Two years ago, both my grandpas died within a couple months of eachother. I wound up inheriting some of their old hunting and fishing stuff, but the two things I've had the most fun with are their recurve bows.
Unfortunately, Grandpa Ray's bow has a split limb end (looks like it delaminated or something in storage). I shot it a few times, but it honestly shoots so similar to Grandpa Vern's bow I just decided to keep it for show.
Last summer I putzed around with it a bit, but really concentrated on fine tuning my compound accuracy as I knew I'd need it to harvest a deer (which I did).
This spring, during our annual "purge" I stumbled upon two boxes of Ray's old arrows. All feather fletched and perfect for the recurve.
I think I'm addicted. I've been shooting 20-40 arrows a day. Can't say I'm improving much -- and I'm as inconsistent as it comes -- but it's brought an entirely new level of enjoyment to archery.
There's just something so...simple. It's literally a stick (well, two sticks) and a string. I have no sights. No rest. Grip, draw, aim and fire.
Sometimes I can hit three our four arrows inside a dinner plate at 20 yards. The next round, I'll miss the target entirely and send one into my fence.
It's frustrating as heck, but I can't really get enough.
And I really want to improve. I know if a compound is "training wheels," this is finally graduating to a big-boy bike. And I have to relearn everything. But I'm looking forward to the challenge.
Best of all, there's an entire box of brand new arrows with broadheads. If I get good enough, I just may attempt to stick a deer this fall with one of Ray's old arrow's and Vern's old bow.
It's a goal, anyway!
Unfortunately, Grandpa Ray's bow has a split limb end (looks like it delaminated or something in storage). I shot it a few times, but it honestly shoots so similar to Grandpa Vern's bow I just decided to keep it for show.
Last summer I putzed around with it a bit, but really concentrated on fine tuning my compound accuracy as I knew I'd need it to harvest a deer (which I did).
This spring, during our annual "purge" I stumbled upon two boxes of Ray's old arrows. All feather fletched and perfect for the recurve.
I think I'm addicted. I've been shooting 20-40 arrows a day. Can't say I'm improving much -- and I'm as inconsistent as it comes -- but it's brought an entirely new level of enjoyment to archery.
There's just something so...simple. It's literally a stick (well, two sticks) and a string. I have no sights. No rest. Grip, draw, aim and fire.
Sometimes I can hit three our four arrows inside a dinner plate at 20 yards. The next round, I'll miss the target entirely and send one into my fence.
It's frustrating as heck, but I can't really get enough.
And I really want to improve. I know if a compound is "training wheels," this is finally graduating to a big-boy bike. And I have to relearn everything. But I'm looking forward to the challenge.
Best of all, there's an entire box of brand new arrows with broadheads. If I get good enough, I just may attempt to stick a deer this fall with one of Ray's old arrow's and Vern's old bow.
It's a goal, anyway!