This is my year

[txcookie]

This year I am going to 100% devote my self to my recurve! I feel that the greatest hunting accomplishment is a whitetail with trade gear. This is something I have never done in 20 years of bowhunting.I will practice daily and shoot 3d with my recurve. My stands will be set specifically for my traditional bow. I will develop the skills needed to take a deer with 100% confidence at 20 yards. I will have the discipline to wait for that shot. This year will not be about how many but rather how I take my deer. I have never taken a deer with and string, but have decided that tag soup is a risk I'm willing too take.

[Shadowhnter]

You are going to find out, its not as "awful/tough" as you migh think. Yes its a challenge,  but just realize thousands of deer are taken with trad gear every year, and at one time all archery deer were taken with stick bows. Soon, it will just become deer hunting to you, and you'll forget all about the fact you are carrying a stick.

[FlintNSteel]

Originally posted by txcookie:
This year will not be about how many but rather how I take my deer. ...have decided that tag soup is a risk I'm willing too take.

While you probably won't have to eat tag soup, I think your last few sentences are just as important as what you said before that about practice, practice, practice and confidence.  You will enjoy a lot more with the mindset you stated.

My congrats to you on your commitment, and best wishes to you.  Deer season?  What about small game or varmits before that???    

[BWallace10327]

On your new quest, try to avoid couterfactural thinking, IE; I would have had a shot at that deer if I would have had my compound, and similar ideas.

[Buckeye1977]

Originally posted by BWallace10327:
On your new quest, try to avoid couterfactural thinking, IE; I would have had a shot at that deer if I would have had my compound, and similar ideas.

X2

Just FYI, I have shot a bunch of deer, and I can only remember a few as far as 20yds. Set up for closer, like 12-15yds, and you will find it much easier to reach that goal!

And good luck! I hope you attain that goal.

Bisch

[MnFn]

I like the way you are thinking Chris.  Good luck on your quest!

[Michael Arnette]

Originally posted by Shadowhnter:
You are going to find out, its not as "awful/tough" as you migh think. Yes its a challenge,  but just realize thousands of deer are taken with trad gear every year, and at one time all archery deer were taken with stick bows. Soon, it will just become deer hunting to you, and you'll forget all about the fact you are carrying a stick.

...Says the guy from Kansas LOL. It gets a lot tougher when you hunt pressured animals you find in most southern states.

[crazynate]

I'm the same as Bisch. I have shot  many deer but I can't say to many were over 18 yards. Hope you get one though. It's a fun challenge. I

[highlow]

Hey Michael. You want to hunt pressured deer. Try a couple of weeks in NJ.      

[Trenton G.]

Awesome, good luck!

I remember when I decided to hunt strictly with a longbow. My dad and all his buddies thought I was crazy (they still do) but I've had a ton of fun. You won't regret it!

[CRM_95]

Good luck!! I hope it all comes together for you.

[Captain*Kirk]

I think you are on the right track.
I've found since switching to trad that filling the freezer is no longer my primary goal. Enjoying the hunt is. FWIW, I've never had more close encounters and face-offs with deer, eyeball-to-eyeball (on the ground, no less!) than with a trad bow. I can always stop by the grocery store on the way home and pick up a couple steaks, but the trad hunting experience...priceless!

[DanielB89]

want pressured deer?  ....try Louisiana...

[newhouse114]

The last animal I killed with wheels was at 7 yards. I had hunted all season with trad gear and for my last opportunity of the season I caved and carried the beast. Found the elk in the timber at dusk, couldn't use my sights, had to shoot instinctive! The shot I had been waiting for all season with my recurve and wasted it with a wheel bow! The recurve will do anything the compound will, just a little slower and closer!

[DHOWARD]

Congratulations on your commitment.  

I tried my best to be committed to traditional gear last season and failed.  Don't do as I did an cheat when you go on a trip out of state or late season hunting gets tough.  I think being successful with traditional gear is based on several things.
 
1. Number of deer on your property.  More animals more opportunities.

2. Amount of pressure by other hunters.  Alabama deer are looking in every tree by the time gun season starts.

3. Be committed to succeed or fail without changing gear.

4. Scouting with more detail than you ever have before.  This is important once the mass crop has disappeared.

5. Forget about the size of the horns and remember what your goal is.  Don't be to selective on your first deer.

I failed to accomplish my goal of my first deer with my trad bow due to not following the items above.  I cheated and took my compound on my trip to KY and then took it to the stand later in the season when I didn't feel like I could get inside the 20yd window on spooky AL deer.  I did have opportunities early season and let the trophy mentality over rule what I wanted to accomplish.  Several times late season I had deer within 15yds and had not taken my trad gear to the stand.  I did end up taking the largest whitetail of my life with a bow last season and wished every second that it would have been with my traditional gear.

I will be fully committed next season...
I hope my failure will help you succeed.

Good Luck...

[txcookie]

This was all started by shooting a round of 3d with a guy using a recurve. He had alot more fun than I did. I am just over the modern archery community. Every 3d shooter thinks they are a pro and has their bows so rigged up its silly. The trad guys just seem to have fun still.

That said when it comes to hunting I use a bow for a personal since of accomplishment. This yr I literally racked by bow the second the rifle seasons started and filled my freezer with my ML and bolt rifles. Just didnt really care to break the bow out at all.

Hopefully the recurve can bring back my passion for bow hunting.

[Captain*Kirk]

Originally posted by txcookie:
This was all started by shooting a round of 3d with a guy using a recurve. He had alot more fun than I did. I am just over the modern archery community. Every 3d shooter thinks they are a pro and has their bows so rigged up its silly. The trad guys just seem to have fun still.


Hopefully the recurve can bring back my passion for bow hunting.

Exactly what happened to me and a lot of others. When your $1200.00 investment is completely obsolete after two years, it makes you think. My favorite target bow (Bear Tamerlane) was built when I was still in grade school (1969) and shoots like a dream. Technology...who needs it?

[JakeD]

I went completely with my recurve last year and don't regret it one bit. I sold my compound after I started shooting my recurve last summer and never looked back. If you really want to commit to it, that's one way to do it. I had nothing to use but a recurve, but I enjoyed it so much more. I ended up killing a doe on Halloween, and made a bad hit (non lethal) on a doe in january right at the end of season. It was really enjoyable and I have a longbow added to my arsenal. Just be prepared, it gets addicting.

[mgf]

It's hard for me to relate to the issue. I shoot and hunt with recurves and longbows because that's what I like.

I started with a compound on the advice of the few bowhunters I knew at the time. I never liked it and it didn't take me long to switch to a stick bow. That was over 30 years ago.