• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Switching to traditional from compounds

Pathfinder

Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
82
Location
Sanford, ME
So I’m gonna take the leap finally and switch to traditional. I currently shoot a 73lb compound and looking for suggestions on weight of bow I should buy and maybe a suggestion of what to start with. I know what I like but that’s just an opinion from looking and watching YouTube videos.
 
If you really want to be able to hit something starting out trad, I would recommend 40-45 pounds. Some people even start lighter. I’ve been a trad shooter for 20 years and still shoot those weights even though I could shoot heavier bows.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
If you really want to be able to hit something starting out trad, I would recommend 40-45 pounds. Some people even start lighter. I’ve been a trad shooter for 20 years and still shoot those weights even though I could shoot heavier bows.

this can't be over stated.

There is no let off with a traditional bow, plus you'll need to develop a different and vastly quicker shot sequence from target acquisition to coming to full draw, anchor and release. Last thing you want when developing those skills is fighting the bow weight, which will lead to target panic and only add frustration, extending the time it takes to become fluid and accurate. At this stage there should be zero consideration for hunting weight and effectiveness.

I would suggest getting one of those Black Hunter recurves or longbows with 35 or 40lb limbs and develop your form with that, then upgrade to heavier limbs when you're ready. They are really good bows, esp for a $100. I picked one up about a month ago for just this reason, to work on form in the off season. Shooting trad is a lot like working on a golf swing in that it requires technique and practice until it becomes second nature, but you will always need to practice to stay tuned up so to speak.
 
I bought a sage recurve in 45# for my wife, and I shoot it once in a while. It’s plenty heavy of a draw. She doesn’t have any issues shooting it but she says she wouldn’t want heavier. For reference, my compound is 60#. Haven’t shot a deer with recurve though because I am not so accurate with it yet.
 
this can't be over stated.

There is no let off with a traditional bow, plus you'll need to develop a different and vastly quicker shot sequence from target acquisition to coming to full draw, anchor and release. Last thing you want when developing those skills is fighting the bow weight, which will lead to target panic and only add frustration, extending the time it takes to become fluid and accurate. At this stage there should be zero consideration for hunting weight and effectiveness.

I would suggest getting one of those Black Hunter recurves or longbows with 35 or 40lb limbs and develop your form with that, then upgrade to heavier limbs when you're ready. They are really good bows, esp for a $100. I picked one up about a month ago for just this reason, to work on form in the off season. Shooting trad is a lot like working on a golf swing in that it requires technique and practice until it becomes second nature, but you will always need to practice to stay tuned up so to speak.
Agreed 100%. I am or was very low handicap golfer and i dabble in the trad world.
it is all muscle memory.
watch some of these celeb trad guys and you will see just like igers, Rorys, or DJ’s swing
Its always the same.
practice, practice, then practice some more
 
I'm very partial to Hill style, ASL (American Semi Longbows) so that would be my opinion for a hunting bow. All the advice on not getting too much draw weight I 100% agree with. I shoot 60# in a compound and my hunting longbow is 56# at 28" but that is admittedly still probably a bit heavy. My shooting has dramatically improved over the last few months though. When I order a custom bow from Steve Turay at Northern Mist Longbows, I plan to have one in the 47 to 50 pound range made.

Straight end Hill style longbows just point and shoot like a well fitted shotgun.
 

Attachments

  • torges seat and longbow.jpg
    torges seat and longbow.jpg
    618.3 KB · Views: 32
Straight end Hill style longbows just point and shoot like a well fitted shotgun.
Now that you mention it, I actually think shotgunning and trad archery are very similar. It’s the “snap shooting” aspect IMO. There’s a thing I want to shoot, raise the weapon, let it fly. Whenever I waste more than like one Mississippi on aiming with shotgun or recurve, I miss by a lot.
 
Yes, it's the aspect of letting your subconscious do the work for you. If I try to "aim" I miss, lol. If I pay attention to what I am doing as I am drawing and coming to anchor and releasing, I can just intently look at the spot I want to hit, and the arrow usually goes right there. If I stop and think too much about it that arrow is going who knows where.
 
I’ve made the switch but have yet to take a shot at a deer .
There are some good threads on the topic from some experienced members here.
Big Jim’s has a black hunter elite that looks great for a non ilf - inexpensive bow that you can buy a range of limbs for and can source very cheap used.
I’m partial to ilf risers that have after market grip options; you can get a new riser / set of limbs from around $100 each up to around $500 if you want to go down the rabbit hole.

Last I’m not too far from you, ( Seacoast NH) if you want to meet up during a weekend, at my local 3D range in Jan or feb , you can try a few ilf rigs and a black widow standard grip. I could even loan you a trad tech 17” ilf rig w carbon 40# limbs and a beginners trad book.
(assuming you like the grip, are right handed and your draw length isn’t over 30”)
Good luck - you probably will just take advantage of some of the good Black Friday deals and figure it out in the off season.
 
