I heard that you should use a lighter pull when going from a compound to a recurve. How much lighter? I'm pulling 60 pounds on my compound. Is 45 "too much" or "about right" when I start using a recurve?
The thing about compounds is they have a let off. (When you get it to a certain point it gets easier to pull/hold. Recurves have no let off. Whatever you pull back is what you have to hold.
Yes, I am aware of that. The let-off is one of the advantages of a compound bow. I don't know if it is true or an urban legend, but I also heard that a compound bow has a higher arrow speed than a recurve or longbow of the same draw weight, at the same draw length. I still want to master the recurve ... or at least be accurate enough to harvest whatever critter I am hunting from up to 30 ~ 40 yards. I doubt I'll ever master any bow (with the possible exception of a scoped crossbow) to consistently hit my previous arrow from any distance like the legendary William Tell, Robin Hood, and The Avengers' Hawkeye. (Don't want to, either. Arrows are kinda expensive.) Anyway, again, it may be urban legend, but I read on the Internet somewhere (so it must be true :roll eyes: ) that a recurve or longbow needed to have a lighter pull than your compound bow "because different muscle groups are used to draw them."
I would absolutely go lighter than a compound. Your best bet is to go to a shop where you can shoot a variety and figure out where you're comfortable.
I pull 70# on my compound and 48# at 29.5" on my recurve. Personally I would not take a shot over 15-20 yards with my recurve, I rarely even take shots over 30 with my compound. I would suggest the same as above, go to a bow shop and shoot a few.
You might want to look into Earl Hoyt Sr. and his wife Anne, not near as cool but also not fictional.
Unfortunately, the only Pro Shop in town is a bit light on right hand recurves. I think he has three used, no new, plus an old collectable Bear ambidextrous I would not even consider shooting. It's broke in at a longer draw than I have, and has solid wood limbs. With my "luck", I'd break it. Two of the three are 15 or 20 pound, the third at $1,850 (a special target shooting bow) is so far out of my price range, it is irrelevant. I won't even touch it. It would probably burn my hand. I ordered one of those Southwest Archery Spider take-down's with 60 pound draw limbs. At my disgusting 22 inch draw length, (I'm deformed) I should get an effective pull of 42 to 45 pounds. Regardless, it will be hunting legal at my abysmal draw length. Yes, I'll get the heaviest arrows I can for it.
Start out with a 30# recurve and buy heavier limbs as you progress! I've been shooting recurves for years and I hunt with a 55# Samick! I've seen guys struggle with 40# bows at full draw who've been shooting 70# compounds for years!
At my DL those 30 pound limbs would give me roughly a 15 pound draw weight. I ordered a 60 pound draw bow to get a hunting legal 42.5 - 45 pound draw weight at my draw length. They did get in a new 45 pound draw Spider recurve, and I was able to shoot it a few times. With an effective DW of 30 pounds (give or take) at my DL, I had no difficulty pulling and holding it.
I use a 60# Compound for Hunting, 45#s for outdoor targets & 50#s for indoor. My adult son uses 65#s for everything compound. I use a 68" 50# Longbow for targets & hunting & my son uses a 45# 62" Sage. We both have been shooting a long time & shoot year round. I have managed 38 animals with traditional bows & well over 100 with a compound. My average kill on biggame is under 25 yds with both type bows & even with my compound never consider anything over 40 yards. Keep it around 20 yds & "practice" to be proficient. IF you cannot learn to shoot well barebow (no sights) PUT one on. It is not a sin & many do (20-30 yd pin). A field tournament is 112 arrows so a 30 or 40 arrow 3-D is a breeze for us. Enjoy
FWIW, I talked with a guy who took his first whitetail with a cheap fiberglass recurve bow years ago- 30 lb. draw weight. Also, I was told that Fred Bear's recurve was 90 lb. draw. Anyone confirm that? This person saw Fred at a trade show many years ago and said the muscles in his back looked like steel cables.
My first bow was a Bear 45# recurve. A very old bow in great condition. I have a 27 in draw and could hold that draw a fair amount of time. They are slower. Close shooting IMO is a must. My bow guy who actually shot against Fred bear set me up with 2115 Lt. aluminum arrows due to it's weight. Man that ages me, aluminum..lol I switched to a compound at 50# but now shoot 49#. I prefer the ability to draw and wait comfortable for the best shot.
In a recurve you have to hold back all the draw weight. Id recommend going to a archery shop and trying a few, draw and hold for a few seconds, if you can hold the weight without shaking, and it feels comfortable to you, id say its a good weight. A takedown bow is ideal because as you build up, you can swap in heavier limbs. Depending id recommend going down at least 10lbs from compound draw weight. Maybe even 15 to get used to finger draw, unless youre going to be continuing with a release, and have a d-loop installed.
