33 replies to this topic

[Elderberry]

Hey everyone! Just bought the Howatt made in the mid 60's! It's a beaut aint' it? My heart still belongs to the Long Bow, but I liked this one so much I just had to start my collection with it.  1.jpg   19.58K   17 downloads  2.jpg   27.61K   18 downloads

[ShooterJohn]

Very nice and you have excellent form too.

[fakawee]

Wow, forget the bow-you're a bowhunting babe!!! Just playin'..... I've got a few Martin, Fred Bear, PSE and Black Widow recurves myself but like you, I still love the longbows. By the way, you have good form! Seriously! Did you receive instructions when you took up archery?

[Bennie]

Congratulations so how do you like it so far and how does it shoot?

[Elderberry]

Hey everyone! Thanks on the compliments on my form! I have had an instructor since the end of May who has let me go on my own pretty much now. But everyone is good, at the range, on commenting on form and groupings of arrows on the targets. I love shooting this bow! Man, I can shoot far and I get more groupings with my arrows. Still.....I am glad I started on the Long Bow, which is the hardest to master of them all. I can't wait to get the one Big Jim, out East, is building me! That will be a beaut!

[Thumper Dunker]

Thats a good bow I Love mine Whats the weight of it ? ( Elderberry use your instinks stop looking at the arrow tip.) May your instinks be with you

[Elderberry]

Will do Thumper! It's a 42 lb the heaviest I have pulled.

[fakawee]

Will do Thumper! It's a 42 lb the heaviest I have pulled.

Watch the heavier draw weights Elderberry as they tend to make the hips move towards the target. You have great form but I think it could be better. If I can critisize just a bit-in your photo's, I've noticed your left hip has angled itself towards the target. Not drastically, I've seen worse but if you can tell yourself as you draw your bow, to place both feet shoulder width apart and concentrate on maintaining both hips in line with your shoulders and feet, weight evenly spread on both feet, you should be able to correct the hip angle before it becomes a bad form habit. If you still find that your left hip moves towards the target when you draw, try placing both feet together, standing up straight and slowly drawing your bow. At first you'll notice that you've become off balance. That's because your left hip is trying to move in the direction of the target. Keep your mind on your hips being straight with your feet together. In the field, if you have to take a downward shot, bend at the waist, not the hips. Most men don't have a problem with the hip placement because of the upper body strength. Women, on the other hand compensate for the lack in upper body strength by using other parts of the body to help draw the bow instead of letting the upper back muscles contract to draw the bow. I know-bla, bla, bla. I just don't like to see new archers learn bad habits.

[Elderberry]

Thank you! Yes, the guys have nicknamed that my "Hey Baby!" hip. I have over compensated for the heavier weight! You are right! I am working on the back muscles to strengthen up for me! I do appreciate any constructive criticism you can give me much appreciated!El

[ShooterJohn]

Hey fakawee, she is holding a bow!

[Elderberry]

Shooter John ! Bad....bad...bad...

[mac]

LMAO...was waiting for someone to call fakawee to the carpet on that one!

[mac]

EB, where is the bow range? Looks like Los Altos Rod & Gun Club...but didn't think they had a range/course

[Elderberry]

Saratoga, near the Mountain Winery, Bow Hunters Unlimited, they have their own website, just google them they have an online map!Nice, real nice, then you can go and have wine afterwards!El

[ShooterJohn]

LMAO...was waiting for someone to call fakawee to the carpet on that one!

[Elderberry]

I'm glad you guys are having a good laugh on me!

[ShooterJohn]

We're not laughing at you Elderberry. We are giving fakawee a bad time about his criticism of your shooting style. He is correct, but he needed to look at the whole picture. I guess the rest of us were looking at your "Hey Baby" hip stance differently.

[Elderberry]

I know Shooter John! You weren't laughing at me! You guys are such fun!

[fakawee]

Man (women too) this is a tough group but I love every one of you! I wish I were closer to Elderberry so I could help her out with the habits and even give her more pointers. Being down here in the south is bad because the deer are tiny and and there are not enough of them to go around. When the sun comes up on opening days, you can literally count the amount of archers in the trees and behind ground blinds-it's insane! I shot 3-D tournaments for many years with both traditional bows and compound bows and have seen so many archers with bad form that I gave up 3-D shooting and started training anyone I ran into at the ranges that looked like they needed help. At one time, I had 15+ folks asking me for help. I no longer shoot a bow (except for my crossbows) due to a shoulder replacement (most of you already know about) that I underwent last October but I still go to the ranges (Morley Field, Balboa Park and Bear State in Escondido) and hang out with archers and help those that want the help. No, I don't push myself on anyone but I do add some critisizm when I see it-especially with kids. I wasn't the perfect archer either but I've had alot of practice, advice, training and hunting since my grandfather first put a bow in my hands when I was 5.Oh hey SJ, I know she's holding a bow-a very nice looking bow!!!

[Elderberry]

You can still give me pointers! Any help is much appreciated. I actually grouped my arrows the other day but that was using the Recurve. I would like to master the Long Bow by grouping those arrows...but you know that Long Bow has a tendency to shoot a little to the left and that always messes with me!

[fakawee]

Alright, what kind of arrows are you using? Do you know how much they weigh? What arrow tips are you using? What fletches are on the arrow and if custom made, how many fletches are on them and what rotation do they give the arrow when shot? How much of a shelf/rest does the long bow have? Is it cut into the bow or made with some hand wrap?The reason you grouped your arrows with your recurve are because your arrows come off a shelf/rest that is carved into the riser and is in semi-line with the bow string. Look at the recurve bow from behind the string with an arrow nocked then look at your long bow and you'll see a huge difference. Arrows shot from a recurve come off the string much straighter than on a long bow. Arrows come in different shaft stiffnesses known as spine strength. If an arrow has too soft a spine, it will wiggle or wobble (all arrows wiggle or wobble) drastically during it's flight and will impact it's target in unpredictable ways. Too hard a spine gives almost the same results, less wiggle or wobble but arrow flight is horrible. Google "arrow flight video" to see what I'm talking about. The key is to find the correct spine strength for your bows' draw weight and your draw length.PM me if you have more questions (I know you will now that I've confused you). We could keep this post going forever on this subject.

[Shoot-it]

Good for you I am glad you got a bow that you like. You look like you know what you are doing in that picture.good luck

[Thumper Dunker]

Fakawee is right on in what he said. Get the right arrow for each bow. ect.

[lilwes278]

Ok, I'll say it. I know everyone's thinking it... Is Elderberry single?

[Elderberry]

Yes, Elderberry is single. Oh boy.....

[Shoot-it]

why is that elderberry you not to hard on the eyes plus you like to hunt.

[Elderberry]

I'm a picky eater and a picky sweetums! That's why I'm still single!

[lilwes278]

why is that elderberry you not to hard on the eyes plus you like to hunt.

...and in this day & age, that's about as common as a unicorn!

[mac]

Yes, Elderberry is single. Oh boy.....

Oh boy is right!!! LOL.... I bet your PM msgs are starting! Kidding. Hey, I'd love to check out that bow range. Maybe I'll see you up there sometime.

[Elderberry]

Mac you will love it! I'm usually up there on Saturday mornings there is a great group there. You will like the laughs and the shooting!