Great post Terry!

I was reading through the archived stories the other day and wishing there were more posts like them in the pow wow. My favorite threads of all time here on tradgang are the Solana ranch hunts and the Texas Sweat hunts. I love to hear about how other people hunt!  

I have a foot in both camps here though, so to speak. The guys here answered my early questions about gear and got me going in the right direction. As a college student, I don't have the cash to make an 80 dollar mistake in arrows. I trusted the people here to get me close enough that I only needed to buy once when setting up for hunting elk. As for the search function, I used it a lot before asking and all I got were more questions(which the people here answered very patiently).

With that said however, I grew up hunting with my dad and grandfather. I learned that gear only enhances the skills you have already developed. If I cannot get close to the animal I hunt, I don't get to use my high end bow and front heavy arrows. If I cannot read sign I may follow a track that is three days old. Woodsmanship is very important as a trad bow hunter and the fine people on here are happy to share their knowledge when asked. The other day JimB responded to a query of mine about hunting bears. He said not a single word about gear, and his response was as long as most essays I write for school(and immensely helpful)! I am sure it took him almost an hour to respond to my post. So hats off to all the people like JimB here on trad gang!

Terry -

If you're referring to me, I've been following this site far longer than I've been a registered member, so I wouldn't just go by when I registered. I've also dug into many old threads, and read all of this one. I think I am at least somewhat familiar with the history.

Are you really that concerned that "tech threads" might take the site over? Personally, I just don't see it.

I think most of us would like not to be offensive or post in ways the owners of Trad Gang don't want.  I for one would like to see a list of topics/content the Mods would like not to see.

That could save me a lot of time.

By choice, I'm ususally a gang of one. I turn down hunts most people would gladly pay for.  I hunt by myself most of the time. I hunt with my son or my best friend some of the time. One of the attractions for me about bowhunting has always (1970 on)been the opportunity for solitude.

Terry,I have had this conversation with others as of lately.We also noticed the trend.I see it more and more in my business.Folk tend to ask high tech questions about the bows I build.pushes a bowyer to the performance max.I also like a nice performing bow,but what about feel , accuracy ect.I even notice some bowyers getting in on the act and sounding like a mad scientist with their design.Honestly, no bowyer is reinventing the wheel.Thanks so much for bringing this subject up.

QuoteOriginally posted by Smithhammer:
Terry -
Are you really that concerned that "tech threads" might take the site over? Personally, I just don't see it.

No, I'm not....because I'm gong to personally see to it.

Terry,you are completely right! i was wondering the same thing you posted in your first post.I am findind those too much tecnical threads very boring because they come off over and over.I don't say we don't need to master and fine tune our equipment,but as trad Bowhunters it is much more important to be good hunters than shooters.
To became a better hunter is a natural and personal process full of satisfations,to be a great shot is more good for the range and more bond to the equipment than correlated with our natural skills.I plan to work in the way you rightly suggest in my future threads.To learn a lot and teach something!  

Bowwild I agree.

There is a list of off topic subjects...and I've read and try to abide by them as most of us do.

There was a post a week or so ago that discussed smaller feathers being used with higher foc arrows.

That post was closed and so were a couple of links posted that pointed to older posts discussing similar topics.

I got the "hint" that small feather discussions were "off topic".

I'm not sure if that was the intended message or if they were just too techie for this site.

I found it an interesting read.

Personally, I like a bigger rudder on my hunting arrows.

I know some of the mods have posted quite a few times of the merits of larger feathers for hunting....also judging from pics posted, there are a few mods that use low pro nanners.

I suppose what I'm saying is I'm at a point of GUESSING at which topics are acceptable.

And I watched the posts be removed...as opposed to someone that didn't notice and asked the very same questions later out of pure curiosity with no idea it might be off topic.

If there are changes to the policy I'd like to know and be able to abide by the rules.

This is a great site.

I would like to help keep it going the direction intended by the founders.

Just please give me a clear direction.

   

You are a guest in someones house, all that is asked by the host is to avoid certain topics of conversation. How many of us would go into someones house and intentionally make the host uncomfortable?

I like what you're doing Terry.

Thanks Terry. I support you 100%.  

Terry, I really have no right to post on this topic as new as I am to this site but here goes. Thank you!!! I try to follow the rules you have set and I'm sure you will let me know if I stray. Hopefully that will never happen. Keep up the good work, your passion shows!!! Enough said.

Zradix,
Thanks for reminding me of the "list" by RD. I have looked at that before. I just looked at it again.  Whew!!  I haven't made any of those types of posts.

