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Author Topic: What A Mess!  (Read 916 times)

Offline unregistered

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What A Mess!
« on: March 04, 2010, 04:03:00 AM »
Couln`t sleep felt like writing. Any offense is not intentional. Just damn bored.

What A Mess!
              By Justin Black

  My 2006 Antlered Whitetail tag went unused for a measly three hours. There was no effort or skill involved in the kill. I simply walked out to my Grandfathers timothy field at first light and blasted a foolish eight point who had tarried to long in his search for munchies. I had mixed emotions about the kill. On one hand I was glad to have the venison. On the other I was damned disappointed at how easy it had been. Was this the hunt I had waited for so impatiently these past months? I decided that it was not. Something needed to change...
  And that my friends is why I picked up the bow. Like many others I looked into compounds first. But they seemed so complicated. I am a man of very few talents, and the maintenance of anything mechanical is usually beyond me.  I wanted something simple, something straightforward. So I bought a Recurve. Little did I know the mess I had gotten myself into.
 
   What is this mess I allude to? Well you see my friends, the simple stick and string really isn’t all that simple. Nor is it complicated. Its just plain old difficult! I dove into the world of traditional archery with the humble intention of limiting my means of take. As of now I have yet to take anything bigger than a Woodchuck.
  You see one does not become a successful traditional archer overnight. No it takes many weeks (or years as is my pitiful case) to achieve even the most basic skills required to prevail in this most principled of pursuits. Where does one begin you may ask? Well most people agree that the first objective of any archer is to choose a bow that fits their individual needs. I myself am on bow number five (my wife says I have commitment issues), so I am afraid I cannot offer much advice on that issue.
  Now you must choose arrows. This can be quite a problematical affair.  For you see the choice of arrow material is often seen as a declaration of your view of what’s “traditional“. If you choose wood you may be considered elitist and snooty. If you choose carbon you may be seen as too progressive and perhaps even untraditional. If you choose aluminium then your cheap.  I prefer to be thought of as cheap.
  But your arrow troubles don’t end there. Now you enter the world of that oft used acronym “FOC”.  I will not dwell long on this subject as I have yet to fully understand its application. Lets just say after reading articles on this subject I often find myself becoming dizzy and a little cross-eyed. I recommend you find a individual fluent in both physics and voodoo to explain it to you.
  Then I have been told one must master the basics of good form in order to build consistent methods of practice.  However once a field I often find myself forced to abandon those practiced principles. Why? Well lets see you try to maintain good form while trying to slip an arrow through a hole in the brush that is only visible while leaning backwards standing on one foot! Some folks claim to be able to do it. I think their Deer are just dumber than the ones that I hunt.
  You must also pick a shooting style, and there are many to choose from. These include gap, split vision, string walking, instinctive etc.  Each has their own following and therein lies another delicate decision. As was the case with arrows you will often find yourself branded depending on which style you choose. Some folks will even accuse you of cheating! I myself have tried all of those listed above. Still can’t shoot well past fifteen yards. So I decided I would just tell folks what they want to hear. If they shoot gap, then I shoot gap. If they shoot instinctive then I shoot instinctive. If they string walk, then they are cheaters! Ha!
  And I shall not even bother discussing subjects like broadhead choice, arrow weight, draw weights, sharpening techniques,camo, and the mother of all squabbles: ETHICS! So you see my friends, I did indeed get myself into quite a mess.

Online rastaman

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2010, 06:11:00 AM »
Hey Justin!  You really need to get outside and shoot your bow or something!  Cabin fever is running rampant all over the world right now it seems!   :)   Remember, it is all part of the journey...YOUR journey.  No one elses.   Hang in there!
TGMM Family of the Bow

                                                   :archer:                                               

Randy Keene
"Life is precious and so are you."  Marley Keene

Offline onewhohasfun

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2010, 06:17:00 AM »
K.I.S.S.
Tom

Offline pcappy08

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2010, 08:31:00 AM »
what onewhohasfun said!  :archer:
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Offline D. Key

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2010, 08:55:00 AM »
Keep at it.  It will come together.
"Pick-A-Spot"

Doug Key

Offline jacobsladder

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #5 on: March 04, 2010, 09:21:00 AM »
As long as you enjoy shooting your bow and don't mind coming out of the woods empty handed then you will be a successful traditional archer.
TGMM Family of the Bow

"There's a race of men that dont fit in, A race that can't stay still; So they break the hearts of kith and kin, And they roam the world at will"  Robert Service

Offline Mudd

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #6 on: March 04, 2010, 09:25:00 AM »
Great read! Thanks for the insight... one that we've all faced or in my case still face even though I've been at this a little longer. I can only admit to being a slow learner or just enjoy trying out just about anything.. except mastering the building of arrows. Have I ever told you? "I hate building arrows!"...lol

Keep at it.. I will too!

