Where is this headed?

[Todd Cook]

Lots of folks just like to fuss about something. And lots of folks are pretty thin skinned these days too.

I'm the president of the Traditional Bowhunters of Georgia. We're fortunate to not see too much of this sort of thing, but we definately have our share of opinions. I shoot a longbow with wood arrows, but I don't personally have a problem with the metal risers and foam limbs, etc. What I really believe in is the SPIRIT of traditional bowhunting. Keep it simple. Don't try to take such long shots at game; try to become a better hunter and get closer.

Infighting won't solve anything. This past weekend we had 11 guys hunting in the river swamps of south GA together. Mostly instinctive longbow guys, but a couple of gap shooters and one guy that uses a release with a Black Widow recurve.( He had several fingers cut off in an industrial accident and has no choice). Couple of us like Michelob and a couple Busch.  But heck, we all get along just fine.

If you are drawn to traditional bowhunting, you probably are opinionated by default. Seems to go with the territory. Embrace it. Rugged individualists forged this great nation of ours. But don't beat up others because they think differently. Go hunting with them. If they use a stick and string without wheels, it's all good.

I may be partial because they're my friends, but I hunt with some of the best to ever pull a string back. RC and Chris Spikes are just as nice in person as they seem on here. Dendy Cromer, Crispin Henry, I could go on and on. Truly good at what they do. But they don't bash folks. They're too busy helping them.

[Terry Green]

Too funny Ron...

Everyone that bashes Tradgang should start their own forum and see how long they put up with the trash it generates 

It's a lot easier to point fingers than take out the garbage.

[Rob DiStefano]

in this new information millennium age it seems that everyone's got a digital soapbox that can reach millions and everyone's an expert about everything.  the "beware the trad police" podcast is just another poor soul looking for attention at the expense of the ignorant and taken as gospel.  sure, there's always gonna be someone preaching "my way or the highway", but most of us are smart enuf to ignore such nonsense.  if we see that attitude at trad gang, it'll be dealt with swiftly, we just gotta know about it.   

[Grouse01]

Boy Susan did you open a can of worms.

[Terry Green]

Initials JS....

Can tell you what head to use, what string, what arrow, what feathers....

After years of proclamation....admitted when asked....he'd never killed a deer or anything  but ONE rabbit.

Nick Name Initials....AFC

Same as above but was giving advice on what head for GRIZZLY BEARS.....Never killed anything and was 17 years old.

Initials OA....

Claimed broadheads didn't need to be sharpened.

[Terry Green]

Continued...

JJ...

Claimed you didn't need a nock point

JM...

Claimed you only needed to take one arrow with you...funny  he'd only killed one deer.

NN..

Claimed you didn't need to worry about if you couldn't sharpen  broadhead....Could not provide a hero pic

[Pine]

Better watch out Terry or someone is going to TURN ON THE CAPS LOCK!!!!!!!!!

[BAK]

Terry, it is like this with nearly everything today, and is likely a by product of the media itself.  I retired after 30 years as a police chief.  I see a police related issue on the internet and 99.8 percent of respondents, who've never had to walk up to a suspicious car on a back country road at 3:00 AM,  have all the answers on what the officer "Should have done".

At least being the moderator you can tell them to go pound sand if need be.  And good for you when you do.

[Terry Green]

DS....

Although he has zero experience decided he's going to kill something with an arrow with no fletching just to prove it can be done and 'report back'.

BB....bashes multiple well known and truly experienced bowhunters.

The late Dean Toges use to post here.  Glenn St Charles use to have someone read Tradgang to him, Ron LaClair, Gene and Barry, Biggie Hoffman, Denny Sturgis and Denny Jr, Ryan Rothar, Charlie Lamb, Mike Mitten, Don Thomas, Ted Fry, Matt Schuster, Fred Asbel, The late Jack Howard all are .
members here...

I don't think you will ever again find a platform with this many greats and this amount of 'wealth of information' about trad bowhunting.

Rob, Terry and Company will take the beating on behalf of the sport....pile it in us.

