How many people can say that they have only shot trad bows? Im 22 and have been shooting sence i was five ( homemade bow my dad made). i have never shot a compound bow and will NEVER even think about it.
I can't. I have been shooting a compound since I was 9 (23 now) and just bought a longbow so I can add some fun back to the hunt. I think of how much better I would be if I started 3 years ago like wanted to!
I've shot a compound a few times but have never hunted with one.
Not me.I have and will shoot anything that will shoot an arrow.The bow don't matter,arrows flying is where it is at. :bigsmyl:
I shot a compound for a few years in the early 70s, but for the 20 years before that and the more than 30 years since, I've been shooting sticks.
LOOOOOOOOOOONG time ago
i shot and killed many of Gods fine
game animals with a compound bow
The best i rember the compound always had a nut that needed adjusted
Bought a 68 inch 60 pound long bow before computers were invented
with GODS help adjusted the NUT behind the string and have done well ever sinse
Never have shot or owned one. Instruct a little using a Genesis but that's as close as I've come. 63 now and started in early grade school.
Allen changed the world. Guilty here.
Only at the range, and I about gave the salesman a heart attack several times. Really was not for me.
Not me,I've shot them on an off "but the cost finaly put me off,,,,for now.
Funny thing about "never",,,I belong to a motorcycle club an we used to have a young member who would often state that he would "never" drive a car,,or any other @&%#
4wheeled ect ect.
Then he noticed he was being left out of a few things,,,an got a little pissed about it.
When he finaly asked why,he was told that since he "can't" drive a car,he was of little use in an emergency situation,he couldn't drive the run truck which everybody is required to do now an then,and as a result a few of the boys felt he couldn't be relied on,or was just bucking a job nobody wanted to do.
Eventualy he got the boot,an last time I saw him he was selling used cars.
"Never" is a very longtime.
Not me,when I started shooting the compound were the most common bows and no custom bows then.But now they are 15 years that I use my recurves.
haha good story....but never cant be long enough!!!lol
I think I,ve fired about two dozen shots from one in my lifetime.The funny thing is half of those were through a compound that I bought,It was cheeper than any traditional bow that I could find.So I bought it and a dozen aluminums.pulled three arrows out for practice,shot it twelve times,put everything back in the boxes and went to the library to try to find info on carving a selfbow.Gave it to my brother.I have tried a couple others and let wheelers try my stickbows since then.
One of my buds actually gave up his wheels and is a trad archer now too.
Recurves are as "modern" as I've ever gotten. Started with a longbow. No disrespect toward compound archers, but that design just never inspired me. And still doesn't.
Joshua
I think I have done in my life,most of the things I said I'd never do.Its a jinx,so I dont say never about things I really dont want to do-instead,I say"I'll never be a millionair",or "I'll never be able to take my bud on an Alaskan hunt".That way if I jinx myself its O.k. by me.
IMO. i think that the archery world is evolving in a way that puts a sour taste in my mouth. much of it coming from the hunters on TV.shooting elk at 70 yards with a bow is so freaking wrong in my book.( the whole shoot 8 deer a year and give the meat to charity haha right! do the horns go there also???) Sorry to be so nagitive but im so passionate about the sport. oh and by no means do i think ALL compound hunters are to blame.
Agreed!!! But, if you're mad everytime some moron gets stupid, you'll just walk around mad all the time. Lead by example. You're the better man.
Yep I've shot a compound. Thankfully god put me at a trad only shoot and haven't looked back since.
I've shot only "trad" bows since before they acquired the title. First bow was at 9 or 10 and I am now 62...bows started at 10# +/- to 84# at the high end. Have yet to need any auxiliary assistance with shooting my bows...life is good. Rick.
nice rick!!! i myself am a third gen stick bow bowyer/hunter.
nice rick!!! i myself am a third gen stick bow bowyer/hunter.
After tree limbs and sticks, I started with real bows in the 1960s.
