Today I learned a thing...
Re: Today I learned a thing...
Thank you Eofor! Looks like in addition to learning how to brain tan, I shall also learn to oak tan!
Persona : Cimrandir - late 3rd Age Dunedain
- Elleth
- êphal ki-*raznahê
- Posts: 2937
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 5:26 am
- Location: in the Angle; New England
Re: Today I learned a thing...
Just out of curiosity, does anyone have that thing where you're ducking through the woods with your bow and strung arrow, and a little bit of brush gets lodged between your bowstring and the bottom tip of your bow? I'm curious what if anything you guys are doing to deal with that.
For what it's worth -
I tend to to keep an arrow on the string, my left index finger on or over the arrow to keep it steady, my right fingers on the string with just a *bit* of tension (sometimes steadying the nock with my right thumb), and have the bottom end of the bow under my left arm, sheltered a bit. Most of the time I can move smoothly enough, but every so often I miss something and... yoink!
What about you guys?
For what it's worth -
I tend to to keep an arrow on the string, my left index finger on or over the arrow to keep it steady, my right fingers on the string with just a *bit* of tension (sometimes steadying the nock with my right thumb), and have the bottom end of the bow under my left arm, sheltered a bit. Most of the time I can move smoothly enough, but every so often I miss something and... yoink!
What about you guys?
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
- Peter Remling
- Athel Dunedain
- Posts: 3741
- Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 4:20 am
Re: Today I learned a thing...
I don't hunt but I used to experience that when stump shooting. Not much you can do about it except heightening your situational awareness.
Re: Today I learned a thing...
How long is your bow Elleth?
I'm no fan of walking through the woods with a longbow but my new Waterford bow is much shorter and the difference is noticeable.
I'm no fan of walking through the woods with a longbow but my new Waterford bow is much shorter and the difference is noticeable.
But the white fury of the Northmen burned the hotter, and more skilled was their knighthood with long spears and bitter. Fewer were they but they clove through the Southrons like a fire-bolt in a forest.
- Elleth
- êphal ki-*raznahê
- Posts: 2937
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 5:26 am
- Location: in the Angle; New England
Re: Today I learned a thing...
Hunh - good point! Now that you mention it, I'm not certain it happened as much with my old horsebow. It still happened, but I think it might have happened a bit less? I've never paid attention or done any kind of side-to-side test.Eofor wrote:How long is your bow Elleth?
I'm no fan of walking through the woods with a longbow but my new Waterford bow is much shorter and the difference is noticeable.
The one I'm using now is about six feet long unstrung - the narrow yew stick second from the left in this picture -
Waterford... I'm not familiar with that, and search keeps wanting to show me bowls.
Does it refer to a historical find I assume?
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
Re: Today I learned a thing...
The fact that you're noticing it now when you hadn't before means it could be something new. Do you range alone? Why not get a fellow ranger to carry the horsebow while you carry the longbow and switch halfway through the walk, I imagine the change would be immediately noticeable.Elleth wrote: Hunh - good point! Now that you mention it, I'm not certain it happened as much with my old horsebow. It still happened, but I think it might have happened a bit less? I've never paid attention or done any kind of side-to-side test.
Ahhh yes! A few months back Heimir and I comissioned two small bows (126cm) based on 11th century finds from Waterford Co. in Ireland.Elleth wrote: Waterford... I'm not familiar with that, and search keeps wanting to show me bowls.
Does it refer to a historical find I assume?
The bows feel like skinny little twigs compared to a Longbow but they are deceptively powerful. The draw is only 22†but you get 45 pounds out of that. They are also much easier to move and shoot in the forest with.
Here's a picture to show the size vs a longbow and illustrating the cramped draw.
But the white fury of the Northmen burned the hotter, and more skilled was their knighthood with long spears and bitter. Fewer were they but they clove through the Southrons like a fire-bolt in a forest.
- Elleth
- êphal ki-*raznahê
- Posts: 2937
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 5:26 am
- Location: in the Angle; New England
Re: Today I learned a thing...
