Am I getting burned out with trad or what?

[Gatekeeper]

Dave,

I am going to be blunt but I don’t want you to think I am being rude. I consider you to be a friend and I value your friendship.    

Sorry for your lose but nobody can bring back your hunting buddy. So if that was your draw to hunting then…. only you hold the key on how to deal with this hell. If rifle hunting is your thing then change to hunting with a rifle… big whoop! No shame in rifle hunting different strokes for different folks.

As far as hunting public land, you live near square miles of private farm land and you may get access to some of it if you start knocking on doors and asking for permission to hunt. Take your kids with you and show the land owner what you’re about and let your kids learn by your example. The agricultural office in Platte City has a county map that has the property boundaries outlined for each landowner with their name in their block of land. You could use this map as (or find out how to order a map like it for your own) a jumping off point for the areas that you are interested in hunting rather then driving all over the county.
When Jason Mason was alive, he told me that he tried to get you to come and hunt his family’s farm with him but you never accepted any of his offers. When opportunity knocks answer…

Last year I sent out several emails about a few area 3D shoots trying to gather as many local guys as possible to join me at these shoots but you never returned any of my emails or attended any of the shoots. The 3D shoots are a great way to bring some enthusiasm to your shooting, put pressure on yourself to improve your shooting skills, spend time with your family, a way to meet guys that share the same interest and to open doors to future hunting opportunities. When we started the concept of the Kansas City Traditional Network you were VERY enthusiastic. I had images of me chasing you down my driveway with a stick trying to keep you away because you seemed so eager for a group like KCTN in the KC area, but after the Cabela’s meeting you all but vanished.

In 2006 I didn’t know anyone that shot traditional archery but I had a desire to meet and befriend as many traditional hunters as I could find and in 2007 I took steps to make it happen. By using the Trad Gang web site as a tool and from those efforts of reaching out to other TG members I have reaped huge rewards. The happiness that you desire lies within you and only you can make your happiness a reality. Good luck buddy I hope you find peace.  

PS 3d shoots will be starting up again soon if you are interested in going let me know.

Tom

[Dartwick]

I love Hunting and I love Trad archery.

Its great when the 2 over lap but that doesnt always happen and it doesnt bother me at all.

[unclewhit]

Dave,
Sorry to hear about your hunting buddy.
Your story is not a new one, a lot of folks battle with target panic, it is not a one time deal to be corrected once and it's done. My biggest problem was follow through, I was so obsessed with being able to watch the arrows flight, that I would shoot low or to the right EVERY shot, very frustrating. It's a lot easier to say the word consistency then it is to practice it, but thats the bottom line, your form needs to be consistent every shot.
You mentioned something about a self bow, may be just the ticket for you. Get a stave and put some wood chips on the floor. Nothing like building your own bow to catch TRAD FEVER again.
Good luck to ya, and remember you have family here at Trad Gang.

[Friends call me Pac]

Dave I hunt 2 hours south of Springfield Mo at Clinton AR.  It's public land but during rifle season you can only hunt with a bow there. I didn't see another hunter for 3 whole days.  

I don't have many folks to hunt with and you would sure be welcome to hunt with me if you wanted to.  I'd be happy to come to MO and hunt public land with you if you want.

I had a simular story about burned out on hunting and bows.  In my case it was with compounds.  It just wasn't fun anymore.  Looking back at that time I think it was because it was boring to shoot a compound.  Kind of like shooting paper targets at the range with a rifle.  Aim, alighn sights and shoot.  I also got tired of buying every gizmo that came along.  

Last summer I found trad and the joy came back.  I didn't hunt with anything except my recurve all year.

Two days ago on another chat page I met some guys that want to hunt squierrels with black powder rifles.  I have a .32 Hawkins and thought it sounded like fun so I asked if I could go too.  I know a .32 Hawkins isn't a trad bow but I'm not trying to prove anything, just want to have some fun.  Sounds like you are kind of in the same boat.

I hope you find what makes you happy again.  The invitation to hunt with me is an open one.

[Over&Under]

Originally posted by vermonster13:
Decide why you do it and focus on the part you enjoy. If you like to shoot the bows but prefer to hunt with a rifle, so be it. Shoot your bows just for the enjoyment and hunt with your weapon of choice. It's all good.

