Any recurve bow hunters?

Founder

Founder

Founder Since 1999
Messages
11,693
I was just looking at photos and this bull was taken with a recurve (link below) and was curious how many of you hunt regularly with a recurve bow? What kind of distance can you get? What about accuracy?

Pat's Huge 7x6 Recurve Archery Bull - MonsterMuleys.com

Pat's Huge 7x6 Recurve Archery Bull. Mule Deer Hunting, Elk Hunting and Western Big Game Hunting. Forums, Articles, Photos, Tips, Information. Guides, Outfitters, Hunts, Tags.
www.monstermuleys.com www.monstermuleys.com

Pat Sinclair
1583946764854.png
 
I was a recurve hunter. I thought I was pretty good, killed 5 whitetail with it over a couple years and practiced a ton. Last year I missed the biggest whitetail of my life at about 10 yards. I realized I care more about killing a big deer than the method at this point in my hunting career, so I’m back to using training wheels (compound). It’s so easy to miss with a recurve, even chip shots that you wouldn’t dream of missing. Shooting at a target I was very confident at 25 yards (8in circle, first shot of practice/cold bow and no more than 1-2 outside for every 20 or so shots). Shooting at deer 20 yards was the farthest I would shoot at a string jumping whitetail. Probably about the same for elk or mule deer, but I’ve never killed one with a recurve so I’m no expert. With a recurve you have to be OK with missing or blowing stalks on an animal because it’s going to happen.
 
I used a recurve my whole life, until my shoulders gsve out. I have an old ben pearson i bought at DI for $10 in 1980 used it until 2002. Killed Elk,Deer, and 2 bobcats and a bunch of racoons. My effective range was 35 yds. Shot my biggest Bull, (raghorn 4X5) with it complete pass thro... 9 yds lol. At my draw 31" , its 71#.
 
I use a recurve for general hunts. It is something you have to be dedicated with. Once a week practice the month before the hunt won’t cut it. My limit on big game is sub 20 yards. When I shoot a lot of 3D with it I feel good out to 35-40.
 
Longbow now, recurve when I started trad. 20 yds or so is my limit .
Took a shiras moose and pronghorn with my recurve, lots of grouse with my longbow.
A guy the spouse had known for just about all his life made my bow down in Texas. Went to carbon limbs and the pull is much smoother and easier at the same draw weight on my old bow. Stonefly, the carbon bows don't seem very trad but may help you get back into shooting .
 
I use my recurve (original Brackenbury) still on certain hunts. I’m fairly accurate out to 35 yards or so. Still really fun to lug around and shoot.
 
I have killed one buck with my trad bow. I enjoy shooting it much more than my compound. I also meat hit (too high) a big 6x7 bull with it at 12 yards, just plain rushed the shot he was so close. It is very hard to get proficient at. The buck below was shot at 38 yards, but I had been stump shooting prior to spotting him and just felt "on" when I took the shot. Hit him right behind the shoulder.

Dan trad bow deer 1.jpg
 
Wytex, i still archery hunt, i bit the bullet and bought a compound, dang heavy gizmo. It came with sights and a quiver that holds 8 arrows, who the heck needs 8 arrows. On my pearson i didnt use a quiver attatched to it, then found i cool looking one made of leather, it held 5 arrows. Figured musta been made for guys that like to shoot grouse, still leaves 2 for Elk..lol
 
Killed some deer, javelina and a couple of African game animals with both recurves and longbows. As mentioned, it takes some dedicated practice. Quality practice though. Not quantity. You can shoot a hundred arrows/day and suck at it, if not done properly. Better to shoot a few good arrows than dozens of bad ones.

My effective range on a big game animal would be 30 - 35 yards. That said, the best shot I ever made was a 40 yarder on a deer. Most of my animals were taken under 25 yards doing the spot-stalk thing.

I had to go to a compound for a few years because of target panic issues (short drawing/snap shooting). Took a nice elk and mule deer with that, then went back to stickbows. Still a work in progress.
 
Last edited:
Been strictly recurve for 7 years or so now. Really enjoy shooting and hunting with it. I've had some chances at BIG bucks and bulls that if I still hunted with a compound would probably be on the wall but I don't worry about it. Just enjoy my time in the woods anymore.
 
Brett! Awesome bull! I tried in NM, and here in Idaho. Was 55 yards from an OTC giant this year for over an hour. Couldn't get closer with my recurve and kind of wish I had my compound. But, next year I'll kill my first!
 
If anyone can get it done it's you Dan! Took me 2 years till I tagged anything and was beginning to doubt my choice. Makes you think a little outside the box at times haha.
 
