# Where to start to give Traditional a try



## J-Rod (Jan 24, 2015)

I've been looking in to traditional archery and I want to try my hand at it. There's alot of different bows. Recurve, stick bow, traditional and so on. With a compound you can go buy a cheap package to get ya started but I don't see anything like this for the traditional side of things. I have no idea where to start so any help would be appreciated. Also, do y'all have issues with penetration? What kind of poundage are y'all drawing? I really am oblivious to it all.


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## 2wheelfoster (Jan 24, 2015)

Welcome to the fun!!! Best thing to do is head to either the NGT or SGT shoots. There is a schedule with directions on the forum. There will be plenty of different bows there to try out. If you are just starting out...45 - 50 lbs will be plenty. Don't start out with to much weight. This weight is plenty to hunt with also, there are plenty of folks on here that have killed many critters with 45-50 lb bows. 
I am in the Ola area and will be heading to the NGT shoot in February if you want to head up with me. I have a 45 lb Bear Montanna that I can let you shoot if you would like. Shoot me a PM if you are interested.


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## RonsPlc (Jan 24, 2015)

You could pick up a Samick Sage for a reasonable price (Around 150). It is a bow that you can grow with as you get better. I would start with a set of limbs in the 35-40 LB range to start, then as your form, and accuracy improves, you could get the heavier ones for hunting.


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## Munkywrench (Jan 24, 2015)

45-50 is too much to start with. It's doable but you have to work up to being able to draw with proper form. Start with lower poundage and you will be able to focus on form, not on getting the string back (it's nothing like a compound). Like said before, come to a shoot and you will learn a lot. Read and watch videos and practice, practice, practice.


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## Allen Oliver (Jan 24, 2015)

RonsPlc said:


> You could pick up a Samick Sage for a reasonable price (Around 150). It is a bow that you can grow with as you get better. I would start with a set of limbs in the 35-40 LB range to start, then as your form, and accuracy improves, you could get the heavier ones for hunting.



Ron's is dead on with his suggestions. I had a sage and it is a great bow for the money.


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## SELFBOW (Jan 24, 2015)

I practiced w a 20# bow for a while and it really helped w form. Switched to 3 under during that practice as well.  You can get a low # bow for a little money....


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## J-Rod (Jan 24, 2015)

Where's the best place to buy one?


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## SELFBOW (Jan 24, 2015)

3Rivers has a 20-25#@28"   Mocking Jay 58" youth bow for $80. Good for practice.


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## JBranch (Jan 24, 2015)

http://www.3riversarchery.com/Samick+Sage+62%26quot%3B+Takedown+Recurve+Bow_i2490X_variablekit.html

Try here.  I would get the optional bear hair rest and plate for 7.95 so you shoot "off the shelf". 

If I had to start at the beginning again, I would go to a shoot first and try out some different bows to see what I liked. Then I would go and look for a bow at a shop like Big Jims or P&A so someone could assist me with the initial setup ( like getting your arrows spined correctly and so on). These are the things I struggled with the most initially. Plenty of fine folks around here that will help with anything you have problems with. Good luck and welcome.


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## 2wheelfoster (Jan 24, 2015)

Check out Army Navy in Stockbridge....they have stocked them for our 4-H program. In fact....I am headed there today and I will let you know what they have.


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## J-Rod (Jan 24, 2015)

2wheelfoster said:


> Check out Army Navy in Stockbridge....they have stocked them for our 4-H program. In fact....I am headed there today and I will let you know what they have.



That would be great!


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## Al33 (Jan 24, 2015)

Many of us have bows we no longer need and are willing to sell. They can usually be found at the shoots. At the NGTA shoot in Gainsville each month we have a bow rack where sellers can show what they have available and potential buyers can shoot them on the spot. Best advice I can give is not to get in a hurry buying a bow. And, for what it's worth, I do not think 45-50 pounds is too heavy to start with if you are of average+ strength for a grown man.


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## J-Rod (Jan 24, 2015)

Al33 said:


> Many of us have bows we no longer need and are willing to sell. They can usually be found at the shoots. At the NGTA shoot in Gainsville each month we have a bow rack where sellers can show what they have available and potential buyers can shoot them on the spot. Best advice I can give is not to get in a hurry buying a bow. And, for what it's worth, I do not think 45-50 pounds is too heavy to start with if you are of average+ strength for a grown man.



I don't know if I'm average when it comes to strength or not. I'm a small frame guy at about 160 pounds. I shoot 70 pounds on my compound. Not sure how that equates to a recurve weight though.


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## Bucky T (Jan 24, 2015)

I just jumped into the fray so to speak.  lol

Had a couple of friends who got into it right before I did.  I just listened to their tips from getting started and went from there.

I didn't do the buy a used bow with light poundage deal.  I went all in and purchased a custom recurve made just for me.  

62" 56lbs @28"  I learned to shoot it just fine.  I'm sort of a natural when it comes to shooting anything, so it didn't take me long to figure it out.  On a target that is................

Live critters was a whole other ballgame!!!  CensoredCensoredCensoredCensored!!

I started in 2011 and I'm finally starting to feel fully confident while in the woods hunting with it.

Wouldn't trade it for anything!!!  I really enjoy shooting my trad bow and hunting with it!!

Good Luck and if you have any questions, fire me a pm and I'll do my best to help you out.

BuckyT


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## 2wheelfoster (Jan 24, 2015)

J-Rod said:


> That would be great!



The have a wall full of GreatTree and PSE Recurves for $150 and up.


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## J-Rod (Jan 24, 2015)

2wheelfoster said:


> The have a wall full of GreatTree and PSE Recurves for $150 and up.



Awesome. Thank you.