A brief few years with simple compounds at the end of 1980s to beginning of 1990s served to make me appreciate my traditional bows more and to be able to see both sides of the equation. Looking back, I don't think at all that it was wasted time. Live and learn.
Besides if compounds had never been invented, there probably would be less traditional bowhunters today.
Oh yeah, and 1987-88 was actually a pretty good hunting season. LOL
Got my first compound when i was ten yrs old and killed a bunch of animals over the years.
Last march i ordered a longbow because shooting a compound just wasnt any fun anymore at all.
Im 42 now and man i wish i would have found this sport years ago.
Killed a 8 pointer this fall with my Widow and it really changed my life. I really do look at things a lot different now while hunting or just practicing.
Im at home right now and i have 2 of my bows sitting on the deck and i have about 1 hour that i can shoot.
See ya later!!!
I shot a compound for many years. That's what I first started with. I think that shooting a compound has made me appreciate the stickbow that much more. Maybe if I hadn't started with that compound I may not have gotten into archery at all.
Lots of folks if you count those that have only shot a bow in HS gym class where until recently solid fiberglass "trad" bows dominated.
If you mean bowhunters, then I'd say you are in a very small minority.
I shot a recurve growing up, then shot a compound for 3 years from 1977- 1980. Been shooting a longbow the last 30 years
Well I started out with my dads Ben P. signture series recurve, but being young had to have a wheel bow but went back after a few yrs. Been shooting one for a long time now. But I started both my sons out on there own recurves back when they where 5 yrs old now one is 22 and the other is 19 both wouldn't even of thinking about putting there curves down
Started out with a K Mag and some MicroFlghts and stayed the course.For a man that builds and shoots flintlock rifles, sumptin' with pulleys just didn't seem right.But to each his own.
Started shooting in the 50's with stick and string, staying the course.
I shootem all . Trad and compound. Have a really great Trad. group here and shoot that 95% of the time. But like the 243 rifle sometimes a different weapon is fun. Used to compete in field archery with scoped compound and the works , sold all that this year .Still like the camoed Drenelin LD with pins sometimes. Roy
Started with a longbow as an 11 year old in 1955, progressed to recurves and went to compound in 1973. Gave compound up around 1990 and back to recurves. Never got high tech with compound, always shot fingers.
I started with a bear recurve in the 50's, shot a few deer, went to a compound for a few years, came back to my curve, and my senses, been shooting trad for a long time now. :thumbsup:
SHot a stickbow a "little" growing up, but never hunted with one.
I'm 45, now....and I shot at my 1st deer in the fall of 2006 (compound). I took 21 whitetails and a turkey with the wheelie bow, then switched over to full-time trad., this past season.
5 whitetails, this past year, with the recurve....and there's no way I'll ever "go back".
I had dads old one for about 2 months, it was all I had and I really wanted to get into archery. Only hunted with it once, and then I was given a recurve! Never looked back, Now I am just about 97.8% totally trad, still love shooting doves with a 12 gauge in the fall!
Started with a longbow, now shoot recurves, Shot a compound once, was not for me, felt too forigen.
I've held one and pulled one but in 13 years have never shot one.
Started trad about 5 years ago and have not shot a recurve before or since. may one day but I don't see that happening anytime soon.
I started wuth a trad bow in early 70s, had to have one of those Bear Whitetails that Fred was making.....little did I know that he didn't shoot one very many times and didn't like them. I went through several different models in the 80s and did well at the local range(box full of trophies in the attic). Didn't have much fun hunting though. Traded a used surfboard for a Bear KMag and had a great year hunting and missing. I have made my own recurves, longbows, selfbows and now shoot a custom made by someone else.
I have shot compound off and on,but never been happy doing it. Too many bells and whistles.The stickbow has beauty and much simpler.It trad bow for me all the way..
