How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Well, I was at the range today for a work party. Its a get together where the members build targets, maintain the range, etc.

Anyway, this older member had a couple recurves that he was shooting. I was talking to him about them and he let metry one out. Guys, it was a smooth shooting bow! I shot about a dozen arrows through it and did not do too terribly bad considering it was my first time.

I'm thinking about buying one as soon as I get some more info about the different types and such. Actually, hemakes recurves so I may give him some business.

I just thoughtI would share. I lovemy compound but would love to have a traditional bow as well.

Duc

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Be careful, once it grabs you, you can't get away.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

I heard that. Just what I need...another excuse to spend money.:D

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

No He's not jokeing around. Stop now!!! You will lose all intrest in your compound Trust me. I was in the same spot you were two years ago. Go shoot a new Bowtech Guardian. Its cheeper

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Face it, you already got bit. Don't try to fight it. Expect it to get worse.:D:D

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

No crap.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

One day, that Tribute will be in desperate need of a tune-up and you aren't going to be in the mood to fart with it. You'll only want to go out and kill a little time shooting. You'll grab the recurve and head out the door. That'll pretty much drive a couple of nails into the compound coffin right there. Oh, you'll eventually go ahead and tune it up and get it shooting again, but it'll become more and more common that you'll wind up grabbing the recurve to go shooting.

You might never lose your taste for compounds, and that's fine. Quite a few of us shoot and enjoy both. But you'll soon develop a decided preference for the stickbow.

When that happens, I'll be first in line to tell you, I TOLD YOU SO! [8D]

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Hurray Trad Bow!! Welcome to Trad Bow Shooting!! I'm a newbie to it as well, I love it! Have fun with it!!

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

you think bowhunting with a compound is tough ? you aint seen nothing yet .........

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Very, VERY addictive! It can be tough to hunt with trad equipment, but there's also advantages over compounds. One big thing--could call it an advantage, or disadvantage, depending on your POV--if something goes wrong, 99 times out of a hundred you have to blame it on yourself. One of the main reasons I swapped over from compounds was I had trouble with something always getting loose, bumped, moved, bent, broken, etc.

Chad

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

I totally disagree. Especially for snap shooting at boar.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Yeah Duc, I got one a short time ago and now I'm bidding on 2 more on e-bay. It doesn't take long. No more peep or no peep questions! LOL. I'm trying to buy one for my wife and one for my nephew. I have to get each of them one before I'm allowed to order a NEW recurve for myself. I have an idea that I'd like a new Chek-Mate Kings Pawn. we'll see.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

If trad hunting wasn't harder, everyone would be doing it.

I found the addiction being shooting different bows. Gosh I've must have bought/sold/traded 75-100 bows or more.

I even remember Chad sending me a Hunter II one year to shoot ? Too heavy in the draw wasn't it Chad ? Thats been 4 years ago or more.

I've actually got a Gamemaster coming right now with DAS pads. Will maybe try and get a nice set of modified Hoyt limbs for it. Shooting heavy Graphlex I'm curious what I can do with it.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Yea, you have foryears tried to sell this idea. Not sure why. But it takes all kinds in the world i guess.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

I think becoming accurate, proficient and consistant is the tough part (bowhunting aside) of traditional archery. But once achieved, I don't think I'd give the bowhunting advantage to the compound especially up to the individual traditional archers effective range.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

You ought to buy yourself an allegience. Sounds right up your alley.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

4 years ago? Man alive, I have trouble most days remembering what I had for breakfast!

Compounds have their advantages, but trad bows do as well. If you want to be hitting the spot the day you get your bow, compounds have the advantage. Compounds are also easier to pull, since you hit the peak weight early on and have massive let-off. And, it's easier to become a fairly decent shot with a compound, thanks to acessories.

However, as BC mentioned, getting off a quick shot is much easier with trad equipment. As I mentioned, there's a lot less to go wrong with the equipment with trad. With a trad bow (generally speaking at least) you don't have to worry about forgetting your release or having it malfunction; you don't have to worry about peep alignment; you don't have to worry about umpteen little things that can get loose and/or move and/or rattle. Some shots that can be taken with trad bows would be very hard if not impossible with a compound. Low light generally isn't a problem. If you damage a string, you just take out your spare. If you cut/break a string, your bow doesn't usually explode into a jigsaw puzzle. I'm sure there's many more.

A lot of folks will never shoot traditional for several reasons. Many just don't think they can shoot a bow with no sights, no let-off, no release--they won't even give it a chance. Some get frustrated when after a dozen arrows they can't peg the bull at 20 yds. Some buy into the Tred Barta bull that it's the "hard" way (go to a big shoot and notice all the kids--LITTLE kids--that haven't figured that part out yet). Some just can't be convinced that they can make a quick, clean kill with such simple equipment, or that a bow with no wheels/cams/etc. that isn't flinging an arrow near 300 fps is adequate equipment for anything larger than a rabbit (never mind that every game animal that's been killed with a rifle has been killed with a bow, including buffalo, black, brown, polar, and grizzly bear, elephant, hippo, etc.). There's not nearly as much money pushing trad bows as compounds either.

