Kanga

Ditto on what Art said.

RobinHood36

I started shooting a recurve 2 years ago, even shot at some 3-D shoots. A very addictive piece of equipment, and also fun to play around with in the back yard.I noticed if I missed 3-7 days without shooting my accuracy went down the tube. I'd get frustrated and go back to my compound bow and pound the bullseye arrow after arrow. Since then I hunt with my compound and feel more confident about making a true shot and once in a while shooting my recurve bow for the fun of it.

Elkcrazy8

I have a brother-in-law who made the change and tried to go without the training wheels as some put it(he switched back). Needless to say he asked me why drive a Yugo when you have a Farrari parked in the garage. I thought that he had a good analogy. Shoot whatever feels good to you....After all Ishi didn't have a compound.

Arthur P

Actually, I like the analogy pertaining to compounds myself. Ever tried driving a Ferrari off in the woods? Get 'em offroad and they are nothing but a pile of overly expensive scrap metal. They are fine when used in conditions that suit them, but ONLY in conditions that suit them.

A jeep might not be as fast on blacktop as a Ferrari, but it will go offroad like a champ and do dang near anything.... as long as a skillful driver is at the wheel. So, if a compound is like a Ferrari, then a recurve is like a jeep.

A recurve will go anywhere and do whatever your skill level will allow it to do... and you don't need a team of mechanics with specialized tools to keep it running.

CLOUD 9, MN

I thinkif your starting out go with a compound. Get afew deer under you belt and learn shooting mechanics. Traditional is a great way to go but you must practice at a whole new level. Alot more dedicated in all respects includeing getting very very close shots.

Which ever way you go......Good Luck its alot of fun!

Elkcrazy8

ArthurP- True you have a point. I tried to take off the training wheels and have alot of respect for the stick bow die hards. It takes alot of arrows to get good with one. But when you do it opens alot of doors. If I were good enough I feel that they would be the best for elk in close. Right now I pull back and hold til I am blue in the face on bulls because it takes a little too long to sight in on a bull at 10 yards. I always get a kick out of the responses on this forum.......................................Drea min' of willows and wallows

Arthur P

Elkcrazy, you know what? A 10-yard shot on an elk is a gimme shot! A slam dunk! You shouldn't be struggling with a sight pin at 10 lousy yards!!

Get rid of those stinkin' sights! If your bow is long enough to keep from pinching your fingers off, and 65% letoff, then dump the release too. Put a plain flipper rest on the bow and shoot barebow and fingers. If your bow is a shorter one, then use a 2-finger release, dropping either the index finger for a 2-under release, or the third finger for a split finger release. If it's short AND high letoff, you can even do a 1-finger release. (Draw back with three, then drop the index and 3rd fingers, holding the string with the middle finger.) Or you can go ahead and use the mechanical release if you can get a decent barebow anchor with it, where the nock is high and directly under your eye.

When I shoot my compound, it's barebow and 3-under off a Cavalier MicroFlyte flipper. This is a plain fact, no brag about it, but only the best sights/release shooters can outdo me on the 3D range. I would hunt with that setup if I didn't prefer my stickbows for hunting.

My honest point of view is that, even though the vast majority of people feel sights are required accessories, they are actually a hindrance and handicap in most hunting situations. Most people are simply afraid to trust themselves and have ZERO confidence in their innate abilities.

True, it takes more practice to get good like that, but not nearly as much as traditional. The let-off lets you focus all your concentration on aiming, without having to worry about a shakey bow arm. And arrow speeds these days! You can gunbarrel aim down the shaft and get good accuracy to at least 30 yards, easy.

You most likely won't be able to shoot a 300/60X score at the indoor leagues shooting barebow, but so what? Are you looking to punch dainty little holes in paper or hang elk on the meatpole?

Get out your backup bow and give it a whirl. Hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained... and your primary bow is still set up if you can't get it to work. Start out shooting around 10 yards and slowly back up as you begin to hit well. It won't take long before you're stroking them in there at 30 yards. I bet after a couple of weeks of shooting barebow, the sights will come off your primary bow as well.

Mankind has been shooting bows without sights for at least 50,000 years. Surely, being the product of thousands of years of evolution and intellectual enlightenment, you can shoot without sights as well.

Elkcrazy8

Arthur P, Thanks for the input. After the big tournaments this year I'll give er a try. I started to chuckle when you you talked about the one finger release. I was experimenting in the house when a misshap occured. Luckily I got the hole in the wall fixed before the misses got home. I shot for years without sights and took several whitetails when I lived back east. Had a couple of marginal shots also, I don't like to shoot unless I am 100 percent sure that I will get it. Thats what got me using sights. I didn't have the time to dedicate myself to hours on the range due to family, kids etc. I do now(thats another story) now I spend 4-5 nights a week at the range. I do know that a guy can get proficient without sights because I was there at one time, but that is exactly what it takes is time to become proficient and stay proficient. Thanks for answereing back. I like to stay open to all sides of archery. After all, the sport belongs to us.....

T-23

I have a compound and its great, i know there are still some hunters that just can't use them, mainly people that have been using recurves there whole life, but compunds are by far better and you can shoot them a lot farther and its easier to be more accurate and everything like that.

Arthur P

People that don't use compounds CHOOSE to not use them. Anybody that can do some decent shooting with a stickbow can shoot a compound quite well.

There are very, very few in that category. The vast majority of recurve/longbow shooters have used compounds extensively at some point in their life.

Each advance in compounds takes just that much more challenge out of shooting. A lot of guys chose to begin bowhunting FOR the challenge. That is where they get their enjoyment. Take away the challenge and you take away the enjoyment.

That is one of the prime reasons many people have dumped the compound and have gone back to their recurves and longbows. Couple the challenge with easy, low cost maintenance, simplicity in design and operation, light carrying weight, much less expenditures for accessories and tools, not to mention how quick the stickbow is to get into action, and it's easy to see why traditional archery is the fastest growing segment of the sport. Frankly, it's more FUN than compounds.