Hey guys

What sort of accuracy do you guys get with traditional bows? By traditional I mean longbows/recurves. Most likely "barebow" - ie, no sights at all.

I just bought a traditional bow - 65lb, 64" Saxon. Nice little bow, somewhat of a radical reflex/deflex design. Shoots faster than i thought it would - haven't chrono'd it yet, but i wouldn't be surprised if it did 190 with a medium weight wooden arrow..

Anyways, i'm shooting like 2 FOOT groups at 30 yards. maybe 2 1/2. With my compound I shoot 2, 3" groups. I'm getting better with the longbow, but i'm curious as to what would be considered "normal", "good", and "excellent"

Hi , been shooting for about three years .most of my shooting is at hunting distance 20 yds or less but this summer i had been doing some reading and it was suggested that shooting at 30+ yds would improve my shooting at lesser distances which proved correct .i started with 2 paper plates on the butt walk away from it and would shoot an arrow at each if i hit both i would move back 2 steps ,got so i could get back to 35yds and hit the paper plate 10"(heart lung area on a whitetail ).made the shooting at 20 easy , groups went from hitting the pie plate to putting 90%+ in a four inch circle in the paper plate .i find for me i have to shoot often to stay consistant . shooting at the club indoors now so not shooting as good also more distractions .have fun ----- herb

You might try a lighter bow, 65#'s is a little heavy for starting out on traditional equipment. Last year after taking a 20 year break from shooting traditional, I started back using a 62# @28" recurve. Needless to say I had all kinds of accuracy problems, plus a good dose of tendonitis that lasted about 6 months (OUCH). I dropped back to a 52# @28" draw recurve and my accuracy improved and the pain in my elbow is gone. A good rule of thumb is start out on a traditional bow 15-20lbs lighter than the compound you were shooting.

Rem. 222

I've been shooting a bow, recurve no sights, since 1964. However my advice being free is bound to be suspect.

Seriously, what was the release weight on your compound? Is the new bow more than a 100% increase over the old? Of course you used a release rather than glove or tab that you are using now, right? And your arrows are spined correctly? Did you move directly to the longer distance when practicing?

The problem is that having used the compound, probably with sights and a mechanical release, you are not attuned physically to the bow, yet. It will come.

Provided that your arrows are spined correctly, that you are using a properly fitting glove or tab (I prefer the Damascus glove myself) and you are actually strong enough to handle the 65 lb. draw weight, I'd suggest exactly what Recurve Shooter suggested. Start at the shorter ranges and work back. Concentrate on technique and each shot. It is more important that you shoot 20 shots that hit the target than shoot 50 shots during a practice session.

Why? Because it takes concentration. You must be completely aware of how you are interacting with the bow. It isn't the same as holding the bow and putting the pin on a target to release with a trigger mechanism. And, you must be relaxed physically as well.

If you are struggling against the bow because you aren't in shape to shoot a bow of that draw weight, you can't possibly shoot well.

Personally, I can shoot a 55 lb bow comfortably but find a 60 lb bow to be difficult to shoot well. This is hardly a handicap since even a 45 lb bow will propel an arrow of adequate weight for taking deer at 30 yards.

If you look at historical use, I think that most hunting bows were in the 45-55 lb range while most war bows were in the 70-100 lb range. Why? Because in war, range, i.e. stand off distance, was vitally important to survival of the archers. Where the war bow did not exceed the hunting bow in draw weight, the archer was not as effective on the battlefield.

In short, many hunters over estimate their need for arrow speed, draw weight, etc. I mention all this because if you really need to get another bow of lesser draw weight, at least for a bit, so that you get used to a higher let-off weight than your compound there is no disadvantage or shame in it.

Good hunting!

hey guys

actually the weight of the bow doesn't bother me really. its not hard for me to hold it. I shoot 85 lbs with my compound.... so i am down 15-20 lbs....

probably makes the release a little easier too, b/c the string tends to "cut through" your fingers more, rather than roll off of them. pure conjecture on my part there.

GSXR7/11
Well I'm out of ideas. You might pick up a copy of Byron Fergusons book. I don't remember the title it has something to do with "becoming the arrow". At least you don't have my problem I'm left eye dominant and shoot righthanded. Try anchoring under your chin consistantly. The accuracy will come with pratice, good luck.

Rem. 222

Might be able to help you some,I haven't shot a recurve in years,so you can try this if you like,hang you a ribon or large string or rope down through the middle of your bulls eye target,start at 10 yds working back as far as you want as long as you can keep your arrows in or close to the ribon,this will help you to get the arrows close to the center of the bull.and will help your form when shooting.
Shooting a recurve you won't get the tight groups you can with a compound with sights but you can get to where you can shoot small and large game,and very decent groups.I have seen guys shooting in the 290's,out of a 300 score indoors@20 yds. with a recurve and no sights.
Shooting a recurve,takes practice about everyday,a compound with sights is like riding a bicycle.

no no, using a glove.....

Went out, shot over the weekend, did much better.

first six shots, 2 went a little wide, maybe a foot or so, the other 4 went into 4 inches (at 20 yards.

Getting the hang of this, though, I might just stay with my compound bow for "serious" shooting. keep the longbow for just "fun" shooting....

