? For those that have swapped from training wheels

[DXH]

What are some drawbacks if any you have noticed?  Any regrets etc? How have you had to change your hunting style?
From reading harvest reports, most animals are taken within the same distances....

[Stumpkiller]

The arrows move slower.  I also don't shoot apple size balloons for a nickel kitty at 45 yards with my neighbor, anymore.

But then I have never missed a 20 yard shot on a buck because I picked the wrong pin with my bare-bow or spooked a deer by playing a violin note drawing back a tin arrow on a metal rest, either; because wood doesn't make any noise on leather.  

Went from recurve to compound for a couple years and back to recurve and haven't looked back.  (Though I did futz with a longbow for a while - still have it).

Not a single regret.  Recurves and cedar arrows are my niche.

Compounds are heavier, uglier, have more failure points, require odd arrow materials and put more between you and the animal.  But that's just my opinion.    

[Nole]

No regrets at all for me.  Most of my shots with a compound were 20 yards and under so my stand placement and hunting style have been the same.  I have been shooting a recurve for almost 3 years and I enjoy it so much more.

[xtrema312]

Odd thing is all my shots have been real close the last two years with the longest probably not over 17 yd. so not much of a draw back on range.  I have not had a calm still deer in the clear between 20 and 35 yd. in that time. Other than maybe it is a lot easier to mess up a release with a trad bow and get a bad shot, I am not finding a down side to the trad bow.  Well there is the occasional shooting rut , and trouble tuning arrows, but those are getting fewer and farther between.  I think they are caused more times than not by bow trading.  I never had ruts shooting compound because I shot the same bow all the time and never got a new bow more than once every 4-5 years.  With the compound I now have a hard time getting all lined up with the sites and quickly remembering what pin, where to hold and getting on target fast at close range.  15 yd. and in with the compound is harder to shoot fast and accurate for me now compared to the trad bow.

[mt-dew10]

I switched to a recurve in Jan 2010.  Shot it for about a month, then one practice session I decided try a long bow.  It was mesmerizing.  Been shooting a longbow since and will probably never switch to anything else.

The only foreseeable drawback is the 'ethical hunting range'.  For a compound, I was able to arrow a 6x5 bull in 2009 at 52 yards.  This year, I shot a bull at 27 yards with my 52# Roberston.  That was pushing the limits on my equipment and skill.

But the pro's far outweigh the cons:  longbow is funner and more challenging to shoot, tuning is easier, there is far less things to go wrong as opposed to a compound.  The biggest pro for me is that it forces me become a better hunter by having to limit my shots on 30 yards or less.  Some might view this is a 'drawback' but I don't.

Just my two cents on the subject.

[Don Armstrong]

I may get flamed for my opinion but that is what it is, my opinion. You will need to retrain yourself to a much shorter max distance shot, inside 20 yards, unless you have the gift. You will need to practice MUCH more to get proficient and stay that way. You will need to get away from the "speed kills" theory. Trad bows are great weapons but not fast.I have killed many deer with a compound and have never had one jump the string when shooting above 250 FPS. I realize the sound gets there before my arrow at 250 fps but I am just stating my personal experiance.  This will be a consideration with a trad bow. You will need to practice MUCH more and practice MUCH more and did I mention practice MUCH more. I truly love shooting my selfbows and laminated bows, but I am no where near as efficient, as I am with my compound. I have excepted that and enjoy the trad bow world  :D  . Don

[Traddict]

Shot competition with compounds for years.  Formed some habits that were hard to break.  I always drew my compounds with a high elbow.  When I draw a trad bow with a high elbow, the side of my hand rubs my jaw just under my eye and distorts my vision.  Always had trouble on game until I realized that drawing with my elbow down lower, or at a different angle solves this problem. It also decreases torque on the string. I've had a great season this year.  Truly feel more comfortable hunting with my longbow inside of 25 yards than with my compound. I didn't transition smoothly however.  Struggled for two years with the longbow.  Hunted some last year with my compound, but just didn't feel like that was what I wanted to hunt with. The switch just came on this year.  Sorry for the long post.

[mscampbell75]

I switched a couple years ago from compound to longbow.  I actually missed a couple of deer the 1st year and was haveing more fun than ever.  

The only "con" that I can think of, and its already been mentioned, is the distance that I feel comfy taking an ethical shot.  The farthest shot I ever took w/ compound was 32yrds.  But 99% of my shot were 20yrds and under.  Which is still in "my comfy zone" w/ my longbow.  So with that said, I dont feel that distance is significant for me in switching over.

All I can say is dive into it feet first and have yourself some fun.  

If its about killing everything that moves, then may not be for you.  But, IF, it is about the journey, you are missing out for sure.  Good luck with whatever you choose.