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## 1gr8bldr (Jan 24, 2015)

If you have a little extra money, but a used DAS. This way you get a great bow. One that you can keep and have no need to upgrade. But one that will resale overnight if you decide not to continue. Something like this, just lower poundage ;
http://tradtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50921


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## deast1988 (Jan 24, 2015)

Pm me I'll meet up with you at DNR Charlie Eliott let you shoot what I have. See if you find something to your liking.


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## oldfella1962 (Jan 25, 2015)

If you want to go traditional, I totally agree about going to a shoot and getting help or at least a good pro-shop near you they have experience with.
The people at Cabelas or wherever know their compounds, but traditional not so much. Also, their inventory of 
traditional gear won't be much. 

Agree about starting out light, and here's why:
learning traditional means shooting a lot...I mean a lot...
of arrows. If you get too much bow, you have to sell it and buy a lighter one, then sell _it_ and go back to a heavier one eventually. 

Buy a light bow and you only have to sell it and buy one more (heavier) bow eventually. It just makes economic sense. Ask me how I know this. 

Agree the Sage is a good bow. Samick has about a dozen take-downs just like it, but for some reason the Sage caught on via word-of-mouth I guess.

I had a Samick SLB longbow and it was great - the quietest bow I have ever shot in my life. It didn't make any more noise than a bumble-bee flying around you. And inexpensive too, like most Samick bows.


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## J-Rod (Jan 25, 2015)

Well fellas. I just went to a local shop and shot a recurve for the first time. It's official. I'm getting one. It was a blast. I dare so more fun than shooting my compound. Obviously I was not as accurate but it's completly diffrent too.  I shot a 60 inch 45# PSE they had. It is $150 new. They had a few others a little more expensive and said they had a big shipment of Great Tree bows coming in that would be about the same price point. That Samick that was recommended still seems like the crowd favorite though. I need to go to one of the shoots too. I'm fired up about this. Can't wait to get better.


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## Gigantor (Jan 25, 2015)

*Bit by traditional*

There is something about shooting a bow like they have for thousands of years. The crew at ngt made us feel like we were part of them and had a great shoot. My son and I both have the samick and I'm sure we'll will have more bows as we get better. We even just put our compounds up for sale. It is very addictive and a lot more fun to me. My wife and daughter have even been shooting a little and enjoying it.


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## Dennis (Jan 26, 2015)

Samick Sage is the best bow for the money there is. It really shoots as good as a lot of custom bows out there


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## oldfella1962 (Jan 26, 2015)

Last night at the grocery store the checkout girl saw my Appling Archers shirt and said she almost had a nice bow for Christmas but her mom couldn't afford the 150 dollars. Wish I had a bow around light enough to get her started. I told her I wasn't an Appling Archer I just went to one of their shoots and that they are great people and to look them up if she's interested. Anything to get kids outside and in the outdoors sounds okay to me!


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## 1gr8bldr (Jan 26, 2015)

Welcome to the fun side


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## Todd Cook (Jan 26, 2015)

Dennis said:


> Samick Sage is the best bow for the money there is. It really shoots as good as a lot of custom bows out there



He's right, as bad as I hate to admit it( at least concerning new bows anyway.) I cant buy the parts and build one for myself any cheaper than they sell those for.


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## Todd Cook (Jan 26, 2015)

About the draw weight and penetration question: I like mine in the 60# range and have never had penetration problems, more pass throughs than not. That weight is very comfortable to me. I've got a Black Widow that's 72# at my draw length, and I can shoot it fine, but it hurts my shoulder. ( Apparently my 46 year old shoulder and my 21 year old brain disagree   )

I say shoot as much as you can build up to. As long as you can control it, and you don't hurt yourself, I don't think it's too much. Opinions will vary.


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## Hammer Spank (Jan 27, 2015)

With what we know about heavy arrows and FOC these days, you do not need to shoot heavy poundage bows for deer sized game.  I shoot my bows in the 50-57# at 28" range and I only draw to 26".  I've killed deer, bear, and pigs with these setups and have had considerably better penetration than when I shot compounds.  I hit a deer in the spine this year with my 56# black widow and the arrow actually separated the spine in two.  I've never seen that before.  Last year, I killed a bear with the same bow that was coming down a tree.  It was a 200+# sow and the arrow entered just in front of the hams and exited through the sternum bone.  I shoot 600-610 grain arrows with 300 grain head and insert combo.  

As far as getting into it, I doubt you will look back.  This is my fourth season shooting trad and I sold my compound during the first one.  I am considerably more successful in the woods now than I used to be with a compound.  It is just more natural to me.  

Good Luck!!


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## deast1988 (Jan 27, 2015)

He might be hooked!! ;-)


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## J-Rod (Jan 27, 2015)

deast1988 said:


> High might be hooked!! ;-)


Yes sir I am. David and his brother met me after work today and let me shot 4 different bows to test the waters a bit. Of the four he had I found myself spending more time with his Hoyt Buffalo. It's definatly a nice bow and probably felt better to me bc I am used to a compound. Either way they were all very nice and shot well. As far as me buying my first I'll probably look for something a little lighter in weight so I can focus on form and technique. If anybody has a good 40# laying around I might be interested. Thanks to David and Micah for showing me the ropes.


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## deast1988 (Jan 27, 2015)

J-Rod said:


> Yes sir I am. David and his brother met me after work today and let me shot 4 different bows to test the waters a bit. Of the four he had I found myself spending more time with his Hoyt Buffalo. It's definatly a nice bow and probably felt better to me bc I am used to a compound. Either way they were all very nice and shot well. As far as me buying my first I'll probably look for something a little lighter in weight so I can focus on form and technique. If anybody has a good 40# laying around I might be interested. Thanks to David and Micah for showing me the ropes.



Just let me know, if you wanna shoot again.


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