Top Tips For Shooting A Recurve Bow

Are you thinking about getting into archery? Our resident archery enthusiast James gives us his advice on how to fire a recurve bow.

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Target archers use aids like sights to help them achieve the perfect shot

In my experience, there are various different ways in which you can shoot a bow depending on your style of archery. For instance, an archer using bare bow style, a recurve without the use of sights, counterweights etc, may “snap shoot” where you use very little time to actually aim at the desired target but instead instinctively “feel” the shot.

A target archer using sights however, will take more time and think about where the arrow is going, ensuring all the possibilities that could make the shot go wrong are limited by using the same methods every time, such as draw length, stability, a smooth release etc..

Here I am going to cover some of the basic techniques that are required when shooting with a recurve bow. These are basic tips to help you achieve a consistent level of archery so if you use sights or shoot bare bow style, this advice should hopefully help you get you on your way to successful shooting.

Your Archery Stance

One of the first things to consider after you’ve got your archery supplies, when shooting any bow, is the way in which you stand when doing so. You should be standing sideways on towards the target, with your feet shoulder width apart. This will give you stability when shooting and ensure you are able to get the most power out of your shot, for you will now be drawing the bowstring straight across your body to your draw point.

Holding the Bow

It is important that you hold the bow correctly because this can have a huge impact on the shot you are taking. Personally, I don’t use an armguard when shooting, and I would recommend this to any beginner. This is because as long as you have you arm in the correct position when shooting; the bow string won’t hit your arm.

If your hold is incorrect, you arm will feel the recoil of the string, and this can become quite painful over time, as your arms becomes more sore. In this way, bad technique is punished, and you are encouraged to get it right. Instead, the right way is to not to have your arm dead straight, but in fact with a slight bend at the elbow and locking this position in place.

Gripping the Riser

Another thing to consider is how hard you need to grip the bow. If you are clutching the riser for dear life then this can dramatically throw the arrow off to either side of the target. This is to do with how the energy from the bow is displaced and when held too tightly the energy from releasing the string will all be put into the back of the arrow making it “fish tail” thus loosing accuracy.

This is why many target archers will use finger or wrist slings, so the bow may be gripped ever so lightly and allowed to dip forward after every shot without dropping the bow.

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It’s important to get your drawing technique right

The Draw 

As a budding archer, you must decide for yourself the most comfortable way to draw the string back, and there are various schools of thought on this. Many who teach archery to people will say to put three fingers under the arrow because this is the easiest way of doing so (Three fingers being your index, middle and ring finger).

A better and more widely used method by both target archers and hunters is to “split” your fingers by having one above and two below. This is where the index finger is above where the arrow is on the string with the middle and ring finger below. Also, your fingers will need to be gripping the string at your first knuckle to ensure you aren’t holding too loose or too firmly.

Bare Bow vs Target Archery Drawing

When it comes to drawing, the differences in target and bare bow recurve shooting become starkly apparent. As a barebow shooter, with the bow lightly held in place, you will draw to the side of your face so as to almost touch your cheek with your fingertips, looking down the arrow towards the archery target you wish to hit.

A target archer however will use a different technique where you will draw the bow under your chin so your fingers use your chin as an “anchor-point” and the bowstring touches your nose. This is so that the archer may use the sight to aim at the target before shooting.

Another thing to consider when drawing is to keep your elbow on the arm which is drawing the string held nice and high, as this will make it easier when releasing the shot to keep power.

Releasing The Bow String

Whatever style of shooting, a good release is essential to ensuring a powerful and accurate shot. If on releasing the string you simply let go of the string and let your hand follow the shot, a lot of power will be lost each time. The likely result will be either that the arrow hits low on the target and without much consistency, or that you miss the target altogether.

Instead, ideally, you want a powerful release. So when you are lined up and ready to shoot the arrow when letting go of the string, you should “flick” your fingers off. This is done by releasing the string whilst at the same time moving your hand backwards away from the bow. Imagine you were plucking a guitar string or pinging an elastic band. This will ensure all the energy from the bow is put into shooting the arrow powerfully and accurately.

Keep Holding On

Upon release it is also important that you continue to hold your bow up until the arrow actually hits the target. If you were to just let your arm drop as soon as you release the string you will find that most of your shots when doing so will shoot low on the target or even miss under the archery target. So it is very important to let the shot follow through until it reaches its destination.

