? For those that have swapped from training wheels

[Dean Lintz]

I switched 2 years ago as stated earlier pratice all the time and I love it. Won't be switching back any time. I have the addiction bad. I shoot both recurves and longbows.

[dan d]

Originally posted by recurvericky:
One other plus are the people that you will come in contact with. Traditional shooters seem to be more laid back and welcome new comers with open arms. It's like going from walk down 5th Avenue in New York to walking down main street america, no comparison.

Very true, this was my first year at the Berrian Spring Comptons shoot, everyone was friendly and laid back, defiantly not like the wheelie shoots I've gone to in the past.
I enjoyed the atmosphere there.
Dan

[njloco]

In the time it takes my friend to draw back and find his peep sight, I would have a dead deer. It takes a lot more talent to shoot a Trad bow and hit what your aiming at, but that's the whole point, it's fun to practice. Hunting with a wheeler was not challenging for me anymore, I might as well hunt with a rifle or shotgun, or muzzle loader, not that there is anything wrong with them. During bow season I want the challenge of the hunt. I find it more so with a Trad bow, and If I wanted to go easier I would buy a crossbow.

The one big regret I have is I left Trad in 1974 and only just came back in the last couple of years, but it's never too late.

[Friend]

What are some drawbacks if any you have noticed? Any regrets etc? How have you had to change your hunting style?
From reading harvest reports, most animals are taken within the same distances....

Draw backs...Lack of quality trad archers in our area makes learning much more difficult.  A  few quality moments with a well versed competent archer may greatly benefit you over books and DVD's.. The TG web-site does provide me much incentive.

Regret... Shot traditonal from 1969-1975. Loved it however was anything but competent. Totally switched back several years  ago w/o having shot a Trad Bow since 1975. I had taken several P&Y's and 31 turkeys yet yearned for something much more. Wish I would have sought out some proficient trad guys 25 years ago.

Hunting style... Dramatic change since my average effective range was reduced by over 50%. If I wanted to take a bird at 40 yards, I could take it with confidence(some critters out to 50 yards.). My effective range for turkeys now is `15 yards. My set-ups today require much more calculating. Sure I had in the past set-up for 20 yard shots and would reach out if need be and have on numerous occassions. Today I set-up for much closer shots and would consider 20 yards a reach for me in a typical hunting situation.

[-Achilles-]

Well it just seemed natural to me if I was gonna hunt in archery season that I use an actual bow.Anything else wouldn't be archery.

[Lin Rhea]

The older I get the closer to traditional I get on a lot of levels. I have taken a lot of deer over the years with other means and I just dont feel the need to do that now. Plus the beauty of a hand crafted bow is more apealing to me than a machined conglomeration of parts. It just seems more honest to me. Lin

[chopx2]

With a longbow on the ground I feel like a hunter, like I am part of the fabric of life and death.

With a compound in a tree I felt like a shooter/sniper, and observer/interloper. Like a trespasser as if I was disrupting the natural flow.

[GWC]

i switched from compound to longbow not too long ago.i had killed 6 or 7 deer with my compound but havent gotten any yet with my longbow.I dont regret the switch one tiny bit.the feeling i get shooting my longbow and becoming more and more comfortable with it,nothing compares to it.I love it.I have no problems with compounds at all,but just needed a change,more back to the basics.for me it will be hunting with traditional bow or no bow at all.Ross

[Zradix]

Originally posted by lpcjon2:
I have no regrets and I like the fact that it's all me,not the mechanics of the wheels that makes the kill.The pin sight,mechanical release and the 80% let off,became un-fulfilling for me I like to know that its my fingers and instinctiveness that gets me that animal.

I feel about the same. I have passed on shots on deer that I wouldn't have with my compound.
I most likely would have venison right now if I was shooting my wheels.

I guess my only real regret is not switching sooner. It definitely is more difficult for me to shoot trad as well as a compound. Wish I had more time under my belt.

