What happened?

[Sam McMichael]

Many explanations for the decrease in participation have been given, and probably most of them apply. I think it is mostly due to the fact that fewer people seem to be interested in outdoor activities in general. On-line games seem to be the favorite pastime of most of the younger people these days, pure and simple - part of the ebb and flow as Rob mentioned. I wish it was different, but I think it is not. Plus, most bowhunters in the country are compound shooters. As trad shooters, we must accept the fact that we are probably the smallest segment of the hunting world and always will be. One thing I would like to see is more 3D shoots with great emphasis on bringing in families. Social interaction is a convincing way to present new ideas to people. A certain number of these will become enthusiastic archers, and, likewise, some of these will become bowhunters.  Meanwhile, to keep things vibrant, we members must regularly be active on any forum we participate in. Others are not likely to come to trad archery unless we invite and encourage them to get on board.

[Roy from Pa]

This post makes 19,515 posts for me.

Come on guys catch up:)

 

[bowkill146]

Several people have commented on the fact that having to pay for the classifieds is part of the reason that they have lost interest.  I have no idea if it's even feasible, but is there a way to make the classifieds open to viewing to all but if you want to post on there, either buying or selling, you need to pay your fee?  This would still eliminate a lot of the scammers, etc. but people would be able to see what's out there and decide if it's worth the extra money to buy it or interact.  Like I said, I don't know how much work it would be or if it's even a possibility.  Just an idea. 

[Dave Lay]

I agree with Sam and several others, I think the overall interest has fallen off in archery in general , I don’t shoot a lot of tournaments going to only local all trad shoots to shoot with buddies. I remember when there was a tournament every weekend within a few hours drive, that’s not the case anymore. But I also feel social media has a huge affect, I don’t use it and have no plans to, but do see friends going to these specific FB groups now. I’ve had friends tell me that we at tradgang are all old school and they are more interested in more technical stuff which I have no interest in. I do know other trad sites have alot more activity and ours has really fallen off which is disappointing, as far as paying for the classifieds I’ve done it a few years and understand the reasoning , but there’s not a lot  of bang for the buck in that.
      I do know I’ll always be a member here and there’s some great folks that are and really  do contribute some great stuff.

[Rob DiStefano]

Several people have commented on the fact that having to pay for the classifieds is part of the reason that they have lost interest.  I have no idea if it's even feasible, but is there a way to make the classifieds open to viewing to all but if you want to post on there, either buying or selling, you need to pay your fee?  This would still eliminate a lot of the scammers, etc. but people would be able to see what's out there and decide if it's worth the extra money to buy it or interact.  Like I said, I don't know how much work it would be or if it's even a possibility.  Just an idea.

A very good suggestion.  We've thought of that more than a few times in the past but always came to the same conclusion - there's nothing to stop a read-only member from contacting a seller to make a purchase.  While this opens up greater possibilities for a sale it also creates two problems - the buyer could be a scammer (this happened a LOT in the past when the classifieds was totally public and free) and it lessens the seller's value for using the classifieds.  Tough choices.

[Gen273]

Thanks for all the replies! I am sure that there is validity in a lot of the suggestions presented in this thread. I pray that everyone has a good day!! If it stops raining, I am going to shoot a few arrows this evening😁!

[BruceT]

   Firstly, this is a “Great” site for traditional archers !
I have sold two bows in the classified section . Each in the range of $500-$600. I am happy to pay $35 per year knowing that , what I am selling is somewhat protected from scammers . Both of my bows sold quickly and went to a couple of our neighbours to the South. Basically clean and easy !
   I look forward to threads like ; Show your traditional hunting cabin.
Shooters form board with McDave and J Casto .
  My thought is $35 is a small price to pay fo what we’re getting .
  Keep it coming !!!
  Bruce T

[Kevin Dill]

Any forum is only going to be as good and successful as it is perceived by its visitors. Everyone starts as a visitor and then decides whether to join and contribute. If a forum doesn't attract and hold people's attention (and that's visitors AND members), they will move on and search for other options.

I belong to a couple of motorcycle forums. Each is unique and they are quite different. But they do have some commonalities. Things like:

1) An open sub-forum where anything controversial goes. 2) Wide ranging topics. 3) Free classifieds. 4) Member of the month. 5) Bike of the month. 6) Tech sections. 7) Adventure sections. 8) Emphasis on superb photos. 9) A sub-forum for new member introductions and welcoming. 10) Trip planning sub-forum. 11) Loads of how-to knowledge freely shared.

