Hello all,
I'm just starting archery and with what small expierience I've gained shooting in the back yard, I'm hooked.
I'm in Washington DC and though there is a fantastic public range only 10 mins. from my house, there seem to be no archers in this city!!!
I've been reading about setting up a compound bow and the ammount of variables involved are staggering. Where do I start?
I have a Genisis Pro. bow with a Cavalier stinger rest, no sight. The draw weight is right in the middle of it's range at about 25lbs. This is comfortable for me and has stopped me putting arrows through the target at short range and into the garage door. 30" fiberglass arrows that are not shattering like the first dozen ceder arrows I started with. I can shoot a nice tight group at about 20 meters, too tight sometimes as I have a pile of nocks and splinters in a box.
I think my rest should be ajusted and I am currently trying different positions and angles.
Any pointers would be gratefully received. Thanks in advance
I'm just starting archery and with what small expierience I've gained shooting in the back yard, I'm hooked.
I'm in Washington DC and though there is a fantastic public range only 10 mins. from my house, there seem to be no archers in this city!!!
I've been reading about setting up a compound bow and the ammount of variables involved are staggering. Where do I start?
I have a Genisis Pro. bow with a Cavalier stinger rest, no sight. The draw weight is right in the middle of it's range at about 25lbs. This is comfortable for me and has stopped me putting arrows through the target at short range and into the garage door. 30" fiberglass arrows that are not shattering like the first dozen ceder arrows I started with. I can shoot a nice tight group at about 20 meters, too tight sometimes as I have a pile of nocks and splinters in a box.
I think my rest should be ajusted and I am currently trying different positions and angles.
Any pointers would be gratefully received. Thanks in advance
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Re: Brand new archer...
Tue, March 23, 2004 - 6:44 AMHm. I don't have any experience with compound bows. Where do you buy your supplies? If you get them at an Archery supply shop, they may be able to help you more. If you don't get your stuff from an Archery supply shop, you might want to see if you can find one somewhat near you. Check your local yellow pages and see what you can find.
Good luck. Sorry I can't be of more help.
~ Joy ~
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Unsu...
Re: Brand new archer...
Sat, June 26, 2004 - 11:29 PMI don't shoot a compound, but I do know that if the arrows are not intended for the draw weight of the bow they will either shatter (if the arrow "spine" is too light) or simply drop like logs (if the arrow "spine" is too heavy). "Spine" is how much force, or draw weight an arrow can handle; if your bow is set to 25 lbs. draw weight the arrows should be matched to it with a spine of 20-30 lbs. It could be that the cedar arrows you stated with were too light in spine...
First of all, you should work on getting your "form" down to something that is comfortable for you. Don't worry so much about putting arrows in the center of the target until your form is steady and consistent. Practice your draw, being sure to bring your string hand to the exact same place EVERY time you draw (this is called your "anchor point"); be sure to hold the bow in the same place EVERY time you draw; hold the bow the same way EVERY time; lastly, when you release the string, do not pull back further ("plucking" the string) as doing so will only tend to throw off your aim. Shooting form is paramount to good shooting and placing arrows where you want them go. Having a good, matched set of arrows made up for your bow and your draw length helps, too.
Take your bow to a reputable shop (preferably one run by someone who actually shoots bows) and have it "tuned in" by someone who knows how to do it.
Good luck with the archery!
--Artúr Dúbh Maca'Gobhaínn - Archer/Fletcher
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Re: Brand new archer...
Tue, June 29, 2004 - 5:10 AMSome folks like to use a "kisser button" so they get a consistent 'anchor point'.
How are you aiming without a sight?
Do you use any kind of stabilizers at all?
(I'm just curious on those last two. You seem to have no problems with your aim... ) -
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Unsu...
Re: Brand new archer...
Tue, June 29, 2004 - 8:26 PMHeyla, SilverUnicorn. Thought I'd answer your questions from a stick-shooter's view.
Since I am a "traditional" (some would say "instinctive") shooter, I do not use sights or stabilizers on my "stick" bow - besides which, the group I shoot with does not allow such devices (we are a Mediaeval re-creation/re-enactment group). I know it may sound a little strange to some people, especially the compound users, but my aiming method is to not really aim at all; I just sort of line up the tip of the arrow with a spot off to the side of the target and a little above center - the height depends on the yardage involved, because of that nasty habit of any missile to drop in trajectory. Less distance to the target means I "aim" closer to the center of the target. For my anchor point, I place my thumb joint (the one just "above" the nail) at the bottom rear of my jawbone.
Twenty meteres is not really all that much distance - roughly equal to 22 yards, so my guess is that "Britishink" doesn't have to do much aiming to hit the mark in front of his garage. He is drawing only 25 lbs, and most likely holding about ten lbs before release.
--Artúr Dúbh Maca'Gobhaínn - Archer/Fletcher -
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Re: Brand new archer...
Sun, July 4, 2004 - 4:30 AMNo, it doesn't sound strange to me at all. I've done that before. I sometimes still do. Depends on my mood.
I shoot a 30# take-down recurve that I earned at the local Archery shop when I was on the InterCollegiate Archery team in Jr. College.
Are you in the SCA? If so, where are you located? (I'm in the Province of the Mists. I used to be a part of the Shire of Beaconsgate, but the group dissolved back at the end of 1997.) -
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Unsu...
Re: Brand new archer...
Tue, July 6, 2004 - 9:22 PMYes I am in the SCA, in Sunny, Tropical Minnesota - currently about 68 degrees F. and raining! Getting ready to go to "Warriors & Warlords XI", in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. This year part of the novelty shooting will be a mock cell phone shoot and a mock pager shoot...it just might be more fun than "killing" Barney the Purple Plush Toy! (did you know that Barney is sort of "armor plated"? It's true! It takes a direct hit to get an arrow to stick good!) ;-)
--Artúr Dúbh Maca'Gobhaínn (without the little "hash" marks: Artur Dubh Maca Gobhainn) - Archer/Fletcher in the Barony of Nordskogen, Kingdom of Northshield(in October)
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Re: Brand new archer...
Wed, September 8, 2004 - 5:13 AMSounds like you're doing pretty well already.
First, if you're shooting through your target, consider going to a home supply store like home depot and getting yourself a straw bale to put behind your target. Wheat straw bales are only a couple of bucks, as in 2-3 dollars US, and don't weigh that much. Plus, when you shoot them up, you can use them as mulch.
Secondly, try paper tuning your bow. you'll need to make or buy a frame to shoot through. Usually when you make one, it's wood. make it about 50-60 centimeters across and tack some paper in the open space. Newsprint works well. Just like a painter's canvas. Then, shoot through the paper using your best form.
this will give you an indicator of how your arrows are traveling and what forces are acting upon them since the paper will show a cartoon like opening of the arrow's shape after it passes through.
Compounds must be tuned this way to acheive maximum accuracy. So, don't put it off...
A perfectly tuned bow will leave a hole that looks like an exact representation of the diameter of the arrow shaft, fletchings, and that's it. A hole that is torn, exaggerated, etc, will indicate where you need to tune the rest, nocks, plunger, etc.
This will also show you how much sloppy shooting form can make a difference in how much an arrow can porpoise, spiral, or weave as opposed to true flight that comes from good form.
I realize that this is a very generic reply, so if you need more info feel free to ask.