What's the difference!!??
 

A couple of these threads got me thinking.

What is the difference in what weapon you use, strictly archery as in traditional or compound.

I started out hunting with a recurve. I shot my first deer with one when I was 12. It was a nice 6 pointer at 15 yards running fast as hell. I was hooked. I swore to my dad that I'd never hunt with one of those mechanical gadgets that were coming out, called compound bows! [:'(]

Well, here I am, not only am I hunting with one, I shot for HCA for 7 or 8 years. I got my first one in 1983 although I started hunting in 1967. One thing is for sure...... I will some day hunt with a recurve again. Not for the challenge but because I like the look and feel of them. They are a work of art.

Now here is what I think...........

It doesn't matter which type of bow I use because for me it's about the skill of hunting. I prefer a 15 yard broadside shot at a deer, even with a compound. I know I can be proficient with a recurve out to 20 yards without too much trouble. The last 6 bucks I shot were at 6, 14, 20, 12, 17 and 12 yards respectively. I'm saying that I could have killed them with a recurve as well. The compound I used was not a huge significant difference.

To me it's about the hunt. I spend an awful lot of time trying to find and set up the perfect stand to give me the slam dunk shot. It's something that I take pride in. I never set up for 40 yard field shots, nor do I hunt in wide open terrain. Those things would definitely make a difference. Where I hunt they would not.

What are your thoughts?

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

My thoughts are that if it were I, a lowly peasant, who posted this thread I would be ripped to shreds. But since you are an idol of many including mine, I think you're safe. LOL I'm only half way kidding.

It is the way in which you arranged and presented your thoughts that make it easier to understand where you're coming from. I agree, if you are proficient with both out to 20, there's not a whole lot of difference in my "traditional"ly inexperienced eyes.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

I have to wonder a few things....

1. Would I be able to draw at the same time with the longbow as I do with the compound? Answer....probably....but it would cost me a few opportunities with trad gear.

2. Would I be able to hunt at the same height with the trad gear and assure an ethical shot angle? No way.

3. When is most of my success? Answer....after leaf drop. At 10-12' height after leaf drop I'm more of a sitting duck than I am at 23'.

4. What did it take for me to BECOME proficient with trad gear? WAY more than it did with a compound.

5. How long can I hold my 50# (at 28") bow at full draw if need be? That's 0% letoff we're talking about. Not long.

Just a difference of opinon. I respect that you feel that way. I just disagree. I've taken 6 whitetails this season. How many do I legitimately think would have been taken if I had traditional tackle in my hands? "Maybe" 1.

My shots this year have been from 8, 23, 10, 33, 5 and 5 yds, respectively.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Gotta agree with ya there. All your points are valid. I would hunt with a recurve more, but I cant shoot them worth spit out of a stand (yet) and hunting off the ground plays too many mind games with me. But really, once you get them to within 20 yards, you did what you set out to do, the hunting part is over. Next all you gotta do is shoot them, simple right?

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Hell Jeff, it took me almost a year to become proficient walking. Now, some 32 years later, its almost second nature.;)[8D]

I see your point. Just busting your balls.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Granted I was proficient to 20, my buck would have been a slam dunk shot with a trad bow. I drew and shot almost simultaneously, and he couldn't have been more than 12 yards from a 14ft stand...still need to step it off and get the arrow I forgot and left down there[:@].

I agree that for the actual hunt part, not much is different IMO. I think its just all the extra work getting to that proficient stage, and maintaining your skill level. Like you said, its a work of art.

My friend picked up a recurve to try the more challenging aspect of it, and already has killed a few turkey stalking and a 120" Nontypical buck from 8 yards. He said if you practiced with a recurve like most of us already do with a compound (whether we need to or not), there isn't much difference.

I can't say, as Ive never tried it. I will be trying it sometime in the future though...something about it just seems too cool to not try atleast once.