Did I say free classifieds? Yes. I don't know anything about how or if they address possible scams, but it doesn't seem to ever be an issue. Forum members view free/open classifieds as a huge bonus and they are drivers of traffic to websites and forums. I understand why TG went to closed/pay-to-play classifieds, and I'm not arguing the point. I think doing so removed a perceived benefit for many and contributed to an eventual loss of momentum there.

And speaking of momentum, I see it as a critical thing for TG or any forum to keep watch on. When mass (people) and energy (their inputs and contributions) fall off over time....momentum suffers. If the message becomes one of 'X forum isn't what it used to be'....people drift away and, as Rob has m/l stated, TG is people....is us. I hope my comment is viewed in the spirit of hoping this site figures out the issue and works to address it. The world has a short attention span and a member lost is often lost forever.

KD

[Broken Arrows]

One thing that turned me off about the classifieds section, it started at 30 bucks then went right to 35 bucks in a very short time. In my eyes I say a way for trad gang to make some cash and the cost would continue to go up.
I do visit this sight daily and have learned so much. I don't post much because any and or most question are answered before I have time to reply. I also don't need to ask questions because they have been asked and answered.


 

[Lowrider]

I agree with Bruce T on the charge to be in the classifieds. I know there a lot of folks that are on limited income but think about this. If you want to put an ad in a local paper it's going to be a fee to do it and chances are no one is looking there for a bow. You can pay maybe 15 or 20 dollars for a one week ad or $35 for the ability to make a listing for a year. Also it cost money to run a website that covers as much material as this one does. It's just my opinion but I am happy to fork out that much to be able to buy and sell with confidence.

[Nomadstalker]

Look at the posts in the "highlights" section:

2012....5980 posts

2020....188   posts

What year did the fee for the classified section start?

The other trad site, LW runs the classified without a fee and seems to be as vibrant as ever. 

It's a shame, I learned most of what I know about recurves and trad hunting here.  I hate to see it fall off.

[Deno]

Honestly as a 17 year old I think a lot of my generation 1) doesn’t know enough about archery to be interested. When they think of a bow they think of a compound. A lot of my friends have had an interest in archery, got a compound and just never connected with it, because of this they become disinterested in archery in general. 2. A lot of my generation is so timid they might have an interest in something like archery but won’t express it. Almost a “can’t fail if I don’t try” mentality. There’s been a lot of effort to push traditional archery, but if my uncle hadn’t put my first longbow in my hand when I was 5 I don’t know if I’d be still shooting traditional now. Another issue is parents who think anything that shoots a projectile is a weapon of mass destruction and evil.

Flbowhunter
Great post.  You are the future of Trad Gang.   Most of us older guys have had the same experience you have.  Back in the 60s and 70s, NONE of my friends would ever think of walking in the woods, especially with bow in hand.  Most of them have been couch potatos for 60 years.  I have Grandsons your age and find it hard to get them to put down their phones and get out in the woods.  You're a special breath of fresh air.  Keep postin'.  With more young guys like you, the Gang has a good future.

Deno

[GCook]

Look at the posts in the "highlights" section:

2012....5980 posts

2020....188   posts

What year did the fee for the classified section start?

The other trad site, LW runs the classified without a fee and seems to be as vibrant as ever. 

It's a shame, I learned most of what I know about recurves and trad hunting here.  I hate to see it fall off.

I think it was last year when Terry asked us to post kills in the powwow.

[GCook]

Look at the current thread with guys ridiculing others for choosing to own camo or multiple bows or use scent control or have multiple stands as money wasted on hunting and you'll see why people are turned off to this site at times.
Mr. Green and crew have done a good job the last couple of years shutting down such stuff.  But there have been threads started bashing Bisch and others for posting "too many kills" they've had to squash.   It's amazing how the community can turn on it's own. 
We're our own worst enemy all too often.  Which stinks because there are some good people here who do some awesome hunting and tell some great stories.
But I see it on a couple other websites as well where folks are told glove shooters and instinctive shooters aren't accurate enough to be shooting or hunting or . . .
Unless a person has thick skin they will find another outlet.  Now I don't know much about pod casts and such but I know there are guys out there attracting a lot of people to the sport by providing detailed online instruction and feedback on getting started and getting better. They find community on facebook and forget this bickering here.
Here should be as much about community and enjoyment of the daily ins and outs of our archery addiction as anything.   

[kennym]

I must have missed the Mr Bisch posting too many kills thread!! I for one like his kill threads. This is a bowhunting site , eh??

