Any Fellow Archers Out There? Need to Pick Your Brain.

[tokerpipes]

Hay there guys and gals. I have been sitting back and reading posts for a while. As some on here know I have been a stay at home dad since April 2012,but that's another story. I have gotten some counseling for my mood swings and the Doctor said I need to find an outlet. I had been to the gun range a few times but alas the pawn monster has now a acquired my 38. Plus it was getting expensive. So I am reaching out to get some help or advise or both.
When I was a lad, I had a fiberglass recurve that I would target practice with. Now being 35 and much bigger I am considering archery again. My problem is that my fiberglass recurve was not kept up to par and snapped on my first draw. I realized a couple things. First the fiberglass got brittle and when I drew back on the string my 28 inch draw was more than that 30# bow could handle. Second I obviously need a greater pound bow. I was considering another fiberglass now but keep finding that I may be a little too big for that. I was wondering about longbows as you can get them in lengths exceeding 70 inch lengths and depending on the wood can have much upgraded poundage. I have found that these are not cheep and am asking for help with this. Before I jump out and drop 200+ on a bow I would like to try one out for a bit. I know this is asking a lot. As an alternative I was wondering if there is any reputable bowyers that I could get with. I did find a guy on the bay. He makes hickory longbows unfinished or trucked out, his price is reasonable but I have no experience with the different wood types. Please help.

 

[crazypipe]

Why don't you have a job ? ::

 

[Perique]

Mood swings?? No job?
As an archer and hunter, objective feedback: drop the meds. Eat real food. STOP eating chemicals. Get a job - any job. If you cannot physically work a full day and that prevents you from getting a job, volunteer to help a farmer for a few hours/day. Get fresh air and dirt. Then come back and ask me about bows.

 

[tokerpipes]

Not for the sake of not looking. I have been getting odd jobs here and there and unemployment, but I was laid off from one if the largest mortgage banks in the US. I never got a college degree. 15 years in the mortgage industry where there are young bucks fresh from college that are willing to take less pay than what it took me to earn. Physically I am unable to do labor work and the list goes on. Ex wife corrupted my credit durring divorce, just filed bankruptcy, picked up on a bad check the ex put a stop on over 10 years ago which is on my record. But hey like I said another story. But you did ask so there is the abridged version.

 

[tokerpipes]

Would love to work in a farm but... Live in Jacksonville Beach, FL nearest farm is nearly 2 hours away. We are getting by financially. As a father if 3 my hands are full during the day and here is the point to all this. I am just looking to get back in to archery as a way if keeping the sanity. I am sort if a naturalist and don't take meds so this is one way for me to cope.
Oh and I grow most of my own organic veggies and fish for most if the food. I plan on hunting once I get the rust out if the joints and a license.

 

[Perique]

Toker, there are many many people in your situation. You are not alone. And I empathize, to an extent, with what I know you've gone through. But you are in control of what you do moving forward. Don't let the bastards bring you down. Stand and fight. Move forward. Reinvent yourself. Do the right thing. Never quit.

 

[tokerpipes]

Haven't quit. Look for 2-3 hours a day. Have had only 6 interviews since I was laid off. But to get back to my reason for the post any suggestions for reasonably priced longbow makers?

 

[tokerpipes]

Good info thanks.

 

[pipebow88]

I've shot since I was a kid, i grew up shooting a compound with only the occasional traditional bow at a 4H meet. About 3years ago I had given up on archery for several year. Modern equipment had just made archery too easy. So I picked up traditional archery at the recommendation of a friend. I ordered my first recurve and have had quite a few since. I spend a lot of my time with a bow in hand. With a 28" draw you will be more than ok with a recurve. For comfort and still good performance a 62" recurve would be ideal. In that budget a Samick Sage would be ideal. They are foreign made, but don't underestimate them. For $130-$140 they are a quality bow. I shoot a few different lines. For competition I only shoot Bob Lee Bows for recurve and longbow, and Arvin Weavers selfbows. For hunting I shoot a Hornes archery longbow. The most important thing is draw weight. Heavier isn't nevessarily better in traditional archery. A little more performance, but if you are "overbowed" you will see much more detrimental form habits. Start in the 40#-45# range. You can always get more limbs in a heavier weight later. I started at 55#'s and it took me 2 years to break the bad habits i caused myself. Pipebow is my handle for a reason, i have a major passion in traditional archery. I shoot a lot competitively and hunt with traditional equipment and wooden arrows as well. Any questions you have, just let me know. Would be honored to help.

