For those who are just beginning their hunting “careers” choosing a specific hunting technique can be confusing. You may be wondering which is the best way to hunt, which technique is best for my area, or just what the differences in techniques are. There are a majority of hunting techniques that you can choose from, and you do not have to stick to any one technique. In fact learning how to hunt with each technique can give you an edge, especially if you plan to hunt an assortment of terrains. Here are a few of the most common hunting techniques:
• Spot and Stalk
• Stand Hunting
• Ground Blinds
• Scouting
• Still Hunting
The spot and stalk technique is best used in areas that have open terrain, where you can view a large area either all at once or from various vantage points. It is important to note that optics are a commonly used item with this technique. Hunters usually begin to survey an area known to have deer at first light. Once a deer has been spotted, the hunters will watch to see where it beds down, and usually where there is one deer there are more. An advantage to the spot and stalk is that a hunter is viewing the terrain from a higher point, thus he is able to plan a route to get within shooting distance of his target. This technique requires patience and planning, hunters will have to move slowly and carefully as to avoid alerting any animals that may not have been accounted for beforehand.
Stand hunting, or elevated hunting, includes the use of tower blinds, tripods, and treestands. Elevated hunting gives the hunter a broader view of his surroundings, much like the spot and stalk. Another advantage to elevated hunting is that the hunters scent is often carried above the ground level air currents, making it harder for the deer to detect them. The tower blind is usually a permanent structure that is placed at a spot known to have deer. They also provide the hunter with a bit of comfort while waiting for their target to appear. Insulating materials and weatherproofing can be used during their construction, and comfortable chairs- even space heaters, can be added after. Tripods and treestands are portable, meaning the hunter can set up and take down whenever they need.
When hunting from a stand on the ground (the ground blind technique) it is best to find a comfortable spot, deer are very sensitive to movement so you’ll want a seat that will enable you to sit for a long time without moving too often. When setting up a ground stand, you can basically be out in the open as long as you have something behind you to break up your outline. Sitting at the base of a tree or a pile of rocks, would work fine. Many hunters choose to make up some sort of ground blind to hide in. This can be done with the natural vegetation available or by constructing a man made structure. Commercial ground blinds are available, they are portable and lightweight, and can usually be set up rather quickly. The styles available range from a single stake and camouflage wrap around system to fully enclosed structures, which are even available with scent-containing fabrics. These ground blind systems also help to protect the hunter from the environment, yet still be close to his target on the ground.
Still hunting is where the hunter moves through an area known to have deer, hoping to spot a target. When still hunting the hunter should always move directly or quartering into the wind, as to avoid alerting the deer with his scent. Another important tip to this technique is to move very slowly, steps should be deliberate and slow- taking no more than two to five at a time. After each series of steps the hunter should stop and survey his surroundings, after thorough inspection the hunter then moves on to another series of steps. The slow movement and long pauses are helpful because they mimic the style of a feeding deer. When still hunting the hunter should try to stay in shadows and wooded areas. Terrain such as grasslands are not areas where this technique would be beneficial.
Scouting is a technique that is used in the pre-hunting season. This technique consists of going out and gaining knowledge of your hunting area and the habits of the deer. This technique is not absolutely necessary, but the more you know about your area the more prepared you will be. When scouting an area, it is helpful to have a map of the overall area, even aerial maps can be useful, and a compass, or even GPS. While scouting with your map, it is useful to make notes to record the location of major game trails, bedding areas, rubs, or other indications of the presence of deer. Repeated trips to scout are recommended. These repeat trips can be used to pick out possible ground blind or treestand locations, or still hunting locations.
Picking a hunting technique is based on what you think would work best for you and your terrain. As you learn and master your chosen technique(s) you will become a better hunter. Just remember to always be safe and enjoy yourself while you’re out there.
Still have questions? TheBowBarn.com has the answers. At TheBowBarn you will not only find the compound bows, accessories and gear your looking for, but you will also find answers and awesome customer service, we're here for you give us a visit.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Arrows; So Many Choices
So, you have decided to take up the sport of archery. After choosing your bow, whether it be a modern (compound) or a traditional (recurve or longbow), you may be asking yourself what kind of arrow should I use? The type of arrow to use is mostly just personal choice. Yet, there are a few factors that should be considered when choosing your shooting arrow. These include the type of bow you are using, modern or traditional, and whether you use your bow for hunting or target shooting. There are four types of arrows that archery participants can choose from, these are:
Cedar or other wood
Aluminum
Carbon
Carbon/Aluminum hybrids
A cedar, or wood, arrow is usually chosen for its look and for nostalgia. Wood shafted arrows are reasonably durable, heavy, quiet - both when shot and when carried in a quiver, and are reasonably affordable. These types of arrows are fine to be used in a traditional bow, but compound bows really should not use a wood shafted arrow. The main disadvantages to this type of arrow is it is not as durable or straight as others, and that it can have a tendency to warp because of the outdoor elements.
The aluminum shafted arrow has been around since the 1970’s. This type of arrow is extremely straight, durable, lightweight, generally cost effective, and are unaffected by the weather. They have high speed and flatter trajectories than the wood shafted arrow. However, aluminum shafted arrows can be noisy when carried around, and have a tendency to break and bend.
Carbon shafted arrows are more recent to the archery market, only having been around since the early 1990’s. These arrows are strong and lightweight, as well as quiet and durable. They can be broken with enough force, but bending in this type of arrow is almost non-existent. Carbon arrows are on the more expensive side, but as more archers use them the cost is beginning to drop.
