I have had the oppertunity to shoot a 80-90 lb doe a couple times this week, and had passed. I have shot alot of deer when I had my training wheels, but nothing with my recurve. I have to admit I was VERY close to taking a shot last night. What stopped me was that I have gotten some critisim with some people close to me, saying that " I will be back to the compound after I miss one, and they think I'm nuts going traditional" I am not worried about missing, just the size of the animal.. just want it to be a adult at least. I think everything is a trophy, and have taken yearlings before.But taking a yearling to these guys would just fuel the fire by them  saying " yeh, but its not an adult deer" What they don't realize is how decitated I  have become to traditional archery. I went to the locally archery range yesterday and shot, and it was great to say the least, i have never had this much fun. It to me is the journey, sure there will be misses no doubt, that doesnt matter. What matters to me is the experiences that occur,  the " trophies " is just icing on the cake. Which leads me to my question, How big was your first traditional harvest?

QuoteOriginally posted by frassettor:
 I am not worried about missing, just the size of the animal.. just want it to be a adult at least. I think everything is a trophy, and have taken yearlings before.But taking a yearling to these guys would just fuel the fire by them  saying " yeh, but its not an adult deer" What they don't realize is how decitated I  have become to traditional archery.

What matters to me is the experiences that occur,  the " trophies " is just icing on the cake.  

Does it really matter what they think?   I think the big issue here is how much you want to impress your friends with your traditional shooting/hunting ability instead of it being a personal accomplishment to take the deer that is a trophy to you. To heck with what they think of it.  Anyways, smaller deer are harder to hit...and taste better:) If you get a chance at any deer that you consider a trophy take it. Someday a really big one will come along. Enjoy it for what it is meant to be...fun, not a competition.  The day I start hunting to impress other people is the day I go back to a compound. Yuck!   Matt

After two seasons, I'm still deerless with trad gear.    

My first deer with trad equipment was about a 90# doe...pleased as punch to have had her too...this was after approx a hundred and fifty or so deer taken with compound, rifle, and handgun. Heck, I like to hunt deer with my stickbow...and I like to kill deer with my stickbow...I like to eat deer...considering the small numbers of shooter bucks that survive our local 2 1/2 month rifle season, I've become a consummate "doe killer" and not sorry for it a bit neither    

Enjoy the hunt, take the animal when your heart says too. Sad that your "friends" would have such childish criticism...you may find that you will begin seperating youself from those that don't understand your choice. Rest easy though, there's a whole board full us who do understand "why" right here  

Hey man shoot what you wanna shoot and who cares what the others might say. That's why I call them training wheels because they seem to reflect the immaturity of many that use them. I personally don't care what a person hunts with as long as they are open minded enough to realize that some of us are not about trophies and pissing contests. I don't have any idea how big or small my first deer was with my recurve many many years ago but I do vaguely remember after butchering and deboning I ended up with somewhere around 75lbs of meat.
Oh yeah, welcome to TradGang!

mmgrode, If I wanted to impress my friends I would have stayed with the compound. What you said is 100% true, it doesnt matter what they think, it is a trophy in my book, I will take it next time! I went to traditional for me. Nicely said though  

Thanks JC

Dude, be your own man.

I shoot what the Good Lord blesses me with.  No questions asked.  Here's my first trad deer:

 

 Here\\'s the Story

There you go. You have to decide if you're hunting for you or an audience. The only person you truly have to please is yourself so long as everything is legal. If they really give you a hard time, hand them your bow and say if you think it's so easy, you do it.    

IMHO,, Very well said, JC. Be a trophy hunter only in you want but you're missing a lot of fun, eating, and the knowledge that comes from every deer you harvest, that can be applied, when that big un' shows up...Don

Thanks for putting things in perspective guys! I have always hunted for me, unfortunaly the people I was reffering to were the land owners! Private land is hard to come by now days>

Amen John! Whenever I hear any kind of "superior equipment" ribbing from friends, I just smile and say "Don't be jealous..."

EXACTLY,,,Vermonster and John. Well Said also.

just stay true to yourself, that is all that matters. The shows on cable and the magazine articles try to make hunting into a spectator sport, that attracts those who want accolades for all their accomplishments. When we evolve past the killer stage, there is something deeper that can be derived from the experience. A deer taken by YOUR OWN standards, whether it is with a stick bow or not, should not be held to the scrutiny of anyone else. You are the only one that you have to please. Shoot straight, chickenman

It's funny, I remember a land owner were I hunted who was a die hard rifle hunter. He always gave me a hard time when he saw me with my bow. I could only shoot does off his place and I would always fill all my tags.

After a while he started asking questions about my bows and I even got him to shoot some at the house when he would stop bye.

Well guess what he is a bow hunter now and has been for years except he is still using training wheels so I get to give him a hard time now.  

My first was an adult doe here in TX. 80 #s max. LOL  Don't let peer pressure destroy your hunt.  Shoot the doe and enjoy the maturing process of going trad.  They will get it someday.

Mike

QuoteOriginally posted by frassettor:
 I have always hunted for me, unfortunaly the people I was reffering to were the land owners! Private land is hard to come by now days>

Sounds like we kinda misinterpreted some of your "they"... Having the landlords pressure you to shoot "different" deer kinda puts a kink in wanting to be your own man, huh?

Good luck with that..maybe just educating them can help... if they've got some sort of feeling that they got too many deer, I've heard the argument that killin a mature doe takes out 2 offspring per year where a yearling is seen as just it or at most a single fawn next spring...

Peace and patience wins that race for ya hopefully!  

About 80lbs. I'd rather have all my deer be small ones taken with tradbows than rack bucks taken with anything else.

My first trad deer harvest is in my avatar.  I was watching a large buck hazing some does during the rut and this guy circled them and passed by within five yards.  Mighty good eating.  

I had missed a 12 pointer in the same area about two weeks earlier within ten yards.  Shot at the deer instead of a spot and you guessed it, right over his back.

Most of the bowhunters I know who shoot compounds don't razz me about my choice of homemade BBO bow and bamboo/rivercane arrows.  From the questions they ask I think some of them may be just a little more than envious.

Dennis

who cares what your "friends" think! Yearlings are far and away the absolute best eating....and aint that what it's all about? It is for me, I'm not on some ego trip trying to impress anyone, just getting some good healthy venison to feed the family instead of fatty steroid pumped beef.

This aint Hollywood  :D