Traditional Bow Tips

Assisted or Traditional Instinct Assisted Arrows

Please read the Basic Tips page prior to this page

Easy and fun to shoot

The Longbow

While the Traditional or Longbow has been a popular bow for hundreds of years; it to has gone through some technical changes recently. You can now get these bows made completely of man made materials and some even unscrew in the middle for easy transportation. Traditional wood Longbows are still in wide use, some for the historic effect, some for the light no frills shooting. The long bow is still the preferred bow for instructors teaching beginners. The Longbow is very reasonable in basic materials and very durable. It is light, quiet to shoot and is a very good form builder.

Assisted or Traditional Longbow shooting

Assisted shooting means that you are using a sight system like a pin sight system, and or a release mechanism such as a caliper or string release. There are good advantages to sights and releases in that they increase your ability to shoot more accurately. Once pin sights are adjusted and set for certain yardages, you can be fairly sure your 30 yard pin will place your arrow in the right place at 30 yards. Releases also help with accuracy. Studies and special photography have shown the effects of what happens to the bowstring when released. Using fingers causes the bowstring to roll or slide off to ends of the fingers. The side-to-side movement of the bowstring continues during the entire projection of the arrow. This side-to-side swing can start out over an inch in width but it lessens a little as moves forward. Mechanical releases such as the string or caliper release almost totally remove the side-to-side movement of the bowstring and they make holding the bowstring back a lot easier. Instinct shooting is nothing but you the bow and the arrow.

To Shoot Instinct

To soot instinct style you use the basic shooting form discussed on the basic tips page. When your form is set and you are drawn back ready to shoot;

• You visually align the bowstring in the center of the arrow tip.
• Then you align the arrow tip above and centered over your target.
• When your satisfied with the alignment, slowly release your bowstring and remember to hold your form.

Instinct shooting takes a lot of practice at the range so you can become familiar with how high above your target you must aim to reach certain distances. This ability to judge the distance and know the height you must set to reach that distance is what "Instinct Shooting" is all about.

Assisted Longbow Shooting

Longbow Arrows

The traditional arrow used with the longbow is the cedar arrow, fletched with feathers. You can however, use any other material arrows with a longbow. Cedar arrows are are limited on sizes diamiters and come in a few basic lengths to fit different draw lengths. Draw length is the distance between the bowstring at the arrow knock, and the arrow rest on the bow or you finger if you shoot instinct. Arrows are generally a inch or two longer than your draw. Most longbows do not need to shoot expensive aluminum or carbon arrows. The speed is slower than most compound bows and the arrows do not need the spline strength.

Section Links Longbow Assisted or Traditional Instinct Assisted

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Glossary

Break over point; On bows with cams style pulleys there is a point near the end of the draw that the cam leverage takes over and the weight of the pull is greatly reduced.

Caliper; A jaw type clamp that goes around the bowstring and holds the bowstring until a trigger opens the jaws.

Draw length; Is the distance between the bowstring at the back of the arrow and the arrow rest on the bow. Arrows need to be about 2 inches longer than that measurement.

Fletched; The feathers or plastic vanes at the back end of the arrow

Hold point; Archery term for full draw position

Kisser button; A small disc shaped button that attaches to the bowstring and is used as a check point for consistent draw length.

Peep sight; A device that inserts into the bowstring to open a little peep hole through the string. This creates a scope like ring you look through to center your forward sight into.

Release mechanism; A device that the archer holds in the hand or straps to the wrist and attaches to the bowstring.

Sights; Any of many devices that attach to a bow and aid in targeting.

Spline strength; How stiff an arrow is determines the pounds of force it can handle before it bends. The longer an arrow the less its spline strength, so longer arrows need to be stronger.