GMMAT, you stumped me...how come trad hunters can't hunt as high as compound hunters? Not looking for debate, just honestly don't know.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

While Iappreciate the traditional look and feel of shooting arecurve, I love the mechanical aspect of the compound. The stealth and being able to hold at full draw. The high tech sights, releases and arrow rest. Must have been allthe Rambo movies. Or the Duke boys.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

The older I get the less I care about what others do while they hunt as long as it is not illegal. To me, the experience is everything. I had a lady brag to me at work that her husband killed X amount of bucks/deer with his guns this year. I told her good for him and that I really do not care that he killed more deer than me, for I am in competition with myself and the deer alone, not anyone else.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

I know that I wouldn't be changing my stand height based on what weapon (bow) I was using. I set my stands only as high as they need to be in order to get the shots I want. I like 17 to 23 feet.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Trevor.....if you're "that good", nothing (talking about accuracy from 20'+ v. what I would imagine to be more typical traditional stand heights).

I don't know (OK....I know 1) too many that good with traditional gear.

No debate, at all. When we're 20+' and a deer's at 5 yds....we'd better be sure of our shot placement. It's a delicate (understatement) margin for error. I can't imagine taking that shot with trad gear. I hunt at lower heights to compensate for this (shortcoming?.....or reality check?).

I think it would be interesting to hear the heights the guys who get it done with trad gear every year (burnie?; BobCo?: Schultzy?;Others?) are hunting from. I'm interested.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

wow, that's exactly what I was thinking.
Only to add... All I want to do is hunt.
Doesn't matter what or with what, I just want to hunt

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

My thoughts mirror yours Greg. The difference is intangible to everyone except those who expereince it.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Greg....for a LOT of people...HOW they hunt defines them as hunters. The end (dead deer down) wouldn't justify the means, to many, if the animal wasn't taken on their terms.

For someone (not saying you do, at all) who views bowhunting as an opportunity to gain more woods time (and who switches off to other weapons as the seasons open)....and nothing else.....I don't see them buying into this train of thought.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Well the recurve/longbow is harder to master (absolute draw length on compounds are a help if nothing else) but on the plus side I don't have to worry about any gadget failing me, just my head. I've always liked simple over elaborate and so I naturally gravitated to a recurve. Most of my shots, bow and gun are close. Furthest I've shot was 100 yards this year at a bear with a gun. Most shots are under 50 and for bow under 20.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Thats me to a T. I don't get anymore excitement from bowhunting that I do gunhunting. It just allows me to hunt for 3 and a half months vs 7 days.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Hunting is a personal sport. We all have our own reasons why we do it. Each of us makes the decision what type of hunt we want. That includes areas, type of terrain, type of weapon, size and or # of deer, etc. Being able to adjust your hunt to what suits you is what makes hunting fun. My season goes thru many changes including type of weapon and hunting style. I enjoy each and enjoy each for totally different reasons.
I'm proud of every deer I take with any weapon I use. I don't consider one deer to be more of a trophy just because of the weapon I choose. I wish everyone felt this way. I pity those that don't. When we look down our noses at others because of the weapon they use the whole sport of deer hunting suffers.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Kind of funny. I have never thought about what defines me as a hunter in over 40 years. I guess I just thought that by getting the job done with many different weapons meant that I was doing pretty good as a hunter. I guess I can't relate to the "purist" mentality, I just like to hunt.....period. The weapon doesn't matter to me.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Ed, you are an animal:D

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Magic.....I don't see anyone looking down their nose at anyone else.

I said each has its place (in the forums). I wouldn't post my shotgun turkey kills in the bowhunting forum out of respect. I have nothing against gun hunters at all. I hunt with some guys who gun hunt and they're great friends. I congratulate them all on their kills. Kudos.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

"Purist" isn't a dirty word.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

I know.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

[[/quote]

Ed, you are an animal:D
[/quote]
top of the food chain - baby!
I rutt like one also

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Ed, you are an animal:D
[/quote]
top of the food chain - baby!
I rutt like one also

[/quote]

Hahahahaha!

