Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Mike Bolin on August 31, 2024, 11:23:26 AM
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After talking with several trad shooters in different parts of the US, I was surprised that many of them don't shoot 3D shoots. All but a couple of those guys have 3D courses in their area and most have attended a shoot or two. The majority of them prefer stump shooting/roving as their preferred method to practice. I found that odd as the group of guys I shoot with try to hit a 3D shoot at least a couple of times a month.
I ask this question because I have found my desire to attend 3Ds is not near as strong as it has been in the past. I am sure that my age and shoulder issues play a part in that, but I do enjoy just wandering around the back woodlot by myself, picking out a leaf, clump of dirt or even a shadow and sending a judo point on it'
s way. Maybe I'm becoming anti-social, but it's so much more peaceful and relaxing shooting by myself.
Not looking for an answer per say, just something I was pondering on a rainy Saturday morning. A point of interest to me is that 3 of the most successful whitetail hunters I know (well known throughout the hunting community) have only shot a couple of 3Ds in their 60+ years of shooting. I asked one of them why he didn't attend shoots and he said that shooting around a bunch of people wasn't fun for him. I guess it's a matter of different strokes for different folks!>>>------>
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I find it to be more productive and beneficial for me to prepare for hunting by roving/stump shooting. It combines scouting, locating new blind locations due to the ever increasing amount of blow downs and snapped off tree tops. As well as the time to just sit, observe, and let life slow down a bit. The solitude makes it much easier for me to focus on the shot. I've noticed that when I practice with friends I don't shoot nearly as well, it's not due to nervousness. I just find it difficult to concentrate. I guess it's hard for me to tune out people.
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I’ve been seriously shooting bows since I was 13 or so. I was in a league for two years. That helped me developed a good release, so that part was good but I just don’t enjoy the competitive part of it I guess.
Not afraid to shoot around other people as the last year I shot in the league I was the only recurve guy shooting with compound guys.
I almost shot a 3D course this summer, but just too much other stuff on my plate. I am thinking seriously about trying one next year.
But really, it is not high on my list of things to do. Practicing and stump shooting is what I really enjoy the most. Besides hunting of course.
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Stump shooting is my preference, but I don't have easy or relatively close access to places to do it so I do attend quite a few 3-D shoots. Before 3-D, archery clubs would sponsor broadhead shoots that involved shooting at cardboard animal silhouettes placed in front of dirt or sand bunkers. I prefer that to 3-D as well, but few clubs offer such shoots anymore.
Difficult to say whether overall interest in 3-D shots is increasing or waning. Don't seem to be as many folks at any one shoot anymore. On the other hand, a lot more clubs are offering trad only 3-D shoots so there are a lot more (often competing)choices available.
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The events I attend seem to be doing well in the attendance arena. I don't know how much shooting the attendees are doing or if they are more there to socialize and shop.
I enjoy shooting the 3d events but am typically not as motivated after long days of selling and short nights of socializing.
The events are a great thing for meeting new friends and promoting traditional archery. Anybody can stay reclusive and stump shoot.. it takes effort to support.
bigJim
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I really enjoy the 3D shoots. There are not many local at all any more so a buddy or 2 will travel with me to some of the bigger ones close enough for us to make. Make 5-6 hours drive for a multi day event. I just like shooting them.
But I regard any shooting as practice so as summer goes on I switch to roaming the woods shooting at leaves and such to practice, plus the fact the most shoots we do are in the spring and early summer.
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Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy the 3D shoots, especially Cloverdale. It’s just that they aren’t a priority anymore. The thing that I am most interested by is that 3 of the best hunters I know don’t care to shoot at the 3D shoots. They attend for the fellowship, conversation and the food, but have no interest in shooting.
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I enjoy 3D shoots for what they really are, target shoots. I used to subscribe to the “practice for hunting “ theory but today’s 3D has outgrown that idea. I really never got into stump shooting for lack of a place and the unfriendly terrain I deal with. It is also illegal to shoot Cactus here. Unfortunately we don’t have the amount of clubs here like we used to so any 3D shoots are a must for me.
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I’m retired.
Most of my day is just me and the pup since my bride still works.
I enjoy the fellowship of the shoots as it helps keep me from going feral.
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I've never really cared to be around a bunch of people when I shoot. Unless I make a real effort to block them out, they intrude.
I'd rather shoot stumps, or my own targets, and that way I can visualize them as hunting shots much more easily in my head. I like moving through the woods or fields as if I'm hunting for real.
