SERIOUS BOWHUNTERS PLAN YEAR ‘ROUND
caution graphic photos
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| ‘Lynx’bow group before tuned |
You bowhunters all know how it goes. You want to try your hand at bowhunting, and Lee and Tiffany make it look so fun on The Crush. And Melissa Bachman and easton-bowhuntingtv and Mark Drury and Jay Gregory of Iowa, the front-runners of bow hunting. But their bows aren’t cheap so you don’t want to waste your dime trying a new sport, not much money just lying around to spare, so you borrow someone else’s bow. Well so-o, after several years of using my husband’s daughter’s loaner, a 25 year old abused Martin Lynx compound with the quiver secured with twine, I had succeeded in pulling it at a full 41 pounds draw and zeroing-in onto that dime at thirty paces after the first photo. (I got too focused to be concerned with more pictures.)
Here's the result of that practice:
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| Broadhead: 3 blade, Cut-on-Contact |
Bowhunting in Henry county, 2013 mid-bow season with my husband, I finally made my first bow kill — a heart shot. Taking the photo, my husband could not have shown his pride more like a stag buck about that shot! I was stunned, but I saw the arrow hit the doe — I was confident that I had hit the kill-zone.
There was a but one small issue, the problem was my step-daughter wanted her bow back (since her dad gave it to her years before I was around), and the Lynx was heavy to carry through the timber, hence I graciously and gladly returned it to her. Once the old bow was in her hands, her face beamed. She excitedly told me she planned to bowfish with it that summer — I was glad she was happy and the bow would not sit in the back of a closet collecting dust. She was happily becoming more her dad’s offspring with his lust for the outdoors.
A BOW WORTH THE EFFORT … I shopped and researched for hours, but I wanted to be sure of the style and features before I laid out hundred$ for my own compound bow that would last me for years. I found a bow quite by accident. I’d handled new ones but hadn’t decided yet. Just killing time, I walked into a pawn shop down the highway.
Several bows were hung on the wall. I noticed the shape was close to one I’d handled in a retail store, new. I asked to handle the used bow. I noted its weight and accessories with the best feature its draw adjust-ability. Instantly I researched it. Turned out to be an excellent ladies bow and well worth the money, also it had its own case, a plus for a pawn shop. Happy with those facts, I bought the bow, a Bowtech Edge.
I took it to a shop in Garden City, owned by a friendly ol’
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| first group |
dude who replaced the cables and strings, all for under $100. There’s really something special about ‘mom and pop’ specialty shops — he let me test it out in his store room/indoor target range. I was another satisfied customer. The co-owner and instructor of the new Great Olympian Indoor Archery archery range in Independence, Missouri custom fitted a new wrist support for me and adjusted my ‘trigger’ release, and gave me free guidance how to hold my new bow for better accuracy. Sweet!!
In learning the arc from a tree stand and helpful tips of paper tuning, I thank my web-friend Bobby, for advice when I felt silly asking, sent him countless photos of practice shots, he always reassured me “that’s how you learn, that is how you build confidence.” Now I have a customized compound bow for under $300.00 .
In reference to the website post, I read numerous how-to’s but this article stood out as the most practical and helpful for a beginner like me. Huntersfriend.com is a go-to website. This is the guidance I recommend any beginner to read and pay attention, learn it right the first time.
COMPOUND BOW DRAW LENGTHS …
A LITTLE BACKGROUND INFO FIRST: Compound bows are a little different from traditional recurves and longbows. Unlike traditional bows which can be drawn back practically any distance, compound bows are engineered to draw back only so far – and then stop. This distance is known as the bow’s “draw length” – and it’s controlled by the mechanical systems on the bow. The trick is … the mechanical setting of the bow and the physical size of the shooter need to match. If your physical size requires a bow with a draw length setting of, say, 29 inches, then it can be said that “your draw length” is 29 inches. So both YOU and the BOW have a draw length – so to speak – to consider.
DRAW TO FULL-DRAW THEN SHOOT: It’s important to note that compound bows are designed to be shot only from the full-draw position (whatever that mechanical setting may be). If a compound bow is set for a 29″ draw length, for example, it should always be drawn back to a full 29″ and then shot from that position. You don’t shoot from the middle of the powerstroke – you only shoot after the bow reaches its full draw. If you haven’t shot a compound bow before, don’t worry. It’s much easier to “feel” than explain. You draw the bow back until you feel the mechanical stop – then you take aim – then you shoot! Easy.
DON’T TRY TO OVERDRAW:
On most compound bows, the mechanical stop is quite firm. A bow that’s set for 29″ draw cannot be drawn back to 30″ or 31″ without modifying the mechanical setup on the bow. Never attempt to forcibly overdraw a bow beyond the mechanical stop. Draw your bow in a slow and controlled manner. Just after your bow achieves full let-off, you will feel the touchdown at “the wall.” That’s it. You’re ready to shoot. Most modern compounds take less than 20 lb. of pressure to hold back at full draw. So if you’re still grunting and straining at full draw, you’re trying to forcibly overdraw the bow. So be cool. When you get to full draw, relax. You made it.
