So I want to know what is the meaning of traditional Archery to you and how did it change you.
please no bickering it's a personal opinion! :campfire:
It didn't change me at all because it was the only game in town when I started. So in effect it's going back to my roots. I've always loved the arc of the arrow.
No wheels,sights,releases,expandable broadheads,20 yards and under .Recurve,longbow,fingers,point and shoot!! This is my two cents!! Oh and a lot more fun.
I think everyone is afraid to awnser?
ONE STRING :readit:
Traditional archery? Only one string (or cable)on the bow.
Everything else is about the same except the compound shooter brags about how far he shot, and the trad shooter brags about how close he got to make the shot.
whooo two replys when I was typin mine :biglaugh:
The journey not the destination.
Jcar315 I like that responce
QuoteOriginally posted by jcar315:
The journey not the destination.
OOO I like :clapper:
Effort challenge and integrity.
Fun.
a bow with one string, sights or no sights.
I am by far more a throw back then a modern kind of guy. I appreciate things you need to work at and develop. Verses the just add water instant kind of society we live in today. Traditional archery is my passion and my escape from the worries and the pace of today. I suppose the way it has changed me is it has given me greater appreciation of various skills people have worked hard to learn and become good during the course of their lifetimes. And above all the greatest appreciation of God's creation.
Jcar315 :clapper: :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Its hunting and not killing and telling everyone what a great season you had. Killing a doe or small deer and being so happy and thankful as you would be with monster buck. Its a trophy by the experience and not by measurements of the horns. Its having the most fun ever and becoming one with nature. Its doing all of this while carrying a stick and string.
Good people.......good fun......nothing more,nothing less!!! Maybe the thrill of the hunt also!
It's just Archery to me. Nothing traditional about it ,no romance, no touchy feely zen anything.
I shoot the archery equipment I choose because I think it's the best weapon for me to hunt with.
Nothing changed for me when I switched to hunting with a longbow. I'm the same person, I hunt the same way, I just have less complicated equipment, which makes for a better hunting weapon, in my opinion.
My hero...........my Daddy.
I look up to Howard and Jerry Hill. I strive to build bows as nice as these two men. Jerry has been such a help to me not only in building bows but shooting as well. I could not repay him for the kindness he has shown me. I only wish I could have known Mr. Howard as Jerry and my Dad had known him. My dad has told me of a very kind and honorable man that was Howard Hill and how welcome he felt being in his home.
Thank you and God bless you three for giving me the love of archery.
Joshua
An extension of my body in the bow arm and my personality on a string.
For me it's the simplicity of it all and the flight of the arrow that I guided to the target. There's much more to it than that, but these two things are the most meaningful to me.......IJ
I like G Freds quote: " It's first of all, the bow and arrow itself. and the it is the bewitching mystique of pursuit, with its possibility of success and probability of going home empty handed. And it is the woods and mountains, and the rain and the snow, the dry wind and the smell of leaves and wet wool and countless other things, feelings and perceptions."
Trad bows are so simple and effiencent and effective. It is amazing that a well placed broadhead brings down amazing animals.
Long bows (particularly) gets in your blood and there is no getting them out.
Joe
PS 4 months 4 weeks and 10 hours until Colo bow season.
To me it means little outside of being a class I some times have to enter when I shoot competitions,and a way for some people to define themselves to others.
I've been a hunter that hunts with recurve bows for over 40 years and I don't use a label for my hunting other than "hunter".
Hunting hasn't changed me,a hunter is what I've always been and I come from a long family history of hunters,fishermen,and soldiers.
The bow is simply my chosen tool because in this day I have the luxury to make it so.
I admit that I like that "touchy feely zen" stuff, but what I respect most about traditional archery is the essential integrity of its process. For me, hunting is at it's very finest when it is an endeavor that requires strength, moral courage, mental discipline, physical grace, patience, knowledge, wisdom, and most of all, humility. It is difficult for me to articulate, but I want to be increasingly worthy of the animals I kill. I want success to be a matter of honest individual achievement and every step I take towards improved technological lethality carries me further from that goal. --Bob Wilson
The satisfaction of making your own bow, arrows, and other equipment and then harvesting game with items your own hands made.
I also found it more thrilling and challenging. So much so I started hunting large game, upland game, small game, and fish all with traditional bows and wood arrows. Since wood shafts were so cheap I was not afraid to lose arrows.
