Hello guys I am new to the forum along with traditional archery as well. I have used a compound and crossbow for years and I found it no longer rewarding. I bit the bullet and bought myself a 2010 bear grizzly 55# recurve and a dozen 3rivers hunter arrows. I practiced for a few weeks and finally felt confident enough to try hunting with it. I went after one of my favorite summer varmints, groundhogs. After mulitple failed stalks and close misses I finally had things come together. I climbed 12 feet into a young tree and hid for over an hour until a groundhog came right under me at the base of the tree. I drew back and stuck it right to the ground. I was estatic that I finally connected with one. I already love traditional archery and I know I wont be going back to compounds. Along with that I also have started bow fishing which I enjoy so much. Im still having problems with shooting over them but I have managed to get one carp so far. I still have lots of questions, such as proper form, wood vs carbon arrows, along with the difference between inexpensive bows such as the grizzly vs a nice bow like a bob lee or black widow.But as I read the forum I will learn everything I need to become a great tradtional shooter. Enjoy SS.
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Welcome to our campfire, Brother!!!!!
and CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!! Looks like you're well on your way!!!
Awesome man! and welcome to the forum, you'll learn a ton.
Great job and welcome aboard!
taylor,
congrats on the success and new interest in trad hunting! i gotta start hunting some groundhogs as well, they look like a lot of fun and good practice. you are right about the newer rewarding feeling that comes to an archer or hunter knowing that it is just you and a purer form of equipment. as far as more "expensive" bows, it looks like you are doing just fine with a really classic Bear! in fishing we always say " never leave fish to go find fish" well the same might be said for a nice bow that works well for you; "almost never leave a great bow to go looking for a newer greater bow" i had to say almost or else i'd be kind of a hypocrite.
enjoy the new pursuit of happiness! :thumbsup:
Welcome! Nice shooting :thumbsup:
Before you get carried away.....
You have a "really nice bow".....
I've been at this along time, and everyone here know I'm an old Grizzly fan!!! The Bear Grizzly has been around for well over 50 years!!!!! It was built as sold as the "working man's bow". Kinda like a Winchester model 70 was the "Rifleman's Rifle". When it's time to hunt... I always grab my old Grizzly.
There are alot of great custom bows out there!!! Each of them has their merits, and I have had a few custom bows in my time. I won't say any of them are "bad" because none of them are!!!!! However... They ARE (usualy) VERY EXPENSIVE!!!!! Truth is, unless you have been doing this awhile, and shooting ALOT of differant bows... You're probly not going to be able to tell the differance.....
Shoot what you've got, learn what you can, and save your money for ARROWS!!!!! You're going to use alot of them!!! LOL
Just one old woodchucker's thoughts.....
Good shooting. And sticking with it an hour in a tree for a rodent. Theres others out there like me . Welcome .
:clapper: Nice shooting on both the Ground Grizzly and the Carp. There's no turning back now!!!!!
Welcome to TradGang.
bretto
Nice hog I always wanted to hunt them
good for you in putting the training wheels away and getting a real Bow and congrats on the Ground hog good shooting nice carp as well :thumbsup: :clapper: :clapper:
Welcome and congratulations! That was my very first bow as well(over 30yrs ago!) It's a great bow, like the other guys have said, it's a classic workhorse. Most bows are better than we are actually, you'll enjoy it for years to come.
:clapper: :clapper: :cool:
Welcome to the addiction Taylor.
Well done !!! :clapper:
Bill
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Enjoy your new journey, that will last a lifetime.
Very well done, bro. Whistle pigs are very challenging with trad.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats :campfire:
Nice shooting! And I have to tell you, the Grizz may not cost as much as some bows, but it is a great bow!
Tom
Trad bow shooting is not about performance.There are a lot of people here that have high end custom bows but they are not nessesarily higher performance than your grizzly.Some people use custom bows just because they want a bow that was made just for them, with certain wood combinations or grip types.Many find the grip on a grizzy perfect for them, others dont. You will find that most of us just like trad bows and any excuse to try a diffrent one or just like experimenting is part of the fun.There are many that have or have had some high dollar custom bows, still shoot and enjoy the older bows like your grizzly and some even prefer them over a custom bow.Have fun and enjoy trad shooting.Thanks for sharing and we all love hunting stories especially with pictures!
Welcome from Florida! :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Great job, no going back now! As others have said, the bow is an extension of the archer. Custom bows might have a bit more arrow speed, or a different grip, and usually more expensive wood that looks great. But in the end it is the form and focus of the person holding the bow that makes it perform well. After awhile you might look at a custom bow for a different grip that may improve your accuracy a bit, but it looks like you are shooting well already with your first bow. Enjoy what you are shooting and keep having fun, after all that is what it is all about.
Good shooting, Nice bow, Welcome to the forum
Taylor, As I said before... Save your money for arrows!!! LOL
I got back into Traditional archery back in 1996. Of course, My 2 sons had to get into it too!!! (just like Dad) Every year the boys & I would got through 4-6 dozen wood arrows, between backyard practice, 3-D, Stumping, and hunting. At about $100 a dozen, if you go through 2-3 dozen a year, that's a sizable expense!!! Not to mention "accessories" (extra string, Quiver/quivers, gloves,armguards,etc.) Then possible "hunting" purchases... (clothing, boots, stands, etc.)
Like I said, Shoot what you got, Learn what you can, You're already off to a GREAT start!!!!!
:clapper: congrats!!!!
Welcome, congrats on the kills. :campfire:
Thanks everyone ! I love hunting with a challange and im constantly trying to find ways to make things more difficult. As of now I only use traditional muzzleloaders, recruves and only handguns for firearms season. One of my coolest hunts was stalking within 12 yards of a russian boar and taking it with a single shot 54 caliber flintlock kentucky pistol. So I bet the recurve will fit right in with my hunting style. I still need to work on my form. I can put all my arrows into a pie plate out to 25-30 yards but I would like to practice out farther to build my skills. eventually I would like to be comfortable out to 55-60 yards for 3D shoots. Thanks again for all the kind words ! SS
Welcome from central Texas! Nice kills. That's a perfectly good bow you have there, you can kill anything on this continent with it.
Welcome to the other side!
My Grizzly is one of my favorite bows. You have no need to upgrade, your bow shoots right up there with most.
Groundhog hunting is my passion. I've never climbed a tree for one but I've learned a ton about quiet stalking by hunting sod poodles. If you can kill a groundhog with a stickbow you can kill anything.
Congrats!
Bisch
Congrats!
Awesome young man. I see the fever has you. Welcome to our tribe. :clapper:
SS welcome to the forum...nice shooting. :archer:
Welcome and good shooting. That grizzly is plenty enough for anything you want to hunt.
well done! And you do have a "nice bow". In my opinion anything you shoot well is nice enough...just my .02 lol
Congrats and welcome! :clapper:
Congrats sir and that griz is a sweet bow.
SS,Good on you! I would rather miss with a Trad Bow(which happens a lot)than hit a critter with a wheel. You now have a wonderful lifetime problem!
Congrats. Ground grizzlies are fun to hunt.
Awesome!!
I also hunted with x-bow and compound for many yrs. before going Trad. almost 10yrs. ago.....
Last year deer hunting, I Missed a groundhog while sitting in a treestand from about 20' up---arrow just skimmed his forehead and stuck in the ground right in front of his nose--talk about 1 freaked out 'hog :bigsmyl:
You'll be glad you switched--I know I am!