Getting in to archery

[freemoyoyo]

Hi everyone, so i'm thinking about getting into archery but don't know where to start with a bow. Eventually i'm going to have a go at making my own, but for now i'm looking to buy one.
I've ruled out compound bows, as i'd prefer it to be as traditional as possible (won't be hunting bears or anything like that) been looking at take down recurve bows also, but again, there's just something not sitting right in my head with these either. My attention has been drawn to the traditional flat bows and horse bows that are floating about on e b a y, but i'm worried they will be difficult to shoot as a beginner ?
Forgot to mention i will just be shooting in my garden, which has a decent maximum range of about 40 yards. All advice will be appreciated.

 

[Niels]

Hi, it's great you want to get involved in traditional archery.

Your best bet would be to go to an actual retailer of archery equipment in the uk, and see what they have.
Don't ever buy a bow from ebay that you haven't tried. Next thing you know, you'll have a bow that doesn't suit you.
I shoot a horsebow myself, and I use exactly the same techniques and stances that I would use for any bow. It's down to what you like.

One important thing to remember is drawweight, it's better to have a bow that's too light, than to have a bow that's too heavy.
For the target shooting you described, I advice nothing over 40# at 28'', depending on your size, age and fysical strength.

Best of luck

Niels

 

[ol smokey]

Iwould go even less in poundage than Neills starting with aboutntwenty five pounds as a beginner. If you start with too strong a draw weight you will ruin your technique. First of all, find your arrow length, this you do be measuring the distance from your Adams apple to your finger tips when you hold you hands together stretched out in front of you. then ask in the archery shop for a bow that has a draw weight of twentyfive pounds at that draw weight. A simple solid glassfibre bow will start you off at minimal cost. You will see plenty of fancy take down bows on offer but time enough for them when you have had time to get your technique right. If you over bow yourself you will ruin your chances and require to start again. You should obtain the best arrows you can afford to suit your bow draw length and draw weight as good arrows and a poor bow, will give you better results than a good bow and poor arrows. I would advise joining a club, before spending any equipment. As advice there will save you money in the long run. You can than decide what you want to do ,after getting a basic grounding in technique etc.,

 

[DavidJT]

I started on longbow, and now shoot American flatbow.
i would recommend you to go along to a local field archery club, get some instruction and advise, and try out lots of bows.
google NFAS or IFAA.

 

[freemoyoyo]

Right, some sound advice so far. As for me as a person, i'm 6ft1, about 80kg in weight, very lean and probably stronger than average as i spend four nights a week in the gym lifting heavy weights. Do you think this will affect my possible draw weight ?
Regardless, i shall seek out a local club and have a look. Thanks, guys.

 

[R3XXY]

I would agree with the others here in that it would be a good idea to join a club.

They should have a coach on hand to help you with your technique, good technique = better results = more fun.

Also there should be people there who will be able to tell you where to go to get your gear, and will probably let you have a go of their longbows, flatbows etc.

Never buy a bow off ebay, you could run into all sorts of problems.

Most traditional bows are woefully inaccurate, but you can achieve some degree of consistency with a lot of practice and good technique.

Archery is great fun, happy shooting

 

[Niels]

Your muscles will probably not effect your draw weight.
The muscles you use for drawing a bow are between your shoulder ''blades(do you call it that)''.
Therefore, biceps and such have little to no influence in drawing out the bow.
I'd recommend taking a bow about 5# lighter than the max you can fully draw.

 

[freemoyoyo]

Lol, i train my back hard as well, not just my biceps ! Never mind i'll go and try some different bows out in a shop and we'll see what happens.

 

[R3XXY]

Longbows and horse bows have a V E R Y steep increase in draw weight towards the end of their draw cycle, so yeh start light and build your strength up.

I could barely pull 35 pounds a year ago and can now pull 50 comfortably for two to three hours.

 

[JonathanD]

What you do at the gym won't really affect your ability to draw a bow better. Only time spent shooting will do that. I can draw really powerful bows that my friends who go to the gym regularly can't. It's about familiarity and technique more than strength.

