I began shooting a bow at the age of 22 with a strong desire, a Bear Whitetail II compound, and a set of extraordinarily mis-matched arrows. Somehow, through the assistance of some fellows I had met at a local outdoor store, I eventually acquired arrows that were matched, a bow that was tuned, and some much-needed archery lessons. Thus began my bumpy progression down the road to an archery and bowhunting life.

As the years passed and I grew older, I became increasingly cognizant of my desire to connect to archery in a more personal, if not spiritual way. I wanted to know the feeling of a simple bow; of the straight-forward process of drawing, pointing, and shooting; a process that had served so many traditional archers, so well, for so many thousands of years. I wanted to transition to traditional archery and to feed my soul on the challenge and change I knew it would bring.

Making the change from a modern bow to a traditional bow is not as daunting as it might seem. Indeed, it does require a greater commitment to practice given that traditional archery is as much about personal discipline as it is about the liberation from the intrusive gadgetry that can rob us of the full satisfaction of the hunt. However, it is in the joy of that liberation, demonstrated in the sight of that first arrow flying true to the target face that lifts the spirit and ignites the passion that makes practice easy. And when practice becomes easy, proficiency soon follows.

Any number of initial choices exists for the bowhunter who wishes to transition from modern to traditional tackle and although the scope of this article will be limited to providing only introductory and resource information, it is hoped that it will point any would-be traditional shooter in the right direction to obtain more information and comprehensive instruction.

The first choice to be made in terms of shooting a traditional bow is what type of bow to select. There are many options in the market including longbows, hybrid longbows, recurves, flatbows, and self-bows. Although the choice is completely personal, I found the recurve was the easiest traditional bow for me to master during my own transition process. And since like many women, I think aesthetics are important, I quickly acquired a beautiful one piece marvel of zebrawood and red elm to be my companion along the way.

When looking for a bow, it is advisable to consider buying used the first time around. An excellent listing of used traditional bows can be found at www.women-outdoors.com. Just click on the tab that says "Traditional Archery" and then click on the classifieds to view hundreds of selections. A custom bow made to personal specifications may soon follow, but with most high-end customs costing about a thousand dollars each, it is wise to get some traditional archery experience first.

Regardless of what type of stickbow that any would-be traditional archer and bowhunter might select on her or his own transitional process, a few generalities are worth mention as it relates to picking that all-important first bow. First, the more deflexed the bow, the more forgiving it usually is, so it’s a good idea to look at some foreword handle models. Next, the longer the bow, typically the more comfortable it is to draw. Third, a bow with a shelf cut to or past center is more tolerant of arrow spine variances than one that is not and can thus be easier to tune for the beginner. Finally, when transitioning from a compound to a traditional bow it is advised that the shooter reduce her or his poundage at full draw by at least 15% so as not to be over-bowed. I learned the hard way that it is better to begin with a light poundage bow and develop good form than to begin with high poundage bow and never learn to shoot accurately.

And don’t forget that unless otherwise indicated, most bows are scaled at a draw length of 28 inches. So if your draw length is less than 28 inches, you will need to subtract three pounds per inch from the scaled draw weight of the bow to determine what the poundage will be at your draw. Likewise, draw weight typically increases by three pounds per inch as the bow is pulled beyond 28 inches.

And while we are on the subject of draw length, it should be mentioned that the draw length an archer has for a compound bow is usually one or two inches longer than the draw length she or he will have with a traditional bow. This is because the differences in stance and anchor point typically shorten the draw. In my own case, I easily drew my compound bow to 28 inches. However, I draw a full one inch less with all of my recurves and longbows.

Arrow selection is another important priority for a new traditional archer. A shooter can select from aluminum, wood, or carbon varieties, but the most important factor is to make absolutely certain that the shaft selected is the proper spine for the bow that will be used. An incorrectly spined arrow will not only fly without predictability, it will provide the archer inaccurate information relative to the progress being made in terms of developing consistent shooting form.

So, how does one select the right shaft? There are several methods that can be used and it is strongly encouraged that a new convert to tradbows obtain some assistance from an experienced traditional archer to learn about these methods and their application. However, if help is not immediately available, an excellent resource for determining how to select and then perfectly tune a set of arrows to a traditional bow can be found by turning to the web. Simply go to www.bowmaker.net and click on the tab titled "bow tuning." Scrolling down the page will reveal an in depth study of arrow selection and tuning, including charts and diagrams, that will equip a new traditional shooter with the information needed to make an informed arrow choice.

Since in archery it is true that function follows form, it is important that anyone who wishes to transition to a traditional bow develop a consistent approach to shooting. Thus, the specific elements of the shot which include stance, grip, draw, anchor, release, and follow through must be both developed and then repeated consistently in order to obtain accuracy. Here again, individual assistance from someone experienced in traditional archery is by far the best and easiest way to learn given the variety of approaches to shooting that exist. However, there are also some excellent instructional resources available in both print and video formats that can greatly shorten the learning curve. My favorite of these is Byron Ferguson’s "Become the Arrow", while other popular works are G. Fred Asbell’s "Instinctive Shooting I and II." Each author teaches traditional archery using a different approach, but both do an excellent job in step-by-step instruction and in explaining their particular method of shooting traditional bows.

Miscellaneous accessories are always good to have on hand. A few necessary basics are a good shooting glove or tab to protect finger tips and aid in a clean release, an arrow quiver, an armguard, and an extra bowstring. All of these can be had from a variety of traditional archery suppliers, but you can begin browsing by taking a look at www.kustomkingarchery.com and www.threeriversarchery.com. Both of these companies carry an array of traditional bows, arrows, points, and accessories that are sure to meet almost any need imaginable.

Traditional archery and bowhunting are amazingly pure and simple ways to enjoy the world of the bow and arrow. The gratification born of the diligent practice that leads to a well placed shaft in a target or an arrow that brings down a game animal is hard to describe. It is in the knowledge that such an achievement has been forged solely by the connection that has united the body with the bow, devoid of any mechanical advantage, that traditional archery takes on a meaning all its own. Try your own transition to archery’s and bowhunting’s purest form and you’ll see what I mean. It really does feed the hungry soul.

© April 2006