Current state of trad archery

[Stump_pounder]

Oregon is selecting traditional only areas these days. that has spark a lot of interest.

[Gunru]

Honestly most folks shouldn't be hunting with trad equipment.  And it's questionable if they should with compounds.

Then what should they be hunting with?

Hunting is not a risk free sport no matter what equipment one is using. People wound, miss, lose and cripple deer with shotguns, rifles and crossbows every year.

I think the current state of traditional archery is in a weird stage. You have two sets of people in the sport and neither are right or wrong. You have old timers that are doing it the same way it's been since the 70s with wooden bows etc. Then you have guys that are into the extreme curves and metal risers/ilf rigs etc, about as close to a compound as you can get with a single string. I really don't care either way, as long as one is happy with what they do.

I used to frown on people for equipment choices and so on. But honestly who cares, I'm just glad we are still able to hunt in the current world we live in.

The highways around here are loaded with rotting deer carcases. The local police told me they're were not responding to calls because of how many strikes are occuring a day. That combined with the behavior I see on a daily basis by other fine young pickup driving males would leave me fairly convinced that they don't all of a sudden become mature, wise, responsible individuals when you put a fancy compound bow or even a rifle in their hands instead of a steering wheel. That said, I don't personally think traditional archery is the greatest threat to the humane treatment of animals. Just my opinion.

[Overspined]

I see a LOT of xbow, some wheels, and very little Trad. And with everyone shooting a xbow there’s an excuse to go with it.  It’s pulled so many new “bow” hunters to the woods. Not a fan of sharing that season.  I shoot every weapon, any weapon, and enjoy it all. But my passion and all of my best animals, big or small, have been Trad. All my favorite misses have been Trad. It’s just rewarding.

I think many people just need to be introduced, and given a quick lesson.  Amazing how many people want a bow when they get a lesson, they have no bad habits, and they start shooting lights out immediately.  Lack of a local shop or friends who do it are probably the biggest barrier.

[mgf]

On a hunting forum in my state a poster put up a poll asking what archery equipment people used.

The results so far are... 3 votes for recurve/longbow...18 votes for compound and 20 votes for crossbow.

In reading the thread I think a lot of people posted without voting and it seems like the majority own and use a compound sometimes even if they still use a compound sometimes.

It also seems that most deer hunters (this was in the "deer hunting" forum) are deer hunters with the goal of killing deer the easiest or most efficient way they can without any other weapon bias.

I work with two other deer hunters (well, one of them passed away last week). One is strictly a firearms hunter and the other uses a crossbow to take advantage of "archery season".

In all the years I've lived in this area and tromped in and out of local public land I have never run into another "traditional" bow hunter. The one exception to that would be back when my son lived in the area.