Been thinking... About "re-thinking" it..... Getting There!!!

GCook · June 25, 2023, 08:26:00 PM

Health issues can take you down regardless of age. As said I'm well aware of the fact I have a shelf life in this adventure. I also understand I'll never be a world class shooter or a long-range sniper with a trad bow either. So I'm just content doing it as long as I can and when it fades I'll have good memories just as I do with playing ball, climbing mountains and all the other stuff I once could do.
In the end Wood it's about the fulfillment you get out of it. You've nothing to prove to us internet archery blokes. Just stay in the hunt/fish as long as you can the ways that you can. If you lose traditional bow hunting then do it some other way. Meat tastes the same and when you're sitting beside that animal being thankful for it the gratitude is just as sincere.
May God grace and comfort your journey.

JR Chambers · June 25, 2023, 11:41:23 PM

God Bless you. Prayers from WV. You don't need to apologize to anyone . Just get out there. With whatever weapon you can use .

MCNSC · June 26, 2023, 06:43:40 AM

Lots of us are realizing we can't do some of the things we used to. It's a fact of life that if we live long enough we will have to deal with. I've come to realize that most of the things I've done or have in this life really aren't important. It does sound like you have a solid plan, get out and do what you can when you can, but keep it prioritized.
Good luck with the future.

hawkeye n pa · June 26, 2023, 07:59:02 AM

Love your positive attitude and God bless you enjoying life.

woodchucker · December 27, 2023, 03:11:04 PM

WELL....???

Seems like I'm starting to git that itch again!!!

Just ordered some stuff from 3Rivers

I've taken a break.... Maybe get out and "relearn" things??
I put my camo Mag-handle together... Switch to an Eichler 3under tab... Drop my anchor point to my index finger...

We'll see what happens...!!?? Keep ya posted!!!

GRAYBEARD · December 27, 2023, 03:18:10 PM

Don't overthink it. Live right, Live well, LIVE!

Wudstix · December 27, 2023, 04:24:57 PM

Glad I re-read this. Keep at it!!!

Terry Green · December 27, 2023, 06:03:15 PM

woodchucker · May 19, 2025, 03:19:33 PM

Well folks.... I'm back at it again!!!! I think?

Last year, I sat out bow season... Never even strung a bow. It hurt!! I missed it!! A LOT!!!
A few days ago, I strung up my Bear T/D with it's 40# limbs and tried to pull her back... I've lost a lot of strength, from literally not using my right arm at all. I got her back to full draw, but holding it there was a chore!! Even for a couple seconds... I'm going to keep it strung up, and keep working at it.
Maybe...?? Next month, I might dig out a few arrows and start shooting it again

rastaman · May 19, 2025, 03:37:25 PM

That's awesome Chuck!

Wudstix · May 19, 2025, 04:34:51 PM

Do what you can, while you can. I try to draw all my bows throughout the year to keep some muscle tone. Shoot the ones that are the most fun at the time.

Rob DiStefano · May 19, 2025, 05:07:29 PM

As I near 80 years on this blue orb I thank my God that I can still get up each morning with a pulse and a purpose. Achieving good outcomes of purposeful interests is the icing on the cake of life.

Camp Creek · May 20, 2025, 10:30:24 AM

I had heart surgery and shoulder surgery last summer, and I was determined to pick up a bow again no matter what. I couldn't even string it the first time I tried, but I got some exercise bands from Amazon and had an old garage sale 30# recurve that I would draw nearly every day. I kept plugging away and by the end of the season had spent many enjoyable hours on my farm. I had nothing concrete to show for it other than a couple of clipped oak twigs, but I did get the memories which is mainly what I went for.

Keep plugging away, and I think you will be pleasantly surprised by your progress by opening day!

woodchucker · May 20, 2025, 04:43:37 PM

Hopefully I can get my strength back enough to start shooting again.....

I don't know about actually hunting again? The tremors and shaking in my right hand make me look like
John Voight in "Deliverance"

woodchucker · May 24, 2025, 06:05:36 PM

Kinda a rainy crappy day, so I figured it might be a good day to dig out some arrows and get them ready to try and do some shooting. I have a strung up 40# 1969 Grizzly that I have been drawing, trying to get my strength back. I dug out the big "arrow tote" where I packed away all of the arrows a couple years ago.
There were 9 dozen arrows in there!!

