By the way, I fully understand. I am not fully there yet but have warned the children that I won't go gently into the night. Even when the legs won't work I will still want to go out in the woods and down to the lake.
Posted on 04/02/2013 10:46:28 AM PDT by Yosemitest
Okay. but you still think the crossbow might be the better way to go?
For example:
http://store.hortonarchery.com/Cocking-Devices/
That’s for a crossbow. I thought the other poster was talking about regular bows?
You are right. I glossed over compound reading it as cross.
It’s all good.
Everyone’s just trying to help us older addled warrior wannabe’s, who won’t just hang it up.
LOL
I have a hard time imagining how the other would work on a compound bow without some sort of mechanical trigger that holds before releases.
My instructor used a mechanical release herself on a compound bow during my training to be an instructor. But that release was attached to her wrist. She still had to use full are strength to hold back, although the compound hold strength was less than the initial pull.
By the way, I fully understand. I am not fully there yet but have warned the children that I won't go gently into the night. Even when the legs won't work I will still want to go out in the woods and down to the lake.
http://highcountryarchery.net/products/arrows
The HC arrows are substantially lighter and faster than anything else and yet still more than strong enough. I've fired them through plywood with 80-lb bows without damage.
Other best of breed kinds of items would include one of the Scott release/triggers made for string-loops (Silverhorn), a good three point arrow rest, and a good optic fiber adjustible sight:
Scott Silverhorn release:
Imaact-archery single-pin sight: 
Simple 3-point arrow rest, $10 on ebay:
Once you get to hitting a baseball-sized target at 20 - 30 meters, you'll want hunting points on the arrows. My recomendation is the NAP bloodrunner mechanical:
All of that stuff can be had on ebay.
Usable compound bows can be had on ebay for 200 - 400. An example:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hoyt-Ruckus-Compound-Bow-/251253223857?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a7fdbf1b1
Again for anybody with shoulder problems, a compound bow is the only shot. The compound bows hit substantially harder than traditional bows of the same poundage and that's because peak weight is at middle draw. In other words, a 70-lb compound bow is going to hit like a longbow with 70 lbs at mid draw, which would be a much heavier bow.
Kewel!
Crossbow, absolutely. It comes with restriction in regards to taking game.
Not at at all, with your arm outstretched back to your cheek you have an "X" draw length no matter what, and at say 50# it carries through with that entire distance. The English longbow was long because they didn't have the laminated materials we have now, and a piece of wood could only be drawn back so before it breaks, those things believe it or not had a draw of almost 175# in some cases. A crossbow also has a short draw, but those things can really zip too.
There is a device called a draw lock that can be used to pull the bow using both hands, and then shoot the regular way. The draw lock costs a lot of money.
To shoot a deer, the state regs usually require a 40 lb bow.
To pull that bow is like bending over and lifting an 80 lb barbell with both hands in a rowing motion and when the barbell is lifted up to the chest, holding it there for several seconds (aiming the bow). - or doing that same rowing motion with a 40 lb dumbell using one arm.
I have heard of a man who was a proficient classical violinist drawing a bow with his opposite hand - (a violin bow) — He had lost several fingers on his left hand so he had to learn to finger with the right hand and bow with the left. That was quite a switch. He did it though, but never quite as good as before.
It would be a lot easier learning to reverse and draw an archery bow with the off hand than it would to learn to play the violin reversed.
Another cross hander is the brilliant recorder player Benoît Sauvé —although Mr Sauvé learned to play his instrument cross handed as a child and had his instrument made with the holes for a crosshander.
Here’s Sauvé playing a transcription of Blue Train!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz7LvCS1oXM
Good stuff, bookmark in case I start getting interested in archery.
i would have to check but i believe the let off drops to around 25lbs past the cams. doesnt sem like much in the field and you can pretty much hold it forever
This guys bows are actually pretty nice and cost practically nothing to make except for a little effort. He gives step by step instructions for many different types of bows on youtube and has written a book on the subject as well.
He might be better able to manage it if he could learn to shoot with his off arm (i.e. if he’s right-handed, learn to shoot left-handed). Holding an arm straight is much easier on the rotator cuff than pulling a bow.
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I’m right-handed but have always shot a bow as a leftie, doing exactly as you said. I’ve had a 55# fiberglass recurve bow since I was 13 (I’m now 70). I also have a damaged rotator cuff in my right shoulder, but can easily pull the bow with my left. ...I had to buy an electric mower a few years ago because I could no longer pull the starter cord on the gas mower. The bow is not a problem.
I hunted with a bow for years and saw many deer killed with bows. A 40 lb recurve will kill a deer quite handily if you keep the shots at 40 yards or less or even up to 50, the problem is the trajectory not the penetration power when it comes to bows with a light pull. If the guy can pull a 40 lb recurve he can kill deer quite handily as long as he learns to shoot. I knew one guy who hunted with a 38 lb recurve and killed 10 bucks total in Ohio and CA with it. Never lost one, was always able to find them dead.
The big advantage of a heavy drawing bow, especially compounds, is the trajectory, which makes it much easier to hit deer.
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