traditionalists

[beaner]

I am looking into buying a recurve and giving traditional archery hunting a try. Anyone on here hunt with a recurve? If so, what are you shooting? A buddy of mine swears by black widow bows, but it will be hard to drop $800. Any suggestions??

Thanks

 

[rost495]

I have a bit of a different look at it. I had 3 cheaper recurves. I struggled to shoot all of them. I had to really work at it. They were not that smooth, they stacked. I didn't like the feel that much. I shot quite a few deer with my Hoyt takedown. After I read Fred Asbells book on instinctive shooting I modified the arrow shelf etc..... Things got better. I finally picked up a Brackenbury bow. It had light limbs but it felt, drew, and shot like a dream. It was much easier to stare through a target and then drill it home. Finally got a heavier set of limbs and its all good. I'm not saying the Brackenbury is the best( I love mine) but a custom recurve is a great thing.

I'm also not saying that a starter recurve is bad, just don't compare it to a custom, and with a custom later on things will be much better so don't give up early. Just use the starter one to see if you like the whole thing.

And if you become one with your bow you can hit way out there too... I practiced to 60 yards with mine on milk jugs and 20 ounce bottles in teh pasture at home. While I'm not a 60 yard shooter I'm pretty sure out to 30 or 40. 40 is a long shot with any bow in my books.

Best of luck, Jeff

 

[treekiller]

I've been hunting exclusiely with recurves and longbows since 1986. My primary hunting bow is also a Brackenbury I bought new in '86. Not as fast as some of the newer custom bows, but it shoots as good as I can. I'm right-handed but left-eye dominant, so I have to restrict my shooting to 20-25 yards at most!

I make all my own douglas fir arrow shafts from scratch, and use wild turkey primaries from gobblers I've killed to fletch my arrows with.

Traditional archery can be as simple and enjoyable as you want to make it. The graceful curves of a bow with single string mated with some handcrafted arrows is one of the purest forms of hunting in my opinion.

Just several months ago I ordered a Blacktail recurve from Norm Johnson here in Oregon. The first new bow for myself in about 15 years. www.blacktailbows.com http://www.blacktailbows.com/

Good luck with your new adventure! treekiller

 

[graybeard]

I'm just getting started in trad hunting and am making my own take down recurve to start with. I'm already working on the specs for my second bow which will be a one piece recurve. Trad equipment comes in many varieties. Go to the archery shops and shoot some bows and find out the differeces before you buy. I can't wait to go hunt elk next year with my trad bow. Good luck, Steve

 

[Di]

I have several different recurves that I hunt with, by far my favorite is my Chek-mate made by Marc Moriez in Canada.

I would suggest that you shoot as many different bows as possible before you just settle on one. Try calling the archery shops and see if they have any traditional leagues and go down when they are shooting you will find many different custom bows and alot of factory made as well.

Each bow is going to be different, and the more money you spend does NOT mean its going to be a nicer bow. I have a very expensive Custom made recurve all decked out with big horn sheep horn on the limb tips and a Checkered grip and very expensive exotic woods and I never shoot it, I prefer my other bow that cost 1/2 the price.

I also make my own arrows and I do some work on the side for Rogue River Archery, they make the finest compressed & Burnished cedar shafts.

Other then Tradgang.com there is also Stickbow.com which is ran by the Bowsite guys.

Good luck.. If you live here in the Salt lake area I would be happy to let you shoot my bows or atleast look the different styles from the bowyers I choosen to make my bows.

Dianna

 

[graybeard]

Hey Di, do you sell wood arrows?? I'm just getting started but if I get my bow built in time I'll be shooting on the new league at Salt Lake Archery. They are supposed to be starting in a few weeks. What do you charge for your arrows?? Steve

 

[MBM]

I have been shooting a Wess Wallace 66# Recurve but I have been wanting to get a new bow at a lighter weight, something in the 55# range. I have heard a lot of good things about the Chek-Mate Hunter II (www.recurves.com)and I really want to look at one of the new Hoyt Gamemaster recurve bows. Trad is a lot of fun but also a lot of work. It takes a ton of practice to get good with a recurve but I would much rather shoot my recurve than my compound it's a lot more fun.

Mark

 

[Di]

I could make some arrows for you, or you could buy them from Rogue river. WWW.RogueRiverArchery.com It really just depends on how much work goes into the arrows for the pricing of them. At this time I couldnt make any for a few weeks.

