Cold turkey!!

Seems like an appropriote answer for this time of year.

I had been shooting conventional yr arround ~5 days a week for 20+ yrs. When my trad bow showed up, my conventional bows were sold immediately and I have never-ever looked backed. Never learned how to shoot a traditional bow with any compentece from 1969 -1975. The tools and info provided by TG have improved my skill several levels above my 1st trad experience. I have definately missed much.

Never understood the need or for that matter the appeal of  all that
machinery . But I guess ya gotta start somewhere . Good road your starting on now.

There is alot of bows here that are great starters go to Traditional Bows forum.I gave up compounds 2years ago and now have 5 longbows and 2 curves and love um all.You can get real quality longbow here for around 350 dollars just watch the ads..If you need help deciding what to buy just ask any of the members and let them know draw length poundage draw weight and Enjoy the ride I do.

I spent one hunting season jumping from one to another not wanting to give up a sure thing with the compound. I found myself taking the recurve out more and more. After that I just dumped everything compound related. I either sold it or gave it away. Haven't regreted it one bit.

Wish I could get rid of my bad vices that easy...

QuoteOriginally posted by Doug S:
One of things I overcame was the "What if a huge buck is out there at 35 yards question" I finally decided that I would rather have a blast...
Doug

No kidding. Every deer or elk I saw last season I could have killed with: 1)a gun or 2) a compound.

Tradition archery will offer you moments of doubt for sure.
In those moments you will discover your own path and find for yourself very personal and private reasons for sticking with it.

That is what is wonderful about the sport- only you can walk that path and the lessons learned are totally your own.

Giving up the compound is a gateway experience- there is a lot more than just different gear on the other side.

Most compound archers are never challenged in ways that would open such doors for them.


Joshua

Shoot what makes you happy. I have never been a purest in any sport when it comes to the tools of the trade. I like shooting recurves and longbows just as much as compounds. Its like shooting a flintlock one day and a inline the next. Some say one is easier to master then the other, they all take practice to produce the desired results.

Archery is archery. The same elements of form apply, it's just easier with a compound.

I, for one, found it's a fallacy that you have to give up one for the other. I 'Gave Up" on compounds for the wrong reasons before I had enough hunting experience, got really frustrated, and was ready to give up the whole foolish enterprise.
Instead I bought a good new compound, got a couple of deer and got my confidence back. I greatly prefer shooting a recurve, but I accept it's and my own limitations.

Bought one a few years back when I was having hand problems so I could keep bowhunting and used a release, but now that hand feels better, all the compound is doing is collecting dust. Nothing like shooting and hunting with a longbow.

No shame in hunting either weapon.I have freinds who are awsome hunters who shoot compounds.I beleive they also would be awsome with stick bow because they're great woodsmans.I love this challenge I have taken to take any animal with a stick and string.I still sometimes wonder about a trophy buck at 35 yrds.

I shot recurves from around 1966-1974. Then compounds until 2010.  I started dabbling with recurves again after buying a Fox High Sierra in 2001 and a Widow PSAIII in 2004. I continued to hunt with the compound though.  I just didn't want to give up half my effective range (or more).  I started converting full time in earnest 1.5 years ago.  This past fall was my first deer season with recurves since 1974.  I had a ball!  

You don't have to go cold turkey.  I still have a compound (EZ7) that I plink with. I can shoot my sighted compound and any one of my bare bow recurves in the same outing.

As I decide what I will hunt with, assuming I've gained enough effective range with the recurve (20 yards for me), I think what would I rather kill the critter with....my recurve or my compound.  Because I will feel more accomplished with the recurve, the compound stays home.

This past season I passed on one very nice buck that would have been a gimmee with the compound, but I didn't regret it for a moment.  I did get two deer and the recurve-driven arrow was every bit as deadly as the compound arrow would have been.