Recently on a trip through mid-Michigan I had the opportunity to stop at an archery store that was in the area.
I was eager to visit the store as I was needing some supplies. As I entered I was greeted by a man that was behind the counter who was tending to some customers that were going to see his "live deer" exhibit.
I said hello and looked over the store, noticing that there was an indoor range and that there were a couple of recurves hanging on the wall.
I approached the counter and asked the man if he had any traditional equipment, he asked "Like recurves and stuff?" I told him that I was looking for some heavier 2 blade broad heads for my longbow and he said to me, "Oh, you're one of those guys", then proceeded to tell me about the archery group that he was in, and that he could bust a 10 ring at 60 yards consistently. He continued to compare me with Olympic archers saying that they had 3 foot stabilizers on their bows to make them more accurate, seemingly intent on starting an argument with me on traditional vs. compound equipment.
Maybe age is creeping in on me, but I was happy to inform him that I had my day with compounds, and that I wasn't interested in busting lifesavers at 60 yards anymore. I told him that I was happy going "Backwards" , and that I enjoyed taking a dozen cedar shafts from beginning, to completed hunting arrows,  or the carbons that I now use that are perfectly tuned for my longbow (Thanks for the help Charlie). He looked at me like I had 2 heads and couldn't understand why I chose traditional over compounds.
I looked over the store for a few more moments, then thanked him as I left, content in the knowledge that I am one of "Those guys"

hey, ME TOO!

I am proud to be "one of those guys" who has learned that traditional equipment puts fun back in archery; instead of the frustration that I found with gadgets that make me able to hit a golf ball at fifty yards. And for me, I will take fun over frustration any day.

   

so the 3 foot stabilizers make the recurves more accurate then the fancy sights and scopes? or an i misreading?

Hang in there Keith.  You know where you heart is.

Understand completely, have been for a long time.

I see it way to often. I once walked into a very well known shop in my area with my Stick in hand and a young fellow behind the counter asked how I thought I was ethical with my choice of equipment. I went on to tell him to retrieve his head from his dairy air and think about his question? Some people have tunnel vision for sure.

Want to see panic in their eyes? Observe todays compound shooter who has dropped his bow, banged the sights while out hunting, or have a part come loose in the middle of nowhere. Their 'ethics' or shooting accuracy is suddenly in jeopardy. Something I don't want to be part of, so much equipment based disaster.

Next time tell them we are just taking a different path to hunt. You go your way, I'll go mine.    

I could go on and on about this subject but Instead I'm just going to say I'm proud of what I can do with my longbow and recurve.  And your right there is something about making your own arrows with the smell of the cedar, and i love to sharpen my broadheads, it just makes a person feel confident. So I guess I'm one of those guys to!    

I started with a recurve/longbow, went over to the "dark side" for a number of years and have come to my roots. Man does it feel good!!

We were bowhunting in PA in the 70s and everything was going great. Then when the compound was legalized (against plenty of objections) within one year recurves were dropped from all the local hunting supply stores. No longbows were in shops then it had been all recurves for many years by then. I could not find a string in 1998 for a recurve but things like Swickeys were still around in stores for years as well as aluminum and glass arrows. Wood was not common either at that time. Wood and Longbows became more popular a little later. We went straight to working through the mail using ads in bowhunter magazine at first. I think some parts of the country had a steadier supply of traditional but this was southeast PA and Nj - we were isolated through the 80s - PBS and  Traditional Bowhunter Magazine really pulled customers and suppliers together by early 90s and never had a supply problem since. Thinking about it now I don't think I have ever gone into a store to buy hunting supplies since 1980 ??

When he said "oh, you're one of those guys", you should have replied "yes, Obi Wan, the virgin is strong with this one". LOL

I really enjoy being "one of those guys"! The guy's I work with give me grief all the time. I just smile and go on.

Good answer BTW!

Jason

Trad is a mindset and not many people have it these days, or at least they aren't in it full-tilt.  For everything from clothes to bows (and arrows), the stuff one uses and how they use it reflects on how far into the mindset they've "regressed" (and by the way, I use that term with admiration).  Those living in the world of selfbows and dogwood shoot arrows that they make themselves with little more than a sharp rock have, I think, earned the right to laugh at the rest of us who think of ourselves as somehow better than the compound crowd...even as we use our metal adjustable weight ILF-limbed hybrid target bows, polycarbonate arrows and battery-powered hunting gadgets.  Frankly, given that we readily accept this kind of gear, and considering the widespread and (IMO) very odd perspective that ANY non-compound bow (or arrow) is 'traditional', I'm surprised that the salespeople behind the counter don't embrace, rather than ridicule, stickbow hunters these days.  Truth is, in terms of gear and in the collective sense (as a group) we really aren't all that far from the compound crowd in how we practice "trad".  Some say being trad doesn't matter to them, they just shoot what they want.  I don't believe that (or why would they keep coming to and commenting on sites like this one), but in any case the differences in perspectives on archery, combined with most archers' stubborn refusal to establish/accept REASONABLE boundaries of where 'trad' starts and stops, makes encounters about gear not all that uncommon, especially within our own ranks.  Too bad really, but it is what it is.        

I just don't get why someone has to feel, in their own minds, that they are superior because they have chosen the path they are on. If we aren't shooting a compound then we just aren't with it, that we are the ones who are missing something. The really surprising thing is that the majority of the wheelie guys have never even tried shooting a stickbow. But yet they can tell us what we should be doing. It is a mindset that is more and more common in many areas of life.

To be honest with you, I have encountered more respect than ridicule from bowhunters that use a compound bow.

Amen, brother!! I'm proud to be one of those guys.

QuoteOriginally posted by snag:
I just don't get why someone has to feel, in their own minds, that they are superior because they have chosen the path they are on. If we aren't shooting a compound then we just aren't with it, that we are the ones who are missing something. The really surprising thing is that the majority of the wheelie guys have never even tried shooting a stickbow. But yet they can tell us what we should be doing. It is a mindset that is more and more common in many areas of life.

aahhh... I agree with you... and remember guys... this does go both ways though.

I guess we are all "One of those guys". I know that I am! Don't let people bother you their choice of Compounds and sights,etc. Mabe they can outshoot us with their releases, Let off and sights. But who is having more fun? We are. We can enjoy shooting and hunting the "Hard Way."