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I enjoy seeing friends at the 3D shoots and I go to quite a few. I enjoy more shooting at an old NFAA course with bales instead of 3D targets. A handful of us will shoot at whatever happens to be on the bale, many times balloons will be the target and we normally shoot brushy shots that are more what you have hunting. Also shooting stumps and such is more fun to me than 3D if I can find another shooter to compete with.
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I enjoy events like Compton more than just 3D shoots. I've always preferred just shooting by myself or with a friend or two. Have always by nature been a very competitive personality, but trad archery/hunting is for me an intensely personal pursuit, and I'm not the same at a 3D shoot around others as I am when alone. Seems like I've only been to perhaps four or five 3D shoots in 20 years.
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My bowhunting mentor (now sadly deceased) and I got in hot water at a shoot where we placed the 3-D targets in the woodlots beside the cleared shooting lanes . . . so archers had to take cover and branches into account. They eventually pretty much evicted traditional bow shooters, especially wood arrow users, from the club. We were not allowed to "practice on the outdoor targets". Because we "left too large a hole in the targets and the glue-on points came off in the bales and foam."
It didn't help when I stated at a club meeting: "I never leave points in targets . . . I dig them out with a knife." :biglaugh:
The good news is that that, plus the furniture company whose 6,000 acres previously open to hunters but now divided into hunting leases, inspired my wife & I to buy a home with 20 acres of woods on a hilltop surrounded by lots more woods and few posted signs.
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Mike you remember all those mugs we used to shoot with 2 nights a week in Tulsa? Then we’d hit 3D shoots on the weekend? You know how many of those guys I talk to now? None. No clue what happened but everyone went their own ways, died, quit shooting or something or other. But used to be, we rolled up to a 3D shoot in 3 packed vehicles, and had a blast. I’d love to do that again but to me, those shoots just aren’t as fun by myself. I need someone there to verbally abuse me and tell me it’s my turn to pull arrows. I can shoot targets by myself in my backyard, but I liked 3D events to have fun with the guys.
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Cam, we had a lot of fun! Doesn't seem like it's been that long ago, but it's pushing 20 years now. That was the longest duration that I worked out of state and the furthest from home. Meeting up with you guys kept me sane! We need to make a plan to get together sometime. I will be heading out to Tulsa to visit my brother sometime early next year. I'll message you once I come up with a date.
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Mike you remember all those mugs we used to shoot with 2 nights a week in Tulsa? Then we’d hit 3D shoots on the weekend? You know how many of those guys I talk to now? None. No clue what happened but everyone went their own ways, died, quit shooting or something or other. But used to be, we rolled up to a 3D shoot in 3 packed vehicles, and had a blast. I’d love to do that again but to me, those shoots just aren’t as fun by myself. I need someone there to verbally abuse me and tell me it’s my turn to pull arrows. I can shoot targets by myself in my backyard, but I liked 3D events to have fun with the guys.
That pretty much sums it up for me too. I shot with the same two guys for more than ten years, with usually a couple of extra guys tagging along too. So with 5 guys on the average, we had plenty of guys for mutual harassment and it was always a lot of fun. But nothing's forever, and now neither of the two regulars nor many of the occasionals still shoot. There are a few younger guys I shoot with occasionally, but nothing like before.
As far as practice is concerned, I go to my club with my dog just about every morning and get more high quality practice at less cost, time, and wear and tear on my truck than going to a 3D event. But I do miss the socialization.
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Being able to tune out your buddies when getting ready to take a shot is good practice for concentrating and not letting outside mess with you.
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I used to shoot 3D fanatically. Loved it. I still enjoy it but enjoy crowds less n less.
Fortunately my is club part of a multi club group putting on 3D events all summer and leaves out the course for members. I go on off weekends. That’s my favorite type shoot now. Alone mostly, maybe my girl or a friend, a styk, string and mushroom bag.
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There's a group of us that shoot on Tuesday nights every week in the summer and I absolutely love it. Just a group of old timers and a couple of us younger guys sprinkled in. I enjoy my time with those guys and I know they ain't gonna be around forever. I hope someone continues to run it when they're gone but I just don't see the interest in enough young people around here. I think 3d shoots will be a thing of the past except for wheel bows.
That being said, I often find myself taking my 3d shooting way too seriously and my accuracy suffers. I'm competing against myself, and expect myself to shoot well on every shot. It simply isn't possible. One way I've overcome this is to just focus on form when shooting and forget about the score.