Neat! Reminds me of Ursus' little swordsman's bow.
I do range alone, but I can try swapping back to back a few times and see what changes. Thanks!
I do range alone, but I can try swapping back to back a few times and see what changes. Thanks!
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
Re: Today I learned a thing...
I’ve always wondered what sort of technique is best to gauge one’s draw with a small bow like that so one anchors properly and doesn’t overdraw it. I confess I once broke a red oak “Welsh short bow†from (I presume) overdrawing it, and I’ve been rather hesitant to try another that size ever since.
Maerondir Perianseron, also called “Mickel,” Halfling Friend - Ranger of the Misty Mountains
Re: Today I learned a thing...
Two options - Ideally having the right sized arrows for the bow would make overdraw impossible.
In lieu of that we have marked our arrowshafts at the correct draw length.
Once you adjust your technique to the shorter arrow it becomes difficult to overdraw as you're not actually drawing to your cheek.
In lieu of that we have marked our arrowshafts at the correct draw length.
Once you adjust your technique to the shorter arrow it becomes difficult to overdraw as you're not actually drawing to your cheek.
But the white fury of the Northmen burned the hotter, and more skilled was their knighthood with long spears and bitter. Fewer were they but they clove through the Southrons like a fire-bolt in a forest.
Re: Today I learned a thing...
Aaaaaah yes, of course! That does indeed make a ton of sense. How about anchoring though? If you’re not drawing to an anchor point on your cheek, how are you ensuring every draw ends up in the same spot, and will therefore produce consistent releases?Eofor wrote:Two options - Ideally having the right sized arrows for the bow would make overdraw impossible.
In lieu of that we have marked our arrowshafts at the correct draw length.
Once you adjust your technique to the shorter arrow it becomes difficult to overdraw as you're not actually drawing to your cheek.
Maerondir Perianseron, also called “Mickel,” Halfling Friend - Ranger of the Misty Mountains
-
- Wanderer
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2020 10:14 am
Re: Today I learned a thing...
i am guessing you would use another part to use as the anchor point.
so perhaps like having your wrist or a part of your forearm as the point that anchors to the cheek
so perhaps like having your wrist or a part of your forearm as the point that anchors to the cheek
- Greg
- Urush bithî 'nKi ya-nam bawâb
- Posts: 4501
- Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:50 pm
- Location: Eriador; Central Indiana
Re: Today I learned a thing...
On short-drawing bows, I find that the rearmost knuckle of my drawing hand thumb rests nicely beneath my nose and above my lip on-center.RangerofAngmar wrote:i am guessing you would use another part to use as the anchor point.
so perhaps like having your wrist or a part of your forearm as the point that anchors to the cheek
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
Re: Today I learned a thing...
RangerofAngmar and Greg have the right of it.
You still draw to an anchor point - It's just different from a bigger bow.
You still draw to an anchor point - It's just different from a bigger bow.
But the white fury of the Northmen burned the hotter, and more skilled was their knighthood with long spears and bitter. Fewer were they but they clove through the Southrons like a fire-bolt in a forest.
-
- Wanderer
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2020 10:14 am
Re: Today I learned a thing...
unless of course you are able to shoot without and anchor point, which is hard to get used to but possible to learn and get accurate at
- Elleth
- êphal ki-*raznahê
- Posts: 2937
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 5:26 am
- Location: in the Angle; New England
Re: Today I learned a thing...
Once I really grokked how I was instinct-shooting, this made more sense.RangerofAngmar wrote:unless of course you are able to shoot without and anchor point, which is hard to get used to but possible to learn and get accurate at
I think Brian Ferguson's Become the Arrow might talk about the practice: I've not had a chance to do more than flip through the pages, but by the title it certainly sounds like the same technique.
I rarely shoot off anchor - not least because with any significant poundage I've not not the arm strength to do it well - but it's a nice trick in the toolbox for weird angles bending around brush.
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.