I'm setting up a pig hunt this upcoming March in California. I got in contact with one of the local pro shop guys to try to get some info on the area and i told him i would be bringing my recurve.

he responded,    

Quote"I would strongly suggest you NOT use a recurve; the energy is insufficient to provide a good pass-through shot with a big broadhead and lost animals are highly possible.  I spoke to the man who set up and ran the archery program on Tejon Ranch for six years and he saw NO animals recovered shot with either a longbow or recurve.  This open country with thick brush patches and private land adjacent makes recovering a hog difficult or impossible if they don't go down right away.  I've lost animals with a fast compound."

what do you guys have to say??

i would have to say that guy should not be running or working in a pro shop, he has no idea what hes talking about.

And i think this gentleman is trying to give me sound advice. I have just seen so many cases to the contrary on this site.

Ignore him. Get your information elsewhere.  Obviously he's not that well informed and you really don't want, or need, more useless information.

Oh, and take him a picture of your pig when you're done.  But in the mean time, if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't be dealing with him.  No telling what other kind of foolish advice he might give.

Heck do a search on  Tejon Ranch.  I remember quite a few stories here with hero pics.

Mike

Find another guide?
Seriously, hogs sure are tough, but you know the facts. Look at the photos on this site. Everything from squirrels to elephants are taken with trad bows. Heck I killed two bison. 25 yard recovery on the first, 75 on the second.  Sounds like some of those trad guys were lousy shots.

Of course the energy is sufficient if you are using a proper bow...no matter what kind.  You wouldnt get good penetration out of a 30# compound either.
Foolish statement by that guy.

I guess I've done the impossible!

He sounds clueless. Find another guide.

And then when you've dropped your hog, send this guy a pic.

I don't think I'd want that fella for a guide! It seems it would be better to have someone who has a better appreciation /understanding of the gear you'll be using.

Seriously-what do you expect from a 'pro shop' anyway?

Why don't you print out the latest 'big hog' thread with all the pics n proof....and sent if to him?

This is what I have to say to the guy                        , yeah pull up the threads where Pat B was killing Big Hogs with his 45 lbs Mohawk and send them to the guy .

I guess the recurve and longbow were so ineffective that they were used for THOUSANDS of years by hunters and warriors. Seems like some generations don't know the history of this GREAT way of life!!!

What's that comedian say "here's your sign"

Ask Pat how many Hog-zillas he has killed with his SparrowHawk.

Last year myself and 3 friends went hog hunitng with trad gear.  Everyone killed their hogs fast with double lung shots, one recurve and two longbows. My hog was 250 pounds and the arrow was hung up on the off side by the fletches from a 17 yard shot.  My bow was a Twotracks longwalker 53 pounds with a 4 blade Zwickey.

Trad gear is just as effective as anything else.  A good hit will kill the hog cleanly, a poor one likely will not.

Bob.

You can't fix stupid.

It's about them not being hit in the right place, not the power of the bow.  If you don't hit the heart/lungs, they can go and go and go to the thickest brush around.  The vitals on a hog are small, low, and forward.  Easy to shoot too high or too far back.  They won't bleed much, so it is very difficult to blood trail them.  His "fast compound" or trad bows not having enough power isn't the problem.  It's not hitting the pig in the right spot to kill it......

Really?  There are those few compound shooters that simply will say anything to discourage the use of real archery equipment.

Real impressive expertise on his behalf...  

My reaction is the same as when I read an ad for a hog hunt...and it said "Bowhunters with handgun backup ONLY!"

In my opinion Pro Shops are usually run by guys full of themselves and with darn little reason.