Last edited:
BRETTPSU said:
If anyone can get it done it's you Dan! Took me 2 years till I tagged anything and was begging to doubt my choice. Makes you think a little outside the box at times haha.
Click to expand...
Thanks bro, I wish I had the same confidence you have. LOL. I'll keep trying. BTW- that's a damn nice looking bow.
 
Zwickey that posts on here occasionally hunts with a recurve almost exclusively now days. He took a great bull in Idaho this year with it. He hunts Utah deer with my Dad and I and he has given me the bug. We are headed to SD in a couple weeks to hunt whitetails. My plan is to fill my antlerless tag with my recurve.....that is the plan, but I've missed several inside 20 yards in years past. So we will see! I respect someone consistently getting it done with trad gear!
 
I like to use a compound bow, but I have also used a recurve bow sometimes. One of my friends is using one of them, and I decided to test if there is any difference between them and which one is better. It was very strange for me to use a recurve bow because it's was feeling very strange in my hand, even if it was much lighter than my compound one it was much harder to shoot with it, and I have to make more effort than with my compound bow. Also, it requires to be closer to the target than the compound bow, I can't say that it's worse than the compound bow, but I would surely like to use a compound one.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Outdoordan said:
Brett! Awesome bull! I tried in NM, and here in Idaho. Was 55 yards from an OTC giant this year for over an hour. Couldn't get closer with my recurve and kind of wish I had my compound. But, next year I'll kill my first!
Click to expand...
Hello Outdoordan,
I would bet that you enjoyed, and will remember, every minute of that hour! It has been a very long time since I switched from my recurve to a compound. I sure get tempted to make the switch back! When I am (occasionally) successful with a primitive weapon, it is far more satisfying than it ever is with a rifle.

Elkchaser
 
When I was a kid growing up around the reservoirs I was a dedicated carp hunter with my Wing Nighthawk. When the reservoirs were up in the grass and trees and the cottonwood seeds were in the air it was game on.
 
I have been shooting a recurve for a year and a half now. Really want to hunt with one, but I still suck too bad with it. Fortunately I have a training session booked with RMSG in Denver in the upcoming week. Hopefully I can get a good base to build from and improve my game.
 
BRETTPSU said:
Forget everything you know and listen to Tom!!! He is legit. Wished I had a great coach close to me when I first started.
Click to expand...
Thats the plan! I guess the coach they have lined up for me is a guy named Jerry who is also a badass I hear. They say he is very thorough and meticulous and my 2 hour appointment might end up being 2.5 hours. Fine with me!
 
Altitude, nice critters. I took a wildebeest and gemsbok with my recurve way back in 99. Would you believe I missed one of those elands at about 25 yards...lol. Got the yips bad on that big sumbiotch and flung that wood right over his back. Still shake my head over that one :unsure:
 
JimNv, I would believe it. They are very fast and nimble. They can out jump an elk or Kudu.

I shot this eland hard quartering away. The broadhead buried in the right shoulder. He ran off with his right leg held out and stiff. He went 80 yds and stood. So we snuck in and got a second arrow in him at approximately 30 yds.
He was about to tip over but the second arrow finished him sooner.
They can jump higher from a standing start than a whitetail
 
I can't say I'm strictly a stick bow guy....but for the last dozen years or so I think I have 50 shots through a compound....I try to shoot my recurve 5x a week to stay sharp.

I got tired of the 'Automatic' with a compound, Stickbows have brought back the fun of archery for me.

Hunting with a recurve has been a bit of a revelation- and I bet many guys will say the same. I find myself hunting much differently [read; better] knowing its going to be short range or nothing.

It sure has shown me what equipment factors are most important. I've shot 12 critters in the last 2 years and 10 were complete pass thrus with a 47# ILF recurve, 553g arrow and 2 blade heads. I'm sold on the efficiency of the 2 blades. Hogs, deer, Javi's, Moose- all pass thrus.

My longest shot was 47yds on a Coues deer. I set up my bow for a 45y PO knowing I had to shoot across a tank. Most of my shots are 30y and in. I have a few stalking hogs and javis; 6y, 11y, 13y- and its a kick getting in on them that close.

The key to stick bows is learning technique on a light bow- and having someone show you correct form. Many guys start heavy, never really learn correct form and then quit. The degree of difficulty shooting a stick bow is completely different from an easy compound.
 
612BE457-348A-41C6-950F-051FC9FA2F18.jpeg

A couple of my ILF setups; 17' Morrison 1st get riser with skinned WNS C5 longs, bottom is a 19"Dryad riser, skinned W&W Inno's. I bought the dried skins on EBay.

