Need some tips from the Traditional pros

[Stickflinger]

Greetings all! So little background, be shooting compounds since 2008 and have had a ton of fun and some success bow hunting. A few years ago I thought it would be a good idea to buy an inexpensive recurve and give that a try. I've read a few tips and techniques and have been shooting 100+ arrows a day and groups are getting smaller weekly. What I'm wondering is what is standard for nock height? Also who makes a 60lb recurve or who has one for sale? I'm only pulling 25" so my 50lb bow is only yielding 42-ish for draw weight. I'd like to step up to get 52-ish. Any constructive tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[walks with deer]

Blackwidows are the nicest...in my mind

[OutsyderBC]

Greetings all! So little background, be shooting compounds since 2008 and have had a ton of fun and some success bow hunting. A few years ago I thought it would be a good idea to buy an inexpensive recurve and give that a try. I've read a few tips and techniques and have been shooting 100+ arrows a day and groups are getting smaller weekly. What I'm wondering is what is standard for nock height?

Depends, if you shoot split fingers, then your starting point will be around 1/4" high and if you shoot 3under then probably 1/2" high. expect to go higher, like 1" if you are 3under…….bare shaft tune

Also who makes a 60lb recurve or who has one for sale?

on a budget, then go for a Samick Sage, want to spend a bit more then have a look at ILF (international limb fitting) bows, a good place to start would be Tradtech at LAS.
If you are definitely wanting that weight, there are lots on the various forums in that weight, the fact is that many are not seeing the light and going lighter with modern limb compositions and carbon arrow technologies.

Black widows are nice to look at but there are nicer bows to shoot (I shoot Dryad)

I'm only pulling 25" so my 50lb bow is only yielding 42-ish for draw weight. I'd like to step up to get 52-ish. Any constructive tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

You have a good amount of draw weight on your fingers, but if want to go higher then that'll be your call. If you want to get good at this game then (to quote the millions of internet experts) "you need to be able to dominate your bow" but it is right, fight with your bow and you'll fight with your shot. Shorter draws = shorter arrows and you get get nice hunting shafts down to .800 so you could just learn how to tune and scale down a little without having point weights like bricks……but learning to tune is quite important (look up bare shaft tuning)

You could also look at shorter bows too, these will be a bit more responsive/quicker……indeed if you end up checking out ILF bows then you can get short limbs.

Whereabouts are you?

Other tips:

Be careful of internet experts, very few actually have any credentials. If they have a silly name, usually with a north american predator in their name despite being english/welsh or a rambling scandinavian narcissist or they use the word "instinctive" at all, look away!


Good resources are available but it's slim pickings on youtube, pretty much Jimmy Blackmon who can walk the walk and who gives up his info freely and that's about it.

Buy the "Shooting the Stickbow" book and the "Masters of the Barebow" DVDs

Learn to aim

find experience to shoot with

Enjoy, good luck and hope to see you out there

[Coyote]

I've got a Black Widow and three Chek Mates. I'll take the Chek Mates any day. Just my opinion. If you can find a used one check it out. Marc will make you one but it will take a long time. Check out Boorman Archery in New West. He makes a lot of bows for them.
And listen to Outsyders advice. He knows what he's talking about

[Stickflinger]

Thanx for the info Gents! Any contact info for Checkmate? All I can find is reviews on a couple bows. Also been keeping an eye open for a nice rig but not many guys seem to want to part with them.

[SteelyDan]

I may just have what you want. Many years ago (1976!!) I got a new ChekMate Hunter 3 piece take down bow. 62 inches long and 58# pull. I bought it new from Boormans many years ago. It is just too heavy for me now and nèeds a good home. It is not perfect but it shoots great.
Let me know if you think you it is what you are looking for.
SD

[Stickflinger]

SteelyDan, where you at? PMed you.

[TheProvider]

I find traditional bows have a lot to do with feel. There's a ton of gifted bowyers out there. Some bows are built to be pretty while others are built for performance then there's a few that are built on performance and prettiness. Grip plays a huge part how its cut, low, medium, high. How the shelf is cut, is it cut past center etc. Unfortunately the market in Canada is no where near as it is in the US.

Like others have mentioned bare shaft tuning is key. Don't just buy a dozen arrows and have them cut an inch longer than your draw length.

[TheProvider]

A shameless plug.... Anyone on facebook I just started a buy/sell group for traditional archery in BC this morning.

~https://www.facebook.com/groups/333746636976951/

http://www.facebook.com/groups/333746636976951/

[SteelyDan]

Stickflinger...I PM'd you back.
SD