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.