Carbon/aluminum hybrid arrows are simply an aluminum core with a carbon wrapping. They combine each of the advantages and disadvantages of both the carbon arrow and the aluminum arrow. These hybrid arrows are reasonably durable, lightweight, and extremely straight. However, due to their aluminum core, bending and breaking is still common. They are also the most expensive commonly used arrows, but are the fastest, and have the flattest trajectories, of all the options.
Now, choosing an archery arrow is always your personal choice; but spending some time comparing prices and durability will always benefit you in the long run. And remember if you are shooting with a traditional bow, you may use any arrow; but with modern bows it is best to stick with aluminum, carbon, or hybrid arrows.
Still have questions? TheBowBarn.com has the answers. We carry all the arrows mentioned above, our arrows are made to each individual order so you are sure to get exactly what you need and want we encourage you to call us with your order or questions until we get more information on the site.
Cedar or other wood
Aluminum
Carbon
Carbon/Aluminum hybrids
A cedar, or wood, arrow is usually chosen for its look and for nostalgia. Wood shafted arrows are reasonably durable, heavy, quiet - both when shot and when carried in a quiver, and are reasonably affordable. These types of arrows are fine to be used in a traditional bow, but compound bows really should not use a wood shafted arrow. The main disadvantages to this type of arrow is it is not as durable or straight as others, and that it can have a tendency to warp because of the outdoor elements.
The aluminum shafted arrow has been around since the 1970’s. This type of arrow is extremely straight, durable, lightweight, generally cost effective, and are unaffected by the weather. They have high speed and flatter trajectories than the wood shafted arrow. However, aluminum shafted arrows can be noisy when carried around, and have a tendency to break and bend.
Carbon shafted arrows are more recent to the archery market, only having been around since the early 1990’s. These arrows are strong and lightweight, as well as quiet and durable. They can be broken with enough force, but bending in this type of arrow is almost non-existent. Carbon arrows are on the more expensive side, but as more archers use them the cost is beginning to drop.
Carbon/aluminum hybrid arrows are simply an aluminum core with a carbon wrapping. They combine each of the advantages and disadvantages of both the carbon arrow and the aluminum arrow. These hybrid arrows are reasonably durable, lightweight, and extremely straight. However, due to their aluminum core, bending and breaking is still common. They are also the most expensive commonly used arrows, but are the fastest, and have the flattest trajectories, of all the options.
Now, choosing an archery arrow is always your personal choice; but spending some time comparing prices and durability will always benefit you in the long run. And remember if you are shooting with a traditional bow, you may use any arrow; but with modern bows it is best to stick with aluminum, carbon, or hybrid arrows.
Still have questions? TheBowBarn.com has the answers. We carry all the arrows mentioned above, our arrows are made to each individual order so you are sure to get exactly what you need and want we encourage you to call us with your order or questions until we get more information on the site.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Youth Hunting; How To Get Them Started
Training Your Youth in Bow Hunting
For many centuries bow hunting has been a great form of bonding between father and son. But, in order to keep your youth safe you should properly train them in the art of bow hunting. There are many different options for youth archery training:
After school archery programs
An adult skilled at archery
Archery clubs
Professional archery trainers
Scout programs
There is not a specific age at which to begin training your youth to bow hunt. You, the parent, will know when your child is ready to accept the responsibility and discipline. If your child shows interest in learning to bow hunt, then you can begin to seek options for their training or oversee their training yourself. But always remember that youth should be supervised at all times.
When choosing a bow for your youth you will need to determine their “draw weight” and “draw length”. In general, a child of 70-100 pounds will be comfortable with a “draw weight” of 15 - 25 pounds, children 100 - 130 pounds may be comfortable with 25 - 35 pounds, and an athletic older child may be capable of pulling 35- 45 pounds. Very small children, 55 - 70 pounds, might be comfortable with 10 - 15 pounds of pull. These are not exact weights for your youth, they are just estimates. You will need to try several different bows in order to find the “draw weight” that best fits your individual youth.
When calculating the “draw length” of your youth, you should follow this simple process. Take a yard stick and place it directly in the center of the chest bone. The youth should then reach out on it equally with the fingertips of BOTH hands. The inches mark where the fingertips touch will be their ultimate potential “draw length”. It is important to remember that both the “draw weight” and the “draw length” will change as your child grows; and you will need to change bows accordingly.
You will also need to take into consideration your youth’s eye dominance. This will tell you whether your youth is a right-handed shooter, or a left-handed shooter. To determine eye dominance, have your youth hold their hands out at arms length with both eyes open, and look through the hole formed in the hands at a distant object. Keeping the object in sight, have your youth slowly move their hands towards their face until the hands touch their face. The hole formed by their hands should be over one of their eyes, this is their dominant eye and will control their aiming. If it is the right eye, they are right-handed shooter, and vice versa for the left.
Now, the question you may be asking yourself is what do I need in order to begin training my youth for bow hunting? The basic necessities you will need are a bow, arrows, and a target. Other products you may want to invest in, as safety precautions, are a quiver to hold the arrows, an armguard to protect against string slap to the arm, and hand or finger protection to cushion against the bow string. Another safety precaution, if your youth is on the younger side, is to try suction cup arrows instead of the standard metal tip. This gives your youth the chance to really become comfortable with aiming, and shooting, their bow, before moving on to a sharper arrow.
