The itch....
 

no, not THAT itch- The Dr. gave me creme for that one



The itch is here..to try my hand at trad bowhunting/shooting again. It seems the older I get the more I'm concerned about the means and not the end- to more extreme degrees- perhaps one day I will be after deer with a knife between my teeth or an atl-atl, but my true love..and one that has broken my heart on a couple occasions for the past 10 years has been the one piece longbow.

So tell me why I'm nuts for trying again, or not trying again

RE: The itch....
 

Shoot what you like and have confidence in- don't get wrapped up popularity contests.;)

RE: The itch....
 

I want to go on this adventure too jeff but am not sure where to start.

Derek

RE: The itch....
 

X3

RE: The itch....
 

I just got cranked up with it Jeff. I am having a blast going out and shooting my recurve.

RE: The itch....
 

Well, I know where to start- I've done it before-I was mentored by a couple of good local trad shooters who used to run a trad shop in my area (sadly now defunct). Not sure IF I should try again I guess is the problem. I went about it the wrong way in the past- twice. I'm 10 years older, and a wee bit wiser.

One thing I feel I did wrong was shoot left handed- I'm Left eye dom, but RH- I developed very poor form habits because it was uncomfy and unnatural shooting left handed. I ended up snap shooting at a very short draw length and it just got worse and worse. I gave up for a year or two.

Then I read plenty of contrary evidence stating to shoot RH, because as you cant the bow, the dominant eye takes over anyway- as long as you giving yourself time to "aim" and focus that spot (i.e. not quick snap shooting). Picked up a RH saxon lb, and it worked pretty good and I was comfy physically. But I pressured myself too much as the season drew near, and when I'd have an off day, I'd pick up the compound in frustration- BAD MOVE- more screwing myself up, and donwhill I went. BY the time the seaon rolled around I had given up the LB and could barely hit anything with my compound.

Right before I got out of archery-after I left the BT staff, I sold my compounds and got a Check-Mate 1pc recurve from Chad here. Got all the arrows/gear I needed, etc, and I never even shot the thing. Upheavals in my life & health, and I was so burned out on archery & hunting I never shot the bow once. Sold everything.

Because I don't even HAVE a place to hunt this year and don't know if I will...well there's not much pressure on me to get better by the season:eek: There's also a coupla good guys who shoot recurves up at my shop each week and thats been more enticement. I love my compounds but already I'm tiring of the gizmos and just the general "modern bowhunter environment and attitude" Nothing against anyone- just re-evalulating WHY I chose to bowhunt in the first place so many years ago. Bowhunting to me is a very personal experience- the commercialism and explosion of the industry and technology bothers me because it's no longer the challenge it once was. Its now - a "market", and a "industry" and it's gottne MUCH worse just in the past few years I've been out of it. It's very off-putting to me. All IMO of course- I'm not judging anyone on a personal level. Just the older I get, the more it bothers me.

Anyhoo- I need to do some thinking.

RE: The itch....
 

Its not for everybody thats for sure. I never could imagine quit trad archery. I could imagine quiting compounds. Every year seems a herd of people from bowhunting forum want to move to trad, then they are gone in a flash. Nothing wrong with it. Everybody has to find thier way.

RE: The itch....
 

I think once I move a few things, I'm gonna pick up a Bear Montana for starters- never had one but always liked them when i shot them, and the price is reasonable. 45 pounds, maybe 50- some Beman MFX 500s w/ brass inserts and go from there-if things work out well in time, then I'll put an order in for a Dwyer or HH or Great Northern, and maybe get back to building some cedar/norway pine arrows.

RE: The itch....
 

I respect anyone who shoots Traditional. I started that way and shot traditional and killed many Deer that way.

I have No desire to regress. I like and enjoy my Compounds. I hunt to Kill, and a Compound makes me more effecient at the task. If I wanted to watch nature I'd join the Audubon society[8D]

I still like flingin trad style at a target, but when I go in the woods I'm in Kill mode:DI'm not taking the chance I have to pass a Big Buck at 40 yards with Trad gear that would be a Slam dunk with my Compound.

