The usually beginner trad help post

[Kevin G]

Hello everyone,

After reading a number of these beginner trad question posts I have a few questions of my own. I shoot compound now and I am looking to add stress to my life by hunting with a trad bow. I've done some research and have some questions about a few specifics. Firstly I am looking to get a Hoyt Satori as my riser, I was looking at potentially getting a black hunter but I would like to use a springy rest and so I need something with a burger hole. I did look into getting a "clone" of a Satori but they don't make one in left handed that I can find, along with I would prefer not to support a business like that. I know that VPA and DAS make USA made risers but they are most likely out of my budget for a riser ($275ish used). are there any other options that I am missing that are out there? Secondly I was looking into arrow velocity/ arrow weight and I wanted to know with a draw length between 28"-29", pulling 45# and an arrow weight of 475gn or less would it be reasonable for me to achieve a point on distance of 30-35 yds as I hunt in Northeast Ohio and that is on the outer limit of distances I encounter deer, or will I have to rethink my set up to better achieve that goal?

Thanks.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

You're putting the cart WAAAAAY before the horse with point on distance/arrow velocity questions. A ton of that depends on anchor point, string hand and bow hand pressure. It takes several years of shooting and tinkering with a stickbow to start to develop much sense of what you personally prefer in a setup. Then something in your form will change and it'll be back down the rabbit hole.

Plus you may find that you prefer a different aiming method! I gap off the side of my riser, rather than the arrow point. Makes life much easier if I wind up with a bow that has a point on at 45-50 yards.

Long story short... get something you can afford and like the look of, and shoot the piss out of it for a while.

 

[nnmarcher]

Picking up a trad bow is a lot of fun, welcome to the club!

Nothing wrong with picking up a Satori, but I may suggest starting with an entry level set-up and deciding what you like before upgrading. If you stick with the ILF system, it is really easy to swap limbs/risers play with different combinations. I'm sure being left handed limits your options, but a bow like this will get you shooting at a fraction of the cost:
WNS Black Elk Riser
WNS Black Elk Limbs
My advice is to start with light draw weight limbs, like 30-35 lbs. It makes focusing on your form a lot easier as you learn. Once your form is consistent, move up to some heavier limbs for hunting. To get you started, get your arrow weight around 10 grain/pound of draw weight and see how it shoots.

 

[CasNed]

RMS Gear used bow list and stick bow.com usually have a good amount of used bows. 45lbs and 450-550 grain arrow you’ll be good. It’s easy to adjust your point on by doing a fixed crawl. Putting tape marks on riser can help in the beginning with aiming. Id just cut them out of regular compound sight tapes.

 

[lelliott8]

Your point on should be in there somewhere assuming you get around 500gr arrows and 45 lb limbs. Because you are already planning to gap you could fix it to whatever you want with fixed crawl. 35 yards is a long trad shot especially for someone looking to get into it all.

The satori risers are similar or more pricey than the DAS/VPA so just go with whatever you like best. VPA riser and DAS 45 limbs are an easy button. 500 spine arrows with 200 ish up front and youll be close.

 

[Beendare]

I'm a Lefty ILF shooter.

I have the Junxing F261 riser, its equal to the Satori and cheap. FYI, all of the name brand ILF limbs are pretty darn good. One good option for cheap limbs is the WNS C3 or C5 at under $175 [Alt Services]

There is lots of good internet advice on the key to trad shooting- start light, develop good form.

Trajectory is a function of anchor height on your face along with arrow factors like weight and length. You can adjust your PO by raising or lowering your anchor....and by making your arrow longer or shorter.

Once you develop good form, The Stu Miller calculator will help you with developing an arrow to get what you want.

Personally I shoot a 50#, fairly high anchor with a 9GPP arrow and get great trajectory with a 37y PO. I have adjusted my PO for some hunts and can get as low as 30y or as long as 45y without changing my anchor.