Bow hunting for youth can be a great experience, and a lot of fun for all involved. Just remember to always make sure your youth has been properly trained, and their bow is fitted to them, before taking them on their first hunt. If you follow the guidelines above, you and your youth should have many great experiences with bow hunting together.
By the way do you want more information on youth hunting? visit our site at TheBowBarn.com, we have the information your looking for and we carry all the compound bows, accessories and gear you'll need for your youth.
For many centuries bow hunting has been a great form of bonding between father and son. But, in order to keep your youth safe you should properly train them in the art of bow hunting. There are many different options for youth archery training:
After school archery programs
An adult skilled at archery
Archery clubs
Professional archery trainers
Scout programs
There is not a specific age at which to begin training your youth to bow hunt. You, the parent, will know when your child is ready to accept the responsibility and discipline. If your child shows interest in learning to bow hunt, then you can begin to seek options for their training or oversee their training yourself. But always remember that youth should be supervised at all times.
When choosing a bow for your youth you will need to determine their “draw weight” and “draw length”. In general, a child of 70-100 pounds will be comfortable with a “draw weight” of 15 - 25 pounds, children 100 - 130 pounds may be comfortable with 25 - 35 pounds, and an athletic older child may be capable of pulling 35- 45 pounds. Very small children, 55 - 70 pounds, might be comfortable with 10 - 15 pounds of pull. These are not exact weights for your youth, they are just estimates. You will need to try several different bows in order to find the “draw weight” that best fits your individual youth.
When calculating the “draw length” of your youth, you should follow this simple process. Take a yard stick and place it directly in the center of the chest bone. The youth should then reach out on it equally with the fingertips of BOTH hands. The inches mark where the fingertips touch will be their ultimate potential “draw length”. It is important to remember that both the “draw weight” and the “draw length” will change as your child grows; and you will need to change bows accordingly.
You will also need to take into consideration your youth’s eye dominance. This will tell you whether your youth is a right-handed shooter, or a left-handed shooter. To determine eye dominance, have your youth hold their hands out at arms length with both eyes open, and look through the hole formed in the hands at a distant object. Keeping the object in sight, have your youth slowly move their hands towards their face until the hands touch their face. The hole formed by their hands should be over one of their eyes, this is their dominant eye and will control their aiming. If it is the right eye, they are right-handed shooter, and vice versa for the left.
Now, the question you may be asking yourself is what do I need in order to begin training my youth for bow hunting? The basic necessities you will need are a bow, arrows, and a target. Other products you may want to invest in, as safety precautions, are a quiver to hold the arrows, an armguard to protect against string slap to the arm, and hand or finger protection to cushion against the bow string. Another safety precaution, if your youth is on the younger side, is to try suction cup arrows instead of the standard metal tip. This gives your youth the chance to really become comfortable with aiming, and shooting, their bow, before moving on to a sharper arrow.
Bow hunting for youth can be a great experience, and a lot of fun for all involved. Just remember to always make sure your youth has been properly trained, and their bow is fitted to them, before taking them on their first hunt. If you follow the guidelines above, you and your youth should have many great experiences with bow hunting together.
By the way do you want more information on youth hunting? visit our site at TheBowBarn.com, we have the information your looking for and we carry all the compound bows, accessories and gear you'll need for your youth.
Archery Fitness and Health
Archery is a physically demanding sport. Stretching and strengthening exercises are extremely important in order to avoid possible injuries. Stretching is important before and after shooting a bow. The following stretching exercises will prevent damage to muscles, tendons and joints, and increase flexibility.
By using stretching exercises before participating in archery activities, you will improve your range of movement (flexibility). Strengthening exercises will enable you to improve your balance and stay steady as you aim, and increase your muscle power. Increased muscle power is important because as you develop your skills, you can move on to higher compound or recurve bow weights.
Always remember not to hold your breath while doing any of these exercises. As each exercise is done your muscles will require more oxygen, so breathing and heart rate will increase. The following exercises can be used before and after you participate in an archery activity:
* Loosening upper arm and chest muscles: Interlock your fingers with palms out. Extend arms above head, keeping fingers interlocked. Stretch upwards and hold for 10 seconds.
* Loosening back muscles: Cross arms in front of chest and place behind shoulders. Slowly stretch hands towards middle of back, as far as you can. Hold for 10 seconds.
* Loosening chest, top of shoulders, and lower arm muscles: Bend one arm over head and down back, bend other arm around and up back. Grasp finger tips and hold for 10 seconds. Then reverse arms and hold for 10 seconds.
* Loosening shoulders and back muscles: Lock fingers together, extend arms and twist slowly as far as possible to the right and hold for 10 seconds. Then twist slowly to the left and hold for 10 seconds. Do this move SLOWLY, sudden twisting can injure backbone joints.
* Loosening neck and upper shoulder muscles: From a normal standing position with arms at sides, raise up both shoulders towards neck as high as you can, then move shoulders forward, then back. Do this exercise for 10 seconds.
* Loosening back and shoulder muscles: Use a length of rubber banding (resistance band). Grasp each end, raise arms to shoulder height and extend- keeping elbows straight- outwards and backwards by squeezing shoulder blades together. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat about 6 times.
* Loosening shoulder muscles: Again use rubber banding. Grasp each end, raise one arm above head and the other arm level with shoulder. Pull down with arm and hold for 10 seconds, repeat 6 times. Then switch arm position and repeat exercise.