To each there own! I realize everyone hunts for a different reason.

Dan

RE: The itch....
 

You ought to gun hunt only it sounds like.

RE: The itch....
 

It's Funny you tell me what I should do[8D]

I've never killed a Big Game Animal in my life with a gun, and I never will.

I'm no less a Bowhunter than any Trad hunter. That's the trouble with some. They think if you don't do it like They do it you aren't really a Bowhunter, or you aren't really a hunter at all.

That's the Sad part of our sport.

I really have a problem with any type of Elitist thinking!

Get over yourself and get a life!:eek:I don't need your advice on what I should or should not be hunting with;)

Dan

RE: The itch....
 

Oh goodness, your just way too easy to fall for the bait. Its always fun with you Dan. Thanks for the laughs. :D And for the record, I am not giving you advise, just statin what it sounds like.:D Nobody is forcing your to reply[8D]

RE: The itch....
 

BC, Just an FYI I could hardly care what your opinion is about what I do or should hunt with.

God put my eyes in front of my head. That makes me a Predator. I enjoy the role of a Predator, which means I enjoy killin' stuff and eating it[8D]

As far as the Elitist attitude I've seen it most of my life from hunters. They are their own worst enemies.

You're not a true hunter because you use a gun, you are not really a Bowhunter because you shoot a compound, you are not a Bowhunter because you use a Crossbow, you are not a real hunter because you hunt over bait, you are not a real hunter because you hunt on private ground,you are not a real hunter because you hunt with an Outfitter, and on, and on, and on it never stops.

If you think I or anybody else is less of a hunter because we don't hunt like you, then whether you know it or not you are your own worst enemy.

Even though I never hunt with a Gun, you will never see me run down someone that prefers to hunt that way. I have more respect for a hunter that respects everyone's individual right to hunt as they choose as long as it's legal than I do some Elitist who thinks his way is the only way.It gets old![:@]

Glad I could give you a laugh but the attitude of many hunters, Bowhunters in particular is not funny to me. Division will ruin the sport. It will be hard enough to perserve the Bowhunting Heritage for my Grandson's to enjoy without the division much less with it.

Anyone that hunts legal is on my side and I'll swap stories and share a hunting camp with you anytime.

Dan

RE: The itch....
 

Yea, you tell em dan.:D Them darn elitist. Give em books, send em to school, but they still don't learn.

Fyi danny, you must care much more than I do to write all that. I am just sayin.:D

RE: The itch....
 

You are right I do care about the Sport of Bowhunting. I also put my time and money where my mouth is. Helping young Bowhunters in anyway I can.

It doesn't surprise me that some see it as a joke.:eek:

Dan

RE: The itch....
 

I started off with a recurve a long time ago. Never killed anything with it except time. Not sure if I actually want to hunt with one, but I do want to get another one to target shoot with just to see. If and when I do, it will all depend on how accurate and proficient I can become with it. I do love my compounds but considering that I have never killed anything with a trad, I feel as if I have missed out on something rewarding.


Ed

RE: The itch....
 

How about you guys argue about this in your own threads, K?

I am not being "elitist" or judging anyone- only re-evaluating why *I* wanted to bowhunt in the first place- I set no parameters for anyone but myself.

I got sick of killing deer at one point. Did not enjoy hunting cos every gun season it was nothing for me to kill 8 to 10 deer. I basically did give up deer hunting and concentrated on birds and waterfowl, but my interest in hunting overall just left. Bowhunting allowed me to challenge myself more, shoot year round (for less cost!), and put the emphasis back on the hunting, instead of the killing.

Modern bowhunting is far different than when I started.

I guess I'm mostly just bummed out with how commercial hunting has become. All the manufacturers BS, marketing wars, stupid TV shows & infommercials, "celebrities" and wannabe celebrities, "pro hunters", "pro staff", record book deer, QDM , crook outfitters.....its more like NASCAR or Wrestling these days. It's big business designed to suck you dry $-wise-a constant cycle every year like computers-your eqipment is "outdated" 6 months after you buy it-

The Traditional side of the sport is quite the opposite and has always been more aligned to how I feel about bowhunting than the modern side.