The general population is into quick and easy. Take a season that allows rifles, you won't see many shotguns being used--unless it's for birds, then you will see just the opposite. People cry for crossbows to be legalized in archery season because they think a crossbow is easier. Allow certain rifles in muzzleloader season (which has happened here in MS), you won't see many smokepoles in the woods. Etc. etc. etc.

The reason I shoot a longbow, other that I just enjoy it more, is because I got aggravated with compounds. I don't have the patience to double check and deal with everything that could go wrong every time I hit the woods. Lynyrd Skynyrd said it best for me--I'ma simple kind of man.

Chad

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

duc.
you will be out looking for one/2/3 this week.just let go and buybuybuy.I put about 1600 into trad this year:) and now I dont know if I will be able to shoot[:@],my cervical disc are acting up in my neck again.Ive sold both my mathews last week(I hope)because Iam goingtrad all the way(well maybe crossbow this yr)bought a Pro Fusion last week just in case.
These guys are great if you have ?'s,and dont be afraid to ask......Trad is what it is........A Addiction:D:D:D.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

is that a Bowtech ? I'm buying my Dad's Q2 - don't need a compound any better than that one.

Bingo. And compounds give the average bowhunter the capabilioty to have a fast, quiet shooting bow thats deadly accurate with very little practice.

Thats why I'm buying my Dad's Q2. If by summers end I'm not confident again, if my archery/shooting doesn't improve .......... I'll use it. If the changes I'm making works, I'll stick to my trad bow.

I've twice now toyed with buying a Border - about $950. I've considered ordering a Silvertip - about $1200 for what I'd want. Trad archery is no chearper than shooting compounds !

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Q2 would be great for a guy like you. I think you will really like it.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

bigcountry - I've shot this one - killed a nice non-typical in KS one year with it -very easy to shoot. I can adjust it to my shooting and be 2-3" 20 yard groups in 20 minutes of shooting. Its my Dad's bow - he's taken

That said, I want to stay with trad bows. I would like this Gamemaster to launch arrows with some authority, I know I can shoot it well enough. Shoot some 3D, gain some confidence back, make a few more tweaks to my bowhunting skills ......... it aint over yet, however I will not continue to shoot and miss/wound deer you know ?

Fred Bear did ........ I'm just not the same kind of hunter.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Gotta call you on this one. You can spend a lot on a trad bow if you want, just like you can pay a lot of money for a custom made compound--if you want. Generally speaking though, you can get great tradbow that will do the job as well as any,pretty cheap. Trad bows that are 30+ years old aren't anywhere near as outdated as a compound that is10 years old. 30+ year old trad bows sell all the time, often for as much or more than they cost new. There are still gobs of old trad bows being used in the woods and in tournaments.'Course you can get a new customtrad bow forless thanhalfthe cost ofthe two you mentioned, and it will do the job just as well.

That's another benefit to trad bows--take care of them, they hold their value--even gain value. Unlike compounds and computers, next year's model isn't going to be much is any different than last year's. Try to sell a compound (or computer) that's 10 years old or older.

With trad, you can get a good used bow for less than $200. Arrows, broadheads, nocks, etc. are the same, with the possible exception of feathers vs. vanes costing a little more.

With a compound, getting the bow is just the beginning. You also have to pick the rest, peep, stabilizer, wrist sling, pins, cable slide, etc. I worked for a local shop some years ago, and most folks that came in spent about as much on accessories as they did on the naked bow.

Finally, something you know as well as most--if you get a bow you don't particularly like, you can trade/sell and buy another without loosing much if any money. Try that with compounds and accessories.

Just in case someone were to misunderstand, I have nothing at all against compounds--I shot them for several years myself, and have friends that still do.

Chad

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Chad - nobody knows better than me the buying/selling of used bows !

But ...... I can get a loades and ready to hunt with 2003/2004 model compound for $250 that'll shoot very nicely. Sure, it won't be a Mathews, but a nice Reflex or Parker nonetheless.

My point was that a decked out new Mathews or Hoyt or Bowtech will cost you $1000 or more .......... a brand new Widow will st you back $1000 or more, and so will a Silvertip or Morrison Shawnee etc. The costs are equivalent on new bows.

I agree that buying a trad bow used, like say a Black Widow PSAIII for $500 is a good investment. Keep that bow in great condition for 3 years and it'll be worth $400 or more whereas a $500 Mathews today in 3 years might not be worth $250

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Thanks for all the responses everyone!