* Loosening chest and shoulder muscles: Again using rubber banding, grasp each end behind back. Hold arms at shoulder level, then pull arms forward to stretch the banding. Hold for 10 seconds, repeat 6 times.
* Loosening shooting muscles: Using the rubber banding, tie it in a loop and imitate the shooting draw. Hold for 10 seconds, repeat 6 times. Repeat exercise with opposite arm, to balance muscle movement.
When using strength training, the muscle groups used in archery where strength is needed are:
* Upper Back and Shoulder Muscles - to draw the bow
* Upper and Lower Shoulder Muscles - to control the bow
* Arm Muscles - to extend the bow arm
* Finger muscles - to hold the bowstring
* Upper and Lower Leg Muscles - to control balance
* Lower Back and Waist Muscles - to control a steady stance
To exercise these muscles you should use specific movement exercises. A resistance band, as used in the stretching exercises, is a great way to build strength. You can always tie a resistance band to a closed door handle, standing with one arm close to the door, grab the band with the opposite arm and stretch across the body. Another great exercise for gaining arm strength is again tying the band to a closed door. Stand with your back facing the door, grasp the band at the end- holding it over the shoulder, and stretch arm outwards. Remember when doing any exercise to keep your back straight by holding in your stomach muscles, and keep knees slightly bent.
To strengthen leg muscles, all you need is your own body weight. Standing with feet shoulder length apart, squat downwards in controlled movements. Make sure that when you squat down, your knees are not extending your ankles- if they are, you should bring your stance in a little closer. Another great leg exercise is the half-squat. For this exercise, stand with feet together, keeping knees slightly bent, push your pelvis towards the opposite wall, squat downwards putting your weight into your heels.
For the lower leg muscles, stand with feet together, with one leg slightly behind the other, and hands on your hips. Always remember to keep stomach muscles in tight, for a straight back, and keep your knees slightly bent. Now, with one leg, bend backwards towards your back at the knee. Concentrate on squeezing the leg muscles as you bring the leg up and down, keep your toes pointed towards the opposite wall, briefly touching them on the floor before bringing curling leg up again. Do about 10 of these - in two sets, and then switch legs.
You should always stretch before an archery activity, and before any muscle strengthening exercises, as to avoid any possible injury. If you do the strengthening and stretching exercises regularly, you will increase your flexibility and your muscle strength. Just remember that archery is a physical sport and being in fit condition will help you to participate safely.
Come and visit us at TheBowBarn.com for all your hunting needs. We're saving you 15% off MSRP everyday on the gear and accessories your looking for.
By using stretching exercises before participating in archery activities, you will improve your range of movement (flexibility). Strengthening exercises will enable you to improve your balance and stay steady as you aim, and increase your muscle power. Increased muscle power is important because as you develop your skills, you can move on to higher compound or recurve bow weights.
Always remember not to hold your breath while doing any of these exercises. As each exercise is done your muscles will require more oxygen, so breathing and heart rate will increase. The following exercises can be used before and after you participate in an archery activity:
* Loosening upper arm and chest muscles: Interlock your fingers with palms out. Extend arms above head, keeping fingers interlocked. Stretch upwards and hold for 10 seconds.
* Loosening back muscles: Cross arms in front of chest and place behind shoulders. Slowly stretch hands towards middle of back, as far as you can. Hold for 10 seconds.
* Loosening chest, top of shoulders, and lower arm muscles: Bend one arm over head and down back, bend other arm around and up back. Grasp finger tips and hold for 10 seconds. Then reverse arms and hold for 10 seconds.
* Loosening shoulders and back muscles: Lock fingers together, extend arms and twist slowly as far as possible to the right and hold for 10 seconds. Then twist slowly to the left and hold for 10 seconds. Do this move SLOWLY, sudden twisting can injure backbone joints.
* Loosening neck and upper shoulder muscles: From a normal standing position with arms at sides, raise up both shoulders towards neck as high as you can, then move shoulders forward, then back. Do this exercise for 10 seconds.
* Loosening back and shoulder muscles: Use a length of rubber banding (resistance band). Grasp each end, raise arms to shoulder height and extend- keeping elbows straight- outwards and backwards by squeezing shoulder blades together. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat about 6 times.
* Loosening shoulder muscles: Again use rubber banding. Grasp each end, raise one arm above head and the other arm level with shoulder. Pull down with arm and hold for 10 seconds, repeat 6 times. Then switch arm position and repeat exercise.
* Loosening chest and shoulder muscles: Again using rubber banding, grasp each end behind back. Hold arms at shoulder level, then pull arms forward to stretch the banding. Hold for 10 seconds, repeat 6 times.
* Loosening shooting muscles: Using the rubber banding, tie it in a loop and imitate the shooting draw. Hold for 10 seconds, repeat 6 times. Repeat exercise with opposite arm, to balance muscle movement.
When using strength training, the muscle groups used in archery where strength is needed are:
* Upper Back and Shoulder Muscles - to draw the bow
* Upper and Lower Shoulder Muscles - to control the bow
* Arm Muscles - to extend the bow arm
* Finger muscles - to hold the bowstring
* Upper and Lower Leg Muscles - to control balance
* Lower Back and Waist Muscles - to control a steady stance
To exercise these muscles you should use specific movement exercises. A resistance band, as used in the stretching exercises, is a great way to build strength. You can always tie a resistance band to a closed door handle, standing with one arm close to the door, grab the band with the opposite arm and stretch across the body. Another great exercise for gaining arm strength is again tying the band to a closed door. Stand with your back facing the door, grasp the band at the end- holding it over the shoulder, and stretch arm outwards. Remember when doing any exercise to keep your back straight by holding in your stomach muscles, and keep knees slightly bent.