My posts have ranged from scouting, biology, hunting and hunter data, to yep...absolute details about the specifications of various bows and matter-of-fact comparisons of these bows.

Of course certain words such as "compound" are difficult to keep completely out of a post, especially when someone is asking for advice about how to make the transition back or to recurves, longbows, or self-bows.

Just as some folks don't like to read posts about arrow spine or extending effective range, there are some types of threads that I can't stand.  I just cruise on by those.

I agree to some extent. I am a fairly new member, but like many others, I have spent countless hours on the site prior to joining up. I do understand Terry's concern for the site straying away from the initial vision and purpose. Like some of the other posters have mentioned, if you are new to traditional archery or just getting back to it (as is the case with me after a 15 year wheelie/gun pursuit), the equipment/setup threads are invaluable for filling in the gaps that cannot be gleaned from books and magazines. It was through the input from many of the folks on this site that I was able to put together a properly tuned setup so I COULD focus on my faults rather than diagnosing problems with equipment. The way I have things put together now rules out every issue narrowing accuracy problems down to the true problem....shooting form...which again Terry's "Clock" method and other tips have helped out significantly.

I think the way the site is structured is excellent....those that are seeking the hunting strategy/advice, bow building tech tips, or just want to "shoot the bull" about traditional archery can go striaght to the section without wading through random posts to get the info they need. I like having the option to study someones' strategy or setup in pursuing South Carolina Hogs when that is what I am looking for, but a huge gap would be felt if I could not go this page and also see if someone out there has worked through an issue with a certain bow/arrow/draw weight combination that I am dealing with. I think that there is a balance between the two.

Most likely the source of the issue is the fact that through busy work schedules, kids, military deployments, 12 hours of darkness etc....we cannot be hunting or shooting all of the times that we want to...so we tinker with our gear and want to talk to others about....tinkering with our gear....so that when we do get out to do the things that we love we CAN focus on what is truly important...learning the woods, the animals, perfecting the shooter at the range rather than fighting and fixing equipment.

You guys do an awesome job keeping this site in the realm that it is intended and Trad Gang is one of the only reasons I get "online" in the first place but I would not enjoy the experience nearly as much if I could not come here and share ALL aspects of hunting-focused traditional archery. Thanks for a great service and site!

I suspect new technology has been a topic of discussion among hunters since the first rock was thrown to kill dinner.  Why not just set up a "Traditional Technology Discussion" forum for those who want to discuss those issues within the context of stick and string shooting (non-compound)?  While I rarely wade through any post more than two pages long, I occasionally do find the conversations about how to gain .000043 fps (or the ubiquitous "I don't care about speed but..") conversation, while not very practical, somewhat entertaining at times.

Thanks Terry, traditional bow hunting is what this site is all about. The voice of the members is the " checks and balances " which will keep it just that. I believe for this site the spirit of " traditional " will always rule, thankfully for the efforts of you and all who understand what that spirit is.      

Terry, I'm 100% with you.

I don't exactly call what we have as traditional gear that trad. Almost everyone on here is shooting bows with glass in them, a lot aren't shooting wood arrows, and a decent amount have fast flight strings (and so do compounds). So I think unless you define trad as being stuck in the 1950's boom of bowhunting, most of what is trad isn't that different from all these tech talks people are bringing up.

Crucify me for posting this but we all have different definitions of trad and i think we lost a few good threads lately that I would call pertinent to being "trad"

QuoteOriginally posted by Bishop:
You are a guest in someones house, all that is asked by the host is to avoid certain topics of conversation. How many of us would go into someones house and intentionally make the host uncomfortable?

I like what you're doing Terry.

Good point Bishop and I agree I will keep my thoughts to myself on this from now on.

This has, inadvertently, been one of the most educational threads I've read on this forum in some time. Thanks to all who've weighed in.

May our worlds continue to be full of ideas we don't agree with, for the alternative is truly frightening.

Terry- I am not quite sure the threads you are speaking about. Actually- I appreciate some of the equip discussion as many of us have no one to compare notes with. Further, I really do think there are many young guys out there getting into trad that have no idea where to begin.  So- some equip/performance discussion is really helpful.

Could some of those discussions be place in a different area besides POW Wow? Could it be an area with resource/tutorial/article type info where questions can be asked, but no debate. Hate to see the wealth of info (beside arguing!!) lost.
A young generation needs mentors!

Dan

Dan...this is not about the fundamentals....I've tried and tried in this thread earlier to state that.  This IS the place to learn how and where to start....that is NOT the problem. Just look at Rob D's Signature...or at the top of the PowWow...the basics are always welcome here.  We aren't shunning anyone away from the basic fundamentals.  Never have and never will.