Joe, if it sounds like I have become anti-compound, it's unintentional. I get soured on compounds quite easy, I admit that. Part of it is "those anal-retentive compound 3D shooters in Texas", for sure. But mostly it's the prevailing attitude that only someone who shoots the latest greatest whizbang gear is really bowhunting. And the hostile responses I often get when I disagree with that foolishness just makes it worse.

I've shot bows all my life. Started playing with bows when I was 3. When I was 6, I started hunting small game with a bow - a solid 10 years before there was any such thing as a compound. I hunted with a recurve another 10 years before I ever drew a compound. I hunted with a recurve another 5 years before I finally bought a compound. I've shot a compound in competition, and even hunted with one on several ocassions over the past 20 years. But I've never gotten used to hunting with a compound and prefer a recurve or longbow for my still hunting/spot-n-stalk hunting style.

And now we've got guys that have never shot anything but a compound passing judgement on traditional gear, saying that it's ineffective or, worse, unethical. Nearly 50 years of my personal experience say otherwise. I will defend traditional equipment against such foolish remarks, no matter what. If I must sound anti-compound in the process, then so be it. Traditional equipment is no more and no less effective and no more or no less unethical than the guy that's pulling the string.