To strengthen leg muscles, all you need is your own body weight. Standing with feet shoulder length apart, squat downwards in controlled movements. Make sure that when you squat down, your knees are not extending your ankles- if they are, you should bring your stance in a little closer. Another great leg exercise is the half-squat. For this exercise, stand with feet together, keeping knees slightly bent, push your pelvis towards the opposite wall, squat downwards putting your weight into your heels.
For the lower leg muscles, stand with feet together, with one leg slightly behind the other, and hands on your hips. Always remember to keep stomach muscles in tight, for a straight back, and keep your knees slightly bent. Now, with one leg, bend backwards towards your back at the knee. Concentrate on squeezing the leg muscles as you bring the leg up and down, keep your toes pointed towards the opposite wall, briefly touching them on the floor before bringing curling leg up again. Do about 10 of these - in two sets, and then switch legs.
You should always stretch before an archery activity, and before any muscle strengthening exercises, as to avoid any possible injury. If you do the strengthening and stretching exercises regularly, you will increase your flexibility and your muscle strength. Just remember that archery is a physical sport and being in fit condition will help you to participate safely.
Come and visit us at TheBowBarn.com for all your hunting needs. We're saving you 15% off MSRP everyday on the gear and accessories your looking for.
Friday, December 25, 2009
The Traditional Recurve
There’s been a lot of hype or debate if you will over the years as to which is better – the traditional recurve or the compound bow?
Of all the articles that I have read it basically boils down to personal preference. Those of you that started out with a Traditional bow and now shoot a Compound can make a fair comparison; you’ve had a taste of both. But for those just getting started in archery, whether it is hunting or target shooting, have some homework to do.
Now to honestly do them both justices, you should spend some time shooting them both.
When you’ve done this and have decided that a recurve is what you want, my tips below will help narrow the search as to what Traditional Recurve you should buy.
There are few factors to consider when choosing a recurve bow, they are far simpler then a compound. A primary contributing factor is that a recurve bow has no “let off” which means the archer is required to hold the full draw weight in the release position.
Draw weight of a recurve bow is rated at a 28 inch draw. So consequently a 30lb draw weight requires a 30lb pull to hold it back 28 inches. A good rule of thumb here is 2.5lb’s is required to pull back each additional inch of draw. For example, to pull back 29 inches would require a 32.5 draw weight, 30 inch a 35lb draw weight and so on.
The same is true for a lesser draw weight, 2.5lb’s less, ex: 27.5lb’s will be required to pull back 27 inch.
When it comes to recurves most men prefer a 55lb bow and women a 30lb bow.
Another important factor is your draw length – again, not as critical as with a compound bow. But, important none the less. The thing to keep in mind is this, the maximum draw weight a shooter can comfortably achieve is directly affected by the draw length.
Another rule of thumb, an archers draw length is typically 1 inch less then it is with a compound bow.
You can roughly figure your draw length for a recurve by making a fist with your bow hand and touching it against a wall out to the side of your body, while facing your fist, have someone measure the distance from the wall to the corner of your mouth.
Again, this is a rough figure, but better then a guess.
Compound Bows have a much larger mass weight then recurves. Recurves only weight about 1 or 2 lbs, so if weight is a factor, then recurves win hands down. And when carrying through the woods, much more comfortable.
So there you have it, how to size a recurve. Do you want to learn more about recurves? Visit us at TheBowBarn.com we have a great selection of recurves to chose from and we’re here to help every step of the way.
Of all the articles that I have read it basically boils down to personal preference. Those of you that started out with a Traditional bow and now shoot a Compound can make a fair comparison; you’ve had a taste of both. But for those just getting started in archery, whether it is hunting or target shooting, have some homework to do.
Now to honestly do them both justices, you should spend some time shooting them both.
When you’ve done this and have decided that a recurve is what you want, my tips below will help narrow the search as to what Traditional Recurve you should buy.
There are few factors to consider when choosing a recurve bow, they are far simpler then a compound. A primary contributing factor is that a recurve bow has no “let off” which means the archer is required to hold the full draw weight in the release position.
Draw weight of a recurve bow is rated at a 28 inch draw. So consequently a 30lb draw weight requires a 30lb pull to hold it back 28 inches. A good rule of thumb here is 2.5lb’s is required to pull back each additional inch of draw. For example, to pull back 29 inches would require a 32.5 draw weight, 30 inch a 35lb draw weight and so on.
The same is true for a lesser draw weight, 2.5lb’s less, ex: 27.5lb’s will be required to pull back 27 inch.
When it comes to recurves most men prefer a 55lb bow and women a 30lb bow.
Another important factor is your draw length – again, not as critical as with a compound bow. But, important none the less. The thing to keep in mind is this, the maximum draw weight a shooter can comfortably achieve is directly affected by the draw length.
Another rule of thumb, an archers draw length is typically 1 inch less then it is with a compound bow.
You can roughly figure your draw length for a recurve by making a fist with your bow hand and touching it against a wall out to the side of your body, while facing your fist, have someone measure the distance from the wall to the corner of your mouth.
Again, this is a rough figure, but better then a guess.
Compound Bows have a much larger mass weight then recurves. Recurves only weight about 1 or 2 lbs, so if weight is a factor, then recurves win hands down. And when carrying through the woods, much more comfortable.
