I think that any archer that shoots a single cam, 80% let-off, 35" bow well, would do just as well with the older equipment, if not better.
I could not agree more....but why then say that the one is some how more of an advantage to the other and therefore not " fair" or not " primitive" . (that is not necessarily directed at you Danny)
Arthur,
Now, you and I have been internet acquaintances for many years now and though we do end up disagreeing on a few issues we have always been able to do so with a measure of respect for one another' s opinions and an understanding for why we believe the things that we do. That certainly has not changed on my end in recent years and I would assume as much on your part. With that in mind, please do not take my next comments in the wrong way. They are not intended as such.
I know I get into hot water whenever I say it, but it' s the truth. Drawing and holding while waiting for the shot is NOT bowhunting. Whether you' ve got a stock mounted on the bow or not, it' s crossbow hunting. Or, it could just as easily be iron sighted revolver hunting.
I have to disagree with you on this issue. I believe this issue, like so many others up for recent discussion, is entirely a matter of perspective. Who is it that makes the determination that being able to hold at full draw for 5 seconds is somehow different than being able to hold at full draw for a second or less? You? Me?
I honestly don' t have an answer to that but I do realize that others are probably going to have differing opinions based on their own experiences of this nature. What I have always found is that in order to be trully objective with these issues a person needs to continually re-evaluate the reasons behind the opinions that they have formed. Continuing to be open minded and operating under the assumption that there may always be " more than is apparent" on any given issue usually leads to continued education on any given subject.....which leads me to my next comments....
My opinion on this issue is not surprisingly similar to my stance on the issue of the Pope and Young Club' s decision to continue to promote the 65% letoff rule. I feel that in both cases there are so many other variables that are more important/necessary in order to successfully harvest a whitetail deer that focusing on restricting equipment is somewhat irrational. Case in point, I took my 80% letoff, 320 fps (rating), fiber optic sight-equipped bow out with me just about every day that I went bowhunting this season and yet I still did not manage to harvest a whitetail buck. I can only come to one conclusion.....It would seem to me that other factors such as scouting, scent control, stand placement and having access to land with little pressure and a good deer population are much more important factors than the type of equipment I used. Don' t you agree? If so then why continue to focus on equipment advances more so than other issues such as hunter access to private land versus public which would seem to play a more prominent role.
After knowing me for some time both in terms of the person I am and my passion for the sport of archery in general can you honestly say that I am not a bowhunter simply because I choose to use modern equipment?
Again, nothing I stated was meant to be accusatory or derogative in nature but rather was intended to offer a different opinion from those of us who find enjoyment in continuing to experiment with new equipment.