Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Bama Recurve on March 01, 2010, 07:48:00 PM

Title: Young Guns
Post by: Bama Recurve on March 01, 2010, 07:48:00 PM
I'm a 22 year old college student attending The University of Alabama. I know a lot of guys and girls that love to hunt, but i can't think of one person my age who shares the same interests that I have about traditional bowhunting. A lot of guys laugh when they see my weapon of choice, however many say that i must be a bada$$ to hunt with a stickbow. Either way I'm the only one around my age using one.
  So to solve this problem ya'll older guys need to live a lot longer where the very few young guns can have people to share their stories with.

Tyler
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: Craig Schoneberg on March 01, 2010, 07:56:00 PM
Tyler,
Keep looking, you'll find others your age who share your interest. Try some area 3D shoots.
Good luck.
Craig
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: Chris Shelton on March 01, 2010, 07:58:00 PM
jeeze you old fart I am only 18, lol.  My buddy is another I have also transformed, he is 17.  And between the two of us we have sparked the interest in alot of others that go to our little school(actually my old high school), so you are not alone.  But we are defiantly few and far between.  I am one of a kind.  I only know of one other fella that is doing what I am doing(self filming) and he is in his 30's!!!
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: poison arrow on March 01, 2010, 08:12:00 PM
I know how you feel. We need to listen to the Old Timers too. Sometimes they know what they're talking about........Cheers
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: GMMAT on March 01, 2010, 09:18:00 PM
There's a young(er) shooter in my area who "just" took up traditional archery/trad. hunting.  I gotta tell you.....he's one freakin' dead-eye shot.  

Makes me feel good to see these things.  The future is alive an well.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: K. Mogensen on March 01, 2010, 09:31:00 PM
I'm only 15. Know one other kid who shoots archery, and he's ALL about compound. He smokes that stuff. It's nice being different though.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: Cmane07 on March 01, 2010, 09:34:00 PM
I'm 21 and am going to college and then hopefully dental school. I have one other buddy who is 24 who shoots a little traditional but other than that everybody else is all wheel bows including my dad. When I first started in August they all picked on me but when I killed 3 deer during bow season they started to respect me a little more ha they now just think its really cool but too difficult to try themselves which is crazy
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: Maxximusgrind on March 01, 2010, 09:36:00 PM
A hunting Buddy and I got checked by the game warden on our way out of the woods.When he looked in the back,He got a funny look on his face and walked around and asked "whats with the longbow".I said"well sir,its bow season".
 Its not just traditional bowhunters of any one age that are hard to find.We are all pretty wierd according to some people,but thats O.K. by me.
  Robert
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: JAG on March 01, 2010, 09:41:00 PM
Tyler, give me a pm and I'll hook you up with some of my old friends, in your area.  One teaches for Sheldon State, and the other works for UA.
Johnny/JAG
Also the ASTB holds shoots over at Tannehill State Park, not too far from you.  You can hook up with alot of good folks there.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: Chris O on March 01, 2010, 09:58:00 PM
23 here and going to school for physical therapy. Keep looking, I'm sure there's more people in your area that you just don't know about.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: Al Natural on March 01, 2010, 10:02:00 PM
Every day I try to introduce hunters to traditional archery.  I'm lucky to have a job as a Conservation Officer in the state of Indiana. Every time I put on a Hunter Ed. course the best feed back I get is from the students is about selfbows. It doesn't matter about the age of the student.  Everyone is intersted in how you can build a bow from a tree.  It has been the best part of my classes for the past 18 years.  You might want to introduce them into trying to build their own bow.  I can't explain the feeling of taking an animal with equipment you have built from nature.
Al
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: FerretWYO on March 01, 2010, 10:08:00 PM
I am 27 and know what it is like. There are a few other younger people around here that shoot traditional but not many.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: tradhunter1 on March 01, 2010, 10:16:00 PM
Hang in there guys. keep going to the shoots with any friend that carries a bow be it compound or traditional. Just urge your friends with the wheels to try your bow. The more you get them to shoot it the more they get that idea this might be my thing. I have 2 friends i converted this way it took a couple of years but it worked.

Good luck and remember its about the fun.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: JEJ on March 01, 2010, 10:20:00 PM
Does this ole baby boomer good to see these youngest TGers out there. You teens and twentysomethings have a lifetime of just downright cool things to look forward to as you move along the traditional bowhunting trail. As you pass some of us geezers along the way, stop and talk. We are all walking on the path that Ishi and our earlier brothers blazed for us.
  :archer:
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: Tyler2045 on March 01, 2010, 10:28:00 PM
22 Sunday in Oxford Ms.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: ALABOWHUNTER on March 01, 2010, 10:33:00 PM
Tyler,

BHA has 3D shoots almost every weekend somewhere in the state. there is one next weekend in blount county nere oneonta.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: LimbLover on March 01, 2010, 11:18:00 PM
I just turned 28 and at first I thought the same as you. It seemed like everyone was shooting compounds.

Then..I found the right range and it took a lot of calling to find one with traditional guys. After meeting one guy I met another. He knew of a few more, etc, etc.

Now I've got a family of about 15 people to shoot with, many of them are getting to be close friends.

