I wasn't gonna tell on ya, longbowman. Really! [&:]

For someone that has already put in the time and effort learning to shoot a traditional bow well, going from traditional to compound is generally VERY easy to do. For someone that started with a compound and has never shot a traditional bow, going from compound to traditional is generally very hard to do. I don't know very many guys that made traditional a part-time hobby and ever got really good at it.

If you want to learn to shoot a traditional bow with great accuracy, then you have to dedicate yourself to training and learning how to do it. What you MUST realize is you are a baby, learning how to walk. You don't just jump up and start running. You crawl at first. Then you learn to stand up without falling on your arse. Then you learn to take a few steps before falling on your arse again. But you stick with it and eventually wind up walking like you were born doing it, with complete confidence.

Same thing with a traditional bow. Start out re-learning the basics. How to hold the bow, how to anchor, where to anchor, how to grab the string, how to turn loose of the string. All your shooting should be between 5-10 yards at first. Only when you're hitting good up close should you begin moving back. It's not likely to be easy for you. You will fall flat on your arse a dozen times, but if you've got the mental toughness to work through the frustration and not give up, you can do it.

Once you've acheived your goal, then you can switch back and forth from traditional to compound without any problem.

Cajunbowhntr.

Rick's address is http://www.1-dakota-bowhunting.com/ but appears to be down.
Will let you know where else you can get one if it's not back up soon.


Sag.

I used to hear about how you couldn't play something like squash, and tennis, because the stroke was different. I don't think that trad is anything like that, there isn't a poison pill in there somewhere that will wreck one or the other game. For instance I don't agreee that a bent elbow will wreck anything.

On the other hand, if you are at that point in your life were time is in any way limited, then you are basicaly cutting your practice in half. If you had 25 (250, whatever) hours to practice shooting last year, this year you will have 12.5 hours each. plus you will have twice the tuning and maintenance time. Eventualy this gets to be detrimental. At one point I was trying to shoot various kinds of archery competitively, and I was shooting several compounds in 3D since because of different rules. It just got to be too much.

"beware of the man with one gun"

I went to a recurve about ten years ago . I couldn't imagine wanting to go back to a compound . I was to the point of having to have all the gadgets then I thought back to when we were kids an old fiberglass bow 2 or 3 differant sized arrows ( wood , fiberglass , and if you were lucky an aluminum ) in your quiver . We shot rabbits .,squirrels and frogs . Amazingly we did pretty good . When I started shooting my new recurve I only shot after dark with a light on the target ( I wanted to shoot totaly instinctive ). Start at 10 yards , find your anchor point and start practicing . After a while it will become second nature . After you get your feel for your bow . Another way I practice is to take an old basketball and kick it around the yard shooting at it . If you don't have a lot of time to practice stick with a compound . I have had one season when iI couldn't shoot every day and used my compound to hunt and had no problems at all . whwichever bow you choose practice is the key . GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY HUNTING

I enjoy shooting both. I started shooting recurve 2 yrs. ago. I have no problem shooting either one. I hunt with both, even go to the 3-d shoots. I take the bow to the shoots which ever one feels good to me at the time. I guess i'm kind of a natural when shooting a recurve, that's just what alot of people have said, but even at that, it still takes alot of practice to be real accurate with recurve, but they are a blast to shoot.

There is no reason why you can't shoot both types of equipment well if you are willing to put in the time that is required to attain the amount of skill you desire. A few years ago I shot both in 3-d and did pretty well I usually palced in the top 3 in both calsses that I shot in that happened to be A in recurve & AA in compound it just got to be more like work than fun. Now I just shoot my Recurve and have a ball don't even miss the compound.

I think Authur P pretty much said it well, if you put the time in, then you'll get good at traditional archery. And remember not to look for the pin through the peep because like it was said, traditional and compounds are two different animals. Just learn which ever one is new to you from the beginning again, because although both are bows, the technique and form used to operate each can be very different.

There is no doubt you can shoot both accurately, but as for myself, when I first switched to traditional seven years ago, I shot both for awhile, then dropped the compound alltogether after a few months because switching back and forth created problems in developing my form. It probably wouldn't be as big an issue today as then, but I really don't have a desire to shoot compounds anymore, I find traditional far more enjoyable. If you can do both and want to shoot both, then absolutely go for it! As for me, I find it hard to serve two masters, I have to choose one or the other, not both.

My opinion ? You'll never be as accurate with a trad bow as you are with your compound, much like you'll never get the range/accuracy from your compound that you do with your rifle. Can you shoot both ? Well, yes, you can, but its a different way of hunting IMO and you'll screw it all up by switching back and forth all the time. Its possible though I suppose, I have a buddy who's going to do that very thing next year. Hunt for fun with the longbow, hunt to kill with the compound.

Just enjoy it all and the Hunt

Hedhuntr - shooting traditional isn't the same as shooting a compound, so you have to figure out what kind of race you would rather run. Dirt track? Nascar? Indy? It's all racing yes, but different types.

I picked up the recurve after years of hunting with a compound. Hunted with the recurve for two years, then went back to the compound. After not picking up my compound for two years, I put 6 arrows in the bullseye the first time I shot it. You don't lose it with a compound and pins (if they are on still). With traditional, you have to work at it. I was shooting bullseyes at 25 yards the first day I brought my recurve home and was fairly consistent. I knew anchor point and the mechanics involved though. Still, if I walk away from the recurve, that "feel" goes away but doesn't take a whole lot to get it back.

So, going back and forth? They won't affect one another because they aren't the same.

Also, it's a completely different accomplishment to harvest a deer with a recurve, at least it was for me.