The New Science Of Archery

[EricW]

Man, archery just sucks anymore. Only been back shooting about two weeks and I'm already just pissed with it. Technology has just freaking ruined the sport to the point where there's no sport left. It's all about gear. And now, 17 years after I bought my present bow, it's so goddamned complicated it's almost impossible to know what to get. When I started, there were aluminum arrows. Easton made them and that was that. You read the chart, and bought your arrows. I could handle that before I got my high school diploma. Simple.

These days, I've got a degree in physics and electrical engineering and I'm still too stupid to order a dozen carbon arrows in the correct size. That'll take 3 or 4 long distance phone calls to get straight... Buying arrows is one thing the internet didn't make easier.

Every modern publication on archery and/or bowhunting blows chunks. Byron Fergusonis one of about five guys that's written an intelligent book on archery. Aside from that, reading any type of archery publication just about sends me into manic depression. Gear gear gear. It's all about the gear. Shooting? What the F is THAT? There's absolutely no discussion of it ANYWHERE.

Think you can escape the crap by resorting to traditional archery? Think again. What's on the cover of the trad. archery mags? "How to Crest Your Arrows in Genuine Snakeskin." And no, I'm not making that up. Who the **** cares?!! Isn't the objective to put arrows on target?!! I guess when you suck at shooting, you hole up in your cabin and make snakeskin arrows. Losers....

Enough of this BS. Come spring I'm ordering a Martin Vision and putting this bullshit techno-dweeb crapola as far behind me as I can get it. I'll be the pathetic loser with nothing bolted to his bow, nothing besides feathers glued onto his arrows, and who won't be invited to a bowhunting fashion show any time in the near future.

[AikiDale]

http://www.kyudo-wa.org/

[EricW]

I was kind of hoping that I could skip past "How to Write Haiku On Your Fletching" right onto "Visually Estimating the Range of the Great Wapiti While One is Wet, Cold, And Hungry."

[Clay1]

Eric, Archery is a big topic just like handguns. We tend to think USPSA on this board and we tolerate some IDPA discussion it seems. There is more - handgun hunting, bullseye etc.

Archery is the same. No matter what they tell you bows are not that much farther along than they were 10 years ago as far as velocity. A high performance bow still does between 230 and 240 fps AMO. They try to inflate the numbers by using IBO ratings but the efficiency of the gear is similar to what it has been.

Just like in this game some like open or limited or production. Some shoot traditional, or adds sights and a hook (release). Just find what you like and go for it. One comment that most shooters will identify with and that is that you can get so good shooting in the back yard by yourself, but to really advance you need to be around other archers or other USPSA shooters that are better than you are. You will learn alot from a local club.

Right now for new equipment the hot set ups seem to be the Mathews solocams or offerings from Hoyt. Have fun with your renewed interest in Archery. I still love the lack of muffs when I shoot archery compared to handguns.

[ipscron2000]

EricW

Go out and kick their ass with the OLD STANDARD equiptment. Then smile.

Just like IPSC. Give BE a $300 gun and set up and give me a $4000 gun and rig and guess who wins????? Not Me.

It's more about know how than equiptment.

[zhunter]

Merlin is the guy to ask about shooting, I "might" be the guy to ask about hunting

I am sure there is lot's of knowledge on this site for archery.

I use a compond bow, and have a pretty good understanding of what is up.

[tightloop]

MERLIN is the man to ask about shooting.....where have I been, what could I have been thinking NOT to have seen that?

[MikeFoley]

If it makes you feel any better, Roy Grimes with the KY Dept. of Fish & Wildlife Resources, who invented the Archery in the Schools Program that other states and countries now use shared with the youth at our club last weekend. He starts with a simple loop he calls a string bow, and eventully has young archers shooting Genesis Bows and having great fun. Everything he says is so positive. The end results are less abscences on archery day, kids feeling better about them selves, some feeling significantly better, higher grades (math, geometry, physics), more physical activity, more competitive spirit, team building skills, etc. I wish I had the exact stats because it is impressive.

I personally didn't do archery as a child, or as an adult, but had to pick it up for an ironman competition, now I have shot it 3 times, and it is great fun. Still don't have any gear, and it looks way more intimidating that Limited raceguns to try to figure out.

Just keep it real Eric, and shoot what you like.

[Merlin Orr]

Good choice, Eric. Another wonderful bow is made by these guys. Unfortunately their website does Not reflect their skill at bow making...

[Viggen]

Longbow and Recurve are the way to go, good for the soul.

Glad to hear you are getting away from industrial archery.

[pisgahrifle]

Yeah, I guess you need to hop over all the froo-froo folks to get to real traditional archery- it really is the way to go.

Besides, who wants to be seen out in public with training wheels on their bow?

[SiG Lady]

"Besides, who wants to be seen out in public with training wheels on their bow?"

...all the while looking like some kind of huge orthodontic headgear appliance!

Gah, whatever happened to bows 'n arrows...??

[Singlestack]

Give me Industrial Baby!!

I shoot a Mathews Z-Max

[cpty1]

I see you're a multi-sport gamer!

