Trad Gang

Hey all, new here. Just got into trad shootin about a month ago.  Ive been shooting recurves for a long time at carp, and thanks to THEGREATBROWNNOCKEMDOWN, I now own a beautiful Big River long bow. The bow is all tulip wood with bamboo core.  Im enjoying my self so much that im thinkin bout gettin rid of my compound.  Im getting comfortable shooting it and starting to have some confidence in my shooting. But my question is.
When did you decide to get rid of Wheels?

Whenever YOU decide to put it down...   :)   Welcome to tradgang!   :campfire:

When You are ready.

Rafael is Top Notch and So are Big River Bows.  

Welcome to the Addiction.

There is a great group of trad archers in your area.

Thats right, the choice is YOURS and only Yours!! For me it was the first time i shot Bowhuntinfool's Big River, at that moment i knew i was done with the wheels.

QuoteOriginally posted by GREATBROWNKNOCKEMDOWN:
Thats right, the choice is YOURS and only Yours!! For me it was the first time i shot Bowhuntinfool's Big River, at that moment i knew i was done with the wheels.

Joe and his bows are contagious. He didn't introduce me to trad but he did give me the Big River Bug.   ;)

I was in the same boat last year and finally a couple months ago sold my wheel bows and joined the traditional gand for good, Just do it and don't look back. Welcome to the family.

                    :campfire:

For me it was when the shooting of the coumpound
became boring. I was tired of the bow,release,
sights,etc. doing all the skill requirement of
archery for me. Pull the trigger,it makes a bullseye. The simplicity of traditional archery
and the beauty of the wood,leather,and feathers
combined with the challenge made archery exciting
again.

In 1992 I had a rest fail on my wheelie bow when drawing on a great buck so I missed. (seemed like something was always breaking) The next day went to the bow shop and traded my nearly new Browning compound w/case and quiver and sight and rest for a used 80# Mamba and a dozen arrows and have never looked back, killed three Camp Lejeune does with it that year......sink or swim.......

Do it NOW!. Seriously get a bow appropriate for your physical abilities and do it. Get a bag style target and shoot a million arrows (slight exaggeration) at 8 yds. Keep expanding your range. Restrict your range. Place your tree stands with more knowledge. I have killed 30 + big game animals at under 15 yds.

It will be the best hunting experience of your hunting life.

You are lucky I quit bowing all to gather for several years before I stumbled onto trad and found out it is a different animal all to gather.  I started off with a primitive long bow and it drove me on to a better and so on until I have it bad.  Trad is getting more exciting the longer I go with it.  The wheels only took me so far and I fried.  Welcome to tradgang and some very fine people.  Buckle up for a great ride.

I guess it comes down to if Im puttin venison in the freezer:)  Shooting bow has been a part of my life for over 20yrs. Started with a stick and string, then to compound, with the exception of carp shootin.  Im into this now hard core, and gettin rid of the wheels would support alot of my new addiction.  But again I dont like an empty freezer.
Besides shooting good what other types of things have you done to disiplen yourself into hunting with trad gear?

And I cant forget to thank Joe. Hes the one that started it all.

I bought a recurve during my second year of shooting a compound and fell in love with it.

That was 24 years ago and I haven't shot an arrow from a compound since. I'm pretty sure I never will either!

When someone decides to switch to a trad bow for hunting you should do it well before hunting season. Give yourself lots of time to get used to the new bow and style of shooting. And don't go back and forth between the recurve and compound. Let the machine collect dust for a year then dump it at a yard sale. Best thing I ever did!

Hey David, I'm in your shoes too! I love trad. but when it comes to bringing home the backstraps its hard for me to get rid of my compound. I usually take about 6 deer a year with it, looking to switch over this year, starting with spring turkey.  Think that I'm gonna leave that Hoyt Katera hanging in the basement for just a little while longer though!  :dunno:

I can still remember 45+ years ago getting rid of my training wheels. I felt like I could fly and never considered asking dad to put them back on.

I started in Trad before it was traditional...  :D   there were no wheel bows... 1959

15 years ago I went to compounds and did well with them but I always said when the competition and the bows weren't fun any more I'd return to the longbow.. well I did just that early this year and have sold off most of my equipment and tools for compounds.. reinvesting the money in bows and gear for the bows..

you can still shoot both if you choose too.  there are people here that still hunt with guns too!  lol   I for one still shoot wheelies for marked yardage competition, and shoot all the unmarked with my longbow or recurve.  You don't have to give up one for the other.  I'm hardcore in both!  :thumbsup:

Hey Papa,  no reason you can't do both.  I get to shoot a recurve about 2 hours a week at my son's archery class (coach is nice enough to let me fling some arrows). As for me, the only reason I still shoot my compound is because I don't have a longbow yet.   But as soon as I do, that thing is history.