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Hunting, stump shooting , 3d. They all have a different flavor and are very good Days. Here's a stumping picture the bow on the right is mine, bow on the left belongs to my good friend John Tussing of JT traditional archery.
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Here it is
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I go to every shoot I can I never get tired of them . I have friends from around the state and its where we gather , its good practice you learn alot from others, great comradery .
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I went to a shoot this morning. Lots of folks taking advantage of the cooler temps and blue skies! My buddy and I arrived a few minutes late and ended up shooting by ourselves. There were 8 other guys form our group, the Grumpy Old Archers that shot together, but with the large crowd there, we opted to shoot on our own. Had a great time and shot well. Larger groups let the two of us shoot thru and we were done with the 32 target course in less than 2 hours. It was a good confidence builder going into the deer season and it will be the last #D I will be able to shoot this year. Ladder stand in the back woodlot and my old beat-up deer target, along with some judos and leaf clumps from now until October. Have a great and safe hunting season!>>>------->
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I like going to 3D shoots, as long as they're trad only shoots. I went to a shoot recently that included compounds and it just sucked all the fun out of it. Out here in the Rockies we don't have as many as back east, and they're smaller so it seems like a tight knit group of trad shooters. Always a lot of fun.
But I really like stump shooting too. I do most of it when I'm scouting pre-season, and while I'm hunting, just to stay tuned up.
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After talking with several trad shooters in different parts of the US, I was surprised that many of them don't shoot 3D shoots. All but a couple of those guys have 3D courses in their area and most have attended a shoot or two. The majority of them prefer stump shooting/roving as their preferred method to practice. I found that odd as the group of guys I shoot with try to hit a 3D shoot at least a couple of times a month.
I ask this question because I have found my desire to attend 3Ds is not near as strong as it has been in the past. I am sure that my age and shoulder issues play a part in that, but I do enjoy just wandering around the back woodlot by myself, picking out a leaf, clump of dirt or even a shadow and sending a judo point on it'
s way. Maybe I'm becoming anti-social, but it's so much more peaceful and relaxing shooting by myself.
Not looking for an answer per say, just something I was pondering on a rainy Saturday morning. A point of interest to me is that 3 of the most successful whitetail hunters I know (well known throughout the hunting community) have only shot a couple of 3Ds in their 60+ years of shooting. I asked one of them why he didn't attend shoots and he said that shooting around a bunch of people wasn't fun for him. I guess it's a matter of different strokes for different folks!>>>------>
It is funny because I've gotten to be the exact opposite. I would rather go shoot 3d any day these days over going hunting. I love the outdoors and love seeing animals but I've lost the desire to "have" to shoot any animal recently. I get depressed every fall when 3d season ends.
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I like going to 3D shoots, as long as they're trad only shoots. I went to a shoot recently that included compounds and it just sucked all the fun out of it. Out here in the Rockies we don't have as many as back east, and they're smaller so it seems like a tight knit group of trad shooters. Always a lot of fun.
But I really like stump shooting too. I do most of it when I'm scouting pre-season, and while I'm hunting, just to stay tuned up.
As someone who also shoots compound and is looking to start putting on 3d shoots what part of having compound shooters there sucks the fun out of it for you?
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Jason, traditional shooters like to shoot. For us to go to a shoot and wait on a compound guy to fool with all his equipment, chairs, umbrellas, range finders, binoculars, etc. is more than most of us can take. Also, they are just so competitive, it doesn't seem like they are having fun.
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Jason, traditional shooters like to shoot. For us to go to a shoot and wait on a compound guy to fool with all his equipment, chairs, umbrellas, range finders, binoculars, etc. is more than most of us can take. Also, they are just so competitive, it doesn't seem like they are having fun.
Here in Az all the trad shooters go out first at all the 3d shoots. They never have to wait on anyone really and rarely do they even see each other more than just in passing so I guess that’s never been an issue I’ve had to deal with.
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Cam, we had a lot of fun! Doesn't seem like it's been that long ago, but it's pushing 20 years now. That was the longest duration that I worked out of state and the furthest from home. Meeting up with you guys kept me sane! We need to make a plan to get together sometime. I will be heading out to Tulsa to visit my brother sometime early next year. I'll message you once I come up with a date.
Mike, you just let me know. Bring your bow too. Right now my lease and my land has lots of hog activity. We can plan ahead and I can make sure i keep em baited up. But you know how that can be. If nothing else, there’s a year round 3D course on Lake Eufaula that we can wear ourselves out on for $10. You got my phone number I believe?
