Hey, all

I've been really considering giving up my Mathews this year and going trad, and have been seriously eyeing the Hoyt Buffalo.

- Have any of you had any experience with this bow?  Thoughts/impressions?

- I'm a big guy...6'3", 230# and have my current bow set at the full 70 pounds of draw weight.  What would you recommend for a bow length and draw weight on a recurve?

- I know trad arrows are different...any recommendations for arrows to use with the Hoyt?  I'm primarily interested in deer/bear hunting, with some 3D tune-ups leading up to bow season.

- Anything else I should be thinking about?

Thanks, all!

Brian

I made the switch around a year and a half ago. I was pulling 60# with my compound and started with a 45# Grizzly, no problem. I tried a guys 50# Black Widow (really sweet bow) when the 3D season started the following spring and handled it fine as well. Some guys would say start 40-45# but if you want to go with a 50# I wouldn't fault you. I tried my daughters 35# bow and did very poorly with it. I firmly believe you can go too light. I like a little weight to help pull the string off your fingers cleanly. You don't state your draw length, it will probably change a little and may take a bit to settle in until you work out your form. I drew 29" with my compound and I'm drawing 28.5" with the recurves. From what I've read expect it to shorten up maybe an inch - 1/2" for me.
Your draw length will dictate best bow length to some extent. I like a short bow for tree stand use and I can handle my 52" KMag without stacking or bad finger pinch; but Bear recommends not using this bow if you draw more than 29" and I can believe it. I've played a bit with mine and I find if I draw much past my length it does start to stack (bows typically add ~3# per inch past 28" on draw length) once a bow gets to a certain point that no longer hold true and they really start adding draw weight fast - that is called stacking. The short bows will start stacking sooner. Unless you have a very long draw length a 60" bow should not be a problem. Nothing wrong with that Hoyt. A little modern for my tastes but a friend has one and he really likes it; it's 55# which is a bit heavy for me or I would have tried it already.
Arrows material is mostly personal preference. Carbons are the toughest and very popular but aluminum's are a bit more forgiving when tuning. Wood appeals to the traditional side for some but can break. I'm using aluminum with 5" feathers (I shoot off the shelf). Rule of thumb on arrows is 10gr/lb of draw weight. I'm running 485gr and pulling 46# on my KMag. Speed isn't really anything trad shooters worry about as you aren't going to be fast no matter what you do so you want a heavier arrow for penetration. Some guys like a fairly big FOC; (ie how much forward of the center of the arrow's balance point is) mine is 15.7% which is probably on the high end of normal. They also state arrows with a higher FOC fly better.
Hopefully I didn't overload you with info. I have really enjoyed the transition and it felt so good to be out with the recurve this last season. ( I didn't get a deer and I had 3 could have killed with the compound but were too far for the recurve) However I don't care, I probably will never go back. I started out shooting early 70's Bear recurves as a teen so I tend to be drawn to them.



You might at least look at a long bow or 2 as well. I shot a few of them - expensive customs at that and I much preferred my recurves, but plenty of guys like them better.

That's great info...thanks!

I am a total archery noob, but I too am looking into purchasing a traditional bow.  With that said, if you haven't already, wander over to Archery Talk and Trad Talk.  Lots of helpful folks over there.  A few quick searches will bring up some excellent beginner info.  Also, I'm currently reading Shooting The Stickbow by Anthony Camera (viper on the above boards).  It's comes highly recommended by the folks over there.  Based on what I've read so far, I'd recommend it too.

About 3 months ago I got a  Bear Ausable.  I have not picked up a compound bow since then, shooting 3 times a week, at least.  It's like throwing rocks vs shooting a rifle, way more fun and challenging.  Instead of trying to stack em all in a 1 inch circle at 20 yards, I'm trying to keep them all on a paper plate at 10.  Very challenging, progressing nicely.  I checked out a Buffalo and ended up with an Ausable.  I don't regret my choice at all.

I grew up traditional, got into a compound and then went back to traditional.  After 20+ years away my son sucked me back into archery and the bow I shot so well in middle school caused me some shoulder pain.  I bought one of these on ebay for about $120 - http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2060353.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xpse+archery+wisdom.TRS0&_nkw=pse+archery+wisdom&_sacat=0.  Not as nice to look at as my Bear but after I found a good brace height it shoots very well.  There are many nice old bow on ebay as well.  I can buy a nice old bow for what I would spend in an afternoon of shooting firearms.

Watch Dr. Ed Ashby on arrow lethality - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAeuVFSHA1E.  

I primarily shoot full length wood arrows.  If I miss it is generally not due to the arrow.  If I break a wood arrow I suspect that I would have broken any other arrow as well and I can often repair the woods, with full length you have extra shaft to taper and mount a field point again.  It you make an order from an archery supply house get spare nocks, field points, a taper tool, and glues - if you shoot wood.  If you want to shoot wood this fellow makes great arrows for a very reasonable fee - http://www.tradal-bows.com/index.html.

When I shoot archery I look at the target and try not to think about anything, if I do then that is when I miss.