Trad, THe Hard Way?

[illianabowhntr67]

To me bowhunting is generally tough regaurdless if it's trad or compound.I've missed many deer for many reasons including twisted peeps,not enough light,drop away rest not dropping.I have dedicated myself to traditional only this year.But every bowhunter I know regaurdless what style bow they shoot is to kill humanely.

[Don Stokes]

I hunted with longbows and recurves for about 15 years before shooting a compound for 10 years, but after losing my hunting gear in a fire in the 80's, I went back to a longbow. Just never really liked the compound as well, and realized that since I rarely took a shot over 15-20 yards anyhow, that a stickbow was just as good. Never looked back.

Dan Quillian had a framed sign that he put on the table when we went to shows that said, "Beat Murphy's Law- Shoot a Longbow".

[fireball31]

I shoot a trad bow because its pretty. I get a warm and fuzzy feeling every time I pic one up. The same reason I like a sidelock muzzleloader with a wood stock.  Not to mention the feeling of accomplishment when I stack a group of arrows at 25, and knowing that I had to fire thousands of arrows to get there.

[Mo. Huntin]

Somebody missed a deer because it was to dark-not a compound bow problem, just an ethics problem. If it is to dark to shoot you don't shoot.  Do I blame you nope that is between you and the deer and predators make mistakes when learning.  Peep site turned, it was not turned when you went hunting?  I have shot a peep on a cheap string and had it turn on a 3D course threw me off maybe 3 inches at 30 yards. They make those peeps with the tubing that takes care of that.  They make a lot of rests that don't drop away and a lot of animals been killed with them-thats a rest failure.  My sight was off-man you got to check that stuff from time to time.  I don't fault anyone for making these mistakes you just learn from it.  Since almost no one can come up with a good bash on a compound bow I will give you a couple.  They are heavy, not as pretty. A bow shooting 300 feet per second is really a lot of work to get and keep a fixed blade broadhead flying.  You need a press if you cut a string.  resale value is horrible.  You see people on tv shooting way to far, I am not going to tell you when to far is to far but if you shoot at a buck at 70 yards and hit it in the throat that is an ethics problem.  Some people don't practice enough-again an ethics problem. I am sorry if I offended any one. Again I love longbows and am using it for all my hunting except for my rifle in rifle season.

[tarponnut]

When compounds stopped being BOWS, as in forming a bow or arc when drawn(the wheels are doing 80% or more of the work), I switched back to recurves and longbows.
To me, stick bows are lot more fun to shoot, besides, I can miss equally well with either, may as well have fun doing it.

[James Wrenn]

The only difference between hunting with one type bow and another is learning to use it.The only hard way in it is learning to shoot it in the first place.After that they are all the same.Never understood the mindset of doing something just because it was harder myself.Easier,more fun ect I can see but not because it is harder.Bowhunting is hard enough without throwing things in to make it even harder.

[30coupe]

"Trouble...what trouble?" Jeremiah Johnson.

I don't see that traditional equipment is harder. It does take practice, but what's hard about that? I consider that fun. To be honest, I've only taken maybe a dozen shots with a compound bow. That was enough for me to decide that longbows and recurves are what works best for me. I don't have a problem with compound shooters who use them ethically, which I think (hope) is the majority. Compounds have more in common with guns than traditional bows (sights, triggers, etc.). I don't need or want that on my bow, but that is my choice.

Mo. Huntin if you have NEVER had something go wrong with your compound, then you are a lucky man. Compounds are machines by definition (okay, so are longbows and recurves...just fewer parts), and whether the machine is a compound bow, a firearm, or an automobile, things wear, break, or need adjustment. You decrease the chances of a problem through proper maintenance, but you can't eliminate it. I have less to do to maintain my longbow (wax the string occasionally and check brace height). If I do have a string break, I can be shooting again in the field, with no tools, in a minute or so (assuming I brought a spare).

I also don't have to carry a range finder (never owned one), nor to I have to remember what pin goes with what yardage. If it looks like it is too far, it is, so I don't shoot (even if it really isn't).

So, maintenance with a longbow...easier.
Carrying a longbow...much easier.
Extra equipment needed...none.
Practice needed...fun.
Woodsmanship needed...same.

What is the hard part?