The most important thing was it forced me to slow down and have more patience waiting for the 15 yard shot.
traditional archery takes me back to my roots, growing up shooting an old ben pearson recurve made in the 60's my grandpa let us kids shoot. My family crest also bears 3 arrows and a badge for a reason directly tied to archery, so trad archery is pretty deep in my family history. its also trusting my instincts and not some threaded pins with fancy beads to tell me where im aiming. finally its my way of getting in touch with one of the finest materials on this green earth-wood, which is a pleasure to mold anything useful from. finally it connects me with my native heritage by allowing me to harvest game in a way which somehow connects my mind, body and spirit all in one moment at any given time. cant go wrong with something that inspires such great thoughts. Great question :thumbsup:
lol- 1 finally:p
Its fun and chalinging. Was vaporising ground squirrels at 200-400yards out for a long time now Im crawling on my hands and knees just to get a shot at the little varmints.
stick string and another sharp stick. The only shooting errors made are made by me and not the equipment.
It is the most simpliest pure thing in my life... If I fished I would fly fish. If I wanted to keep score I would golf. But I am a Traditional Bowhunter....I love the smell of earth as I kick out alittle place to stand. The feel of the leather tab on my fingers. I even love when I decide not to shoot cause it just didn't feel right.
Traditional archery for me as a new shooter is:
Fun & new challenge for me, it must be quite a feeling of accomplishment when you kill an animal with traditional equipment.
It won't change me as a person, nor do I have any deep emotional feelings about it, but I do find myself really into the history of the long bow & the pioneer shooters & hunters.
It clears my mind, slows me down, makes me appreciate the outdoors more than I have. Traditonal archery has really taught me more about the hunt than any other type of hunting. Anyday in the woods with my bow is a day to remember, I see more, hear more and live more with my bow than any other form of hunting. It takes me back to a place that our ancestors lived and hunted, a much simpler and calmer time.
I find the 1pc. longbow to be the simplest form of hunting for me. I always follow the K.I.S.S. rule. Keep It Simple Stupid!
Just going back to a simpler time for me....And for me ...it made me a better outdoorsman....I still hunt with modern hunters also... they dont mind and either do I... A personel choice......
I started out with a wheels but it is so technical. As long as you keep your exact form you can hit a quarter at twenty yards every time.
TOO TECHNICAL
Traditional is just fun.Stick string aim and release.Nothin technical about it.Just keep it simple and don't think.OOOHHH ya MUCH MORE FUN :bigsmyl: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :clapper:
Challenge, simplicity and satisfaction...thats what trad is. Like jerryb I also started out wheels; I was mesmorized by all the gagitry and awed by the speed but there was something very important lacking,I just was not sure what. I would say to myself "one of these days I'll get myself a recurve or long bow just to play around with".
When I did get my longbow it was instantly clear what I had been missing...challenge, simplicity and satisfaction. You've heard the biker saying "ride to live, live to ride" my motto is "shoot to live , live to shoot". Weather permitting I shoot every day and never tire of it, there is nothing like the feeling of seeing the arrow fly flawlessly through the air and then hit exactly where you intended...it's like therapy, it melts away stress and calms the soul. It's just you the bow and the arrow, nothing more; when the arrow flys true and hits the mark you know that you did it; it's almost magical when it all comes together. You cannot say that about shooting wheels, most compound shooters I know only shoot a little before hunting season or maybe a couple 3D shoots & other than that they don't shoot at all after the newness has worn off; I believe the reason is because it offers no real satisfaction, with a couple days of practice anyone can shoot wheels reasonably well, not so with stick and string... it demands a total commintment but the rewards are well worth it. Anyway, thats my opinion. One thing I have noticed is that since I have been trad (3 yrs now)and no longer own a compound I tend to feel a disdain for compound users, that is something I don't want to allow because we all have to start somewhere and like myself many folks start there.
Read my SIGNATURE first!
Traditional is simple and just plain relaxing!!!!
For me it`s the people.
Those who love traditional archery are just different...in a good way. You can see it in each others eyes. Our cups are always half full, not half empty.
Jcar315 hit the nail on the head for me. "It's about the journey, not the destination."
What is it to me? No compounds, no sights,no releases, no expandables,One anchor,close shots,etc.
Others should shoot the way they want. The ? was,"what is traditional to you?".
