I have been hunting for 31 years. Most of the time with a compound bow. A few years back I went "trad". I had a great Blactail vl elite and a Schafer.I could shoot the dickens out of those two bows. I really got good out to 30yards. As good as I shot with compound.  Due to a terrible scam I fell for ( yeah I seem to trust too much, still do) I had to sell the Schafer to make up the lost for the Blacktail. It was terrible, my wife said I had to do it to put money back in bank (daughters wedding looming). So I went to my compound and shot a monster P&Y (almost B&C) 15 point non-typical whitetail. I am so tired of the pressure of Trophy, Trophy, Trophy...like not hunting certain public lands because of trophy pressure to DNR investigating and interviewing my "trophy" like a tv crime show. There were so many good deer I passed up over the years wanting the "monster"....no more....I think I really made up my mind after reading the "from the den of the old bowhunter" that traditional is my true inspiration. I love adventure and now any deer or game animal will be a true trophy with a trad bow. Plus, I can retire from teaching in 16 months and I really, really, really, want to live out west. So the longbow will be so much more of an adventure while chasing those western critters. And lighter too. The first mature whitetail I see will become my first trad trophy. Perhaps, even this fall...............

good luck this fall and welcome back to the trad camp!  

Welcome back !

I too got cought up in all the trophy crap, I have never shot a monster deer by any means, but even when I would take an average 8 point, my brain wouldn't register it as a trophy because buddies had one with much more mass or width.

I finally got my head screwed on straight and went full blown trad a few years back, now a doe will be a trophy in my mind !  Last year was the first year in many (dozens) years that I didn't get a deer, but I still enjoy the challenge & the deer I get with a trad bow will just be that much more special to me.

Dan

Sounds like you have your priorities in order, including the desire to move west! Good luck and enjoy the "hunt" without worry so much about having to kill Godzilla every time. Welcome back!

welcome back!

Welcome back!  I also was consumed by "trophy" hunting.  I now realize that the trophy is defined by HOW it was taken rather than just inches of bone.  I have been fortunate to harvest several real trophies but I get more excited stalking a doe on the ground and placing a perfectly tuned arrow in her lungs with my trad gear than I ever did shooting a 150" buck.

welcome back     and good luck with the hunting of course  you do know we need pics and a story  

Welcome back to the fun.

If one thinks about it, there are some real advantages and benefits to hunting with traditional gear and instictive shooting.  Here are just a few:

Lower overall weight, No mechanical failure potential, Quicker shot opportunities, Lower cost, Quicker followup shots, Rangefinder not needed and greater shot challenge.

For all of the above and more, I gave up hunting with my compound years ago.  Not surprisingly, many of my archery friends are now starting to do the same as well!

I'm trying to figure out when the 'lower cost' starts to kick in  

Good deal.  Good luck!

QuoteOriginally posted by centaur:
I'm trying to figure out when the 'lower cost' starts to kick in      

Me too.      

Welcome back home!!

Welcome back to the "fun" side of archery!! I envy you hinting of getting out west!

I wish I had started trad instead of a compound. I also wish I had your Schafer Bow lol. I have wanted one ever seens I started with Trad archery. I own a bunch of bows long bows and recurves sold every wheeled bow I had. I hope to have as many adventures as you have had in this great thing we call stick and string. I love the storys all of you have. I hope to have a few by the end of this deer season.