Do you go against the flow?

threeunder · October 18, 2012, 12:33:00 PM

Was thinking the other day about all of I've had the opportunity to learn here. The wealth of knowledge on tradgang is just incredible.
With that said there are some "concepts" in traditional archery that I find myself just not subscribing to.
My notable one is riser mass or bow mass. I know that lots of people prefer a little more mass to their bow to aid in accuracy.
That's just something that completely turns me off about a bow that weighs too much. Picking up a featherlight bow is like "ahhhh...that's why I'm here".
So, where do you "go against the flow"?

Mike Falkner · October 18, 2012, 12:37:00 PM

Traditional archery is all about what works for you and what floats your boat, not what a bunch of folks on the forums say.

BUT, there are some trends that endure because they flat work. I love the feel of a bow that's like nothing in my hand too - but, I shoot that same bow better with a bow quiver and some arrows on it. It's nothing more than physics - harder to wobble more mass off target than less mass.

So, don't drink the koolaid on something till you try it. Odds are for every person here who is "for" something, there's one "agin' it".

Paul WA · October 18, 2012, 12:39:00 PM

I am with you. I have a very weak left shoulder from dislocating it several yrs ago and when I was looking for an ILF bow the riser weight was a big factor...PR

ddauler · October 18, 2012, 12:41:00 PM

Ha I go against the flow all the time isn't that what traditionalists do? Ha. I go back and forth Black Widow Recurve, Homemade Hickory Self Bow, 21 Century Longbow. Short, Long, Heavy, Low weight, High Weight. Fun stuff!

calgarychef · October 18, 2012, 12:41:00 PM

Well what works for most bow hunters will work for me too so I usually don't go much against the flow. I'd say if anything I'm generally but not wholly against baiting. I also like pit blinds for hunting as a shovel is way cheaper than a tree stand, sadly only a few of us have learned the magic of sitting in a hole instead of in a tree. I also believe I scent reduction, although lots of folks don't. I don't argue with these folks though because I've seen the results with my own eyes.

calgarychef · October 18, 2012, 12:41:00 PM

Well what works for most bow hunters will work for me too so I usually don't go much against the flow. I'd say if anything I'm generally but not wholly against baiting. I also like pit blinds for hunting as a shovel is way cheaper than a tree stand, sadly only a few of us have learned the magic of sitting in a hole instead of in a tree. I also believe I scent reduction, although lots of folks don't. I don't argue with these folks though because I've seen the results with my own eyes.

Panzer · October 18, 2012, 12:56:00 PM

I do think more mass in the riser helps keep me steady, kind of like a heavy barreled rifle is easier for me to steady than a very light one. Having said that, I still love my featherlight Thunderstick II longbow though.

ron w · October 18, 2012, 01:08:00 PM

Me ,against the flow.....never.......

threeunder · October 18, 2012, 01:14:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by ron w:
Me ,against the flow.....never.......

That put a smile on my face Ron...LOL

bigbadjon · October 18, 2012, 01:38:00 PM

I think the only thing all of us have in common here is that we all enjoy hunting with traditional bows. I've seen quite a few heated differences of opinion.

GreyGoose · October 18, 2012, 01:47:00 PM

One of the things I've enjoyed mist since coming back to traditional bowhunting and archery is handling a light bow again. And my hands aren't big, so I prefer a smaller grip and riser. I don't think any of us shoot (our) best unless we're comfortable.

October 18, 2012, 02:58:00 PM

When you put your canoe in the river to find that undisturbed pocket full of game, always paddle upstream. Then you will know that you will be able to paddle back, after you put two deer into the canoe with you. When you are paddling in a Canadian wilderness area and you get lost, always paddle into the wind, because the wind never blows the way you need to go. When someone told me that longbows and file sharpened two blade broadheads won't kill deer for me the way they did for Howard Hill, I went out and got me a file, some Howard Hill broadheads and a longbow, just to prove him wrong, and I have been proving him wrong for 40 years.

Rob W. · October 18, 2012, 03:34:00 PM

A few years ago I would have said I'm not a wool fan but I seem to own more and more every year.

I like stainless knives over high carbon. I don't carry bino's and some swear by them. Bear and Hill bows are not my thing. But as I said a few years ago I wasen't a wool fan so things change. A few years before that I wasen't a trad bow fan either. :eek:

I do think the more I see technology advance in hunting and more people jump on the easy bandwagon it makes want to paddle a little harder against the flow. Perferably in a birch bark canoe with some good wool, a Hill bow and my high carbon blade. :D

Rob

ChuckC · October 18, 2012, 04:14:00 PM

always. .
ChuckC

Shedrock · October 18, 2012, 04:33:00 PM

Yup, camo, carbon arrows, inserts, outserts, high FOC.

I have nothing at all agaist above said stuff, I just don't think it's needed. Trad archery is supposed to be simple to me. That is why I wear plaid shirts, and shoot wood arrows with just 125 or 160 grains up front. That will bring down anything in North America.

If I ever have the $ to go somewhere to hunt Cape buff or water buff, I will use some of those really heavy heads.

Oh, I'm a double bevel guy as well.

Sam McMichael · October 18, 2012, 06:11:00 PM

Well, just being trad goes against the flow a bit, maybe a bit more with me since I never have been a compound shooter. I shoot wood arrows almost exclusively.

I don't like the cell phone, even though I carry in case of energency.

I mostly hunt alone, not that I am particulary ant-social - its just that few of my friends hunt and none are archers.

Political correctness is an abomination to be avoided more often than embraced, meaning I don't try to impress on anti-hunters the proper place of hunters in the environment. Instead, I ignore them or tell them to just leave alone. Oh, wait, maybe I am a bit anti-social after all.

I seldom follow trends in gadgets, but I will use scents some times.

wtpops · October 18, 2012, 06:20:00 PM

I go with what works for me. I am a tinkerer and will try anything once but if it doesn't work for me it goes by the wayside.

As to, mass or no mass that is the question,

I really like my Widow known for its high mass, i shoot it 90% of the time, but ill get a wild hair and shoot my ACS, it feels strange, the fist time i lift it to shoot after shooting my widow it feels like im going to throw it over my head

but i do like the light feel when i pick it up.

buckeye_hunter · October 18, 2012, 06:52:00 PM

Not many people do it, but I believe in smoking my hunting gear.

It has kept deer from picking up my walk in trail too many times for me not to believe it works. I even had video to prove it at one point.

Matt George on here can attest that it worked incredibly well for me on opening day of deer season last year. I messed up and didn't get a shot from my own error, but those deer walked the exact trail I walked on and offered me a shot. I blew it. They never knew I was there until I moved at the wrong time. That wasn't the 1st time I had that happen.

LoneWolf73 · October 18, 2012, 07:00:00 PM

Go against flow by trying lots of bows and lots of variation in poundage. Shoot both Left and Right which also cuts across the grain a bit.

reddogge · October 18, 2012, 07:46:00 PM

Up until a couple of years ago I was a dyed in the wool classic recurve shooter. Stuff that I was shooting in the mid 60s. Loved them all. Now I'm embracing the latest technology; Hoyt Buffalo, 2 ILF risers, two pair of premium ILF limbs, carbon arrows. I just enjoy it I suppose. Oh, and I like mass weight in a riser too.

I mix wearing wool, USGI camo, Vietnam tiger stripes, oddball camo here and there. I'm definitely not a purist anymore.