bad coach. With that said, there IS a lot of good info and truly helpful people on the interweb. In fact if you where to see my shooting a year ago and compare it to my shooting now..... Huge difference!!!! It just takes a bit longer to get it all to come together.



Hutch

 

[GLB]

Good Thread. We are blessed with so much good information on proper shooting form and tuning the Trad style bows.

I was introduced to the recurve in the 70s as a young kid when I got my first bow. I had to figure out a lot on my on. I would watch Fred Bear, Howard Hill and Ben Pearson for inspiration with the bow and arrow.

I am happy to see that today if someone wants to pickup the stickbow that there is so much good help to get them started correctly.

 

[Kentucky]

While there is nothing wrong with cobbling together all the info one would need from different YouTube series. You would be much better served with a coach or a 200 dollar course like archery mechanics.

If 200 dollars will break a person then archery isn't your sport.

200$ is a lot of money to a lot of people… I totally agree with spending money on a coach, but trad archery doesn’t have to be expensive… being compulsive and impatient is expensive.. but if a guy had self discipline and watch the classifieds, you could have 200-300$ in a rig that would last a lifetime and shoot as good as anything out there.. don’t get me wrong… I’ve spent a small fortune on shit that I’ve sold and rebought and sold, etc… but didn’t have to be that way.. my first bow was a black bear warf with TT BM2.0, and I guarantee you I now can shoot that bow as good as any ow out there…

 

[Ahutch]

Just in case no one is aware. Jake kaminski has put out 4 videos, so far, on shooting properly. AND!!!! it's free to anyone.
Not everything has to be expensive....
Mind you!! Having a coach right there next to you to walk you personally through any issues is obviously the fastest method to getting accurate and doing so consistently. It's just not everyone's highest priority...

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

As someone who cobbled youtube training videos together for years... get a coach. Or an online course. Jake Kaminski's stuff might be good enough to do it for free these days. But the Solid Archery Mechanics is well worth the money.

 

[sneaky]

1) Don't over-bow yourself. You have nothing to prove, no one to impress.

2) Get coaching, either in person (recommended) or from a reputable online source

3) Make every shot count. Shooting 100 arrows a day may build muscle, but if you shoot 100 shitty shots you've done nothing to improve your shooting.

4) Leave your ego behind. Trad gear will humble even the best from time to time.

5) If you think swing drawing is a viable method, punch yourself repeatedly.

6) Have fun. It should be enjoyable, not a chore

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[bjfoxhoven]

To your point about stuff not talked about much:

1. I’ve always loved archery…but trad is something different. Enjoy it. It will take some time to get consistent to the point, but it is so worth it.

2. Shoot often. I shoot almost daily at 10 yards in my garage to focus on form, draw, follow through etc. it translates to good shooting at even far distances. I would say once you finally get lethal enough to hunt with the recurve, you still need to shoot st distance almost 3-4 times a week to stay consistent if wanting to hunt at a little further distance. If you don’t plan to take a shot above 20 yards, you may not need to practice that much. However, the time commitment is very large.

3. Stump shoot, shoot out of your saddle/stand, or learn to hunt from the ground. Bring the bow with and shoot rabbits. Instead of going to the range sometimes, my friend and I head out stumping. Good exercise and even better practice for hunting.

4. I found drawing on deer to be easier with trad. Last year I drew on 6 deer and none of them ever caught me. I hunt from a saddle, so that helped… but I’m certain the main factor is the smooth/slow/quiet draw as compared to the roll over with a compound. I just waited until they were not looking directly my way to draw.

5. so many people say to buy cheap arrows because you will loose and break them. I don’t like that advice. I like decent arrows with a good collar that protects the tip of the arrow. So when you miss a 3D target at the local range it doesn’t splinter right away.
5b. Don’t mess with 3D targets right away. Just shoot big bags and build confidence. If you aren’t confident you will not shoot well and will developer target panic.

 

[Beendare]

Del

 

[Beendare]

Shooting 100 arrows a day may build muscle, but if you shoot 100 shitty shots you've done nothing to improve your shooting.

Del

 

[sneaky]

Great point^ that I have been guilty of myself.

-

I was fortunate to have lived only a couple hours from Rod Jenkins. That's who I went to for proper instruction. My friend, who has been shooting traditional since 1957 went with me. My friend knows everyone you've mentioned personally. Was the best money I've ever spent on trad. Doesn't hurt that Rod looks like Tommy Lee Jones every time he puts those magnetic clip together glasses on

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Don't over shoot! It's fun at first, and you suck badly, so you can't actually tell when muscle fatigue is the real cause for your problems, but I fight myself on this issue all the time. I make a bad shot late in a session and keep chasing one more good arrow. I've learned now what muscle fatigue feels like while shooting, and you just cannot maintain proper form and execution if you're exhausted from your workout, or from shooting tons of arrows.

Know when to walk away for the day. If your head isn't screwed on right, walk away. Or insist on using it as practice for your mental game, but make sure your measure of success is in the concentration if you do this. See above for overshooting, it's another place where you need to put the bow down.

The reality is that you cannot learn proper form and alignment, let alone precision, if you're shaking from muscle fatigue. Worked out upper body? Go ahead and shoot, but recognize if you're shaking and put the bow down. Sore from yesterday's work out? Maybe do stretch band shooting drills instead, and some massage work.

Learn what perfection feels like, and until you feel confident in your execution of perfection, you aren't ready to stress test it. Don't shoot from crazy angles, or after a dozen burpees, or at a candle in the dark, until you can confidently execute a perfect shot on demand under ideal conditions.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

So much good advice! I don’t have a lot to add other than what’s already been said, but trad can be a weird world of strong opinions and infighting. I’d say ignore that stuff, and make sure you have fun. That’s the whole point, it should be a challenge and fun.

 

[EGBARTSTJ]

Love all helpful advice! been wanting to wet my feet in trad shooting but haven’t yet fully committed.

 

[MontanaMarine]

Humans have been flinging arrows from bows for over 20,000 years. Some archeologist finds go back 50,000 to even 70,000 years ago.

Don't get too caught up in the details. Learn the basics of form, get a light draw weight bow, around 30# or so, some arrows (500 spine 30" with 150gr up front, give or take, should get you in the ballpark), and start wearing out targets.