• The Recurve Bow
• The Longbow

The longbow is where the history of archery begins.  Originally, archery wasn't only a sport, it was a way of life and a means by which to provide for one's family.  Though today's designs have many improvements to provide better arrow speed, durability, and comfort, the design basics of the longbow are pretty much the same as they were 11,000 years ago: the stick and the string.  Historically, a fine bow was among a person's most treasured possessions.  Many kings were entombed with their bows. 

The modern longbow comes in three basic variations:

• The basic "Stick Bow" made of a single piece of wood with round or triangular cross-section limbs, which are thick and fairly narrow.
• The rectangular cross-section laminate bow, composed of many layers of different materials each chosen and positioned based the material's specific properties.  These bows are often much faster and lighter than a stick bow of the same weight, as well as being more durable.
• The "Reflex/Deflex longbow", arguably a hybrid between a longbow and recurve, is kind of the middle ground between longbows and recurves.  Such bows exhibit qualities that are very desirable to the traditional archer.  Reflex/Deflex bows are very fast and durable, with very little "hand shock" or vibration.

Recurve bows also come in three general variations:

• The "Basic" recurve bow, which comprises of laminates of wood, sometimes with opposing grains, glued together to achieve the shape and curvature of the bow. 

• The "takedown" recurve bow, probably one of the most popular variations, which can be disassembled into a small package for transport or storage.  Several variations on limb attachment method exist, the most common being a limb pocket and bolts.  Other attachment methods such as the pocket and locking system used on the Fred Bear Takedown have gained popularity over the years.

• The "Composite" bow, which describes the most ancient of recurve bow designs, and will not be discussed further in this guide.

The next factor in price is choice of woods and cosmetics.  Exotic African hardwoods cost more than good old American walnut.  They however are more temperature stable, and there is no denying their beauty.  You can go absolutely wild with the exotic woods or keep it simple.  The sky is the limit on how far you can go with a custom traditional bow. 

Arrow selection was once a difficult task.  Wood arrows had to be hand spined to suit the bow.  Aluminum arrows have an extremely narrow spine band for each shaft size and with variations from shooter to shooter, finding the right aluminum arrow for your traditional bow was a genuine nightmare.  Enter carbon arrow shafts.  Spine is an extremely critical aspect of traditional archery as very rarely does a traditional bow feature a centershot riser.  Because the arrow starts at an angle off the axis of travel, it is forced to flex a bit more on launch compared to the spine deflection with a modern centershot riser equipped bow.  The self damping nature of carbon fiber arrows, fortunately, makes them very forgiving.  A single spine stiffness can accommodate many different bows and shooting styles, making arrow selection a simple matter of consultation of the manufacturer's spine charts and a little tweaking with point weights.  On the matter of fletching, the best universally accepted combination is 4 or 5 inch right helical feathers.  They help to get the arrow on course quickly and consistently.

The style of rest you shoot with is one part the bow, one part shooter preference.  Presently, most traditional archers seem to be shooting directly off the shelf.  Shooting off the shelf has many merits: it is simple, the flipper will never break off since there isn't one present, and though not the easiest technique to master, it is great fun to really be shooting with nothing more than the stick and the string.  Flipper rests, the other common type of arrow rest in the traditional community, are generally simple plastic self-adhesive pads with a "flipper" that sticks out to put the arrow on.  One benefit of flipper style rests is they will allow you to use vanes if you wish, as well as allowing the shooter a very simple means of adjusting the arrow's position horizontally to fine tune for spine deflection. 

Traditional archery can be one of the most fun, relaxing, and entertaining outdoor activities you will ever experience.  There is no feeling quite like that first tight group with no reference beyond your own eyes and instincts.  Not to say we can all become Byron Ferguson, but with practice, anyone, young or old, big or strong, can reach a fair level of proficiency using traditional equipment with a little practice and dedication.  Give it a shot, you're only a few clicks away from joining the ranks of one of the oldest hobbies and pastimes in the world.