If you plan on hunting with trad gear get rid of it now!!! there is nothing worse then sitting on stand wondering if you got the right bow with you.second guessing yourself the whole time an not enjoying the hunt. or should you miss with trad gear get mad an grab the compound.If your going to doit with trad then do it with trad.all this stuff happend to me it was not fun .when I sold my compound I new there was no turning back fall was coming an I had a sense of relief .It was going to be me an my longbow all season long love was in the air!!!

welcome to Tradgang,,,,enjoy the journey  :readit:    :thumbsup:

Only you can decide.  If you are in an area that has multiple tag opportunities maybe get some meat in the freezer with your wheels, then try the trad bow.  Then you won't be wondering if you blew it when a deer is outside you longbow distance but inside the compound range. It will help give you the patience to wait it out for a good shot opportunity.  But really only you can decide.

When the dust on it made got to thick. I picked up a long bow and and the wheels sat collecting dust till I gave it to a neighborhood kid (bow, arrows, and case well over $400.00 value)When you shoot that longbow for awhile pick up the wheels and you will see the the difference in what feels natural.Good luck with the longbow.

QuoteOriginally posted by rastaman:
Whenever YOU decide to put it down...    :)    Welcome to tradgang!    :campfire:  

This is the best answer anyone can give you. This is your decision.
I would add that you have plenty of time to be proficient by hunting season. My thoughts are if YOU like shooting trad then having the compound lying around gives a false sense of security. If you keep going back and forth then you may never indulge yourself into trad. Getting rid of it now will put all your focus on trad.
But once again,when YOUR ready.

I always shot a compound with fingers and when I started shooting Trad I sold both of my Mathews Solocams and have never regretted it for a moment. For me hunting is all about 25 yards and closer(usually 10 to 15 yards). Practicing is so much more enjoyable too!

I have been shooting trad now for the last 4yrs.
Best switch I ever made.Should have made the move
years ago.Welcome to trad-gang where people are honest and extremly helpfull.Everyone goes to the
extreme to help each other.You will find all your
needs and answers from this awsome trad-site.
................WELCOME...............

QuoteOriginally posted by John Krause:
Do it NOW!. Seriously get a bow appropriate for your physical abilities and do it. Get a bag style target and shoot a million arrows (slight exaggeration) at 8 yds. Keep expanding your range. Restrict your range. Place your tree stands with more knowledge. I have killed 30 + big game animals at under 15 yds.

It will be the best hunting experience of your hunting life.

I 2nd this    :thumbsup:

As said by many, only you can make that decision.  All I can do is tell you how it worked for me.  When I switched back to trad full time I did it about this time of year too, and felt good about it by the time fall came around.  But I had an elk hunt that fall, and the longbow I had at the time was a little on the light side for elk so I carried the wheels as my primary bow.  But it just didn't feel right, and by the end of the week I was carrying the longbow and just hoping for a very close shot.  I never did end up with a shot on that trip, but the experience convinced me that I was ready for trad full time, and I came back home and took a whitetail doe with it a couple weeks later.  
I kept the wheels hanging around the shed until they finally were worth almost nothing, and finally got rid of them a couple years ago.  My advice would be that as soon as you decide to make the switch permanent, get rid of the wheels while you can still get something out of them.

Ive got a Big river longbow 54@28. I shoot it just about every day out to 25yds. I bought the bow to shoot 3D but Im having so much fun with it I want to take it hunting. Right now im thinking Ill put one in the freezer with the compound and use the longbow after. That way I wont feel so pressured.
This site is great. Ive learned so much just by reading the threads. And it has helped fuel the addiction  :thumbsup:

You'll have your answer when how you kill a critter becomes more important than how big or how many you kill.   :archer2:

I shot a Brackenbury TD recurve in elk hunting camp. When I got back in town I sold my Matthews and bought a Blacktail TD recurve and never looked back! Wish I would have discovered this stuff earlier.

When shooting was more of a chore than fun.

As has been said before...It's your decision.

I find trad archery MUCH more difficult.
And in that difficulty is the vast reward.

If you're ready for a change and a BIGGER feeling of accomplishment when taking an animal put the compound down.

One thing is certain...I didn't even begin to realize my potential with my longbow till I locked away my compound and stopped shooting it.

Good luck which ever path you chose.

I tried a compound for 1 year, and sold it at a huge loss.  I hate relying on technology not to fail.

only you will know when its time. im not getting ride of my compound.  the decrease in value so fast i rather just keep it.  i how ever never shoot it anymore and put all my focus on my longbows and getting ready for turkey and deer season.  one of my long bows will be on stand a few times this season, with my compound.  shots up to 20yds will be with the longbow and 30-40yds compound.

