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Chronic Overthinking...Is Trad Archery Simple???

MrTumnus

MrTumnus

Active Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2020
Messages
117
Confession time....I am a hopeless overthinker about everything. One big draw to traditional archery is that in theory it is SIMPLE. However, I find myself stumbling into more rabbit holes, how to's, and extra things I need to do in order to get the correct setup on my trad bow than I do with my compound.

Compound, I just send it to the shop and they get it ready for me, arrows and all. Can someone please tell me how to tap into the "simplicity" of traditional archery or at least what I need to hone in on in order to get me rig hunt ready? Should I just shoot what I have and not worry about all the other details?

I am tempted to say "I have a bow, arrows, and broadheads so all I need to do is practice"
 
MrTumnus said:
Confession time....I am a hopeless overthinker about everything. One big draw to traditional archery is that in theory it is SIMPLE. However, I find myself stumbling into more rabbit holes, how to's, and extra things I need to do in order to get the correct setup on my trad bow than I do with my compound.

Compound, I just send it to the shop and they get it ready for me, arrows and all. Can someone please tell me how to tap into the "simplicity" of traditional archery or at least what I need to hone in on in order to get me rig hunt ready? Should I just shoot what I have and not worry about all the other details?

I am tempted to say "I have a bow, arrows, and broadheads so all I need to do is practice"
Click to expand...
What are you shooting? What bow, what arrows?
And do your arrows fly straight or are they fish tailing, or doing other crazy stuff?
No bow and arrow combo is "simple" when you are using them to shoot at a live critter. Penetration is the name of the game and an arrow needs to hit the target straight on to maximize penetration. Its that simple. But if I had to send my bow to a shop to get someone else to tune and maintain it, I would venture to say trad is a lot simpler.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 
@Allegheny Tom thanks for getting back to me. I posted this in the "bringing to the woods thread" : "Bear Grizzly 45# with 31.5" Axis Trad 500 spine. I bought some 175 gr zwickeys but not flying well"

I do wonder if I got the wrong spine for my arrow. Not sure the string on my bow as I bought everything used and I very well could be 3rd or 4th owner

All suggestions/advice welcomed
 
What’s ur draw length ? U should be close with them arrows from 27/30 draw
 
Nock height is important what’s it set at ?
Shooting split or 3 under ?
have u bare shafted ?
Does ur stike plate have heavy marks where the arrow is striking ?
 
Everything that Tom said! Simple is a subjective term...I started with an ILF and found myself going nuts trying to tune it. Too many adjustments! I then got myself probably a dozen or more wood bows and learned how to shoot and tune without all the micro adjustments and said bells and whistles. I consider tuning to be an art form but if your form sucks, no amount of tuning helps in the near term. You gotta learn to shoot first because you will chase your own tail for infinity and constantly make changes when it was really your poor form or poor release or what have you. The mountain of arrow shafts in my basement and the thousands of dollars spent chasing what was actually a poor release is a testament to the above statement.

After several years I've found myself behind an ILF again after years of straight insanity of learning to shoot AND tune a little at a time. The better you can shoot, the better you can tune. I tuned my ILF in an about 15 minutes because I spent so many hours (years literally) learning to do it without all the adjustments first. Shooting has ecome fun again and I thought, "Huh...why did I make this so difficult? This is pretty simple." Even my wife unit noticed a change and said, "You've been shooting really good lately and you're not all pissed off, what changed?" Well Dear, I learned to shoot the right way (for me) and to tune these damn things and that makes shooting a helluva lot more fun!

So....all that being said, give us all your details and lets see if we can get you sorted out!
 
keb said:
Nock height is important what’s it set at ?
Shooting split or 3 under ?
have u bare shafted ?
Does ur stike plate have heavy marks where the arrow is striking ?
Click to expand...
draw length is 31"
nock height...........will have to measure
3 under
no to bareshaft
I'll have to check the strike plate...I'll get back to you on that


I need to get my crap together!
 
shamus275 said:
Everything that Tom said! Simple is a subjective term...I started with an ILF and found myself going nuts trying to tune it. Too many adjustments! I then got myself probably a dozen or more wood bows and learned how to shoot and tune without all the micro adjustments and said bells and whistles. I consider tuning to be an art form but if your form sucks, no amount of tuning helps in the near term. You gotta learn to shoot first because you will chase your own tail for infinity and constantly make changes when it was really your poor form or poor release or what have you. The mountain of arrow shafts in my basement and the thousands of dollars spent chasing what was actually a poor release is a testament to the above statement.

