So how many of you were successful the first season you switched to trad gear? If you switched from a compound that is...I know some of you started with trad gear and have never used anything else. Just wondering.
Depends on how you define success. My first season was a HUGE success! I didn't harvest anything but I learned a lot about my self as a hunter and learned a lot about becoming a better hunter! I've never looked back!
QuoteOriginally posted by crittergetter:
Depends on how you define success. My first season was a HUGE success! I didn't harvest anything but I learned a lot about my self as a hunter and learned a lot about becoming a better hunter! I've never looked back!
That's definitely success!!
I will echo what Randy says. My "success" was learning how to set up for hunting with a trad bow. It was also a success to get me out of the "killing mode". It became more about the chase than the kill. I have only killed 5 big game with my trad bow up to this point, but I absolutely enjoy those kills infinitely more than I enjoyed killing anything with a compound.
I would say success(kill) rate has a lot more to do with how you hunt and how well you scout with a trad bow than a compound. I have several buddies who kill deer every year over 40 yards, and some of them being dandies! With a trad bow in the thickets of Louisiana, 40 yards is not very feasible.
QuoteOriginally posted by DanielB89:
I will echo what Randy says. My "success" was learning how to set up for hunting with a trad bow. It was also a success to get me out of the "killing mode". It became more about the chase than the kill. I have only killed 5 big game with my trad bow up to this point, but I absolutely enjoy those kills infinitely more than I enjoyed killing anything with a compound.
I would say success(kill) rate has a lot more to do with how you hunt and how well you scout with a trad bow than a compound. I have several buddies who kill deer every year over 40 yards, and some of them being dandies! With a trad bow in the thickets of Louisiana, 40 yards is not very feasible.
Haha 40 yards wouldn't be feasible for me no matter how far I could see!! This year will be 15 and under for me, and 10-12 would be even better. I'm going to change a few things up with my setups though. I already have my eye on a couple spots. I'm going to use more natural ground blinds and a ghillie suit instead of pop ups, and set up for close shots. I'm stoked. On most days at least...some days I'm unbelievably upset with my shooting but I can't put it down.
yeah, that is definitely something that is different about it. shooting 15-20 yards is fun and a long shot is 30. the game is just completely different.
then you can start shooting 3d competitions, which are incredibly fun to me, but they "measure" how well you pick a spot and hit it.
My first year with trad gear I was sitting in a tree stand on Nov 16th when a doe came easing her way towards me slowly feeding she made it in to about 10 yards before giving me a good shot. I shot her and watched her go down, I was so excited I just got my first deer I texted my buddy and told him about the doe. I no sooner put my phone up and look to see a nice buck coming down the same trail as the doe with his nose to the ground coming right at me. I shot that buck and he ran just out of sight before going down, still my biggest buck to date a nice wide 9 point. After that texted my buddy again, I later looked and the text where 5 minutes apart. That was a lot of action in 5 minutes.
I have to also echo what crittergetter stated for my first year. I have been very successful in counting coup since. I get more of a thrill in being able to sneak in close enough to do a rib poke with my bow tip than I do taking the shot.
I killed a doe my first season with a traditional bow, a Howatt Hunter 60# recurve. The year was 1987.
1982 doe with a Martin Dreamcatcher. First year with trad equipment. I did pick up another compound in the '90s for my first elk hunt, but only hunted one year with it and went back to trad and haven't looked back. I only went back to the wheels at the urging of my cousin (he set up the elk hunt). While I did kill a doe with that bow (Matthews solocam) I did not enjoy the season at all.
QuoteOriginally posted by jt85:
My first year with trad gear I was sitting in a tree stand on Nov 16th when a doe came easing her way towards me slowly feeding she made it in to about 10 yards before giving me a good shot. I shot her and watched her go down, I was so excited I just got my first deer I texted my buddy and told him about the doe. I no sooner put my phone up and look to see a nice buck coming down the same trail as the doe with his nose to the ground coming right at me. I shot that buck and he ran just out of sight before going down, still my biggest buck to date a nice wide 9 point. After that texted my buddy again, I later looked and the text where 5 minutes apart. That was a lot of action in 5 minutes.
Now that's a great first season!!
I hunted several seasons before I got a shot and longer before I killed anything.
Randy said it best! But as far as harvesting animals went I had a dry year. I also had to lower my standards for the first few years as far as trophy quality
I have been bow hunting most of my life so the transition to traditional hunting was very easy for me. My first traditional hunt was stellar. The Journeyman Recurve was on fire, the first evening I shot a small hog. The next morning a big Tom fell to the Journeyman Recurve and I am not certain if my feet touched the ground for the remainder of the season.
I was lucky indeed to meet a group of folks that can really shoot and were kind enough to share their knowledge to the point that they had no secrets about shooting. After meeting what is now friends from this group of shooters, then and only then did I have the confidence to hunt with trad gear. It is definitely easier to hunt with trad gear having 100% confidence in your ability to shoot instead of spray and pray, which is where I was before I could make myself hunt with trad gear.
