Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Thinking about going back to traditional equipment.

not that I don't like my compound but versus the cost of a new one with the additional cost of needed add on do-dads and quizmos... I've been thinking about recurves! Ok well I've been a re-reading an old book I have by Fred Asbell called Instinctive Shooting and he notes a lot of good points of the simplicity of the recurve. Anybody shooting recurves? Any preference to any particular manufacturers? What are the price ranges for recurves these days?

Sierra, I'm with you 100% if you go traditional. I tried instinctive shooting for a while with my wheelbow and sucked at it. No recurves here, they are too demanding. They are beautiful, though. And modern bows are ugly!<P>Good luck. Talus

Hubby doesn't use the computer, so I'll answer for him. <BR>Started with a Bob Lee recurve, then got #2, #3, and so on. He is currently shooting a Bob Lee Classic with Micarta riser takedown recurve 53# @ 28", 62AMO, AND a Great Plains Rio Bravo takedown recurve 55# @ 28", 62AMO AND recently purchased an English longbow by Pip Bickerstaffe, 65#, ?". Prices, gosh, think new could average about $500-$700, and higher.<P>Your in Ontario, right? We were at a shoot last year that have several people from Ontario. Maybe you might consider going to the August 17,18, 19, 2001 Hawkeye Bowman shoot <BR> <A HREF="http://selfbow.tripod.com/index.html" TARGET=_blank>http://selfbow.tripod.com/index.html</A>

SIERRA96,<BR>I would encourage you to shoot what you can be most accurate with for hunting. I shoot traditional recurves because that's what I enjoy the most.<P>Start with lite poundage like 45# to 50# is plenty. You'll find that custom recurves shoot smoother and are worth more than production recurves. Also, physically handle as many as you can get your hands on...the "feel" of a traditional bow is important to you, the shooter. However, custom recurves are higher in cost. PSE and Martin make some good starter recurves.<P>Good luck with your choice!<BR>Good hunting, bowhunter57

For sure the cost is a little higher... I thought it would have been the opposite but I am mistaken. I will eventually get back into it. When I was a kid a fiberglass recurve was what I had started shooting with... then I progressed to a 45 lbs recurve, I would regularly remove the string when I wasn't shooting it, but then a couple of years ago I strung it up to shoot, and it blew on me at full draw on my third arrow (one minor scratch below the eye was all I got). I've been enjoying shooting my compound a lot, but it definitely takes a bit longer to set up then a recurve. I do eventually want to get another recurve but I want to at least get a buck with my compound. And the cost of some of these recurves was a little shocking... not to mention that I am being soaked again today for over 100 bucks on a burnt tail light board!!!! UGH!