[Mo. Huntin]

I don't think I said one was all that harder than the other.  I agree the less moving parts on something the less there is to go wrong, wich is what I would look for in equiptment with a compound.  Proper maintenance is the key I agree 100%.  I am not trying to convince anyone to shoot a compound by any means, I don't shoot mine unless I am shooting with my compound buddies in the back yard for fun(competition).  I love trad archery it is fun.  It just bothers me when people make them out to be some kind of ticking time bomb that you need to carry a tool belt with you everytime you go hunting it is just not so.  If I went to a compound site and they were bashing on us for reasons I did not agree with you can bet I would speak my mind.

[Mo. Huntin]

Ran out of room.  I will say I have taught a lot of kids how to shoot bows, my back yard fills up almost everytime I go to shoot my bow.  I have a couple trad bows and a very adjustable kids compound with sites and a rest. They shoot them both and almost everyone wants to shoot the compound because they can hit what they are aiming at right off the bat with a little instruction, I mean like 10 minutes of shooting depending on the age of the kid.  I just think people forget how many people started on a compound and switch to trad for the enjoyment and everything it brings.  I know some say that the compound bow is ruining archery hunting today, and they may have a few good points but it is a fact that there is strength in numbers with our compound bow friends we have better numbers. I mean no disrespect to any one I just don't agree 100%.  I agree once you have figured out the trad bow it is very easy to shoot, very accurate and very quiet which makes it  an excellent hunting tool.

[Mo. Huntin]

You got me there 30coupe.  I should have said I have never had an equiptment failure cost me a shot on an animal.  I have had a peep site twist in the 3D season with a cheap string that was not shot in using the peep with out the tubing for a small speed increase. I am only 31 and have kids and don't get to hunt all over the world like some of you boys with more time under your belt and money.  I have prolly killed 20 animals with a bow in my life.  I have shot 1 deer in the gut, 1 deer in the shoulder and wounded one turkey.  I shot one deer that I would swear was hit in the lungs but never found.  I am sure that if I kept shooting compound eventualy something would fail me in the field, like you said everything fails at some time. I am tired of defending it and I am sure everyone else is to.  I mean no one any disrespect and am very happy to be in your company.

[pseman]

Hunting? No harder with a trad bow.

Shooting? Much harder with a trad bow. As someone said earlier, once you learn to shoot a trad bow well, it is not hard. You can learn to shoot a compound bow well in a fraction of the time though.

A large part of hunting involves shooting, so IMO hunting with a trad bow is harder. At least until the shooting part is mastered.

[30coupe]

Mo.Huntin, I never thought you were disrespecting anyone, nor do I disrespect those who use compounds. I agree that we need to stick together as bow hunters and hunters in general. It sounds like you switched for the right reasons and probably started with a compound for those same reasons, mainly the challenge of getting close and making a clean, quiet kill.

I think one thing that separates most trad hunters from many compound and gun hunters is the importance of the kill. Most trad hunters can have a successful hunt without taking an animal. Many compound/gun hunters seem to think they failed if nothing died, which is why some stretch the distance at which they will attempt to kill game. I watched a show a while back where a guy killed an elk from over 600 yards with a scoped rifle from the top of a ridge. Where was the chase? What chance did that elk have? For me, it would be no more enjoyable than shooting a target from the same range. At over a quarter of a mile, the bull was totally unaware that it was in any danger.

Sorry for the rant. It's just that getting up close and personal, even if it means being busted more often, is why I enjoy traditional archery. If that isn't for you, that's fine with me.

Russ

[Mo. Huntin]

I just try to be very careful when explaining my disagreements on here.  I got a little out of line once or twice on here not bad enough that any mods said anything about it but I felt pretty bad.  I really appreciate this site and don't want to give a bad impression to viewers who are visiting just thinking about joining.  This site has saved me so much time and I have learned so much about tuning trad bows on here.

[Schafer]

Never thought about it like that before!

[Jeff Strubberg]

Steve H. nailed it.  Simple and easy are not the same thing, nor are hard and complicated.

A rock is simple, a scope-sighted rifle is easy.

[Mo. Huntin]

oops thought I was in another thread.

[Widowbender]

Having hunted with both compounds and stickbows, I have to say that I  didn't have to change anything about the way I hunt when I switched to tradbows other than its a heck of alot easier totin' a stickbow than a fully loaded compound and you don't have to worry about bending a sight or rest or dingin'up a wheel or something. Without a doubt its easier for the average person to shoot a compound bow proficiently with less practice, but I've never felt at a disadvantage hunting with a recurve or longbow. Once you become proficient with a traditional bow, it is , in my opinion, a superior hunting tool compared to a compound. Plus, they are just plain FUN!!!

David