Tips on how to Shoot a Traditional Self bow

Tips for Shooting a Traditional Self bow

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www.northwoodtraditionalarchery.com

First protect your knuckles if using a bow without an arrow rest and check to make sure all things are in working order, then warm up the bow and line up the arrow so that it is perpendicular to the bow.

Find the center of the bow with your bow hand by checking for a "sweet spot" when pulling back on the bow. Make sure that the bow is right side up...

Taping the Knuckles for protection and Checking for sweet spot while lining up the arrow. Set the hand firmly in a comfortable position

The grips that I have found to work well with primitive bows and arrows have been the one finger, two finger and three finger bow hand grips with a canted wrist ( see below ). This provides string clearance, stability, and comfort...

Note the finger positioning on the bow and the tilted wrist

The pictures above show that the shoulders can open and close the stance regardless of feet placement. As in all things regarding form, consistency is crucial to better groupings, but consistency in things that are controllable in changing environments are more beneficial to hunting.

My shoulder position is usually 35� from the target. Noter that the arrow is directly in line with my eye. Weight is on one foot, to be advantageous on uneven ground, such as for hunting.

Stance while shooting is important because you must have steady feet, legs, torso and shoulders in order to have steady hands and aim.

Anchor points are another vital part of your form. Here we can see a hunting form I use where the base of the thumb is pressed snug against the front of my cheek bone. It is a shorter draw, and very accurate.

Most of my preferred anchors involve my thumb and cheek bone in one way or another. Note too, the alignment of the fore arm of the drawing hand and the arrow, allowing a clean release that goes straight back and not to either side.

More information on this type of archery as well as finely crafted primitive bows and arrows can be found at www.northwoodtraditionalarchery.com