GSXR ,you said something on your last post and i don't know if you realize you said it ."i will keep the long bow fore fun " and that is what it is all about .i see more guys at our club switching because it is fun and shooting spots with the compound isn't any more .
at our club we have a paper animal indoor shoot once a month and the targets are left up on the back wall butt and the move able ones so we Trad shooters play follow the leader ie: first shooter pick 2 targets ,we have fences set up to add to the chalange (made from paper rolls that carpet or something came rolled in ) holes drilled in them to hold limbs from fake Christmas trees ,used to use real soft wood branches but as they dry had a mess to sweep up .also some hardwood branches here and there .great fun shooting through holes over rails or between ,helps to learn about arc in an arrow .
the compound guys at the club come and quietly shoot straigh shots ,maybe some crossing ones but no shots at a 3" x3" hole next to a post at the frontpart of a rabbit with your right fot on a number on the floor .and someone comenting on you last miss while you are trying to shoot .
four of us were shooting wednesday evening and having fun and the 2 best compound shooter in the club came in and were shooting afer a break they were waundering around an looked in a container 3 of us keep our exta stuff in at the club they asked who's bows we in the box and wondered if they could try them so 6 of us spent the next hour shooting and haveing a ball only problem i had was them shooting carbons from my recurve ,just a traditalist at heart i guess . sorry for the long post .HAVE FUN ---- herb

owensby
This is a great "trick". After only 20 shots I was better and had more of a feel .
Thanks again
Turtle

Glad it helped,remember you have to practice a lot shooting barebow.Hope you get a big one this year.

Do yourself a favor and pick up Fred Asbell's book Instinctive shooting (The 1st one).

He spells out very clearly what you want to be doing.

As to accuracy,I can do 3" out to 20yds and I've confidently killed deer to 35.I'm actually more confident with the recurve when deer are in range than I ever was with a compound (Which I hunted with for 20yrs).

Mad

There is no reason why you can not hit quarters at 20 yrds.

All shooting is concentration, form & repetetion. Try to find a mentor to shoot with. Keep your shooting practice short & positive. As soon as you start to tire, stop.

A good form drill is shooting blind bale. You shoot from 5 yrds. Don't worry about were the arrow goes, at 5 yrds it will hit the bale. Concentrate on form, hit you anchor point, get your elbow back & feel the back tension, focus on your spot & loose the arrow.

Good luck, you've choosen one of the purest hunting weapons.

I have the exact same bow, Saxon 64" but mine is 60# at 28". I have had it for 7 years and hunted some elk deer and antelope, rabbits and grouse with it. I shot, and shoot, a 75# compound as well (much better than I do the stick). If I had it to do over again I would have ordered the 55# or even 50# longbow. It takes me alot of shooting to even stay proficient. Not only that but when I have shot at game sometimes it all goes out the window and your arrow flies 10 feet over the back of the animal.
Also experiment with the brace height of the bow. Mine does not give good arrow flight with shorter heights. Start shooting and start twisting your string to increase brace height if arrow flight is not good.

I have been shooting a recurve since I was five and am 20yrs old now. To be able to have accuracy and consistancy requires just alot of practice. When one starts to get good you will see that it becomes more of a "automatic response to a stimulus", or one could call it instinctive. I compare it to shooting a shotgun during a trap session. It is much different than shooting a compound considering the humans great reliance on the bow as where in proficiant preformance with a recurve or long bow requires more reliance on the shooter. Good luck and if you have a bow range close or a couple of friends that shoot traditional ask them, I'm sure they'd be willing to help.
Good Hunting.

I second the motion on Fred Asbell's book! It's a great read even if you're not shooting much, but it is a huge amount of help, especially if you have no one else around as a mentor. Practice on very small targets--if you're using a paper plate, then place a small stick on dot in the middle and concentrate on that. Practice often and shoot small numbers of arrows at each session--make each shot count!

Good Hunting,

Howdy gents,

I started shooting a longbow in February of '01 with the intent of hunting with it as soon as I felt confident enough to place a killing arrow. In October of '01 I killed a respectable 8-pointer (114 B&C, 200 lbs field dressed). The shot was 16 yards. I must say that I shot the bow every day from Feb to Oct and I was barely good enough to hunt with it. It takes practice, and form is the most important aspect. I shoot better with each practice session, not that I'm super good. But I shot 250/300 on indoor 3D last Saturday at varying ranges from 15 to 30 yards. A few weeks ago I took first place at an indoor 3D tournament. The competition included an IBO indoor 3D world champion. The keys are form and practice.

I recommend the book "Instinctive Archery Insights" by Jay Kidwell. Jay is a sports psychologist and provides valuable insights.

Traditional archery has revitalized the sport of bowhunting for me. I haven't hunted with my compound since '01. I have nothing against compound bows or the people that shoot them, but traditional archery is now 'my bag.' I have 2 longbows now, a 50 lb Bear Montana Longbow (my first and favorite), and a 60 pounder I bought second hand that is not branded. 60 pounds make a real handfull of longbow.

Since '01, I have killed several bucks and does with my longbows. It's an incredible feeling for me, much like the feeling you get when you kill your first deer with a compound, except it accompanies every traditional harvest. I also own several recurves, including a 1960s Bear Grizzly that shoots where I look, and a really old Bear Kodiak Special.

Live well.