That is pretty good advice, nothing says you HAVE to hunt with a bow.  If you get alot of enjoyment from just shooting, keep doing it.  You might find that if you are enjoying just shooting for awhile, your skill will improve to a point where you want to hunt with a bow again.

[OkKeith]

Dave,

I can't really add anything new to what anyone else has said. Just my support.

Like most everyone else, I had a similar rough patch. Let's just call a spade, a spade here, I was depressed. When I finally got down to it, it wasn't my bow hunting that was taking the starch out of me; it was all the other crap I had to deal with just so I could go bow hunting.

Now... I didn't quit my job and move into the woods like Grizzly Adams or anything, just had a good, long, realistic talk with myself about priorities. How important was bow hunting to me, really. How important were all the other things that seemed to always keep me out of the woods.

I don't have any children, but I have been with the same gal for 15 years and she likes to hunt as well so there was no problem there. She and I talked and we agreed that sometimes we want to hunt together, sometimes we don’t.

I simply decided to hunt when I wanted to. I realized that the pressure of feeling like I was wasting time if I was hunting and wasting time if I wasn’t was making me miserable. Now, one of my great joys is sitting down with the calendar and setting aside days to hunt, sometimes I actually go. Sometimes I just piddle with my stuff. Other times I sleep in and eat waffles and sausage for lunch.

If deer hunting with the bow is not doing it for you anymore, and you still want to hunt something, find a new beast to chase. Rabbits, squirrels, hogs, skunkapes, something; even if it is foam targets.

Do your thing, whatever that may be. If ya gotta lay it down for a while, it will be there when you come back to it.

Best of Luck,
OkKeith

[jonsimoneau]

I faced a similar situation last season.  I just did not have the drive.  I barely hunted, and did not even kill a single deer.  The reason is that I was busy chasing around my current fiance.  Still I was worried.  This past season I was back in the saddle and the fire is burning stronger than ever.  It'll come back around.

[MI_Bowhunter]

Don't put so much pressure on yourself. Over my lifetime I've taken several breaks from hobbies that at one time I never would have thought I'd get tired of.    Some of them I have come back to, others I have not.

I have left archery several times, once for almost a year, but I always returned.

There's no shame in taking a break.  Sometimes it's required when things get clouded.

[Dave Bulla]

Guys, thanks a bunch for all the input.  Sounds like some of you really understand personally.

Steelhead, Khardrunner, turkey65, Steve Clandinin, SpikeMaster, good points all....

Don Stokes, I think you've got it...."My archery suffered during that time. I practically quit shooting, except for a couple of weeks right before bow season, and I didn't hunt nearly as much. I had no one close to talk to about man-things, and it just wasn't any fun any more."

Funny thing is how it kinda comes and goes.  For months you think it's all good again and then one little thing pops and ya backslide.  I'm sure that the "time heals all wounds" saying is as true as it gets but it can take so long...  Certainly, I don't go around moping, it's just sometimes things build up.  It's gotten easier to deal with and frankly, if I ever quit thinking about Bob completely THAT would be sad.  I've never lost an immediate family member thank God, but Bob was kinda like an older brother so maybe that's why it's different.

Tom, you mentioned Justin Mason, he was "the new Bob" kinda.  We didn't hunt together a whole bunch mainly due to my work schedule but I did hunt with him at his Uncle Johnies place just across the highway from the gas station at Camden Point.  Shot two deer there in fact.  His death on the day he was being released from the hospital (while he was checking out actually) was real rough too.  He's younger than me and had three kids who will surely miss their Dad.

As for the KCTN, I was and still am very glad of it being formed.  I'd never have met you or the other guys and enjoyed out bunny hunt.  I just have such a hard time getting away from work consistently it's hard to plan and on weekends, usually we always try to do something as a family.  My wife doesn't mind doing something like a 3D shoot but it's pretty far from her first choice of entertainment as usually it ends up with me gabbing with the guys and her chasing after the kids.

Well, it's 2:11 and I should have been out the door for work 5 minutes ago....  Oh, and just found out yesterday that my last day of employment is gonna be May 1st.  Maybe that's what put me in such a blue mood yesterday when I started this, I don't know.

Everyone, thanks for the advice.

Gotta love this place.

