Beginner ideas

[Cowboy611]

Been listening to Aron Snyder too much. Always have wanted to get into bow hunting but limited college student budget has made the rifle a very economical option. So anyways I'm living in BFE Utah this summer near Vernal with no connection to the outside world. I was going to get a cheap trad bowfishing kit like the edge. I just want to figure out how to shoot and start stump/carp shooting. Since I'm an hr from town and fairly busy when off work with three weddings to attend this summer. Should I pull the trigger or wait until the end of summer when I'm back in Laramie and can swing down to Denver and try out different bows and get some good (non YouTube) help

 

[amp713]

Hey man I live in roosevelt, where you working? Are you dead set on a recurve? You can get a cheap older compound for very cheap and I think it's easier to learn on your own and see enough improvement to stay interested. Shoot me some messages and I could help you out if you want

 

[Cowboy611]

Oh btw. 31.5” draw length, I’m 6’6”

 

[jorgensen.travis]

Get a cheap bow now and start shooting. It’s probably best to start with a lighter weight bow until you get the mechanics down. Then, if you decide you want to stick with it, you can get a hunting weight bow of better quality. Or not, you can still kill shit with a light, cheap bow. By the way, you’ll probably learn more on YouTube than anywhere else. You just have to use your common sense on what to believe.


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[R H Clark]

For right now, I would try to pick up a cheap used bow around 40 lbs for $50 or so. I started with a 40 lb $15 Ben Pearson recurve,I picked up at a flea market. With your draw length stay with a 62" or possibly 60" recurve. I would just avoid the shorter bows.

Learn about bareshaft tuning and buy a couple test arrows from Lancaster archery. They are the best to help you get properly spined arrows when you buy your bow. I can't stress enough the importance of properly spined arrows. Anything either weak or stiff will cause you to shoot either right or left and you will develop a bad habit of aiming off to compensate.


Another option would be to build yourself a selfbow. There may be some Yew wood in that area or possibly Osage. Plenty of internet instructions or if you will be off the grid,you might buy a copy of the Bowyers Bible to take with you. Any hardwood will make a bow though and you may have some time with no internet.

 

[PHo]

Definitely get something cheap to start with. As a beginner you won’t know what your preferences are - what kind of grip, wood vs aluminum riser, how far past center cut, etc. Spend less money on your first bow and just learn to shoot. Once you realize your preferences then that’ll be the time to invest in a high quality bow. I DID NOT do this and I spent quite a bit of money on my first bow thinking it was gonna be “the one,” but after shooting it for a time and becoming more advanced I came to realize that there are better bows out there for me. Now I have an expensive bow that I don’t like to shoot. It’s an excellent bow, just not quite for me.

 

[Seth1913]

Get yourself a takedown samick sage with 35 lb limbs and just start shooting. There is tons of videos on youtube that can help with form and the different styles of aiming. 3 rivers archery or lancaster archery are good websites to start shopping. When you've perfected your form you can move up to heavier limbs. You don't need to start with a compound, I rarely shot a compound before I started traditional archery. I found my progression to be fairly quick compared to friends who shot compounds for years then switched to trad. The key is QUALITY repetition every day.

 

[WoodBow]

I will go against the grain a bit here. Spend as much as you can afford to get as good of a bow as possible. Used is certainly an option. Trad bows hold there bows better than compounds though. The technology isn't exactly getting outdated. A good bow is easier to shoot and more enjoyable. I wouldn't buy a bow less than 50#s personally. I was a scrawny 6 foot 150# when I cut my trad teeth on a 58# recurve. Yea I struggled to shoot it at first. But I got used to it quickly and never looked back. I actually find heavy bows easier to shoot than light bows, due to how much cleaner they make my release.

 

[KJH]

I will go against the grain a bit here. Spend as much as you can afford to get as good of a bow as possible. Used is certainly an option. Trad bows hold there bows better than compounds though. The technology isn't exactly getting outdated. A good bow is easier to shoot and more enjoyable. I wouldn't buy a bow less than 50#s personally. I was a scrawny 6 foot 150# when I cut my trad teeth on a 58# recurve. Yea I struggled to shoot it at first. But I got used to it quickly and never looked back. I actually find heavy bows easier to shoot than light bows, due to how much cleaner they make my release.

I agree with this. A heavier bow results in better shooting for me, especially when shooting with a tab.

