JeffB

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

Crow31

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

drockw

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

Derek

N2D

X3

ZachCL

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

JeffB

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 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.

bigcountry

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.

JeffB

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.

MeanV2

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 modeI'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

bigcountry

You ought to gun hunt only it sounds like.