When you began your trad journey, what's the best advice you wish you had received?

[Trenton G.]

When I started 4 years ago, I didn't know anyone who shot a trad bow. My dad and all his hunting buddies all shot compound and told me I was crazy.
I wish that when I started I knew that I didn't have to copy someone's form. Coming from a compound, I figured that my form needed to be the same as everyone else's just like with a compound. I only knew of one trad archer at the time and that was Fred Bear. I set out to copy his style, which never really worked for me. Once I realized there wasn't really a right or wrong way to shoot and that I could shoot whichever way fit me best, my shooting got much better.

[Holm-Made]

Spend more money on hunting experiences/trips and less on fancy equipment.

[RC]

Holm-Made hit the nail on the head. Also focus as hard on learning to get close as you do learning to shoot and you will do good.RC

I was all alone in that endeavor.... for many years.  Learned on the long road of trial and error.  Haven't forgotten a day of that journey.

[CRM_95]

Originally posted by Holm-Made:
Spend more money on hunting experiences/trips and less on fancy equipment.

This is so true no matter what you hunt with!! I'm finally starting to learn this at almost 40 years old.

[reddogge]

Since my trad journey started in 1955 at the age of 11 all I had to go on were two paperback books on archery. All the way to the late 60s I was a lone wolf in archery with no other friends who shot. Then I did meet some friends who bowhunted and shot field archery and they became mentors.

[gvdocholiday]

Start with a bow 20lbs lighter than what you think you can actually handle.

[MnFn]

Yup on the bow weight. I started with a 40 at age 13 then a 45 for a few years. Then went the compound route for two years.

When I decided to return to trad, I started with a 38 lb recurve in league shooting. So far so good. But then I ordered a new 60# longbow. Foolishness.

[David Mitchell]

Someone may have already mentioned this but I wish to high heavens that someone would have told me to draw with the hand on my dominant eye side.  Being right handed I just figured I would need a right handed bow.  That cost me sooooo much frustration until I was told (and this was always Fred Bear's advice as well) to shoot dominant eye side--left eye dominant--left handed bow.  Man did that make a huge difference.

[Autumn Sunrise]

"There's no shame in aiming"
-Gene Wensel

[longbow fanatic 1]

There are so many great tips and experiences. Thanks everyone!

[olddogrib]

Get obsessed with practice and consistent form development before you get obsessed with tuning.  If you can't group arrows (even mismatched ones will group off a machine) all the tuning advice in the world will just be an exercise in frustration!

[Homey88]

Start with a light weight bow and learn proper form.

[Bowwild]

When developing and implementing form, shot execution, and follow-through, be positive with yourself.  When a shot doesn't feel or look right, contemplate what you will do better next shot instead of what you did wrong that shot.

The arrow's landing destination is dependent upon shot election, (assuming proper tune).

[Draven]

Originally posted by olddogrib:
Get obsessed with practice and consistent form development before you get obsessed with tuning.  If you can't group arrows (even mismatched ones will group off a machine) all the tuning advice in the world will just be an exercise in frustration!

So true! I never use paper tuning - just Stu's calculator for arrows choice when it appeared  - and it is as accurate as I can be.