How long have you been hunting with a trad bow, and can you summarize what makes you a better hunter today than you were when you started?

Long time, over 50 years....Instruction and advice from those shooting better than I.  Also, it is more a daily activity instead of an occasional thought.  It is more than fun when you hit the target

I have also been bowhunting over 50 years starting with small game as a kid.  I think when I started practicing shooting from odd positions and through brush, it helped me be a better game shot.  As for being a better hunter, that's kind of a trade off.  I understand the game better but I can't see or hear as well.

Not a better hunter. But instead of buying guns and reloading all the time I'm buying bows and making arrows all the time. Might be a bit more patient about taking the shot.

Been bowhunting over 60 years,more patience and enjoying every opportunity that happens to come along.

Composure and overall enjoyment!!

learned to relax and enjoy my time out there.

but I've came along way since 1986 when I ordered my first catalog bow and didn't have a clue how to hunt deer.

I took my first buck in 1972, but basically took off the rest 1970's. Reading books by Gene Wensel, Fred Asbel, Roger Rothhaar has taught me a lot.

I enjoy being in the woods, trying to figure out animals especially bigger bucks. I have watched a lot of deer from my tree stands.

My only regret in the last 5 years or so was passing up a 5X5 whitetail at 12 yards in my shooting lane.  In my mind I still can see him swinging his antlers side to side as he stood there. Why? because there was a very nice 20"er
in the proximity. I have yet to see one that nice since.

I think setting specific goals has helped me quite a bit.

I have learned to slow down and smell the roses.  I don't kill more, but I have better hunts. Retiring from a fairly stressful job a year ago helped me (finally. .  it took quite a while to happen) slow down in my whole life.  I kinda like it.
ChuckC

1. Have more successfully developed and implemented ever changing strategies, depending on the possible situations, to position me well w /me my effective range versus being positioned at the outer limits and gray areas.

2. Recognizing, identifying, acknowledging and firmly holding to the established effective range for a given situation.

3. Enhanced absorption of enjoyment at every close encounter that is not targeted quarry.

4. Greater focus on the spot and improved anticipation of animal movements on targeted animals. It is becoming a more common occurrence, once a targeted animal has been ascertained, that I only ever see a very small section of the targeted quarry, unless concerned with animal tension, before executing a shot.

Superb question Archie.

I've actually thought about this a lot since I started trad hunting.

I'm a ground hunter and do very little hunting from popup blinds.  So, nearly every time I'm in the field, I'm choosing a stand site.  I've become much more aware of trail location, silhouetting, wind direction, etc.

The perfect set up for me is down wind, a few yards off a trail, at the point where a deer will stop for a moment to scan a field or more open area before entering.  When they stop for that moment to look for danger, the perfect stand location will allow me to shoot at that point.  Their attention is focused on looking for danger in the area they are going and aren't as focused on what is right beside of them (me!).

QuoteOriginally posted by ChuckC:
I have learned to slow down and smell the roses.  I don't kill more, but I have better hunts. Retiring from a fairly stressful job a year ago helped me (finally. .  it took quite a while to happen) slow down in my whole life.  I kinda like it.
ChuckC

Yep. I don't have to put meat in the freezer to be successful. Every day above ground is a blessing, and I love to immerse myself in the high country.

Started in 1967........now I have more patience, I need it to spend more time in the woods. All my hunts are better now.

Mellowing and slowing down with age has made me more patient.  Its still hard to sit still for very long but I'm much improved.  When younger I succumbed to wanderlust and curiosity and often found my hunting expeditions turning into explorations.  That cost me many opportunities but even so had it's own rewards.

47 yrs....more knowledge and more patience.

A lot of responses from seasoned veterans, so I will chime in with a (relative) newbie response.

Since going all trad, I have learned to learn.  Every single moment in the woods or on the range or at the workbench is an opportunity to learn something new.  Becoming acquainted  this site has been a very valuable tool.

I have learned that there is no teacher like the woods that we hunt, and the animals that we hunt.  I latch onto and cherish each moment I spend afield.  Watching young deer come charging headlong down a trail with little concern, and getting stone cold busted by a wise old doe....I learn!!!!  I hope to never stop taking new knowledge out of the woods every time I am lucky enough to spend time there.

LEARN!!!!  Knowledge is out greatest tool.

Jake

Patience. Perseverance. Determination. Attempting to get game within my self-imposed limit of 15 yards, and then passing shots when the angle was wrong, has taught me a lot. It's been five years since I killed my last deer, but I'm excited about a new season and a new opportunity!

Off and on with a bow since the 1970's. A lot with the bow since the 1980's. Exclusively with the bow the last 17 years. Knowledge and patience for me too are the things I have improved upon. Still, I am not overly knowledgeable nor especially patient, but I am making progress.

The older I got the more patient I got and the more game I seen. Also the more I enjoyed the hunt no matter if there was any game taken or not.
Each hunt each day is a gift.

Over twenty years now, but I take more time with the shot, and with everything else.  I have nothing but time, no need to hurry.