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Joined: 05 July 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1970
Topic: Bow for a beginner Posted: 04 August 2004 at 14:12
I've never been much into bows and arrows, (except when I was a kid and fooled around with them), and might be interested in getting involved with the sport. I admit I do like a longbow as compared to a compound. I tried a friends compound and didn't have the strength to pull it back much. Also the longbow has a sort of appeal to it. If I do buy something to learn with I don't want to spend to much money on it, but would still like a good quality bow. So what might be a good one to get started with? Either longbow or compound with a light weight.
I have read some threads here and seen that the longbow may pose some problems in relation to accuracy. I don't care. If I get one I will practice, practice and then practice some more. I love learning how to make a hard instrument shoot well. And at this point in my life I have all the time in the world to practice.
At this time I don't have any plans on getting one for hunting, but as a tool to learn with. Thanks for your thoughts.
Somebody better call the Secret Service. Let 'em know there's an illegal alien in the White House...and it ain't the cook!!
Joined: 10 June 2003
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 342
Posted: 04 August 2004 at 15:53
gunrunner: i just shoot a compound. but back when i was a kid i started with a long bow and worked my way up to a recurve. my kids all started out with compounds and now gone with eather a recurve or long bow. my 1 son has made 4 or 5 and has 2 more staves to make a couple more. you can hold a compound a little longer to aim and is faster . but with alot of practice you can hit with a recurve. look around you can pick up a stick bow from anywhere from 50 buck on up. same with compounds.my son just picked up anothe rcompound at a rumage for 10 bucks. no he is trying to get 1 on e-bay for 200.00 he already has 5 .
I'd suggest a bow in the 40 to 45 lb. range. Good for target work, and still enough if you want to try for a deer. Longbow or recurve, either would be good. Check on Ebay. There are alot of bows that go through there, and the bows in the lower pull weights sell pretty reasonably at times.
Joined: 02 July 2003
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 2653
Posted: 05 August 2004 at 02:35
Used compounds are far more common than used longbows or recurves. I have 4 bows. Only one of which was bought new, the rest were pawn shop or yard sale items. My first compound, the one that was bought brand new, was a cheap old Bear Black Bear that my father gave me in junior high school. That bow has taken about 12 deer, a wild turkey and a boar. By some of today's standards it would be considered obsolete. My longbow I got for $20, my recurve for $10 and my new/used PSE for $100 fully loaded. All of them will work.
I'd strongly recommend you check pawn shops, yard sales, bulletin board ad flyers, and other such outlets. All have bows that will work. Most any brand will work too - Bear, Hoyt, PSE, Golden Eagle, Martin, etc will work well for you. As for style, well I'd probably have to suggest a compound. Some later time, you may decide to take it hunting and need the extra umph or perhaps you'll decide you can handle a little more weight and you can change it with a compound - though there's just something special about shooting primitive bows that draws me to them too.
The choice is yours. Practice is the key. Have fun with a very rewarding sport!
Joined: 05 July 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1970
Posted: 07 August 2004 at 15:49
Thanks for the answers guys. I'll start looking around my area for a good used deal on any of the above mentioned bows. Although right now my left arm doesn't feel like it could pull back any bow. Went to our local range earlier today for a semi-annual work party, was using a weedwacker at the 50 yard line, and went over a yellow jacket nest. Only got stung twice, on the left elbow and back of head. Been stung a lot in the past when I lived in So Cal so it's nothing new, but it never feels good. Dang little pests!!! Thanks again for the info.
Somebody better call the Secret Service. Let 'em know there's an illegal alien in the White House...and it ain't the cook!!
Joined: 10 June 2003
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 342
Posted: 08 August 2004 at 02:07
gunrunner: if your worried about you arm not being in shape, get a cheap slingshot. you know with the tubeing on it... just sit in a chair and pull it back , then when your ready to pull a bow back your on your way... it will get you so you come back to the same anceher point and hold it.
I am very pleased to report that an old "pilgrim" of mine took a very large
Shiras "Bullwinkle" here in Wyoming with a bow last fall. Not really just a bow,
but a longbow with an arrow he built himself.
It pleasures me to no end, especially when I think about the Elk he
cost me some 20+ years ago, because he had not yet perfected the
"silent" method of cocking the lock and setting the trigger (on a
muzzleloader) I was teaching him. He accidentally fired the gun
instead!
To quote Chris Lapp (Bear Claw) from the movie Jeremiah Johnson - "You've come far pilgrim."
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Bow for a beginner
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Thanks again for the info.
