Do you have regrets?

[KentuckyTJ]

None at all. The first tradbow that I took my first deer with stacked, pinched my fingers, was slow and would rattle your teeth out. The day I got rid of it was one of the smartest things I've ever done!!!

[Biathlonman]

DanAdair, on another board, recently described a good stickbow as having a "soul."  Something along the lines of the bow having a life of it's own and we just getting to share a small part of it's life.  Made a lot of sense to me, no reason to squirrel them away unused.

[Swinestalker]

Originally posted by Mojostick:
I regret not starting out in the 35-45 pound range and staying there.

Me too my friend!

[Mojostick]

Yeah, I bought, sold and traded a whole bunch of 50-60lb bows that frankly I was over-bowed with. Now, due to a shoulder issue, I'm in the lower weights, but shooting better than ever and I'm getting complete pass-thru's on deer with 41-42lbs.

I'm to the point now where I have virtually no doubt that I can not only kill deer with light weights at my close 10-14 yard shots I set up for, but that I could do so with 30-35lb bows, if I were to choose to do so.

At 12 yards, shooting a broadside deer from a natural ground blind/stool, with a perfect arrow setup and razor sharp 2 blade, I'm confident that with a 35lb bow that I can hit both lungs exactly where I want and watch the arrow skip in the dirt after it passes thru. I'm not sure what else I could ask for?

As the title of the thread suggests, I regret trying to force more draw weight, thinking I could "grow into it" and thinking in terms of how far and fast I could shoot. Now I think in terms of how close can I get/how low in weight can I go and still make ethical kills. That mindset is a much better place for me. Oddly enough, it took bone spurs inflaming my rotator cuff to come to that conclusion.

[frankwright]

I killed my first deer with a Ben Pearson "Ol Ben" and gladly passed it on when I got a chance to buy a Howard Hill Bow.

I still have the memories,but no desire for the bow back.

[Terry Green]

Each person would need to ask that for themselves...the fact that you asked....means to me you would regret it.

I would too.

[LimBender]

Some people are sentimental and some are not.  If I didn't pay attention, my wife would throw away most of my "junk."  I did not keep my first trad bow, but will keep my first trad deer kill Zipper - but there are some other reasons for that.     :D

[Pope Co.]

I'm not sure, and I'm not going to try to figure it out now.

But I sure did enjoy reading everyone's replies.

Good post NIGEL01

[Chaser]

Originally posted by Mojostick:
Yeah, I bought, sold and traded a whole bunch of 50-60lb bows that frankly I was over-bowed with. Now, due to a shoulder issue, I'm in the lower weights, but shooting better than ever and I'm getting complete pass-thru's on deer with 41-42lbs.

I'm to the point now where I have virtually no doubt that I can not only kill deer with light weights at my close 10-14 yard shots I set up for, but that I could do so with 30-35lb bows, if I were to choose to do so.

At 12 yards, shooting a broadside deer from a natural ground blind/stoll, with a perfect arrow setup and razor sharp 2 blade, I'm confident that with a 35lb bow that I can hit both lungs exactly where I want and watch the arrow skip in the dirt after it passes thru. I'm not sure what else I could ask for?

As the title of the thread suggests, I regret trying to force more draw weight, thinking I could "grow into it" and thinking in terms of how far and fast I could shoot. Now I think in terms of how close can I get/how low in weight can I go and still make ethical kills. That mindset is a much better place for me. Oddly enough, it took bone spurs inflaming my rotator cuff to come to that conclusion.

I most definately agree! I knew a fellow bowhunter in Ohio that hunted exclusively with a 38 lb. take down recurve of his own make and design! Many a deer fell to that bow. He even had photos of his trips on hog hunts to Florida using the same bow and killing some nice hogs for eating!

As far as regrets on a bow, I would like to get my old Chek Mate Falcon with maple limbs and riser back. It was a shooter and fit me like a glove.

[stujay]

No, I don't like to keep things I know I won't or can't use. Doesn't mean I don't think long and hard about a bow that was special to me, but fact is I don't keep them and can't think of any lasting regrets.

[Mojostick]

I made the correction to "stool" in my above post, from the incorrect "stoll" that I originally typed.

To the point of selling a bow, once you've gotten to the point where you're looking for other bows, you probably already made a decision on that bow. Especially if one is too much weight.  

Contrary to conventional wisdom, most bows can be replaced, as long as the bowyer is still making them. I didn't say all, I mean most.

Now, if you have a certain vintage bow in mint condition that you may not find again, then you probably shouldn't sell.

But if you have a bow that if you sold due to being too heavy for an elbow or shoulder, and you can pick up the phone and order a similar bow in lighter weight, then why not sell and get the bow that's better for you?

[alligatordond]

It's not whether I killed something with a bow that makes it special, it's usually how I aquire it. Gifts from friends, family stay as they symbolize a strength in the friendship. Bows built by a special bowyer friend stay . As does my original Silvertip. Others can go......

[Sam McMichael]

I traded off a 58# Bamboo Longhunter that I wish I had back. Its the first and last bow I intend to get rid of.