[texasag93]

I own 4 bows, all but one have "training wheels". There is nothing wrong with training wheels, it is all about what you are into. I shoot one recurve for bow fishing. It does well for that. I shoot a Mathews MQ1 for hunting. I will take a compound any day for hunting big game. Yes, there are many gimmecks in archery. Everyone has a better mouse trap. I shoot the basics. I don't have anything fancy or complicated. I do shoot carbon arrows. They are more durable, faster and have better penetration than aluminum. This is a very good forum for archery questions. www.texasbowhunter.com That is another sight I have out on alot. Good bunch of guys.

[EricW]

Range Report:

I tried to shoot my compound a la Howard Hill: tilted about 45 degrees, no sights and no release. I'm amazed at how viable of a technique it is. Once you adopt the technique, the bow becomes remarkably distance insensitive. It's really easy to walk 5 or 10 paces forward or backward and still be on target.

Shooting a compound bow with bare fingers, however, is not the smartest thing I've ever done...

Medical Report:

My middle finger is still numb from pinching a nerve. I'm slowly regaining sensation in it. There's no pain, but unless I can overcome the nerve pinch with a boned glove, the likelihood of my taking the longbow is looking pretty dim.

Moral:

62+ inch longbows were made to shoot using fingers. 36" compounds are not...

I've got several bag targets set up in the back yard. My new upper-body exercise is to boogie around the back 5 acres shooting at targets at random distances. Things are getting better. If I can keep the arrows vertically within 2/3 of a brisket, I'll be happy and will forgo the rangefinder.

For some reason, trading the Limited gun for the bow for a couple of weeks has made the Limited gun seem easier again. Makes no sense, but my index is better now.

[Scooter]

Most people haven't put red dots on their bows yet.

I used to work next door to an archery shop. The owner was great. He knew exactly what works and what doesn't. When he wasn't working, he was out hunting and guiding. It is so much simpler to go in a buy what I needed that he knows will work than to figure out what is needed on the internet.

[JD45]

EricW,

If he is the same as he used to be, you need to see some of Dan Fitzgerald's old videos. I think he mostly uses a compound bow, but he used to preach keeping it simple. He could shoot with no pins or peeps.

On one of his videos he took a cheap $89 compound bow out of the box, with nothing on it, and showed people that it would shoot fine if you knew what you were doing.

The bad news is I don't think he has ever written a book, and I can't remember the titles of his earliest videos. Here is his website: http://www.teamfitzgerald.com/index.htm

Take a look at his motorsports section for fun.

Believe me, the guy loves to hunt.

[zhunter]

Give me Industrial Baby!! 

I shoot a Mathews Z-Max 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I got my Lion with a Z-Max

[Singlestack]

I got my Lion with a Z-Max

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have been thinking about this for a couple of days now and I still can't think of anything to say but "WOW". Dude, you have a BIG pair.

[EricW]

OK, I give, what's a Z-Max? I can't find it on Mathews's site for whatever reason. The bow on their front page bears a suspicious resemblance to the old Dynabow, which I find amusing in a back-to-the-future kind of way.

The other thing that strikes me as silly, in general industry terms, is that maximum pulls have not increased as letoff has improved. My old Martin has a lousy 45% letoff. Now, it's up to 80%. If we're all hell-bent on arrow speed, why not build a 100 lb compound bow? You'll only have to hold 20.

Bunch a dang girly men running through the woods I tell ya....

[Merlin Orr]

I kinda equate a longbow shooter with a revolver shooter. A breed apart!

Oh My but does it feel good to beat a bunch of the wheelbow shooters in a tournament with a stickbow!

[Singlestack]

OK, I give, what's a Z-Max? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mathews has discontinued the Z-Max. It is a bad-ass short, fast, harsh, very unforgiving bow. It cracks like a .22. I have chroned mine at 318 fps.

The first deer I shot with it I was on the ground and the deer was facing me. The arrow entered the left front shoulder and exited the right rear hindquarter.

[EricW]

OK, I give, what's a Z-Max? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mathews has discontinued the Z-Max. It is a bad-ass short, fast, harsh, very unforgiving bow. It cracks like a .22. I have chroned mine at 318 fps.

The first deer I shot with it I was on the ground and the deer was facing me. The arrow entered the left front shoulder and exited the right rear hindquarter.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I found it finally. What does it have, like a 5" brace? That's what I'd call unforgiving allright.

I think my bow chronos somewhere in the low 200's. I'm so not worthy...

[uscbigdawg]

Eric,

I feel your pain. The girlfriend (yeah...got a divorce since I've been in country...but luckily have a great one in her place ) has taken up archery and its got my juices flowin' again. About 20 years ago, I did field archery with my Dad and without sounding arrogant was not too shabby. I shot instinctive with a compound. Simple 2 wheel, aluminum arrows. Now that I'm shopping for a new bow, it seriously requires a dang engineering degree.

Shoot...we (my Dad and I) found out he can't even shoot carbon arrows on his Falcon 'cause the bow literally shoots too fast and generates too much torque for them 'cause it was designed per ABO standards and the IBO is crap.

That said, I'm looking at Martin and Hoyt compounds for field archery and some target archery at indoor facilities. Any recommendations? I need help! On the Hoyt side I've got it down to the Montega or the UltraElite XT3500. I'll shoot with my fingers still 'cause releases are for sissies that don't know how to shoot. Sights are bad enough but get these idiots that use overdraws, releases, scopes and levels and give me a break. 80% let off my butt. My old bow had a 30% letoff and a draw weight of 60 pounds. I was 12...suck it up.

Any info is appreciated.

Rich