Trad bow question

[Sleady1983]

I'm about to buy my first recurve bow. I was looking for some advice if it is easier to shot off the shelf or to use an arrow rest. Any other tips would be greatly welcomed

[JODakota]

Shoot it off the shelf, its part of the trad experience!

[Special T]

I shoot mine off one off a rest, one of those little plastic stick on ones... I have the entry recurve. Its a Samic Sage recurve in 45lbs I picked it up with a half dozen arrows, & finger glove for  al little over $220

[Tree Killer]

Most the newer bows are designed to be shot off the shelf.  Cant your bow slightly, opens up your sight picture and your arrow will never fall off the shelf.

[Sleady1983]

K thank yall very much, I recon I'll give shooting of the shelf a try .

[scotsman]

When setting up your bow to shoot off the shelf, you might want to adjust your nock point to at least 1/2" above square. If the nock point is too low your arrow could kick up off the shelf. Start at 5/8 above square and move it down until you see the tail of your arrow kick up. Then move it slowly up again 1/16" at a time until you get good straight flight.

[boneaddict]

Shelf

[carpsniperg2]

I shoot shelf on 5 out of 7 trad bows I have.

[TONTO]

 Another vote for off the shelf. Got me a big ol sheet of the female velcro sticky back, I just cut it in strips. Abit cheaper than replacing bear hair. If you realy wanna be traditional you shoot off your finger

[hillbilli]

I've tried both, and I shoot better, and seem to get better arrow flight with a rubber flipper rest, but then thats just my experience, and most of what i know about trad archery, i just got from shooting, and if I saw someone doing something different, i tried it for a while.. 

[boneaddict]

female Velcro, seal and leather....
(the three I use and have used)

[Sleady1983]

thanks to everyone for their input! Cant wait to get my new bow and try it out I know archery is addictive so I'm hoping this new form of the same drug has the same affect!

[boneaddict]

Oh it does.  I promise.   It can be a little frustrating at first, but if you have patience and stick with it, it is unreal.  The first 4 I put down with my longbow is one heck of a trophy to me, and I have killed dozens bigger.  HECK, many on here would scoff at it even being a trophy.   When someone comes over and I am showing antlers I hold that one with a lot of pride and guys just look at me funny.

[Tree Killer]

thanks to everyone for their input! Cant wait to get my new bow and try it out I know archery is addictive so I'm hoping this new form of the same drug has the same affect!

What bow are you getting?  New bow, used bow?  Custom bow, factory bow? 

One thing to watch for is, don't overbow yourself!  There's a huge difference between a 60# compound and a 60# stickbow. 

[12Gauge]

I shoot mine off one off a rest, one of those little plastic stick on ones... I have the entry recurve. Its a Samic Sage recurve in 45lbs I picked it up with a half dozen arrows, & finger glove for  al little over $220

Bought a Sage too, 55lbs from Cabela's $149.99.  Nice bow for the price and you can replace the limbs.

 

[Blacktail Sniper]

Have a question I hope isn't too far off topic.  Haven't bow hunted since the 80's, and used a compound, so no experience with traditional equipment. 

Should the arrows be fletched with feathers instead of plastic vanes for shooting off the shelf?   

Wouldn't the standard plastic vanes cause a disruption/interference of the arrow's flight when they contact the bow shelf?

[Ibcnurun]

Have a question I hope isn't too far off topic.  Haven't bow hunted since the 80's, and used a compound, so no experience with traditional equipment. 

Should the arrows be fletched with feathers instead of plastic vanes for shooting off the shelf?   

Wouldn't the standard plastic vanes cause a disruption/interference of the arrow's flight when they contact the bow shelf?

If you are just getting into the trad thing I highly recommend the Instinctive Shooting books by Fred Asbell. They will anwers all of you questions about shooting off the shelf, vane type, etc.... A really good read.

http://www.gfredasbell.com/GFA_Books_Videos.php

[boneaddict]

I do shoot "feathers" versus plastic. 

[carpsniperg2]

Feathers on all my trad arrows regardless of the rest. I like calf and seal best as a pad on the shelf.

[npaull]

Shelf and feathers, man. Anything else is a travesty.

[Sleady1983]

Ill be getting a Sage from Cabelas I have done research and read a lot of good things about them. Is it true that the string they come with is junk and I need to buy a new one right off the bat? I fig its not to expensive for a starter bow and the fact that its a take down really appealed to me.

[Special T]

No just shoot it a while. It may not be a "Great" string but since your just starting out i'd not worry about it. I know I didn't and i'm not concerned yet... Besides if i get that into it where i worry about the string i'll likely carve my own bow or buy a high end recurve. 

[hillbilli]

i just shot the factory string on the sage until it got worn, then put another one on it, and I tested it, it works to kill deer, but the closest I've gotten to an elk with it so far is 50yds, so havent tested that yet.. and anyone who tells you 3 blade muzzy's dont work on deer out of a recurve probably hasn't tried it. good luck, get lots of practice in..

[dreamunelk]

Shelf and feathers, man. Anything else is a travesty.

[wideleft]

Feathers

[AKBowman]

i just shot the factory string on the sage until it got worn, then put another one on it, and I tested it, it works to kill deer, but the closest I've gotten to an elk with it so far is 50yds, so havent tested that yet.. and anyone who tells you 3 blade muzzy's dont work on deer out of a recurve probably hasn't tried it. good luck, get lots of practice in..

When did anyone say 3 blade muzzys won't work out of a recurve? They have a cut on contact tip so they are just as good for a trad set up as a Eskimos or Woodsman. I don't understand why anyone would say that outside the fact that 125gr is as heavy as you can find them. I just put 100gr copper inserts and they shoot just like field tips out of my custom 60# @ 29-1/2" RER Vital take down. I shoot the same gold tip 7595 shafts out of my recurve as I do out of my compound just fletched instead of gained and about 3/4" longer with the 100 gr inserts.

[12Gauge]

Ill be getting a Sage from Cabelas I have done research and read a lot of good things about them. Is it true that the string they come with is junk and I need to buy a new one right off the bat? I fig its not to expensive for a starter bow and the fact that its a take down really appealed to me.

Also buy the stringer with it to remove the string if being stored for more than a couple of days.

[Machias]

Shelf, feathers and I do not cant my bow at all.  Same good form, IMHO.