After several years I've found myself behind an ILF again after years of straight insanity of learning to shoot AND tune a little at a time. The better you can shoot, the better you can tune. I tuned my ILF in an about 15 minutes because I spent so many hours (years literally) learning to do it without all the adjustments first. Shooting has ecome fun again and I thought, "Huh...why did I make this so difficult? This is pretty simple." Even my wife unit noticed a change and said, "You've been shooting really good lately and you're not all pissed off, what changed?" Well Dear, I learned to shoot the right way (for me) and to tune these damn things and that makes shooting a helluva lot more fun!

So....all that being said, give us all your details and lets see if we can get you sorted out!
Click to expand...
good words......what resource do you recommend for shooting form?
 
keb said:
To weak on the arrow put on a 100 grain
Click to expand...
I was afraid of that! Do you reckon that is still enough "umph" to hunt with.....I have a little fairy on my shoulder telling me I need a super heavy setup and need to be chasing high FOC
 
Tom Clum sr has a Instagram with lots of good video
 
Ur drawing past 28, bow is 45@28, so ur close to 50.

I hunt with 42lbs and a tuned arrow and shoot thru deer

Accurate tuned arrow and sharp head trump FOC and poundage

figure out how to shot then u can buy more arrows, but try and tune what u got
 
shamus275 said:
Everything that Tom said! Simple is a subjective term...I started with an ILF and found myself going nuts trying to tune it. Too many adjustments! I then got myself probably a dozen or more wood bows and learned how to shoot and tune without all the micro adjustments and said bells and whistles. I consider tuning to be an art form but if your form sucks, no amount of tuning helps in the near term. You gotta learn to shoot first because you will chase your own tail for infinity and constantly make changes when it was really your poor form or poor release or what have you. The mountain of arrow shafts in my basement and the thousands of dollars spent chasing what was actually a poor release is a testament to the above statement.

After several years I've found myself behind an ILF again after years of straight insanity of learning to shoot AND tune a little at a time. The better you can shoot, the better you can tune. I tuned my ILF in an about 15 minutes because I spent so many hours (years literally) learning to do it without all the adjustments first. Shooting has ecome fun again and I thought, "Huh...why did I make this so difficult? This is pretty simple." Even my wife unit noticed a change and said, "You've been shooting really good lately and you're not all pissed off, what changed?" Well Dear, I learned to shoot the right way (for me) and to tune these damn things and that makes shooting a helluva lot more fun!

So....all that being said, give us all your details and lets see if we can get you sorted out!
Click to expand...
I forgot to give you my setup...so here it goes:
  • Bear Grizzly 45#
  • 31.5" Axis Trad 500 spine
  • shooting 3 under (tab)
  • 175 gr zwickey bh (which I have heard now that I may need a lighter head ~100gr)
  • String...unknown (don't know how to tell what kind of string it is)
  • Also, I am a millenial......so if you could do everthing for me that would be great :)
 
keb said:
Ur drawing past 28, bow is 45@28, so ur close to 50.

I hunt with 42lbs and a tuned arrow and shoot thru deer

Accurate tuned arrow and sharp head trump FOC and poundage

figure out how to shot then u can buy more arrows, but try and tune what u got
Click to expand...
"tune what you got" Thats what I like to hear.....still would recommend 100gr for those arrows correct?
 
I’d try 100 and 150 see if it’s shots better

nock height for 3 under is typical 5/8 up 3/4” some bear bow even higher
 
Make sure u got a bottom nock point 2, 3 under arrow can slide down and makes the arrow bounce off the shelf
 
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