Bow Hunting (Recurve)
- Thread starter sharpeningbysteve
- Start date
Thunderhog
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Kootneys
Get close, always remember to pick a spot. (Instinctive shooters especially, sight shooters as well)Hello Folks, happy to be here. I am happy to be here. I just got into archery and I want to get into hunting eventually. I am wondering if there are any experienced recurve hunters in the community that have some tips for beginners.
Cheers
Steve
Follow through, don't try to peek after your release!.........
Practice, practice, practice, practice. Oh and do not forget to practice!
Any archery equipment should become an extension of your arm.......
Get in touch with your local archery club. Every club has a group of traditional shooters who can assist you in person and provide tips on equipment and shooting.
Shooting Outdoor 3D is a great way to get experience for hunting, as you will be shooting life sized targets in actual field settings, that is great preparation for hunting, before trying on real animals. (Why the game was invented.)
Make sure you get set up for your dominant eye, not your dominant hand.
You'll get out of it what you out into it. And quality of practice is more important than quantity of practice! It is all about developing good, consistent shooting form. In this sport, it takes a 1000 repetitions to start to build muscle memory, and it will take 15000 repetitions to start to build "instinct", and your shooting to become instinctive. You want this to progress naturally, at a comfortable level to maintain good shooting form. If you are concentrating on your strength to hold that anchor, you cannot focus on all the other parts of the shot sequence properly to maintain your shooting form.
And do not make the mistake of overbowing yourself. If you cannot draw and hold at anchor for more than 5 seconds without tremblinging, you have too much draw weight. The muscles will build, but it takes time. And a 2 lb variance in draw weight might not seem like much, but can be substantial. Many may want to set you up in 10 lb increments. Don't do be tempted. At most, increase by only 5 lbs at a time. You'll come to understand over time. And in most places you must have 40 lb draw weight to be legal for hunting big game. Bison requires 50 lbs. Check your local regs. A take down bow that you can buy new limbs for as you develop your strength and shooting form, is a great option to allow progression over time.
And if you have shot a compound, just because you can draw a 70 lb compound does not correlate to a 70 lb recurve! There is no let off, so when you reach full draw, you will be holding 70 lbs.
As you get comfortable with the basics, try experimenting with your shooting style and anchor point to find what works best for you. By this I mean the split finger grip vs the 3 under grip (Mediterranean vs Comanche), And a anchor point with your index or middle finger at the corner of your mouth vs an anchor point on your face over your eye tooth or on your jawbone.
when you try this, only try one variation per shooting session. This will take a number of days, to try, and record your groups size results. (Do not worry about where on the target the group is, aiming adjustment can come later.) You are only trying to see which works best by resulting in the best group size per style at this point. This will help you settle into the shooting style that works best for you. Everyone is different. For example, I shoot 3 under, and anchor my middle finger at the corner of my mouth, with my thumb up out of the way. My wife uses 3 under, but anchors her bent thumb curled down on the jawbone, with her index finger at the corner of her mouth.
It is a very fun and rewarding past time! (I am far from being the best shot out there, but I am a certified coach, and both my wife and I are provincial and Canadian 3D Champions, and were on the 2017 National Team for the World's in France.) My favourite hunting has been for grouse with my recurve! My best year was 2016 where I took 38 with the bow. (And I have taken a moose with my recurve.)
Best of luck to you!
Shooting Outdoor 3D is a great way to get experience for hunting, as you will be shooting life sized targets in actual field settings, that is great preparation for hunting, before trying on real animals. (Why the game was invented.)
Make sure you get set up for your dominant eye, not your dominant hand.
You'll get out of it what you out into it. And quality of practice is more important than quantity of practice! It is all about developing good, consistent shooting form. In this sport, it takes a 1000 repetitions to start to build muscle memory, and it will take 15000 repetitions to start to build "instinct", and your shooting to become instinctive. You want this to progress naturally, at a comfortable level to maintain good shooting form. If you are concentrating on your strength to hold that anchor, you cannot focus on all the other parts of the shot sequence properly to maintain your shooting form.
