A crooked elbow question...

Hi all,

I'm new to archery and want to also later get into bowhunting. I have always been interested in archery, even as a kid i had a go at making a bamboo bow and nearly slicing off my fingers in the process. I am seriously looking at getting a compound bow, originally was interested in recurve bows. Rather than ask what do ya recommend for the level entry/budget conscious etc, i have another question regarding getting a LH/RH now.

I'm RH but my left arm is crooked at the elbow (bad break as a kid- wouldnt set straight), ive been advised to get a LH bow, because being able to lock your arm holding the bow is important, which if i had it in my left arm wouldn't be as stable i guess because its slightly bent outwards. My dominate eye is my right. So if i got a LH bow, i would have to close my right eye and aim with left.

So any expert advice as to whether i would be better off getting a LH bow even though im right-handed or it wouldn't matter that much and id be fine with a RH bow?, would be much appreciated. Its kinda my number one question before i buy one.

Thanks.

Will look forwarding to reading plenty of bowhunting stories on here and reading more about the art of archery and hunting in general.

Daza

I can't help you Daza but welcome to the forum and great first post.

I'd highly reccomend going into a bow shop and shoot some to see what works. I think I would be harder to work around the eye than the arm

My bow arm isn't locked.... almost but not quite. I tend to push with my bow arm and pull with the release arm, then do both/squeeze shoulder blades to release. Is hard to do with a locked arm.

Dunno, maybe I'm doing it wrong but I can shoot inside dinner plates out at 50m

Thanks guys for your advice. I think i will stick with getting a RH bow, hoping to get something next week.

I would recommend finding an Archery club and getting some proper advice and coaching when i started I knew very little about bows and arrows so joined the local club learnt heaps
in a few months shot recurve for a number of years then moved to compound still prefer recurve, it doesn't mater if it's a target or hunting club the basic training is the same and if you compete
in the club matches you will improve faster, I had to stop when my shoulder packed up getting old is a bugger

I have a similar problem, breaking my arms 5 times as a teenager who loved to skateboard. Note, 6'4" gangly ginger teenagers shouldn't skateboard...

In archery, your arm shouldn't be held straight, otherwise you'll clip your forearm with the string...ouch!!!! So I can't see any issues provided the arm is strong enough to hold the bow.

I shoot my compound bows with no issues.

Kj