Hello all.

Apart from a brief period as a boy of 11, I have always hunted with airguns or firearms. I would very much like to learn to hunt with a bow and intend joining the local archery club to learn the basics and keep my hand in with regular practice.

Unfortunately, the club is for target shooting only and I very much doubt I would find someone to advice me on what equipment to use and so I turn to you.

Feral pig is the only quary I intend hunting on the farms I have permission to shoot on. I would like to use a take down recurve.

Hence, I would be grateful if you could recommend the following:
a) A good T/D Recurve bow.
b) What poundage I would require.
c) The appropriate shaft, head, knocks, vanes, strings, et al.

Any other advice you could give me will also be welcome.

Thank you.

Rustam

RHB -
This link is to a thread that shows pictures of my practice range at home. It should give you plenty of ideas on how to set up to practice.

When I teach archery I use a lighter weight recurve bow with limbs in the lower 30# range. We start out at 10yrds or less and work on good form- correct anchor point, correct shoulder and elbow position of the bow arm, how to sight down the arrow, how to estimate how high to hold the bow for the correct elevation, good release with your fingers, etc..

You will notice in the pictures that I have LiquidPaper marks on the back of the bow for gap marks. These really help you know how high to hold the bow for the different distances. They are the most basic of a sighting tool.

Read the following two threads and you should have a good idea of where to start.

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=518103&f=1021043&m=859108631

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=518103&f=1021043&m=827109161

I would recommend that you buy a takedown bow that you can get two sets of limbs for. A light set around 32# to learn form and to practice with and a pair around 45# for your first hunting limbs. It is important not to get too heavy of a recurve when you are learning. You won't be able to shoot it enough (or at all) until you learn the skills required to shoot it and hunt with it.
The other option is to have two seperate bows like I do (actually a lot easier) that you can keep setup for each task.
You really only need the correct weight hunting arrows with 125grn field points in them for the weight hunting bow you will be shooting. Yes they are too heavy for the light weight practice bow but it's not important when you practice at 10 & 20 yards. You will need the correct weight hunting shafts and points when you switch to your hunting bow. My hunting arrows have screw in field points that weigh the same as the broadhead hunting points that I use (125grn). I can unscrew any practice hunting arrow and quickly convert it to a hunting arrow in a minute if I need to. (don't need to because I already have too many arrows)

Great stuff CaptJack. I agree 100%.

My first bow was a 65 lb Chekmate TD Hunter recurve. Its the bow I use for most of my practicing and all of my hunting.

I bought it when I was lifting weights hardcore. It seemed very comfortable at the time. A few years of less weightlifting and a tweaked shoulder later, I realized I needed a lighter weight bow to get me tuned up after our long winter season (during which time I don't practice due to frigid cold weather and no indoor range). So I picked up a cheap used 45 lb Bear recurve and it was just the ticket. My form suffered to much with the 65 lb'er when I was shooting it "cold" (ie. after 6 months layoff). The extra bow made all the difference.

I also felt that having a second bow was a better deal than an extra set of limbs. I don't like messing with my hunting bow once its set up just right, and its nice to finish off a practice session with a few shots from the heavier bow.

Cheers,
Canuck

Thanks for the tips, CaptJack.

I will be starting off with a locally made recurve or bamboo longbow which would probably have a draw weight of 35lbs. max. The hunting bow would have to be imported. I have been surfing the net for the last couple of days to see what is available and the sheer number of bows available has left me stumped. Could you recommend a few brands that I should consider. The same goes for shafts, points and broadheads.

Incidentally, would a recurve with 45lbs. draw weight be sufficient to despatch a pig at 25 yards, assuming arrow placement is correct?

Thanks.

Rustam

Sounds like your're on the right track. The light bow to learn for and joining a club will get you going.

I would offer that BEFORE you spend money on a hunting bow, you learn 1st, then try serveral differant bows.

