ethical dilemma

[doublewhopper]

I really want to use my traditional bow for hunting but I am not consistent at all past 10 yards.  Would many of you guys go out to the woods if you couldn't hit a paper plate 9 out of 10 times at 20 yards.  Thats my dillema.  With my compound I am fine out to 40, I just don't want to take my chances.  What do you guys think?

[Marblesonac]

If you think you could limit your shots to 12 yards than go with the tradbow, if you don't think you would have the will power to pass up the shot, then go with what you are most comfortable with.

[ChuckC]

Double ...as many here say.  If you can only shoot ten yards...only take ten yard shots, or nothing.  Even if you can only shoot five yards, you can kill deer, just wait and get better at being still.  As you get better, you can extend your range.  FYI..make sure you practice some from a treestand if that is the way you will hunt.

Also...consider shooting only one shot per round.
Consistency while hunting is a hotly debated subject.  IF you can hit the paper plate with the first arrow, doesn't really matter about the second, third, fourth etc. do.

You can do it, just chose your shots wisely.
ChuckC

[vermonster13]

Will you stick with it if you see deer at 15, 18, 22 yards, or go straight back for the compound? Where are you in your hunting right now? Have you killed enough deer to be more about the process and less about the kill? Can you limit yourself to your effective range and still be satisfied with your hunt? Answer these things for yourself and you'll know what you should do. Hunting is a personal thing and some choices are tougher than others. Make the right one for yourself and no one can judge you but yourself.

Good luck in whatever you choose and there is a long time yet between now and deer season to practice.

[Otto]

It's March and you've got plenty of time to improve before bow season.  If 10 yds is it, then you have to have the discipline to keep your shots within that range.  But it's a long time till October.  I was in your shoes 15 years ago and I practiced my arse off every night.

Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can.

[Benha]

I would go with the intention of setting up a shot 12 yards and under.

[Gordy]

I second the 'plenty of time to improve' sentiment.

Also, there is nothing wrong at all with putting a sight on a wood bow.  If I were in the same boat, I think I'd keep practicing with your current bow and maybe try a Gamemaster with sight as a hunting bow.

Have you tried shooting 3 under with arrow point on target ?
Have you tried shooting longer arrows of stiffer spine to get a point on aiming system ?

It's all good. Just dont' start changing everything all at once and keep it fun  

[STOBBER]

I personally think you should keep practicing daily.....nothing wrong with sticking with what your comfortable with.   I have been shooting trad for about 6 or 7 yrs. and have only recently advanced to about 20yd. shots. I shot my first trad.killed buck at about 6 paces. I even MISSED a couple of does at the same distance ! It can be frustrating to say the least.  There are alot of things youll have to decide on youre own.....but its worth effort. You not only become a better trad. archer ...you learn a lot about youreself in the process.    Good luck friend !!

[doublewhopper]

I have been thinking a lot about this, and I have been trying desperately not to admit it but I am ready to admit it now.  I am 99% positive I am overbowed!  I will probably be putting my brand new 70lb at 28 inch, Barta Bow up for sale soon.  I am pulling 58 pounds at my 25 inch draw and I think that it is still too much.  I think that I'd be more successful around 50 pounds as I can control the bow better.

[Marblesonac]

Not knowing anything else about you, based upon MY experiences, I would be in total agreement with the over bow thing.

[Woodduck]

I would trade bows, then. The highest pound I ever had was 54, and 45 is sweeter to me.
I have a couple of 40# that are good, too.
I think you'll enjoy the sport more and shoot better; and as someone above recommended, nothing wrong with a sight for hunting.

[JStark]

I would agree about being overbowed, too.  When you get a bow of the right weight in your hands, it just feels right.  I'm shooting my brother's 50lb. longbow right now, as my 59 at 29" is too much for me.  I don't want to build bad habits trying to compensate for an improper draw...

