Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Books to improve my Trad skills

Looking for books to help me improve my traditional archery skills. I shoot split finger, instinctive, dont gap shoot, etc. Any good reads out there? I was thinking about picking up Asbell "Instinctive Shooting" but was hoping for some good testimonials before dropping $65 on a used copy.

Shoot me a pm, I think I’ve got that one I’ll send you for free…

But I think you’d be better off watching YouTube videos from Tom Clumm or The Push folks

Shooting the Stickbow by Anthony Camera.

Thanks! I used to watch some Youtube videos by Jeff Kavanaugh (sp?). He is a Canadian farmer/guide who is a master with Trad gear, moving targets, etc. great teacher as well. His stuff helped me out a bunch when I first started, but hadn't found anything after that. I'll check out your suggestions.

I've heard of that one before but no further insight. Is it primarily gear set-up or more shooting technique/practice regiment? I think I have the gear part good for now.

Shooting the Stickbow is a good book to have on hand....what really helped me to the next level was attending a class put on by Rod Jenkins some years back, I have been shooting traditional archery a long time and I learned a lot from that class and really helped me to shoot better and more consistently

Asbell"s book may help You out . I read it when I was starting out and it helped . Something about thinking like the arrow was a telephone pole I was trying to plant or something. I became really good for a short time and then got busy with work for a few years and lost it. I am trying to get back into it. I did a lot of 3D back then . I think that helped out too. there were some good guys back then that helped me out. That was 20 years ago though.

I got the first Asbell book at Cloverdale from Fred in '88.
It was OK.
Didnt get the 2nd one.
Gave my copy to a newb at work a couple yrs back.

Think YT would be better for a newb.
Stuff from

Blackmon, Welch, The Push, Iron Mind

Nothing beats actually dropping the string.
A lot.

The Witchery. Of Archery. Keep an open mind it was written I think about 150 years ago. It's more of an exercise of practice.

books:
Shooting the Stickbow.

Free vids"
"The Wedge" series on youtube. ( Archery form)
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjhb3TbQb5MHLJTbzjtvPUtjY8sRubNPI

Anything by: Jimmy Blackmon
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LceBNHj1FDM

Also, vabowdog. (Dewayne Martin), Arnie Moe (a great teacher), The Push series and others.

There are so many outstanding free trad archery vids out there. Just do a little looking. Use a light draw bow ( 30-35#) to reinforce your technique with lot of repetition.

All the above these helped me a great deal.

website:
Stickbow Leatherwall II. (trad archery)

Tony Camera ( author of Shooting the Stickbow) is a regular poster there, goes by "Viper.". Search his posts by his handle name. You will learn a lot.

Good luck.

Thanks all, YouTube’d out for the night but have much more to watch when stuck on the road traveling for work. Ordered a clicker tonight, used one before but not correctly I just learned. Looking forward to some focused bare bail practice.

I'm researching traditional gear and its overwhelming. Think I've setteled on recurve with removeable limbs. Any suggestions? No Chinese

All of the above. That book covers it all and promotes classic form. Some of the others like Asbells and TJ Conrad are more of the hump over, grip and rip it style. That works for some, but being how form is everything in Trad archery, the classic stand up straight, pull it all the way back, anchor, aim and release is much easier to repeat and have consistent accuracy with. Learn to shoot properly with a light bow then work your way up in weight gradually. It's way too much fun to shoot a heavy bow only a few times and be tuckered out.

Don't go crazy on your first bow. You don't want to spend $500-$800 on a bow then not like Trad or decide you would like a different weight, etc. There are some decent ones in the $100-$150 range (Samick Sage, etc) at Sportsman's or Cabelas that will work fine to get started with. You will likely go through several before you find what you like (if ever). Find one that is in the 28-30# range, longer the better (62"+). Get yourself 1/2 dz 700 spine carbon arrows w/ 125gr tips and 3) 3" feathers and a 3 under tab. Shoot off the shelf if that's what you like or stick a flipper type rest on it and your ready to start. This is not going to be your hunting bow, just the one to learn with. You will outgrow it, but it just does not work to skip steps. Good luck, take your time and enjoy the journey.

I have a Samick Discovery riser w/ 3 sets of limbs, arrows, tab, backpack to put it all in, stringer, etc that I would sell if you are interested. It's not a cheap setup by any means but one that you can grow with and add any weight ILF limbs that you want to when you progress into them. PM me if it sounds like something you might be interested in and I'll get you some pics and a price.

southwestarchery.com or Twigg Archery.

