Wannabes' Rant

[DeerSpotter]

It's so easy to blame it on " youth ", " compound hunters", but what it really looks like is poor judgment, and inexperience.  We've all been there.

At least I can say I was young ones, now I took a traditional bow 30 years ago, didn't practice very much at all, got a license, shot a deer in the first day, made the shot, clean passthrough, both lungs.  Bottom line " poor judgment " I was 24 years old, wasn't stupid, wasn't an ignorant.

I'm made poor judgment, still got the deer, but I didn't get to take it home, some 300 lb. jerk, got to the deer before I did, he was probably 10 or 15 years old and I was, " he made poor judgment, took my deer.  We have all been there, stop making excuses for justifying our height on the pedestal.  We are all hunters, at different levels, and everyone's got their own shoes to fill, and everyone has to learn from their experiences, if they choose to.

But I have not known Tradgang to be a "compound basher"

So let's not start now !  take a breather on this one, and remember how you started out.

Everyone has baggage, it's just a matter of style of suitcase you carry it in !

Give him a break, maybe someday, they'll carry a stick and an arrow, and even make good choices.

Pastor Carl

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

In my oppinion taking shots at that distance defeats the whole purpose of bow hunting.  If you want to shoot at that distance wait 'til gun season.

[pdk25]

Just as a reminder of our history.  It is stated in "Bows on the Little Delta", that the world record barren ground caribou was killed in 1958 at 125 yards and on the same hunt a different hunter shot the world record Dall sheep on a running animal at 65 yards.  I wonder how many animals were wounded back in the day by our current heroes?


 http://www.sandcreekarchery.com/ldb.htm

[Orion]

Agreed that we gain experience with age and time in the field, but a lot of folks don't benefit from that experience, i.e., they continue to take shots beyond their capabilities in the hope they'll get lucky.  Or worse, because they're driven to look good on TV, or want to impress their hunting buddies, they will take shots beyond their ability with little regard for the animal hunted.  It boils down to sacrificing ethics in the name of greed, greed for money, greed for recognition and fame, etc.  There are names for folks like that.  They're called Slobs, and there are a lot more of them than people realize.

[SteveMcD]

Yup.. they are young. Possibly inexperienced. But I don't see how you can blame them. When they see the "TV Pro's" making the same shots.

[eidsvolling]

One of the things you learn as you get un-young is that there is very little new under the sun, particularly human nature.

A woman I know told me how a group of bowhunters flooded a nearby field on the opening day of deer season and conducted a drive through the field.  One of them saw that her hunting companion was carrying a bow.  The guy came over and asked for advice on how to shoot his own new bow.  It still had the price tag attached; there hadn't been time to remove it on the drive over from the sporting goods store.

The woman is my mom, her hunting companion was my dad, and the year was somewhere around 1950.  My dad also sent a phony hunting club award to a guy who shot a goat in a pasture.  The guy didn't get the joke, thought the award was authentic, and displayed it proudly in his establishment.  My dad never had the nerve to tell him the truth.

I wouldn't be surprised if Ishi was occasionally disgusted with the shooting that he saw.  And    Ötzi  probably spent his last minutes cursing the slob that wounded him in the shoulder, instead of making a clean lung shot.

[Widowbender]

I'm not compound bashing or anything of the sort, but taking that type of shot with a bow and arrow, of any kind, is idiotic. That doesn't mean that its something that they can't grow out of. It also has nothing to do with the age of the individual. There are a lot of folks out there that think they just need to "Get an arrow in him" and they've done their part...some they find, some they don't..."That's just bowhunting" they say if they don't find them.  I totally agree that hunting shows hurt the cause of ethical hunting more than anything. I was watching one the other day and the hunter was after caribou with a stickbow...I think he took about five shots at caribou (on film) during the hunt. All were over 45 yards and one was about 50 yards at a caribou bull that was facing the hunter. Another was something like 45 yards at a running caribou. I guess its possible that an inexperienced hunter would think "heck, if he can do that with a stickbow, I'm good to go with my compound"...My eight year old son was watching and said "that guy's a nut!!"


David

[Biggie Hoffman]

I dunno...I LIKE bashing compounds. It's put a flood of people into the bow woods that wouldn't be there if they had to do what it takes to use a bow.

:-)

[pdk25]

They might still be there, Biggie.  Just not shooting as well.

[pdk25]

The one's that wouldn't put in the time, that is.

[leewillis92]

Hey everyone, the word 'young' is taken the wrong way.  I'm 15 years old and have made the switch to a longbow from a compound, but when I was shooting a compound, I was by no means that ignorant even though I was about 13-14.  Never shot a deer with that bow, although many nice bucks walked thirty yards from where I was.  I just knew I couldn't make the shot because it was out of range/not good shot.  I beleive that I have a great respect for the land and the animals I hunt too.  Even if I am 15.

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

Widowbender I know exactly who you are talikng about as I have seen the same episode.  He's an idiot anyway, and from the looks of things, far from young.

[Don Stokes]

This morning I saw a well-known TV archer shoot a bighorn ram at something over 60 yards. It looked too far back, but they found it. On an earlier long-range attempt on a different sheep, the arrow hit around the ram's front hoof.

Is there any wonder??

[Killdeer]

Lee, I wish I had had half of your maturity and knowledge when I was fifteen. You are right, youth is not necessarily rash and reckless, just as adults are not necessarily possessed of wisdom and sound judgement.

Stupid happens!    

Killdeer~You are welcome in my camp any day.  

[Wannabe1]

Lee, I concur w/Killdeer. You would be most welcome in my camp. I applaud you for your sound judgment and wisdom and hope those that come in contact w/you may learn from our youth. As I stated before, I only meant young as in they were much younger than I.

Stay safe and shoot straight.

[George Tsoukalas]

I've made a mistake or 2 in my archery life and in other parts too. I actually have to commend his honesty.  He must have been feeling a bit guilty. Jawge

[Wannabe1]

George, that is entirely possible as I cannot read into peoples hearts or minds but, I must admit I didn't get that feeling. The feeling was more like, "It was no big deal." I think this was what nagged me most.

I suppose one never knows........

[TonyW]

I just hope the "tuft of hair" and blood didn't come from another hunter.

Stay tuned to "Cold Case Files" and cross your fingers. Maybe we need kevlar more than camo.

[bowmofo]

This topic brings to mind the lack of passing down the tradition! I am active in youth shooting sports Basic Archery I'm constantly urging parents to teach there kids Woodsman ship first,and recommend Starting them out on small game ,If they want to spend some time in a tree stand have them  use a camera not a crossbow. I think we should use this tread as a reminder of our responsibility to pass on  our beliefs and craft we will all be better off for it! MIKE

[Wannabe1]

Your absolutely right Mike! I now wish that I had taken a moment longer and talked with the two hunters. 'Course it would have been up to them to hear what I was saying but, at least I could have done my part and pointed out the variables and risks at taking a shot at that distance. Maybe one or both would have listened and thought twice when next faced with that situation.

You know the ol' saying, "Hind sight is 20/20."