Common Sense Traditional Bowhunting

[Rob DiStefano]

"Archery/bowhunting is ageless. And the cool thing is that it's whatever you want it to be. Nobody sets the rules."

Charlie's post is spot on and always a given.

Beyond that, there may be pitfalls to overcome for any trad bowhunter, and so there are more than a few examples of approaching trad bowhunting with a common sense viewpoint.  There are probably many dozens of pitfalls to negotiate.

I love hunting (and eating!) feral hogs.  When I am very fortunate to pursue the pigs, the hunt venue is almost always in the southeast woods and swamps.  My safe shooting distance these dayze is 15 yards and a 20 yard shot might be a stretch for me - lots depends also on the time of year, weather, terrain ... and how physically fit I happen to be at the moment.  I take these items seriously into account.  No matter what the bow holding weight or type of bowstring or arrow weight/spine or FOC or broadhead type and sharpness, lemme think on the fletchings.  What do I want that arrow to do when it departs past the riser?  Fly straight.  Common sense tells me that for that arrow to get itself quickly on the true path of death to that hog it needs good steerage, and that means big feather fletchings and a goodly helical.  

That's where I'm coming from with "traditional bowhunting common sense".

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
  Common sense tells me that for that arrow to get itself quickly on the true path of death to that hog it needs good steerage, and that means big feather fletchings and a goodly helical.  

That's where I'm coming from with "traditional bowhunting common sense".

Exactly.  Except that common sense for you required obsession to minute details for someone else along the way...maybe even yourself.  

The very notion that mounting feathers on a shaft in such a way that they would cause the arrow to spin rapidly in flight would increase accuracy was at one time a radical, obsessive thought.

Someone's obsession today might be someone else's common sense 50 years from now.

[Draven]

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
"Archery/bowhunting is ageless. And the cool thing is that it's whatever you want it to be. Nobody sets the rules."

Charlie's post is spot on and always a given.
 

No it is not IMO. Common sense in hunting forms a set of rules that you cant dismiss. Common sense tells you to not stay in plain view when you hunt dangerous animals but it is a video here showing exactly the opposite. Common sense in any activity with weapons implies education first about the tools you use and about the target. It's something you acquire by education, is not in you.

[Rob DiStefano]

It's not minutiae that dictates tackle, it's a common sense approach.  

There are times for specific types of tackle.  

Knowing what's best for your trad bowhunting is all that matters.

Exercising freedom of choice doesn't always mean making the better choice.

This applies not only to tackle, but to how we practice and prepare for the hunt ... range practice or roving, simulated location and weather or basement shooting, casual shooting attire or what's used for the hunt?

[Draven]

Common sense says to not strung your bow the other way around then. Way before straight arrow flight and helical big feathers if we go THAT basic. What "common sense" means for an experienced guy is not the same for a novice. It's a "common sense" acquired by education.

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
It's not minutiae that dictates tackle, it's a common sense approach.  

There are times for specific types of tackle.  

Knowing what's best for your trad bowhunting is all that matters.

Exercising freedom of choice doesn't always mean making the better choice.

It was minutiae at some point along the way.  How do you think the things we call "common sense" were discovered and subsequently determined by the individual to be "what's best?"

[Terry Green]

I think I'm going to start a new Forum ..

Reinventing the wheel    

[Terry Green]

Seriously,  let's make the wheel the best we can... and make improvements to the wheel so its performance is better....

But,  let's don't forget about the wheel.
.. the foundation.

[Draven]

Maybe a definition for "Common sense" will make things clearer.
Based on accepted definition:
 
"Common sense = a basic ability to perceive, understand and judge things that are shared by  nearly all people and can reasonably be expected of nearly all people without need for debate""

nothing related to bow hunting WITHOUT BEING TAUGHT/TOLD at one point in your life is "common sense". "Traditional" is the carrier of the EDUCATED "common sense" passed down from generation to generation. And these are the fundamentals that are disregarded too often and yes, they have rules. If you respect them, you will be an accomplished bow hunter. If not, not.

Back on track!

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:

"What are the true, basic essentials one needs in order to be on the righteous road to being a successful traditional bowhunter?"

.........

 In essence  ... What matters most with traditional bowhunting tackle and stick bow shooting form, in order for you to be a successful traditional bowhunter?

