well after a yr of not even looking at my Curve i picked it up and am strugling to hit the kill zone on my 3d 3 out of 5 shots at 15 yrds. IN a word skattered.    

I was just wondering what you guys would consider the average amount of time it takes the Average compound shooter to adjust to shooting a recurve?

I know its tuff to be exact but I am just looking for ball park

A month or two to get "adjusted" and then a lifetime to continue to improve! LOL

I have been shooting trad. seriously for a year, and Im holding them in a 10 by 10 inch cardboard out to 15 yards.2o yards they are 80% in there. It takes a long time,, I see that. Im sure one of the other guys will jump in with more knowlegable advice.. It seems to me that traditional archery is sort of like golf. Practice, practice, and more practice. You never really become an "expert "/. Go in the videos and look at terry greens shooting. Great shot that fella. Hopefully someday I will be that good.. Good luck... have fun, and dont give up!  

everybody is different.  Some take to it very quickly, others never do.  I would stay close and work on shooting till you can stay focused at a close range and then start moving back.  Also......  try to change it up.  Make it fun to shoot. I personally shoot way better stump shooting than at 3d or paper.  I don't totally buy the line that I am shooting at a bigger target.   Pick a small spot on the big target and you are shooting at a small target..

Anyway.. try not to compare yourself against others.  You aren't others.
ChuckC

I think the best thing I ever did to improve my shooting was to learn from others.I went to some 3D shoots where I could watch and talk to some really good shooters.I'm not talking good as in "better than me",I mean world class.

A lot of people will try to give advice on these forums that really couldn't hold their own in a big match.It's best to go and see what someone can do.Every good archer I've questioned has been very helpful.Most folks will be glad to help if you ask in the right attitude and at an approiate time.

Everyone has small differences but it all comes down to good form in the end.It is something that can be learned if you aren't too set on doing it your way.

My first thought Cookie, was how much weight are you shooting?  My second thought was to have you put a small orange dot on your target.  Concentration is a BIG part of barebow shooting.  Besides being hard to pull, too heavy a draw weight ruins concentration.  The small spot helps you focus on where to shoot.  You will quickly build the strength to handle more bow weight and learn to concentrate without sights and the little spot.  And as RH mentioned, good coaching is invaluable.  Don't forget to have fun, too!!      

Hey fletcher good idea. I am definatly overbowed at 55# but Build pretty quick. I took a couple of shots at thins in the yard today. Leaf Bird etc and did prety good the (bird didnt need the tailfeathers to fly)

Maybe I am not picking the spot

I would definitely concur that being overbowed makes it very, very hard to get good form quickly... or maybe ever... and far more of us are overbowed than not.   I did it to myself this morning... went out with too heavy limbs on my ILF DAS and blew my form to heck... and I'd been working to get it back.

Also, and some will disagree, but I'd start at 8 yards and not move back till you can put 80% in a 6" circle consistently.   Then, move  back no more than 3 yards.   Continue that process.   When you get to 15 yards, you may have to settle for a 9" circle, but I'd bet that in 3 weeks you can be staying at 80% in 9" at 20 yards... especially if you drop down to 45# or less for learning purposes.    First comes form... then comes building up the weight... then comes realizing you didn't need that much weight in the first place.  That's called wisdom...  generally sets in at around 70 years of age...

Dick in SEattle

I've been shooting traditional for 35 years - and I'm still average.  My oldest son is a very good basketball player but doesn't bowhunt.  He can pick up my bow and in a week shoot about as well as I can.  An average archer can get pretty good in about a month of careful practice with some instruction.  Really good shots are people with talent who take the time to develop that natural gift.  I practice a lot . . .but still keep my hunting shots to 15 yards or less.

I should add that Dick in Seattle has offered sound wisdom!

Listen to Dick, he said it all.

Concentration is key.  I couldn't hold my own in a "big match", but I know what I have to do to shoot correctly.  Doing it all the time is a different story.  You will get to a point that when you miss you know why.  Don't get discouraged and if you're shooting real bad one day just stop for a time.  I have been doing this for about 2 years now and I shoot good somedays and somedays not.  I can identify my problems though.  It usually stems from lack of concentration.

"It usually stems from lack of concentration."

you said a mouthful there!

ditto to what Lewis said, that's what makes it so much fun.

Hatchaser
I didn't mean to sound so snobbish about taking advice.I've just seen some really weird advice given at times by folks that couldn't hit a barn door at 20 yards.

Now days I like to see that someone can shoot at least as well as me,doesn't take much,before taking their shooting advice.