I really want to get a longbow. Only because WV has what it calls a mountianeer heritage season . Only traditional muzzleloaders and longbows are allowed. I would rather take my chanced with a bow at short range than a muzzloader . Bows are cheaper . Any one have one of these? Is 50Ibs too much.
Check ebay or gunbroker for a classic Fred Bear or similar
I love traditional archery! I have a few longbows and recurve bows. 50 lb draw might be too much if you’re starting out. If you’re starting out, get a bow that allows you to change limbs and start with lightweight limbs, like 25 to 30 lbs and practice proper form. Then move up to heavier limbs as you get more proficient. 45 to 55 lbs should be more than enough for deer.
Check out 3Riversarchery.com for bows, arrows, target points, broadheads, shooting gloves or tabs, etc.
Oh, and that one looks like a recurve with takedown limbs. I don’t have any experience with that particular bow, but the price looks good.
Kinda like shooting black powder firearms
good to see you here with us
Welcome to Sixguns Fraternity @equin so glad to have you here great to see a familiar poster.
@Equin thanks for the pointers, and the web address, I used to bow hunt alot when younger. Wanting to get back into it . Sooooo I havent shot for a long tome probably 10-15 yrs. and I am older now but I want to take advantage of the very lengthy bow season and have to use a long bow so that I can use it in the season that opens up after the regular season closes. Seems everyone is going with crossbows but, I always opt for the harder options I guess
When I tried Olympic style recurve bows, we used 25 lbs because we were beginners, but the flight arc was huge. Now I have a 55 lbs compound which shoots flatter, but I feel like I could use a heavier pull. When I shoot cardboard targets, every 10 lbs roughly equals an inch of penetration.
I also tried out traditional Japanese bows used in Kyudo, which are longer than I am tall and asymmetrical. The force curve felt gentler than the Olympic recurve, and smoother than the compound, particularly at the limit of the draw for each type of bow. But I have longer arms, and so I felt the exponential part of the force curve more than others. Particularly with bows that use shorter limbs, it’s important that the limbs of the bow accommodate your draw length.
The one I used to shoot years ago was a recurve . It was 45# but they measure that at 28inch draw. I cant remember my draw is either 30 or 31 . So the draw weight goes up how much dont know .?
That sounds like a neat experience
It definitely was. Kyudo uses a deerskin gauntlet cured hard as kydex on the draw hand, and they draw the string with the thumb instead of the fingers. That makes the bowstring twist opposite of a western bow, and so the arrow shaft rests on the far side of the bow instead of the near side. But most of all, full draw felt like I was opening my chest rather than resisting compression, since they anchor by the ear instead of under the jaw.
If the opportunity comes up start a thread with pics/details
LOL, me too… I am 6’5" and they say your arms spread out to your side is your height. So yeah I got a good Pull. think my compound I used to own was 31 or 32 " pull.
A recurve …nice … i suspect that may be an option, have to call the DNR and see if they recognize them as a primitive bow if I need to get the long bow
2 months later
It’s amazing we now have 2 months later
Is he shooting a left handed bow with his left eye closed?
Can’t quit tell but it did make a difference for me to switch to my dominant eye which is not my dominant hand, a bit counter intuitive but helpful
Of course if you’re not raising the Tiger Woods of archery and its just for fun not likely much to worry about, but it is a great sport and you never know where it might lead
Yeah, I haven’t had a chance to visit the site much due to work, family and health issues lately. In fact, I need to peruse and navigate it more.
Anyway, he was practicing on his older brother’s left hand bow. He’s right-handed and definitely right-eye dominant. I need to get him his own right hand bow. My oldest is 11 and can’t seem to find his own bigger bow, but he was shooting my 30 lb right-handed longbow fairly well using his right bow hand as an arrow shelf while shooting it lefty.
Of course, none of the arrows match any of the bows they’re shooting, but they’re having fun shooting our block target in the backyard. They did make some wooden arrows late last this year, and they loved doing that. I’ve been trying to get them to go to local trad shoots, but they have no interest in any of that. Hopefully when they get older they’d like to go to those shoots as I always thought they were fun.
How the Heck does one go about doing that. I seen a video on some guy steaming some well chosen tree limbs and making them straight. Please tell me there is an easier way ?
It’s a lot easier if you buy already straightened wood shafts! I order them from 3Rivers Archery. They also sell these pencil sharpener looking things to taper one end to glue on a nock (or cut one) and another end to glue on the point. Once nocked, I put each shaft on a fletcher and then glue the fletching. You can buy the fletching pre-cut, too. All in all, it probably costs the same buying all the material and equipment to make your own than it does to buy them pre-made, but it’s fun making them.
You can also get those 6’ tall bamboo gardening stakes, poles or sticks or whatever they’re called and cut them to length and use heat to straighten them. I use a blow torch. The hardest part is cutting a notch in them. You also have to glue in some kind of plug to then glue on the point.
Well, it’s harder to describe the whole process, but there are tons of arrow making videos on youtube.