Why did you choose Trad. Hunting?

[ktduke]

My question for yall is why did you choose traditional bow hunting and how did you get started?

For me, my 11 year old daughter got me interested. Sounds strange I know - she got involved in 4-H and I started working with her and got hooked myself mainly because we moved  and didn't have much land to gun hunt so the bow worked great.
The reason why I love it, is because when you shoot it, its all you. Your not dependent on sights, releases or crosshairs its all you! Also with me I love the challenge of getting close. I believe that traditional archery will make you a better hunter as well.
All in all, I have absolutely fell in love with it and wanted to hear how yall got started and why yall hunt traditional.

[trapperDave]

started to "up" the challenge


Now it aint such a challenge...just a pure, simple joy  :D

[JV Rooster]

For me I was in a book store and seen a copy of Tradidional Bowhunter. Picked it up and took it home. Orderd me a longbow and been in love ever since.

[George Metz]

I didn't start trad. Trad captured me. The first time I saw a longbow being shot at a field meet in the 70's I gave up my 4 wheel compound (a Wing Presentation...can you believe 4 Wheels on a bow) and ordered a Hill. Love at first sight I guess.

[George D. Stout]

When I started it wasn't called "trad" archery, it was called archery.  I stay at it because I love it.....how else can one remain a child for so long 8^).  I started shooting a bow made from a lilac shoot in 1954  and I haven't stopped yet.
I still call it archery.

[longbowman]

To go along with George, when I started you either bowhunted or gun hunted.  There were no compounds to consider.  I just never felt the need to do it any other way since I never had that big of a problem killing my deer with the bow I used.  I had an archery shop for awhile and I sold compounds in it so I took one season and killed deer in several states with a compound so I could speak honestly about what I sold.  I went back to my longbows and recurves after that and have never looked back.

[LAR43]

I'm figuring George & I are the same vintage.
Pretty much followed the same path too.
My first 'real' bow was lemonwood with fifty cent arrows from the local hardware store.
It's been quite a journey from there. Before that it was privet hedge bows & fragmite arrows from around a local pond.
Now I stick with it 'cause it ain't easy, & that's the way it oughta be!!

Larry

[Steve H.]

I didn't, it chose me.

[jamesh76]

Im right there with trapperdave. I started for the challenge mostly. Initally I though that I started for the simplicity of trad vrs wheel bows. However, I have come to find out there is just as much science, and tuning involved in shooting a traditonal bow as to a wheel bow. Every day is like the first day to me. I enjoy the challenge and the arch of an arrow in flight. It has also sparked interest with my 2 sons, so now they are shooting right there beside me. I love it!

[Tim Fishell]

For me it is all I have ever known.  Although I am still pretty young my dad's story is along the same lines as George and Larry's.  He had always shot "traditional" archery so naturally I just followed suit and never changed.  Still to this day I have never owned anything else and never will.

[saumensch]

actually i started trad (never used wheels) because it seemed cheaper without all this stuff, well guess i wasnt too right afterall...when i think of all those arrows...

[blueline]

I'm with Steve. It's a natural love affaire!!

[Bowhunter4life]

I did start with a recurve as a child, mostly playing, with structure from my father, around in the yard.  My father went through a phase with a compound right when I was hunting age and I started shooting a compound.  I did however always have a tradbow to shoot.  I hunted for almost 15 years with a compound of one kind or another.  You know, have to have the latest and the greatest.  

In the mid to late 90's I got to shooting the tradbow more and more would even hunt from time to time with it and did take a few animals while doing so...  At the turn of the century I sat down and looked at the benefits of one style over the other.  On one hand the compound had better long range accuracy, and even more pinpoint consistent accuracy.  On the other hand the tradbow had a lot quicker point and shoot capability.  At that point the difference in accuracy out to 20 yards was very slim.  So, I weighed the odds of longer range accuracy vs. quicker point and shoot capability.  Went over the previous animals I'd taken, and was unable to take, in a hunting situation.  By and far I had more opportunities missed by not getting drawn and aimed on the animal at short range with a compound than I did from missed opportunities from having to pass shot opportunities because of effective range with the tradbow.

 So, it was as true then as it is today, the tradbow is a more effective hunting weapon for me.  Plus, over the years of hunting with only trad gear I've found very small changes in my stand setup and location has made missed long range opportunities less and less.  Plus my effective range with the tradbow has gotten a bit longer even though everything needs to be perfect for longer range shots to be taken ethically for me...

[beaver#1]

simplicity. all the hype over the wheels drives me nuts cause i know most of the stuff is junk.

[Mike Spaulding]

I'd been shooting compounds for years and killed a lot of deer with them.  Some friends were shooting stick bows and something bit me.. I bought a GN bushbow from one of my buddies 9 years ago now and have been at it ever since.  There is something about it that gets in your blood and it just becomes  part of you, at least it did for me.  At first I think it was the romance of it, then it became the challenge or a combination of the two.  It's just more personal for me between a stick bow and the game I hunt.  It's not about the killing any more, it's about experience and I owe that to traditional archery.

[bornagainbowhunter]

For me the story is a little different.  I shot compounds for many years, barebow and fingers, with alot of success.  I was at one of my friends house and he just got another longbow.  I asked if he could kill anything with that, and of course he give me the crazy look that I now give others, and said, "sure I can".  He told me to shoot it and I did.  It was all over with then.  I loved it.  It was not that big of transition in shooting style, just equipment.  I have bought many since and am just plain ate up with it.  

[straitera]

12 years old on the farm when a gun accident nearly bought me a ride on the Glory Train. Gun restriction thereafter. My aunt loaned me her 35# LB. God must like me a lot.

[woodsman196]

I started out with a wheel bow but fell victim to target panic. The cure, an old Bear recurve from a friend. Later a series of coincidences landed me my first longbow. That was nearly 10 years ago.  To this day I still cannot shoot a compound without flinching. I don't miss it at all.

[Mudd]

I think it was/is the romance of the whole concept. It's simplicity and effectiveness. The challenge, I am very competitive and I sure do my best to give myself a run for my money(my only competition).

I love where it leads me.
God bless,Mudd

[brill16hockey]

My grandpap found an old bear recurve in his attick and gave it to me.  My cousin shot trad and told me to come shoot with him.  I loved to watch the arrow fly, something I couldnt see out of my compound.  I still love to watch that arrow fly.