Try just putting the compound away for a year instead of selling it . Shoot only your trad. bow and hunt with it this year , dont try switching back and forth or you wont be as good as you could be with either . After taking some game with you stick your confidence will go up and you will realize that you can kill anything with the stick that you can with the compound. See how you feel at the end of the year and then make a dession . Thats what I did and my desission was to keep the trad. bow and the compound found a new home .

Mike

You'll know when its time.Best of luck you wont regrett it.

I sold mine after a couple of years of not using them........and I needed the money to buy more Trad stuff  :thumbsup:  I fill in the gaps of the freezer with the gun after the  archery season.

I never did sell my compound. That being said I haven't shot it since November of 2007. I picked up a recurve and have enjoyed it so much I never shot the wheels again. I haven't sold it since it isn't going to sell for much so it just hangs.

Enjoy.

D

Two differnt sports completly, I don't ever see myself going back.

I sold all I could and gave away the rest. Nothing but stick and string for me from here on out. It has been frustrating at first but by asking questions and learning with an open mind. I have become an addict to the "stick and string". There are days I can't get enough.

When I got the first glimpse of my intended target slinking through the woods toward me and I in it's realm sitting there holding a stick and feeling very inferior, I knew. When sitting in that ground blind and thinking I was actually going to get a shot heart racing, I knew. Holding my bow up trying not to shake to hard and realizing I had to wait for her to turn her head as not to see my draw, I knew. As I saw my big trad fletchings spinning toward their intended brown haired background and striking their mark, I knew. Standing over my first trad bow kill, I knew. I knew this was how it was supposed to feel for me.

You know, reading through this thread make me wonder if there is a group who seek out the "vintage" compound bows to hunt with.  The old wood riser Brownings and Dartons.

Anyway, I started out with a recurve target shooting and, after college, I was convinced you needed a compound for hunting.  After missing five deer in five trys I went back to a recurve.  That was in the mid 1980's.  The bow wasn't so bad - a Martin Cougar II - and I could probably have shot it instinctively just fine.  I tried once when a buck appeared - out of habit.  Didn't work so well not having practiced that way.        It was all the other crap that accompanied it that messed me up.  Rests and sights, etc.  When I started looking at release aids I did an internal reevaluation and just said "no".

I just decided to take the wheels off this year. I kinda went thru the common "hunting stages". Just shoot a deer, then how many can i shoot, then shoot a buck, then get choosey for a big buck, etc. Now I'm no master for sure, but getting better at hunting big deer. So it was thenext logical step in the progression for me. Another goal to achieve. Funny thing is I'm back to just shoot any deer right now! I've very much enjoyed the process with all the help from members. You will too. Good luck.

for myself, the wheels had to go as soon as i shot a longbow the first time. im an all or nothing kind of guy so my buddy got a hell of a compound for nothin and i got adventures gallore. plus my young daughters are in love with trad archery too! i chereish our time together in the field watching arrows fly. all the elk and deer i shot with my wheel bow were under 10 yards anyway and i started to feel like a looser needing sights for that. good luck bro.

Actualy just one big circle, I ended up right back where I started 40 years ago.

Never picked them up to begin with  :)

Pure win. Welcome to the club  :)

Never had any wheels. But you can never have too many weapons.

QuoteOriginally posted by Orion:
You'll have your answer when how you kill a critter becomes more important than how big or how many you kill.    :archer2:  

I agree with Jerry on this one.....

I started way before compounds came on the market. I went through the phase, but never felt right about it. Then I went back to stick bows and never looked back. It was like something heavy came off of my back. I think we all go through the different phases of hunting like someone else said. First it's how many. Then it's how big, and eventually it's just enjoying the whole experience. I would advise that if you do make the switch, don't go back and forth between compounds and stick bows. Some folks can do it without problems, but most can't. If someone is really that concerned about taking those 30 to 40 yard or more shots, than maybe they need to stick with the compound.

I try but seem to go back from time to time! My buddy decided to just sell all his toys with wheels and that was that he had no choice but to grab that Long Bow and go. Well this was his first year straight up trad! one cold November morn he calls me ."Man I just had that 170" at 15 yrds and couldn't take the shot he stayed in the cover or was movin a doe back and forth for 15min. He was crushed 15 yards is a chip shot with the Compound even in cover but the story and the fact he did film all of this.

I shot compound for 14 years.  I made the switch to Trad about seven months ago and never looked back.  It took me about six months to decide I would never shoot compound again and sold EVERYTHING less than a week later.  I still have never regretted doing that.  You will know when you are ready.