There are a lot of very good bowyer these days, all with sightly differant design ideas. There is no reason you hunt with a one-size-fits-all bow, if you don't want to.

Grip styles IMHO are a major factor on your shooting. AT this point you just don't have the hands on experience to decide.

Felect back on how many rifles or shootgun you may have owned until you found the right "Fit"

best of luck

Hello Boss Kongoni,

I fully appreciate what you are saying but in India the option of 'try before you buy' does not exist.

There are the tribal stick bows, followed by a couple of locally made recurves and as far as I know, that's that.

However, I'm in no tearing hurry and will wait and see how I get on at the club. I'm pretty certain I'll enjoy it.

Cheers.

Rustam

Rustam – you asked what bow/recurves we would recommend?

Bob Lee Archery
http://www.bobleearchery.com/index.html

Palmer Bows
http://www.palmerbows.com/

E.W. Bateman & Co.
http://www.ewbateman.com/

When you look at non-custom built recurves the draw weight will be based on a draw length of 28â€. This is an average draw length for someone around 5’9â€-5’10â€. If your draw length is 28†you can easily shoot a recurve that is 58†but if you are taller and as the draw length increases the bow will need to be longer accordingly.
I’m 6’5†and my draw length is 31â€. My bow is 64†long because of the increased draw length.

If I were to by a bow that had a draw weight of 40# based on a 28†draw and draw the bow to 31†I would increase the draw weight of the bow by 3# for every inch over 28â€. So I have an increase of 9# over whatever draw weight is labeled on the side of the bow based on 28â€. On a hunting bow we measure from full draw and the nock to the front edge of the riser window.

You also asked if a 45# bow would kill a pig. You can bet on it. In Texas the legal minimum draw weight for a hunting bow is 40#. A 45# hunting bow will kill anything that walks in Texas out to 40 yards with power to spare. Bob Lee is 82 years old now and hunts with a bow at 42#. He takes at least two deer and numerous hogs every year with a 42# bow. You’ll see his picture if you navigate through the photo album at the back of the Bob Lee Archery website.

I hunt with a 55# bow but as I’m getting older I think I’m going to ask Palmer to build me a set of double carbon fiber laminate limbs at 45# at my draw length of 31†for the Partners handle/riser that I have now. I’ll probably end up with another bow- that’s usually what happens when I ask…

I hope all of this helps ??

TexasBowhunter.com the VERY POPULAR (probably most popular in the US) bowhunting website in Texas. We have a separate discussion board for traditional archery.
http://www.texasbowhunter.com/

Traditional Bowhunter magazine – most all of the traditional recurve bowyers advertise in this magazine.
http://www.tradbow.com/

Hello CaptJack,

Thanks a ton for a very informative and good read.

I spoke to the local bowyer yesterday and he recommended a 72" take down bamboo recurve with a 40lbs. draw weight. On further questioning, it turned out that he really does not have anything else in stock.

However, since it's quite cheap ($30.00 for a bow and $1.00 per arrow), I am not complaining.

He did mention that the bow comes with a FastFlight string. Since I had read Bob Lee's site, I asked him whether or not it would damage the limbs but according to him, it has no effect on bamboo. Whether this is true, remains to be seen.

If you wish, I could e-mail you a few pics.

Thanks and regards.

Rustam
rustambana@satyam.net.in

Capt Jack, Canuck, Boss Kongoni and other top experts.


For 3years, I feel experienced concerning bow hunting.
Yet, when I read your advices I feel sort of an idiot. My, how good you are, nothing to add on.

RHB,

For tuning traditional (non-compound) bows, take a look here:

http://www.bowmaker.net/index2.htm

It should help you answer some of the questions related to matching arrows and tip weights to your bow. The easton archery sight might also help, though they often err on the stiffer side for arrows for recurves or longbows. Also, they only specify aluminum or carbon arrows.

Steve

Thank you, Steve.

Rustam