ADJUST THE BOW TO YOU – NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND: Of course, the proper draw length setting varies from shooter to shooter. Taller shooters generally need more draw length, shorter shooters less. Fortunately, most compound bows can easily be adjusted for different draw lengths. In many cases, draw length is user-adjustable with just a hex wrench – should you decide to make changes on your own later. Again, the draw length of a compound bow can only be set within the bow’s specified mechanical range. So you must choose a bow that can adjust to fit you properly.
PEOPLE DRAW LENGTHS…
MEASURE YOURSELF FOR DRAW LENGTH:
To measure your personal draw length, determine the length of your arm-span in inches. Stand with your arms out and palms facing forward. Don’t stretch when measuring. Just stand naturally. Have someone else help you, and measure from the tip of one middle finger to the other. Then simply divide that number by 2.5. The quotient is your proper draw length (in inches) for your body size. The majority of compound bow owners set their bows for too much draw length, which results in poor shooting form – inaccuracy – and painful string slap on the forearm. You will better enjoy – and be more successful with your new bow when it is fitted properly to your body. And REMEMBER! If in doubt, choose a little LESS draw length rather than a little more. If you are still unsure, or plan to shoot with a string loop, you may benefit from reading our Additional Discussion on Draw Length.
A NATURAL CORRELATION: If you are a person of average proportions, your arm-span will be roughly equal to your height (in inches). So there is often a direct correlation between a person’s height and their draw length. But if you are particularly lankly, stocky, etc., the arm-span/2.5 method will correct for your uniqueness and yield the most reliable estimate. Even so, once you have computed your draw length using the method above, you can double-check yourself by using the scale below – to see if your numbers are in the ballpark.
LONG DRAW SHOOTERS:
SHORT DRAW SHOOTERS:
A FINAL THOUGHT ON DRAW LENGTH: If you’re new to the sport, don’t get too carried away dissecting yourself down to the micron. You’ll have better luck if you just play the averages and choose an initial draw length that’s similar to others of your same size and stature. Fortunately, on most bows, making a minor draw length change is pretty simple. So it’s not quite a life or death decision to start. However, as you become more immersed in the sport and begin to “fine-tune” your game, you may wish to experiment a little with your draw length.
COMPOUND BOW DRAW WEIGHTS
COMFORT RULES: There are several factors to consider here, beyond just brute strength. First and foremost, we strongly recommend that you choose a draw weight that is COMFORTABLE for you and suitable for your particular purpose. Particularly for the purposes of recreational archery, a bow with too much draw weight will simply make you less successful and the sport less enjoyable. A good rule-of-thumb is to choose a draw weight that requires about 75% of your “maximum” strength. If your bow is too heavy to draw back, and you can only shoot a few times before you’re fatigued, then you’ll be reluctant to practice and improve your game. But you also want your bow to shoot with as much speed and power as possible, so you shouldn’t choose too little weight either. Again, the right balance between comfort and performance will probably be at your “75%” mark.
HEAVY DRAW WEIGHTS
HAIL THE MACHO MAN:
We bowhunters tend to be tough-guys and gals – and some of us just can’t resist choosing heavyweight bows. Unfortunately, a heavyweight bow choice usually turns out to be a mistake. Even if you can beat-up the neighbor and you just finished your P90X DVD set, that doesn’t mean you possess the back and upper-body strength to comfortably manage an 80# Insanity CPX or Freak-Max. Unless you’ve been shooting hundreds upon hundreds of arrows per week, and have been specifically training-up to a heavyweight bow … don’t do it. It will likely just ruin your experience.
YEAH! BUT I WANT MORE SPEED:
Actually, more draw weight won’t make a significant speed difference beyond 60 lb. peak. Since industry standards require at least 5 grains of arrow mass per pound of draw weight, a 60# peak bow only requires a 300 grain (5 x 60) arrow. A 70# peak bow requires a 350 grain (5 x 70) arrow, and an 80# peak bow requires a 400 grain (5 x 80) arrow. So although the heavier bow will generate more KE at the target, the increased arrow mass requirements tend to offset the potential speed gains of shooting more draw weight.
MEASURE YOURSELF FOR DRAW LENGTH:
To measure your personal draw length, determine the length of your arm-span in inches. Stand with your arms out and palms facing forward. Don’t stretch when measuring. Just stand naturally. Have someone else help you, and measure from the tip of one middle finger to the other. Then simply divide that number by 2.5. The quotient is your proper draw length (in inches) for your body size. The majority of compound bow owners set their bows for too much draw length, which results in poor shooting form – inaccuracy – and painful string slap on the forearm. You will better enjoy – and be more successful with your new bow when it is fitted properly to your body. And REMEMBER! If in doubt, choose a little LESS draw length rather than a little more. If you are still unsure, or plan to shoot with a string loop, you may benefit from reading our Additional Discussion on Draw Length.
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