So many Ways to Say "I Made That Myself Too!" :scared:
Plain and Simple Bows & Arrows, and some of THE Best People I Have Ever Met!! :archer:
There's a very satisfying feeling to shooting a recurve or longbow well. It's the same feeling I get when flyfishing or flintlock shooting. The guys who embrace the traditional way of shooting are generally of the same mindset.....not taking the easy way out, but rather the more satisfying feeling of accomplishment way. Different strokes for different folks...kudos to those who choose the path less taken cause' it's well worth the trip..my opinion...john
a reason for me and my dad to go outside and have fun or just to be out in nature
Its where I started with archery and where I am now ending up. First bow was a Browning recurve I inherited from my grandpa! I've sat in trees with wheels (like many of us) and sat in a tree with stick and string. I've stalked whitetails with metal and wheels and stalked them with a recurve/longbow... and every time I go out with wood and string, I feel like I am hunting, one with nature, in tune with the woods, instinctual: a wolf. The wheels tend to make me feel more like an assassin. Laden with technology, concerned with distances, fatigued by weight, and the tink of metal against the forest. I am focused on the kill (destination) not the hunt itself (journey). The wheels are a kind of crutch that make me feel 'safe'... I don't even know why that is? Its all my hunting buddies telling me how great a compound is, how accurate, how I will wound deer with trad equipment... the mindset is ALL wrong... Shooting a compound for target practice is fun, but I am done hunting with wheels. I embrace the wolf.
When I started out it was just "a bow and arrow". No labeling of "traditional", 'cause that term didn't exist. If anything, it probably labeled me as that "odd teenager" amongst my peers (and most older hunters) in the early 60s in PA. :confused: I admit, I didn't know too many other archers back then.
As for "zen", "witchery" or what have you; I'll leave that for others to debate. As for me, there aren't many things that provide that feeling that I get when I draw the bow back and send the arrow on its "journey" to its target. I cherish that joy as much now at 57 as when I was 10. Many that I know don't, and probably never will, understand that feeling.
What started out as just another "tool" to use for hunting, certainly has evolved into something altogether different. I still enjoy shooting guns, if nothing more than once or twice a year, but the lure of the bow and arrow haunts me every day. I hope it continues to do so till the day I can no longer draw the bow.
Has anyone ever noticed the look on the face of a kid when they are shooting their first bow? There is a reason they are smiling! May you all keep smiling............. :archer2:
I shot an antelope @ close to 700yrds. with my rifle and a 28" wide muley buck @ 400yrds. and nice deer out to 65yrds. with my wheelie bow, I'm not trying to brag but that was fun, but when asked by friend or stranger about my hunting I seem to go into great detail about my 18yrd. shot with my bear recurve on a young button buck. When I tell the story they look at me like I'm crazy or high, I think there probably right. This is going to be my first all season trad year with a custom bow,and now I found a place here to tell my stories and people understand. Its just a blast!!!!!! :campfire:
It's a way of life
It's doing something that you must work at, something you really can't buy to make you better
at what you're doing. That clears it up as clear as mud.
Its the closest I can come to being at one with nature. To being a real predator.
With a rifle I can kill at distances that gives the animal no chance whatsoever. With my compound bow I have to stalk to within 30 meters but I STILL have an unfair advantage in that my equipment are mechanically "augmented" in terms of both power and accuracy.
With my longbow? I have to get close...REAL close. I can miss...EASILY...I am the one who's holding the bow at full draw. My muscles hold 100% of the draw weight, my skill determines the accuracy. I am the hunter.
With a compound bow an unskilled person can get good enough to kill in an hour or two. With my longbow I have to practice every day.
Traditional archery is my badge of honour. It is proof that I believe in fair chase and that hunting is not the same thing as killing.
Well, It's me and who I am.
Traditional archery is a quick way to realize that you may not be focusing on something when you think you are. Modern society breads attention disorders, with TV, games etc. I think archery could be used tool to show children with ADHD how to be aware of there difficulties with attention and learn how to truley focus there mind.. I know it has helped me :) .
Traditional archery is my release, it clears my head and allows me to focus. I love the simplicity of the tool. when that perfect shot is made i know it was me. Im going from gun hunter to longbow and skipping the wheels. no sights no let off, just the goal of making a perfect shot
QuoteOriginally posted by jcar315:
The journey not the destination.
nough said. :thumbsup:
Somewhere, "back in time>>>------->.
I feel Im part of nature ,walking in the woods,that my bow is made of,arrows too..
Traditional archery?
Shooting a longbow or recurve at Targets.
Traditional hunting? Hunting with traditional equipment.
