What gun fixer said! A properly made primitive bow (all wood, no modern materials used) will shoot very smoothly and quiet. There are a few things that can cause hand shock in a primitive bow, usually it results from improper tiller. That is the method of reducing wood in each limb as to make them bend equally and have the same mass per limb.
Although I am no expert, I am getting my feet wet in the world of primitive archery. I prefer shooting primitive more than anything else. Another misconception about primitive archery compared to modern day compounds is that you do not hold the bow at full draw like you would a compound. This could actually damage the bow. They are meant to be drawn and released when you reach the draw length the bow was designed for. Most shooters hold at full draw for 2-3 seconds before releasing.
Arrows are a whole different ballgame. There are tons of good arrow material out there. Cedar, bamboo, and cane are some of the more popular choices.