God Bless
Jack
I began with an old Indian brand recurve bought with money made from mowing lawns, as a kid. I have shot a few compounds, but have never owned one. I just don't like the way they feel, moreover, IMHO there is no real challenge to shooting compounds tricked out with all sorts of sighting gizzmos.
does it really matter? were here now...
i was was woundering i guess.... mostly wanted to hear some storys...sorry if i offended you arrow30. welcome to the home team!!!lol
no offence taken partner. i to love hearing the stories of old timers, must admit- i am from the dark side, never had anyone to teach me any different,but im trying to get my son more involved in trad but if he goes to the compound fine, comeon spring!!!
I bought a wheel bow for one of my kids to try to get them fired up about hunting with me.It didnt work but,I'd do it again if there was a snowballs chance.My youngest shoots trad gear with me and has hinted about wanting to try wheels.If it means we find some teaching moments and do some bonding,that would be fine.
I wanted to try everything and have everything when I was young too.
Robert
Never shot a compound,but I shoot crossbow 3D(Excalibur Exocet 200)
^ during archery season?^
As far as I remember I've never shot one.My nephews got into archery over twenty years ago with wheelbows.I remember picking up their bows and thinking they weighted more than my Hawkins 50 cal and a lot more bulky.Just handling those things set me on the path to traditional archery.Bought an Archery Traditions longbow.I still have and hunt with it.Glad to say my nephews finally turned on to trad bows.
Have always shot traditional
good stuff guys!
I can say I've been shooting compounds for 20 years now and over the last two years didn't see the challenge to hunting anymore. I was starting to lose interest. I have a five year old son who is ate up with hunting whitetails and is already pulling a 16# compound and I thought getting into traditional would add the extra challenge and give him and I many days of practice and play together in the great outdoors. The sad part is it won't be long before he will be out shooting me but for now, my compound is a dust collector and I don't see that changing for any reason. I am consistent enough that I will definitely be hunting with it in 2010! Thanks to everyone here for all the help with questions and helping me become much better Traditional Shooter!!! Fingers Forever!!!!!
I tried wheels for a while, but it just wasn't for me. I shot a relatively slow compound, and I shot it like I've always shot. Canted, and no sights, stabilizer or whatever. It still never felt to me like archery. To each his own.
Larry
I started with recurves.. then did the wheel/cam thing.. then brought it back full circle and havnt looked back since.....
I can honestly say I have NEVER owned or shot more than 2 arrows from a compound.
I've been shooting since age 5, now almost 55. Started with a 12-15# longbow, when it broke my dad bought me a 45# 1955 Bear Kodiak used. He knew nothing about bows only that I liked shooting them. That was one big jump in weight for a 7 year old to handle! But I eventually grew into it.
When I was in the Air Force and stationed in South Carolina I was invited to hunt a private plantation and didn't have a bow with me at the time.
Went to a local archery shop to buy a bow, all they had were compounds! This was 1977.
Shop owner handed me one and said take it out back and shoot it You'll love it! Well, I shot 2 arrows through it and took it back in, Handed it back to him and said this isn't a bow, if you can't snap shoot it I don't want it!
That afternoon I drove back to Florida and picked up 2 of my recurves and hunted the following weekend.
Have never touched a compound since, and if I were to shoot one I doubt my opinion would be any different today!
I think many hunters have different paths to trad gear.
I started deer hunting with a compound in 1977.
But unlike much of the sentiment, I have virtually no sense of shame or embarrssment about it.
If not for the compounds becoming popular then, I don't know if my dad and his friends would have gotten into bowhunting so seriously a few years prior.
We didn't choose the compound then for any particular reason other than it was a new weapon gaining in popularity and even companies like Bear Archery were touting their effectiveness.
My first compound was a Bear Polar LTD.
I started with a compound in the 1970's for the same reason most firearms hunters choose a scoped centerfire rifle or a scoped rifled slug gun over a traditional flintlock. It was the thing to do.
I switched to traditional bows for much the same reason Grassman did, I grew bored with practicing with a compound and killing deer with a compound. I never "lost interest", but I admit that it came to the point in my final compound years where I enjoyed my off season scouting and off season habitat improvement work more than the actual hunting season itself.