 

[Thelostabbey]

southwest archery has a bow called the spyder xl for people with longer draw lengths like you. its a 64" bow and should be fine for your draw length. the samick sage has reports of stacking with draw lengths over 29 inches. I'm no expert, i have been reseaching for my first bow as well and thats what i just purchased.

 

[oldgoat]

I'd wait and schedule a lesson with Tom Clum if you can get down here, you will develop bad habits and it will be a lot easier if you start with a formal lesson first! Shooting fish is a sure fire way to ingrain snap shooting as your first impulse instead of a decision. Plus that would give you some time to save up for a little nicer bow!

 

[bhylton]

30-35# samick sage. shoot it a bunch and get some form stuff figured out. it will take you much longer and you will probably develop bad habits starting with a poundage you struggle to pull and hold comfortably. shoot it a bunch this spring and summer, pick up some 45-50# limbs (50-60# at your draw length) and go hunt. with your longer draw, you should get plenty of performance out of that bow. not fancy, but very cost effective and utilitarian.

 

[oldgoat]

Didn't see that draw length, you'll want to go with a 64" bow minimum. Don't be surprised with coaching and proper form that your draw lengthens even from that.

 

[Cowboy611]

Thanks for the advice. Maybe ill just seing by denver one weekend and get a cheapo one and some lessons. I definately dont want to go down the bad habit path. And ive learned alot from youtube already. I want to build a self bow one day when i finish college and have a shop

 

[Chinchillin]

Didn't see that draw length, you'll want to go with a 64" bow minimum. Don't be surprised with coaching and proper form that your draw lengthens even from that.

Right on. He will be a lot happier with a longer bow. They will not stack as hard as a shorter bow.

 

[R H Clark]

I agree with this. A heavier bow results in better shooting for me, especially when shooting with a tab.

A heavy bow will only help hide a bad release. It would be better to learn to make a good clean release with a lighter bow then making up for it with more draw weight.

 

[Seth1913]

A heavy bow will only help hide a bad release. It would be better to learn to make a good clean release with a lighter bow then making up for it with more draw weight.

I agree with this, your release should be just as smooth with a lighter bow. Also you'll want a longer bow with your draw length. Lancaster has some in the 64" range with a good price.

 

[Joseph08]

Been listening to Aron Snyder too much. Always have wanted to get into bow hunting but limited college student budget has made the rifle a very economical option. So anyways I'm living in BFE Utah this summer near Vernal with no connection to the outside world. I was going to get a cheap trad bowfishing kit like the edge. I just want to figure out how to shoot and start stump/carp shooting. Since I'm an hr from town and fairly busy when off work with three weddings to attend this summer. Should I pull the trigger or wait until the end of summer when I'm back in Laramie and can swing down to Denver and try out different bows and get some good (non YouTube) help

In the beginning stage, i started using Portable Hunting 130lbs Foldable Crossbow It was both practical and affordable option.

 

[jspradley]

I'd wait and schedule a lesson with Tom Clum if you can get down here, you will develop bad habits and it will be a lot easier if you start with a formal lesson first! Shooting fish is a sure fire way to ingrain snap shooting as your first impulse instead of a decision. Plus that would give you some time to save up for a little nicer bow!

This 100000x

Either wait until you can get an in-person lesson with Tom or buy a cheap LIGHT POUNDAGE!!!! bow in the 25-30lb range (did I say get a light bow already? get a light bow) and get Tom's Solid Archery Mechanics online course and learn right from the start.

Don't make the same mistake as all of us did and start shooting a heavier bow and do it all wrong and have to have to re-learn how to shoot all over again.

Oh yeah, and get a light bow starting out.

For what my personal experience is worth, I have been shooting a 50# Hoyt Buffalo with my form and mechanics all cocked up, took a clinic from Tom and basically have to start over to do things right and now that Buffalo is kicking my ass even with the limbs backed out 3-1/2 turns. I've been shooting my wife's cheapo 29lb recurve and I really wish I had been shooting and learning on that that from the start.

 

[Demunds]

Get yourself a takedown samick sage with 35 lb limbs and just start shooting. There is tons of videos on youtube that can help with form and the different styles of aiming. 3 rivers archery or lancaster archery are good websites to start shopping. When you've perfected your form you can move up to heavier limbs. You don't need to start with a compound, I rarely shot a compound before I started traditional archery. I found my progression to be fairly quick compared to friends who shot compounds for years then switched to trad. The key is QUALITY repetition every day.

100% agree this is the best way to start.