While there are a handful of people that can snap shoot effectively, for most it leads to bad habits and target panic.

Like said above start with a low weight bow and then absorb everything you can from Tom Clum. He gives a ton of information away for free on YouTube and has a Solid Archery Mechanics course through Push Archery that will get you started off on the right foot better than any of us can, and could possibly save you years of frustration.
 
Last edited:
Another vote for the black hunter here. I got one for my wife, about $100 on Amazon and it is a great starter bow and backup bow. Plus you can get limbs real cheap and work your way up to a comfortable weight. It’s a hard bow to pass up for the price.
 
While there are a handful of people that can snap shoot effectively, for most it leads to bad habits and target panic.

Yes, semantics perhaps, but snap shooting is not the same as shooting quickly. The term "snap shooting" in trad circles is generally not considered good form because you are not in complete control of the shot from draw to release and follow through.

Schulz has video hitting em like howard hill or something like that. You can find it on YT. He uses a swing draw approach but is probably the best example of shooting quickly and accurately with consistency. Literally amazing to watch.
 
Yes, semantics perhaps, but snap shooting is not the same as shooting quickly. The term "snap shooting" in trad circles is generally not considered good form because you are not in complete control of the shot from draw to release and follow through.

Schulz has video hitting em like howard hill or something like that. You can find it on YT. He uses a swing draw approach but is probably the best example of shooting quickly and accurately with consistency. Literally amazing to watch.
Suppose it depends on the circles you roll in, and whether or not they’re actually Venn diagrams.
 
Yes, Shultz learned from Hill directly and was very good. I think Shultz was the one who said "hold long, hold wrong".

I don't snap shoot. To me snap shooting means a partial draw and not coming to anchor. I always try to get to anchor and look directly at the spot I want to hit. Then release. If I hold too long, I get a type of target panic or worse yet look at the arrow tip directly.
 
Yes, Shultz learned from Hill directly and was very good. I think Shultz was the one who said "hold long, hold wrong".

I don't snap shoot. To me snap shooting means a partial draw and not coming to anchor. I always try to get to anchor and look directly at the spot I want to hit. Then release. If I hold too long, I get a type of target panic or worse yet look at the arrow tip directly.
See? Different circles for different Urkels. The trad guys I used to shoot with used snap shooting as a term for what you’re all describing as “shooting quickly”. It was like, once you actually get to full draw (never a debate) and hit your anchor (never a debate) you acquire your target and release “in a snap”, like don’t wait on your aim for long like you would with a compound. Seems like we understand the form to be similar or even the same based on the use of different folks’ language.
But hey, some people call that fizzy sugar drink “pop” even though it’s spelled s-o-d-a, and others just call every flavor “coke”:tonguewink:.
 
Yeah, I shot like Asbell and/or Howard Hill for 20 years. Back in the day it was the only information out there and everybody did it. I’m not saying it doesn’t work but in my personal experience most people will improve with a 2-3 second shot cycle. You’d be hard pressed to find a coach that would teach snap shooting today I think.

edit: I’m not telling you guys you are doing anything wrong. Just pointing out it might be better for a new guy to start by digging into the information that someone like Tom Clum puts out there.
 
Last edited:
@NMSbowhunter

I think the best advice here so far is "hold long, hold wrong"

The more you start holding/pointing with with a traditional bow of any sort, in my opinion you have already lost. Pull up, pull back, set your eyes and shoot. This is what we always called snap/instinctive shooting. Once you start "aiming" with a sightless bow , your mind will overcome your instincts and that is typically never a good thing.
 
I would suggest getting one of those Black Hunter recurves or longbows with 35 or 40lb limbs and develop your form with that, then upgrade to heavier limbs when you're ready. They are really good bows, esp for a $100. I picked one up about a month ago for just this reason, to work on form in the off season. Shooting trad is a lot like working on a golf swing in that it requires technique and practice until it becomes second nature, but you will always need to practice to stay tuned up so to speak.
I 2nd the black hunters, ive shot my same 2 bear grizzly’s 35# and 60# for almost 22 years, the 35# was an old one my dad had that i picked up and started playing with it and by 12 i killed my first deer with it, i digress, but after putting it down for almost 4 years i recently picked up me and the wife each a 30# black hunter and ive since gotten 50# and 60# limbs for mine and have killed hogs with it. They are very smooth bows for the price point. The wife loves hers although she has no reference.
 
Where’s the best source for a Black Hunter? Big Jim’s has a recurve and longbow model. I see that they are on Amazon as well. Had a fiberglass recurve as a kid and like the simplicity of traditional archery. I also think it may help with some target panic that creeps up.


 
Back
Top