Recurve Bow Suggestions

Recurve and longbow draw weight is industry rated at 28” of draw length. So a bow marked at 50 lbs. draw weight will require 50 lbs. to draw the bow back 28”. As a general rule, you can figure + or - 2 to 3 lbs. for every inch the bow is drawn under or over 28”. So a 50# bow drawn back 27” will require between 47 - 48 lbs. while the same bow drawn 29” will require an effort of 52 - 53 lbs. of force. If you know your exact DL, it will help you decide what weight bow to buy.

For shooting small game, buy a bow that is set at 35 ~ 40 lbs. The bow limbs will be stamped 35/28 confirming weight/draw length. Make sure you buy arrows that are correctly “spined” for the draw weight. If not, the arrows will not shoot correctly (porpoise) and your accuracy will suck big time. You also need a shooting tab or leather shooting glove for the 3-fingers when drawing back and releasing. A quiver is very useful. A target will also be of benefit as confirm your shooting accuracy.

Watch a bunch of YouTube videos and go to a reputable pro shop that has a knowledgeable bow tech. You need to learn the facts and make a correct first time buying decision.

To be effective and accurate, you will have to shoot daily as traditional shooting is about muscle memory and shooting instinctive. You have NO peep sight or sight pins like a compound bow. You draw, anchor, and release in a matter of seconds.

My advice from shooting traditional archery, when you get tired from shooting 30-40+ arrows… STOP and call it a day. This sport is very frustrating as the best archers practice religiously

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I’m wanting to learn to shoot a recurve bow. I don’t have any immediate interest in bow hunting, just wanting to get something to shoot in the back pasture at targets. Are Amazon recurve bows a complete waste of money? I have only shot a compound bow a few times and have never been measured for draw length or anything. What do I need to know before buying a recurve.

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The "Black Hunter" bows sold online are good bows at a great price. Don't expect the beauty of a custom made recurve or longbow, but they shoot very well and get great reviews. I bought one for my wife a couple years ago. I got one with the longbow limbs, but you can get recurve limbs too.

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The "Black Hunter" bows sold online are good bows at a great price. Don't expect the beauty of a custom made recurve or longbow, but they shoot very well and get great reviews. I bought one for my wife a couple years ago. I got one with the longbow limbs, but you can get recurve limbs too.

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Good advice. I've been shooting trad bows for some time. The Black Hunter is a solid bow. I have the long bow limbs. Another recommendation is a Black Spitfire recurve available at Twig Archery. I have that bow as well and it is a fine shooting recurve. I think it sales for around 200.00. You can talk to the owners at TWIG. Great folks who will give good advice. Also. DO NOT OVERBOW yourself. 40# is a great place to start

I taught myself to shoot barebow during COVID. I had never shot any bow previously (and still have never used a compound). I use a 40lb Black Hunter longbow now, but also have a Spyder XL in 30lbs and 40lbs. Both are good bows. A few notes on getting started:

- I would not start at a 40lb draw weight. I started at 30lbs, which worked for me. 35lbs would likely have been fine.

- The reason not to start heavy is so that you can shoot a lot. It will also be easier to learn good habits/build form on.

- Get full length carbon arrows with feather fletching. That usually means 31" to 34" depending on the brand. There is no reason to be cutting on arrows unless you need to stiffen them up.You can accomplish that by changing to a different spine and/or adjusting the weight of your field points or broadheads, both of which are easier than cutting on expensive arrows.

- You can buy an arrow test kit from Three Rivers Archery. Depending on the brand, it will come with various spines. My Easton set has 330, 400, 500, 600, and 700. Get them full length, and without fletching i.e. bareshaft. The kit will allow you to easily determine the right spine for your draw weight and length.

- Shooting the Stickbow by Anthony Camera is a great resource.

Traditional archery is challenging. But very rewarding. I'm glad I did it, and would encourage you to give it a try.