I am not going to sink alot of money into a traditional bow, as of now. I want to get a decently priced one to play around with. I'm not going to rush into this thing either. Hell, it may be a couple months before I buy one.

I also think I will still enjoy shooting my 300+FPS compound once I get the trad.:D

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

ducsauce chances are you'll see that compound as an extremely easy to use weapon that takes a LOT of the bowhunting out of the bowhunt. Thats my experience anyway. Its a whole 'nuther ballgame when you got a stick and string in your hands, it FEELS different being in the woods with a recurve in your hand.

Make good decisions on what used bows you buy and you won't lose much if any on them. I rarely lose money, in fact I make a bit now and again buying/selling bows. www.tradgang.com is probably the best place to buy used. The Dolores site (sadly) has had a bunch of thieves on it recently.

Good luck and the best piece of advice I can give you is this - if you hook the string, draw the bow, focus on where you want it to go and anchor the same way everytime with the same release, you'll shoot as good as you can with your compound. You will never do that ........ but its a goal anyway :)

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Yeah, but you are comparing over-the-counter to custom, and bargain basement compounds. Compare the cheapest compound (with the cheapest acessories)to the cheapest trad bow , you can still get out for less with trad.

Then you compare some of the most expensive customtrad bows to over the counter compounds--you go custom with a compound, you are going to spend more again. I have no idea what, if any, you gain with a custom compound, but cosmetics are the biggest difference in the most expensive trad bow compared to the better, more modestly priced ones.

I'll bet you a cold drink, right here on a public forum, that if you let me pick the shots--you with the compound of your choice, me with my longbow--I'll out-shoot/out scoreyou. I'm no professional or expert by any stretch either. Wanna bet?

Obviously the catch is letting me pick the shots. Trad bows do have their advantages. 'Course a 12 year old that has a little experience could probably out-shoot me in the wide open at known yardages, but that's the advantage of compounds. I already know I will win the bet, because I've done it before--so you can't say you weren't warned!;)

Chad

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

I'll take thatbet.;)

Seriously though, what advantages are you referring to?

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

what the heck is a "Bowtech?"

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Duc, the catch is I can pull off shots with my longbow that would be difficult, if not impossible, with the compound. I can shoot with my back to the target, lying down, with the bow horizontal, drawing from behind my back, aerial targets, fast shots,etc. 'Course I won't be as accurate, but I'll be more accurate than most anyone with a compound that has to get in an awkward position--some of these are pretty much impossible (at least without risk of injury) with a compound.

Some of those would serve no practical purpose, but some would. Most traditional-only tournaments have shots where you have to kneel down, squat, stretch out, cant the bow at extreme angles, etc.--just like you might have to in a hunting situation.

I have another one for you. I'll bet you another cold drink that my bow is faster than the compound of your choice. **WARNING--there's a catch to this one too**;)

Chad

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

You been shootin' against Frank "FEARLESS" Mego aintcha..

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Who?????? Raz, get your Yankee hind-end down here for the Howard Hill, Jerry Pierce, or TN Classic and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about! Some of the folks we got setting out targets are downright sadistic--sometimes I wonder if they don't have stock in an arrow company. Even the FL state championship was a bugger when I shot it--palmettos ain't as tough as hickory saplings, but they will still turn an arrow! I love it!

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Okay LBR...you are going 2 for 2.:)Let me hear it.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Lol--it's easy, and there are two answers. I said my BOW is faster, not my arrows. One way to prove it is chunk it down-range like a spear (unstrung). Aim for a soft spot (pine straw, sand, leaves, high grass, etc.), no harm done. The other way is I can get at least two (usually more, easily) shots off before a compound shooter releases one--and accuarately.

Now that I've divulged my "secrets", I expect you to send me 50% of all themoney you win bettingwith your compound-shooting friends!:D[8D]

My last trick is my "Jean-Claude van Damme" shot, where I shoot my longbow while doing the splits. I'm 6' 2" or 6' 3" (depending on which leg I stand on), well over 300 lbs, and pushing 40. You'll have to come to a tournament to see me do this--I ain't posting a picture. No trick to this one--I'm just limber for a fat boy. Ain't talking about some old man split--I could touch the ground if I did it nekked (ain't doing that either, and sure as heck ain't taking a picture!).

Come to Cloverdale, the TN Classic, the Jerry Pierce Memorial shoot, orthe Howard Hill and I promise you that, unless I'm injured, I'll do it. Worth the trip just for that!


Chad

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Chad, I'm speechless. [:-]

Anyway, I never knew you could get a custom compound. Learn something new everyday I guess. I know you can order custom grips, but not the whole thing.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Chad, did you get the pm i sent you? I have some questions for you. Thanks!

