I am sure a great many of you have seen me peruse around on Trad Gang for years. I wish I could have kept even one of my "sticks" from my teen years...but I just couldn't when situations happened. My wife doesn't understand that I'm not happy with my compound, and doesn't want me to part with it...she doesn't believe that I can be just as accurate at hunting ranges...or that I'd love my sport even more by going back to my roots. There just isn't the enjoyment in the compexity of compound archery...so much is removed. Do any of you have any thoughts on this? Sorry for sounding like I need therapy lol
I waffled back and forth for two years in the beginning. But once I sold it I felt like a weight was lifted from me. No more wondering what bow to take and I felt like I was all in at that point which was a relief.
The way I finally looked at it was "Hey if I do want to go back to the compound in a few years this one is going to be obsolete and I'll want a new one anyway". There is another benefit to going all trad. No more of the keeping up with all the latest and greatest dance.
I will warn you though. The year after I went "all in" I had a 140" 10 point buck eating acorns out in front of me at 30 some yards for around 15 minutes and all I could do it watch. The deer walked off and I felt absolutely no regret. Standing there the whole time at the ready with my stickbow just praying he would walk my way was a rush I can't describe.
We hunt because we enjoy it. How you get that enjoyment is for you to decide.
Good luck in your decision.
Loren, you do need therapy. I know I do. Thats a lot of what trad archery is about weather most realize it or not. As a tool&die maker I need a break from my industrial, computerized numerical controlled, mechanical world. I am 52 years old and still play in the woods pretending I'm someone I'm not, building forts (I tell my wife they are deer blinds) and just enjoying the days.
lol! Thanks Killshot for the reality check. I'm probably in definite need of something. I had my hips replaced a few years back (I'm only 33). I can't do the work I loved anymore, so now I sit at a desk. I miss the comraderie of fellow archers, and sitting quiet as the fog clears early mornings. My used wheelie was cheap, but I've seen a couple nice recurves here that were right around the $ I've spent trying to get something I don't really want at least "useable".
KentuckyTJ...I understand what you mean too! I shot both modern and traditional when I was in my teens...but when it came to a season I'd grab my K-mag and my back quiver full of Zwickeys...It's what I enjoyed then and I know I'd like it still. Perhaps I should just **** the dang whiz-bang lol
I understand what you are feeling. I sold my compound 2-3 weeks ago. I even shot it one last time before shipping it. It just confirmed for me that I made the right decision. I had no enjoyment in shooting the compound anymore. Once gone, it did feel like a weight removed from my shoulders. My therapy is in my longbows and the simplicity that goes with it. You have to do what feels right and if it feels right just do it. I do not think you will regret it. Good luck on your decision and keep us posted.
I think that its interesting that your wife is concerned if you will enjoy it or be accurate enough :saywhat:
Im the meat provider for my family so I kind of understand that she would be concerned if I didn't bring home the bacon!!!
You need to pick up a cheapy bow and show her that you WILL have more fun and you CAN be just as accurate with it just to ease her mind, then you can get rid of your wheely bow :thumbsup:
There even maybe even someone here on TG that is in your area that will loan you one to try out!?!?
My Wife was kind of skeptical when I reviled my plan to go traditional.................
Im glad that she loves me enough to care :goldtooth:
Now that's a good plan 23feet lol. I like it!
you don't have to sell it. mine's in the closet and I haven't shot it at least 10-12 years! :D
Johnny it's kinda a "one or the other" situation with the missus lol. Trouble is I bought it second hand, and it's a couple years old...so it's not gonna "fly" off an internet ad...
The Dr. is in.....
I started hunting with an old 50# Bear Alaskan, Back in 1976. Killed a doe in '76 and another in '77 Both years, I was done hunting by the time the 1st weekend had ended. Then, I started to get more picky, Holding out for a buck. Bought a compound in 1981, Had a few of them... Sold my last one about 1984, when I "gave up" bowhunting!!! (The compound bows, just didn't "do it" for me) Bought a used Kodiak Magnum and a dozen wood arrows in 1996. It was like 1976 all over again!!!!!
The Dr.s prescription is.....
Give up bowhunting!!!!! It is bad for you, and is driveing you insane!!! Sell your compound and take up fishing..... After about a month, when your soul is cleansed and your mind is clear, you will be able to see that the traditional path, is the right one for you!!!!!
(Take the money that you squirreled away from selling your compound, and go buy a stickbow!!! You'll still have a couple months before hunting season!!!!!)
I will Dance for you, and send smoke to the Great Spirit, asking him to open your eyes and cleanse your spirit. Only then, can the transformation be complete.....
Good Luck on your Quest, My Brother!!!!!
