compound and recurve

[BroMark]

Just for clarification, my archery hunting these days is 100% traditional... I shoot a compound occasionally in the yard just for yucks.

I shoot a stick/string almost every day.  Sometimes that is after dark, inside the shop, on my "ten yard range".  I LOVE to fling arrows with a recurve and/or longbow!

[bowmaster12]

im new to the recurve havent shot awhole lot yet and from what ive been seeing on this forum im waiting till i get everything i want on my bow then geting togeather with someone that knows what they are doing and starting there but i enjoy shoot both very much my friends and i do some pretty crazy stuff with the compounds we really push eachother shooting wise i agree just standing at a distince and shooting the recurve way more fun  but shooting 70 + yards between 2 inch gaps in trees or busting a bodies arrow on accident of course is awfully fun too

[Mo. Huntin]

If you want to get better at anything fast the first thing you need to do is get with someone who who really knows what they are doing.  You could spend a fortune buying stuff (arrows)and find out you got the wrong thing.  Good luck.

[Dave Bulla]

I figure it's no more harmfull than a skeet shooter shooting a scoped rifle or vice versa.  In other words, they are so different I don't think they'd interfere with each other.

[overbo]

IMO,If one has only shot trad bows and where switching to a compound w/ all the shooting aids.The transition will be very breif to become effiecent.Now,from my experience.Doing it the other way around,you have to throw away most of what has been ingrained in your mind when shooting gadget archery to transfer over to INSTINCTIVE SHOOTING.I had a very difficult time switching, because of mentaly relying on gadgets to make me accurate.Take away that and I had to develope a shooting sequence to give me that comfort.GAP SHOOTING was my solution and w/ years of practice,almost every day.I developed the FEEL for the trad bow to shoot instictively.

[Boom Stick]

Originally posted by bowmaster12:
im new to the recurve havent shot awhole lot yet and from what ive been seeing on this forum im waiting till i get everything i want on my bow then geting togeather with someone that knows what they are doing and starting there but i enjoy shoot both very much my friends and i do some pretty crazy stuff with the compounds we really push eachother shooting wise i agree just standing at a distince and shooting the recurve way more fun  but shooting 70 + yards between 2 inch gaps in trees or busting a bodies arrow on accident of course is awfully fun too

It's a good thing you don't need to use a "." or a "?" when making the switch.  

[frassettor]

Originally posted by vermonster13:
Depends on how you shoot them and you. If you truly want to go Traditional and hunt with a Traditional bow, then put the compound away and make the commitment to do it right.

Well said Dave  

[blind one]

I only have 1 compound left at this point,bought in Oct. I havent shot more than 6 shots with it since I sat it up. I use all my practice time with my recurves. I take my recurve hunting if I go to the farm we hunt. I cant shoot more than 15 yards at this point and feel comfortable. If I go to one of the public hunting areas,I take my compound. The reason is at the farm I have my stand ,pop up blind and homemade blind sat up in spots where I will have a 15yrd shot or less. Alot of the public ground is 30 yard shots just because you dont get the chance to scout much. Also its alot further drive to get there...

[bsigal]

I'm in the process of switching from compound to traditional bare bow.  Personally, I feel that you owe it to the animal being hunted to be proficient enough with either to ensure a quick and humane kill.  For me, until I feel as confident with my recurves as I do with my compounds, I will continue to hunt with the compound.  Once proficient enough with the recurves, I will probably give up the compound.

[Ybuck]

Kinda sounds like you want to make the switch to traditional.
If so, i'd recommend sticking with the recurve only.
I personally shoot both. Good luck, and keep us posted.  

[Kingstaken]

There should be no issue or problem with shooting both. They are for the most part two different disciplines.
That would be like a martial artist saying "Should I only learn shotokan which is very strong and fast (compound), or can I also learn Kungfu which is smooth and fluent (traditional)."
Of coarse you can learn both.
Both can be enjoyable.
I would not recommend learning both at the same time.
I don't feel making the switch should be any big deal.
Once you start to become proficient with the longbow/recurve you'll feel and know down inside when it's right to drop and or use the compound.

[Pat B.]

A compound is a neat gadget ---- but a bow it ain't, imo, especially todays tricked out models.. I shot them for a couple of years back in the mid 70's. Then got a good recurve and have never looked back. If you want to step up the plate and be a "Bowhunter" get a recurve or longbow and devote you time to learning the craft.  

Please don't assualt me for this, no harm intended. Just the way I feel..