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

And we're all eternally greatful for THAT![8D]

Another note about how much traditional stuff costs.... You can buy everything you need. That's one extreme. On the other hand, it's entirely possible to not need to spend a single penny on archery gear.

Get out in the woods, cut wood and let it season. Learn to make cordage from natural materials. Keep the feathers from the turkeys and geese you hunt for making fletchings. Keep the hides from the animals you've taken and make brain tan leather for your quivers, armguards and tabs. Keep the sinews from those critters for sewing thread, bow strings and bow backings. Learn to knap flint for your broadheads or scrounge up some steel and grind them out. Make your own bows, arrows, strings, broadheads.... That's the other extreme.

I enjoy making as much of my own stuff as possible. Often, I find I want something that's not commercially available - or, more often than not, costs a lot more than I have money to spend - so I just make it myself. It's a nice little side hobby to archery.

For instance, I was watching the previews of the 'Digging for the Past" episode about Ghengis Khan (it aired on the History Channel last night) where they showed the Mongol horse archers. I wanted to give the Mongolian thumb release a try, so I made myself a leather thumb ring. Now that I've got a pattern, I'm going to make one from some leftover wood from my longbow's riser - and yes, I made the longbow too. That's how I got leftover wood. ;)

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Wow, thats really cool that you make alot of your stuff by hand. Props to you for having the patience and skill for that on top of what you need for just shooting the trad bows. I've just started to get into making knives. I'm just about ready to start my first one.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Compound manufacturer - dang nice ones, they made an Allegiance or an Alliance or something - wasn'tthat whatyou were talking about ?

Chad - here is my argument. Compounds are much more accurate, they are much shorter ATA, they are much more powerful, they are much faster, their accuracy canreach out to 60-70 yards, very accurately. They are very easy to use, their consistancy is fantastic. Anymore, they're just as quiet.

All the above are pluses when hunting. Being able to shoot yourbow doing the splits, or tossing your unstrung bow downrange at a deer isn't really practical in a hunting situation :D

A trad bow can pull off a quicker shot. A second shot can be done quicker too.They're lighter mass weight. They don't have as many things on them that can break.


Did I miss much ?


The vast majority of bowhunters use compounds for a reason, and its not because they are superior weapons. Thats not to say that a bowhunter cannot be every bit as succcessful - but the weapoin itsself is a DISADVANTAGE - thats why its mroe difficult, a greater challenge, and the lesser path traveled.

Thats not knocking compound, crossbows, recurves or longbows, I think its simply the way it is and its almost a universal true.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

I agreed with a lot of what you said there. However, in the right hands, a traditional bow can be just as deadly as a compound bow. I'm not saying that I'm one of those people, but for someone like LBR, I would bet he could outshoot a good number of people using compounds, using one of his trad bows.

That being said, I agree that the compound is a superior weapon, thats the draw (no pun intended) to shooting a trad bow. It's harder, less forgiving. Plus for us simplistic folks, it bring us back to the old days. I've grown up hearing nothing but how much better compounds are better than other bows, and have watched the revolution go from aluminum arrows as the top dog to everyone preaching carbons. So to me shooting trad bows is about seeing things the way they were a long time ago, when my father and grandfather were bowhunting. Its a way for me to connect with a time long ago that I never was able to see, butam now able to at least taste.

RE: How come I didn't do this sooner?
 

Absolutely

Many things "make" a bowhunter. First off you have to be a good hunter. You canbe the best shot in the world with any bow of your choice and if you can't get close to deer, you aint going to kill anything.

In many respects, the bowhunt has nothing to do with the kill - the drawing and shooting of the bow is a very small part of the hunt, yet the most critical.

Second off, you have to be a good shot. You can be a bad shot and depend on luck and it'll get you nowhere. You can be the best of hunters, and the worst of shots, and have tag soup.

Then you got people kinda like me. Good hunter, I can get around deer. I practice a lot, and am a good shot. And yet, I have a hard time putting it together crunch time. Funny too ........ I play a lot of basketball and when it comes down to making the game winning play ? I want the ball in my hands. I like the pressure, I handle it well. But the last 2 years has aged me 20 bowhunting [:o]

So for me, I'm making changes for 2007. I have to, for me. I'm going to shoot 3-4 pounds heavier draw weight, and a shorter recurve instead of my 52# 64" longbow. I'm going to 3D more this summer. I'm going to shoot heavier arrows. I'm NOT going to shoot at deer sitting, only standing. Thats alot of changes - but I have to do it to try and recapture the ability to kill deer, something I've seemed to have lost.

I'm buying my Dad's Q2 ....... and will use it if I think I need to. And I'll be taking an easier road, a well traveled road, and the challenge of the hunt will remain pretty much the same, what will change is the challenge of the shot. I can be okay with that too, if thats what I need to do.