and now I'm addicted!
I've been wanting to pick up a traditional bow to play around with and do a little hunting once I got the hang of it. Other expenses and responsibilities (and toys) have prevented me from really pursuing this, and I figured once I actually tried it, I'd be hooked.
I was right.
My buddy and I went to Cabelas last night to pick up reloading supplies for my new .308 and get him some more camo (he's a new hunter). Of course, we're like 2 kids in a candy store, and spend most of the evening there. We were almost ready to head to the check-out when we both realize we hadn't even gone to the archery section!
We head over there, and I see the small area of traditional bows, and lo and behold! there's a left-handed recurve on the rack! It was a PSE Mustang with a 50# draw - really pretty bow. I start looking at it and the salesman offers to string it up for me to let me shoot it. I agree and we head to the range.
Now, I've shot compound consistently for about 8 years. I'm used to peeps and sights and let-off. I have shot my dad's right-handed recurve a couple of times, and did ok with "instinctive" shooting, but I wasn't sure exactly what I was doing.
At the Cabelas range, I fumble around to get an arrow nocked and drawn, with a little coaching from the salesman. I'm set up at 12 yards, I draw as far back as I can, find the spot on the target I'd like to hit, and release, hoping I at least hit the target. The arrow zipped down and buried itself right at the spot I was aiming!
No way! Must have been luck. I need to think about my next shot. I draw back, and then pause, trying to figure out how I aimed. I released, and POW! The arrow had flown left about a foot from my intended spot and found the 1" gap between the targets and lodged into the back wall. Oops. Salesman wasn't too happy with that. Sorry, Dave.
I kept at it and found if I concentrated on a spot as I was drawing and released quickly, I'd hit pretty close, but as soon as I stopped to think about what I was doing, the arrow would fly off. Now, I wasn't grouping well by any stretch of the term, but the arrows that felt "right" when I released, hit pretty close to where I wanted them to.
I ended up shooting 20-25 times. I was using a release tab, and was trying different grips to see how that worked. I shot every arrow with 3 fingers below and that seemed to work well for me. The salesman complimented on my shooting and I was pleased with my first attempt.
Now I wish I hadn't tried it. It was so FUN! What a completely different feeling from wheel-bow shooting! I very much want my own traditional now. Unfortunately, between Christmas gifts, my new rifle and ammo set-up, my beer brewing, not to mention my upcoming hunts, I'm just going to have to suck it up and WAIT.
I've been wanting to pick up a traditional bow to play around with and do a little hunting once I got the hang of it. Other expenses and responsibilities (and toys) have prevented me from really pursuing this, and I figured once I actually tried it, I'd be hooked.
I was right.
My buddy and I went to Cabelas last night to pick up reloading supplies for my new .308 and get him some more camo (he's a new hunter). Of course, we're like 2 kids in a candy store, and spend most of the evening there. We were almost ready to head to the check-out when we both realize we hadn't even gone to the archery section!
We head over there, and I see the small area of traditional bows, and lo and behold! there's a left-handed recurve on the rack! It was a PSE Mustang with a 50# draw - really pretty bow. I start looking at it and the salesman offers to string it up for me to let me shoot it. I agree and we head to the range.
Now, I've shot compound consistently for about 8 years. I'm used to peeps and sights and let-off. I have shot my dad's right-handed recurve a couple of times, and did ok with "instinctive" shooting, but I wasn't sure exactly what I was doing.
At the Cabelas range, I fumble around to get an arrow nocked and drawn, with a little coaching from the salesman. I'm set up at 12 yards, I draw as far back as I can, find the spot on the target I'd like to hit, and release, hoping I at least hit the target. The arrow zipped down and buried itself right at the spot I was aiming!
No way! Must have been luck. I need to think about my next shot. I draw back, and then pause, trying to figure out how I aimed. I released, and POW! The arrow had flown left about a foot from my intended spot and found the 1" gap between the targets and lodged into the back wall. Oops. Salesman wasn't too happy with that. Sorry, Dave.
I kept at it and found if I concentrated on a spot as I was drawing and released quickly, I'd hit pretty close, but as soon as I stopped to think about what I was doing, the arrow would fly off. Now, I wasn't grouping well by any stretch of the term, but the arrows that felt "right" when I released, hit pretty close to where I wanted them to.
I ended up shooting 20-25 times. I was using a release tab, and was trying different grips to see how that worked. I shot every arrow with 3 fingers below and that seemed to work well for me. The salesman complimented on my shooting and I was pleased with my first attempt.
Now I wish I hadn't tried it. It was so FUN! What a completely different feeling from wheel-bow shooting! I very much want my own traditional now. Unfortunately, between Christmas gifts, my new rifle and ammo set-up, my beer brewing, not to mention my upcoming hunts, I'm just going to have to suck it up and WAIT.
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