Double Creek

Guys, here is my story...

I started my trad journey in February 2005. Basically I wanted more out of my hunting and wanted a new challenge. I went through bow after bow searching for the one that fit me. I was obsessed with it. I would spend hours upon hours reading about bows, form, aiming styles, etc. It was an exciting time for sure and I learned a tremendous amount about archery history and present.

I knew right away that in order to truly grow as a traditional hunter I would have to remove the temptation of using the compound as a crutch, so I sold it. The first season was a blast. I failed to connect with a deer, but I had several close calls and a desire to get better and better.

The following spring I made my first kill with trad equipment:



The fall of 2006I connected on my first deer and it was my best with a bow! :



2006 came and went without anymore opportunities on deer, but I was still having a ball and hungry for more!

2007 started out great with a doe on the 2nd week of the season and the remainder of the season was action packed with me missing 3 deer, including one good buck!



2008 came around I was excited about what the year may bring. I was blessed again in October to harvest another fine animal, she was small but ate very good! lol




2008 has been a challenging year for me as far as finding time to spend shooting my bow. My wife and I were blessed with our 3rd son in August. I now find myself with 3 boys under the age of 6, a wife that works full time, and myself about to be partner in my accounting firm. Needless to say, I'm a busy man!But I'm not complaining,God has blessed me tremendously!

Halfway through this season I came to the realization that my shooting was suffering b/c I was not making time to shoot as much as I should. I'm a pretty good shot with trad eqiupment, but Im not a natural. I have to shoot almost constantly to maintain my form and remain an ethical hunter. The bottom line is I bought a compound and will use it for the remainder of the season. I know I will come back to traditional archery someday, but for me, at this point in my life, I can not continue to do it.

I have a tremendous respect for you guys that gut it out year after year, you are truly "hunting the hard way".

Some of you could care less about my story, but I thought I would explain myself to some of the guys that I've made friends with on this forum over the last 4 years.

Good luck and good shooting!

bigcountry

I remember when you started. I started about the same time, but you advanced much quicker. We were both exchanging ideas. Both trying to figure out what bow would work for us.

You have a fine resume for trad hunting. But I have also came to the problem you have. My son was born in April. And I managed to shoot 3 times a week. Managed to hunt 3-4 times a week. But it came with a price. My wife is little bent over the hunting. Bent over the 1000's of arrows I fire off in the back yard. And next year I don't see me able to keep up this practice schedule I had. And that bothers me. And like you, I require at least 200 arrows of practice a week to be proficient.

Good post. I have only shot does. But you have a nice buck, and nice pig. You done well

jgunn

Good post DC!That Cohoma county buck is awesome, I love those tall tines!

BobCo19-65

You mean to tell me that shooting trad isn't as easy as compound like they are leading me to believe in the other forum? Or isit that you don't want to be called elite?

---You know I'm messing with ya. You do what is right for you. But make sure you stop in here once in a while. OK?

And we do care about ya!

Schultzy

Boy, you made some good points there Bob from that other thread.

DC, I love reading what you type up In the traditional forums and In the Bow hunting forums, I always try to read everything you type up, I enjoy It and It's usually damn good. Regardless of what style of bow you hunt with from here on out you will always have my utmost respect and attention. You'll be back shooting your traditional set up again, It's you!

Congratulation's on your success. Well done!!

Double Creek

Bob, I opened the box on my compound on a Monday morning, the first I had shot in almost 4 years. By the following Monday I had killed 2 deer... Sometimes a fella needs easy!!

Double Creek

Thanks Schultzy, I appreciate it and feel the same towards you! Oh, I'll be back for sure, when I can devote the appropriate time to it.

burniegoeasily

I can relate. When my girls were younger I had problems finding time to play. Now that they are older, I have built them bows and they shoot with me. As for pulling out the old compound, there is nothing wrong with it. I had to pull out the compound for a hunt this year. I had broke a finger and could not draw my trad bows. I like to have a compound around for just an occasion. My love is trad bows and I love nothing more than to build a new bow and go out and take an animal with it. It has to be the tops of all the hunting ive ever done. But you are right, it is time consuming practicing with trad bows, and sometimes the old compound is much easier to pull out and go to field with. The way i see it; i do what I like with little concern. If I want to take a trad bow, ill do just that. If I want to use a compound, no problem, ill grab it. If I want to use a rifle, Ill do that with no problem.