I'm currently hunting with a Stalker Stickbow ILF Riser that has the G10 I beam [awesome] and Uukha Selengha limbs.[Below] I can't bring myself to skin the Uukhas.....grin

tempImage5cLw6V.png
 
I'm struggling with some things.
Some days I'm **** and the next not.
Out to 30 yards but I've got???? Someone please call me 505 699-8626 new Mexico
 
I hunted blacktail with a recurve for years and killed several. I shot daily, year round and limited shots to very close, probably <20 yards back before rangefinders. Cedar arrows with Rocky Mt Razor or Zwicky glue on broadheads. -----SS
 
I have a Bear #50 recurve. I tried shooting it about a month ago. At 74 it's not working like it did. :) I need to work back up to it.
 
eelgrass said:
I have a Bear #50 recurve. I tried shooting it about a month ago. At 74 it's not working like it did. :) I need to work back up to it.
Click to expand...


eel…… if this is too personal, you can tell me to kiss off. Are you having a middle life crisis? ??
 
Not regularly but this is my second season, first monster muleys (of course) this season elk 2nd hunt New Mexico.
 
I hunted with recurves and longbows for about 12 years till we moved to vegas and my back yard shrank to 10 yards. With the lack of practice, you have to shoot these often to stay accurate, my shooting suffered and I missed a few elk. The longest shot was 32 yards on an elk which blew right threw it. My biggest deer have been shot with these bows... Traditional makes you hunt different cause you have to get so close.

Today I'm using compounds but occasionally drag out the recurve for some shooting. I am tempted to use it again on a hunt and might do so one of these days.
 
I killed the first two animals I ever shot a recurve bow at. A small 3x3 black tail buck at 60 yards, perfect broadside lung hit. Deer went about 60-70 yards. And a smaller black bear I killed with a 1971 Fred Bear Grizzly 50# and dacite stone point on a cedar shaft. The stone point kill was a 16 yard shot after a 300 yard stalk and a 13 yard recovery. Bear was sitting up eating service berries. Shot was a touch high but hit an artery in the base of the neck.

IMG_1399.jpeg


IMG_4660.jpeg


IMG_4672.jpeg


IMG_0357.jpeg
 
Right on brother I was working one day and got the idea and made the goal to get a bear with a stone point. I told my apprentice I was going to do it. Not sure if he believed me or not. I got it done the first few hours of the first morning I tried. I couldn’t believe it.
 
My father passed away last year and this was in his closet. I’m guessing it’s older than me since I never did see him shoot it while I was alive.
It’s a fun challenge and I shoot and handful of arrows everyday in hopes I’ll shoot something with it someday.

IMG_3429.jpeg


IMG_3428.jpeg
 
I hunt every year with my recurve and usually kill at least one Whitetail a year with it. I like hunting with it but admit I lost one of the biggest deer I ever had an opportunity to kill with it. Went to a spot with tons of doe and was just looking for some meat to donate to the FoodBank when this hammer came by. Hit him square in the shoulder. No penetration and only a drop of blood.
 
Last edited:
tracker12 said:
I hunt ever year with my recurve and usually kill at least one Whitetail a year with it. I like hunting with it but admit I lost one of there biggest deer I ever had an opportunity to kill with it. Went to a spot with tons of doe and was just looking for some meat to donate to the FoodBank when this hammer came by. Hit him square in the shoulder. No penetration and only a drop of blood.
Click to expand...
Been there……. Done that. 😜
 
hunted 2 years with a long bow shooting 2 bulls one at 10 yards the other at 15.... hunting for me has changed so I went back to compound... plus my shoulders are really bad and I can't pull my longbow anymore:( I enjoyed carrying it around vs the weight of a compound.
 

Similar threads

gr8fuldoug
For Sale Leica Sale - Check It Out
Replies
1
Views
248
gr8fuldoug
gr8fuldoug
gr8fuldoug
What's Going On At Camera Land
Replies
0
Views
368
gr8fuldoug
gr8fuldoug
gr8fuldoug
For Sale Hunting Riflescope Super Sale
Replies
0
Views
141
gr8fuldoug
gr8fuldoug

Click-a-Pic ... Details & Bigger Photos

Member Gallery Photos and Videos!

IMG_9109.jpeg
6676D0EB-3B8E-4040-97B2-3A6C9538F675.png
MUD_0451.jpeg
photo 2.JPG
20230305_171956.jpg
IMG_1896.jpeg
IMG-20201007-WA0000.jpg
AA7520FA-D3DC-4F70-AEFB-B5EC709B0ABB.jpeg
elk9.jpg
86D33F99-7B8F-436E-8FB7-6C15F6594B23.jpeg
Wall Hanger.jpg
1EB7C5C2-E753-4F5A-AD40-5DFE3373291A.jpeg
Back
Top Bottom