Thanks woodchucker! lol I'd love to meet you some day :)
Someday we will, Brother!!! If only at the campfire in the sky.....
My wife is the same way. I shoot traditional because I love it and get much more enjoyment from it. It takes work and practice to be good at it. Just sell it already and buy a stickbow! You'll be much happier when you do. :D
Loren...where are u in washington?
I'm in Spokane, Wa.
I shot wheelie bows for years, hunting as well as 3D tournaments all over the north/east of the States. I shot Bowhunter freestyle which is shooting 3 fixed pin sights and fingers, (never owned or had the feeling for a release),. As bows evolved they became shorter axle to axle which is no good for a finger shooter like me. So with that I decided to return to my roots again and not ride the wave of the modern wheelie contraptions and shoot Trad!!! I haven't owned or cared to own a wheelie contraption in a very, very long time. The only regret I have is not returning to trad sooner. :archer2:
The rewards are sweeter when you do connect. The feeling of accomplishment cannot be matched with a compound .. IMO
My advise is to sell the wheelie now and start watching the classifieds. Something will show up before hunting season.
Yes you can legally divorce your wife and let her have your old compound in the proceedings. :bigsmyl: . I would respect her opinon but unless she has walked in your shoes then she has no ideal were you stand.
I had a couple of compound bows but was never taught the right way to shoot and tune a bow... Having to know exact yardage to the target and practice after work was un-interesting and felt like another job... That was over 15 years ago...
Always loved to look at pictures of Fred Bear and told my self, "That's for me!" Then... I read a magazine article about trad bow hunting stating something like:
"If you can hit a small pie plate at five yards with a recurve and broadhead arrow, go hunting! Live with a shot range of only five yards, but go hunting! Understand your limitations, hunt like an Indian!" Your effective range will get longer with time and practice.
That did it for me... Sold my compounds over ten years ago and didn't look back! Don't Wait Too Long... Enjoy this stuff now!
... mike ...
I have a couple of very nice compounds and every time I go to tune and sight in one of them I get frustrated by the complexity of the whole thing...I saw just such a thing happen the other day at an archery shop...a limb cracked on a fellows bow as he was working on getting it ready for hunting season...he was more upset about having lost all the tuning and sighting than he was about cracking the limb...takes me a few seconds to sight in a stickbow
DDave
I went back to trad only last year after using a wheelie to help get over a shoulder injury. Sold the wheelbow, although I liked the bow, and it made me not "cheat". It wasn't the newest and greatest but it brought enough to buy a nice used bow and some arra's. Got my first trad deer this year and won't be going back. Let mama read this thread...
I think it's great that your wife even has an opinion about how much enjoyment you get out of archery. I was in your shoes two years ago and here's how it played out for me. I had been bow hunting with a compound exclusively for three seasons and actively pursuing 3D shoots in the offseason to stay in practice. For me archery was my release from the stress of my day job and I was having FUN, I'd shoot at least 2-3 times per week and I was constantly tinkering with my setup for maximum accuracy/efficiency.
My transition to traditional archery was not something that I pursued out of boredom, it was more of a way to expand my horizons in a sport I already loved. When I told my wife I wanted a recurve she was skeptical at first because she knew how much I loved archery and she kind of saw it as a step backward from where I was at the time. In the end she actually bought me my first bow as a Christmas present and the hook was set.
I spent the next 7 months overseas, but the bow came with me and after a couple of months I was grouping arrows on a pie plate out to 15 yards. My return to the states coincided with the opening of deer season and I decided to go at it with my trad bow. I didn't kill a deer that year but I had plenty of close encounters and the entire process made me a better hunter.
If anything switching to a trad bow has only deepened my love for archery and btw, two weeks into that season the wheels were sold and a custom stickbow was on order (with a few more to follow in the months to come).
As for accuracy...if you can't shoot more than 5 yards, just set up for 5 yard shots.
Selling the bow may not get you much, but there are 150 dollar bows out there that would be great to learn on. Also, you can always look through yard sales/flea markets/etc. for a screaming deal on a bow(just do a bit of research on here first, so you know what is worth grabbing).
Sell the wheels and don't look back, do what makes you happy.
I enjoy shooting now. With the compound I just put it away for summer and got it back out right before hunting season. The whole aspect is clear to me now, making my own arrows and feeling the satisfaction of a well placed arrow by just looking at the target and feeling the shot.
Sell the wheels, I did a few months back and doubt I'll ever go back.
Get rid of the Crutch, I did and my shooting went from alright to down right lethal, something about knowing I have to put forth a major effort to be fair to the animals we chase really stirs something inside of me, it for me is a primal feeling, I eat sleep and breathe shooting my bow, traditional archery isn't just another method of archery, it truly is a lifestyle, once you put down the gadgets and gizmos for good and get back to the basic simple things, you expirience a feeling like no other, best of luck to you!
