Man I gotta give props...
 

To people like Schultzy, and Matt Pa, and soon to GMMAT if he connects this fall. Props for shooting and killing animals with a recurve or long bow. Man I remmeber learning to shoot back 1988-89 with old Bear Recurve, it was so tough, but I could hit bulls eye at 20 yds. Not too shaby for 13 yr old!! Anyway, mad props to you guys. As I was sitting there yesterday at the pro shop, I thought about these guys and said to myself, man I think I got it bad with my 295 fps, sights, release, etc.. here these guys are with none of it and shooting well and more importantly well enough to kill an animal. Guys, my hat's off to ya, nothing but respect from mebros!!! I know I left quite a bit of youout, I just couldn't think of all who shoot traditional, but you are included as well!!

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

Hell of a job to all the Traditional guys!

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

x2

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

I haven't done anything yet with my longbow.......

But I am committed to it for this fall.

I shoot 3D most weekends.....and I see some guys who can SHOOT (trad gear). Amazing. Simply amazing what these guys can do.

MY hat's off to you guys who do it full-time. THAT is commitment and passion.

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

Jeff, when does the season open in NC?

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

You are right G, they are simply amazing to me, they have confidence and a steady hand, arm, body, and mind set. I envy them..

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

I "think" we open in NC on either the 8th or the 9th of Sept. for deer season.

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

I am with you all on this that is for sure.
I have to put off starting traditional for a year but can not wait to hear from these guys this coming season on their hunts.
Good Luck Gents.

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

Thanks Vab!! Man my head is the size of Texas now!!![8D] No really you didn't have to say that. Yes it takes allot more patience and time but like you just said in your thread you were hitting bullseye's at 20 yards at 12 years old. You did it then so there's no reason why you couldn't do it now. Its like allot of other things, once you figure it out it isn't so tough. The tough part is passing up on the nice bucks or just deer alone because there a little out of range when shooting traditional. I really found out how frustrating it can be when I went out west my 1st year with my recurve elk hunting. I had a few chances at elk in the 30 yard range but all I could do was hope one would come another 10 yards or so closer. Shooting Traditional comes with the territory of passing up on allot more shots then you would with a compound. A person better except this right away if there going to give Traditional bow hunting a whirl or there in for a rude awakening and some bad hunting ethics. Its also got its benefits too, hardly any gadgets to go wrong on your bow, quicker shooting, etc. Thanks again buddy.

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

Schultzy....

I took a Bowhunter's Ed. class a while back.....just to say I did it.....and I was fortunate enough to have two guys in there. One was the instructor.....who is almost exclusively a trad shooter. He let me shoot his bow one night after class. Hooked.

The other was our state champion traditional shooter. He shoots in the same 3D circuit I shoot in. He (and a few others......as he ups the competition in a lot of guys....in a VERY positive way) are amazing to watch shoot.

Kudos. I know what it takes to be as proficient as you must be to go about this the way you do (and Bobco.....and others, here).

My hat's off;)

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

I agree with G, Schultzy, you have done more with that tradional bow in your hands than most of us with a compound. It must feel super great to take animal with that equipment. I have not shot fingers in over 14 yrs, let alone kill an animal with a traditional bow!!

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

Mine doesn't open until 01 October. I was thinkingof making you a friendly wager on who'd take their first deer with our Montana's, but if you get a three week jump on me...:D
Hey Schultzy,
I'm new, but give me two or three years and I'll help deflate that big head you're gettin'.:D:D

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

Sounds good chief!! Good luck hunting with the Montana this fall.

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Dont know a thing about traditional gear. All other things being equal, what are you limited to for shot distance? Is 30 yards a long shot?

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

Hey thanks, I guess I do consider myself a traditional shooter now.....well in PA anyway. I really am going to hunt PA all the time with traditional gear every season, but I am still going to split time and shoot a compound in IL.
It's weird being at such extreme ends of the spectrum but I find both fun and challenging.

Traditional archery isn't quite the blackmagic a lot of guys make it out to be, the main barrier I think for a lot of guys is that the only archery they have ever known is compounds and simply don't know where to start. Man I could write a small book on how to get started let me tell ya! I had lots of help and advice along the way, and just kept shooting and shooting and shooting until I now feel pretty darn proficient with it as a whole.

I am already starting to completely readjust me thinking on set ups here in Pa just to accomodate traditional bows. Moving some sets from treestands to brushed in tall ground blinds off well used trails. Setting actual treestands lower as well as with lots of backcover and off only a single trail out in front of the stand. I want deer to pass out in front with plenty of cover to get drawn and not even have to worry about being able to shoot 30 yards in all directions or cover multiple trails. I want to keep it simple and high percentage if deer approach my set ups.

I'm looking forward to it already and have been splitting time pretty hard right now between competitive compound 3D and recurve bowhunting thoughts.
My goals with it are simple again this season.........take a decent legal buck in PA and hopefully a doe as well, have fun and don't stress about the need to kill something.

I don't know how to convey to you guys the feeling of contentment sitting there with a recurve staring at the 5" shield cut feathers and the renewed excitement at seeing ANY deer. It's like the beginning of a whole new game.
It's very stress relieving. :)

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It depends with the shooter I guess. My max distance is usually 20 yards. Some days even shorter then that. It really depends on how good I'm shooting each time I go out that day. Every time before I go out in the woods hunting I shoot a half dozen arrows. That right there tells me what my shooting range will be. My longest shot on a deer was 22 yards, I drilled her double lung and heart!! That year my shooting was awesome. I was dead on hitting quarters at 25 yards! Most of my animals (deer and bear) are shot at 12 to 13 yards.

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

You guys forgot to mention Burnie, he has also taken some very impressive animals as well! Steve, Burnie, LBR, Bob-Co and Arthur, I'm very impressed with your guys commitment to the Trad lifestyle! Big Country, Gmmat, Rybo Michiganwhitetails, Little Chief, Matt and myself and I'm sure a few others I forgot, I sure would like to see some more kills from us this season! Good luck everyone and stick with it, I know I am!

RE: Man I gotta give props...
 

where is Burnie???