Why Are So Many Against Trad?

[Bill Tell]

I just tell them that I hunt better with one.  I am faster, get more shots off, can move in the woods better and learn quicker.

[GMMAT]

Do you ever think that maybe they're insecure.....and secretly afraid you're going to be successful with traditional tackle???

Maybe you'll be even moreso (successful) than they are (if they're the types to keep score).

I'd be willing to bet you that deep down there are those NOT among us who hope we fail.

Yes....I said it.

[saltwatertom]

Just do like I do and out shoot them.  :D    

[Three Arrows]

I actually had a falling out with my father in law over my choice to use only longbows and recurves.  His view was that it was not as productive and efficient as compound bows.  I used compounds for a couple years and killed deer out at 50 yards on average.  But I had no fun at all doing it.  We went for 6 years hunting the same woods and not speaking until I put down a buck he had gutshot from 15 yards out.  I used a JD Berry Serpintine and shot it from about 33 yards with a heart shot.  We are hunting buddies now, have been for years. Only now he knows it too!

[Steertalker]

Funny....I've never had a compound or rifle shooter question me, belittle me, put me down, criticize me or whatever.  Most of the time they are very inquisitive, but respectful.  I get the impression from most of the guys that they envy my ability and wish they had what it takes to do it.

Other than that, I couldn't care less what anyone else thinks.  

Brett

[Jmatt1957]

some times your silence speaks volumes. just listen to their dribble and go shoot your bow and have fun.

[Killdeer]

I have run into only one person who belittled my equipment. He is a fellow club member who seemingly exists to punch people's buttons. I have not learned his name, though I am sure he or someone has told it to me.

I took the liberty of looking at your profile, Nick, and see that you are twenty. I am an old fart, and have been twenty once, or a couple times. People at twenty are still figuring out who they want to be, testing themselves and those around them. I expect that your friends are roughly the same age as you, and are punching each others' arms and exerting peer pressure and all that stuff. You sound as though you are past that stage, or were never inclined to see to it that your buddies walked the same way as you.

As a human being, I have never walked (easily) the same path as the masses. I have always been just a hair out of plumb, always seeing things from a different angle than most folks.

Traditional archers, and I started before there was the designation "traditional", are typically of that ilk, willing to do things differently, to think more deeply about what they do, willing to do things the hard way because the rewards are greater, and willing to take the ribbing, or the flack. Only you can decide what is important to you, and how to walk your path. If people around you are really insisting that you are wrong for following your heart, then you must evaluate whether these are good or harmful people to be around.
Perhaps they will mellow with age. We all do, to some extent, some faster than others.

Killdeer
Christmas, 1969
 

[2Blade]

Wow this thread took off! Thanks for all the intelligent replies I really appreciate it. It just bothers me cause we've been friends our whole lives. I get the feeling maybe he's worried of me failing because of a stickbow and just wants to see me put animals on the ground like he does. I tell him im not worried about it ive only shot 2 deer with a bow that have been over 25 yards. My Uncle encourages me because he wants to see me excel he's a modern archer but also realizes that a stickbow is an effect killing weapon. Where me and him hunt is mainly brush so are farthest shot is 20 yards.

 Like others said were all out there for different reasons my friends are out for a big buck im out for a DEER. Sure id love a big rack on my wall and I pray every year that ill kill a big buck but as much money as we pay for licenses hunting apparel and gear fuel all the things that make it possible for us to hunt not to mention the over abundance of deer I done want to spend a season letting deer after deer go sorry but you cant eat memories.

[TheFatboy]

Has he ever tried shooting traditional? There's an old saying; you will always fear what you do not understand...

[mcgroundstalker]

I'd just read what killdeer wrote again and let it be. Some of your buddies want you to be like them. Who do they look up to?  :rolleyes:

Trad Bows are Cool! Fun to shoot all year long! Great for hunting in cover and short/quick shots. Alot of my (non-trad) hunting buddies think I'm nuts too. Been at this game for almost ten years stalking and still hunting and still havn't put a deer down with trad gear. Many, many, many almosts. Then comes firearm season and POW! "Cutlets!" But I keep at it with my bow.........

You Have What It Takes Young Man! Stick With It!

... mike ...

[Michael Arnette]

I have always had more amazement and entirest than rude comments at shoots and such, part of the reason is that I caught on pretty quick to instictive shooting and could alway shoot as well as they could at close range. The thing that worried me the most early on about hunting with trad bows was the fear of wounding an animal.
  When I shot compounds I used to be nuts about antlers to the point that it detracted from my hunting and made it hard to hunt with anyone. Now I don't worry so much about antler size but more about the time spent outdoors and the relationship building. Don't get me wrong though I think quality management is great but horn lust is something that can quickly ruin hunting.
 At the same time I have missed some oppurtunities at big bucks because of my self imposed limits since shooting stickbow, and have yet to bag a mature buck. Maybe this year right.
 One thing you might mention do with your uncle is have you both stand with arrows nocked and shoot a certain amount of arrows at the same target as fast and as accurate as possible. Be fun about it, because you will be done(depending on your quiver set up) before he has even started and will probably hit the bulleye too. Thus one advantage for you. This is a big plus for thick brush.
If this is your first year with trad equipment make sure you get your bow as quiet as possible and watch out for string jumping deer, it will bite you if you aren't careful as it did me and is an easy way to loose a deer.
Mostly have fun with him, uncles were made for teasing anyway.