[paleFace]

Dave all I can say is hang in there brother, things have a way of working out.  Just looking at your avatar I can tell you are a man that loves the woods. might take baby steps to get there, but I think you will find your peace there again. I can honestly say I have drifted away several times, but I always  come back with the fire burning hotter.

As for the job thing, well I lost my job back in 2000 due to a job related injury.  had no clue what I was going to do and was even depressed for a spell. Looking back it was the best thing that cold have happened to me. I have had more time to spend with my family and more time to do the things I love to do. Photography and Bowhunting. Just maybe this was in the master plan so that you can find that new path in life that will take you to those special places you long for.

keep your chin up and holla at us if we can help.

[maineac]

Dave,
    There have been some great words from other members that I can't improve on. My experiences have not paraleled yours, but all of us have weaved through interests and relationships.  You need to focus on what moves you now.   You won't (I think) ever be able to get trad archery out of your soul, but you need to follow your gut.  I spent most of my early hunting years by myself, but since have found some great hunting companions who only hunt rifle.  I know I could never abandon that part of myself, anymore than I could abandon the archery side that got me into hunting.  When I lose those friends I think after the initial wound had begun to heal, returning to our old haunts would mean even more because of the memories they carried.  Good luck in your journey and know you are not alone.  There are many here willing to support you, and many more on their own journeys.

[Missouri CK]

Dave,

I always have found you writing interesting.  You are very interospective about your shooting and your life.  Thats a good thing and yet sometimes a negative when it comes to shooting.  At least it has been for me.  I've fought some target panic but gaining control makes it that much more rewarding. Listen to the signature line of your post.  Trust yourself...just like Whip said about that confidence thing.

My loss of a hunting partner is nothing that compares to yours, but my father-in-law taught me how to shoot a bow and we had a lot of good times together.  He doesn't really hunt anymore and has lost his passion. It feels like I lost a hunting partner to some degree.  But that is where the KCTN really has been a great addition to my life.  I have spent time shooting with Tom Porter, Brian B, and many others.  If my father-in-law hadn't stopped hunting then I probably wouldn't have met all these other trad shooters.  Fate twist and turns our lives in ways we don't understand but good things can come from bad events in our lives.  I know the job deal is another factor but I'm confident that you have the skills to find something else.

Break out the smoke pole and knock down a couple of deer this fall and then the pressure is off.  Shoot a turkey this spring with kids using a shotgun.  Make it fun again. I think your enjoyment will return and the desire to shoot the bow will too.

One more thing.  I have a bad habit of getting stuck on one property and getting obsessed with the deer I'm seeing at one place.  Platte Falls is you comfort zone but its easy to get in a rut where its just easier to go to Platte Falls then some place you don't know.  Your a good woodsman.  Go with your gut and have fun figuring out new places.  

Chris

[Dave Bulla]

Hi Chris,

Thanks bud.  I can think of quite a few times when we've bounced ideas back and forth about target panic in the past and it always seemed like your experiences pretty closely followed my own.

You also hit on something that I have thought of recently and that is about getting stuck on one property.  I'm certainly partial to Platte Falls.  Even though it's tough hunting at times, I'm certain it has potential to provide opportunities at some serious wallhangers.  Not all the time, but if ya catch the rut right when bucks are cruising, it wouldn't suprise me a bit if an honest booner showed up.  I've personally seen deer in the 150+ class there and I know Bob had chances at bucks that were pretty certain 170+.  Of course, he was better at picking the right spot than I am but I learned a lot from him and each year, I tend to figure out a little bit more each season and then usually recall Bob saying something similar that never really stuck at the time.  Just gotta smile and think, "Yea Bob, I'm a slow learner but I'm working on it."  I don't think I'll ever quit hunting Platte Falls even if I find a better area because even though it brings back memories, there's a lot of good times to be remembered from there.

Hey, are you gonna to to Tom's tomorrow?

[Dave Bulla]

Oh, and just because, here's a pick of Bob and I taken a couple years ago in Colorado.....  I'm the goofy one with the beard and the turned up hat.  This was Bob's first and only elk.  We stood side by side when he shot it.  It was pretty cool!!!

 

Here's one taken during the January doe season a couple years back where he and I went to a Bunch Hollow or Bonanza (can't recall now) and camped a few days.  Gotta love winter camping in a wall tent.

 

[bowhunterfrompast]

Dave..sent you an email..bhfp