Hello. My name is Chuck Tilbury and I live in Austin Texas and I will be celebrating my 60th birthday in a few days. I have been interested in bows and bow hunting for most of my life but I have never, ever given it a fair try. I intend to remedy that issue, starting now.    :D  

My goals are to learn to be a credible marksman with a recurve bow and to actually hunt game such as deer and hogs with it. I am also interested in hunting rabbit and squirrel, but less so. I am also interested in making bows and arrows. I am already a fair craftsman at making knives and Irish Pennywhistles. (I would post a link to my whistle site, but I am not sure if that is allowed.) I am mostly interested in making hunting points.

Since I have never owned a bow, I need to find some people here in Austin and a place to practice. I almost bought a kids bow the other day, but I am happy that I didn't. I realized that a 45lb pull bow is likely to be a little strong for me, just starting out. (though I am not a weakling) I want to do it right and I have no problem with using a weaker bow to learn marksmanship.

If there is someone here in Austin that is reading this, or if you know someone that is interested in helping, I would live to hear from you.

Send Bisch a pm.  He is a regular here and Texas Bowhunter.com He lives in the Austin area.  Bob Sarrels makes Great trad bows is located in Austin and is a sponser on Tradgang.

Chuck  If you do start shooting trad bows you know life will be over as you knew it.  It is a disease.
I bought up my first 'real' trad bow 22 years ago.  At the time I had 20+ rifles and shot guns.  I now have 3.. I have not shot one in 10 years but I have not gone more that a couple of days with out shooting my long bows and recurves. I shot my last arrow yesterday at 10:30pm and my first one today at 8:30am,  only shot 4 arrows during lunch.... Have fun.

Hello Chuck!

You were wise in maxing at 45 lbs - which you probably could do but it may start you out with bad habits.

Starting out you want to set up a nice target backstop - like three 40lb straw bales piled high - and shoot from 10 yards just to develop some draw muscles and form.  The Shooting Forum on this site can be a help.

Be patient.  It is easy but can take a lifetime of continual improvement.  That's what makes it so satisfting . . . at times.      

One trick that I don't know is taught often is that, if you are right handed, as you reach full arm extension of your bow arm rotate the elbow clockwise.  That gets your wrist out of the string's line of slap, locks the arm better, and helps you use the proper back muscles.

Hi Chuck!

Start with a low draw weight bow and work on form, form, form.  The bow that you learn on should be easy for you to use for 100 or more shots.  I teach archery and the worst thing is to be over-bowed and pick up bad habits. You can pick up a suitable bow cheap.  I bought a used browning 32# recurve that I still use to work on form for $75.  Look at the pictures and info on the shooters forum - the stuff Terry Green put up.  Then find someone who is very experienced to help you learn.  Then shoot.  A lot, but stop when you get even a little bit sloppy.  

Let us know how it goes!