So there you have it, how to size a recurve. Do you want to learn more about recurves? Visit us at TheBowBarn.com we have a great selection of recurves to chose from and we’re here to help every step of the way.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Venison Pepper Steak
Here's a very simple but very good recipe, one of our family favorites. Enjoy!
Venison Steak cut into 2" strips ( use as much meat as you want )
2 Green Peppers cut into strips
1 small onion cut into strips
2 T butter
2 T oil
4 T soy sauce
Brown steak strips and onion in oil,butter and soy sauce in large frying pan or wok.
Add enough water to cover meat and vegies and simmer 20 minutes. Continue adding water and soy sauce as needed. When rice is ready, dissolve 1/4 cup cornstarch in 1/3 cup water and set aside. Add green pepper and 2 cubes of beef boullion to steak mixture and bring to a boil. Thicken with cornstarch mixture by drizzling into pan stirring constantly ( you may not use all the cornstarch )remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, It will thicken more as it stands.
Watch for more of our recipes from TheBowBarn.com
Venison Steak cut into 2" strips ( use as much meat as you want )
2 Green Peppers cut into strips
1 small onion cut into strips
2 T butter
2 T oil
4 T soy sauce
Brown steak strips and onion in oil,butter and soy sauce in large frying pan or wok.
Add enough water to cover meat and vegies and simmer 20 minutes. Continue adding water and soy sauce as needed. When rice is ready, dissolve 1/4 cup cornstarch in 1/3 cup water and set aside. Add green pepper and 2 cubes of beef boullion to steak mixture and bring to a boil. Thicken with cornstarch mixture by drizzling into pan stirring constantly ( you may not use all the cornstarch )remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, It will thicken more as it stands.
Watch for more of our recipes from TheBowBarn.com
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Youth Compound Bows; Finding The Correct Fit.
You’ve decided to introduce your youth to the great sport of archery, and the wonderful outdoors. The first thing you want to do is get them fitted with the right compound bow. In order for a youth to be successful, the compound bow you purchase should be specifically sized to the child that will shoot it. The following are steps you should take before making your purchase.
Bows are sized based on the draw weight and draw length.
1. Determine the draw length
• Have your child extend their arms out to the side of them
with palms facing forward, with a tape measure, measure the child’s
arm span to the tip of the middle finger, in inches.
• Divide the arm span length by 2.5 this will be the child’s draw length.
2. Determine the draw weight
• Draw weight can vary considerably, if possible have the child try out different bows at different draw weights to see what he can comfortably draw back. Typically – a child under 70lbs should look at a draw weight of about 10 and 15lbs, a child 70 – 100lbs should look at a draw weight no higher then 25lbs. Children over a 100lbs should not exceed 35lb draw weights.
The steps are simple, but are very important in getting your youth started off on the right foot, which gives them a good building block for their passion for archery.
By the way, do you want more information on introducing your youth to archery? Visit thebowbarn.com,You will find hunter education information and the compound bows and accessories your looking for.
Bows are sized based on the draw weight and draw length.
1. Determine the draw length
• Have your child extend their arms out to the side of them
with palms facing forward, with a tape measure, measure the child’s
arm span to the tip of the middle finger, in inches.
• Divide the arm span length by 2.5 this will be the child’s draw length.
2. Determine the draw weight
• Draw weight can vary considerably, if possible have the child try out different bows at different draw weights to see what he can comfortably draw back. Typically – a child under 70lbs should look at a draw weight of about 10 and 15lbs, a child 70 – 100lbs should look at a draw weight no higher then 25lbs. Children over a 100lbs should not exceed 35lb draw weights.
The steps are simple, but are very important in getting your youth started off on the right foot, which gives them a good building block for their passion for archery.
By the way, do you want more information on introducing your youth to archery? Visit thebowbarn.com,You will find hunter education information and the compound bows and accessories your looking for.
Compound Bows, An informational guide to getting the right fit.
So you’re ready for your first compound bow, or maybe your looking to upgrade the compound bow you have. The following are tips and how to’s you should consider.
Buying a compound bow is a worthwhile investment for any archer so follow these steps to buy the right compound bow for you.
First off, determine the purpose you are going to be using the bow for, will it be target shooting, hunting or maybe both. If you plan to do both you will need to make some compromises.
Keep these two things in mind: Hunting bows are shorter with heavier draw weights, because you may only shoot one or two shots in a given day, whereas target bows are generally longer and have a lighter draw weight, for the purpose of shooting several times in a short period. When the power of the shot is important, then a hunting bow is what you want.
Once you’ve determined for what purpose you will use your bow you need to determine the correct fit. There are three questions to answer when fitting your compound bow.
1. Do I need a right hand or left hand bow?
2. What draw length do I need?
3. What draw weight should I shoot?
Right hand or left hand?
For most people this is easy to decide, a right handed person chooses a right handed bow and a left handed person chooses a left handed bow. A small minority of people have their dominant eye opposite their dominant hand. This can create problems when aiming. Some people solve this by aiming with their weak eye and closing their dominant one. Others choose a bow to match their dominant eye and accustom themselves to shooting it against their natural "handedness". A few even lean their heads far enough over the bowstring so as to be able use their dominant eye for aiming.
we suggest closing your dominant eye as that works well in the majority of cases,
To determine your dominant eye make a small triangle with your hands and thumbs (see picture), hold it at arms length, and look through it at an object a few feet or more away. Close one eye and then the other. When one of your eyes closes you will see the view through the triangle shift. The eye you just closed is your dominant eye. The view shifts because your other eye took over when your dominant eye closed.
