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Shooting Barebow

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deep_phried_squirrel

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2014
Messages
61
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
Hey guys, I am wondering how many folks on here shoot a compound bow, but with no sights and with fingers like a trad bow?
I shoot a Mathews Switchback and have for the last few years, but I grew up shooting traditional with a recurve to learn my archery basics. As I have started to use my compound bow more it has always felt just a little unnatural using a sight and a release. I really like the heavier poundage, letoff and speed afforded from a compound however. I am wavering on the edge of popping off my old 4-pin sight and switching to instinctive trad shooting with the Mathews.

Just looking for general input/thoughts/advice about popping off the sight and shooting compound barebow.
 
I'm in the process of potentially working an Oneida tomcat lever bow into my hunting arsenal. I feel the exact same way. If the mathews is short shooting fingers is giong to suck. IF you could find an older wheel bow you could set it up with a flipper rest and shoot instinctively with fingers--several guys on here do it. I like the trad feel, my body is getting beat and doesnt always last as long as I want to shoot--so the let off is giong ot be nice. I"m still in the experimental stage, but I think I"m giong to like it.
 
You could also try an SRF sight, which is kind of like gapping with the tip of your arrow--its a diamond style aperture vs. a pin.--my oneida came with one and it seems like a solid idea to me.
 
I'm a recurve shooter and haven't shot compounds barebow, but I had a cousin (now deceased) that shot compounds barebow and he was phenomenal. Indoor 600 round, he often broke 560s. He hammered walk thru coarses, too. On game, he was deadly. He double lunged an exotic ram once at 65 yards. He was a face walker for his aiming method.
 
I shot a recurve for many years, I also hunted with sights the last three years. I made up my mind to go with a 43” Hoyt vantage Ltd, finger style, no sights. I love the power of a compound and I’m pretty scary with it. Check out Tim Wells and team Fitzgerald on you tube, they shoot short compounds like you would not believe! They also have some great learning videos... good luck
 
Vtbow said:
I'm in the process of potentially working an Oneida tomcat lever bow into my hunting arsenal. I feel the exact same way. If the mathews is short shooting fingers is giong to suck. IF you could find an older wheel bow you could set it up with a flipper rest and shoot instinctively with fingers--several guys on here do it. I like the trad feel, my body is getting beat and doesnt always last as long as I want to shoot--so the let off is giong ot be nice. I"m still in the experimental stage, but I think I"m giong to like it.
Click to expand...

My Switchback is still fairly long enough to draw with fingers I believe. I draw it sometimes with my bare fingers at home just practicing form. I have yet to shoot an arrow with my fingers from it, but I don't think it should be an issue.

You mentioned the flipper rest...I am currently rocking a Whisker Biscuit, and I could see how that may crowd my "sight picture". Would you probably recommend a drop away style rest for shooting trad with a compound?
 
I’m using a NAP flipper rest. I have used these forever, without any problems.
My bow has about a 50% let off. But you have to check out team Fitzgerald, they do you short bows and they will teach you how to use them.


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If you want to learn to shoot instinctive, check out Fred G. Asbell. Start close and focus both eyes on a spot, move back when you start busting nocks!!! You will be surprised how easy and enjoyable it is.


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deep_phried_squirrel said:
My Switchback is still fairly long enough to draw with fingers I believe. I draw it sometimes with my bare fingers at home just practicing form. I have yet to shoot an arrow with my fingers from it, but I don't think it should be an issue.

You mentioned the flipper rest...I am currently rocking a Whisker Biscuit, and I could see how that may crowd my "sight picture". Would you probably recommend a drop away style rest for shooting trad with a compound?
Click to expand...
I'm just starting too, but having tried on my pse bow madness with a biscuit it was hard. It think it will make a difference if you are shooting gap ot instinctive or split. Hard to see the arrow point behind the biscuit. I'm shooting my oneida with an old golden key pacesetter I. Which is taking some getting used to, but but working well.
I think @Noonan61 has been doing this a while and gAve me some good ideas too. I'm just psyched ti have that trad feel in a bow with let off and more controllable power.
 
I’ve read that shooting newer bows with fingers can result in strings coming off the cams? But I have zero experience with not using a release on my compound


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I not in the archery loop, except saddle hunter. But I have watched a lot of you tube videos, and they are shooting short bows. I watched some guys shoot 32” bows


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Jefferson10940 said:
I’ve read that shooting newer bows with fingers can result in strings coming off the cams? But I have zero experience with not using a release on my compound


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Click to expand...
I just had a friend that shoots gadgets tell me the same thing. He said he won't draw his compounds with fingers...not even once.
I think the new bows are goofy. Can't even draw it with fingers?? That crap ain't for me.

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Allegheny Tom said:
I just had a friend that shoots gadgets tell me the same thing. He said he won't draw his compounds with fingers...not even once.
I think the new bows are goofy. Can't even draw it with fingers?? That crap ain't for me.

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Click to expand...
IT's probably because there's more of a chance of "rolling" your wrist and making your draw out of line with the cams...also the cam shapes are more radical and seem to have sharper radius' which will probably make them less forgiving as far as keeping the string in the groove...
 
Vtbow said:
IT's probably because there's more of a chance of "rolling" your wrist and making your draw out of line with the cams...also the cam shapes are more radical and seem to have sharper radius' which will probably make them less forgiving as far as keeping the string in the groove...
Click to expand...
Yeah, I think that's what my friend said... No thanks.
 
I have shot recurves for years and have no problems with strings coming off shooting short ATA compounds with fingers. Most derailments happen when people let them down and grab a fistful of string and torque it. As long as you don’t torque the string letting the bow down or do anything crazy you won’t have problems. Some newer bows do have shallower string tracks than others. The challenge is getting a decent release with the string angle and let off. I killed a boar last year with a 32” compound shooting fingers barebow. Takes lots of practice just like trad bows. It’s a ton of fun though.

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Allegheny Tom said:
I just had a friend that shoots gadgets tell me the same thing. He said he won't draw his compounds with fingers...not even once.
I think the new bows are goofy. Can't even draw it with fingers?? That crap ain't for me.

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Click to expand...
Your friend sounds a bit paranoid. You're not going to derail unless you do something relatively radical (e.g. I've derailed compounds shooting fingers while bowfishing, but only on obvious poor decisions.)
 
mattsteg said:
Your friend sounds a bit paranoid. You're not going to derail unless you do something relatively radical (e.g. I've derailed compounds shooting fingers while bowfishing, but only on obvious poor decisions.)
Click to expand...
I have no idea. I haven't owned a compound since the early 1990s when they started getting way too techno.
Not trying to be a smart a**, but I just don't understand the attraction to them.
BTW. That friend just bought his 1st trad bow...he's having more fun shooting it than he is with his compound.

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