first Bow

[RobisMarshall]

I just bought a PSE Stalker with a 50 pound draw its my first bow I also bough a youth bow for my girl friend with either an 18 or 20 pound draw should i use hers first or should i try to learn on mine is the pse stalker a good bow?

[Steve Cover]

In my opinion 50 pounds is too much draw weight for a learning bow.
Archery skills require lots of practice and your archery muscles need to be developed.
To develop the correct technique you need a bow light enough to draw consistently lots of times.
This will develop your "muscle memory" and develop your unused archery muscles.

If you haven't done so, I suggest that you read all of the previous threads on the subject.
There is a lot of good information there and several differing opinions for you to consider.

Personally, I recommend that you don't shoot your 50 pounder (and develop any early learning bad habits due to fighting the weight) until you have about 500 arrows down range from the light weight bow.
By then you should have a consistent technique learned and be in better "archery" shape.
Shooting a half dozen arrows from the heavier bow at a session then will now allow you to build up to the heavier weight without losing your technique.

Steve

[flyfisher66048]

Congrats on the new bow, you'll have lots of fun with it.

I guess it depends how strong you are to start with.  If you are a cross fit/P90x animal, go ahead and start with the 50 lb bow.  I would recommend you get a book/video/instruction on how to shoot a traditional bow.  My favorite book is called "Be the Arrow" by Bryon ferguson.  Bryon teaches a method of using the arrow point as a reference for aiming.  It has worked well for me.   I tried to shoot instinctive for 3 years as taught by Fred Ashbel in his books.  It did not work for me even though I was shooting 3-4 times a week.  I could not get good past 20-25 yards.  (No need to flame me if it works for you, I know this is my shortcoming.)

It is better to shoot a few arrows (10-15) every day,rather than trying to shoot 50 arrows once a week.  You will develop bad habbits doing this.  When you start, shoot at close range 7-10 yards with a big target.  You want to focus on form first, and doing everything the same way for every shot.  This is getting the feel for shooting.  You should start mentally calling your shots.  That was a good one or that one is to the right.  Once you can do this, you can figure out what is causing those good and bad shots.  I also recommend you initially shoot from one distance rather than shooting a shot at 10, 15, 20, 25.  This will allow you to develop a mental picture of what you need to see to make a 20 yards shot.  Once you get better you can start mixing it up for fun.  A little focused training goes a long way.

 There is a device called a clicker you can attach to your bow for practice.  One end is sticky and goes on the bow, and a sting is tied on the bow string.  Once set, it clicks when you have reached full draw.  This teaches you to come to full draw lengh for every shot which is critical for accurate shooting.  You'll have to take if off for hunting:-)

If you are planning on hunting you have to determine your effective range.  Here is how I do that; place a paper plate on your target from a known distance, say 15 yards.  If you hit the target with your first arrow, you take one step back for your first shot the next time you shoot.  It you miss, you take a step forward the next time.  This will give you a good idea over time of your effective range based on accuracy.   I will not shoot at a deer past 30 yards due to arrow speed, and the chance of a deer jumping the string.  This is just me, not saying that anyone else should.

Good luck with the new bow!

[RobisMarshall]

Thanks for the advice guys I ordered them on amazon and the youth bow came in first good thing too considering your advice ill try to get about 3 or 4 hundred shots down range before i even attempt the 50

[Steve Cover]

Addenda reminder:

The two bows will require different arrows.

Always match arrow stiffness to the weight of your bow.

A properly splined arrow will curve around the bow giving a true accurate flight

Too limp an arrow can break when shot in a heavy bow.

Here is a short video showing the importance of matching stiffness to bow weight.
Notice what happens when he goes to lighter and lighter arrow stiffness.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/WzWrcpzuAp8?feature=player

Too stiff an arrow will slap the side of the bow and fly way wide when shot in a light bow.

Steve

[RobisMarshall]

@ steve Cover
I made my  arrows out of dow rods from home depo cut the notches to fit the string on both bows and used sharped fragments of a can from cand food for the tips which i cut slits into and glued in with duck tape fletches there the right length to my pull will these be goo arrows?

[Steve Cover]

@ steve Cover
I made my  arrows out of dow rods from home depo cut the notches to fit the string on both bows and used sharped fragments of a can from cand food for the tips which i cut slits into and glued in with duck tape fletches there the right length to my pull will these be goo arrows?

From your description it is hard for me to tell.
Chances are not at all.

As earlier stated, arrows need to be stiffness matched to a bow to fly right.
Your arrows may be a correct match for one of your bows, but can't be a match for both bows.

A little more about stiffness and arrow making:
Wood arrows naturally have a grain aspect.
Wood grain should be straight along the entire length of the arrow.
Any other orientation like found in cheap dowels can be dangerous.
(You don't want a 3/8th inch sliver in your bow arm.)

Also, the tree ring pattern visible at each end of the arrow shaft must be perpendicular to the string of each arrow.
Arrows are stiffer against this grain than with it.
Randomly clock nocked arrows will bend differently than each other and be unable to group together. (No accuracy)

Arrows also need to be balanced to some extent.
Larger fletch helps keep the center of gravity in a reasonable location when using heavier arrow heads.
For light weight target points, a smaller fletch is needed.
Your duck tape fletching may work fine... Be sure to trim them all to the same shape.

