Alone in this journey?

[threeunder]

Any other people here without friends that shoot trad gear?
None of my hunting buddies are even remotely interested in taking up traditional archery.  And, I'm yet to be lucky enough to meet anyone locally who is.
The only source of like minded people I have is you guys here at tradgang.
Just wonder how many others don't have a network of trad friends?
Ken

[moleman]

I hear you my friend, Ive got 2 co-workers that shoot trad. but they are 2 hrs away, but none in my local area. Its all good though, i just choose to enjoy my time with my wheelie buds and continue to enjoy my traditional gear, and with time they may cross over, but its highly unlikely since trad. requires more dedication. Since you, as I, are the only ones who shoot trad. in our local areas, that kind of makes us ambassadors of our sport, hone your skills and impress upon them that all the bells and whistles are not needed . Some will see the light and some, not so much. We all choose the traditional path for our own reasons, and those reasons are good enough for me to cling tight to gear and the journey I have chosen to take, shoot straight and enjoy the ride.
Paul

[magnus]

Ken I didn't till I came here. Till then I was the only trad guy I knew. Everyone else shot the other bows so I know what you mean. Spent my whole life being the "backwards"  hunter but I got more out of it than they did. There words not mine.    

[awbowman]

I was lucky, we have quite a few here.  We try and shoot some techno hunt every Wednesday.

Also belong to a trad archery club.

[wisconsinteacher]

So far I am the only one I know of.  I told my buddy that this year my plan is to hunt 100% trad and he just looked at me and shook his head.  He is all about big antlers, while I am looking to shoot a few deer and have fun.  I hope to prove to him that I can get one with my recurve.

[sledge]

great stuff, moleman.

very well said.  kinda reminded me of the apostle paul's outlook.

joe

[m midd]

Im fortunate to have at least 10 friends that shoot trad only. My brother got started 2 years after me. He loves it and sold his wheel bow the same year. We hunt together and it makes it nice to have a hunting partner with the same views.

[mountain lion]

i feel ya man, ive always been a loner. i dont really have any friends that shoot trad gear. i have a couple of guys that i call my friends(dont know what they call me) that shoot trad gear and have helped me out with somethings but they live so far away, that we can never shoot together. and one of them owns their own trad shop so he is always to busy! if we live closer i would shoot with you everyday!!! take care my friend.

[Rob W.]

In the last 4-5 years my wife has switched to trad and my sons are getting old enough to shoot with me. I have also met a bunch of great people through tradgang and hang out with a few on a regular basis. Pretty lucky in that aspect.

That said, In that time none of my old hunting buddies have shown any intrest. I try not to sweat the small stuff but it seems we grow farther apart every year. I dont keep up with the new wheel gear doo-dads and they think a flemish twist is a new kind of chewing tobacco.

I would love to be around more like minded people but that is also what makes this place so special.


Rob

[Cochise]

Yep  you know your alone when your local BassPro
store still has the one and only non wheel bow, a martin recurve they started with six years ago..

[Archie]

I always go it alone.  I know there are trad guys in this general area, bu I've never met them.  No wheel bow friends either.   Just me.

[Overspined]

I would guess that if most trad hunters could use guns, they would choose the trad bow.  Give that option to wheelie hunters, and the majority would use guns.  Part of the sport is just putting more horns on the wall or meat in the freezer. It's ok, but for me it's the quest and satisfaction of challenging myself to do it this way, meat or no meat, horns or no horns.  Some of my most memorable hunts have been kills, and as many have been misses and I still smile when I think about them.

I have a friend that took it up and transitioned to trad last year, but it either seems to happen when someone just clicks with trad, or they are good hunters who have put enough meat in the freezer to need a challenge.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Got several around here buddies that shoot trad around here. I even Let rob hang out with me once in a while LOL

 I got to get me some of that new baccer bud

[rolltidehunter]

I have no buddies in my town that shoot trad. I shoot all the time by my self. Gets kinda lonely. I have a few friends an hours drive from me that I meet up with at trad events. I deer and turkey hunt with my uncle, cousins and one or two friends that barely bow hunt Or strictly  gun hunt. My dad lives across the country and we only get to hunt together once or twice  a year normally. He is a avid bowhunter but shoots a compound but its fun when we hunt together cause we are always the guys With the bows! It's kinda cool cause they are aleayse asking me about my bows or arrows. My trad gear is a conversation starter in camp. And they really think its cool if I kill a deer. this forum is awesome and I love It here! If I didn't have this site to get on and learn from all you geat people I wouldnt be as far as I am in my trad journey .

[Looper]

I'm by myself, too. There are other Tradgangers around, but I just haven't met up with them. The few fellows I do hunt with are gun and compound users. I find great excitement in hunting off the ground and getting as close as I can.

They get the same feeling using treestands and shooting something from 200 yards away. They want the odds in their favor as much as possible and like to shoot tons of game. I like the added challenge of shooting a longbow and am content to take one or two deer a year, a turkey, and maybe a hog or two.

I don't think they quite get it that a fat doe or a young buck taken with a longbow means more to me than some of the big bucks I've taken in the past with a rifle or compound. They do seemed genuinely amazed that I actually do keep my freezer full. They just can't get over how light my gear is, or how quiet it is.

One buddy has a bow, and I think he'd like to be proficient enough to hunt with it, but he doesn't have the time to devote to practice.

[cbCrow]

There isn't many traditional shooters in my area, but have friends that I met at 3d's and such that shoot compounds. They treat me alright and respect me so I reciprecate. However when it comes to practice or hunting I look at it as a solidary sport and prefer that way.

[Izzy]

You can have all of the trad fellas from my area, many of them are ner do well, no count, hoodlums who put off cutting grass, painting their homes and other domestic responsibilities to shoot 3ds and hunt. They are a general bad influence and I do my best to avoid them so that I may stay on a righteous path.  :p

[YORNOC]

Closest guys are an hour + away. We meet up for shoots, but dont hang out much besides that. Too far, too little time.
I do see a few trad guys while hunting though. Maybe one or two a year.

[mmisciag]

I am lucky to live in an area with several other Trad Archery folk. I have shot with them and was very lucky to find a very knowledgeable friend that to this day helps me without me asking.

I have a club that I belong to with several other trad archers. we have gotten together but it only lasts a couple of weeks. Then everyone is busy and may not show up on the day scheduled. Trying to make it or pull it together if difficult.

I have friends that I hunt and shoot with that use wheel bows. They look at my bow and say how beautiful it is but could never shoot trad gear. I think it comes down to commitment. They like to put is down until the following deer season and then pick it up again.

This kind of makes it difficult to hang out with them as I am shooting all year round.

In the end, if I don't make an hour drive to where other trad archers are, I am alone and have this forum. I have it better then some of the commenting in this thread but still shoot alone most of the time.

Martin

[Stryder]

VA is the the 7th state I've lived in over the last 18 years.  So I generally shoot and hunt alone.  On the other hand, I'm very lucky in that every September I spend two weeks with my Dad and my best friend chasing elk and mulies with our longbows.  And 2 out of 3 seasons my brother-in-law joins the three of us with his recurve.