Although, that was a plus too, because for me now, "deer season" is a 365 day a year season. I start scouting in January and we'll be starting planting saplings, etc, in April once the snow melts.
For me, the only challenge left with the compound was to extend my range. I got to where I felt comfortable shooting out to 50-60 yards.
The irony is, it was that that brought an abrupt end to my compound days. Once proficient at those ranges, I killed my nicest Michigan buck at 47 yards.
While I felt a great sence of accomplishment that my habitat work contributed to such a nice buck, the act of killing it at 47 yards left me with an empty feeling and no sense of accomplishment. My thought was a sarcastic "well, that was fun".
That was the end of the compound for me. I bought my first recurve at a local trad bow shop and quickly thereafter sold or gave away everything compound.
But I didn't get into trad bows for any spiritual reason or that I wanted to be part of some brotherhood of trad shooters.
My reasons were totally my own and pretty simple. My own sense of self accomplishment. I want to master trad bows as much as personally possible and I want to humanely kill deer with trad bows.
That said, I'll go back to my earlier comment. I have no shame over my compound days. I learned a lot shooting a compound and killing a pile of deer with the compound.
It was a time and place in my outdoor life and I look back with only fond memories. It's a lot like how many look back on their youthful indiscretions of their college years or their early 20's. Those memories are nothing you'd repeat now as an older person who knows better, but the memories are still a part of your path and usually seen as good memories.
My .02
Not me started with the training wheels! Been trad for a whole month now! lol
In 47 years of bowhunting, I shot a compound for about 10 years, in the early days when the wheels were inside metal brackets. Never did like it as much, and after I lost everything in a house fire in 1983 I went back to traditional style. I've hunted with a longbow every year but one since then, and that one year was with a recurve.
Traditional since the day I started with no intention to do anything but.
My first bow was a very primitive compound and I had a brief stint with it when I was 12. No sights. I shot off the shelf. It was more of a toy when I was young though.
I didn't really START shooting until this May.
I've shot both. I like whatever takes down the animal. BUT i am really hooked on this recurve right now and having a ball. keep shootin
good to hear guys....great storys!!!!keep shooting!!!
an arrow in flight is one for the most beautiful things i have witnessed.
I've got a Bowtech Admiral compound,a Barnett Predator crossbow,and numerous recurves.If it slings an arrow I'll shoot it,I love archery in general,but theres nothing like smackin one in the pump station with the curve.
QuoteOriginally posted by Earthdog:
Not me,I've shot them on an off "but the cost finaly put me off,,,,for now.
Funny thing about "never",,,I belong to a motorcycle club an we used to have a young member who would often state that he would "never" drive a car,,or any other @&%#
4wheeled ect ect.
Then he noticed he was being left out of a few things,,,an got a little pissed about it.
When he finaly asked why,he was told that since he "can't" drive a car,he was of little use in an emergency situation,he couldn't drive the run truck which everybody is required to do now an then,and as a result a few of the boys felt he couldn't be relied on,or was just bucking a job nobody wanted to do.
Eventualy he got the boot,an last time I saw him he was selling used cars.
"Never" is a very longtime.
What is this "run truck" of which you speak?
I used to shoot a compound, but found that I had developed a bad case of Gadgetitis. I switches about 15 years ago, and have no intention of ever going back. The wheelies just aren't as fun to me.
i have hunted with a compoundsince i was 7 '23 now] until last year when i killed a small button now i cant even imagine picking up a compound to hunt with besides my oneida i use to shoot carp only because it is already set up with everything
Never shot a compound - never interested!
Long ago I couldn't make up my mind to take my longbow or compound out hunting. The new compound had all kind of cool stuff on it that cost me my marrage. Anyway ..so to make my mind up (what was left) I climbed 25 feet up into a tree with both bows. I dropped them both. I figured this would tell me what was the best. I'm not the most gentle of bowhunters. Yes .....I'm still shooting that longbow !!! I rest this topic