Kicking myself for being such a slacker

[BigCountryOK]

Hey Tradgang,
  Its been a while.  I was only here for a short time early in the year and really enjoyed it.

  I hate to admit this but my shooting of trad gear just went to the wayside.... I guess admitting it is half the battle.  Now deer season is two weeks away and I realize its not gona happen this year. I'm still gona have training wheels.   :(  

  Earlier in the year I was shooting every day. I was having fun stump shooting and had 100% confidence in my shots out to 15 yards.  Then I realized my arrows were way to light for my bow and quit shooting for fear of messing up my bow. I swore I was going to find the brass inserts I needed, had some trouble finding the right size, then 12-16 hour work days bla bla bla I'm a lazy slacker.

  Well I just decided I'm gona start shooting regardless and get my gear together as I go. No matter what I'm not putting that longbow down again unless its physically impossible for me to shoot.  I forgot how much fun just shooting that stick and string was.

  Glad to see all the stories on here, I get a kick out of them.  I hope to be able to add some of my own next year and participate in the forum again....

Thanks for letting me get that out.

Glad to be back....Big C

[Mudd]

Welcome back Brian!

There are plenty of us who have laid plans with the best of intentions but you know what they say... "The road to hell is paved with good intentions!"

I know I've been guilty of it from time to time so do as I do, just pick yourself up and get back in the game.

It looks like you're doing just that.

Congratulations!

All the best to you!

God bless,Mudd

[BigCountryOK]

Thanks Mudd!

[mike hall]

Like riding a bike Brother...... get some shooting going and you can hit the woods in a few weeks. Keep your shots close and you'll be fine. You can do it.  

[maxfit]

I just started shooting again last month...busy /stressful year. dont let it bother you..i am already back to being confident under 20 yards..we still have 4 more weeks till deer season....i hope to stretch it to 25yards by then...

[mscampbell75]

Its a journey , not a destination.  That how I like to look at it.

I was just like you 4 seasons ago.  I had good intentions of going all trad and getting my 1st harvest.  We season come and i was not prepared.  Soooo, I got my wheels out and went hunting.  I  felt like I was doing myself an injustice by not doing the goal that I had set for myself.  

The following season was a different story all together.  I gave my wheels to my younger brother and committed myself to trad 110%.  All or nothing.  I missed two bucks withing the 1st month.  Shot high on both.  One at only 8yds.  But I was having the season of my life.  You could NOT have wiped the smile off my face after both of those misses.

My point with all this is, Have fun.  Get your trad gear out and start practicing.  Sharpens some broadheads. I'm not sure when your season starts, but there is still plenty of time. You may have to sit out the 1st little bit of season until you get comfortable again. And take shot only in YOUR comfort zone.

It is all up to you.

[BigCountryOK]

Thanks for the encouragement guys.

The season starts Oct 1, but we are blessed with a long season that doesn't end until Jan 15th.

Hopefully my skills it comes back faster than I expect.

[YORNOC]

Hey, don't stress yourself. If you are shooting trad good, thats great. But if your not, dont feel bad about another hunting method till you are ready.
I hope you shoot something with a stick and string soon, but if you are struggling with it...you are doing the right thing by using something else till you're ready.

[straitera]

This is easy. My money's all on you tradman! Just have to get over Da Nile.

[mwosborn]

Good advice from from NC - it is a journey and I never thought of it that way!

[sawtoothscream]

use what you feel confident in. i shoot both and shoot my longbow every day with the heads i plan on hunting with. Still not sure if im 100% confident hunting out to 20 yds. in the yard i good but when i go into  a stand my shooting is off. going to keep trying to get accurate out of the stand but if i cant get to the point where i have 100% confidence im not going to risk wounding the deer just ot say i hunted with trad gear.  

hope everything comes together for you and you can take it out for a few hunts

[bk_tradguy88]

I have shot almost every day for the past 3 months. I found that i can get 10-15 yards in my house and just keep a block target inside. This way even if its just 15-30 minutes of short range practice it still keeps my skills in tune. I really like to practice out to 30-40 though. Get decent groups there and the groups at 25(pretty much my max range for hunting) stay extremely nice. Just my $.02 worth, and hope it helps.
B

[KodiakMag]

You already know how to shoot with the stick. It will come back a lot easier than what you think.  

[Gen273]