[Rob DiStefano]

Look at the current thread with guys ridiculing others for choosing to own camo or multiple bows or use scent control or have multiple stands as money wasted on hunting and you'll see why people are turned off to this site at times.
Mr. Green and crew have done a good job the last couple of years shutting down such stuff.  But there have been threads started bashing Bisch and others for posting "too many kills" they've had to squash.   It's amazing how the community can turn on it's own. 
We're our own worst enemy all too often.  Which stinks because there are some good people here who do some awesome hunting and tell some great stories.
But I see it on a couple other websites as well where folks are told glove shooters and instinctive shooters aren't accurate enough to be shooting or hunting or . . .
Unless a person has thick skin they will find another outlet.  Now I don't know much about pod casts and such but I know there are guys out there attracting a lot of people to the sport by providing detailed online instruction and feedback on getting started and getting better. They find community on facebook and forget this bickering here.
Here should be as much about community and enjoyment of the daily ins and outs of our archery addiction as anything.

I hear ya, Sir.

The hardest task with any GOOD online forum is moderation, and weeding out "troublemakers" in order to keep the focus and goals of a site on course is no easy task.  This is not a cop out on my part, just stating the fact for what it is.   We DO acknowledge that good folks can sometimes create a questionable topic or post - heck, I've done that, so has Terry and many others! - and those topics/posts are moderated and removed, like any other public post that doesn't fit in with our trad bowhunting agenda.  What we're looking to stop is someone "going off the rails" too often.

Maybe once a month at best I'll get a "Report Post" from a member with questionable post and 9 times outta 10 it was really a post that needed removing and the poster was contacted and explained just why.  Add to this that we try to keep a record of just who did what in case it happens again, because that's the only way we can weed out - ban - real troublemakers that don't get it about the "Trad Gang family".

In essence, all Trad Gang members can make a report post about a concern they have with a topic or post.  We really Really REALLY appreciate those who do, doesn't take a lotta time, and helps everyone at Trad Gang.  If yer not sure whether what you think is a topic or post that needs reporting, send it off anyway ... Please.  Thank you.

[Alexander Traditional]

I agree totally with G. Cook

I have seen a number of people who didn't ask one bit for a bunch of ridicule,and that's what they got.

One guy posted on a jig he made for cutting arrows down to get them precise. It was super overkill,but he was stoked for it,and all he got were people running him in the ground about it. He has never posted again.

Another Oxnam I believe posted something that I can't remember,and got totally jumped on,and has never been back.

I know myself for instance posted a squirrel kill I made. Someone posted is that in season,and it was but I think the response on a traditional bow forum should have been more like good shot.

I made a bow target out of old tires,and someone said you should be using those tires on your tractor instead of neat target or just not saying anything at all.

I'm not going to get run off that easy,but there are other people that just have better things to do.

I think people need to think longer before they  post. Would you like someone saying about you what you are saying about them?

There are probably many more that I can't think of,but those are a few,and looking at old post I think I miss that guys post.

My dad always said people see things in others that they don't see in themselves!

[Rob DiStefano]

I agree totally with G. Cook

I have seen a number of people who didn't ask one bit for a bunch of ridicule,and that's what they got.

One guy posted on a jig he made for cutting arrows down to get them precise. It was super overkill,but he was stoked for it,and all he got were people running him in the ground about it. He has never posted again.

Another Oxnam I believe posted something that I can't remember,and got totally jumped on,and has never been back.

I know myself for instance posted a squirrel kill I made. Someone posted is that in season,and it was but I think the response on a traditional bow forum should have been more like good shot.

I made a bow target out of old tires,and someone said you should be using those tires on your tractor instead of neat target or just not saying anything at all.

I'm not going to get run off that easy,but there are other people that just have better things to do.

I think people need to think longer before they  post. Would you like someone saying about you what you are saying about them?

There are probably many more that I can't think of,but those are a few,and looking at old post I think I miss that guys post.

My dad always said people see things in others that they don't see in themselves!

This is why a Report Post of those "someones" would be beneficial to all.  We will take to task those kinds of posts.  Period.

[Gdpolk]

Any time you have a meeting of the minds, there will be times the parties agree and times the parties disagree.  We see the same here as well as any other forum or social media or in person conversation. 

Frankly I joined this site a long time ago because of the stories and vast wealth of knowledge available to learn from here and I liked participating in the St Jude auctions.  TradGang seemed like a place with mostly good people who are mostly looking for honest conversation about a sport that I'm passionate about.  I still seem to find the site mostly filled with honest people conversing about traditional bowhunting.

[Sam McMichael]

Just a thought... How often, when discussing trad archery to an inexperienced archer, have we recommended Trad Gang specifically as source of information? Do we actively recruit?