Finally

I can’t tell you what exact technique is going to work for you, because we all differ. It is impossible to generalise, and there are too many variables in archery. I wish it could be worked out, as this would have helped me a great deal when I was learning! Instead, what I have given you here are guidelines to which, if implemented, will help you to progress. In order to make the most of these, you will need to practice, apply yourself, and try different methods. With some effort, you should find what works for you, and gives the best results when shooting.

To check out our full range of recurve bows and accessories, head to our archery supplies store

Review: Buck Trail Blackhawk Recurve Bow

Our resident archery expert James Hancock gives his verdict on the Buck Trail Blackhawk….

From personal experience of these bows, having shot both the 30# and 40# versions, it is clear to me that the Buck Trail Blackhawk represents true value for money, and I can highly recommend them to any archer who enjoys traditional shooting at a very affordable price.

Long & Fast

The Buck Trail Blackhawk is an American style Flatbow made by Raven Archery. The overall length of the bow is a huge 68 inches, and this provides the shooter with a very long and smooth draw, which delivers an arrow to the target with great speed, but little hand-shock.

It is designed to be shot off the shelf, using either a leather pad or hair rest, and constructed from multiple wooden laminations, with clear glass over the limbs. This is in keeping with the traditional look of the bow.

My personal opinion on shooting this bow would be to use a style of shooting called “canting the bow”. This is where the shooter leans the bow so that the arrow is sitting on an almost “v” shape. This is a great technique, used by many bare bow archers because it is a quick way of moving the bow out of the archers line of sight, so he may line up the shot, as well as adding stability to the arrow and making it a lot easier to shoot the arrows quickly (snap shooting).

Available in Different Configurations

Available in both left and right handed and with a draw weight range from 30-50# this is a versatile bow which can be used for everything from field archery competitions, to hunting (as appropriate according to the law in your country). I think the draw weights around the 50# mark are much better to use, providing you are able to draw these, since the arch of the arrow isn’t as much as the weaker powered bows. This is because the higher the power, the flatter the trajectory of the arrow, which will make your shooting a lot more accurate than a bow which you have to aim well above the target at longer ranges.

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The Buck Trail Blackhawk, a versatile recurve bow

Arrow Selection

The best arrows to be shot with this style of bows to maintain its accuracy and smoothness would either be wooden or aluminium arrows.  My personal preference would be wooden arrows with feathers on them rather than plastic vanes, but an aluminium arrow would shoot well from these as well. Carbon arrows can be quite unforgiving to shoot due to their lightness and speed which is why they are better suited to more precision shooting such as with a recurve or compound with sights.

Personally I would make my own wooden arrows because there is great satisfaction when you have put in the time and effort into making something which looks quite often better than those you can just buy, and they shoot great! At Pellpax we can supply all the materials you will need to build your arrows from the wooden shafts themselves to the arrow points and feathers.

Essential Bow Accessories

A few more things to consider when purchasing this bow. There are certain accessories every archer will need to get at some point such as finger protection from the string, an arm guard again to protect you from the string, and a quiver to hold your arrows for you whilst you are shooting.

I would personally suggest that any beginner archer should use an arm guard until you have worked out a good enough technique to not need one (although the string can still catch you!). I don’t really like using arm guards, as I find if the string hits me then it’s a tough reminder that my technique is flawed, and I need to bend my arm more.

My personal equipment preference would be to keep with the traditional theme, and get a leather shooting glove rather than a tab. This is because they not only protect your fingers, but keep your hand warm when winter shooting, are easy to use, and they look great.

In terms of a quiver, I love to use a back quiver, much like you see in every Hollywood film where there is a bit of archery. Many people struggle to get their head around how to use one of these and end up chasing around after their arrows like a cat after their tail, so for beginners it may be better to go for a side quiver instead, which can simply click onto any belt.

In conclusion, found the Buck Trail Blackhawk to be excellent value, due to its sheer quality, and I would recommend it as great bow for entry level and intermediate archers.

If you would like to see our range arrows click here, and for arrow building materials click hereA lot more arrow-making supplies are available, so if you have anything in mind which you particularly need and cannot see on here, then please feel free to contact one of our staff and raise your enquiry.

We sell the Buck Trail Blackhawk, in a variety of configurations, at the low price of £112.99.  They can be found here. 

