Beckers, Bows and Arrows! Let's see your "stringed instruments" :)

I love shooting my bow; I've been fortunate this winter that the weather has been mild enough I've been able to do it almost every week. It's almost like meditation....with less sitting. Today's last end at 30 yards.....the one arrow in the upper left was actually the last arrow; all the others are in a 4" circle. I'm trying to figure out how to get a 40 yard lane in without having to stand in the neighbor's driveway....the 30 yd. is a few feet from the street.

25124453241_e48492300d_b.jpg
 
Nice weather here in NH, shooting in shorts and a t-shirt today. 30 yards:

24986195249_6121ec4968_b.jpg


i never thought that I would be able to shoot at 30 yds., much less hit a 5" target at that distance. My last shot of the day:

24992167369_255b95de44_b.jpg


After shooting my 20 ear old bow for....20 years ;), I gotta say I'm quite impressed with the "value" choice of a Mission Riot. It's light, quiet and easy to shoot fairly accurately. The draw cycle is smooth (major selling point for me) and it has enough speed that I think if I can get a 40 yard lane set up, it could handle that, too. Definitely loving it.
 
Made a back quiver tonight out of a section of PVC downspout I had. BK-11 on knife duty, smoothing and cutting...

26582583861_013d5c6195_b.jpg


Cut a long taper out of each side and used a bit of duct tape; unfortunately I need more camo tape. Tape will be the most costly component of this build, LOL.

26649735355_7b600eee51_b.jpg


Used a rifle sling I got for a buck in the bin at KTP (Kittery Trading Post). Made some Gorilla tape loops for the strap to connect to:

26556499082_d986bcc0cd_b.jpg


(semi) final project:

26046135503_193a64d6d5_b.jpg


Shot some arrows this evening before I started this project. Trying to get out a few days a week. If they were in season, I could have taken a shot at at some turkeys that walked right by me a few weeks ago.....my neighbor (whose yard they were in) surely wanted me to. Spoke to him today and he reiterated that he'd love some turkey were I to take one....

25288030813_b1574190d5_b.jpg


I probably could have tripped one.
 
Let's say I'm a complete noob when it comes to archery... I did the plastic bow and arrow during school "archery" time but that was it. Then let's say I was thinking about getting into the sport. How do I know how long of a draw length I need? What draw weight should I start with? Should I start with compound, recurve, long? Teach me your ways oh Beckerheads!
 
Chameleonbear- If you have a nearby archery shop swing by and introduce yourself. Explain that you are not ready to jump into something right away that you want to learn a little about different types of bows and accessories before buying. Hopefully the archery shop has a place to try out bows or has some beginner lessons available. You could also look into local archery clubs.

I started shooting compound bows on my 14th birthday. I was lucky to have an avid bowhunter take me under his wing. He helped me with the purchase, the fitting, the arrows and gave me a place to shoot everyday. I shot compound bows for about 10 years when I switched to recurve. I now only own one bow, one quiver and a couple dozen arrows. I shoot a Howard Hill long bow. It is the smoothest, lightest, easiest shooting bow I have ever held.
 
Chameleonbear said:
Let's say I'm a complete noob when it comes to archery... I did the plastic bow and arrow during school "archery" time but that was it. Then let's say I was thinking about getting into the sport. How do I know how long of a draw length I need? What draw weight should I start with? Should I start with compound, recurve, long? Teach me your ways oh Beckerheads!
Click to expand...

Sage advice from Don W. I started with a recurve about 45 years ago, almost all self taught. Unfortunately, what that means is I shoot right handed - my VERY non-dominant eye - and this old dog ain't learning new tricks. Some people like the challenge of stick bow shooting, or the simplicity....I personally like the accuracy I have with a compound bow. It's not terrible to learn with a stick bow, there is certainly a great deal of simplicity and the draw length is infinitely adjustable....I enjoy shooting a recurve from time to time, but I'm terrible at it (lack of practice) and I'd rather shoot my compound. Whatever you choose, I'd recommend that you just start shooting. It's meditative and, for someone like me who has a hard time sitting still, it's been a great salvation coping with stressful stuff. Not to mention positive enhancement of my brain function - one of the top 10 sports for people with ADD, surprisingly. Kind of rewires your brain a little bit, in a good way.
 
I guess I'll have to take some pictures. I haven't done a ton of archery, but the little I've done, I've quite enjoyed it. I made my first self bow out of Hop Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana). It went from 100# @ 28" to 30# in a couple of swipes of some sand paper, but it still shoots. I have a second bow (Hop Hornbeam) I started a couple of years ago. It's 3/4 tillered but I haven't finished it yet. I want it to come out about 50-55# @ 28". I also make my own arrows (need some new pictures)

Myarrows3.jpg


I also have a 50# fibreglass recurve and a 70# steel bow:

Steelbow-edited.jpg


The strangest thing has happened. Since I went to a new (off lease) desktop PC, I couldn't post photos here in BladeForums (my Earth Day thread was posted on another computer). Now, all of a sudden, I can enter them with my desktop. Colour me happy. :D

My biggest problem is finding somewhere to shoot. I quite envy GSOM.

Doc
 
I'm making a survival bow for the m18 review. I'll post some pics later.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
granitestateofmind said:
Nice! Been thinking about making one as well....certainly have the woodworking stuff down, but....afraid to disappoint myself. So....WTF are "beaver balls"? Seems like a waste to kill a beaver just for it's testicles.....
Click to expand...