[pseman]

I don't know if shooting a compound will hurt your accuracy with recurves/longbows, but shooting trad bows noticeable increased my accuracy with my compound. I rarely shoot it, but when I do, I shoot better groups with it than I did when I shot it often. It seems so easy to shoot tight groups even at long distances after having to concentrate so hard to shoot tight groups at 20yds with my recurve.

The funny thing is, that it gets boring real fast and I go back to shooting my recurve after about 15 minutes. There is just more sense of accomplishment with my 8" group at 20 yds from my recurve than from a 3" group at 40yds with the wheels.

[snag]

Like any physical endeavor, some people are more skilled than others...i.e. Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, etc. So, some will be able to pick weapon up and use it skillfully.  But for the mass majority of us we need to refine our skill and be consistant in our shooting habits to maintain a level of profeciency. I like having one style of bow and becoming intimate with it so I am fully comfortable with how it feels in the hand and how it performs from draw through release.

[varmint101]

If you're just starting out you would be best to go trad only for a little while.  At least, that is what I felt I had to do.  I sold my compound at the time.

I bought a used compound this past summer because I still like to shoot them, but more so I haven't had the time to put into trad like I need since taking care of my new daughter.

However, now I'm using both with no problems.  I just practice trad at lunch and breaks at work.  I don't have to put near as much into the compound.  I won't sell the compound again though.  I know it's probably a sin or something, but I really do enjoy both.

Ole Fred Eichler is deadly with both all the time so it can be done well.  Like I said, I can do both now just fine, too.  I just believe if trad is what you want to do you need to just shoot trad to start.

That last sentence is probably all I needed to say! lol

[kevsuperg]

i think its different for all people.i shoot a compound with carbon arrows,release,drop away rest and i shoot a recurve and i shoot a hickory flatbow. by all reasoning i shouldnt be able to shoot any of them with any consistency but i somehow seem to manage. they all take a certain amount of discipline to shoot well. some of that discipline,concentration,muscle memory etc,blend into each other.shoot what you want when you want.if you are studying to become an olympic archer or something then maybe you should stick to one type but otherwise just shoot

[lt-m-grow]

Just have fun.  This really is so personal, there isn't one answer.   Enjoy one or enjoy both.  Just enjoy.  

My only advice is never sit in a treestand and wish you had the other bow, that would be sad indeed.

- Dave

BTW:  Shooting a compound bow well, and by well I mean in the realm of a compound bow, isn't the piece of cake that many profess.  In fact, I suspect those professions may be a tad stretched.   All shooting sports require lots of practice to be good as measured by that tool

[Ybuck]

Originally posted by lt-m-grow:
Just have fun.  This really is so personal, there isn't one answer.   Enjoy one or enjoy both.  Just enjoy.  

My only advice is never sit in a treestand and wish you had the other bow, that would be sad indeed.

- Dave

BTW:  Shooting a compound bow well, and by well I mean in the realm of a compound bow, isn't the piece of cake that many profess.  In fact, I suspect those professions may be a tad stretched.   All shooting sports require lots of practice to be good as measured by that tool

very well said indeed  

[bowmaster12]

thanks for everyones advice and thoughts I think i will probably stick with my origanl plan shooting my compound is second nature once i know all is good ill put it away and shoot the recurve the rest of the time 98% and if my friends and i want to play around and try some crazy things ill grab the compound i dont think it will hurt anything. hopefully with 98% effort on trad it will become second nature just like the compound
great conversation guys

[gatorgar]

Let me see, I have a Mathew's Outback, an Onieda Osprey, Selway takedown long bow, Bear cub recurve, viper flatbow, one self bow, and will soon recieve a brad new Sarrel's Archery Superstition Longbow.  I shoot them all all the time.  When I need to get some meat or it is very cold outside, I'll take my Mathew's.  Bowfishing for big fish, my Onieda.  Regular numbers bowfishing, Bear.  Want to go primitive I'll pull out the selfbow and the Viper is what I use to help get others into the sport.
Shoot what ever you want, my Mathews has taken more big game than any one of my bows, the Onieda helped me make a name for myself in the bowfishing world with alligator gar, but my recurve has taken more fish than anyone I know of down here, 650 in one tournament.  My best shot was with the Selway at a quail 75 steps away.  The Viper helped me harvest my first Trad Big game in a Javalina I took last year and the self bow is just fun to shoot.
Practice with what you want to shoot and they will all compliment each other in one way or another.  But be sure to practice with what you will use.  When my Superstition gets here, early next month I hope, I will shoot nothing but that bow until I get the feel for it and then I begin my regemin all over again.  A bow a day sure can be fun, and I was starting to wonder why my arms are always sore, lol