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Trad Hunting Bow Help

Tim W

Tim W

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2017
Messages
252
Location
Clayton, NC
I would like to make the plunge into shooting/hunting with a traditional bow. I've been watching "The Push" on youtube and anything else I come across to try and figure out what I should get to start out with. So far this is what I "THINK" that I want to start with??

A three piece ILF bow that would be a good hunting set up and that I could shoot a "fixed crawl??".... (I'm a 31.5 inch draw with my compound if that helps)

I'd appreciate any advice/opinions from you trad guys. I'm getting overwhelmed with all the different options out there and I don't know where to start. I don't know anyone who shoots traditional archery, so I'm stumbling my way through this right now!

Thanks in advance
 
Study jimmy blackmon’s videos on YouTube. I think you’re on the right track. Get the riser you want with cheap SF limbs in a light weight. Form and tuning are key.
 
For hunting - I believe that "keep it simple" is best is the best approach. For me that was instinctive shooting and split finger. Yep it will take a lot of practice to get the mental image ingrained but it is so worth it. For me, gap, fixed crawl and other aiming methods required me to judge distance (which most of us really suck at) and to follow a set shooting cycle. I just wasn't as effective doing that at crunch time when my heart rate was elevated and all kinds of things running through my mind. The #1 "mistake" I see so compound converts to trad bows trying to do is carry forward the grab my bow a few weeks before season to get ready. Instinctive shooting for me works best when i shoot pretty much year round.

Once you get the basics down (draw cycle, anchor, back tension, etc) then you really do not have to think about much except PICK A SPOT - which is challenging enough for me at the moment of truth. I never cared for the ILF attachment systems. i prefer bolted on limbs and moved my way up to custom bows. if I was just starting I would grab a Samick Sage (sp?) in the 40# range if you are an average sized dude. It will take a few weeks of summer shooting to build up your muscles. I would then work up to 50# range for hunting. I am 56 y/o and still pull bows in the 60# range and used to pull 70# bows. If you are hunting whitetails, a modern recurve in the 45# range will work well enough. Elk/Moose/Bear I would go up to 50# range.

For online teaching i really like Jeff Kauvanugh (SP?) and Arnie Moe videos. Blackman, as mentioned above, is good if you prefer an aiming style of shooting like gap.
 
DaveT1963 said:
For hunting - I believe that "keep it simple" is best is the best approach. For me that was instinctive shooting and split finger. Yep it will take a lot of practice to get the mental image ingrained but it is so worth it. For me, gap, fixed crawl and other aiming methods required me to judge distance (which most of us really suck at) and to follow a set shooting cycle. I just wasn't as effective doing that at crunch time when my heart rate was elevated and all kinds of things running through my mind. The #1 "mistake" I see so compound converts to trad bows trying to do is carry forward the grab my bow a few weeks before season to get ready. Instinctive shooting for me works best when i shoot pretty much year round.

Once you get the basics down (draw cycle, anchor, back tension, etc) then you really do not have to think about much except PICK A SPOT - which is challenging enough for me at the moment of truth. I never cared for the ILF attachment systems. i prefer bolted on limbs and moved my way up to custom bows. if I was just starting I would grab a Samick Sage (sp?) in the 40# range if you are an average sized dude. It will take a few weeks of summer shooting to build up your muscles. I would then work up to 50# range for hunting. I am 56 y/o and still pull bows in the 60# range and used to pull 70# bows. If you are hunting whitetails, a modern recurve in the 45# range will work well enough. Elk/Moose/Bear I would go up to 50# range.

For online teaching i really like Jeff Kauvanugh (SP?) and Arnie Moe videos. Blackman, as mentioned above, is good if you prefer an aiming style of shooting like gap.
Click to expand...
Please excuse my ignorance, by going with the ILF system does that give me options to change poundage without having to purchase a new bow once I get the basics down and want to increase #'s? I might be completely wrong the way I'm going about this, but I thought it would possibly save me $$ in the long run by just switching out limbs and I'd be used to the feel/grip/shooting of the riser of my initial purchase??? I was thinking that it would be an easier transition from compound to trad if I went with an aluminum riser similar to the compound?

Also with the different styles of aiming, after watching the "fixed crawl" explained it just made sense to me, appealed to me and gave me the inspiration to give this a try. Disclaimer, I have not shot any traditional bow so please correct me if I'm way off track in my thought processes right now.

I went to a local bow shop but they didn't have any for me to put hands on and couldn't point me in a specific direction as far as manufacturers/brands to look at, they just said to look online... I'm pretty overwhelmed at this point and don't know where to start.
 