Draw length
When your bow is fitted at the proper draw length you will be at your most comfortable and accurate position. If the draw is too short your peep will be too far from your eye for a clear view, and your shortened power stroke will cost you speed and energy. Too long a draw and your release hand may not anchor firmly against your cheek, your bow arm will want to hyperextend causing a loss of control, and your bowstring can contact your cheek or clothing destroying the accuracy of your shot.
Here is an easy way to find your draw length, simply stand upright with your hands stretched out (hold naturally, do not hyperextend) and measure your arm span from fingertip to fingertip. Take this measurement in inches and divide by 2.5. This will give a good working draw length for your bow. If you want to try a different draw length most bows are adjustable by changing or rotating a module (a small metal piece) on the cam or cams. However we recommend you stick with the starting draw length, straying to far will lead to instability and reduced accuracy. Use the following chart as a quick reference on choosing your draw length.
Draw Weight
Your ideal draw weight is one you can pull in a smooth, controlled manner under hunting conditions. If you hunt in cold weather which most of us do, the combined effects of cold muscles and adrenaline will reduce your controlled draw weight 10 to 15 pounds from what you can manage indoors or on a warm day. Every year we encounter hunters who failed to reach full draw in the presence of game animals! Don't make this mistake, the modern compound bow is highly efficient and maximum poundage is not required for even large game animals.
Most men find somewhere between 55 to 65 lbs to be their comfortable maximum, for women it is 35 to 45 pounds. The following chart shows our recommended bow adjustment range for adults. Keep the following tips in mind when using it.
• A bow works slightly more efficiently when set in the upper end of its poundage range. For example if you would like to shoot 60 lbs it is better to choose a 45-60 lb bow then to choose a 55-70 lb one and back it down to 60 lbs.
• When in doubt choose the lower poundage, you will still have plenty of power for hunting and will be sure to stay in control.
• new archers will increase the poundage they can handle by 10 or more pounds with just two weeks of daily practice.
When your ready to make the purchase of a compound bow, or maybe you still have questions,
feel free to visit TheBowBarn.com. At thebowbarn you will feel like family, ask all the questions you like, we want you to feel good about your purchase. Our goal here is to get the right compound bow into the hands of the archer and to help you be successful at hitting the mark. We carry a great selection of compound bows, for men, women, and youth, give us a visit, see you soon.
Buying a compound bow is a worthwhile investment for any archer so follow these steps to buy the right compound bow for you.
First off, determine the purpose you are going to be using the bow for, will it be target shooting, hunting or maybe both. If you plan to do both you will need to make some compromises.
Keep these two things in mind: Hunting bows are shorter with heavier draw weights, because you may only shoot one or two shots in a given day, whereas target bows are generally longer and have a lighter draw weight, for the purpose of shooting several times in a short period. When the power of the shot is important, then a hunting bow is what you want.
Once you’ve determined for what purpose you will use your bow you need to determine the correct fit. There are three questions to answer when fitting your compound bow.
1. Do I need a right hand or left hand bow?
2. What draw length do I need?
3. What draw weight should I shoot?
Right hand or left hand?
For most people this is easy to decide, a right handed person chooses a right handed bow and a left handed person chooses a left handed bow. A small minority of people have their dominant eye opposite their dominant hand. This can create problems when aiming. Some people solve this by aiming with their weak eye and closing their dominant one. Others choose a bow to match their dominant eye and accustom themselves to shooting it against their natural "handedness". A few even lean their heads far enough over the bowstring so as to be able use their dominant eye for aiming.
we suggest closing your dominant eye as that works well in the majority of cases,
To determine your dominant eye make a small triangle with your hands and thumbs (see picture), hold it at arms length, and look through it at an object a few feet or more away. Close one eye and then the other. When one of your eyes closes you will see the view through the triangle shift. The eye you just closed is your dominant eye. The view shifts because your other eye took over when your dominant eye closed.
Draw length
When your bow is fitted at the proper draw length you will be at your most comfortable and accurate position. If the draw is too short your peep will be too far from your eye for a clear view, and your shortened power stroke will cost you speed and energy. Too long a draw and your release hand may not anchor firmly against your cheek, your bow arm will want to hyperextend causing a loss of control, and your bowstring can contact your cheek or clothing destroying the accuracy of your shot.
Here is an easy way to find your draw length, simply stand upright with your hands stretched out (hold naturally, do not hyperextend) and measure your arm span from fingertip to fingertip. Take this measurement in inches and divide by 2.5. This will give a good working draw length for your bow. If you want to try a different draw length most bows are adjustable by changing or rotating a module (a small metal piece) on the cam or cams. However we recommend you stick with the starting draw length, straying to far will lead to instability and reduced accuracy. Use the following chart as a quick reference on choosing your draw length.
Draw Weight
Your ideal draw weight is one you can pull in a smooth, controlled manner under hunting conditions. If you hunt in cold weather which most of us do, the combined effects of cold muscles and adrenaline will reduce your controlled draw weight 10 to 15 pounds from what you can manage indoors or on a warm day. Every year we encounter hunters who failed to reach full draw in the presence of game animals! Don't make this mistake, the modern compound bow is highly efficient and maximum poundage is not required for even large game animals.
Most men find somewhere between 55 to 65 lbs to be their comfortable maximum, for women it is 35 to 45 pounds. The following chart shows our recommended bow adjustment range for adults. Keep the following tips in mind when using it.