God bless,Mudd
Trying to make a difference
Psalm 37:4
Roy L "Mudd" Williams
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Archery isn't something I do, it's who I am!
The road to "Sherwood" makes for an awesome journey.

Offline LITTLEBIGMAN

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #7 on: March 04, 2010, 09:38:00 AM »
whoa! try to just enjoy your self. If you're not having fun, ask yourself. Is it me or is it me?
Make a life, not a living

Offline unregistered

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #8 on: March 04, 2010, 09:50:00 AM »
Not to much cabin fever, just insomnia.
Still havin fun. Had a bad argument with another hunter. Just wish we could "all get along" as the sayin goes.
What is K.I.S.S?

Offline ArkyBob

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #9 on: March 04, 2010, 10:03:00 AM »
Keep It Simple Stupid, I'm not calling you stupid!!!!!!!!

BOB
"There are some that can live without wild things, and some that cannot."  -  Aldo Leopold

Offline unregistered

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #10 on: March 04, 2010, 10:17:00 AM »
Lol

Offline NorthernCaliforniaHunter

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #11 on: March 04, 2010, 11:15:00 AM »
Ay dios mio!    "[dntthnk]"
"...there are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, that can reveal its mystery, it's melancholy, and its charm." Theodore Roosevelt

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Offline bornagainbowhunter

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #12 on: March 04, 2010, 11:23:00 AM »
Gotta watch them Arkansas boys, there kinda' blunt...
But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. Psalms 3:3

Offline JohnHV

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #13 on: March 04, 2010, 11:30:00 AM »
I also got into this for it's "simplicity".  As long as you don't start trying to increase your draw length by hanging from a pull-up bar you'll be OK.   :biglaugh:
John H.V.
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"our hearts have heard the low whistle of the flying arrow and the sweet hum of the bowstring singing..." S. Pope

Offline wixwood

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #14 on: March 04, 2010, 05:11:00 PM »
I been at it for about 15 years, 30 if you were to count the wheels and such, I thought I was gaining now you got me worried. Just kiddin', remember, it is not a job and you DO NOT have to do it. It is ALL about having fun and, I will add I've never been around a better bunch of folks than the ones I've come to know since converting.
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Offline Ray Hammond

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #15 on: March 04, 2010, 06:17:00 PM »
you know, people used to spend a lifetime learning the things that made them good at a hunting with a bow, as an example- there was no internet, hardly any books on teh subject, sometimes no communication with anyone who even knew what a bow was in fact- they enjoyed the journey, most had to make all their own tools, craft their raw materials, season wood for years before they could turn it into something useful.

Do you really believe these discussions about FOC and arrow weight and bow weight and what type broadhead just became the rage recently?

You need to go back and read some early bowhunting books and periodicals, my friend. They've been arguing and fussing and fighting over this stuff forever. They used to talk about aluminum arrows in the fifties just like some folks talk about carbon now. And broadheads? PLEASE!!!!

This sport is as simple, or as complicated, as you want to make it.  because of cell phones, tv, kids sports, or work life, waterskiing, snowboarding and all the myriad other things we participate in, we want or think we need to bypass the learning curve and become like the guy down the road/across the globe who we read about- but that guy has thousands of hours invested in getting where he is, and like they say....ain't nothing free in this world. Everything has a price.

But if you see the fun in the journey...not see it as trouble and toil, then you are well on your way.
“Courageous, untroubled, mocking and violent-that is what Wisdom wants us to be. Wisdom is a woman, and loves only a warrior.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

Offline americanhunter7

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #16 on: March 04, 2010, 07:27:00 PM »
Justin,

I got back into the "easy", "no frills", "simple" traditional archery just recently as kind of a way to remember my Dad,  who introduced me to archery but is no longer with us, and because I was sick of all the HYPE from the WBW (wheelie bow world). I agree that it's frustrating and can drive a man insane at times   :smileystooges:   The real answer... at least IMHO is do what makes YOU happy, is comfortable for YOU, and what makes YOUR set-up work for YOU. Keep at it, good luck and thanks Justin for the INSOMNIA Monologues!   :thumbsup:   (LOL!!!)
John         :campfire:        

TGMM Family of the Bow

Offline unregistered

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #17 on: March 04, 2010, 08:40:00 PM »
Sorry for the rant folks. Couldn't sleep last night and had a pretty heated argument with a hunting co-worker yesterday about the rights and wrongs and do's and dont's. Thanks for letting me vent.

Offline wtpops

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #18 on: March 04, 2010, 08:50:00 PM »
Sounds to me like you have it down pat.   :biglaugh:    :biglaugh:
TGMM Family of the Bow
"OVERTHINKING" The art of creating problems that weren't even there!

Offline kill shot

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Re: What A Mess!
« Reply #19 on: March 04, 2010, 08:53:00 PM »
Justin, Adventure.It's all about adventure.

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