More economy than anything else. I just got back into trad over the last two years. Love it.

I agree with TrapperDave.

I have to agree with it being directly related to the economy. In years past it was not uncommon for our group of shooters to a hit a shoot every weekend from April until Sept......sometimes a couple per weekend. We probably don't average one per month now. As mentioned in an earlier post, I get on tradgang to share shooting tips and hunting stories and shoot in the backyard. I do make Cloverdale and do my best to hit Compton every year! Mike

Seemed to be a "big Growth Spurt" in the 90's but seems to have leveled off, perhaps even declined, judging by the number of traditonalist I see attending 3D shoots, and some Major Trad. Events.   In the past few years attendence seems to me to be about 1/2 what it was in the 90's. There will always be a significant group of traditionalists.--I just don't ever see it being really large-- most people perfer the easy and fast way and their focus is more on results rather than process.  You'll always have way, way ,more speed boats, jet skis, and compound shooters, than you'll have canoeists, sailors and traditionl Bowman. People just choose the quick and easy most of the time. But there will always be canoeists, sailors and traditional bowman-- who "GET IT"--they know that the slower simpler way, is the most rewarding because the connection to nature is more complete.  The fast tech. way actually creates barriers to making this connection. Traditional archery will survive because the flame is always being handed down to family and friends.  T.V. hunting shows -are sponsored by the high tech. market and thats whatis permoted and so thats what the vast majority  people buy into.  It just kills me when I hear one of these guys say," Today were going after em w/ a 'stick and string'."  Then he pulls out an arrow launching machine , cams  wheels,cables, etc."  Are they really that delusional? I roll over laughing every time I hear it. Its like some guy thinking his jet ski is a canoe.  Really I have no prob. w/ compounds (though they hold no fascination for me) and if others like 'em , fine-- but Stick&Sting"  Come on- You're killing me, just killing me. LOL

I think with the cost of ammo, and the political climate, bows are going to get real popular.

i agree with chuck  very very well said chuck A+A+A+!!!!

Here in SE Wisconsin we have a bunch of very active archery clubs.  All have open 3-D shoots, and I shoot about 3 dozen of those shoots per year.  Some are trad only.  I don't know of any that are compound only; they all welcome trad shooters.

Seems to me that there's been GROWTH, substantial growth, in the trad sector over the past 2 or 3 years.

Mark

The stick and string/cams cables comment made me think of "On Golden Pond".

The kid runs up to the canoe and says "Wow! A real canoe just like the Indians!"

and the old man says "Actually I think the Indians used a different grade of aluminum."

An aquaintance who is a dealer, and had been selling mostly compounds reports that he is now selling as many Trad bows as compounds, and has started a weekly shoot just for his Trad customers.
He would say Trad shooting is growing, and judging by the activity at our club I would agree.

I think the sport may still be growing slowly, but one thing that certainly has grown is the number of traditional events.   Twenty years ago, my buddies and I would go out of our way to to go to a traditional event because they were special.  Now there is one every weekend so we rarely go.   Down here in GA or little TBG shoots used to draw a hundred folks, and now they draw forty, but the club has as many members as ever.

I can remember in the 90's showing up to a 3-D shot and I was the only one in the traditional class, if they had a class. Now it seems there's always a half a dozen or more. If any thing I think even the compound guys aren't showing up in the numbers they used to. Maybe it the times, maybe its the money!!

Maybe it's the perception.  Maybe 8^).

Every day I have new interest from wheel shooters,CTAS has over 300 shooters every year and each year moreshow up. Don't think its dying out. I see more and more 18 to30 year olds getting set up with trad gear. Dick

probably. Todays society promotes products that are easy and disposible to use. (Think razors among other products)Just the way of the world

Actually, the growth of traditional archery will continue, even if overall growth of archery wanes.   People can only take so much of "hold it on the spot and squeeze the trigger/release, before it becomes blase'.    Everyday, on these forums, we are seeing new folks asking the same old questions: "What brace?"   "What kind of rest....weight.....length, etc.?"  
Try to find a camping spot at ETAR on first Friday of the shoot, then think about the question again.