In 3 years my only trad kill is a spot and stalk turkey. That made me feel like a shot my first buck! Looking forward to some trad venison one of these days.

[crotch horn]

I switched to trad gear in '07. My only regret was buying the Bowtech in '06. Killed a buck with it that season & never saw the arrow @ 18yds. Then in January of 07 I joined a trad leauge and that was it for me. Killed a black bear that year and missed a dew deer. Nothing last two years but this spring bought a Lost Creek NAT longbow in may and got a turkey. Then got a black bear this fall. Hit a nice buck but never recovered it. That is my only regret about switching. Never had it happen with wheels but maybe I was just lucky. Tried to get my brother to switch but he hasn't killed enough animals yet to not realize that isn't what hunting is about. Good luck & enjoy the journey.

[Tom Leemans]

Compounds are cold, lifeless contraptions. Everyone is always "tuning" them. Always bolting more crap on to them. It's always a good feeling when I slide the upper string loop onto the nock, and I'm ready to go.

[KentuckyTJ]

The biggest difference for me is my treestands are set lower. Shot angles from higher are very strange in my sight window with a trad bow. Also being lower makes it much easier to take out both lungs. The drawback is you can not hunt a low stand on any bad wind. I find myself getting out of stands after climbing in them much more often than I did back in the wheelie days.

[eddings220]

Shot compounds for years and arrived at the place of complete confidence in that what I shot at I was gonna hit. I think that mindset dulled my passion some. However, now that I am shooting trad, my passion is back, it's almost a "child-like" passion that I remember from when I began bird-hunting with my dad and walking into a covey trying to flush them up. Been a long time since I have been this excited about hunting! No Regrets here!

[koops4]

I have not noticed any drawback to switching to traditional.  Being closer to game is not a drawback IMO.  The only regret that I have is not starting the journey sooner.  My hunting style has change some.  I tend to move around more now than I did before the switch.  I have hunted 99%of the time from the ground but usually did not move except to leave and then it was always hurrying out.  I spend more time leaving the woods now.  Could not be happier with the switch.

[acadian archer]

i'M NOT SURE TRAINING WHEELS IS THE WORDING WE SHOULD BE USING. I shot compound for years in the late 80 's but it's been recurve since the mid 190's. No regrets as I have no desire to go to that other method of bowhunting.

[lt-m-grow]

Lot of great comments, but the one thing I find that is most amazing is that "perfect shot" with my recurve.  I shot compounds very well and I suspect I shoot recurves well too (but have never competed with my recurve) but no matter how many times I make the "perfect" shot with a recurve, it feels like heaven.  I never had that sense with a compound.  I love to shoot and having that great excitement associated with making a perfect shot with a recurves is one reason I don't shoot compounds any more.

Regarding hunting, I never killed a deer over 22 yards with my compound anyways and frankly, sometime I didn't pick a spot very well with it either.  The recurve forces me to do that so I don't see it as a lesser hunting tool at all.

[Erick S]

I made the switch from wheels to long bow just two months ago, so my opinion may not be very strong. But I have not had a single regret. I enjoy practice so much more do to the challenge. I am shooting instinctive an love the rush of a direct hit on a one inch target at 12 to 15 yards. With wheels a one inch target at 15 yards was standard. I have not and will not venture into the woods with my longbow for several more months but until then the rush of hitting a walnut at 12 yards is all I have to judge my excitement by.

[sweeney3]

No regrets; many, many unforseen and unplanned advantages as well.  I'm a much better hunter, and the trad/primitive is simply better equipment for the way I hunt (awkard positions, no need to range estimate, etc).  Aside from that, I have gained much enjoyment and understanding of the world around me from the nature of the hobby/passion.  All around, so much better.  

That said, I have nothing against modern archery.  I have friends and family who like it, and are plenty ethical, responsible, etc.  I just think they are still missing out on some potential fun.