And do not make the mistake of overbowing yourself. If you cannot draw and hold at anchor for more than 5 seconds without tremblinging, you have too much draw weight. The muscles will build, but it takes time. And a 2 lb variance in draw weight might not seem like much, but can be substantial. Many may want to set you up in 10 lb increments. Don't do be tempted. At most, increase by only 5 lbs at a time. You'll come to understand over time. And in most places you must have 40 lb draw weight to be legal for hunting big game. Bison requires 50 lbs. Check your local regs. A take down bow that you can buy new limbs for as you develop your strength and shooting form, is a great option to allow progression over time.
And if you have shot a compound, just because you can draw a 70 lb compound does not correlate to a 70 lb recurve! There is no let off, so when you reach full draw, you will be holding 70 lbs.
As you get comfortable with the basics, try experimenting with your shooting style and anchor point to find what works best for you. By this I mean the split finger grip vs the 3 under grip (Mediterranean vs Comanche), And a anchor point with your index or middle finger at the corner of your mouth vs an anchor point on your face over your eye tooth or on your jawbone.
when you try this, only try one variation per shooting session. This will take a number of days, to try, and record your groups size results. (Do not worry about where on the target the group is, aiming adjustment can come later.) You are only trying to see which works best by resulting in the best group size per style at this point. This will help you settle into the shooting style that works best for you. Everyone is different. For example, I shoot 3 under, and anchor my middle finger at the corner of my mouth, with my thumb up out of the way. My wife uses 3 under, but anchors her bent thumb curled down on the jawbone, with her index finger at the corner of her mouth.
It is a very fun and rewarding past time! (I am far from being the best shot out there, but I am a certified coach, and both my wife and I are provincial and Canadian 3D Champions, and were on the 2017 National Team for the World's in France.) My favourite hunting has been for grouse with my recurve! My best year was 2016 where I took 38 with the bow. (And I have taken a moose with my recurve.)
Best of luck to you!
Join your local archery club, there's always a wealth of knowledge within the membership. The old timers usually have time to chat and mentor other archers.
I was president of my local Rod and Gun Club for 8 years and have a learned a lot from those old archery guys!!!
I was president of my local Rod and Gun Club for 8 years and have a learned a lot from those old archery guys!!!
Is there a draw weight requirement for small game such as rabbits? Could a 30lb draw weight on a recurve serve double duty for target shooting and hunting small game?
I have not seen one; but check your local regs to confirm,as they may be different than here in BC.
30# is plenty for small game and target shooting. 40# is required for most places for big game, except bison, which usually requires 50# as a minimum.
While I have only taken some game with my recurve which is 40#, but 50# at my 31" draw, and lots of grouse, it is a lot of fun! I use it and my 42# recurve (at my draw length) for competition, and both work good on the 3D targets out to 40 yards. 30# will just have more drop at longer distances.
30# is plenty for small game and target shooting. 40# is required for most places for big game, except bison, which usually requires 50# as a minimum.
While I have only taken some game with my recurve which is 40#, but 50# at my 31" draw, and lots of grouse, it is a lot of fun! I use it and my 42# recurve (at my draw length) for competition, and both work good on the 3D targets out to 40 yards. 30# will just have more drop at longer distances.
I have been bowhunting since I was 12, when I shot my first bear with a homemade ash self-bow and cedar arrows with glue on braodheads. That was 49 years ago... I have taken 10 big game species with bow and arrow, and can offer this... it takes patience and dedication to be consistently successful on game animals. Target practice is extremely important, but really does not fully prepare you for placing an arrow accurately on game. Only time and experience, and lots of failure, will teach you the lessons of setting up for a quality shot opportunity and managing the moment and your own emotions to accurately get an arrow off at an unaware big game animal. Don't take short cuts, and don't push the limits of your ability. Also, don't hold out for magnum trophy animals starting out... you need experience taking game, to prepare you for those high value target moments. There is a purity and peace and satisfaction that comes with taking game with stick and string... there is also much frustration. Bowhunting is a "one quality shot" pursuit... not randomly flinging arrows in a spray and pray style. Respect the journey and the game... do it right... it is alot of fun, and a lifetime pursuit.
