Struggle Stick
- Thread starter Deepcolor
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c3
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I've never hunted big game with a stick bow, but have shot olympic recurves all the way to medals at a world cup in my 15 mins 
Needless to say, hitting your exact draw length each time and a supple release of the fingers is the holy grail of shooting a stick bow.
It takes incredible discipline and a skin as thick as a rhinoceros to keep believing you can be as good as you'd like to be.
Cheers, Pete
Needless to say, hitting your exact draw length each time and a supple release of the fingers is the holy grail of shooting a stick bow.
It takes incredible discipline and a skin as thick as a rhinoceros to keep believing you can be as good as you'd like to be.
Cheers, Pete
Outdoordan
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Lol. /\ Probably as good as description of it as I've ever heard. I WILL kill an elk with mine this year...
(or never come back on here out of shame).
(or never come back on here out of shame).
Where do you live?
Tom Clum has been a huge help to me. He has an online course (solid archery mechanics) but if you're anywhere near Denver it's worth stopping into RMS gear and getting some coaching.
Even if you're not near Denver call RMS gear and talk to them. They have some entry level recurves that they sell and when you want to upgrade limbs they will trade them in for you for a nominal fee.
Definitely start w/ a lightweight draw and a fairly inexpensive bow until you figure out what you like though. I went into it thinking it'd be simpler than a compound (and in some ways it is) but there are a ton of options on how to shoot still.
Tom Clum has been a huge help to me. He has an online course (solid archery mechanics) but if you're anywhere near Denver it's worth stopping into RMS gear and getting some coaching.
Even if you're not near Denver call RMS gear and talk to them. They have some entry level recurves that they sell and when you want to upgrade limbs they will trade them in for you for a nominal fee.
Definitely start w/ a lightweight draw and a fairly inexpensive bow until you figure out what you like though. I went into it thinking it'd be simpler than a compound (and in some ways it is) but there are a ton of options on how to shoot still.
c3
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Don't worry Dan, you'll tuck tail and be back.... this is where we lay it all out, the good the bad and the ugly with how the hunts go.
Been as hard at this game as anyone for 40 something years now and I have to tuck tail every year just about
That's why most of us love it so much. Spending most of every year since 19 years old working for a few weeks in September trying to get it right. In my 62nd year and still can't get enough of either the bows or the elkaholism.
Cheers, Pete
sneakem
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Some great advice given. Mechanics are super important, as well as arrow selection. Arrows need to be the correct spine for your draw weight and are tuned by fractionally cutting them down from full length to tune arrow flight. Lots of great resources out there as well. Clay Hayes has some insightful stuff on you tube as well that is free... Tom Clum is also super knowledgeable as well as previously mentioned.
Definitely a hard learning curve for most and definitely something that will require a great amount of time and dedication to be consistent. Agree with starting with a lighter weight less expensive bow to start with.
Personally, I hunt with a compound 90% of the time but I shoot trad fairly regularly and occasionally hunt a critter or two. Nothing beats the challenge of being up close and personal with a stickbow IMO....
Some pic's to fuel the fire... Stick with it, it's worth it...
Definitely a hard learning curve for most and definitely something that will require a great amount of time and dedication to be consistent. Agree with starting with a lighter weight less expensive bow to start with.
Personally, I hunt with a compound 90% of the time but I shoot trad fairly regularly and occasionally hunt a critter or two. Nothing beats the challenge of being up close and personal with a stickbow IMO....
Some pic's to fuel the fire... Stick with it, it's worth it...
Outdoordan
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I've gotten close, one elk (6x7) hit high in the backstrap (completely blew it as he was 12 yards, just swung and released too quickly). Killed a number of them with training wheels (compound). Killed one muley buck so far with the old struggle stick. Stood 55 yards from this big 7x for 40 minutes 2 years ago. Kind of wish I had the ole training wheels then...
Bigwiffy
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Puts the fun back in it when any buck becomes a trophy again. I've dabbled with a recurve, killed a decent whitetail buck and loved it. I still find myself going back to the compound though. To get real serious I think a guy has to get completely rid of the compound. Good luck it will happen!
HORNhunter7
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WARNING-----It's addictive!! Looked on my bow rack and I have about 15 recurves hanging there. I gave up the compound bow in the late 80's and other than 1 year due to a shoulder injury all I shot for 30 years of serious bow hunting was a recurve. Now with some back and shoulder problems (somewhat caused by shooting to heavy of stickbows) I'm forced to go back to the wheels.
I will echo what others have said. Start out at a light poundage till you establish a solid draw length and anchor and move up in poundage only when you can keep your established form and anchor.
Don't get caught up in the "cool" looking barred feathers and such as I did for a season. The arrows look nice but your brain needs to learn the flight path of you arrow. Bright feathers like Chartreuse or Pink and bright knocks really help.
I think I bought every book on how to accurately shoot a trad bow but the one that help the most is called " Instinctive Archery Insights" by Jay Kidwell. I see them on ebay now and again for 20 bucks or so. Well worth it.
One book you need to buy for sure is called " Shooting the Stickbow" 2nd edition by Anthony Camera. I wished I had this book 30 years ago because everything I had to learn by trial and error is covered in here. Plus way more. It's more of an encyclopedia on stick bows and there is nothing it doesn't cover. It will save you lots of time and I'd say even some frustration on things you'll encounter. It will be the best 15 or 20 bucks you'll ever spend when it comes to all aspects of Recurves and Longbows.
Hope this helps-- Good luck
Deepcolor
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Thanks for the info.
MtnHillbilly
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I will second on Tom. I Bought my longbow from him long time ago! he had me just shoot every bow in my price range and basically gave me lessons the entire time as I had never shot one.
I don't hunt with it anymore but he got me dialed in that first year and haven't needed to change a thing. except I still don't know how to tune one because he was so good at it