• A bow works slightly more efficiently when set in the upper end of its poundage range. For example if you would like to shoot 60 lbs it is better to choose a 45-60 lb bow then to choose a 55-70 lb one and back it down to 60 lbs.
• When in doubt choose the lower poundage, you will still have plenty of power for hunting and will be sure to stay in control.
• new archers will increase the poundage they can handle by 10 or more pounds with just two weeks of daily practice.
When your ready to make the purchase of a compound bow, or maybe you still have questions,
feel free to visit TheBowBarn.com. At thebowbarn you will feel like family, ask all the questions you like, we want you to feel good about your purchase. Our goal here is to get the right compound bow into the hands of the archer and to help you be successful at hitting the mark. We carry a great selection of compound bows, for men, women, and youth, give us a visit, see you soon.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
ground blind
Ground blind surprise
What can happen when you least expect it….
In the fall of 2006 I had just gotten back into bow hunting after quite a few years away from it. Seems like teen age girls require a lot of time and maintenance, go figure! So in the quest of picking up a used PSE bow and setting it up to be my very own lethal weapon, I was good to go. Seems like practicing is a great past time, and also finding out that pulling a 70 pound draw takes some real getting use to, so starting with a few shots and working up to many didn’t take as long as I thought. So now comes the part in finding a place to hunt, to see if my new set-up would work. Lucky enough my brother has a farm yard not to far from town, so I did a little scouting around for any sign of hoof prints that were not from his horses.
Sure enough, there was split hoof tracks all around the back side of the yard and trees. You could see where bucks were making their scrapes and tearing up the branches. The problem with that was there wasn’t a tree tall enough or even straight enough for a tree stand. So now I started another quest on what to do in setting up some kind of a tripod stand, but knowing what I know about ground blinds, I decided to go that route.
So in being rather thrifty, or,” tight”(and most people tell me I am) I found a small pop-up blind called a
G-20. As some of you probably know, it’s not all that big, but I decided to give it a try.
So then, I took my blind out to the farm to find a spot that would be suitable. I decided on a spot right behind the machine shed in the brush and weeds. This spot had a good view of the coulee that was about 30 yards away. In along the inside edge of the trees, with the grass and weeds as good cover I saw evidence of a lot of deer activity, so it’s here I decided to put my game camera and left it for a few days before I came back to check on it. Sure enough I had pictures of deer on it the first night it was there, but it was showing that they were coming through in the evenings, right before dark. So I spent quite a few evenings sitting, waiting, watching, all on my 5 gallon swivel top lounge stump. But seldom would any come through before dark. Had a doe or spiker come in on occasion, but there again right at dark. So I would get in the blind about an hour before dark as the camera was telling me that it didn’t pay to be there any earlier.
The set up was really nice as I would park my truck on one end of the machine shed, and my blind was on the other, lots of sneaking there.
This particular evening I was thinking it was going to be another uneventful, bird watching, or an occasional farm cat passing night. I was just about ready to start packing up, and there he was, like a ghost from nowhere, a deer, 15 feet in front of me. . Beings my blind was on the east side, I was completely in the shadows.
It was a small frame 4X4 in (ND) or a (8) pointer in some other states, but, never the less he appeared like a ghost. The buck took me totally by surprise and then my heart started to pound like it was going to explode. The adrenalin took over at that point and I had all I could do to not fall off my bucket.
Trying to regain my thoughts, I had to remember that shooting a bow out my blind was a precise action all by itself. Since there is little space, the arrow had to be out the window before I could draw the bow back. Like a small miracle I made the draw, got centered in the blind, got my sights lined up and…. I MISSED
What!! , I couldn’t believe it but the shot went right over his back. Gone he was, as suddenly as he appeared. But, I could not believe it, there he was again. Evidently the buck didn’t know what happened either. The stars, the moon, the blind, and my lethal weapon all became aligned. It was closer to dark than I wanted. Knocking another arrow as fast and quietly as possible, I replayed what had just happened and took a few deep breaths and let another go. This time things went my way, it sounded like I hit a tree the way it cracked, but there were no trees on his far side. The buck spun and was gone in one half of my heartbeat, leaving me there, heart still pounding in the chest.
Now it was almost dark and I was thinking I’d look for him in the morning, so I packed up my things and took the shaky leg walk back to the truck. Heart was still pounding. By the time I had everything in place it was dark. In driving out of the yard, my thoughts were of where he would go, how far, how good of a hit it was. So out the short drive with the lights on I slowly turned on the road with my lights sweeping the field, nothing there. Then as I got to the corner of the yard I swept my lights to the right into a harvested bean field, behind and close to where the blind is. He didn’t go 40 yards, there he was piled up. My heart started pounding all over again at the sight of him laying there.
It was truly a “muzzy moment”, even if the buck wasn’t as big as some that were caught on the camera.
The bigger bucks never showed themselves during daylight hours. With being wound up with excitement, I had to call my buddy Paul and by brother Dan, I think they both told me to slow down and repeat what had just happened.
So this is my first experience with a ground blind and I’m totally hooked on them , yes I do have one now that is large enough to draw a bow in, much easier and more comfortable to move around in.
With looking into all the options that are out there, and the equipment for bow hunting, my wife and I have set up our own web store for archery related products with competitive pricing for everything from bows to blinds and more, so check it out and see what you think about thebowbarn,com and drop us a line or a story about you’re hunting experience.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)