What would you have changed in your Trad journey.

[lpcjon2]

I got to thinking since the start of your Trad journey what would you have done different. It could be something in a hunt that would have been a defining moment or just a choice through the journey that you would have done different.

     For me I wish I had stayed with it from the beginning and not gone with the mechanical bows, I feel that in a way I cheated myself by taking a mechanical advantage to hunting. For me that approach made it easier to harvest animals (35-40 yard shots with ease)and lessened my true hunting skills.And cost me a ton of money,cant have wheels without the gimmick type clothing.ha ha

    After I smartened up and went back to Trad, I found a whole new respect for myself and the animals and environment that they reside in. The simple more fulfilling feeling has become my journey.

    And I would also have spent more time hunting with friends, and family instead of being the lone wolf. Now I have focused my Journey in getting my kids to take it with me so we can learn from each other, and keep it going. This has become a way of life( spiritual, mental, and physical)that has made me a better person. Just wish I had stayed with it from the beginning.But that's what life's learning experiences are for.

[Steve in Canton]

nothing

[ron w]

Biggest mistake I made was backing off on my Bow hunting in the 80's.     Bow hunting is where it's at,and with a recurve or longbow it is the ultimate.  

[Red Beastmaster]

I started with a 45# bow, worked up to 65#, and then back down again to 45#. That took 25 years and a couple thousand dollars to figure out.

I wish I had stayed where I was at and saved myself a lot of money and worn out upper body parts.

[BowHuntingFool]

Not much except I wish I would of made the switch way earlier!    

[Bigriver]

Easy for me. I would have started with a light weight bow & learned to shoot properly. A 65# martin hunter is not a good place to learn form from.Bad habits that get ingrained in your form are tough to remedy.

[Bill Carlsen]

I'de have moved to Iowa right down the road from Gene and Barry.

What would I have changed? Well, many moons ago, I let myself get talked into going hunting with trad equipment before I was really ready. I knew that I was really not ready yet but was younger and more stupid and let my ego get the better of me.  I went and lost the first three animals that I shot with trad gear (all pigs on the same hunt). I was totally disgusted and almost quit. But I knew in my heart that it was not the gear that was at fault, but it was myself, for not being prepared the way I should have been.

Bisch

[jim ratcliff]

think i would stick with the little 40# browning nomad stalker instead of the wheelie gimick...my dad insisted i didnt need that "thing" but being 14 i was way wiser than him! (on the plus side im 40 now and my son shoots my old nomad more than he shoots his wheelie...he shoots my 70's kmag more than i do) in the end it all worked out  

[Izzy]

I would have never started hunting with traditional bows if I would have known how much it would consume my life. Other than family, fishing, friends andwork its all I have left. Someone please help me.    

[WildmanSC]

I would have started in 1985 instead of 2002 and foregone the 17 years of hunting with a wheeled bow!        :(

Bill

[Smithhammer]

Originally posted by Izzy:
I would have never started hunting with traditional bows if I would have known how much it would consume my life. Other than family, fishing, friends andwork its all I have left. Someone please help me.      

:D  X2!!

[NBK]

I agree with Bigriver.  I tried to teach myself with books on a 63# longbow.  Only thing I learned were the habits I'm now trying to break!  If I could start over again, the first bow I'd get would be a 64" 35# @ 28 recurve and get some lessons from a good archery instructor.

[centaur]

I only hunted with a camera for a few years. I don't really regret that, but I would have had a lot more elk meat in the freezer if I had stayed with the bow. When I came back to the bow, the excitement was renewed, and I was re energized. I still like camera 'hunting', but it isn't nearly as fulfilling or exciting as chasing critters with stick and string.

[koops4]

Originally posted by BowHuntingFool:
Not much except I wish I would of made the switch way earlier!      

X2

[Manitoba Stickflinger]

Tim...nice to hear your regrets but understand that you wouldn't have the same appreciation for Trad hunting without the time spent with wheels. Also, time with friends and family is also more appreciated having spent time solo hunting.

I thought you were talking about me when you explained your situation! The only difference is that I try and look at it as a learning experience knowing now what matters to me. I often think that if I didn't get the trophy wheel bow hunting out of the way then I wouldn't have the passion for stickbows that I do today!

In terms of regrets...senseless flinging of arrows and not focussing on form while developing TP in the process. Also, shooting #55 and #60 curves when I was 15-17 years old making the form even worse. An ongoing regret is forgetting to pick a spot. Seems as though every year I need to relearn that one!

Great thread BTW!....Ryan

[toddster]

wish would of started earlier

started with 40 or 45 pounds, so not to learn bad habits

[BWD]

Wish I had started earlier, and shot more bows before buying some of the bows I bought, and wound up selling. Should have ignored the people who told me I needed a 55-60# bow to kill whitetail deer. Wish I had learned to tune arrows before I started trying to tune arrows, so maybe I wouldn't have such a large box of arrows that are too short.    

I reckon I learned what little I know the hard way...but it sure was fun.

[SheltonCreeker]

Great thread!! Wish I would have started earlier, for sure. And like most others wish I would have started with less weight. I have to agree with Ryan....PICK A SPOT. I seem to forget that sometimes when I leave the back yard range.

[stik&string]

I wish I would have found tradgang when I first started, I could have saved a lot of money reading about how to properly set up a bow and tune arrows rather than just experimenting myself.