so stealthy....let me understand you...you hunted for 20 yrs with a compound?? then saw the "light" and became a trad shooter/hunter, yet you still carry the compound to hunt at times?? Ok, I kind of get it....I mean I bow hunt and shotgun hunt, yet i would rather hunt with a bow most of the time, however here in this part of Va we have deer dogs and it's kind of a tradition to hunt with them from Nov to Jan....so bowhunting is out of the question in most areas b/c of the disturbance of the dogs...but given the choice, I go with a bow any day..deer dogging and bowhunting are at opposing ends ....they are soooo different...but compound bows and trad bows are different yet it's the same logic....get them reasonably close, draw and shoot right?? so why would you ever take the compound at all....I mean all know the difference with a shotgun and bow, but Im not following your logic between compounds and trad for hunting...

In my experience, all the trad shooters I know started as compound guys, and went looking for a bigger challenge after years of compound shooting. I'm the other way around, but I do see going back to a stick in the future (If i can ever get my hands on another massie bow)

He said he was going to a party, but I got 5 bucks says he is trying on his new Buckskin and antler button thong on, any takers!

I don't either, however, no one can say rifle hunting is more challenging than shooting a flintlock muzzleloader, and as clearly as there is a difference there, there is also one between compounds and recurves/longbows.

try being a crossbow shooter and ask questions on the bowhunting forum. Or try being a meat hunter only with no care for horns. Or a houndsman, or someone who baits, or any numerous issues that bring out the ethics police.

elitism is in all of us, if you don't think it is, chances are you have it worse than anybody

I didn't say that at all. I started traditional shooting because compounds lost all appeal to me. They never got it back either, however they're far superior weapons and in the woods they give me a greater chance to fill a tag. That said I sold my only compound 2 weeks after I killed that 8 point and will likely remain a Zipper recurve shooter.

have you hunted with recurves? lately?

there really isn't any similarities in compounds and recurves anymore is there? compounds have almost breached into vertical crossbows. high letoffs, trigger releases, not drawing in the presence of game animals, long distance shots .... I mean it goes on and on and every year the seperation grows.

The only thing I can think of in the past 20 years for longbows/recurves is putting carbon in the limb lam's which isn't a great deal and the ACS limb design which is what, 5-7% increase in speeds ?

I can take your compound and in 10 minutes be shooting good groups at 40-50 yards. Compounds are designed to pick up and be very accurate with almost no practice. I know no one wants to admit that - because it takes the luster off their compound challenge but true it remains.

Sliverflicker sorry to dissappoint

Come on now, you know it was funny .

Stealthycat, I'm a little confused as to what your trying to say. I think we are all aware that different weapons have advantages and disadvantages. I think we can agree that some people are shallow and believe their way is the best or only way it should be done. But I wonder about you. Are you telling us that your somehow a better hunter because of your weapon choice? I don't want to put words in your mouth so please explain the point your trying to make. Also remember that trad hunting can be broken down into sub groups. Do you wear modern camo? what type of arrow shaft do you use? Broadhead? Footwear? How about other hunting aids - calls , tree stands, etc. Also remember that long bows at one time replaced "traditional weapons" such as spears.

I use everything listed in my signature, to me they are just weapons. I am not any better of a hunter because I used my recurve one weekend, and my compound or XBow the next...I get a little PO'd at the fact we as hunters stillargue over this subject. Compounds, recurves,longbows,stickbows,spears, and rocks...are all weapons or have been used as weapons at one time.

No kidding! One of the greatest aspects of hunting is the ability to pick your equipment and choose the method that you enjoy. Why is everyone so concerned about what the next guy does?

join the club

Shooting traditional HAS made me a much better hunter, but no, thats not what I'm saying. its not about better or not as good .... its about realizing that bowhunting was never with compound or crossbows, it was recurves and longbows until the compound revolution and more recently the intro of crossbows into general archery seasons in several new states.

That has many many compound shooters in an uproar ... you see, they think their choice of "bow" should be legal bowhunting but not crossbows.

Yet, as a recurve shooter I can say that their compounds shouldn't be in bow season for the very same reasons.

Who is elite and who isn't ?



what can't be sub categorized? Greater than 80% letoff, solo cam's ver dual cams, releases or no releases, carbons or aluminums ..... but there is a huge difference between the compound bow and a traditional bow ... undeniable

hell yes ! welcome all the crossbow shooters with open arms to your general WI archery season ... right magicman54494 ? you got no problems with that, do you ?

My uncle shoots a cross bow. I have no problem with him or anyone else shooting a crossbow. I'm glad they allow crossbows. It lets people like my uncle continue to enjoy hunting. He has a bad arm and wouldn't be able to hunt with a compound. I still don't understand your point. It sounds to me like you want all compound bows outlawed. Since my uncle started using a crossbow his bow kills are the same as when he shot a compound. I really don't see a big advantage. I have held a few crossbows and to me they seem heavy and would be hard to get thru thicker woods. If given the choice I would stick to my bow. I really believe my above quote. You can hunt with whatever you choose (as long as its legal) Just dont tell me what to choose or that my choice is beneath you.