Keeping it simple?

[Scott J. Williams]

Things have really been hectic at work lately.  Haven't been able to shoot as much as I would like to, on call this weekend, which prevents me from driving the 4 hundred mile round trip to pick up things from last years lease.  

In spite of the fact that the season is just a short time away, and the place we will be hunting still needs a lot of work, I find myself checking the post, past and present.

I am greatly encouraged by the number of new members that we have at the "gang".  Such a wealth of knowledge regarding Traditional Bowhunting, has never been brought together in one place at one time in the History of Bowhunting.  Bold statement, but one that I think is tough to refute.  

I often wonder what it would be like to start out in traditional bowhunting with no foundation.  This would be a great placed to go, or would it?  In my vocation, Law Enforcement, particularly in training,  I have seen "Information Overload".  It is simply having access to so much information that one can not hope to find what they need to get what they want.

It is a fact that most of the information is good, given with good intentions, and works for the people who are providing it.  As I scan all of the information, the the technical jargon, I am reminded why I chose to return to Traditional Bowhunting.  I came back because of it's "simplicity".

While we can describe what we do in very technical terms, getting into force draw, impact, energy formulas, and so forth.  Let us not forget that we are shooting a bow, which should be, at least in my mind for the pleasure of the act itself.  

We talk in glowing platitudes(spelling)regarding the way we do it the hard way,  but are we making it harder than it really needs to be?  Keeping it simple?  Sometimes I am not so sure, and I am as guilty as the next person.

Let's not get lost in the science of the process, to the point where we forget the important thing.  That we enjoy this wonderful thing, called Traditional Bowhunting.  The flight of the arrow, and while most of us will never become as skilled as we would like to, we can still enjoy what we do.

I guess keeping it simple begins in the mind and heart. Just something that was on my mind, wanted to bounce it off the "Gang" wall and see if others have had thoughts similar.

[sticknstring_AK]

Nice post.  That's why I took up trad archery, it's pretty much a stick and a string if you think about it.  

I didn't feel like getting all sorts of equipment just to maintain a wheel bow.  Sure they don't got the speed of a wheel bow, but they make you a more efficient hunter.  

Hunting is not a sport in my eyes, it's a passion.  I kill animals because I hunt them, I don't hunt animals to kill them.  And antler soup doesn't go well with toast.

Steve

[Terry Green]

Nice post Scott.

I learned a WHOLE lot about what I need and what I don't need when I shot that 2000# Buff. (70# Longbow - 630 grain arrow - 175 grain head)

I know that if you which from a compound to a trad bow, you loose a lot of techical baggage, and I for one like to keep my pack light.

I don't like anything 'extreme' as there's also another word out there that means the same thing......boarderline.

I like a good 'Healthy' set up.....and that's really all one needs to kill bout anything.

[TomK]

Well said indeed.

[Peachey]

Very good, every now and then we all need to step back and look at what we are doing. Thanks for sharing.

[Pluck Yew]

You know..I'm a wanna be bowyer..so I'll spend hours on end reading as much info as I can.. I was just telling my wife last night about how technical and daunting bow building can be..some of the post I've been reading lately seem to have made me see how really little  I know about bow making..so I'm working on a self bow right now ..

     

Shawn...

[Kyodai]

Nice post.  I feel like I can give a slightly different perspective, being a relative newcomer (returning after a 12 year break).

  My family is from Hawaii, but we have a strong Japanese heritage that I have kept in touch with.  I gave up the compound, it felt to me as if I were making the decision to work on the "man" instead of the weapon.  The return to simplicity in equipment means that most of the variables become a question of the self, rather than the technology.  And, as my grandfather used to say, nothing is more complex than that which appears simple...and nothing looks as simple as oneself.

I'm not discounting the complexity going into the building of a good bow though!  To me, it's like the art of forging a Katana.  The art, heart and soul of the craftsman is passed, from his hand to ours, to become an extension of us and to help shape our experiences in life.

  This site has been an absolute gold mine for me.  And while there IS a TON of information, if you are willing to put in your time (and use the search function) it's possible to get what you need without overloading oneself.

  Scott, I have read that you are into other Martial Arts.  We have that in common (22 years studying for me--and I still don't know nuttin' lol).  Bruce Lee said it best when discussing the process of learning the Arts:

"When you first begin, a punch is just a punch, a kick is just a kick.  Then you begin to realize the subtleties and complexities of all these things.  A punch becomes more than a punch; a kick more than a kick.  With enough practice, these become automatic, and a punch is just a punch...a kick just a kick."

Again, forgive my psuedo-zen rambling here, but your post really made me think.  Thanks for that.

Spencer

[Mark Baker]

Keeping it simple is my "creedo".  

I think in terms of hunting for sure, simple allows the man to immerse himself fully into the experience, and that is the magical essence of hunting with a stick and string.

From a gear perspective, it's human nature to fret about all the details, and that's Okay for some.  Like Terry says, I like to know that I have gear, primitive though it may be, that is more than adequate for the task....and that allows me to go afield without that "worry" factor.  

For newcomers, wading through the BS, and striving for efficiency in your settup should be priority one....and then their is no substitute for taking what one learns and applying it in practice.   There is indeed a lot of great info and resources here, for all of us to draw on, but it still takes a good eye, common sense, and field knowledge to make good choices and judgements....and the process of sorting it all out is the fun stuff!

[frassettor]

Originally posted by Terry Green:

I like a good 'Healthy' set up.....and that's really all one needs to kill bout anything. [/QB]

Well said!!