I came to hunting relatively late in my life (mid 30's) and have been a compound shooter for the last few years. I have been shooting right handed in spite of left eye dominance and that has not served me well.
Long story short, I'm switching to lh and trad at the same time.
I'm having trouble find a decent selection of affordable (sub $200) entry-level lh bows to shoot so I'm tempted to purchase a Samick Sage and upgrade limbs and/or to another bow in the future. Here is a list of what I am planning on purchasing from 3 Rivers. Please critique! What would you add, what would you take off?
Sage TD 62" LH #40
Cordovan Traditional Glove - MEDIUM
3R Hunter's Arrows - Kit A 35-55
Cordovan Tab LH - MEDIUM
Longbow & Recurve Superstringer
11/32 Glue On Field Point Test Kit
Instruction books and videos.
Looks like you've done your homework. I'd nix the tab. PM for more. Welcome & good luck.
I'd nix the glove. :biglaugh:
The tab comes with it and so does the glove. This the bow kit from 3 rivers.
Wow pavan, thanks! I put this together without even looking at the kit. Guess I'll order the kit.....
Sage Takedown Recurve (40#), Armguard, Tab or Damascus Glove, Ranger Back Quiver, Stringer, and Bow Case
...and ask what I should add. Thoughts?
Also will get 35-55# wooden arrow test kit and point test kit. I realize that wooden arrows are not necessarily recommended for beginners, but I am stubborn. ;)
how about some sort of target? you can make one instead of buying it. my wife hated it when i shot the couch. i was aiming for the cat that was on top of the couch but i'm not telling her. stoopid cat.
don
Where are you at in MO?
Ha ha, don s. I hate cats! I have a couple of targets that I used with my compound. I am just south of KC and have already checked with Mike at the Nocking Point. Can't make it to the UBM event this weekend, sadly.
It's good you're getting both the glove & tab.
If you're like me... you may think you like the glove at first. You have to give yourself some time to get acclimated to a tab. Once you do, I think it will become evident that you can't help but get a cleaner release with it (tab).
Have fun shooting! :archer2:
I would add a few judo points or rubber blunts for stumping/roving. jim
If its too darn cold outside to shoot the bow,
I would recommend Byron Fergusons book "Become the Arrow"
Add lots of patience, and probably even more since you are switching to lefty. It is worth all the time and effort.
Cody,
From one newbie to another:
I'm just like you. Haven't hunted my entire life and spent some years with the compound before going trad just recently. I shot RH compound despite left-eye dominance as well. When picking up my first trad bow, went with LH right from the start...I'm SO happy that I did! It's really not as tough as it might seem. Congrats on your first great decision! I started with the cordovan tab and love it. It provides a nice, clean release. Also, nice choice on the arrow kit...see what works best before buying the dozen. Otherwise, I've found the "Masters of the Barebow" video very helpful along with the book "Shooting the Stickbow" by Anthony Camera. Aside from all of this...Congrats on already finding the most valuable traditional archery resource (tradgang) available!!! This is a great site full of wonderful people who have already helped me out in more ways than I can mention!
before you spend yer dollars, read up as much as you can.
if ya haven't done so already, click on the 'new to trad archery?' link in my sig line,
and good luck.
QuoteOriginally posted by Kapellmeister:
It's good you're getting both the glove & tab.
If you're like me... you may think you like the glove at first. You have to give yourself some time to get acclimated to a tab. Once you do, I think it will become evident that you can't help but get a cleaner release with it (tab).
My personal experience with the tab/glove is the same as Kapellmeister. I tried to like the glove but find the tab much better.
Cody, welcome! Take it slowly and, like Rob said...don't run out and spend a lotta money. Hang out and glean here....
A bowsquare and maybe a set of nocking pliers are nice to have around.
Are you right or left handed? Whichever is what I would stay with regardless of dominant eye, because if you're going to shoot instinctive, keep both eyes open.
Well I think you need some sort of a quiver. I started with a back quiver. However I don't think it matters what you start with. You just need something to carry your arrows in.
Sorry posted twice some how
if you are average size an weight an plan to hunt deer.it would not hurt to go to 45 lbs. Iam sure you could do this with out over bowing your self.ballpark atleast 150 lbs @ 5ft tall.this height an weight are not part of any forumla just a guide line.you should hunt with as much weight as you can as long as it feels good.
May want to try a neet deerskin glove, it will give you good feel on the string with smooth releases. Tried many before I found these.
Thanks for the encouragement and kind words. I enjoy hunting so much but really haven't gotten in to shooting the compound. And I am definitely not a gearhead.
I am a teacher and have introduced some of my students to archery using some old equipment our PE department had laying around. I really enjoyed shooting those cheap 15-25# bows!
I'm a good month away from ordering anything so still in research mode. Zbone, thanks for the recommendation of those tools and Rob, I've read it 3 or 4 times!
Since I'm right-handed, I've been a little concerned about getting a 45# bow. My plan was to but another set of limbs in the future. Any more thoughts on this? Also, should I start out with a different string than what is sent with the bow and if so, what do you recommend?
ttt
Follow your gut. If you thought you should start at 40#, start there. Don't talk yourself into a higher weight to start. If you can easily shoot your bow you will learn good form from the start. After a dozen years of re-learning things correctly (a LOT harder to retrain) because of not wanting to have to buy another bow I still have a ways to go.
We all think we should buy "the one" bow right from the start. Probably most of us have bought "the one" a dozen times or more. Being able to easily learn and ingrain correct form with your first bow will get you to your "go to bow" much quicker and cheaper.
Also, shooting a traditional bow is just plain fun, don't make it work.
Best of luck,
Terry K.
Remember, our ancestors were shooting wood, and most of us were as well. (The older guys anyway)
The carbon arrow is the new kid on the block. It will do you well, but you will like the wood, and may stay with it.
That being said, I shoot both, but nothing like a wooden arrow, feel and flight. Give them both a chance.
I too am left eye dominant but when I switched to trad I was having a shoulder issue so I went right handed. I shoot gap with both eyes open so I don't think the left eye dominant is an issue in my case. I shoot fine that way. The best thing to tell you is go with your gut feeling and above all have fun. Welcome to a whole new great experience.
I also have a bit of astigmatism in my right eye that jacks with me. I put the largest peep I could on my compound and still had trouble sighting past 30 yds. Low light wasn't happening at all.
While I can shoot rh trad bows reasonably well, I figure if I'm going to switch, I might as well deconstruct my shooting and do it right from the beginning.
I'm in no hurry. Since I teach I have the entire summer to work on my shooting and wood arrow production.