QuoteOriginally posted by shirikahn:
Now that's a good plan 23feet lol. I like it!
Have your wife read this thread from last fall, she'll see where 23feet is coming from:
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=123014;p=1
As long as that compound is in your house you'll be plagued by it. Like a monkey on your back. rid yourself of the beast.
Dude, if you have to let your wife decide what is going to make you happy, you have already drank the Cool-Aide. It's your hunting stuff, not hers. If you want to sell it, just do it. Used compounds are a dime a dozen, So better yet, put it out to the trash, somebody will take it. This way you now have to get a new stickbow.
Disclaimer---Taking my advice has been know to cause household problem, both inside my home and others as well. But at least when it come to hunting...I'm happy.
Hey dude. This may not be the most popular opinion but, if you need to hang on to that compound a couple of more years and save a little for a new k-mag. In the mean time take the sights and other doodad off you compound so you can shoot it barebow with fingers. Bet you'll have more fun till you can buy what you really want. Hell man get creative and build a shelf for it.
Donate the compound to someone in need. That's how I made the jump. When I found myself free of the gadgets, I found out what shooting a bow was like.
If you want to go trad then go trad. Doesnt matter what anyone else thinks . Just my two cents , even if it is your wife.
I would ignore the wife's opinion (on this subject) and do what made me happy
As far as switching, here's how it went for me:
I only shot a compound for about a 2 seasons. When I got out of the Army in the mid 80's, my Super Kodiak didn't seem like enough bow anymore. I bought a brand spanking new compound and got after it. I killed a bunch of deer with it, but I always knew something was missing. I clearly remember the day I permanently switched (too long of a story for here). The point is...ON THAT DAY I GAVE MY COMPOUND AWAY. It was sorta symbolic, but once I did, I never looked back.
Get the damned thing out of your house, and commit to shooting traditional. Flopping back and forth between compound and trad is bad business.
yup just give it away. and say honey i lost my wheels so i am going to have to get a stick I'm sure she will understand :pray: good luck
I put mine in shop for $50 back in 1991 and never looked back....money well lost! :)
You sound like YOU want to go Trad.
You won't have any trouble getting accurate enough to be successful hunting, because YOU want to make it work.
Getting in range while hunting will be another matter though....
You'll have to be a better hunter.
I have found that when my wife suggests I do something, she is typically correct. If you don't need the cash, put it in a closet or on a shelf, you won't get much for it anyway.
For me going from a compound to a longbow was like the time I went from a rifle to a compound.
At first it seems like it will be impossible to kill anything with that stick and no mechanical sighting. But with time and patience it will come. Biggest problem I had was i WANTED succes with that longbow and that put stress on me big time and I missed a good handfull and wounded/lost a couple.
I almost gave up the longbow and went back to compound. But the first time i drew the compound after having shot the longbow for almost 2 years
the compound didn't have any "feel" to it, other than it was heavy and loud, so I put the compound away for good and worked on clearing my mind and telling myself to just take the bow and go sit in the woods. Two days later I made a great shot on my first longbow killed deer.
I never looked back and will never shoot another compound again.
Just go for it and get a longbow or recurve that fits your hand!!!
I would gently reason with my bride that the compound is of little value when not being used, and that value falling fast as it ages (note the dime-a-dozen reference above). As Shakespeare said, "Sell while you can; you are not for all markets." In terms of reaching out and getting more meat, I've never known a bowhunter - trad or wheeler - who could not have bought meat for a fraction of the cost of harvesting it in the field!
You guys have all been great and I respect and appreciate your words...I think Jakeemt hit the nail on the head...I should just deal with what I've got, and start stacking pennies...maybe by next spring I can afford another K-mag...and go back to what I loved so much
I think if my wife were to come between me and my archery, or believed she should have any say on my hunting practices.... I wouldn't be married any longer.... period...
Why does it got to be one or the other? Keep the compound and shoot your stick bow too. :dunno:
I wonder if you can put a spouse on Craig's list? Hmmmmmm.....
Kirk we're just on a very tight budget...I know her concerns...and in a way she's right. Why do I need 2 bows? I got the comp for a steal. Fully dressed, etc. Blah blah blah. But I am going to go back to trad eventually. I feel like I have to, if that's understandable. It's like there is a void in my sport. I appreciate all of the advice on here. And believe me Kurt...if I didn't love this woman the way I do I wouldn't be taking the time to reach out for other opinions.
Explain to her that compounds are money pits and loose their value quickly. On the other hand a well cared for used recurve or longbow will hold it's value much better over time.