Oh man,,,,,(the beaver balls question) I haven't laughed that hard in years. Tears and cramped gut. Omg funny.
 
i probably need to have my compound bow restrung... and a better sighting system put on (more target, but better for hunting in theory) - "circle reticle" and no rubber bands on the peep.

if i was MORE MORE serious, a proper "compound target bow"... more spendy, more accurate. best for 50+ yds.

though i still really just love shooting a plain longbow or mongolian.
 
Bladite said:
i probably need to have my compound bow restrung... and a better sighting system put on (more target, but better for hunting in theory) - "circle reticle" and no rubber bands on the peep.

if i was MORE MORE serious, a proper "compound target bow"... more spendy, more accurate. best for 50+ yds.

though i still really just love shooting a plain longbow or mongolian.
Click to expand...

I just got the little sight rubber band removed from my peep, now that I've shot the bow a bit and the peep'll stay put. Maybe you could look into a peep (see what I did there?) with interchangeable diameters - I have one of the cheap versions that uses rubber inserts to span 1/8" to 1/4" (no insert). Less than $20 for the kit.
 
Here are my wife's and my rigs.

99b11df53d50ec0bedf5f6c7ac086ffd.jpg


PSE Bow Madness XL MP 50# 29" | Hogg-It | Sure Shot Pro | B-Stinger | Silent Quiver | Powerflight 400 | Silverhorn
PSE Fever One MR 30# 24" | Fast Eddie | Kill Shot | Max Jax Stabilizer | Wolverine 3050 | Hero-Pink

Accompanied by the BK14 and BK24.
 
Nice setups, Qg4e. Tried a few single cams before I bought the Mission. Maybe I didn't try the right ones, but I like the draw cycle on my Riot.

Had a friend & his daughter over for beers and some shooting a couple weeks ago. I won't post pictures of them, but this is a perspective I don't ever get to see. Me at 20 yards:

26630530160_51c2e506b5.jpg


....and at 30 yds.:

26630530930_00e4298e03.jpg


The thirty yard shot is kinda funny, as I'm standing right next to the street - and we're located on a very popular walking route around the tidal pond where we live. People are always asking me what I'm killing, lol. At the same time, it's also a chance for me to engage with neighbors and be the kind of ambassador for the sport that I'd like to be. I'm hoping to go deer hunting this fall, but TBH, over the 45 years I've been shooting, I've never killed anything with a bow. I still love to shoot, tho. Keeps my head on straight.
 
Chameleonbear said:
Let's say I'm a complete noob when it comes to archery... I did the plastic bow and arrow during school "archery" time but that was it. Then let's say I was thinking about getting into the sport. How do I know how long of a draw length I need? What draw weight should I start with? Should I start with compound, recurve, long? Teach me your ways oh Beckerheads!
Click to expand...

I love archery, one of the most enjoyable shooting disciplines there is. I shot on the archery team in college and shot tournaments for fun afterwards, but circumstances and other hobbies have kept me from shooting for 15 years. Where I live now I think I could have a target in the back yard so I'm interested in starting some shooting again.

You might conclude from the equipment posted in photos that humans have made archery very complicated. The easiest way to determine what you need is to go to a good shop and have them help you figure it out. And find someone at the shop who is experienced with shooting verious equipment, not just shooting a few arrows at a hay bale in the back yard sometime in the past. Type of bow and then draw weight depends on what you are going to do with the bow. For strictly target shooting you can get by with a lower draw weight. For hunting larger game you will want a higher draw weight. This will also influence the type of bow that you buy since some most disciplines of target shooting have restrictions on what equipment can be used. Any of the bow types can and have been used for hunting, but with no other restrictions in place you would want a compound.

Once the purpose, bow type, draw length and draw weight have been determines, then and only then can you determine the arrow size that you need. And for best accuracy you need to match arrow weight to the other characteristics of the equipment.

The competition I did in college was restricted to Olympic-style rules which meant recurve and fingers only. After college I shot field archery using a compound, both with fingers and release aid. The only bow I have now is my original recurve but it is enjoyable and challenging enough for casual recreation.
 
Amanda and I have developed the archery bug. She is having a custom recurve bow made for her in the next few weeks and I am looking really hard at a PSE Drive R.

We are looking forward to hunting with them and unwinding after a long day at work.

Jeremy
 
Chameleonbear said:
Let's say I'm a complete noob when it comes to archery... I did the plastic bow and arrow during school "archery" time but that was it. Then let's say I was thinking about getting into the sport. How do I know how long of a draw length I need? What draw weight should I start with? Should I start with compound, recurve, long? Teach me your ways oh Beckerheads!
Click to expand...

Yes, what they said.
Also, the archery shop will have bows to try and see what you like. Then you decide on which draw weight your comfy with. A lot of ppl think the more the better. Sure, 70lbs will give you a faster arrow but how long can ya hold it? I dropped mine to 60 and it's much better, more accurate, and I can sling many more in practice before fatigue sets in. Check your local regulations if ur hunting, there are restrictions on a minimum weight for Deer, think it's 50 or 55 here.

So...theyll measure your draw lenght, you test what they have, and decide on weight and bow type.

IMO a compound is better for beginners, esp if you get a higher let off% then you can hold it longer for aiming and watching your stance etc.

Recurve takes a bit more technique and aren't as forgiving. But, def worth trying if you really think it's for you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top