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Ed, you are an animal:D
[/quote]
top of the food chain - baby!
I rutt like one also

[/quote]

What? only once a year?[8D]

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

The more severe the angle the harder It Is to pull a traditional bow back. If I'm 18' up in a tree I'd much rather have that deer at 15 yards then have him at 10 yards.

What brought this one on Greg? I'm kind of confused on this and not sure what to think of It.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

I believe the above to be very nobly spoken. I don't look down my nose at any accomplishment as long as the deer's head wasn't blown off intentionally. I don't think magic was saying anyone here was looking down their nose either. I think there's an implied meaning that it does happen.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

My thoughts exactly .... great post

as far as a BH regular posting their gun kill on the BH forum ...it should NOT be a problem with anyone.....it's not disrespectful ....it's ALL hunting ...

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

There was a time when I was in my late teens, early 20's when I really slacked off bow hunting. I thought fast cars and girls were more important. [:-]As I entered my late 20's, I got back into bow hunting. I never stopped gun hunting. Any way, I started keeping a log of my hunting back in 1986. It was around there that I made the prediction that I'd get the biggest buck of my life while bow hunting. So far it is true. But I still gun hunt because I like it. It gives me more "in woods" time where I can still learn about these animals. I prefer bow hunting over gun hunting for many reasons...... milder temps, longer seasons etc. The main reason is that, to me, I think it is so cool to hunt deer when they are in their relaxed state, if you can call rutting....relaxed. Rather than hunting escape trails while they are fleeing for their lives. I think that is cool too. I just like bow hunting better but I still like gun hunting. I am not a purist and there is nothing wrong with being one as long as you don't condem me or my methods of hunting.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Seeing as though you have hunted and been successful with one, I am not doubting that statement in regards to yourself, but I think it is an overstatement if applied to the general compound bowhunting population, at least certainly when applied to myself.

I do not feel comfortable with my proficiency with a recurve at 20 yards. Granted, if that is all I had to shoot and practiced real hard, no doubt I would gain in accuracy/consistency than where I am today, but even then I don't think I would ever get as comfortable shooting a recurve at 20 yards as compared to my comfort level witha compound at 40 yards.

My hunting country is open and is not as conducive to bowhunting as some areas of the country. There aren't a whole lot of us. The 4 doe I have taken this year were at 16 yards, 23 yards, 34 yards, and 38 yards. I was comfortable with every shot.

And I am speaking in candor withno self deprecationor humbleness intended when I say maybe those yardages speak for themselves and are an indication of my ineptness as a bowhunter in that I can't get them closer, and only use our "open terrain" as an excuse.

All Iknow is that I have been asuccsesful and consistent compound bowhunter for a good number of years now that would likely flounder and would have had little to show on the meat pole if all I could use was Trad gear.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

I was just thinking that it's the hunting that makes the hunt, not the weapon.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

You're right on the killing ranges, most guys kill between 5-25 yards, anything after that becomes difficult. When I hear of guys killing at 50-60 yards and thenbragging about it, I wonder to myself how many deer has this guy wounded that he's not talking about, it's a low percentage shot, even fora pro as unlike 3D targets, real deer move. 40 yards is my limit and it has to be a perfect presentation in orderto take that shot.Mylongest was 42,and closest was 1 yard. [/align][/align]It takes much more skill to harvest a deer with a recurve over a compound even at short yardage ranges. It's like comparing a non rifledshotgun slug gun to ascopedrifle. Besides being slower and less efficient, the shot is more of a pull and release compared to a compound that you can draw undetectedand canwait motionless30 seconds orlonger until the deer is in shootingposition. We had a guy on this hunting trip a few years back and he was hooked on traditional archery. He wounded two deer and missed three deer in one season, he switch to a compound and now he's a real slayer.Not everyone can master a recurve, I wouldn't hunt with one for the simple reason that it would reduce my effective killingrange from 40 yards to 20 yards max but for guys like Shultzy who've mastered therecurve and are lethal and proficient with it, well,I've got to take my hat off to them. [/align]

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Thank you. Well said.