Although most of them are over spined (55-60#) all boxed up and ready for someone to shoot them. I gave my nephew 3 dozen of the 45-50# arrows last summer when he was just getting into this "Traditional" thing

I brought down a dozen, and some odds and ends, about 20 total. They're all 55-60# but I can put 160gr field points on them and they'll be fine! Hell, I don't even know if I'll be able to hit the target?
I figure I'll spend the next week swapping the points over to 160grs and put the block target out in the yard, and see what happens!!??

Jegs.mich · May 29, 2025, 07:32:27 AM

Something to think about and maybe look into. My uncle had tremors so bad in his right hand he couldn't feed himself or drink. He is a otherwise healthy man. He recently had a electrical device implanted in his brain.
When the power is on the tremors stop and he is stable. When he turns the power off his hand shakes violently. Your situations are different but might be worth asking the doc. Admire your attitude!

woodchucker · May 29, 2025, 09:00:39 AM

Jed, Thank you for your thoughts Brother!!
At this time, at my age, I think I'm just going to go with what the good Lord blesses me with...Wakeing up every day!!!
I retired and moved up in the mountains, to a small town of about 400 folks, for a simpler life. Any serious medical care or specialists, are HOURS away....
I'm greatful for everything that God has given me. Every day, is a blessed day!!!

woodchucker · June 08, 2025, 09:48:00 PM

Well folks, I've been working with my bows every day, and it seems like I'm getting some strength back!!?
I have them hanging downstairs, and every time I take the hound for a walk, I draw the bow back and try to hold it steady at full draw... As of now, I can draw my bow about 10 times, and hold it for about 8-10 seconds. The hound really likes to go for walks!! I do this about a dozen times a day...

I'm really getting the itch to start shooting, but I don't want to rush things!! Soon!!?

woodchucker · June 08, 2025, 11:00:49 PM

Lately I have been doing a lot of re-thinking... I REALLY missed bow hunting last year!!!
I had a physical issue, and it shook my confidence. What was really troubling,was the fact that there was no ryme or reason as to why or when my fingers would lock up? I could be out shooting for an hour before it happened, or maybe 10 minutes? Some days, it might not happen at all?
I have always been a firm believer that one must have confidence in both his abilities and his equipment.
If you can't make a 30 yard shot EVERY time, You don't take a 30 yard shot. Period!!!
My fingers locking up, and the fliers, bothered me!!! I felt like there was an issue that I could not control and if that was the case, it would b e iresponsable and unethical, for me to take a shot at a living breathing animal. SO... I decided not to bow hunt last year. It was a hard decision to make, and a harder one to live with!

Which brings me to... "Fate"
I think all of us agree,that Fate is something that we just cannot control. Sometimes bad things happen, no matter how hard we try to prevent it. I, like I'm sure most of us here that have been at this for a while, has made a shot that did not go as planned, resulting in a bad hit, and possibly/probably resulting in an unrecovered animal. We practiced, we tuned, we did everything we could to make sure that any shot we took, would result in a quick clean kill. But still... Something happens.... Fate
An unseen branch or twig... A step or turn, the moment we released... Something unexpected just happend.

That got me thinking... NEVER, have my fingers locked up on the very first shot?
If I practice, and practice, to be the best that I can possibly be. To control the things that I can control. To have the confidence that unless my fingers lock up, EVERY arrow will be a good arrow. I cannot control Fate. But, I can do what I can, to control what I can.... Whatcha Think...??

Rob DiStefano · June 09, 2025, 05:38:15 AM

Aging can be, and usually is, a test of endurance, will power, and compromise.

Sometimes physical limitations can be overcome, and when they can't, then the will to persevere can be accomplished with alternative thinking and compromise.

A noted gunsmith and percussion muzzleloading rifle long range (1000 yards) multi time World champion began to have serious vision issues with his dominant shooting eye as he moved past the 70 year old age mark. Nothing worked or helped and it got to the point where he was about to give up shooting altogether. He thought long and hard to try to find a way to continue his long range shooting game. He's a left hand shooter and decided to try shooting right hand as his right eye vision was quite normal. That worked reasonably well but not for world class competitions as he couldn't acclimate to right hand shooting form. Being a first class machinist, and thinking lots more, he built a rear sight for his percussion muzzleloader that allowed holding left handed but aiming with his right eye. That was an epiphany and now he's back in the game.

There are other methods of gripping a string to full draw that don't rely on a direct finger release and most of them date back thousands of years and thus are perfectly "trad" acceptable.

Never give up, never yield to the ravages of time.

Hoping the best for you, Chuck.