Prashanti de Jager

Dhanurveda & Focus

1. Of course, Focus is a major form of both Archery and Dhanurveda, and one of the key supports of focus is commitment.
   

2. And so one of the first steps of commitment on this Dhanurveda path is to have your own bow and arrows and gear and tools.

The Gear of Dhanurveda

1. Summary of what gear you need:
   

2. BASICS: Bow & Bow String & Arrows (12 arrows is good)
   

3. VERY USEFUL: Finger Tabs & Arm Guard & Bow Stringer
   

4. FOR INDEPENDENCE: You also need a target
   

5. Note: No Compound Bows nor Bow Sights
   

6. 
   

7. BOW / DHANU
   

8. TYPE: Old World Traditional Bows Only
   

9. ✦DEFINITELY a simple ‘Stick Bow’ like in these pics
   

10. ✦No compound bows and no sights
    

11. WEIGHT: 25 to 35 pounds  
    

12. ✦25 is leisurely and you can hold a draw
    

13. ✦35 still easy but it packs a little extra punch. 
    

14. ✦45 is nice when you want to feel power
    

15. ✦55 is great and has its lessons for sure
    

16. LENGTH: 60 to 72 inches
    

17. ✦Shorter bows, 56-58, are better for hunting
    

18. ✦A slightly longer bow is more stable and graceful
    

19. DRAW LENGTH: 30-32 most likely
    

20. TILLER: Split Finger
    

21. SIGHTS: Definitely No Sights
    

22. STYLE: I definitely recommend a takedown bow so you can travel with it, else a one-piece can be very nice if it stays at home.  I am all about the following bows:
    

23. ✦Standard American Recurve like the classic Bear Bows of the 60s & 70s
    

24. ✦English Long bow
    

25. ✦Japanese ‘Zen’ Bows
    

26. ✦Hungarian Horse Bows
    

27. ✦Mongolian Horse Bows
    

28. MAKER:  Black Widow Handmade is my choice, and they are expensive, but they give you an idea of a fine bow. 
    

29. ENTRY LEVEL BOWS
    

30. There are many Asian made inexpensive bows that work just fine like PSE
    

31. http://pse-archery.com/
    

32. BEAR BOWS
    

33. I grew up on Bear Bows and Bear back then made incredible bows. At some point, like Mercedes, they went more commercial and many say the quality dropped.
    

34. A most excellent bow from those days is the Bear Tamerlane but that is no longer made so you have to go to eBay to buy such gems.
    

35. http://www.beararchery.com/bows/traditional
    

36. BLACK WIDOW MODELS: 
    

37. This page gives you a visual comparing the Blackwidow models:  
    

38. https://blackwidowbows.com/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=15
    

39. Of these models I like the tall riser of the PMA and feel it is more stable and accurate
    

40. They all will be great though, at least the PMA, PCH and the PSA
    

41. This is my Black Widow:
    

42.  https://blackwidowbows.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=104_59_131
    

43. I also like this Black Widow: 
    

44. https://blackwidowbows.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=104_59_132&product_id=56
    

45. You can get custom ‘skins’ on the bows:
    

46.  https://blackwidowbows.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=104_164&product_id=785
    

47. If you don’t want to travel with the bow there are some gorgeous bows like the Tiger Myrtle: 
    

48. https://blackwidowbows.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=104_62&product_id=91
    

49. And there is something old-skool about a longbow I that I like: 
    

50. https://blackwidowbows.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=104_66&product_id=108
    

51. OTHER BOWS
    

52. Often it is eBay where you get the good bows these days!
    

53. I shot this bow for years when I was growing up. Its a tough work-horse bow no doubt.  All my brothers shot it in fact.
    

54.      http://www.beararcheryproducts.com/bows/traditional/take-down
    

55. Other options for handmade bows (I know nothing of these companies) are:
    

56.      http://www.stalkerstickbows.com/stock-bows/
    

57.      http://www.bobleebows.net/takedownrecurves_longbows_best.html
    

58. ~~~
    

59. ARROWS: Carbon is great, Wood is classic
    

60. I shoot GoldTip Carbon Arrows
    

61. I recommend this arrow assuming 35# and 30 inch draw:  
    

62. http://www.amazon.com/Gold-Tip-Expedition-Hunter-Arrows/dp/B001HAWO60/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_6?ie=UTF8&refRID=1PCKXZXXZ4K68848EH70
    

63. This is what I shoot but then I put on custom 6 inch feathers: 
    

64. http://www.amazon.com/Gold-Tip-Traditional-Hunter-Feathers/dp/B001F0I8GW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403468148&sr=8-1&keywords=gold+tip+500+arrows
    

65. Growing up I shot Easton Arrows which are also good: 
    

66. http://www.eastonarchery.com/products/arrows/material/carbon
    

67. 
    

68. SPINE OF ARROW: 
    

69. Use this chart to figure out the spine.  Too weak and the arrow wobbles, too strong and the bow can’t push it properly
    

70. http://www.goldtip.com/arrowcontent.aspx?page=chart
    

71. Assuming a 35# bow and a 30 inch draw you will likely shoot a 500 Spine
    

72. 
    

73. ARROW TIP:
    

74. Field Point or Target point
    

75. I would get these: http://www.amazon.com/Gold-Tip-EZ-Pull-Points-12-Pack/dp/B003DQZEZE/ref=pd_bxgy_sg_text_y
    

76. ~~~
    

77. TARGETS
    

78. You can buy targets all over but I really like the white ‘self-healing’ Polyethylene Foam targets, like the one I carry around
    

79. I recommend getting them from this site:
    

80.  http://www.foamforyou.com/polyethylene_foam.htm#archery target
    

81. I would get a 24x24x2 if you want to move around (I have a 24x24x3 which I need for my 50# bow but 2 inches thick will be fine for a 35# bow)
    

82. However, with a 48x48x2 you can take longer shots, you will loose fewer arrows, and beginners will be happier
    

83. You can buy animal-shaped targets, but I don’t like them as I have shot and killed so many critters in my life, I am kind of ‘over-it’
    

84. ~~~
    

85. CHILDREN
    

86. Of course, you got to get a good bow for them.
    

87. Kailash used to shoot a PSE as do other friends, they are Chinese bows but still good.
    

88. This may work for them: 
    

89. http://pse-archery.com/c/heritage-recurve-bows_youth-recurves_razorback-jr
    

90. Or maybe best is to go here and see what works: http://www.wildernessarchery.com/
    

91. Wilderness Archery are a bunch of nice folks.  The owner is 3rd generation (his Grand Dad started it) and is super helpful.
    

92. 
    

93. BITS & BOBS
    

94. In order of importance the accessories would go like this:
    

95. Finger Tabs
    

96. Arm Guard
    

97. Quiver
    

98. Bow Stringer
    

99. 
    

100. WHERE TO SHOP
     

101. In NorCal: Wilderness Archery in Rocklin and Pacific Archery in Pacifica
     

102. Amazon
     

103. eBay for the oldskool bows!
     

104. 
     

Prashanti teaching Dhanurveda in Bohemia