Switched from compound to recurve

[kiwi hunter]

So last yr while waiting for my firearms license I brought a little compound, a toy from 35 to 45 lb pull. I started from the bottom and at forty lbs I managed to arrow two bull tahrs. After a nice trip to Hawaii and all the hassles involved with travel I decided to go over to a recurve, ifl . Now after I'd got a bit of proficiency with the compound I had no trouble to when switching over to a hunting arrowhead, both the target and hunting arrow heads grouped to the same point. Now to my recurve, after a couple of months of slow build up I got some gorgeous cherokee broadheads and send a couple out towards the target, well good golly miss molly what the hells going on. A bit of research on this forum and I got my(part anyway)answer, it's certainly a huge difference in the two styles.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Arrow spine is much more critical with a recurve than with a compound. Depending on where your broadhead-tipped arrows are hitting relative to your field points, you may need to either stiffen or weaken your arrows. Shortening the arrow shaft, reducing the amount of weight on the front end, and increasing the amount of weight on the back end would all stiffen the arrow (and vice versa). Adjusting your rest elevation/windage (or strike plate thickness if shooting off the shelf) and nocking point location can also help bring broadheads and field points together.

 

[geewhiz]

Bit of a learning curve for sure. I think I could shoot 1 quiver of arrows per month with my compound and be able to kill at elk out to 50 every shot. With trad gear though its a different story. I have to practice literally every day to stay sharp and confident. But my goodness once you kill an animal with that thing what a rush it is.

 

[kiwi hunter]

Yes thanks. Came back from the field for a morning cup of tea and played a bit more, getting close but might have to try other styles of broadhead. Actually about a month ago I had a fallow sprocket come into 12 mtrs(that was assuming that the point of aim would be same)and released a shot into his Hillar zone to see the poor bugger run off with the arrow sticking out of his neck area, I shot him a couple of days ago with a 22 cal because that's the second time I've hat a shot at him , that time I hit him in the Achilles. Anyway the answer was in the difference between the compound and the recurve.

 

[kiwi hunter]

OK, my arrows are going to be aluminium cut to 31 inches(that's how they come) in two bits(takedown) .my research says aluminium is heavier then carbon at equal spine, so what is the arrow going to do at the 31 inch length? The seller is SAS survival, and at 50 lb draw its supposed to be able to take a heavier broadhead, am I on the right track?

 

[BTripp86]

Look up bare shaft tuning and watch a few videos about it. Like stated, correct spine is critical when shooting traditional bows directly off the shelf with fingers. It'll take some tinkering and alot of practice.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

OK, my arrows are going to be aluminium cut to 31 inches(that's how they come) in two bits(takedown) .my research says aluminium is heavier then carbon at equal spine, so what is the arrow going to do at the 31 inch length? The seller is SAS survival, and at 50 lb draw its supposed to be able to take a heavier broadhead, am I on the right track?

3 Rivers Archery has a spine calculator on their website that can get you in the ballpark on static spine, length, point weight.

However, I assume you're planning to use these two-piece arrows, and the 3 Rivers calculator cannot account for the effect of the joint in the middle of those arrows. I had never heard of two-piece/takedown arrows until you mentioned them, but I personally would not use them. I would be concerned about the threaded joint staying tight and about possible misalignment between the two halves of the arrow. Also, those arrows are fletched with Easton Diamond vanes, which are quite stiff. If shooting a rest that allows fletching contact (or shooting off the shelf), I would want feathers or AAE Trad Vanes (which are very flexible).

If you have a means of cutting your own arrows, I would recommend ordering full length (one-piece) shafts without inserts installed, a field point test kit, and a stick of heat reversible glue (aka, "hot melt"). Then shoot a bareshaft alongside a fletched shaft at various lengths and point weights until you find a combination that results in both shafts hitting the same spot. You didn't mention your draw weight, draw length, or desired point weight, but arrows in the neighborhood of 400-500 spine typically work well for most recurve hunting setups.

 

[kiwi hunter]

Back into it this morning. All this back n forth did my head in, so back to the start again, kept the six uncurled string adjustment, set
The pins back to original position and went back to the first broadheads I've been using. First I fired a practice arrow n it touched the paint dot, then the broadhead and it slid in right beside the practice point, there you go it's just science and I'm sticking to the original broadheads(they have three cutters). It doesn't pay to shop by bling, but the others did look damn cute. Just like shopping for a younger second wife(I've heard that a lot of husbands go back to their first wife).

 

[grizzly63]

After shooting 30 or so deer with a compound, the overriding sensation of accomplishment from taking a doe with a recurve was immense. I try a little every year with the recurve before the rut hits. If you take a bow and a rifle on a hunt, you will invariably choose the rifle. Same with bows, A person should go all in to get better with the trad equipment.