[Sam McMichael]

I don't pay much attention to guys like that. I am of the overused opinion of mind over matter - I don't mind what he says, because his opinion doesn't matter. I, like most here, have a preference for more conservative, ie.  "traditional", as we tend to consider it, approach to our sport. This fellow is the tempest in a tea pot as has been described in a literary fashion. To put it in a way most of my cronies understand, he is FOS.

[stik&string]

Rob, Terry and Company will take the beating on behalf of the sport....pile it in us.

You guys are awesome and do not get enough credit for what you do!

[huntryx]

Good to hear so much support for our way of doing things, but this is Tradgang, after all. What bothers me most, in this era of "Mis-Information", is the infighting. We don't need it, frankly. We do need to respect each other, but there's little of that these days. We do need to hold strong (even though it seems a losing battle) against crossbows in the archery season and other such abominations. And I hope that Mr. "Bowhunting Soul" isn't representative of those coming into traditional archery.

The other thing is..... Terry I am worried about you....don't you have anything better to do than keep track of these people? 

[monterey]

Curmudgeons from the '80's?????   We real Curmudgeons are offended@! 

[Aaron Proffitt 2]

I'm just tickled a 44 year old guy is considered a youngster. At 45, gives me a few more years of being able to put blame on my "youth".

[bigbadjon]

When I was first getting started in trad I will admit that I felt there was a stigma associated with certain things. I live close by to a well known bow seller and he pretty much taught me trad shooters only shoot instrictive and that was that. If it isn't  your thing go back to a compound bow. Well needless to say I struggled and now believe this man to be a greater seller of bows than actual archer, especially after he denied my request to witness his expertise. Then when I was reading from guys I now know to be greats, I was like "what do you mean Gene Wensel aims?" After learning to gap shoot I killed the very next deer I shot at. When I was craving something more precise I was reading an article by Jack Howard about shooting  with sights. I have this article posted in the how to section for interested parties. Personally I believe the so called trad police do exist, but they are ironically the folks that haven't actually looked into all it has to offer.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Sometimes you have to look through the weeds to find your trophy.  With the information age, I feel I feel being able to give and receive information so freely has both positive and negative influence. I also fear people will hear a podcast as Susan pointed out and take it as gospel. As a small Portion of the Archery community, we need to stay positive and lead by example. We need to tell people who are wrong that they are wrong but do it in a way as to not belittle them but enlighten them. Some will get more bitter but some of those looking for the light just might come a little closer to finding it.

[huntryx]

Don't know why he seemed younger to me than 44-- either it is because I am ancient, or he is merely "young" in the sport.

[1Arrow1Kill]

When I talk I teach - When I listen I learn. 

I LOVE to learn, so I force myself to listen.  I try to not filter out the words of those having different views as listening reinforces that I don't agree with their position and I need not change mine. 

I LOVE to teach, but only to those who want to learn.  My few pearls don't get cast before swine.

I try to save my opinion for only those who ask my opinion.  I've learned that opinions are like butts . . . everyone has one, most of 'em stink.  Bottom Line - I've found that trying to use my 2 ears twice as much as my 1 mouth has served me well.
 
I also believe in the '5% RULE'  -  5% of any grouping of people are fools.  I try to avoid the 5%.  Think about it, 5% of those at work, 5% of those in church, 5% of those drinking at any watering hole, 5% of those posting here, even 5% of extended family are people you just don't care to be around.  You might be better off trying to avoid them, if you aren't already.  The young blogger is most likely part of the 5%.  ( The dilemma:  Trying to not be a part of anyone else's 5% )

OK, time for me to shut up and listen.  Think I'll grab the Blacktail and fling-a-few.

[BAK]

Ahh, I think that's at least 10%.   

[mj seratt]

If I knew what a podcast was, I might be upset, too.
I tried a.compound one year.  Didn't like it, and went straight back to my recurves.  At the same time, I hunt with a couple of compound hunters who are as ethical as anyone you can come up with.  It's not the bow, it's the hunter.  At the same time, I don't think crossbows belong in any Archery season.

Murray