O/T Masters of the Barebow

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nchunterkw
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O/T Masters of the Barebow

Post by nchunterkw »

I recently bought 3 of these volumes and have been watching them. Very interesting to see the individual styles of some really great barebow archers. I'm also learning a lot of cool little nuances etc. So it got me thinking....we no doubt have many "Masters of the Barebow" on here too. If that's you...what can you pass along?

arrow setup
shooting style
aiming method
etc
etc
Keith
Stand by the roads and look, and ask for the ancient paths; where the good way is,
and walk in it and find rest for your souls. - Jer 6:16

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nchunter
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Re: O/T Masters of the Barebow

Post by nchunter »

I too had those three volumes when they were new. I gave them to other trad bow club members after I watched them. I found Volume 3 to be the most helpful.

The best advice I can give regarding shooting traditional archery is—as with canoeing/kayaking, shot putting, and many other physical endeavors—focus on using your large muscles in your back/chest/torso, not the relatively small muscles in your arms.

How this translates into archery is:
1) set your bow arm by activating your trapezoid muscle, not the bicep/tricep.
2) pull the string back with your rhomboid (the muscle between your shoulder blades), not your bicep. Your arm should be relaxed and loose from the elbow down through your fingertips. Focus on pulling your elbow behind your head. If you keep pulling your elbow behind your head, the release will happen naturally.
3) Speaking of the release, have someone video you in SLO-Mo with your phone, holding the phone behind and above your release hand as you shoot. This is so you can see if you’re “plucking the string”. Pretty much all beginners do this, and there’s no way you can know your doing it without someone showing you. I was guilty of this, and it wreaked havoc on my accuracy until I cured myself of it.
longbow joe
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Re: O/T Masters of the Barebow

Post by longbow joe »

I enjoyed Byron Fergusons book keith ...."become the arrow" it was pretty good.Some of them books will make you overthink and get rather anal ...fred bear was actually a "snap shot" 😳 but l believe he did rather well in the archery world.
In my opinion one of the best ways of becoming Good with a stickbow is forgetting target shooting and just start roving with judo points shooting at stuff it will really put the instincts in your brain unlike any other shooting practice.
Setting up a target range at home and start shooting at Dixie cups and things such as marshmallows on a stick even green army men.
Forget the paper and all the muscle mechanics will follow develope your own style not someone elses.
I always hated shooting of the shelf no matter the bow l always got better results with a primitive rubber flipper rest.
All the trial and error will determine what method works for you.
Traditional archery was a big joy in my life and still is l shoot my longbow at least once a week all year long.
I have bows costing nearly a thousand dollars + but realized a stock martin savanna is as good as any of them in my case..but l wouldn't know that without experimentation and blowing money.
Just all pieces of the puzzle "the fun puzzle "
When your shooting good there is literally no way of describing it in a book anyway don't take the books as word of God you are your own grasshopper.
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flinthead
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Re: O/T Masters of the Barebow

Post by flinthead »

I have spent more money on stick bows than the law allows!! I still have an older Jeffery Royal Hunter recurve made by Owen. I use my hand/arrow to point at the spot, then draw and anchor for a second with my middle finger, shooting thee under. If I keep my bow arm still, I’m pretty accurate... big if though :crazy:
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elkaholic
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Re: O/T Masters of the Barebow

Post by elkaholic »

Bryon Ferguson , he's a true bowmaster. He did a lot of trick shots on a TV show.

What I do remember is a hunting video where he was elk hunting.
It actually showed him missing a bull elk , at less than 40 yrds.

Just a reminder , just because you can hit an aspirin tossed in the air or shoot thru a tossed wedding ring,. Even the best archers can miss when taking a shot at a live animal .

Barebow hunters have my greatest respect.!
Last edited by elkaholic on Fri May 21, 2021 9:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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elkaholic
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Re: O/T Masters of the Barebow

Post by elkaholic »

There is a new master .

You've got to watch. James Jean trickshots.

Amassing young man click on his videos.