It's a hypothetical situation but consider what your compound will be worth in ten years compared to what a recurve that you bought with the funds raised by selling said compound right now would be worth...the compound will have little if any value, the recurve would probably not loose any value at all. Sell the compound...stop the depreciation.
Mechanical bows are great, I have one, mainly because at this point it's not worth selling it since I won't get much for it. It still shoots well so it's not that big a deal, but it's far from my only bow. I'm a stickbow guy at heart and am fortunate to have several nice custom recurves. Most were bought used and I'm confident I could sell them for the same amount I paid for them.
I bought a longbow and practiced until I was confident. Then I traded my compound for some nice custom hunting knives to match my longbow riser.
There's alot of generous people here on Tradgang so hopefully you can find someone close that can let you try a bow and just maybe someone has one laying around they might let ya use or practice with for a short time till you can set aside some cash for your own.
1. Tell her to go make you a sandwich
2. while she's in the kitchen, get on-line and order a new recurve or longbow.
3. All (most) wives can be fooled into thinking recurves and longbows are just chunks of wood, and cost about $100
LOL,,, :laughing: @ Roger!!!
QuoteOriginally posted by Easykeeper:
Explain to her that compounds are money pits and loose their value quickly. On the other hand a well cared for used recurve or longbow will hold it's value much better over time.
It's a hypothetical situation but consider what your compound will be worth in ten years compared to what a recurve that you bought with the funds raised by selling said compound right now would be worth...the compound will have little if any value, the recurve would probably not loose any value at all. Sell the compound...stop the depreciation.
Mechanical bows are great, I have one, mainly because at this point it's not worth selling it since I won't get much for it. It still shoots well so it's not that big a deal, but it's far from my only bow. I'm a stickbow guy at heart and am fortunate to have several nice custom recurves. Most were bought used and I'm confident I could sell them for the same amount I paid for them.
This is the exact argument I gave my wife when I sold my 2010 Athens Accomplice 34 (which I killed 19 deer with) and bought a new Black Widow. Argument worked for me...
If you were here in southeast I would give you a recurve to shoot until you saved enough to buy your own or buy that one from me....and still keep tabs on you. Maybe someone else near you has one on the wall not getting any love you can borrow with understanding that if you mess it up...you buy it.
I have done that quite a few times actually and always worked out well for all involved. An older Bear Grizzly, Browning Wasp or Explorer, Ben Pearson 716 or multitude of nice bows for less than $200 would do the job quite nicely...some can be found for less than $100 if you dont want one that is in collectible condition and a little worse for wear.
Good luck.
I have just been blessed with an opportunity...a neighbor of mine (and man I've talked to numerous times about trad, as he has a "harem" lol) has offered me a used and slightly less pretty Centaur for $150!!! So I'm gonna be scrambling trying to come up with the cash!!! Thanks everyone for the advice/input. I appreciate it
When and if the way in which you take an animal becomes more important to you than just taking an animal you will have no more indecision.
Bob
thank Bob
You don't have to sell your wheels. I have not shot mine in 20 years. Its a "vintage" Hoyt. Some warfer would probably love to get it and warf it into a recurve. But I keep it as a reminder of why I went back to my recurves which I wisely did not sell when I erronuosly decided to try out the compund so long ago.
OK, if your wife knows what you have you clearly don't have enough stuff in your man cave area. You have camoflauge the new stuff with a bunch of other stuff, sneak it in when shes not there and by the time shes on to you its too late you got everything you ever wanted. Then its time to trade stuff you can justify more new stuff. See? Its easy.
I didn't hunt with a compound for that long but I got rid of mine a month or so before deer season. I was in college then. Got a recurve and didn't have a clue! But I killed a small buck on Halloween weekend and that was it. I've never even taken a shot with one since then. I picked up my buddies while shooting in has yard a couple weeks ago thinking I was going to take a shot with it but as soon as I got it in my hands I had no interest in flinging a single arrow. I mean it had a level on the thing! No thanks!
Sorry, do not have that problem. Have you looked in the classifieds to see if there something that will make you happy (bow, just bow). Then buy something nice for the lady of your life. Good luck
Maybe I should just Warf my string gun...does anyone know of someone that does this? Or perhaps a bowyer that makes limbs that would fit in the pockets of a reflex/hoyt riser?
It could be a fun project to warf the bow you have, but likely you'll spend more than a nice used bow. My KMag is in near mint condition and I paid $150 on the classifieds here.
By the way, I like my toys and my hunting freedom, whatever limits I have on that are self imposed, BUT - I value my wife more than any of that stuff. Just sayin...
Me too mike...hence the issue lol. I am kinda in a sticky situation. I would never do anything to upset her or put us finacially in a worse bind than what we are in anyway. Grats on the Kmag...that's my old "love" right there...what poundage? I'm sure you love it!