Sense of achievement

[Marcus37]

As some of you know I recently switched to freestyle recurve from compound and have made a few observations in the past 5 weeks.

The main one being that I get a much higher sense of achievement from things such as my first all gold end, my first 60 point end etc or raising my personal best score with recurve than I ever did shooting compound.
I really don't remember any of my "firsts" with compound but I know I will from recurve as I got/get such a sense of achievement and joy from such small achievements.

I can now also appreciate how easy compound archery is, recurve is far more challenging, and requires a higher skill level to shoot well even at 30 yards.

My current personal best is 321 out of a possible 360 @ 30 yards, in comparison my compound scores at that distance dance around 355 - 360 depending wind conditions.

I will improve as my release gets better as that is currently my weak point but it's getting there, I no longer pluck which was a big problem for me.

 

[geoffretired]

Sounds like you made the right move. Nice!

 

[Corax67]

That is great news - of course if you want a real challenge you need a longbow




Karl

 

[Marcus37]

That is great news - of course if you want a real challenge you need a longbow




Karl

I have tried a longbow and it was grate fun to shoot, and challenging. but the problem would be transporting it due to its length.

Also our indoor venue does. Not allow us to use them there as some one put a arrow through the plaster bord a while back.

 

[Aleatorian]

Not sure how far you got with you compound archery, but it's not easy at the higher end of the scale, however, each have their own challenges. And each archer has their specific preferences, just glad that you have found yours.
Personally, mine was the other way, I'd reached a plateau with the recurve that I just couldn't push past. As soon as I shot my 1st compound, I knew this was for me! I am now on my second bow and will be chasing for GMB scores next year. Although I do wish for the slightly better holding ability in the wind that I enjoyed with my recurve compared to the compound, I cannot fault how well me and this style of bow work together.

 

[Black Sun]

I have tried a longbow and it was grate fun to shoot, and challenging. but the problem would be transporting it due to its length.

Also our indoor venue does. Not allow us to use them there as some one put a arrow through the plaster bord a while back.

try a field recurve then - one piece recurves tend to be shorter (my Border Super Reiver for example is 62" - but because of the hyper recurve on the limbs is actually nearer 58" in a straight line) and you can always use 3 piece recurves.... if you're shooting HT (or whatever the Archery GB equivalent is) shoot with wooden arrows without a sight and off shelf.... that'll definitely give you a similar sense of achievement as using a longbow (albeit without the sense of historical providence)

 

[Marcus37]

Not sure how far you got with you compound archery, but it's not easy at the higher end of the scale, however, each have their own challenges. And each archer has their specific preferences, just glad that you have found yours.
Personally, mine was the other way, I'd reached a plateau with the recurve that I just couldn't push past. As soon as I shot my 1st compound, I knew this was for me! I am now on my second bow and will be chasing for GMB scores next year. Although I do wish for the slightly better holding ability in the wind that I enjoyed with my recurve compared to the compound, I cannot fault how well me and this style of bow work together.

I know what you mean about stability in the wind, compounds seem to really pick up the deflection.
I got to the stage were I was the best in my club with a compound, it just seemed to come naturally, that may be partly from rifle shooting in my teens.

 

[Marcus37]

try a field recurve then - one piece recurves tend to be shorter (my Border Super Reiver for example is 62" - but because of the hyper recurve on the limbs is actually nearer 58" in a straight line) and you can always use 3 piece recurves.... if you're shooting HT (or whatever the Archery GB equivalent is) shoot with wooden arrows without a sight and off shelf.... that'll definitely give you a similar sense of achievement as using a longbow (albeit without the sense of historical providence)

I already have a impala field bow that i shot for quite some time before taking up compound, these days it's just a mess about bow that I use to shoot my clubs few 3Ds, I really don't enjoy shooting that way seriously any more,
I am keeping it as a just in case SHFT bow in my bug out kit.

I think I will be shooting freestyle recurve for the rest of my archery career, as I get so much from it.

 

[KidCurry]

I can now also appreciate how easy compound archery is, recurve is far more challenging, and requires a higher skill level to shoot well even at 30 yards.

I'm not sure where the difficulty is in recurve or compound. To my mind they are as simple as each other. If there is difficulty in either it is simply a lack of understanding on the archers part.
Enjoyment is something completely different

 

[Kernowlad]

I'm not sure where the difficulty is in recurve or compound. To my mind they are as simple as each other. If there is difficulty in either it is simply a lack of understanding on the archers part.
Enjoyment is something completely different

Our club is mostly made up of recurve archers - sure we take the mick out of each other but everyone seems to be as happy as everybody else. Except me when I'm losing arrows....!