For all items suggested above, you can go to the head to the Archery Accessories section. And you can browse our entire catalogue, in our archery shop.

Gaining My Archery Achievements

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Our resident archery enthusiast James Hancock using his bow skills

James Hancock is the resident archery enthusiast and expert at Pellpax, where we have recurve bows, crossbows, and all kinds of archery equipment and accessories for sale. He’s on hand to give advice and help customers most days. Here he shares how he got into archery, and won several high level competitions and awards in the sport.

I first started showing an interest in archery when I turned the age of eight, Lord Of The Rings – The Fellowship Of The Ring had just come out in the cinema (2001) and I remember all of my friends, including me, wanting to take up archery due to this.

I had already shown skill with hand-eye coordination from a younger age when my father brought me my first airgun, an old Baikal IJ 38 .177 Stamped “Made in USSR” down the side of it. This was keenly used to shoot bottle tops in the back garden using the open sights, and I must admit I was a demon with this gun.

Moving on, after showing an interest in archery, Dad bought my first bow for me as a birthday present.  It was a little green Sherwood bow with only about 12lbs on it, and with this we would go across into the fields opposite our house, where we would walk the dogs and just shoot at tree stumps or hay bales. After seeing that I was shooting so well, Dad then took up archery himself and found us a local club so we could take this new found hobby further, so we joined the Fakenham Bowmen.

Joining GNAS

This was a target archery club and was run under the rules of GNAS (Grand National Archery Society). Whilst here I was constantly pushed by the club to take up Recurve or Compound style bows, that using sights on the bow, etc. I saw this as cheating and so refused and instead went in the direction of Barebow. This is where a Recurve style bow is used, but without any of the sights, weights or stabilisers. Using several of the club bows and trying all sorts of beginner recurve kits; Dad decided that if I were to enter competition then I would need a higher quality of bow to see me through, so he brought me a Hoyt Gamemaster 1 with a 40lbs draw weight. Through this he received a lot of criticism from by some of the clubs members because it was such a highly powered, challenging bow. The club hadn’t noticed, though that by this time I was very strong for my age and could use this bow all day with ease.

Winning Awards

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An archery target after training

After winning several club events in my category, we then started signing up for other competitions around the county, and then all over the country. By this point I had turned 12-13. Whilst doing this, I won four Norfolk County awards in a row as well as various different club events. Whilst shooting at Taverham Archery Club on 8th January 2006 in a Stafford round I was informed that I had just defeated the previous record and was now the current national record holder for this category. With this, I went on to setting a few more national records, first back at Fakenham Bowmen in a Junior Warwick Round on 30th April 2006 Short, then Taverham Archery Club again in a Stafford round on 14th January 2007, then once again at Fakenham in a Short Warwick Round on 6th May 2007.

After all this there wasn’t much more room for me to progress within the target archery world as all the organisations and clubs were only really interested in the other junior archers who were using bow sights on recurves and compounds, grooming them ready for Team GB and Olympic shooting. So we left these clubs and shoots, and instead turned to field archery. First impressions of this different form of shooting were good, the people were friendly and the whole atmosphere was more relaxed and enjoyable. We had joined Broadland Bowmen in Norwich and as such it was a requirement for us to either join the NFAS (National Field Archery Society) or the EFAA (English Field Archery Association), so we joined both.

Entering NFAS & Other Competitions

Shooting mostly in the NFAS to begin with, I won several different club events, both local, and many around the country. These shoots were a lot more enjoyable because the targets weren’t like in GNAS, where you have a fixed target repeating the same round as the last. These types of events instead involved walking around a set out woodland course which had 3D animal targets at unknown distances. This suited me and my shooting style down to the ground. However, all this traveling and commitment to the sport began to make my hobby feel more like a obligatory task, and I rapidly began losing interest in the sport. One of the last serious competitions I shot at was hosted by Worlingham Field Archers 12108748_10152662831482325_6199949210822405522_nin Suffolk which was a weekend shoot over the 6th and 7th June 2007. Here my category was Junior Bow hunter Recurve and over the two days I won the highest score and so received an England medal.

I shot a few more local competitions after this but truth be told I had completely lost interest and it all fizzled out. For about two years I didn’t touch a bow again or even think of doing archery. After this time I then picked the bow up again and still shoot for my own pleasure on some family woodland. Only one of my national records in GNAS remains, the Junior Short Warwick.

