Why Are So Many Against Trad?

[tradtusker]

i take then to my target and put 3 arrows in it, one standing, one kneeling, and one sitting most of the time they smile and say "thats cool, that must be difficult" to which i reply "difficult but deadly"    :D

[FrozenFew]

This may be off topic but what possessed you to blow the head off a chipmunk?  I don't think that really sets a good example.  or do you folks eat chipmunks in ithaca? anyways good topic and I  not too many years ago had the same thing happen to me as well.  My crossbow toting freinds often made some remarks after I switched as it took 2.5 years  to nab my first deer with a recurve, where previous to that we would all have a decent buck or two during a season.  the funny part was with modern equipment I had missed a couple of really nice deer and was upset about it for weeks, not beleiving how I could have screwed up a chance at a nice deer.  I had two bucks with horns that would have pushed 180 inches bounce happily away from situations that would be pretty much sure things with modern equipment.  The only difference was with the trad bow in hand I laughed and shrugged it off thankful to get so close to such an awesome specimen of an animal.  I am not sure if my expectations are lower, I am more mature as an individual, or I have just connected on a more personal level with the animals I am hunting. maybe all of the above, but I do know that hunting with a trad bow has really improved my overall skill as a hunter. and every deer seems world class when you work at it hard and do it on your own terms to satisfy your own expectations.

[el_kirk]

I've never actually met anyone that was against trad.  Can't imagine I'd care much though.

[Autumnarcher]

I've run in to all types of comments about trad gear. Some will say man, I wish I had the time to learn to shoot like that, others will look down their nose at anything different thatn what they use.

I know a couple people whom I used to hunt with a lot, who seem to think they are too good to hunt with me now that I shoot a stick. They almost act embarrassed to be shooting with a trad guy. It was kind of funny last time we wereall shooting together when I smackedone of their arrows with my woodie. They were worried about the high dollar carbons getting busted. So in retaliation, said it was game on and were gonna shoot at my woodies. I told 'em go ahead, I bet you can't hit it. They didnt. LOL

I've heard the snide comments at the 3D shoots, but in the end, I ignore it. I shoot the gear I shoot by choice. Not to impress anyone, or prove anything to anyone. I so it because its what I enjoy, it gives me much more satisfaction, and sense of accomplishment. Much like golf, my success, or failure, is dependent on nothing more than my own skill and concentration.

AS for the haters, you will find them anywhere you look. Always with a comment, but rarely can back it up. I find little time for them. I gave up wheels because I didnt feel challenged anymore. I don't hate those who shoot wheels. Thats their choice. Trad is mine.

Some like cotton, some like wool. Some like camo, some like plaid.

[BTH]

They're jealous.

[coaster500]

I went on my first hunt as an observer when I was 7 years old, from that day forward I new that hunting, fishing and the outdoors would be part of my life. I have hunted with a rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader and compound (pretty much in that order). I am new to traditional but see it as a way to reconnect with the peace, feelings of excitement and anticipation not to mention the challenge I had when a hunt was new for me.

So far the only negative came from a professional guide that said he hated traditional. I think his opinion stems from that fact that it is probably harder to connect and changes his success rates.

Most people have looked at my new interest in a positive way. I have also gained access to property that has never been hunted because I am hunting with a bow. I have not harvested anything yet but this just gives me an excuse to be out there more.

I think all hunter need to be tolerant and respectful of each other. I live in an area that has lost major hunting and fishing battles because one group badmouthed the other. If it is legal don't put down that legal choice of weapon and a hunters right to choose it.

I’m sorry to be so long winded but I believe arrogance and intolerance is something hunter and fisherman cannot afford. United we are strong divided, well come to my neighborhood and I’ll show you first hand the damage done that a united front could have fought off.
.

[SteveMcD]

I didn't read through all the posts -but most. I've never had a problem. The older folk who remember the Before Compound Era actually have a lot of respect for me, they know it is not easy. The younger compound folk, always say, "Do you hunt with that?". So then I show them my bow, explain poundage, arrow weight, range, penetration, etc. and they begin to understand - keep in mind most compound shooters don't know anything other than compounds.

[Gary Logsdon]

I've been reading this thread with considerable interest . . . lots of good comments to reflect on for sure. I especially enjoyed what Killie had to say - very well put.

For me, I shoot "simple bows" for a variety of reasons; the feel of the draw, the beauty of the wood grain, and of course the hands on aspect of stringing, shooting, arrow making, broadhead sharpening, etc, etc. Plus the thrill of watching your arrow hit it's intended mark by way of brain and back muscle! It all just seems "right" to me.  Finally, I grew up watching Fred Bear's old 16 mm films projected by an old projector my dad would rent from the local library.  I still wear plaid, wool pants, WWII camo, while carrying a recurve and dreaming of far away places.