I love shooting up at salt lake archery, I have ran that leauge once and I usually always shoot in it. Those guys are great to shoot with.

MBM,

You could shoot my chek-mate if you like its in the 50 lb range I also know Chad weaver who owns the recurves.com website and you cant find a more honmest dealer to go through.

Marc Moriez is also a friend and a great bowyer I have known these two for many years and cant say a bad thing about either one.. Well Marc is canadian and says Eh alot but other then that he is great! LOL

 

[beaner]

Thanks for the info everyone. It is appreciated. I guess I have a lot more research to do before I make a decision.

Questions:

Are recurves like boots and optics......you get what you pay for??

Can I buy different limbs for the same bow to change the draw weights?

I would like to start with a lighter wieght bow to get good with and use on javalina and then if I really like it, upgrade and get something with a bit more kick to chase elk and muleys with. Like I said, a couple buddies are hooked and have convinced me to give it a shot. Time will tell. Really can't do anything until i get back to the states in a few months anyways.

Thanks again.

S/F

 

[Di]

Yes, you can buy different limbs for a bow assuming you get a takedown of course. Its best that you order the extra limbs at the time you order your bow so that the bowyer can custom fit them.

You really dont need a heavy bow to hunt Elk with,its all about shot placement. I know Ken Beck from Black widow has shot some really nice Elk with only a 45# bow.

I dont think its like optics or boots.. Some bowyers are just smaller and do this part time and they make some awesome bows for alot less then some of the others do. You will hear horror stories about some cheaper bows but you will also hear horror stories from people who have paid more.

No doubt about it that Black Widows are very nice bows, but the questions remains are they really worth all the money!

 

[rost495]

Not a negative or positive on BW. But the folks I've known that had them all sold them and bought others. Most paid less for what they ended up with.

I think its a feel thing though. Kinda like boots. What feels good to your feet may not to mine.

I liked the fact that Brackenbury got a tracing of my hand to see how big and how he would shape the grip part. And I sent in my bow to have heavier limbs made for larger game.
(actually I bought the bow used and sent in a tracing of my hand and they adapted it just a bit which made it seem to shoot even better)

I don't know if the tracing thing is needed for sure but it got my attention.

I really think the best you can do is shoot as many as you can. If the best one costs the most, oh well. If not you are even a bit ahead.

Jeff

 

[beaner]

Thanks Jeff and Di for the info. Good points that are well taken. I will give the Brackenbury guys a harder look. Agree on shot placement for elk, but I would rather lean on the heavy side for them incase "Mr Murphy" decides to accompany me on a hunt.

If I bought the bow and sent it back to get another set of limbs fit............would that work vice buying two sets at once?

Thanks again everyone.

S/F

 

[Di]

Sure you can send your bow back to have another set of limbs made, but you might be without your bow for a little while simply because they will need the riser to ensure a good snug fit for bolts and pins. Thats why I say its easier and most likely cheaper in the long run to have the extra limbs made at the same time.

I would also agree on the hand tracing my bow fits my grip perfect.

 

[beaner]

I can send it back while I am in Iraq. Ain't gonna be shooting bad guys with a recurve.

Thanks again everyone. I am going to give Brackenbury a serious look for my first recurve.

S/F

 

[rost495]

Don't discount the makes that Di pointed out. She does a lot more of this than I do. I just know what made it a bunch easier for me. Though I"ll stick with what works for me.

On the second set of limbs-- I called Brackenbury(didn't know who I'd get since Jim had passed away since my bow.....) and told them I needed them but couldn't be without my bow long(long story on the way to Alaska......) They built the limbs to the weight I spec'd and once they were about ready to be fit I expressed my bow and had it back in less than a month. They went to extremes to recoat the middle part(riser right??) and take out dings etc.... which I didn't need done- heck its a huntin bow it'll get more later.....

But that way it didnt' take forever. But you'll be out for some amount of time regardless.

Thanks for your service to our country!

Jeff

 

[MBM]

Does anybody know when the trad leauge is starting at Salt Lake Archery? What night and what time do they start shooting?

Mark

 

[Di]

It was always on thursday nights at 7-7:30 or whenever we had enough people to start! and it was 6 or 7.00 per shooter.

Guess I should call Larry and find out because I want to come and shoot too!

Dianna

 

[Di]

Thursday Oct 28 is when the leauge starts.