Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Best traditional archery training info

Whether video or book, who did you guys learn from? I am just learning and wanting to find some training materials. Thank you

G. Fred Asbell has a couple very good books I would highly recommend:

Book one

Book Two

Book Three

Also, if you're into Archery, Robert Hardy's Longbow: a Social and Military History is a fascinating read.

Not much training stuff in there, but it's a pretty complete history from day one through archery's usurpation by firearms in military conflict

Thanks Utah. Just ordered Book one and two.

Who did I learn from? Myself; I just shot my way since I was a kid. I've gotten a few pointers from some more experienced shooters, but never changed my style, just adapted new techniques. As for advice? The best thing is a mentor, but if you can't get one of those, try a book or two, maybe a dvd. Gleen some info and see what works for you.

Go to this place, it's in Arvada and you won't find nicer folks.

http://www.rmsgear.com/

Once they get you set up, practice, practice, practice! You're own style will develop and you'll improve. A tuned setup and shooting consistency is the key to accuracy. TradGang.com is another great resource. Good luck and have fun!

That is the place I bought all my accessories. Great guys there! Figure I will be spending a lot more time and money with them. Keeping the bow in the family room and the target out back till the snow falls. WIll shoot a few times a day.

30338: I recently bought an older Bear recurve from a 'fire member. I'm just getting into traditional archery, and he made some recommendations that have helped me out: a book, I'm not at home right now, but I believe it is titled "Shooting the Stickbow", and 3RiversArchery for equipment, supplies, etc. Jeff

Bend Shooter-You've got a couple great traditional shops right in you're back yard, one is called Archery Past and is in Bend, the other is Raptor Archery up in Hood River. I've not been to AP, but Raptor is a great place, half archery shop, half archery museum and the owner, Ted, is very helpful.

http://www.raptorarchery.com/

http://www.archery-past.net/

Another good one for "instinctive shooting" is Byron Ferguson's
Become the Arrow.

Another:
Instinctive Archery Insights by Jay Kidwell

By far the best book I have read on learning to shoot and tune a recurve is "Shooting the Stickbow". Takes you from basic form and setup to advanced shooting - very detailed and well written. $20 from Amazon.

Tony has some go info in that book, but if you're a hunting archer trying to shoot instinctively, look elswhere.

I suggest Asbell's books.

I've read Asbell's books Instinctive Shooting 1 & 2 - TJ Conrad's book Traditional Bowhunter's Handbook, Byron's book Become the Arrow and Shooting the Stickbow. All have some good info in them but Shooting the Stickbow has been much more helpful than the others for me. I say learn to shoot in the classic manor, upright-anchor and hold. Then branch out and try some of 'hunting styles'. By having good solid basic form in the classic style it is easy to come back to when things start to go sour. It's all fun, it all works for somebody - you just need to find what works for you. Enjoy.

I have to echo centeershot's advice...

Learn to shoot in the classic manor...and consistency in form is everything. It equals accuracy.

Once you are comfortable with the classic style, then you can experiment with small changes...but only try one at a time...to see whether you benefit from the change or not. I.e. anchor point or 3 finger under vs split finger, or dynamic release vs static release. As we are all built differently, what works best for one person may not necessarily work best for you.

Few things that you do not want to change...your grip on your bow (grip needs to have light pressure running down from the web of your hand, to where your life line splits the palm of your hand, on your thumb side of the palm), your drawing arm position (arm level with your arrow and inline with your arrow), and do not raise/lower your arm or push your bow hand left or right to bring your arrow to the target (doing so will change your draw length, thus affecting the speed of your arrow) always draw level, and then aim by bending or tiliting from the waist.

THe DVD's by Rick Welch are good too.

And by all means have fun!
There's nothing more gratifying than a well placed shot!