It just happens. Ask around. Post something at your university. Start a club! A local range may sponsor you or something - give you range time at a discount.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: eman614 on March 01, 2010, 11:47:00 PM
i'll be 25 this june. my cousin(18) shoots trad most of the time, and my sisters boyfriend and his buddy are both 20 and they are trad only. also trying to get my little bro into it. he's 12 and been to to several 3d shoots with me. guess i just got lucky with the folks around me.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: Roy Steele on March 02, 2010, 12:21:00 AM
25 Years ago my friend thought I was crazy to put down my eagle after shooting a compound for 11 years.And went to a recuve.Some of my friends had never held one.But after 5 years and 10 bucks.I got 3 little helpers.
  Then I betraded them and started building and hunting with selfbows.Then my friends though I had really lost it.No one even knew what a selfbow was.
  20 years later 33 bucks with selfbows out of a dozzen friends 8 now shoot tradional.1 selfbower I guess there just scared to get that far back.
  What I'M SAYING is make your own trails.I have for all my life.Never liked walking in some one else's boot print's.Looks like you've already started and havn't even realized it.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: Joey Doidge on March 02, 2010, 12:27:00 AM
Im 18 and it seems like i might be the only trad archer in california under twenty, and one of a handful under thirty. But what i have come to realize is that those "old guys" were once our age, and one day we will be theirs. Eventually it will be our turn to raise the standard, and sheperd in the next generation; but until then i am content to sit around the campfire and soak up all the information they give like a sponge. More trad archers are bound to pop out whether they just picked up a bow, made the switch from compound, or moved into the area; but until they do i try to remember that a young archer can be replaced but each of our elders with all their knowledge and experience are one of a kind, so enjoy the time you have left with them. Plus i find that despite their age their often alot better competition, hahaha.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: tradtusker on March 02, 2010, 12:41:00 AM
22 here Been involved in hunting for a long time, almost all my hunting friends are much older, but i really dont even think about age, i dont even think about what bow they choose to use.
We Hunt hard and have fun.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: FerretWYO on March 02, 2010, 01:02:00 AM
Quote
Originally posted by tradtusker:
almost all my hunting friends are much older, but i really dont even think about age, i dont even think about what bow they choose to use.
We Hunt hard and have fun.
I think that says very well right there. Well stated Andy.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: natale.donald on March 02, 2010, 01:08:00 AM
I'm 25 years and have been shooting "barebow" for the better part of 20 of them according to the family albums.  I've been shooting "trad" in the PSU archery club since about 2004 and have been the only one in all that time.  

For the past several years I have been shooting beautiful 1971 40# Hoyt pro medalist.  I bought my first new "trad" take-down bow earlier this year.  A Samick, and it performs.

I'd eat my hat if I could find anyone who wanted to shoot "trad" at the club or go roving.

-Don

P.S. As a side note I kind of hate adding "trad" or "barebow" to describe the style of shooting which thousands of years of human history just calls "archery".  As far as I'm concerned if you're doing something out of step with the last several thousand years YOU add the qualifiers.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: GRINCH on March 02, 2010, 01:20:00 AM
we have alot of trad shooters in southern alabama and northwest florida,keep looking you'll find company.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: kbetts on March 02, 2010, 08:28:00 AM
I guess I'm on the other side of "young" at 33.  That being said, I feel better than I did at 23.  I started with a t/d longbow about 10 years ago.  After missing the same deer twice at less than 15 yds. and another a couple of days later, I gave it up for a while.  I decided I just wasn't ready.  In reality, I had no one to show me the ropes and could have lessened the learning curve.  
A year ago I bought a lightly used Black Widow and haven't looked back.  I started shooting seriously last winter.  I have some very die hard hunting friends and they had many, many things to say about me using a stick bow........especially since I told them I was going to start by taking a turkey.  Most of those comments aren't proper to post. LOL
One turkey (Delawares' first by trad) and two deer later, a couple have bought recurves.
The one I am most proud of, however, is my younger brother.  He's in his mid 20's and has never had the desire to shoot wheels.  He hasn't taken any big game yet, but he's ahead of me on rabbits.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: LITTLEBIGMAN on March 02, 2010, 09:06:00 AM
Through this sight I have had the extreme pleasure of getting to know 2 fine young men and traditional hunters. Andy Ivy and Adam Gherke. Traditional archery isn't for everybody.  BUT the friends you make are life long and occasionally you will convert someone just by your example alone. I have been Trad only since 1985, The friend's I've made aren't numerous but I'd not change a single thing! Hang in there young guys, we need your energy and enthusiasm! ( not to mention your backs for carrying out our game)
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: fortpeck_longbow on March 02, 2010, 09:12:00 AM
Im 22 and have been doing this all my life.
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: Raging Water on March 02, 2010, 09:39:00 AM
I started this thread a while back. Lots of good info from our Senior Bowmen. Take a look.

Senior Bowmen!!! Young Bucks want your stories and advice!!


 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=085143;p=1
Title: Re: Young Guns
Post by: Gray Buffalo on March 02, 2010, 10:22:00 AM
The Buffalo Tongue Traditional Bow Hunters is a group of traditional shooters. We have about 33 members that range from 13 to 74 years of age. I can tell you for sure a shooting partner doesn’t have to be young and some times these old forts can help you in your pursuit of knowledge.