 

[Marcus37]

Our club is mostly made up of recurve archers - sure we take the mick out of each other but everyone seems to be as happy as everybody else. Except me when I'm losing arrows....!

At my club the banter is between us lot on recurve and compound v the longbow guys, its all in good fun.
We call them expensive bent sticks they call us either mechanical monsters or Olympic snobs alongside other things I will not utter here .

But we all help each other, if necessary and just enjoy the sport.

 

[Marcus37]

I'm not sure where the difficulty is in recurve or compound. To my mind they are as simple as each other. If there is difficulty in either it is simply a lack of understanding on the archers part.
Enjoyment is something completely different

I would say compound is easier due to the let off and release aid taking the pressure off the archer, and removing the human element from the string it's self.

 

[geoffretired]

The issue of "simple" is not as straight forward as it might seem.
I know some archers who look at a compound and see complexity. They have all those extra bits to put on and understand. To them, simple is a bow and arrow with a string and tab. I know some who feel recurve is simple enough so long as they don't have to "bother" with sights and long rods and v-bars.
I know some who find shooting without a sight is too complicated as they have to work out how to aim at different distances, and prefer a set of numbers in a book to set their sight to.
To my mind the compound is simple because I don't need to string it;or unstring it; my tab never wears out, and I can pack away quicker than anyone using other bow types. That gives me more time to put all the bosses away while the rest skive off fiddling with stringers and limb bags.

 

[geoffretired]

The issue of "simple" is not as straight forward as it might seem.
I know some archers who look at a compound and see complexity. They have all those extra bits to put on and understand. To them, simple is a bow and arrow with a string and tab. I know some who feel recurve is simple enough so long as they don't have to "bother" with sights and long rods and v-bars.
I know some who find shooting without a sight is too complicated as they have to work out how to aim at different distances, and prefer a set of numbers in a book to set their sight to.
To my mind the compound is simple because I don't need to string it;or unstring it; my tab never wears out, and I can pack away quicker than anyone using other bow types. That gives me more time to put all the bosses away while the rest skive off fiddling with stringers and limb bags.

 

[Kernowlad]

I get a kick knowing my bow flings arrows at heck of a rate and very accurately indeed. And bad shots are all my fault, not my kits.
The downside is that missed arrows lie very flat and dig very deep into the ground making them very hard to find - longbow arrows are easy peasy in comparison!

 

[CFlint]

I see compound bows as a money pit, which is why I shoot barebow- not much to throw money at!

 

[geoffretired]

I get a kick knowing my bow flings arrows at heck of a rate and very accurately indeed.

I get a lot of quiet satisfaction from knowing my compound is fast and yet so gentle. It is like there is lots of power to spare and it doesn't have to try all that hard. It's a similar feeling when I can cut through a piece of wood with a very sharp knife.
I won't go so far as to say "I get a KICK out of shooting my bow." Not enough recoil for that, heehee

 

[geoffretired]

I get a kick knowing my bow flings arrows at heck of a rate and very accurately indeed.

I get a lot of quiet satisfaction from knowing my compound is fast and yet so gentle. It is like there is lots of power to spare and it doesn't have to try all that hard. It's a similar feeling when I can cut through a piece of wood with a very sharp knife.
I won't go so far as to say "I get a KICK out of shooting my bow." Not enough recoil for that, heehee

 

[Kernowlad]

I get a lot of quiet satisfaction from knowing my compound is fast and yet so gentle. It is like there is lots of power to spare and it doesn't have to try all that hard. It's a similar feeling when I can cut through a piece of wood with a very sharp knife.
I won't go so far as to say "I get a KICK out of shooting my bow." Not enough recoil for that, heehee

I'm with you on the knife thing; the S30V steel blade on my Leatherman Charge TTi is SO sharp and holds an edge for so long, I end up using it for all sorts of slightly inappropriate tasks (e.g. opening ridiculously over packaged Amazon parcels!) and I keep the rest sharp with a Sharpmaker. Excellent pierce of kit.

I cook a lot and blunt knives are hateful; and dangerous!

 

[AndyW]

I can now also appreciate how easy compound archery is, recurve is far more challenging, and requires a higher skill level to shoot well even at 30 yards.

Take the sight off, ditch the release aid and stabilisers and have a walk round a wood having a pop at random targets at weird unknown distances. Both bow types are remarkably quite difficult to be accurate with. A first arrow shoot doing this for 40 targets is real satisfaction. Each to their own but maybe give it a try with that easy compound. I'm not having a go just pointing out there are other ways of enjoying the same bow. Now, a longbow - that's hard to be any good with.