ewolf, do you live in a box?... Some of your posts.....

Stealthy, I am not really sure on how I am supposed to take your post.

I am going to say yes to all the above. Each one takes a certain amount of practice to be proficiant. I have never once said that a traditionalist needs no practice. If I shot a long bow, I would be out practicing all the time. Because being somewhat smart, I know it takes much more practice to be proficient with a long bow than it does a compound. But the amount of practice it takes to be proficient with any tool varies greatly on the tool handler!! Like you said about the 22, it is a tool, just as a bow is a tool, long bow is a tool and the cross bow is a tool.

So now I shoot a compound and I don't truely love the sport. Give me a break. If I was going to capitalize on the seasons that are open, I would be shotgun hunting, muzzle loader hunting and pistol hunting and putting just as much meat in the freezer that I can in one season. But I don't, I bowhunt only and I am proud to say (proud is prolly the wrong word) that my freezer has been empty the last 2 seasons because the choices I made based on my abilities in the moment of truth.

Why not use your recurve then? Shooting squirrels will be one heck of a challenge!

I never once said I love archery, my passion is archery hunting. In my book, these 2 are totally different things.

Just so my opinion is clear.....I am not picking on the guys that practice 12 months a year, nor am I picking on the guys that practice 1 week of the year. Proficient being the key word, if one is proficient enough with one week of practice.....so be it. If it takes you 12 months before you feel you are proficient, good for you. Are you a better hunter for it. NO You may be a better archer, but not neccisarily a better hunter.

Bob .....my only point was it helps ! Actually I realized shortly after posting that .......... I had stepped off into something way past what I read into the original post ! I didn't read all the posts ! [8D]

I got to stop making my posts so long, by the time I post it there is like 7 more posts. WOW

stealthycat

My first love is bowhunting, archery is second. I enjoy harvesting animals with archery gear. I am no archery guru, I don't shoot 3D, I don't shoot with groups of people. I practice most of the year, atleast a 5 or 6 days a month.

Stealthy ol' pal, you really need to explain this one. I'm either just a dumb redneck and just don't get it, or you are ranting to rant, not to make sense.

A little fire in the belly gets the fingers a tapping............LOL

Gladly !

One chooses a crossbow/compound over a recurve/longbow ... why ? Easier to shoot, more accurate, more powerful, less practice needed etc. They got sights, high to no letoff, triggers, cables, cams and high tech assessories.

Those are correct and true facts, undenaible, about crossbows and compounds and the reasons people choose them. A compound might be a bit harder to use, a crossbow heavier and louder, a compound having longer range shooting abilities but the crossbow having higher letoff .... but compare both to recurves/longbows and theres really no comparison at all.

You got guys here arguing they use compounds, not because they really love shooting them, but because they're a weapon they can use to archery hunt deer thats easy to use and accurate - hey, thats the SAME reason crossbow hunters use crossbows !

Aint that amazing ?

Ah, no...... it's not.

Let's take a look at some terms here:

Archery: Is it hunting?
Hunting: Is it archery?

I don't see the sport of archery being carried out in real hunting situations for the game of the land in the Olympics. Archery is archery - the love of the stick and the string. Hunting is hunting - the love of the chase of a very keen animal.

Tools: can be used in either archery or hunting, now can't they?

I could give a rat's behind if someone chooses to use a compound, long bow, self bow, or a cross bow. Who friggin cares, mon!?

Let's say that I break my leg and cannot walk without crutches. Am I going to stay in bed and not participate in life - work, family, friends - because I cannot walk naturally? Or am I going to use the crutches as a tool to get me back in the game of life? I choose to use a compound to harvest deer because I love to hunt and because I cannot find the time (or don't make the time) to get proficient with my recurve. Why is this not bow hunting? Or archery hunting?

Uh, most bowhunters care big time what you use - people get rabid about the CHOICE of using a crossbow but will defend to the death THEIR choice of a compound.

Now ya gotta agree THAT is someting, right ?