 

[plastic-ninja]

I don't know where in Cumbria you are , but there is a flourishing field archery section in Kendal Bowmen.
If you are close to Kendal that might be a good place to start.I know there are several guys using longbows.
Cheers , Simon

 

[freemoyoyo]

Cheers Simon, i'm at cockermouth so it's only an hours drive. I might just keep it a personal thing though for now, i've got so much space to be used in my garden, so may as well use it.

 

[Nonsuch]

I really wouldn't shoot my bow in the garden, if I were you, even if the garden is quite large. Stop netting or a hard backstop behind the target won't save you from an accidental release which sees your arrow sailing into someone else's property (and even into someone else), and ricochets can impale themselves in trees far from where you aimed, such is their force. Unless your property is surrounded by open countryside with no paths or roads (lucky you if it is!) then I would save your archery for the club.

Bow-wise, I would suggest a good entry-level flat-bow, which is quite easy to shoot but still traditional. Bowsports sell a Viper DLX flatbow for about £120. Lowest draw-weight is 30 or 35 lbs I think. Even better to get along to a club and try some bows first (I bought 2 expensive Millennium flatbows which I didn't like and couldn't shoot before I found the Viper).

A final thought - it's fun to make wooden arrows for that trad bushcrafty feel, but I broke or lost a third of mine the first time I shot them in anger. Go for aluminium shafts!

Enjoy

 

[freemoyoyo]

Well i've found a club right in my home town that i had no idea about ! Small world. I'll be going for a look tomorrow night if i have the time, perhaps i'll get chance to work out whats good for me.
As for shooting in my garden, i've got fields behind so it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[mountainm]

Shooting into a garage is often a good compromise too.

 

[Skaukraft]

This might be a good place to start: http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php

 

[dwardo]

The great thing about a beginner weekend/introductory course at a local club is it will teach you more in that weekend than you could teach your self in months.
If you dont want to carry on with the club after that weekend that's fine. I didn't and not for lack of interest but just lack of time.
I would say that given your physical condition you should get upto a higher weight relatively quicker but initially go for a lower weight. If you choose a weight that's too high to start you may be fine drawing the bow but your form will start to suffer quickly and in-turn start missing the target more and get bored very quickly.
I make bows for various weights and draws and constantly dont listen to my own advice and make all my own bows too high a draw :\

I may have an old fibre glass bow around the late 30`s/40`s that might be of interest. Needs a string and spined arrows. I could make you a bow but until you find out what you like it would be a bit of a waste.

 

[freemoyoyo]

I'm going to aim at getting to the club next tuesday for a look now, havn't got the time tonight. Dwardo, you sound very much like what i wish to do in the future. Thanks for the offer by the way, i'll keep it in mind !

 

[Lupin Rider]

Most traditional bows are woefully inaccurate,

usually it's the archer rather than the bow! there are a few trad archers in the area that can shoot 450 ish on a portsmouth longbow. which is pretty bloody good.

i've only taken it up doing a beginners course this summer and joined a local club in oct. it has been fantastic fun. i inherited a bickerstaffe longbow at 40 lb. its clearly ore bushy than the compounds/recurves.

i ve discovered that there isnt much written about how to be a good longbow archer, its so hard that those that are good keep it to them selves "just do what works" etc. when i got the bow i emailed pip bckerstaffe about it and he was kind enough to give me a a few emails in reply.

my plan next is to make a set of matched (spine, weight and balance point) wood arrows. i can see this as being a blend of bushcraft skills and ocd engineering.

thus far im up to a 340 on a portsmouth so i must be doung something right. looking at other shooting 540 recurve our of 600 where is the fun in that?

perhaps we should do a bushcraftuk archery day? anyone got a big enough space?

john

 

[Cromm]

Are you looking to do target archery ie stand in a line and shoot round targets. Or field archery ie which is normally done in woodland and you shoot at 3D targets of animals, like hunting without the bloodshed.??