[vermonster13]

Yeah, I'd have to agree with the overbowed if this is your first one. You need to learn to shoot and control the shot(and what a good shot feels like) before you get too heavy.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Doublewhopper, I've been shooting trad for about 3 years. For about two of those I was only decent for about 10 yards or so. I realized I wasn't paying attention to my form. The past year I have been doing good, out to about 20-25 yards. Keep shooting and don't give up. If something isn't working for you, change it up a little bit.

[fflintlock]

When you get the right bow and arrow set up.
 Something else too. I'm not all that good at targets. Don't know why, decent, but not the best. But put a pine cone or stuffed animal or something of the kind out there, I'll drill it !!
 Same way with guns. I don't know what it is. Mental I guess, (no comments please    .
 Try somethin other then paper targets sometimes and see how good you do.
 But deffentily keep at it, once you get that mental picture of "I ain't no good at this", it takes awhile to get rid of it.
 I have been away from my bows for several years now, I still practice at 10 to 18 yrads constantly. I'll fling a little further now and then, but I keep it short till I can keep them all in a 4" circle. But like a said earlier, I can screw up on my bag, and throw a stuff bunny out there and drill it, try it one time.
 Keep going like you are, then back up a few feet when you think your ready. The "one arrow at a time",  is a good peice of advise too.
 Ya gotta be positive, will that arrow to the intended spot over and over. Don't shoot a hundred arrows all at once either, shoot 10 or so, then take a break, then come back later on. Take your time and enjoy what your doing, you will improve.
 Take a look at the kill threads posted and see how far away most of them were, or how close I should say. That sir is one of the main reasons for Traditional Archery, to see how close you can get ! Leave the long shots to the gunners.

[Shaun]

Takes most of us quite a while to work up to being able to have good form with a heavy bow. Much easier to learn on a bow in the 45# range and then move up. I still cannot put 9 of 10 in a paper plate at 20. I can put the first one in the boiler room at 15. Borrow or buy a used light bow and learn how, then work up to your heavy bow. Good huning!

[Longbowmark]

As I was reading your initial posting my first thought was that you have too much bow.  Intstinctive arhery is a fluid natural motion that first must be achieved by finding a bow that fits you.  I recently posted on a lady I know who has cleanly killed hogs (in a preserve) with a 35 Lb recurve.  Now this is not the norm but I mention it because it can be done.  I also have a younger brother who can pick up a very small car from one bumper, no lie.  He is so strong yet any bow over 50 lbs is a distraction to him and he cant shoot it well.  
Get your self a 45 Lb Black widow or similar smooth bow and you will find youself shooting all the time because you not only enjoy it but you will hit what you aim at.  Remember this.   If you can throw a baseballe 30 feet you can kill deer with a bow.  Dont put too much thought into this,  It must be INSTINCTIVE!!!!

[Molson]

The ethical dilemma comes in when you are presented with a shot opportunity you know you shouldn't take.

If your goal is to hunt with trag gear, you have to hunt with trad gear.  Self-restraint is the key to confidence and confidence is the key to making the shot.

[Bonebuster]

Molson hit the bullseye with what he said.  

Even being able to hit a target EVERY time at twenty yards doesn`t mean its agood idea to shoot game at twenty.

It all comes down to your first good shot. As hunting season nears, I begin to swing from shooting for a half hour at a time, down to one or two GOOD shots at a time. I am able to step onto my deck and take a shot at a 3D deer before work. No warm up, poor light. After dinner. Whenever. I move the target around, back and forth between ten and twenty yds. By doing this I begin to see every year why twenty yards is so far.

When I am warmed up and shooting good I can kill from thirty plus. When I`m up at 4 am on a Saturday after working fifty five hours and watching a movie late with my wife, its twenty five degrees, I`m fifteen feet in the air, and my heart is crashing cause I hear footfalls coming my way , I am not "warmed up". I`m not ready to shoot much farther than fifteen yds. That indeed is the dilemma.

P.S don`t sell the Barta bow. You might just find you will regret it.

[Grizz 53]

70lbs sounds pretty strong to me. I'm 6'1" and weight 200lbs and I pull 48lbs at 29". Sounds like you could back off on the poundage and don't forget proper form. Without proper form it hard to shoot consistently.