Enjoying the moment and surrounding myself with like minded people? Friends who have a passion just like mine, who are ready to give it possible? Well that's just a preference.
Traditional Archery helps me celebrate the human condition. The way our Creator has us wired with hand/eye coordination and muscle memory. For me, it has to be the best thing since sliced bread.
I don't think I have changed due to traditional archery and/or hunting with trad gear. Although it has driven home my respect for game animals and fair chase. The fact that we "need" to be close to game is SO COOL! If I do take game with a (non-bow) I kinda feel guilty and ask Him for forgiveness.
... mike ...
This is a quote from Marv Clyncke that resonates with me....
"That's what bowhunting is all about- getting close, and beating the animal at their own game. A lot of bowhunters these days go just for the kill and not the hunt. Hunting! That's what it's supposed to be. Hunting is fun if one just lets it be fun. We all want a kill, but if that doesn't happen it isn't the end of the world. If you have to kill every time out, take a smoke-pole!"
At lease thats what traditional bowhunting should be.
Expensive. And worth it! It changed me by making me poorer.
Has been since age 5 and alwaa will be a WAY OF LIFE for me.
It makes me feel as though I am no longer just a visitor to Mother Nature but rather a son to Mother Nature.
SIMPLICITY!!!!!!!!!!
Put an arrow on the string,pull it back,and SHOOT!!!!!
If you have to THINK about it,your making WAY too much out of it!!!!!
Forget all that tuning crap..... You can have the worst set-up in the world and if you shoot enough,your mind,eye,hand,body cordination will put you on target. Instinctively your mind will position your body to put the arrows where you want them.
My wife say's Im obsessed. :scared:
The challenge of the hunt, and the simplicity of equipment! :archer2:
QuoteOriginally posted by jcar315:
The journey not the destination.
Great answer. That about sums it up for me to. Since going to Trad my whole outlook on hunting has changed. It's no longer about how many animals or how big the trophy is. It's all about the journey it takes to get to the point of dropping the string on an animal. Sometimes you release, sometimes you just simply walk away with the arrow still on the string. Yet no matter what the outcome the trip is still as memorable as the last.
Traditional archery has brought me much closer as in a hunter/bow relationship. I don't feel dettached and actually when feeling the shot there is a oneness.
One analogy is the genuine feeling of gratification due to the success of significant accomplishment of which you happened to be the main contributor.
Traditional archery has welcomed me into the greatest family of whom I am proud to call brothers.
Traditional Archery ignites the fire within to seek out adventure in the Wilderness or the Wood lot.
Traditional archery is something that teaches you to work hard before you can savor the reward. It is something that is no longer a sport or past time but becomes a way of life.
The smell of cedar shafts being made. The smell of feathers being burned. The feel of a recurve or longbow string stretched in my fingers on a frosty morning as I hear faint foot steps headed my way. Enjoying every shot I take now matter what it is at. Using my God given ability instead of a machines. These are some of the things that make traditional archey to me. There are tons others these are some that impress me the most.
QuoteOriginally posted by excelpoint:
QuoteOriginally posted by jcar315:
The journey not the destination.
Great answer. That about sums it up for me to. Since going to Trad my whole outlook on hunting has changed. It's no longer about how many animals or how big the trophy is. It's all about the journey it takes to get to the point of dropping the string on an animal. Sometimes you release, sometimes you just simply walk away with the arrow still on the string. Yet no matter what the outcome the trip is still as memorable as the last. [/b]
I'll 2nd that 2nd!
Traditional Archery is an attitude.
An attitude towards life. A darn good attitude.
I search for it in other areas of my life and struggle to find it.
:campfire:
Find it outdoors alone and here daily.
one word for me to describe trad archery :"simplisity".
trad archery is a colage of many different styles of archery's history and cultures that made equiptment for hunting and warfare with the best technology they had or could invent .trad archery is a generic term : like i drive a car.
ofcource this is my perspective
Mind body and soul, one with the bow, arrow, target.
Something I can always go back to for relaxation, excitement, or both.
Something to work at, on and pass along.
Timeless.
Traditional archery and traditional bowhunting are two different categories to me.
Traditional archery to me is stick and string off the shelf instinctive shooting with finger release. I don't care what your bow or arrows are made of.
Traditional bowhunting is hard for me to define due to the morality and ethics I affiliate with it. Ultimately, to me it is stick and string, preferably on the ground, taking game at 25 yards or closer.