IL_BOW_MAN - I can pick up your tuned compound and be shooting great groups at 30 yard in 5 minutes.

Am I an archer ?

I can pick up a crossbow and do the same thing.

Am I an archer ?

I can shoot longbows and recurve and not be nearly as accurate as I am with the above bows ....

Am I an archer ?

Now, I am going to choose one of the weapons above, for whatever reason, and go bowhunting. Does it matter which I choose ? Crossbows and compounds for the ease of use and convenience, or the recurve/longbow for additional challenge ... but does it matter ? It shouldn't, should it ?

If it does, explain why, I'm all ears. If the choice of weapon matter - if the choice of weapons somehow changes the sport you're participating in that much, theres surly a great reason why.

I'll take a jump ..... shooting a bow that literally requires very little practice (as some posts above have validated) is in all honesty choosing a weapon that allows the archer to capitalize on the seasons that are open, and not a true love for the sport.

I like squirrell hunting. I don't particularly love shooting my .22 though. I use the .22 so that I can hunt. I am not a shooter, I'm not into shooting sports, I use the gun as a tool.

So it is with bowhunting .... a lot of guys use the bow to capitalize on archery season and bowhunt .... but they're not really archers who love archery, are they ?