[Krokett]

18 years ago I joined that archery club. It was a strictly FITA style archery club. I wanted to get into archery, with the intention of later getting a compound, simply because "compound was so cool". Of course, they let me use one of their recurve bows for free, and I have to say I did like it (archery).
I had a talk later with the coach, and spoke to him about compounds. He said they only shot recurves, strictly applying FITA rules. OK, that made me quit and try to look elsewhere. Well, there was no archery club close enough for me to join, at least none that allowed compounds.
So, I gave up.

And not so long ago, somehow I thought about doing it again, but this time trying to go traditional - or at least semi-traditional - and got me a recurve bow here on Tradgang (      @Bushytail) and boy, am I happy. I don't feel smart for turning down that opportunity to learn much, much more 18 years ago, just because I couldn't shoot compound.

So, here you have it; a bona fide mea culpa.

While I don't scorn compound shooters, I certainly do appreciate the skills and efforts needed to shoot traditional gear.

Oh, the vanity of youth!!!

Kennedy spoke once "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard..."

I guess it finally got through my big boned head, to appreciate the sport and put effort into it, instead of relying on 'machines' and devices to do it 'all' for me.

[Toklat1]

I've had the opposite reactions from people. Most are very interested on how I can shoot a recurve with no sights. It makes no sense to them how one can hit anything. And, most wish they could shoot one of "those things" like that!

[buckeye_hunter]

A guy at Bass Pro Shops this weekend looked at the trad bows and said to his kid, "Why would anyone spend their money on those?" Then he also looked at some other stuff and said it was for morons. It just demonstrates a lack of awareness and ignorance.

I have also had people that are highly impressed that we rough it in tents and hunt with just bow and string.

To each his own I guess.

[Krokett]

I tell you... some people should be drowned at birth!  :D

[LoneWolf73]

I say 20 paces with arrow in quiver......hmmmm I wonder.

[Recurve50 LBS]

When I switched to Traditional gear to hunt with one of my now former hunting partners berated me pretty bad about my decision. He told me that I had not killed enough deer with my compound bow.

But what I think happened and it took some time for me to realise this is, that he was not sucessful shooting a traditonal bow because he didn't have the paciance to learn how to shoot it well enough to hunt with. He is a very thick headed person and is short tempered if he dosen't get instant positive results.

Unfortunatly we live in a society that live at the speed of light. Computers can give you information so much faster than looking it up in a book. Todays people want instant results with a minimum of work required to get positive results. No one wants to get their hands dirty any more, weather it be to do an oil change on their car or to take care of the landscaping around the home.

So why spend months to learn how to shoot a traditional bow well enough to hunt with when in a matter of days a person can get softball sized groups at 30 yards with a compound.

I am proud that I hunt with traditional bows because it's a harder way of doing it but so much more enjoyable to me. But then again I've always done things the hard way because taking short cuts is less gratifing to me.

[MCNSC]

This has always has puzzled me.If you ask almost any bowhunter why they bowhunt they will say they do it for the challange, then they will buy every gimic they can to take the challange out of bowhunting.  Go figure.
Mike

[vikingbear]

I usually tell them that trditional archery is to hunting what flyfishing is to fishing . A beautiful art form and also highly functional . Sometimes they understand and sometimes they get really pisssed off. Either way they get your point.

[WTT03]

I started bowhunting with a compound because I didn't know any other way. Everyone I knew that bowhunted, hunted with a compound.

I LOVE hunting and the year I took my first deer with that compound, it was like "is that all there is?" Where's that sense of accomplishment, that "wow" feeling that you pulled something off that required so much patience and practice. It just wasn't there.

The other thing that I think pushed me to trad was the fact that I was getting so disgusted with the entire achery industry pushing bigger, better, faster gizmos that you "gotta have" or you can't kill a deer. So many physical things on the bow itself that could come loose or have something go wrong with. It was then that I realized that if man has been hunting with a stick and string for thousands of years....why can't I do that? So I decided to sell my compound and go cold turkey into the world of Trad and never looked back.

Here's the funny thing though, I sold that compound to one of my hunting buddies. He didn't want to buy it at first because he thought I was making a mistake. I remember the conversation like it was yesterday. He said "You know...when that buck of a lifetime shows up at 40 yards and you can't take a shot, you're going to kick yourself in the butt!!" And not missing a beat I told him "No...I'll just be glad I was there to see him in the first place." He waited a minute then just nodded his head. He got it...but still shoots compounds!  

[Killdeer]

Frozen Few has been a TG member since 2006. He has made ten posts. While I chatter, FF evidently focuses on quality. I sense a kindred spirit, albeit not quite so loquacious.      Nice post, Scott.

Killdeer  

[rg176bnc]

Unless you have tinkeridous compounds are more idiot proof.  Lots of checks and balances w/ a front and rear sight.  

If you get excessive buck fever its easy to get your head screwed up at the moment of truth.  Most trad guys dont use a sight therefore your mind can tend to wonder or just quit working all-together lol.  

I shot my first trad deer last year and was a little disappointed that it wasnt more exciting.  I'll just take the bow that yells "TAKE ME" the loudest.