Having a hard time

[pickaspot]

Trust you gut my friend. There is no shame in hunting with either bow. Many of us here have been throught the same emotions.

For me, making the switch was a matter of coming to grips with  my own ego and limitations. It is more about the indian than the bow.

Orion said it well: "When how you do it becomes more important to you than than how big or how many, the answer become obvious."

[Arkansaslongbow]

First of all, I hold NOTHING against one who uses a compound; we all have the "traditional" spirit in us; sometimes it just takes a little longer for some to connect with it and that's O.K.; just go out hunting and trust me, no one will have to tell you when it's time, you will know the moment it happens;

You are always welcomed here friend; good luck this season and hope you get a deer with both bows.....  

[mscampbell75]

When i realized its about the journey and NOT the destination, it was easy to leave the wheels at home.  Even more, realizeing how much fun I was haveing, even after a couple of clean misses, I sold the wheels.

Good luck to you with whatever you decide.

[SkottyBoy]

I had to axe my compound to make myself go traditional only. This will be my first year and I have a few worries about meat but none about what a memorable season I will have. I think I will be able to harvest deer, given a shot, but I will be learning as I go. If you keep second guessing it will only keep you up in the air      waiting to land.

[babs]

I have never killed a deer with a traditional bow either. I know if I dont take it to the woods there is no chance that I will. So I have made the switch to go 100% with the traditional bow. After reading all these posts and seeing the smile on sucessfull hunters makes me want to even try harder and dedicate myself 110% to traditional equipment. Good luck were all on your side

[Mudd]

The meat will taste the same...maybe a little sweeter without wheels tracks...lol

I have faith that you can do it but until you do there will remain the question in your mind.

There's really only one way to find out for sure.

But when push comes to shove, it's your call, always is!!and always has been!

Have a good and Godly day!

God bless,Mudd

[lpcjon2]

IMHO if you set up for 15yrd kills than whats the problem? The more you hunt with Trad gear the better your hunting skills will be when you decide to fall off the wagon with the wheels.It seams like you already talking yourself out of using trad gear.Your blowing your own confidence,Just shoot the trad and build your confidence back up you can do it.If you think you wont get a deer then you won't have faith.

[metsastaja]

I had to make the decision too.  I put my compound away 3 years ago. I have been hunting recurve and longbow the last two seasons with no success on deer.  It got to me at the end of deer season last year.   Grabbed the Gun went to stand.  Shot deer, dressed deer, grabbed my recurve and went to another stand.

[Buckwheaties]

I don't know what your season limits are? but.. I believe that the Indians, once they got their hands on rifles, used them over the bow because they were feeding their families and it was a more efficient way. I would lay the compound down, hunt the archery season with your (real) bow and then put the meat in the freezer with the gun if I had to. I'm pretty sure that your success will be fine with your bow if you can shoot that well. Just think of the "Great Feeling" you will experience, both in carrying a nice stick around the woods rather than an 8# hunk of metal, and getting close for the smooth killing shot.. I'll bet that most of your compound kills in the past were with-in your effective stick bow range?? Huh??

[lt-m-grow]

If you take both, I don't think you will take the tradbow off the hook.  You will grab what you think is the sure thing.  Don't bother caring the extra bow.

Take your time.  You need to be confident.  I also thought Bill C. gave great advice.

[lt-m-grow]

I would add there is nothing like your first trad kill... nothing.  

I don't gun hunt anymore because it doesn't do it for me.  I don't hunt with a compound bow now either for the same reason.

[Bowwild]

Bill Carlsen,
I love your logic!  If I answered your question about kills with a compound it would be a lot and 95% would have been less than 20 yards -- solid recurve range.  

You are asking a question I ask of some of my rifle hunting acquaintances. These acquaitances also bow hunt but sometimes trust the rifle more than the bow, especially on expensive out-of-state hunts.  If they kill a really rare critter (sheep, moose, etc.) with a rifle I always ask how far the shot was. It is amazing how often they report the shot had been in "bow range".  I don't say anything after that .... they know what I'm thinking (I don't judge but I freely wonder).

[DRR324]

Sell the wheel bow and jump in with both feet.  I let the "crutch" sit around the house during my first season with the recurve, took it out one early november morning- and felt like crap the whole time sitting there with it hanging on the hook.  I've been very successful with wheels in the past, but lost the joy of hunting when every small buck would pass by and I would "count coupe" on em.  Big bucks aren't the norm around here, so I actually found myself not wanting to hunt.  "whats the point- I'm not going to see anything big enough to shoot anyway"
When I switched over to Trad-I sold the wheels to rid myself of the crutch. The joy was back and I deemed any animal a worthy trophy.  I shot a few does, passed on some small bucks and was loving evey second of it.  I finally dropped the string on a small 4 point at 17 yards one snowy morning.  He made it 45 yards, and I was reborn again as a hunter.  
I also fought the "long distance demons".  2 trips to Missouri- (my only out of state hunts) I had to pass on 35 yard shots at bucks larger than I have ever shot here at home.  The upside- didn't faze me a lick, I just enjoyed the moment, and the sighting of them.  I even had a buddy ragging on me to take his compound (he filled his tag the first night with a 150" 11 point).  I told him I don't hunt with a compound and never will again.  Yep- I could have shot one of those bucks with his bow, but looking at it on my wall, would've made feel like I was a cheater.....
Commit to the trad bow, and don't look back.

[hitman]

Trash the compound. You'll have a greater feeling with a deer taken with trad gear, Guaranteed. Most deer you kill with a compound is in short distance range anyway.    

[Apex Predator]

For me it was a longing desire to hunt with nothing but trad gear.  The only way I could committ was to sell my compound device.  I've had no regrets!

[Flesner]

If your wanting to kill a deer with traditional equipment, then you need to be carrying traditional equipment when a deer shows his ribs to you.

[BobCo 1965]

Just my 2 cents. But I wouldn't move to traditional if I were looking to kill more deer or an equal amount as your compound. Personally, I use traditional bowhunting equipment because it is more about how the game is taken. Personal satifaction means more to me.

[bolong]

It is totally up to you but you can't beat the satisfaction you will get from being sucessful with the stickbow.

[toppredator]

I think you just need to use what you feel the most confident with.  The main thing is to get out and just hunt.

[jonsimoneau]

Just do what I did.  Get rid of the compound.  Makes it pretty easy to decide which bow to use when you only have one bow!