Greg...How does gun hunting give you mor e"in woods" time? Just curious if bowhunting during firearms season is illegal where you hunt (I think it may be in a few places)? Thanks.

If you're hunting legally and ethically....you'll get no condemnation out of me.

PT...difference of opinion. If I post a shotgun killed turkey (I wouldn't) in the bowhunting forum....I'd consider that (in my eyes) disrespectful. I'm not saying I'm right. I'm saying how it would make me feel about it.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

I think I covered this.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Greg I mentioned earlier that there are thos who use archery season as ONLY an opportunity to get more woods time until the other seasons open. NOTHING wrong with that. Are you this way?

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

GMMAT, maybe you didn't see the post where I said there was a time that I really slacked off of bow hunting. It's the bow hunting that gives me the time, not the gun hunting.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

I like to be around deer as much as I can because that is how I study them. I believe that if there is a big secret to getting big bucks, this is it.

Even I, being an empty nestor, have time constraints. Hopefully, retirement in the future will allow me a bit more time to study these animals even more.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

it makes perfect sense! i know what you mean! i want to pick up traditional archery, but no matter where i move my set up around in that same area, the bucks wont come to less than 30 yards or so. i dont even like to take a shot like that with my compound so why would i want to do that with a wood bow without sights. its all about the setup and confidence in my opinion! good luck to you and i hope you pick traditional archery up again!

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

GregH,

I agree with you and I don't see a bit of difference. Starting at the same level (trad gear) and moving up to compound gear (although I am a bit younger at 43;)) I simply used what was available at the time.

Choosing a weapon to hunt with IMHO doesn't define you as a hunter, it simply shows your different hunting style.How you hunt doesn't define you either although is says more about you (as a hunter) than the weapon you use. Some folks like trad gear, others compounds, still some prefer other types of weapons but that's not what Greg was asking so I'll keep it limited to trad vs compounds.

The problem with all this (and the reason why these threadsend up going south) is human nature. Yep the indelible need for folks to feel that their weapon of choice somehow automatically gives them a "leg up" on their fellow hunters. It usually coincides with the perceived skill level needed to utilize the particular weaponand there you have it...the prime environment for elitism to fester.

It reminds me of theDr. Zeuss show about theSneeches,youknow, some had stars on their bellies and others did not. It's human nature to want to feel superior to others and it's seen right here on this web sight. Most people here however are grown up enough to figure out that hunting is a pastime and a recreation. A way to enjoy the outdoors and unlock our primal instincts to get out and bring home food...to hunt. The problem is some folks go too "primal" and forget all aboutwhat it is to be a civilized adult and keep their feelings of superiority (as ill-gotten as they are)in check.

There is nothing wrong with thinking your way is tougher or "truer" to the sport but when you start to belittle another based solely on the type of weapon they choose to hunt with and call to question their commitment and love for hunting because of it, thenthe corner has been turned and your heading down elitist street! (not saying anyone has done this on this thread)

It doesn't matter if your talking about trad vs compound or bow vs gun it's all hunting, andat timesno matter what weapon is in your hands it can be super easy and other times extremely difficult. I agree withGreg here, the hunt or "journey"will prove to be far more difficult that the means of whichyou choose to end it with.;)

The sooner folks can get past what weapon isin their hands the better off ALL of hunting will be....sadly, I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Great thread Greg!

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

I started out hunting with a recurve, and now 20 some years later I am back to shooting trad bows pretty solid for 2 years. I am still looking for my first kill with them. I practice my longbow literally 100x more than my compound, yet even as good as I think I can get with it, there is NO WAY I could ever replicate the confidence I have in my abilities with my compound. And also for the record I am a guy who routinely shoots the majority of my deer at less than 15 yds. All "slam dunks" even with trad gear huh. Maybe to some, but certainly not me.

RE: What's the difference!!??
 

Are youtalking about them bows that shoot the arrows with the little plunger thingy on the end?? I used to be deadly with one of them suckers sticking them to my moms TV. [8D]