[2Blade]

Yea he owns a 45# recurve and a 60# longbow that he rarely shoots. Like I said he just messes with them last year he shot a rabbit with the recurve but for some reason he wont try deer hunting with them. Hes not a bad shot either for someone who doesnt shoot much if he took it serious I really think he would be good.

[John3]

The same kind of thing happened to me as well..  Twenty plus years ago my "group" of buddies were pretty serious about bowhunting.. The traditional side of bowhunting started to call to me louder and louder. The look on some faces when they saw my first recurve was one of shock..

All I can say is to do what is right for you,, and do it well. Be a traditional bowhunting role model.

BTW, all but one of my buddies from the late 1980's have given up archery and bowhunting. They never did have the fever of "bowhunting" as bad as I did. Also, I have new traditional friends.

John III

[Brian Krebs]

I agree with GMMAT .

 I remember hunting with my bow for dinosaurs and cowboys when I was 5. As I got older; I hunted for woodchucks and squirrels; raccoons - and did some stalking on deer.

 I did though hunt deer with a gun. As I hunted mostly in a short range weapon area; I used a shotgun.
 
 Then I saw Mr Bear on 'The American Sportsman'. He shot a grizzly bear. It was not a real close shot; it killed the bear. But what I saw was the flight of that arrow. From Freds muscles at work; to his concentration and then the flight- which connected him in that picture to the bear.

 Ishi laid dying and said " we will meet again in the flight of the arrow".

 And something clicked inside me when I saw that shot at the bear. I am not an artist; I draw unrecognizable stick men.  

 But I had in my years with a bow seen ~my arrows~ fly as true as his did.

 I saw that flight as the same as a brush stroke made by a true artist.

 I started hunting deer seriously - with a longbow ( someone borrowed my Ben Pearson recurve during my Vietnam era time); and it was not heavy enough to get my arrows much past 10 yards with any efficiency. So; I bought the only bow available to me - a Bear compound.

 I eventually found myself looking at the bow when I missed. If I was off three inches at 60 yards- wow! I would panic- what had come loose?

 Came a point when I put down the compound and let the mistakes be mine; but more so- let the success of the arrow: be mine.

 It required more effort; more time; but I found it way more rewarding. It was me connecting with nature in a way that was over 9000 years old. It was in thinking that any shot could be my last; and if that was true... I wanted my last arrow to be flown just like Mr Bears arrows had flown. As Ishis had flown.

 Yes shooting a traditional bow takes more time; more effort and requires more responsibility. You are taking the chance of wounding something if you are not spot on.

 But - it is not a fad. It is not something that will change in the future; nor seeks to change.

 Traditional bowhunting - is hunting where satisfaction is 9000 years old: in our genetic reaction to the successful shot.

 But go back and read what GMMAT said. He is right. He is not expansive in how he said it; like with my ramblings- but I agree with him.

 I think the next time someone questions my using a longbow; I will just say - " Because when I don't: I feel like I am missing something."

 They may laugh and make the obvious joke of missing... but you know in the back of their mind; they might wonder just what it is they are missing. And if they take traditional bow and find it- I will be happy for them.

[Toxophilite]

2blade,
Sounds to me like your buddy just doesn't want you to change and be 'different' than him.  Maybe he thinks you'll be less of a hunting buddy if you go to a more primitive style of hunting. He's probably too young to realize you already have changed.
1. You're more interested in a good hunt than just 'nailing a big buck'.
2. You're entering into a style of hunting than he doesn't understand yet.
3. You are practicing with a purpose.  He's not...
4. You want to learn how to sneak in a little closer for your shot.

What's important now is for your buddies to realize you can all still enjoy hunting together In spite of your differences, ya'll can still get out there and have a hell of a time together.

Other than that advice, I'd just say "Ditto" what Killdeer had to say...

 

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

One of my favorite quotes,
"What you think of me is none of my business."
- Dr. Wayne Dyer

Those are words to live by.

My $.02: They don't know how much energy your trad arrows are packing nor your dirty little peep-hole and sight-pin free secret. Shhh... they might catch on!  

[bohuntr]

Nice post Brian, as well as many other folks on this thread! Trying to distill down what it is that makes hunting with traditional bows so awesome is difficult because there are so many similar things and so many different things for so many people. All I can say is that I cannot see me changing any time in the foreseeable  future. I hunt quite a lot including hunting upland game with a shotgun with some of my best buddies in the world (mostly my dogs, but some people) but I never feel more like I am hunting then when I am out chasing critters with my recurve or longbow!

[Jon Stewart]

I tell them that I am trying to learn arrowhead knapping so I can hunt with stone heads.  They just shake their heads.  I really don't give a rip about what other people think or use to hunt with.  I have noticed that some people can't have a good time without a beer in their hands tho.

[michaelschwister]

Ignore them, many are afraid to switch, and human nature is to keep others from escaping the mental/emotional pot in which they lay. If they choose tech assist that is their choice.  Do what pleases you as long it is legal and along your morale compass. I bet some day they too will switch. You will not be sorry for your decision.

[michaelschwister]

I did get heckled once. Used to go to a local "pro" (retail) shop to use the DART simulator in preparation for elk season (""learn to focus with a screaming monster nearby"), As I walked in a few dudes shooting compounds at the butts made a comment about my "Wrongbow"  I went into the DART booth to shoot without acknowledging them or their comments, and after about my third target, I just finished releasing an arrow at the big screen monarch when the curtain behind me parted and three heads poked in.  They were just in time to see a 10 come up on the screen (Heart shot).  They were gone when I left, and I never saw them again.