I can't believe how many people rise up in selfrighteous dismay whenever a traditionalist even mentions the word 'compound' and starts in on the "we gotta stand together against the anti's" crap. Especially in this case. Pointing out the differences in mindset or philosophy between one group and another isn't anything like 'tearing each other apart.'

Frankly, I'm tired of hearing that drivel, especially since it's ALWAYS aimed at traditionalists or anyone else that wants to see the challenge of bowhunting preserved. Not standing up and speaking out on issues you strongly believe in just to throw up an imaginary facade of unity is stupid. Even if the approach should accidently be successful, by the time you turn around to see what you've saved from the anti's, you could find out what you saved isn't at all what you set out to save in the first place.

You want to see people tearing each other apart? Go on the compound forums and look how nasty they get just over arrow rest selection, or Mathews vs BowTech vs Hoyt vs whatever for cryin' out loud! Go on the gun forum and suggest the .270 is the best all round cartridge. See how easy it is to get a fight going on that.

Take a couple of brothers who fight like cats and dogs, regularly beating the crap out of each other. But let anyone pick on either of them, and they wind up fighting both. That's what hunters are. We're a brotherhood, no matter what kind of hunting we do. IMO, freely expressing our deeply held opinions and feelings so we all understand each other is better than bottling things up and acting all kissy kissy on the surface, when ill will and outright hatred is boiling on the surface because of the suppressed feelings.

Having hunters REALLY at each other's throats because of lack of open communication would make the anti's job a cakewalk.