B

 

[martiniman]

+1 for Rothnh and Pipebow for actually helping....
Token,

Get your self to an archery shop, they will usually have a range to try bows and often have a few trade-ins available to get you started.
Cheers.

 

[buster]

Check out three rivers archery. You can find some self bow kits for around $100. Not fancy bows but a good place to start. I would also suggest going to the range and ask where the traditional shooter in your area are. I have two ranges in my area. One is more popular with the traditional guys. They post bows for sale all the time. There are clubs and 3D shoots once a week.
http://www.3riversarchery.com/Index.asp

 

[cavendish]

Do it. Plain and simple, do it. I LOVE shooting archery with my daughter or by myself. It's good to have an 'out' and shooting helps take the mind off the little things in life that piss us off. Hunting, fishing, shooting and basically anything outdoors is my out. Just walking on the river trails for a couple hours, sitting in a treestand in the early morning hours listening to the forest waking up and hoping for the trophy buck of the year, or even standing in the middle of the river with a 5lb Smallmouth fighting to get free. All great ways to clear the mind (and enjoy a nice smoke or two).

 

[tokerpipes]

Thanks guys. Good info so far. Update on where I am at. I decided to make this a family thing. Got with Ft Caroline Archery club and they do free lessons for kids, so I am going to get my oldest son involved. They supply everything for the lessons. I also picked up a reasonable Proline 50# @ 31" compound for less than $50 with shipping.
Any ideas for home made targets for the backyard? I was thinking a cardboard box full of cardboard, but I am thinking I may shoot right through it.

 

[cavendish]

Use a cardboard box and stuff it tightly with skid wrap (industrial saran-wrap) I'm sure you know someone or have access to some.
I have been using a target like this for years. It stops bolts from my crossbow and it shoots at 360fps. It will stop any type of arrow head as well. When the box gets all chewed just grab a new one, take the stuffing out of the old box and stuff it into the new one. Tape it shut, paint the target zone you want to hit and your done.

 

[buster]

We use to fill burlap bags with crumpled up plastic shopping bags. Then sow it shut with twine. That's about as cheap as targets get. Some guys would take the stuffing out of stuffed animals and re-stuff them with plastic bags. I remember a Barney target that was fun to shoot. We would stalk up on Barney, then do the Barney call "I love you, you love me!" ZAP! ZAP! ZAP! And every one would fire at once!

 

[zekest]

I love archery. There is no better way to get to know your inner self. You have to concentrate, calm your self, be aware of your breathing. Not that much different from bullseye shooting at the range.
As others have said, you must go to an archery store, or a hunting store where they take archery seriously. There are so many bows that are traded in every season, and throughout the year. Talk to the person who really knows archery. A lightly used bow is the way to go. Bow hunting is HARD, and many a would-be hunter quickly turns to a rifle, and sells the bow.
You mentioned a long bow. Long bows might be trendy right now, but long bows are expensive because they are not common; the same goes for recurve bows. Compound bows will be the best priced, most common, and most traded in. The same goes for used arrows, and you can likely find used arrows in your size and weight for the bow you find.
Best of luck! Archery can be loads of fun, relaxing, and very frustrating all at the same time.
P.S. Don't smoke your pipe while shooting archery...

 

[locopony]

I hate to be rude, but a man who can fish, hunt, and farm can do physical labor.

Make your own bow. Osage orange, hickory, even oak make very good long bows. I have a hand made Osage Orange long bow, shooting it is a very physical task.

Statistics show that most white collar folks who loose their job may never get another white collar job equal to the one they had before.

You may want to consider reeducation to some place like Vocational education institutions. Maybe auto repair, or digital control automation repair.

 

[tokerpipes]

I don't have to answer to anyone but my wife and the big man upstairs. Anyway light gardening, fishing, hunting is not manual labor and there are tools that help with a lot of that. I am going back to school online currently to get my asociates in drafting and gratifying design. It's a slow process with being a stay at home dad of 3 kids, cleaning, cooking and keeping them occupied.

 

[fitzy]

I don't think Hickory makes a very good bow. If you are looking. I'd suggest Orange Osage or Yew. Both make far superior bows.