Will long draw length cause me problems?

[stevecpa66]

My goal is to make a bow someday, but at the moment with my own business, I never to seem to have time for all my projects. So I'm thinking of purchasing a longbow manufactured by one of the advertisers in the magazine.

My concern is that I have a fairly long draw at 30.5 inches and I wonder if I have to be careful about what type of bow I buy or if I need to be sure it is a certain length?

This will be my first wood bow without pulley's and wheels  and I just didn't know if my draw length needs to be taken into consideration when buying a wood bow.

Steve

[Pappy]

If that is your draw with a wheel bow ,it probably won't be that long with a stick.Most loose
a couple of inches.Never the less I would want it at least 68 inches if that is your real draw.
You can get by with a well tillered bow less than that if your draw turns out to be 28 or so.
There are some great Boyer's that advertise on the site so you should be OK.They can tell you more on what they feel is safe for your draw.
   Pappy

[Hillbilly]

Like Pat said-unless you shoot a different style from most folks, your draw length will probably go down with a stickbow. You're usually using a different anchor point and no release aid. I used to draw 30" with the mechanical arrow shooting machines, but my draw length shrunk to about 26 1/2" with a stickbow.

[stevecpa66]

I haven't been using a release with my compound so my draw length should stay at the 30.5. If it does drop because I change my anchor point, I imagine it will be only slightly.

Thank you Pappy and Hillbilly for your responses.

Steve

[Pat B]

Steve, Try to find some stick bows to shoot and see if things change when you shoot a stick. When I sho wheel bow my draw was 28" and now it is 26" or slightly less. Shooting styles between the 2 types of bows is different and your draw should shorten when you switch over.   Pat

[mullet]

    30.5", that's all? You'll be alright, just tiller the bow for a little longer length, use Osage, Hickory or back it. If it is really that long, you can build a bow to fit.

[Hickoryswitch]

My draw was 30" with compounds now it's about 27". The straight up and locked position is much harder to do with trad. bows. You seem to step into the shot more. Which causes your draw length to become shorter.

[stevecpa66]

Thanks for all the info regarding the difference in form.

Maybe I should get some shooting DVD's before I purchase a bow building DVD.

Any recommendations that have helped you?

Steve

[Pat B]

G Fred Asbell's book "Instinctive Shooting" is what I learned from.  I believe Byron Ferguson has a book on his style of shooting also.     Pat

[sailordad]

i never read anything about shooting anything.
i was taught when i w as younf kid by and uncle,never touched a bow for about 15 yrs,bought my wheel bow,got tired of that and came back to this
and learning to reshoot trad was easy enough for me.just like anything else it really just takes practice.
differant things work for differant folk.

personalli iw ould get both videos,start watching the bow making one first,then start making a bow.by time your done maing the bow you would of had enough time to watch the shooting technique video enough to feel comfortable enough to shoot your new hand made bow

good luck.
         
                                                                            peace,
                                                                                   tim