quiksilver

People always ask me if I shoot competitively - and are surprised to learn thatI partake in absolutely no organized archery leagues/ contests/ hobbies.

There are a variety of reasons that I don't:
[ul][*]First and foremost - I think it's insanely boring[*]Secondly - in terms of priorities, I'd rather be in the woods than walking a 3d course or shooting spots on a weekend off-day[*]Finally- I just don't have much in common with most competitive archers.[/ul]
To put this in a real-world example: This is shed season. Any spare time that I have to devote to hunting - will be spent with me either walking fields, crawling through thickets, or spotlighting fields at night.

Shed season flows right into spring turkey season - so then my focus shifts to planninga fewturkey hunts and lining up a few guiding trips.

June, I take a vacation and come back, focused firmly on fall whitetails. Isoakevery available evening knocking on doors, sitting in fields glassing, and spotlighting. I'm lucky to shoe-horn an hour a week into actually shooting my bow.

The reason I ask: I see some very different personality types, not just on this site, but in the real world - a definite difference between your die-hard whitetail hunter, and your resident spot/3d gurus. Not just different personality types, but different approaches to preparation and their hunting in general.

At least when I breakit down - competitive archery is, in my mind, barely related to"hunting"solely in the respect that you use a bow to do it - and you have to guess yardage (in some games). The object of the game is different, the equipment is different, the people are different, the fitness requirements are different, everything is... well... not hunting.

So am I the onlybowhunter out there who just doesn't get into "competitive archery" at all? I mean, I've done it, and I did pretty well at it,but honestly, I'd rather "floss GMMAT'scat's teeth."

Germ

I myself love to go

brucelanthier

I don't plan on shooting any competitive archery but I will shoot my bow year round because I like to experiment with different arrows, broadheads, setups and I just like shooting it.

125py

i dont shoot in any leagues, but i love shooting targets

HuntingBry

Last year I bought a rig that I was going to use for 3d to start competing again. Then I dedicated myself to hunting more, smarter, and going after a different class of deer. With only 5 days left in the late season and only a few doe tags left, I find myself planning shed hunting trips, buying a professional grade camera to take scouting with me, looking over maps to find side streets where I can begin knocking on doors, inventorying my hunting gear to see what I may need for next year, planning what I need to make some food plots/feed sights/mineral sights, and looking over my notes from this year to see what I want to change for next year. That doesn't leave a lot of time for getting back into competitive archery.

In fact, I stripped the 3d rig 2 nights ago and should have it for sale soon. I will shoot 3d, but just for fun and practice at yardage estimation. I definitely won't be trying to compete in a serious manner.

So, in a way, I see what you mean, but I will continue to shoot diligently and have fun with 3d when I can.

Germ

Second quick what a great way to get them involed in other sports.
maybe if the Undisputed King of Archery would go more of these kids would go hunting

Everything is connected, ifCompetitive archery fails, bowhunting is not far behind IMO

GMMAT

Boring? Compared to what? Groundhog hunting with a rifle? I'm just kidding, Fran....bit it's a chance to hone my shooting skills....and it's a "whatever floats your boat" thing, really. I'm also learning a lot about equipment.

I AM in the woods walking a 3D course.

In common? All the guys I know who shoot 3D are hunters. Hell we talk about hunting the whole time!

Shed hunting? Sure...Lisa and I shed hunt. But honestly (don't get any undies in a wad, here)....what can shed hunting tell me that I can't find out with a trailcam? In fact....putting my trail cams out in the summer can tell me a lot more about what actually made it through the year than shed hunting can.

Now tukey hunting......OK....3D will take a big back seat during these few weeks.

Best examples I now of on this site are Buckeye; Matt/PA and Rick James....of guys I know who've excelled in 3D and hunting. Explain your statement using these examples.


I concur. Different "games". Common ground!

No issues with that either! If itisn't for you....it isn't! Besides......Romeo's teeth could use the work!

gplant

I shoot leagues in the winter and indoor shoots.3D all summer into fall untill bow season starts. Plus a lot of backyard shooting.So yea I like it

buttonbuckmaster

I have shot a few pop up "tourneys" for fun, strictly a bragging rights thing between buddys. We also get together and shoot DART a few times during the summer. I've never shot a 3d tourney and haven't really wanted to. Too many other things going in the summer.

BowTech_Shooter

I used to compete on the IBO circuit but I haven't shot a tournament since I started working for a bow company...Even though I'm still at these same events working, I don't have the time to compete any more...