You will not believe this young man's skill

Couldn't do a link but just Google him.

Watch his setting up his 2020 trickbow
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wheelie
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Re: O/T Masters of the Barebow

Post by wheelie »

Met a guy at a job site that had a stickbow in his house and we got talking. Ask him if he wanted to go out to range and do some shooting. Right out to 50 yards he could stick 15 arrows in a row inside a tennis ball size hole. Fingers ,off the shelf, no sights. Told him he needs to come to 3D bow shoots with me and he said "I will when I can get all these arrow inside a golf ball hole." I said man you good now, best stick bow shooter I have ever seen. He would shoot off 15 arrows I bet in a little over a minute each time. Said he has shot the same bow since he was young and it is the only bow he has ever owned. I was amazed at his shooting. :)
longbow joe
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Re: O/T Masters of the Barebow

Post by longbow joe »

Yep...l always shoot easton xx 2219 classic traditional alluminums with 175 points if l changed now that mental "trajectory " in my head would have to adjust and l don't need that.
That's what's so good about the crossbow it dosnt effect my longbow mentals as would shooting a compound.
Vixen 2, metal ibex,Phoenix,sapphire,matrix 330 ,matrix 355 ,vortex and baby grand piano y25 relayer.
Trigger tecs,leupold crossbones and nikon bolts.
Zombie slayers and mostly swat broadheads.
flightattendant100
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Re: O/T Masters of the Barebow

Post by flightattendant100 »

Seems like forever ago, wife and I went to her cousins wedding in SW Pennsylvania. We stayed with her aunt and uncle. Her uncle had bow hunted since the 50's with a recurve made by a local friend. He had several bows and as soon as he figured out that I was awe struck, he said, "Lets go shoot". I was hooked before I drew it the first time. (its a drug!) Having done woodwork my whole life I was intrigued with how his friend had made the bow and so forth. He sent me home with one of his bows and I started a looong slow learning curve. I read everything I could find about bow construction and instinctive shooting. I was a member of a black powder club and they started a Primitive Archery monthly match about that time. I never did get around to making a laminated bow, but have built several self bows and backed self bows. I had a blast shooting in the Primitive archery club. There were a couple of shooters that were very good. I was not one of them. I had days that all seemed to work pretty well, then would have a day where it was like I was blindfolded! I still enjoyed it much. It was great fun with good people. A side note, I have done wood work ( cabinets and trim work) for 45 years now. EVERYTHING that I have ever done needed to be straight, square, level, and plumb. On a self bow, there is NOTHING that is straight ,square, level, or plumb. Those bows were some of the most difficult things that I have ever made. Completely out of my normal skill set, wheelhouse. Some of the books that I read were great help and some had great humor to boot. I still have an Osage Orange stave that I have had for at least 20 years that is down to a single growth ring and ready to start.( retirement project) Lots of fun from a while back :D
longbow joe
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Re: O/T Masters of the Barebow

Post by longbow joe »

I owned a few simple longbow by that l mean basically a self bow.or a longbow with an arrow notch.
After a few shots you will find out about "hand shock"
After shooting a reflex deflex bow you will appreciate the loss of hand shock and why the more modern designs are more popular ...lol.
Vixen 2, metal ibex,Phoenix,sapphire,matrix 330 ,matrix 355 ,vortex and baby grand piano y25 relayer.
Trigger tecs,leupold crossbones and nikon bolts.
Zombie slayers and mostly swat broadheads.
Prmtvbowman22
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Re: O/T Masters of the Barebow

Post by Prmtvbowman22 »

My first real bow was a bear recurve I bought in 68 . I shot compounds for a while and then bought a longbow. Shot instinctive and got pretty accurate. Shot deer squirrel and rabbit and 3D tournaments. I am fascinated by all the different styles of bows designed by different cultures. Now I make bows from ipe bamboo oak maple and hickory. The best sofar is a 66in hickory pyramid. It's a fascinating hobby to take a stave and turn it into an efficient weapon.
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