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Post by azslim on Sept 8, 2008 8:10:07 GMT 12.75
Get a hold of a couple of gunny sacks and stuff them full of rags, or find a body shop around your area and ask them to save you some of the plastic that the parts are wrapped in and stuff the sack full. Then take a marker or paint and put a couple spots on the target.
As a kid I used hay bales on the ranch and just stuck a piece of of paper on them. All you need is a spot to aim at, doesn't have to be a fancy spot.
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Post by Toby Benoit on Sept 8, 2008 13:37:07 GMT 12.75
Yep, a bag of rags or abale of hay ought to get you started with that old fiberglass bow. Old couch cushions or even a dirt embankment do the job just fine. Paper plate with a black circle in the middle serves well for an aiming point. Start at ten yards and as you improve, beck up to extend your range. I assume you'll be shooting instinctively without the aid of sights. If so, remember to cant your bow with the top limb at the two-O'clock position, lean into your shot with the weight on your front foot, and don't try to aim or look down the shaft, just focus intently on the target an let the arrow strike where your looking. Like throwing a rock or a baseball, you don't aim them, just feel the shot and let it happen. Good luck!
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kj
Pan Wrangler
Posts: 140
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Post by kj on Sept 9, 2008 1:01:33 GMT 12.75
Hi Guys! and Gals! Thanks for all the tips. The coffee comes in burlap bags so we've got quite a few around here. Also, the beef comes in plastic bags so they're collecting as well. Maybe if I'm nice to Noodles he'll let me use some I've had my eye on the bags for hippie clothes I also used to get bales of hay and use paper plates or pizza boxes. Hay is just so darn gone expensive right now that I haven't wanted to splurge but they do make nice targets and hold up pretty well if I cover them with a tarp. Plus, when they do break down I'll have more mulch for the garden. Constantine reports he spotted a headless deer target on a burn pile between here and Athens. (See...the Lord does provide.) I'll be checking it out on my road trip tomorrow. Being the old hippie that Paws thinks I am... I don't shop at walmart or the other big stores (unless absolutely necessary) and I'm not used to killing things. Yeah, I shot my dog when she had incurable nasty cancer; yeah, I've bludgeoned a few catfish...but I still don't enjoy killing things. I figure if I have an animal form target it may help me adjust to the idea of actually shooting bambi or one of the beautiful turkeys, etc., that roam around here. If so, remember to cant your bow with the top limb at the two-O'clock position, lean into your shot with the weight on your front foot, and don't try to aim or look down the shaft, just focus intently on the target an let the arrow strike where your looking. Like throwing a rock or a baseball, you don't aim them, just feel the shot and let it happen.Sweet. I don't think we ever canted our bows when we were target shooting before. Can you explain the rationale for this to me, just so I might understand better?
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Post by azslim on Sept 9, 2008 6:01:39 GMT 12.75
When you are shooting traditional - not a compound with cables/cams/sights - it just helps to keep the arrow on the shelf. I didn't cant over to 2 o'clock when I was shooting traditional, more like 1. But that is something that each archer decides on his own, while we all to similar things each one modifies to suit his style.
And straw is cheaper than hay and works fine for mulch afterwards.
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kj
Pan Wrangler
Posts: 140
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Post by kj on Sept 9, 2008 7:06:12 GMT 12.75
When you are shooting traditional - not a compound with cables/cams/sights - it just helps to keep the arrow on the shelf. I didn't cant over to 2 o'clock when I was shooting traditional, more like 1. But that is something that each archer decides on his own, while we all to similar things each one modifies to suit his style. And straw is cheaper than hay and works fine for mulch afterwards. hmmm...okay. seems like canting to the 2 pm position would tend to make the arrow want to fall off the shelf more...i'm right handed. Do you put the arrow on the left side shelf. ? Maybe I've been putting the arrow on the wrong side of the bow all this time. I used to have a problem with the string slapping my forearm, probably still will unless I correct what I'm doing wrong. (I used to have a perpetual bruise on the inner aspect of my left forearm.) I always figured it was either because of poor technique and/or weak wrists. Thought the canting might help keep me from slapping my arm. What other things might I be doing wrong to cause the string to slap my forearm? I have a arm guard that makes it a little better but it seems to me there is some root cause to the problem. I always love straw more than hay for mulch since it has fewer weed seeds but it's always been more expensive around here. I haven't bought any for awhile though so I just called a couple of feed stores... $5 for hay and 6$ for straw. Both have gone up like mad but the differential is less; for a dollar difference I might treat myself to some of that gorgeous golden, relatively weed free, straw. On the other hand, blessed Constantine has just stacked all the wood! I always feel better getting my wood together by July and having a nicely stacked pile of firewood heading into the fall. (It's actually a resiliency measurement according to some.) Also, looks like a might fine back stop for my target practice! Thanks Constantine!!!