[TaterHill Archer]

Correct me if I'm wrong here. I think what is being alluded to is that there are certain fundamentals to trad bow hunting/shooting.  Those fundamentals either should not or cannot be violated if you want to be successful.

My father was a basketball coach.  He always felt the fundamentals (ball handling skills, blocking out, shooting form, rebounding, etc...) were crucial to success.  I agree.  I'm a dentist and I've taught other dentists for years.  There are certain fundamentals that cannot be improved upon.

Same goes for certain fundamentals within trad bow hunting.  I agree with some here that those fundamentals may be minutia at some point.  They may be obsessed about and some maybe should be obsessed about.  Some things, that even I discussed earlier, may not be fundamentals and we constantly look to improve them. e.g. sharp broadheads are a fundamental.  How you get them sharp is not.  What metal they are made of, what shape, etc... is not a fundamental.

I know we see discussions on sights vs. no sights, grip styles, string components, etc...  Much of this is preference over fundamental.  Again, correct me if I'm wrong.

[TRAP]

Most "successful traditional bowhunters" probably spend more time working on woodsmanship skills than tuning arrows and fretting about whether or not they are more "traditional" than the next guy, just saying

[Terry Green]

Agree, and if more people would concentrate on the basics and sound foundation and then the Paramount of accuracy.... which means actually practicing shooting skills... than all this psycho paralysis of analysis of all this 'static' they would be more successful.

If you think that the fundamentals/basics are hoopla, a myth, or worthless...see Pete Maravich about ball handling skills.....

The man was so far INSIDE the Box of FUNDAMENTALS that he expanded the Box previously known.  His FUNDAMENTALS took him OUTSIDE the box in the field of play....

Too bad many can't grasp that.

[Jon Stewart]

Never thought I would read a reference to "Pistol Pete" on an archery forum.  Good one

There needs to be a sense of adventure in bowhunting. It is not sport if there are no limits on developments. It was marvelous, back in the 60s when a 58" recurve with a set of arrows that flew good and one could even carry the arrows on the bow, but that was all that was needed to be a bowhunter.   Folks talked about the different arrows a lot, and different broadheads, but they all worked, so there was not much to fight about.  Unless of course you did something way different like put arrows on your back and killed animals with a wood stick, then came the arguments and criticisms.  Who was it that said, "Archers are like a bunch of chickens. If one has one thing different, the others will peck him to death."  The October morning sun feels the same now as it did in 1964, the first year that I went deer hunting.

[Terry Green]

Jon...

Pete is one of many I could have commented on....Kelly Slater is another...as is Howard Hill.

When you become a student of the game of the best of the best in many fields you will find they all have the same similarities.... one hell of a foundation and relentless application.

Originally posted by TRAP:
Most "successful traditional bowhunters" probably spend more time working on woodsmanship skills than tuning arrows and fretting about whether or not they are more "traditional" than the next guy, just saying

Yes...!
I think you are tracking with the OP.

[DesertDude]

When I joined TradGang many years ago, I remember reading about different hunting trips. We all just hunted with a recurve or a longbow. We talked and learned about different ways to hunt, wind in our face, stalking skills, reading the terrain, looking for signs... We shared our thoughts and what we learned afield, with our fellow Trad bowhunters so we could be more successful in the field.  Times have changed I get that, equipment has changed in all aspects. True Hunters will always  be successful no matter what bow they have in their hand.  Learn from them, listen when they share, in the end its all about Trad bowhunting

[J-dog]

Well as of late I certainly havent been successful in the "meat" aspect of trad bow "hunting!" all I been doing is bow "hiking".
Never been philosophical though? for me I just liek the trad bow? get as close as I can, make best shot I can. Shoot an honest 4 times a week; but I do try and step out and shoot at least two arrows a day. A trad bow isnt a wheel bow! you HAVE to keep shooting year round or your just not there. wheel bow you can pick up off the shelf and be accurate within 5 arrows???
trad bow? not so much. It requires a lot more of you. Folks say it is more simple??? well from the tech aspect yes? from the discipline aspect it is alot harder.

J

[Mr.Vic]

Got to agree with Desertdude on his post. But it seems people have problems with the listening and learning part. I miss those old days as well, it irritates me a little and amuses me like watching a cheap movie when i go to a Traditional bow HUNTING sites and there filled with nothing but Traditional Archery/shooting/tech.