There are several steps in making good arrows in a wilderness survival situation.
Balancing weight and stiffness still come into play.

Trying to learn to shoot with unmatched arrows is near impossible.

You don't need a set of expensive match grade target arrows, but you do need a good set for each bow.

You get what you pay for.


Steve

[Steve Cover]

More on arrows.

Here is a short video on the basics.

http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIUPqEhRAX4Aiir8w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTBzNDFydTBvBHNlYwNjZC1leHAEc2xrA2V4cAR2dGlkA1YxMzE-?p=arrow+making&vid=c9e746daddde64f28a65c02a50c91529&ct=p&l=6%3A27&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DV.4909539382329514%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DUpKDsQCoC50&tit=Arrow+Making&c=1&sigr=11a3kevkd&back=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%3Fei%3DUTF-8%26p%3Darrow%2Bmaking%26fr%3Dyfp-t-900-32&sigb=126lcb75k&b=0&age=0&&tt=s

I can't over emphasize the importance of learning to shoot using good arrows.

Steve

[RobisMarshall]

sorry for the stupid questions but just trying to make sure im grasping the concept, He was talking about the v's is that the tree ring you're talking about? if so i just need to make sure that they go straight the length of the dowel before i use it?


then how do i check the grain and what exactly am i looking for for a 50 pound bow and i dont have any tools to check the stiffness like in the video, is there any way of checking it with out that tool? thanks for all the help

Rob

[Steve Cover]

sorry for the stupid questions but just trying to make sure im grasping the concept, He was talking about the v's is that the tree ring you're talking about? if so i just need to make sure that they go straight the length of the dowel before i use it?

then how do i check the grain and what exactly am i looking for for a 50 pound bow and i dont have any tools to check the stiffness like in the video, is there any way of checking it with out that tool? thanks for all the help

Rob

No such thing as a stupid question, Rob.
We all started where you are and would have never learned anything if we hadn't asked.

Here is a site that addresses arrow making pretty well.

www.stickbow.com/stickbow/arrowbuilding

There is an illustration in the nock alignment section showing how the wood grain should be aligned for all arrows.
He also goes into detail on how to determine your draw length.

You really need to buy some ready made arrows to match your bow before you try to make any.

Good low end arrows run about $45.00 a half dozen.
Premium wood arrows can cost as much as $90.00, but you don't need those to learn with.
You save a little per arrow by getting a dozen, but are now in the $100.00+ cost range.

A set of arrows for a 20 pound bow shouldn't be nearly as expensive.
Just be sure they match the bow weight.

Here are a couple of sites that offer finished arrows:

The first is the Footed Shaft.
I've been dealing with Lamont for some time.
I get all of my arrow building material from him.
He and his staff are very knowledgeable and can help you decide on your best options.

www.footedshaftllc.com/catalog
888.288.7581

His cedar hunting arrows are an excellent bargain at $45.00 a half dozen.
They would be my choice for your 50 pound bow.
His staff will cut them to your draw length and put points on them for you. (cost of points is extra)
I suggest field points... Get their opinion.
Also ask about getting a set of matched arrows for the 20 pounder.
They should be relatively inexpensive.

Another place to check out is Rose City Archery.

www.rosecityarchery.com

They also offer a good line of finished wooden arrows.
Their prices are a little higher, and are sold by the dozen, but the arrows are also a little nicer.

If you decide that you really like archery and want to expand, making your own strings and arrows is a hobby all its own.
Once you get the kind of expensive tools, you can save big time on equipment and customize it to your wants.

Good luck,

Steve

[RobisMarshall]

ok thanks for all the advice ill check out those sites and prob get the wood half dozen i want to start making them to save money though they do get expensive but i will def take your advice and work with pre fit ones whats the best way to check my draw length i Know its gonna be long i am six 4 so i know cheap arrows wont cut it

[RobisMarshall]

So I have been shooting for a couple days now i cant get consistent I am using no sight but and until the arrows i ordered come in i know im using ones to short for me but still what is the best way to hold and release my string and am i just looking down the straight of the arrow?

[PistolWhipped]

Here's a GREAT site on aiming the traditional bow.

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1775877

[arrowbreaker]

Apart from those old red fibreglass longbows in highschool I really began learning archery with a Martin Jaguar recurve, it's 45 pounds which really like a 50 pound is not ideal and I'm forever looking for something around 30-35 pounds because there really is only so many times you can shoot it without getting kinda sore.  I usually fire around 2 dozen arrows at a time and after 3 or 4 rounds of that I'm feeling a bit busted and my shooting isn't so great.

I got a PSE Snake which is 22 pounds - that was a mistake, great looking and cheap bow but it's just not enough power to be any kind of distance from target - i'm thinking a shorter string for it maybe, I draw around 32" and it's 22pounds at 28" and still not enough - how a kid is supposed to use I have no idea, some really light arrows I guess

[helix2301]

I just bought a PSE Stalker with a 50 pound draw its my first bow I also bough a youth bow for my girl friend with either an 18 or 20 pound draw should i use hers first or should i try to learn on mine is the pse stalker a good bow?

I been die hard bow hunter most of my life good luck and enjoy its so much fun and challenging.