First bow - Samick Sage

[dbHunterNY]

i'm late to the party.  Moog has this thread handled! lol  i completely agree.  i'm between 5'-11" and 6'-0" and have been at 200+lb forever.  i'm more a fluffy dad bod 215 lbs now.  anyway i figured 45lb @28" weight was light enough but honestly i could've gone lighter when i started.  40 would've been and still would be nice.  i don't shoot gap or string walk/fixed crawl.  i shoot 1 up 2 down purely instinctive but then i can notice the blurred arrow in the sight picture.  it's more of a "check" than anything and don't really pay much attention.  problem is it's a bigger learning curve to start but feel when i'm practiced up and on a good day the arrow just goes where i'm looking as it's supposed too.  maybe i'm dumb but it will open the door to get rusty in a hurry.  it's like throwing a baseball.  you don't really forget any of it and can still setup up to the plate but if you haven't shot in a while you'll be a little lack luster.  so much so i'm sure it's a reason some give up.

something that hasn't been said is how much my tab or glove helped.  for hunting i liked the glove versus a tab.  also i found out not all deerskin is equal.  a damascus glove had thinner leather and helped me anchor better and feel the string more.  i shot better with it.

[left field]

Question on bow elbow. If my bow arm is extended and I flex it does my lower arm go up perpendicular to the ground or sideways across my body parallel to the ground?

[moog5050]

50 minutes ago, left field said:

Question on bow elbow. If my bow arm is extended and I flex it does my lower arm go up perpendicular to the ground or sideways across my body parallel to the ground?

If I understand the question correctly, the lower bow arm moves across the body perhaps at a slightly inclined angle if flexed (like pointing your thumb into your own chest).   If it's going towards the sky when flexed, your elbow is facing down bringing the forearm into the string path.  

Edited August 2, 2017 by moog5050

[left field]

Right, that's what I meant. The bitch is keeping my arm in the correct extended position but then twisting my wrist back to bring the bow mostly vertical. It seems to put a lot of stress on the elbow. 

Practice I guess.

[moog5050]

1 hour ago, left field said:

I am guessing that your grip needs to change   

try this.   It doesn't require that you twist your wrist to keep the elbow out   Knuckles at 45 degrees   Tuck pinky and ring finger if needed   Very loose hold on bow.  Pressure against base of thumb   

 

[left field]

That looks like it would put the bow at the 40-degree position. Is that desired? Is the arm fully extended?

I now seem to be creating all kinds of weird torque in my shoulder, elbow and wrist joint trying to keep the elbow out and the wrist anywhere from 45 - 90. 

Could be my structure. When I first saw my shirtmaker he looked at my shoulders and asked if I was in an accident.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

26 minutes ago, left field said:

That looks like it would put the bow at the 40-degree position. Is that desired? Is the arm fully extended?

I now seem to be creating all kinds of weird torque in my shoulder, elbow and wrist joint trying to keep the elbow out and the wrist anywhere from 45 - 90. 

Could be my structure. When I first saw my shirtmaker he looked at my shoulders and asked if I was in an accident.

No he is saying to cant your hand but keep the bow plumb. (or close) i believe. I shoot my compound the same way. very loose hand (or open) with the V between my thumb and index finger bearing the pressure

Edited August 3, 2017 by Culvercreek hunt club

[left field]

I clearly need a lesson at Moog's School of Fine Archery and Picking up Heavy Things.

[moog5050]

Culver nailed it.  Imagine the door frame in the background being the riser.  Its not perfectly vertical but the bow should be ( I would learn to should without canting the bow to start).    Pressure is on the base of the thumb at the meaty part of the pad of the hand.

Edited August 3, 2017 by moog5050

[the blur]

I'm weak, what's the minimum draw weight to take a deer with ?

My shoulder isn't what it was since surgery....

[Culvercreek hunt club]

21 minutes ago, the blur said:

I'm weak, what's the minimum draw weight to take a deer with ?

My shoulder isn't what it was since surgery....

has to be higher than 35#

 

Let me add this. These bows do not have a measurable defined peak poundage like a compound bow does. it will vary based on YOUR actual draw length. I believe they are all rated at 28". so if you pull longer it will be higher. shorter it will be lower. I have no idea by how much and don't know how DEC  would check it. 

Edited August 3, 2017 by Culvercreek hunt club

[Culvercreek hunt club]

47 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

Culver nailed it.  Imagine the door frame in the background being the riser.  Its not perfectly vertical but the bow should be ( I would learn to should without canting the bow to start).    Pressure is on the base of the thumb at the meaty part of the pad of the hand.

I remember years and years ago when I did target shoot with an old fiberglass long bow, canting a bow was what we did becasue we couldn't keep the arrow on the shelf...lol. too much weight and too much finger pinch so it rolled the string and the arrow popped off. Same thing happened when I started with a compound. No one I knew heard of a release and those simple flipper rests had more than one arrow pop off of them. That got my cousin in a very bad habit of putting up his index finger while drawing to hold the arrow on the rest. Didn't pose too much of a problem until we actually went hunting and that habit made his finger occupy the same space as a very sharp broad head.  

Edited August 3, 2017 by Culvercreek hunt club

[moog5050]

1 hour ago, Culvercreek hunt club said:

has to be higher than 35#

 

Let me add this. These bows do not have a measurable defined peak poundage like a compound bow does. it will vary based on YOUR actual draw length. I believe they are all rated at 28". so if you pull longer it will be higher. shorter it will be lower. I have no idea by how much and don't know how DEC  would check it. 

most bows gain 2-3lbs per inch after 28" but it does depend on the bow.  Not sure I would hunt with a recurve less than 40lbs and minimally, I would keep shots close with a lower poundage recurve or longbow (which are generally slower than recurves).

[biggamefish]

With the new bows being made some are cut to center and past. Making it possible to cant the bow without having to change the site picture much. I cant my bow and don't change anything. Also if you by a bow second hand and it was custom for someone they can be 50 at 29 or 30. They aren't always for 28 in draw length.

[left field]

Changed my grip. Now my fingers curl around and the tips of the first two press into the grip. The ring finger barely touches the grip and the pinky is extended for style. Much better. 

Also played with aim. If I focus and really really try my groups are high and to the right. (I'm a lefty.) But if I snap shoot - draw, barely aim, release - my groups are centred and tighter. 

Thoughts? 

[moog5050]

None of us are likely able to explain why the arrows impact differently other than to say form is different and I suspect you may not get to full draw/alignment when you snap shoot.  I think most people are limiting potential when snap shooting but some are great at it.  

[left field]

At this point I'm just experimenting with form and technique. I was surprised by the effect of taking my concious mind out of it. 

Think i'm still getting a full draw as I'm hitting my anchor. I just release the moment I'm there.