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Post by Paws on Sept 9, 2008 12:51:41 GMT 12.75
It would pay to plant some hardy wheat and use the grain and the chaff as well. Wheat can be harvested manually with a sythe and isn't too terrible difficult to process by hand. Hay grass will rot rather than dry out. Straw repels water and rot. Lasts much longer as mulch, bedding, whatever. It is also good to use to "sweeten" cast iron!
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Post by azslim on Sept 10, 2008 4:16:14 GMT 12.75
The wood pile is not a good backstop, gonna be hard on your arrows.
If you are right handed you hold the bow in your left, and the shelf will be on the left side. When you cant the bow to 1 or 2 o'clock the angle keeps the arrow on the shelf. An arm guard will help protect against string slap.
Straw being cheaper than hay, that's a new one to me. We used to buy straw to supplement the cattle in the winter when hay prices got ridiculous. But that was a long time ago.
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kj
Pan Wrangler
Posts: 140
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Post by kj on Sept 10, 2008 6:45:17 GMT 12.75
Thanks!
I'm looking forward to giving it a go again and appreciate the guidance and encouragement.
I'm thinking I may have been holding the bow in left hand, shelfing on the right side of the bow. I still need to go get the bow and give it a shot again. My body language will inform me of my old patterns but I think I may have been doing it wrong. I'll check and then get in touch with my son just to see if he's still using his bow and how he's going about it. Sure hope I didn't get him started incorrectly.
Yeah, I wasn't thinking of the wood pile in terms of archery.
The headless target on the woodpile looks pretty well gone and no one was around so I didn't stop to check it out.
I did visit the Ohio Valley Trading Company today however. Touched bases with Lawrence who says there's a "rumor" that he's the archery pro. I explained that I would like to come in during a quiet time to speak with him and he advised 10 AM when it's not raining.
I perused the racks, the targets, the arrows, etc. I also cruised over to the gun section and spent some time chatting up the guys ... they were a lot more friendly and helpful today. kj
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Post by Paws on Sept 10, 2008 7:37:17 GMT 12.75
Over by Aldi's in the same building as the Recruiting Offices there is an indoor archery range. You might check in there for some advice, lessons, etc. Know nothing of their rep but never hurts to ask.
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Post by Toby Benoit on Sept 10, 2008 13:05:33 GMT 12.75
Another benefit of canting the bow while shooting it traditional style is that it opens up your field of view and the riser doesn't interfere with your dominant eye, which if you're right handed is usually the right one.
Another tip, is to nock your arrow atop of the nocking point on your string and shooting with three fingers beneath the nock. It's the way the Apaches used to shoot. The reason is, that shooters who place one finger above and two fingers below the arrow allows the archer to "pinch" the arrow nock, which greatly affects the arrows flight. It also can lead to the arrow roling off the shelf and outwards if the archer tends to roll the string into his second knuckle joints as opposed to the first.
Practice drawing andr eleasing with the tips of your fingers on the right hand, each placed beneath the arrow on the string while drawing to the corner of your mouth. I like to draw to the corner of my eye for close range shots, but it's best to draw to the corner of your mouth for best consistancy.
Best of luck!
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Post by azslim on Sept 10, 2008 13:18:26 GMT 12.75
I tried the 'Apache Way' and never took a liken to it. I once was pretty good with the old 'one up two down' method. Been several years since I even picked up my recurve, let alone strung it. Have thought about it but I need the distance of a compound for the desert mule deer fever that I have an incurable case of.
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Post by Toby Benoit on Sept 10, 2008 13:30:55 GMT 12.75
"I need the distance of a compound for the desert mule deer fever that I have an incurable case of." I completely understand that! That's why the recurve doesn't make it to the field until after I've got one or two in the freezer. My Matthews will stack 'em up out to fifty yards accurately, but my recurve I'm twenty yards, twenty-five on the very outside. ;D
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