RE: The itch....
 

Jeff, Never called you or anyone an Elitist. I just stated it is a big problem in our sport.

Usually if someone gets tired of killing it's because they are killing something they really don't want. I've killed way over xxx animals with a bow and it still gives me a thrill every time I put one down.

If I lose that feeling I might take up Golf[8D]Not!!

Dan

RE: The itch....
 

I can understand how you feel Jeff. Some of that stuff can be a real turn off. I would reckon it is a double edge sword. Us as hunters need all the help we can get from the hunting community. On the other hand, it seems as if money is the ruling force and at times I wonder if it will be our demise. Hunting to me is like a spiritual thing and however I choose to go about it is my call. Like Dan says, it can get real bothersome listening to people telling others how to hunt, what size buck you should or should not kill, what kind of bow to shoot and if you do not hunt their way, then it is just plain wrong. Thank goodness we can still make our own choices.

RE: The itch....
 

There there, it will be ok dan. you ought to get you a cape with a big banner saying sport of bowhunting hero:D

Sorry jeff for hi-jacking.

RE: The itch....
 

Well, honestly Jeff, there is nothing of technical nature in this post. So, honestly, its probably the wrong place.

But back to thread. Everytime I take out my longbow, its a huge thrill. And if I succeed, its much larger thrill than with a compound. And if I ever get to kill with a bow and arrow I made, that will be the ultimate for me. If I can ever keep one together long enough to finish a season.[8D] I will be straight with ya, every year, I break down and take out my compound. And always regret it. Last year, I waited patiently for 2 months with my various recurves/longbows, and nothing with horns came within 25 yards of me. I saw monsters at 30-35 yards. So Nov. 3rd rolled along and I took out my compound, and guess what, a nice large 6 rolls right under me at 5 yards. Perfect trad shot. I let him walk. But I should have stuck with for rut.

Honestly most people that have switched will agree. Trad folks are a totally different type of people. I rarely see folks argureing. Go to tradgang, primitive archer, paleoplanet, tradtalk, and you generally won't see the huge egos. I know of only one guy on tradgang, who is a top notch self bowyer, who has a huge ego. But the guy brings it, and generally only argues with other 20+ year bowyers.

I say go for it.

RE: The itch....
 

That would probably be my luck Big Country. Only difference I most likely would have taken the shot just for victory sake.


Ed

RE: The itch....
 

I have tried with months of effort a few times. On the good days, I think "I'll put away the compounds for good." How much fun is it to get angry over a 3" group at 30 yards anyway? Then a day or two later, I'm so bad that I wouldn't consider hunting with a trad bow.:(

My 14 yr. old has always had the knack of shooting without sights, and he really enjoys it. This summer, I am helping him build a flatbow with a nice piece of bamboo. Gotta keep him trying this while he is young so he can develop the skill that his old man doesn't have.;)

RE: The itch....
 

Well, its tempting no doubt. But I have felt that sick feeling of slinging an arrow and seeing a poor hit. And that sucks. Knowing you might not find the deer, or you might take up the whole afternoon, or the deer might cross into private property, etc. I hate that feeling.

RE: The itch....
 

Yeah, sorry guys- I meant to post this in the Bowhunting forum.

RE: The itch....
 

Well I'm fast falling in love with my '72 Grizzly I recently acquired. I can't go to the range without it. One thing I've learned with shooting stickbows is to enjoy the taste of humble pie:D. I have not shot past 15yds with that bow, but right now, until my form is more consistent, there's no reason to.
In the right hands, trad equipment is very effective and deadly. Cape buffalo and other dangerous gamehave fallen to stickbows that have less KE than my 54lb Bowtech. I can't wait for the time when I'm good enough to hit the woods with my recurve:)

RE: The itch....
 

A longbow is a challange and if u can hit somthing with it, then u have accomplished somthing that is more then with a compound