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Thread: Any Archers out there??
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02-23-2012, 05:08 AM #1
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- Jan 2011
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- 302
Thanked: 79Traditional archery is one of my favorite pasttimes - my backyard is a safe range, w. a few 3D targets set up. Unfortunately, I tend to drift in and out of practice a bit. I currently own a simple PSE recurve and a Howard Hill longbow, the bamboo variation. I shoot the recurve better, and actually like it more although it's a cheaper bow. At my 31.5 draw, they're both right around 50 lbs. After having tried out and destroyed lots of different arrows, the aluminium Easton Legacy @ 2117 w. 125 gr. tip works best so far. I fletch them myself, left helical, using Gateway shield cut barred feathers. Very pretty...
Eventually I want to hunt with the bow, and am about ready to upgrade to a heavier takedown. The Black Widow and Tomahawk bows have been warmly recommended, but I have my eye on a carbon model that's been getting rave reviews - The "Grizzly-Stik":
Archers Review: Qarbon Nano Grizzly Stik 51#@28" Review
The same company, Alaska Bowhunting, also makes excellent arrows, I would get a set of those as well.
I have lots of friends with high-end compound bows, but for me, shooting (and shaving!) traditionally is the way to go. I already use so many high-tech optics on my handguns and rifles, and I like the bare bones nature of this type of archery - even though I am inclined to do it with modern materials and design ;-) The thing I've realized is that no matter how cool your bow is, in order to hunt w. a traditional, one must practice way more than with a sighted compound to consistently shoot at the level of accuracy warranted by the hunt. Not quite there yet, but working on it!
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02-23-2012, 08:51 AM #2
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- Jun 2010
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- Brisbane/Redcliffe, Australia
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- 6,380
Thanked: 983I used to target shoot and hunt with my compound every week many years ago. I never used sights, as I really wanted to, but got talked out of, buying a longbow rather than a compound. I did try other archers longbows at the club range I used to shoot at and I really felt wrongly done by the salesman who sold me that damn compound.
Mick
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02-23-2012, 11:26 AM #3
Spent many years at an outdoor archery 3D range. My family still calls it our second home and the perfume of choice - "OFF" mosquito spray. I still have my compound bow which I bought myself as a teenager (working at the archery range) a Browning Ballistic Mirage. I don't get out too much since having the family. But the range had many interesting shots including a running animal.
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02-23-2012, 01:57 PM #4
I've been thinking about a compound bow. I took archery in college. I still have my Shakespeare recurve.
I look at the racks of compound bows at Cabelas and the range of choices is bewildering.
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02-23-2012, 07:54 PM #5
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- Jan 2011
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- 302
Thanked: 79Here is a good guide to choosing a compound: Compound Bow Selection Guide - HuntersFriend.COM
If you know what you want, Cabela's is great, but if you don't, I would first read up, and then seek out and spend some time at a local archery/hunting supply store.
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The Following User Says Thank You to HamburgO For This Useful Post:
Crotalus (02-23-2012)
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02-24-2012, 06:19 AM #6
My brother is big into traditional archery. He recently purchased a new 68" takedown longbow from White Wolf Bows. It seems to be working out pretty well for him:
He posts archery videos on his youtube channel often, so check it out if you're interested. Here is a link to his archery playlist: Archery - YouTube
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02-25-2012, 01:56 AM #7
I prefer a recurve over a compound; w/o sights. I've used the Bear Super Grizzly and the Bear Takedown, both the originals and the "new" models.
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02-25-2012, 02:53 AM #8
Stay away from Cabelas especially if you don't know what you want. If you don't know they surely won't be able to tell you.
I haven't bought from ebay either. I support my local pro shop. It is like here at SRP when they recommend having a pro hone your blade. They know what they are doing and can lead you in the right direction.
I have spent $100 more on a bow at my local pro shop than I could have got it on sale at Cabelas or on line but they will set it up for me and I can ask them to make an adjustment a month later and they will help me free of charge. I easily save more than the $100 in added costs. Better yet I am supporting 3 generations of a local family and not some impersonal corporate interest.
Yesterday I shot leagues with new arrows that I fletched with the feathers from a turkey i shot last spring. A lot of work but a good learning experience.
Tim
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02-25-2012, 04:22 AM #9
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- Jan 2011
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- 302
Thanked: 79Local is definitely the best place to start, and can be great, especially if you have old-school guys running them. Unfortunately, we have one around here where the owner is quite opinionated, and unreliable to boot. But I must say I learned a lot just hanging out there and talking to other customers...
I'm extremely impressed that you cut your own feathers. I cut my shafts, glue the inserts, nock them, and fletch them, but I can't even imagine getting the feathers right from scratch. Care to share some pointers ?
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02-25-2012, 02:35 PM #10
Don't do it to save money! I got around 40 feathers from the left wing and still have the right one to do. With mistakes etc. I should get about enough to do 18 arrows. Like a lot of my projects I will start to have it figured out about the time I am done. Many of them are from secondary feathers and they are not as strong/heavy as the primary feathers. It will be interesting to see how long they last. There is a lot more twist to mine than the ones I have bought in the past.
The hardest part for me was sanding the bases. I used a fletching clamp to hold the feather and sanded it on a belt sander. By hand sanding I could have been more precise but lots more time. I then used Goat tuff one of the super glue type glues. That was a mistake. With my imperfect bases that style of glue didn't work. I already had an open container in the refrigerator so thats what I tried. Next time I will try Fletchtite or that style that should be much better on a porous material and fill in little gaps better.
Tim
P.S. I shot over my average last Thursday and because of that my team took 3 of 4 possible points for the night. So my new fletching didn't hurt my score. With my target panic problems I am not going to tell you my average though!Last edited by 32t; 02-25-2012 at 02:40 PM.
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HamburgO (02-25-2012)