Never hunted with a compound so trad bows were how I started bow hunting. Took me 3 seasons I think for my first deer. However I took a number of squirrels, bull frogs, a few rabbits, and even a copperhead. I shot at 4 deer in the first two season and should have put all down but, I never anticipated buck/deer fever! Lol
I was - adult doe and BB....21 and 16 yard shots - 2010.
Oddly enough my first hunting with recurves was 1970. Also killed a 5-point that year. Then in 1976 I switched to compounds for the next 34 years. This will be my 7th year back big game hunting with recurves.
For the record, I've enjoyed all my bow seasons, regardless of the bow I was packing.
Well put Roy!
I first hunted with a recurve in 1990, after 7 years with a compound. I killed an adult doe that first year with the recurve. I was on the ground, 12 yard shot, one that I will never forget!
I remember it well.... :saywhat: I wanted one and knew the journey would be sweet & challenging. Well, my budget did not allow for the Graybark sweetie, but I did pick up a new Black Widow HS60 - 57lbs@28" draw in the spring of 1987... I practiced religiously and participated in a bunch of 3D shoots over the summer and in to fall. I remember one of those shoots where my buddy was shooting compound and I shot really well. He just looked me in the eyes and said "you're serious about this.....", and I said you better believe it! :notworthy: I still have the beautiful mount to relive the memories... :goldtooth:
I got "convinced" by a few of my buddies that I was ready to hunt with my trad bow when I knew in my heart I was not. I proceeded to go out and wound and lose the first 3 critters (pigs, and all on the same hunt) I shot with a trad bow. That experience really made me mad, because I knew I was not ready, but let myself be talked into it anyway. It was also a good thing in that it really made me bear down and commit to getting better with my trad bows...........and that is still something I am doing today...........trying to always get better!
Bisch
I gave my compound away in frustration. I picked up a stickbow and hunted hard with it. I could not get close enough to even let an arrow fly that first year. It made me a better hunter because that frustration of getting busted every time fueled my passion to step up my ninja game. I hunted for 3 years with a stick bow before I ever killed an animal.
Msturm
My first season using a trad bow, I took a big doe from the ground at 8 yards in late October ...then later that winter in mid December, I took a little rag horn buck from a tree at 10 yards. That was years ago, and ive never even thought about hunting with anything else since then.
I purchased my first custom stick in 1996. I shot way to much and it felt like my fingers might fall off, but I killed a doe that same year. I have shot all kinds of archery over the years and enjoyed every minute of it. Stickbows are my absolute favorite and I feel fortunate to do what I love.
I'll echo what's been said.
I committed to trad hunting 4 years ago. First 2 years were spent learning how to truly hunt and setup (I stay on the ground).
That first year, I had zero opportunities. I realized I was hunting with a compound or crossbow mindset.
The second year, I started getting deer closer. Even had some opportunities that were blown because I got caught moving. But things were improving greatly.
My 3rd year was dismal. I missed a whitetail at 22 yards, a Sika bull at 19 yards, another Sika bull at 19 yards, and cut hair off the back of a whitetail at 14 yards. But, at that point, I realized I had become a much better hunter as I was having opportunities at reasonable ranges.
This past year, it all came together with a 17 yard shot on a small whitetail buck.
I started shooting trad in 2006. Had some health issues that caused me to stop for 14 months and 6 months.
I've never had more fun and worked harder at anything with regards to hunting. And yes, I've slowed down and now pay attention to the little details.
What a great sport we have.
My first morning in the woods after I had spent three months sober from wheeliebow I shot a small buck that dropped in sight. While waiting, a doe came by followed closely by a mature 8 point that looked like a plow horse compared to the buck I had shot...but my buck season was already over. I was shooting the same Bear Grizzly I had bought, new, 44 years earlier, and shooting the same Micro Flite no 8's with Zwickey heads from 44 years earlier as well.
I killed a small doe the first year I hunted with a recurve. Shot her at a whopping 4 yards! Man, I love trad hunting.
I started in 95 and hunted thru 96 with dismal results. I could shoot lights out but couldn't keep it together when it counted. Missed 2 bucks in one day and grabbed up the compound. I gained lots of valuable experience in this time and don't regret it. Fast forward 17 years and piles of game killed. Took a new job with a couple trad guys and got the bug again. Practiced every night for a while and went out in the late season and killed a doe my first time out with my old Assenheimer. Dabbled a while and then went full trad again a year later with really good success. Going to CO on a trad elk hunt this year and can't wait.
Here in MO I'm pretty well limited to hunting deer and turkey.
My first year I did harvest a doe with my Montana longbow.
However, since then I've had a season with no trad harvest, a season with a young deer, and another season with no trad harvest.
Part of that is because of a decline in deer numbers in the areas I hunt. Part of that is because I've not had nearly as much time to be in the woods.
One thing is for sure though, the only archery harvests I will have from here on out, regardless of my success rates, will be trad harvests!