RE: Want to start traditional hunting
I agree! Shooting a traditional bow is just SO much more fun! Its SO simple, its scary! Its fun to shoot and challenge yourself on shooting better, and better...its just plain fun! No sights, no fancy rests, no peeps, no cable guards, the bow is much lighter, no bolts to loosen up, etc.
I have a beautiful Browning Mirage that fast as a water-soaked cat! But I an eBaying it because I just love to shoot traditional. My goal now is to harvest a deer traditional - as I have never done so. Sure, I know its going to require more dedication, more practice, and I am limiting myself to shorter shots - but that’s OK! Because its the 'style' in which I take the deer that now matters.
Ever notice going out and shooting a compound bow is purely 'mechanical? You nock the arrow, draw, align the peep with the sight pin, and shoot. Its robotic. For me that’s not 'fun' any longer. Whats fun is challenging yourself each session, striving for improvement. Some days you just can't miss and other days you can't do anything right. That’s the fun of traditional. Dedication. No easy way to success, no fast-track, no shortcuts. Pure skill. Your gonna love it.
My fondest memories are of shooting my recurve in my yard at my bales of hay! And concentration. Pure fun!
Also, as others have said - be sure you start out around 40-45# on a longbow or recurve. Its 'different' than a compound. After 6 or more shots you'll understand why. QUALITY is more important in shooting traditional than quality. Sure, with a compound you may be able to shoot 200 arrows. Quality is your goal with traditional. Your now working on FORM more than QUANITY. My friend killed his first deer with a Kodiak Hunter of 40#. Had a complete pass thru his first deer at about 20 yds. He is an adult as well - about 180 lb man. 40# was enough to do the trick. Now that’s not saying that someday you may not be able to shoot 50# - or more. All in due time...don't worry about that now.
What your gonna love is - short of the bowstring getting cut or breaking or the bow breaking in half - virtually NOTHING (bow related) can ruin a hunt. Keep a spare bowstring on hand all set up with silencers and a nock set on it. I don't know HOW many times a hunt got ruined on me because my compound bow 'sprung apart' due to a broken string, a screw same undone and fell off of 'something' - etc.
Simplicity IS better - and wood bows are beautiful expressions of wood.
Just have fun!