Tim W said:
Please excuse my ignorance, by going with the ILF system does that give me options to change poundage without having to purchase a new bow once I get the basics down and want to increase #'s? I might be completely wrong the way I'm going about this, but I thought it would possibly save me $$ in the long run by just switching out limbs and I'd be used to the feel/grip/shooting of the riser of my initial purchase??? I was thinking that it would be an easier transition from compound to trad if I went with an aluminum riser similar to the compound?

Also with the different styles of aiming, after watching the "fixed crawl" explained it just made sense to me, appealed to me and gave me the inspiration to give this a try. Disclaimer, I have not shot any traditional bow so please correct me if I'm way off track in my thought processes right now.

I went to a local bow shop but they didn't have any for me to put hands on and couldn't point me in a specific direction as far as manufacturers/brands to look at, they just said to look online... I'm pretty overwhelmed at this point and don't know where to start.
Click to expand...


I wouldn't get overwhelmed - you will figure it out as you go. Nothing wrong with an ILF - just not my favorite. with the sage you can also order new limbs. The fixed crawl is a good aiming system. If you are good at judging distance and remaining calm during "the moment of truth" it may very well work for you. I just muff it when i have to think too much at the critical moment and I seem to have pretty good hand to eye coordination - that and a pretty good ability to get within 25 yards.

Trad archery is fun, and you have time to play with different things. I'd just get my hands on a decent bow, lighter in weight, and work on form. I would not try to get accurate until i had the form thing down - you will just have to trust me it is much easier when form is well engrained and unlearning bad habits is a PITA :)

If you have a local trad club they may have a shoot close by - you can usually try several boys as most guys don't mind. Some of the larger shoots vendors will be there with plenty of bows to try;)
 
Yep that little bug bit my 40+ years ago - it has grown into a full blown disease.

have FUN!
 
I went from a compound to a custom recurve in 1992. My biggest mistake was buying too heavy of a draw weight. I developed some bad habits that took years to break.
I've finally been shooting decent now for a dozen years or so.
ILF was not available when I 1st started and I dont own any, but I think its a good system. I especially like the idea of adjustable tiller.

Things that I like, or work for me, or what I feel are important...
Buy a bow that can be shot off the shelf. Its better for instinctive shooting.

Windows cut past center. They make arrow tuning easier.

I like split finger and a single anchor point but I have relatives that face walk and they are fantastically accurate and are so a farther distances.

If I shoot too much, I start struggling to keep my concentration focused, which leads to bad habits.

I like a vertical bow instead of a canted bow. My thoughts on that is a vertical bow has better limb clearance when shooting out of trees. Think about it...a canted bow needs more lateral space for clearance than a vertical bow.

I also don't like a swing draw.
Too much movement when deer are present; too much chance of bow hitting obstructions during the swing; and for me, I have a much better feel of body alignment/form/aiming if I start my draw with the bow already pointed on target.

Find a system that works for you.
 
Last edited:
Allegheny Tom said:
I went from a compound to a custom recurve in 1992. My biggest mistake was buying too heavy of a draw weight. I developed some bad habits that too years to break.
I've finally been shooting decent now for a dozen years or so.
ILF was not available when I 1st started and I dont own any, but I think its a good system. I especially like the idea of adjustable tiller.

Things that I like, or work for me, or what I feel are important...
Buy a bow that can be shot off the shelf. Its better for instinctive shooting.

Windows cut past center. They make arrow tuning easier.

I like split finger and a single anchor point but I have relatives that face walk and they are fantastically accurate and are so a farther distances.

If I shoot too much, I start struggling to keep my concentration focused, which leads to bad habits.

I like a vertical bow instead of a canted bow. My thoughts on that is a vertical bow has better limb clearance when shooting out of trees. Think about it...a canted bow needs more lateral space for clearance than a vertical bow.

I also don't like a swing draw.
Too much movement when deer are present; too much chance of bow hitting obstructions during the swing; and for me, I have a much better feel of body alignment/form/aiming if I start my draw with the bow already pointed on target.

Find a system that works for you.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice and opinions. I've been researching and reading a lot lately, I'm definitely making the switch soon and start practicing...!
 
for me it helps to keep my system simple, shoot off the shelf and keep aiming simple. I’ve seem a few guys at trad shoots shoot amazing with point aiming or facewalkibg but I’ve also seen those same guys miss 15 yard shots on live animals.
Most important is find what works for you and is consistent! Also don’t forget to enjoy it!
 
Placed my order on a Hoyt Satori yesterday, I'm excited to get my hands on it and let some arrows fly! Thanks for all the responses and advice given.
 