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Cam, I'll shoot you a text, I still have a number, but not sure if it's current.>>>------->
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I like going to 3D shoots, as long as they're trad only shoots. I went to a shoot recently that included compounds and it just sucked all the fun out of it. Out here in the Rockies we don't have as many as back east, and they're smaller so it seems like a tight knit group of trad shooters. Always a lot of fun.
But I really like stump shooting too. I do most of it when I'm scouting pre-season, and while I'm hunting, just to stay tuned up.
As someone who also shoots compound and is looking to start putting on 3d shoots what part of having compound shooters there sucks the fun out of it for you?
I agree with what Gordon said, too competitive and too much reliance on gadgets and technology. They were constantly arguing amongst themselves about who's range finder was the most accurate, or who's LED sight pins were the brightest in low light, or who had the best latest greatest arrow launching machine. And if their shot wasn't perfect, it was something wrong with their equipment and certainly not their lack of skill as an archer.
So yeah, it got old quick, and sucked all the fun out of it.
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I used to shoot a lot of 3D for many years. Back in the early 90’s on the west coast it was primarily a compound bow game, and you rarely saw traditional archers at theses shoots. Originally my hunting partners and I used this as practice for hunting, and rarely shot from the stakes or kept score at all. We would side step into the brush or trees to create realistic hunting shots that were more challenging, and to learn your bows trajectory…. Do you shoot over that branch? Or under it? What happens shooting through a fern or small leafs to hit your target? It was good training and we didn’t use range finders at all.
Then I got the competition bug, and started spending all winter shooting indoors to fine tune my accuracy. I bought a light weight 60# competition bow that I could shoot 200 arrows a day with and became deadly accurate with it clear out to 80-100 yards. I shot the IBO circuit for a few years with some incredible archers and rubbed shoulders with national champs on occasion… it wasn’t hunting at all, but it was incredibly good training. I harvested a lot of animals with my compound bows before something snapped inside me one year. I could shoot 100 yards more accurately than most guys could with a rifle, but the animals can move before the arrow gets there….
I had a nice bull elk that was laying down 80 yards away. Wide open shot, and I took my time setting up just like I did shooting 3D competition. The moment I let the arrow fly, the bull stood up, and the arrow stuck in the ground at his feet…. The bull didn’t even move except to sniff the arrow and then look around a bit….Something snapped inside me that moment…. I could have easily nocked another arrow and shot again, but instead I plopped down on my butt and laid down my bow… I was done with it. I watched that bull for another 20 minutes, then walked away…
That was the year I got into traditional archery, and I’ve never gone back. I did a bit of competition with my trad bows, but never really got back into it. We do not have all that many traditional archery clubs out here in the west, but there are a few clubs. The 3D events I attend have dwindled over the years to practically nothing now…. Kirk
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Rereading my original post and the replies that followed it became clear to me that at least part of the reason I have lost interest in 3Ds is the compound shooters. I don't have any issues at all if someone choses to shoot a compound...some of my best friends are compound shooters.
All of the local shoots cater to the compound crowd as is to be expected as there are more guys shooting compounds. Most of the time (not all, but most) our group of Grumpy Old Archers will number from 5 to 10 shooters. We will break into groups of no more than 5 shooters. Most of the time we will catch up with a group of compounders even though they may have been 3 or 4 targets ahead of us. Very seldom have they offered to let us shoot through. We've even been told that if we were in a hurry, we should've got there earlier! This past weekend we shot a local range, and the conditions were beautiful...cool temps, low humidity, light breeze and blue skies. Maybe it was the weather, but every group we caught up with offered to let us shoot through! A few even asked questions about our bows and complimented us on our dedication to to "doing it the hard way"! It made for a very pleasant day.>>>----->
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I still very much like to shoot 3D shoots. I only have a couple buddies who share that interest and one of them was in a bad accident years ago so is unable to navigate much rough terrain. I'm the same as mentioned above about the compound shooters taking the enjoyment out of it for me so we stick to the large traditional shoots. I've always wanted to shoot the Rinehart 100 but have never done so knowing about the time spent waiting on each target. That will suck the life out of you. I have many times passed up groups of compound guys with their blessing and made sure we didn't miss any to waste their time while looking for arrows. But at some shoots it doesn't matter as there is no place to go with groups all stacked dup.
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I'm lucky, my archery club is 20 minutes from my home and we have a 30 position 3D course with at least two rineharts at every position so I shoot 3D every Sunday. We have actual 3D shoots too. I think 3D helps me be a better hunter picking out where to aim etc.