Spyder XL. $150. Take down recurve, AMO 64" ( very smooth shooter). 30-35# limbs to start. Limbs are about $77/set. GREAT shooting bow. Used to be called the Samick Journey, but now it is more refined. Easy decision. Get one, and don't look back. You do not have to apologize to anyone if you get one. Truly an outstanding bow, especially for the price.

I have one ( actually Samick Journey and Spyder XL), and it/ they shoot as well -or better than $600+++ bows. I have done well with it, and high!y recommend it.

BTW.......UPS left a sticker on door
Will hang around tomorrow for 2nd delivery attempt.
Finally getting my new Blackwidow limbs 😎

Samick used to be Korean. Heard some production went to China.

Would not get a laminated riser from Samick. Have seen a few delam. One even a Tradtech ( proly why tradtech dropped em ).

If going Samick Id get the metal ILF Discovery riser, if its still made in Korea.

I may yet get one, but looking at Uuhka limbs. So not cheap, and only for 3D. Proly 40 to 42 #.

Honestly, running heavy glass fish arrows....i dont like a recurve under 45# for bowfishing.
A 50# Bear A mag would be Ok 😉

Yeeesh, 4 recurves. Trip and fire hazards LOL

Joel Turner. Shot IQ.

wentzaal brothers

That eyebrow deal when Barry zings one on the move was great. Bowhunting October Whitetails....classic.

Wentzel Bros.

Your doube "a" spelling reminds me of Roger Rothhaar
😂

buy the books Byron Ferguson has wrote he shoots true traditional

https://thepusharchery.teachable.com/p/solid-archery-mechanics

Tim Clum is outstanding. Skip the books and take some of his online classes.

Shooting The Stick Bow is by far the best book I have found in my 60 plus years of shooting.

That's what I settled on after 50 years of archery, mine is a TradTech ILF 19" riser with TradTech Black Max 2.0 Carbon/Wood limbs.

yep. Zen and the Art of Archery is a good beginner book too

I have 8 recurves, most fixed limb, but prefer versatility of removable limbs. Start around 25 to 30 lbs to get your form down.

Id just get a samick ( made in Korea) recurve with low poundage to start out . Taught many scouts in BSA to shoot on this bow

https://www.amazon.com/Samick-Sage-Takedown-Recurve-Bow/dp/B006R95KYO?th=1&psc=1

I still have the VHS cassette of October Whitetails. I think one of the best archery hunting vids out there

"Hunting the Hard Way" by Howard Hill is a great read. It was published in 1941 but is again available as a reprint with the original illustrations. Hill used longbows with 100# draw and killed bison from horseback at full gallop. And shot squirrels out of trees.

I'll give a thumbs-up for the Spyder XL. I picked one up a few months ago, great shooting bow.

I started shooting the traditional bows almost three years ago. I have accumulated a few bows now, including a Toelke, Discovery, Satori, a few others.

The Spyder is my lowest price bow, and it shoots as good as any of them.

A short clip shooting the Spyder XL,

A friend said that he regrets eating dried prunes.

I tried all of those. Rick Welch is who I tried to emulate when I was still bowhunting. He is an amazing shooter.
The.main thing is to settle on a style of shooting and practice it every chance you get. I shot a few arrows several timss a day year around when I was bowhunting.

Buddy stopped by today.
Dropped off his old Hoyt Excel 21" riser and 32# Samick carbons.
Itll be less than my new Blackwidow so see if my still screwed up shoulder/ arm can handle it.
Makes for a 64" bow
Needs a new string.
Ill proly not go too skinny as fatter is nicer on my fingers. 15 strand most likely and maybe D97 Flemish.

I know a place that makes em LOL

Think in it they explain stalking in standing corn.
If so that was big time news back then.

I have Asbell's but not a fan. Prefer Byron Ferguson's book.

As stated above, good videos available too.

That's the ticket. People were shooting bows 35,000 years before they were reading.

How good were they shooting?

I've been in the trad game for about 30 years. The PUSH, clum, snyder, Kaminski are where I would start.

Best easy money is masters of the barebow volume 3. Its a dvd that does a great job of shot dissection and mirrors clum for the most part.

one of the best recurve brand bows is Black Widow ,Black Widow also makes nice long bows too .Black Widow BOWS are custom American made bows . Black Widow bows are not cheap but an excellent custom traditional bow. my son has 3 Black Widow bows - 2 recurves and 1 long bow has done well using them .