Tim, you will have fun shooting the recurve. Definitely take the time to focus on your mechanics initially, I think a lot of us would like to go back so we never developed bad habits within our shot. I'm sure with watching the Push's stuff, you are familiar with Tom Clum, Sr. Try to soak that information up, start from a good foundation of great form and the transition will be so much easier and save on frustration. Once your form and release is looking good, then you can start focusing on tuning and putting together an aiming method, and maybe even psychotrigger etc with Joel Turner's stuff. Doesn't matter what aiming method you pick, these two things will contribute to your success in any of them. Overall, just have fun, be patient, and accept that the learning process is different for everyone. And when you are ready to head to the woods, recognize that you are going to have to (potentially, not sure what your mindset was or wasn't as a compound hunter) redefine what constitutes success in your mind. You will have to be more picky about the shots you take, how far out you take them, etc. And at the end of the day you will have to be able to accept letting an animal walk with the recurve that would have had an arrow zip through them with more technologically advanced equipment. It'll be a shift that will completely change the way you think about hunting, which is a process that I'm betting has already begun (even if you don't know it yet), just given your interest in it.
 
mnol4 said:
Tim, you will have fun shooting the recurve. Definitely take the time to focus on your mechanics initially, I think a lot of us would like to go back so we never developed bad habits within our shot. I'm sure with watching the Push's stuff, you are familiar with Tom Clum, Sr. Try to soak that information up, start from a good foundation of great form and the transition will be so much easier and save on frustration. Once your form and release is looking good, then you can start focusing on tuning and putting together an aiming method, and maybe even psychotrigger etc with Joel Turner's stuff. Doesn't matter what aiming method you pick, these two things will contribute to your success in any of them. Overall, just have fun, be patient, and accept that the learning process is different for everyone. And when you are ready to head to the woods, recognize that you are going to have to (potentially, not sure what your mindset was or wasn't as a compound hunter) redefine what constitutes success in your mind. You will have to be more picky about the shots you take, how far out you take them, etc. And at the end of the day you will have to be able to accept letting an animal walk with the recurve that would have had an arrow zip through them with more technologically advanced equipment. It'll be a shift that will completely change the way you think about hunting, which is a process that I'm betting has already begun (even if you don't know it yet), just given your interest in it.
Click to expand...
Very well said.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
I'll also add that once you start shooting for accuracy, anytime you start to struggle, walk right up to the target butt say 2 yards, draw back then close your eyes to actually shoot. All visual distractions go away. When you do that you can "feel" your form. Best way I know of to work on form.
 
Just got a sage off craigslist and after just a couple shots I can tell learning traditional will be a fun journey.

I'm actually trying to sort out the same thing and figure out a path to learn proper habits from the get go and not have to unlearn them in the future. Unfortunately I probably already have some with my compound but hopefully resetting with a new style can minimize some of the transfer....well see.

Thanks for all the leads on instructions guys.

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk
 
ILF rigs are cheap, and I think they are a great launch pad for those getting into traditional archery.

You can find suitable risers for $100, and limbs for $100.

My recommendation is not to go crazy expensive right off the bat. Traditional shooting is very subjective and personal. And it takes a long time to learn what it is that you prefer and what you like.

You're going to develop a preference for a certain poundage, a certain grip style, a certain shooting style, and a certain bow length.

Once you discover and figure out what your wheelhouse is for preferences, then you can start looking at the custom bows, because now you know what it is you want.

No I had to experiment with fixed crawl, string walking, etc. but I got into traditional archery to simply keep it simple. Basically, I knew I just wanted to grip it and rip it.

But it's taken me a few years to get to that point. So developing a shot sequence, crawling, gapping, etc I think is beneficial as it builds your muscle memory, and the sight picture is etched into your subconscious.

I don't focus so much on aiming now...but I'm still aiming, if that makes sense? The aiming out to 25yds takes place natural, while I put most of my focus on where I want to hit, getting my draw shoulder locked and expansion.

The farther beyond 25 yards I get from the target, the more I need to focus on the arrow point and aiming.

When I first started shooting traditional 10 years ago, I fell into the, burn a hole in the target mentality. Which set me back 5 years with awful target panic and my shooting continually got worse.

I installed the clicker on my bow, adjusted the tiller, and started to string crawl. Really worked on my form and worked through my issues. After a year of that I switched to straight 3under, worked up arrow weight and tuned my bow to a 25yd point on without any crawling. This allowed me to transition into gap shooting while still utilizing the clicker. My arrow tune was alot better consistently this way.

This year I pulled the clicker. I'm in control of my shot. I decide when the arrow is released. I'm almost to where I want to be, a controlled grip it and rip it.

You're following the right channels, with the Push, Shot IQ etc. Starting right off the bat with building the proper foundations, will save you the five years I wasted.

I still slow down and take my time at 40:

But can speed things up with very adequate efficiency at 22:

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk
 
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