What defines traditional to YOU?

[Stumpkiller]

Traditional is what was handed down to me as a kid.  

I grew up in the 1960's with Ben Pearson and Fred Bear videos at school (16mm movies), hunting recurve bows hung in the dens of friend's fathers that I lusted after, the target recurves I shot with my Grandfather, Aunt and older brother (Dad wasn't an outdoors type), the wood target arrows in barrels for 69¢ at the local and only Dick's Sporting Goods store.  

I have a longbow - but I never got so it was part of me.  My hand just doesn't fit a Hill style longbow.  The simplicity appealed to me.  I tried.  Still have it.

My much loved and sadly departed bowhunting mentor filled in for me between the target archery my relatives taught me and the hunting I wanted to do - with recurves and wood arrows.

That is what I do and will always use.

Tradition is what is given and passed on to you.  Not what you pick up for yourself.

[Tradcat]

"Traditional" to ME simply means that YOU are holding all the draw weight be it primitive, recurve or longbow. I am NOT anti compound or crossbow. I'd be a hypocrite if I said I was because I've harvested many deer with a compound. I simply "choose" to hunt with a longbow. That is my preferred way to bowhunt. I stand in support of all hunters who "choose" to use different methods because we have way too many enemies with the "anti's" to fight amoungst ourselves !

[dbd870]

Originally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
I guess I never really thought about it.  I guess shooting a bow that's classified as a longbow or recurve.  Keep it simple.

I'll go with this as well.

[tracker12]

I prefer a grey suit with white shirt and maroon tie.  Top it off with black socks and shoes and you are set.

[Red Beastmaster]

I think we all agree that recurves and longbows define traditional bow hunting.

I would add non-mechanical broadheads to that list.

[Roy from Pa]

OH boy.... Now I gotta sell my mechanical heads..  

[YosemiteSam]

Legalistic definition: longbow, selfbow, recurve, etc.  Keep it simple.

Gear aside, if the intent is to force the hunter to operate within the advantage of the quarry (say a deer at less than 60 yards), then it's traditional in my book.  Whether with a rifle, musket, compound, crossbow or any other piece of equipment, the tool is just a tool.  It's too tempting to push the limits of the tool when we're in pursuit.  So a very limiting tool, like a traditional bow, is a great way to keep things in check.  

I have a neighbor who had to give up the recurve due to some shoulder problems.  He now hunts with a single shot rifle and, according to him, usually takes his deer at less than 30 yards. To me, that's way more traditional than the local archery shop owner who brags about his 80-yard shot on a deer (compound guy).  Traditional tools are fairly easy to define.  Traditional hunting is more qualitative and harder to legislate.

[JohnV]

I don't let others define "traditional" for me.  I just consider myself a "bowhunter" and try to avoid the use of labels.  Think about this...for a young, neophyte archer the compound bow is "traditional" to them as it is all they know and see.

[zwickey2bl]

I accept that there are many different definitions of "traditional," but I know what it means to me - the kind of equipment that got me interested in archery back in the early 70s. I guess the compound bow "existed" then, but I sure didn't know anything about it. It was Bear, Pearson, Browning, or Herters recurves, wood or glass arrows (then those new-fangled aluminums came out - wow! High-tech!) Bear Razorheads, a glove, an armguard, and some woods to walk and stalk in. Now I'm not sure if I've advanced or regressed - now it's Hill-style longbows, POC shafts, natural greybars, Zwickeys, a back quiver, a tab, and a bracer. Still need some woods and fields to roam. That'll get it for me. You do you, I'll do me, we'll get along fine.  

[Schmidty3]

I think we are all hypocrites!!!! With our man made epoxies and fiberglasses! Tisk tisk

Lol

I don't see such bows as "traditional". I see them as classic!  

The 1950's are classic!


To be really trad I think we should be shooting Indian style selfbows and cane or sapling arrows and stone heads!

(As I sit here playing with my aluminum risered bow with Korean limbs).

Seriously though I think it has to due with the burden of skill we chose to carry. A compound has most of the skill built into it. A semi competent and coordinated person could pickup a compound and be deer capable to 30 yds within 10 minutes with a bit of coaching.

We as recurve/longbow/selfbow/horsebow/horn bow/and whatever else shooters...tend to choose the harder option. The gear we choose puts the majority of the burden of skill on our own shoulders.

[NY Yankee]

I haven't used a compound in 30 years. Recurve only. To me, "traditional archery" is a very real concept that involves laminated wood bows, non-carbon arrows, steel COC heads, leather bracer and shooting glove and clothing not made in the modern camo patterns with scent loc etc. It's also more than just the equipment but having a mindset of doing things without having to rely on modern gadgetry and electronics to do things and using older "traditional" type gear and methods. I enjoy it that way and that's what I do.

[Jakeemt]

I dunno man. This thread is a repeat of about 500 threads before it. TG is a decent place to post it though. Most other forums and this thread has degenerated in a pure nastiness! My 2 cents it’s just bow hunting. Nothing traditional for me. As far as I know I am the first bow hunter in my family. No one passed it down to me.  Never really took to compounds but, got my pops shooting one. It’s just what I like. Also to the poster talking about effective ranges of compounds vs recurves you should read up on some of the old school hunters of the day. 30 yards was often considered a close range affair by many. Anyway I hope it becomes traditional in my family though as I plan to pass bow hunting down to my son and (if I live long enough) my grandsons/daughters.

[dino]

I still think it is a mindset more than equipment.  I’ve been told that I am not traditional for hunting with a glass backed recurve/longbow with carbon arrows by an archer with a selfbow and cane arrows.  I’m good with that though.  I hunt with the most effective equipment during archery season and get close.  Enjoy your hunting and the equipment you choose, experience nature and be an ethical custodian of resources.  That is traditional.  Dino

[Lonehowl]

Traditional is a vague term, as most posts here have eluded to. Like others say, recurves, longbows, feathers...no wheels etc. Yep, modern glues, fiberglass and all that, so I call it "traditional style"...thats about how I think of it.
Mark

[killzthemost]

To me , it's just a simpler way to hunt. No gizmos .

[Sant-Ravenhill]

As others have already written...longbow, selfbow or recurve. A selfbow is all wood, but traditional or classic (as one poster put it) bows should have at least some wood in them.

I may start another thread on what I'm going to write next. I've been thinking because of foam, carbon, fiberglass, sythentic strings, vanes etc., that today we have recurves/longbows and arrows that we could throw in a creek for a year.

Then pull them out and immediately shoot them. There will literally be no damage done to the bow or arrows. Still traditional?

For me, if the time comes I can't pull a recurve or longbow back and launch and arrow I will bypass the compound completely and just hunt with one of my old leverguns.

[hitman]

Traditional to me is a longbow, recurve or self bow hunted by someone who loves the sport and is diligent in doing all hunting by the laws of the land and ethically to the animals he/she hunts. I have went the compound route years ago but did not like all the changes constantly to keep up with. No sights or gimmicks really appeal to me and love a set of good wood arrows.