Given all my experiences, I’m still very much a handy archer, and despite all previous thoughts of immense dislike towards compound-style bows, I have recently bought one. I must admit it is both fun and accurate! I no longer have my Hoyt Gamemaster 1 but instead enjoy shooting an old style Mongolian Flatbow for which I buy all the arrow parts and assemble myself. This is a simple but enjoyable form of shooting, and a lot better for those who like shooting fast and being an instinctive archer.

I am very much considering the idea of competing again soon, and trying to win a few more trophies, this time in the gentlemen’s category. The only thing I now need to think about is what style and what bow I’m going to use!

James is one of the many experts that work with the Pellpax team. If you’d like to get into archery, check our range of recurve bows, crossbows, archery equipment and accessories for sale, or call us now for advice.

Compound, Crossbow, Recurve: Archery 101

Archery has a huge tradition in combat, hunting and sport, with special, historic ties to Great Britain.

It began life as a form of military weapon, and was used by armies and warriors around the world, notably by American Indians, the Chinese, and the English, famed for their longbows. We’d like to present for you here a quick guide to everything you need to know about Archery.

Archery has a huge tradition in combat, hunting and sport, with special, historic ties to Great Britain.

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Target Archery can be a competitive sport or a great leisure hobby

It began life as a form of military weapon, and was used by armies and warriors around the world, notably by American Indians, the Chinese, and the English, famed for their longbows. Pellpax is a major UK vendor of crossbows, bows and archery equipment which we have for sale, and we’re lucky to have experts on hand to help, too. We’re passionate about the subject, so we’d like to present for you here a quick guide to everything you need to know about Archery.

History

There is evidence of archery and bows being used as far back as 3000BC here in Great Britain, but it was after the defeat of the English in 1066 that successive kings worked to ensure that there was a steady supply of skilled archers amongst the ranks of our armies.

During different periods kings even went as far as to ban sports such as football, bowls, and in Scotland, golf.

The development of firearms lead to the gradual cessation of archery as a military necessity, but it was then revived as early as the 16th century for sport and competition. One of the earliest groups to do this was the Society of Archers at Scorton, formed in 1673. They run a competition with a prize known as the Antient Silver Arrow, which runs up to this very day.

Other societies and groups like the Toxophilite Society, 1781, and  1787 by the Royal British Bowmen, followed. The Grand National Archery Society, which is today known as the Archery GB, and is the governing body for archery in the United Kingdom, was formed at Liverpool in 1861.

SOURCE: ArcheryGB

Types Of Bow

There are several different types of bow. Here are just some of them, below.

Compound bow: This kind of bow has mechanical additions, such as pulleys, which assist the drawing of the bow. Usually, these aids are pulleys at the tips of the limbs.

Crossbow: A crossbow is a gun-like weapon where the limbs of the bow are at right angles to a stock, which carries a ‘bolt’, rather than an arrow. You can grab yourself a crossbow for sale from our huge range.

Longbow:  A bow made from one piece of wood, which has limbs that are rounded, and is around the height of the archer, thereby allowing a draw of over 5 feet (1 and a half metres). Often made of yew wood.

Recurve bowThis is a bow that has the end of each limb curving in an away direction from the person holding it. What happens is that the curves become straight as the archer draws the bow, and the tips go back to their original, curved state after the arrow has been fired. This adds extra speed to the arrow.

Reflex bow: In this type of bow, the whole of each limb is curved away from the archer.

Source: Wikipedia

Official Bodies & Clubs

The governing body of sport Archery in the UK is Archery GB. Their website is

You can find your local archery club by using the Archery GB Club Finder here.

Courses

There are a wide range of courses run up and down the country at different clubs. You can find details with you local club, and online at resources like Archery GB.

These include Personal Performance Courses, which are improver courses, which are for people who have been in the sport for at least 6 months and have their own equipment.

Organisations like 2020 Archery in London offer Beginner Courses, and longer, 5 Week Courses.

You can also do Coach and Instructor courses, which are organised in association with Archery GB. These include the Archery GB Instructor Award,

It is organised in association with Sports Structures Ltd. Full details here. You can also get to Level 1, Level 2, and County Coach and Senior Coach levels with Archery GB. Full details at their website.

 

You can check our our huge range and grab yourself one of our range of crossbows for sale, compound bows, recurve bows and archery accessories to buy, right here at Pellpax, and we deliver across the UK.