[hickry]

I made the switch... hunted with a recurve three years ago... then switched to homemade longbows the year after.  Switching to the recurve, I didn't notice much difference except that I wanted to stay less than 25 yards... and it REQUIRED CONSISTENT AND REGULAR PRACTICE!!  As long as I had my strength built up, I rarely had to pick up the compound.  Since switching to selfbows and cane arrows, I've noticed that the range shortens to 15 yards MAX (for me) and it requires CONSTANT TINKERING.  With the centershot recurve and carbon arrows it was a little easier to troubleshoot problems.  I've kept plenty of meat in the freezer (other than my first year with the selfbow)... and that's all I care to do.  I don't know why it is, but I just couldn't see going back... wouldn't even consider it.

[Stone Knife]

This is my 5th season trad only I gave my compound a way the first year. I have no regrets what so ever, I killed my biggest bow deer ever this season. I always kept my shots close and do the same now, I might as well hunt with a gun if I'm unable to get under 20 yards for a bow kill. After all that's the whole idea to get close and to learn more about your quarry by observing them in their day to day routines. As far as hunting goes it's the best move I have ever made and I'm extremely thankful for the guidance and advise I have received from the members of this site, tips that would have taken years to learn from the school of hard knocks.

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

I think that if anyone here had a regret of switching from a compound that we wouldn't be on here talking about trad bow hunting.

[tim roberts]

Regrets?  No, the way I hunt fits in real nice with a longbow!!!  Up close and personal!!!!

[PEARL DRUMS]

No regrets, it s a way of life for me and measuring what "I could have got with a compound" means nothing to me personally.

[ScottV_7]

I haven't been at this game very long and I am by no means any kind of expert.  But...I just got my first deer without wheels and the way it went down I don't think a compound would have been ANY advantage.  The buck came in so fast and close that I basically snap shot him.  If I had to draw/aim with a compound he would have been gone.  I guess I'm saying that sometimes traditional equipment is the more efficient tool in certain situations.

[recurvericky]

I made the switch about 6-7 years ago and have not regreted once. Along with what everyone else has already said, one huge plus is that my sights never get knocked out of wack, nor does my rest. My manager just bought a new compound and he is always asking me questions about adjusting this and that. I tell him I do not have those problems since I do not use training wheels. One other plus are the people that you will come in contact with. Traditional shooters seem to be more laid back and welcome new comers with open arms. It's like going from walk down 5th Avenue in New York to walking down main street america, no comparison.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Switched two years ago and haven't had one regret.  I have passed a few longer shots and never missed a beat.  I love getting close enough to hit them with a rock before I shoot em.

[lpcjon2]

I have no regrets and I like the fact that it's all me,not the mechanics of the wheels that makes the kill.The pin sight,mechanical release and the 80% let off,became un-fulfilling for me I like to know that its my fingers and instinctiveness that gets me that animal.

[danbow34]

Shot longbows and recurves for 15 yrs , unfortunatly the last 2 yrs with a compound due to a bum shoulder. I'm up to 50 arrows a session now and God willing next year I'll be back for good.
Dan

[Bowwild]

This is my first year seriously hunting with a recurve since 1974. I had no problem shooting compounds and found the switch very easy since the form, shot execution and follow-through I use is identical. Of course my effective range on targets was cut by at least 50%. My effective range in the field was cut by only 33% because I wouldn't shoot past 30 yards with a compound on white-tails.

I've killed one doe this year. I've passed one very nice buck because he was 23 yards away and slightly quartering towards me. I was hoping for a bit closer and pure broadside. I'm very confident I would have killed this deer (nothing is a sure thing) with my compound. I'm also confident, based upon past experience I would have killed 3-4 does and the turkey I missed at 25 yards two evenings ago. From a "harvest" standpoint this would have likely been one of my very best years in bowhunting if I had still be using a compound.

However, I don't regret the switch. The thrill of the chase and the kill is higher for me with the recurve than with the compound and that's why I hunt.

I'm not finished with compounds. I will continue to target shoot with them. I can shoot both during the same sessions with no difficulty. I might even hunt with the compound again, especially on western or canada hunts where I might like to have an extra 10 yards of effective range or 10 more pounds of draw weight.

The beauty of recurves...I'm a sucker for exotic woods... put together by master bowyers can't be beat.

[Altiman94]

I have much more fun shooting the trad bow than the compound.  Honestly last year I lost a doe the first weekend and switched back to the compound.  I shot the trad bow exclusively up to this hunting season and gave up the compound for good-it's sold now.  

Though my range is less, I find myself enjoying the woods more.  I spend more time looking around me and enjoying the walk in and out of the stand looking for small game and stumps to shoot at.  

I've yet to harvest my first deer with my Bob Lee, but am working on it diligently.