Who is trying for their first traditional harvest this year?

[LittleBen]

2nd or third year of really seriously trying with the trad bow. Been shooting trad since 2009?

Shooting a 54" 43#@25" 1969 York Tunderbolt, Off the shelf, Surewood Douglas Fir Shafts 48-50# spine, 29"BOP with 125 grain zwickey Eskimo, 3-5" LW Helical about 480-510gr all up weight.

Chrono'd at 150FPS on saturday w/ 500gr. Now if I can just hit something ....

[hardtimes]

I will be trying for my first this year. I have hunted on and off with trad for the last 3 years. This year I am trad only. Sold the wheelie back in january of this year. I my Widow PLV tuned up with 2018s and some Bear Razorheads.

[WhiteBeard121]

This will be my first trad only season ever. Hunted all my life, but about 5 years ago the pizzaz went out of it for me. It had become a chore like going to the grocery store. Picked up my first recurve in decades last November and packed up the rifles and wheelies and found myself re-energized. This year I will stalk and kill two white tails and two pigs. I said it, I believe it.

[HighTecRedNeck]

I wish I could hunt opening with my trad buy I set myself a goal. When I can shoot 6" groups at 20m is when I will use my trad.

I am getting there, just not fast enough to hunt next month with it. I am hoping for Jan but we will see. I am lucky to have land behind me I can use as my range. I get to shoot almost every day so the training wheels will come off soon.

[ChuckC]

High tech.  Keep your own goals, but consider, 20m is a good distance, but can you keep them on the plate (6") at, say 15m or 10m ?  Consider going out but not shooting unless you get your reserved shot distance.  Then, set up so you can't shoot much farther, say in a tight area or thicket.

I get shot opportunities under 10 yards quite often, especially when hunting in the marsh.

ChuckC

[Rustic]

This is my 2nd year with my 45# Grizzly, GT3555s, 175 gr Zwickey Deltas and a leafy jacket.

[CoachBGriff]

This is my 3rd year with trad equipment, and my first year where I haven't shot anything with wheels for about a year.  

I did get my first trad harvest last year (doe), but with as much as I've been shooting lately, and as much as I feel like I've learned over the last year, I almost feel like I need validation.  

The first one counted, but I can't help admit that there had to have been some beginner's luck involved.  I still feel like a babe (no, not the long-haired, blue eyed kind with curves).

[Brian K]

it's exciting to see all the first trimmers!  I was getting concerned that trad was declining.


I recently got back into hunting and archery.     I was hunting trad before it was called traditional.  I started deer hunting Hunr for 4 years back in the early eighties with my bear bearcat takedown.    Then took the next 20 years off for college, family and work until my son got me back into it.   So add 3 more seasons, 2 more shots and too many blown opportunities and I'm hoping this  year I'll finaly harvest my first deer.  I have harvested a lot of those foam critters though.

Harvest something  or not,  every hunt is a success if you follow this simple formula;  CO4.  Close you month , open your eyes, your ears, your mind and your heart!  

Trade  not easy,  enjoy the ride and don't give up!

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

I am still at it with the traditional gear and hope this year I will connect with my first whitetail deer in New Hampshire. I was able to get out tonight and had two smaller deer come within 5 yards of my tree but I did not release an arrow. Way to early in the game to settle on a small animal.

My setup is really special to me this year. I will be attempting to score on a nice deer with my own R/D longbow I made. 56# at 28 inches of draw. I shoot the Easton Axis Traditional arrows with 75 grain insert and 150 Muzzy Phantom broadhead.

I connected earlier in the year with a spring gobbler with a bamboo backed osage bow I also built late winter. What a rush... This is my first year that it is all or nothing with traditional gear.  I just don't get the same excitement that I do using a compound.

Good luck to all this season!!!

Respectfully,
Justin

[Tradcat]

I've been blessed to have harvested 13 deer with a bow BUT they had "training wheels". I have been hunting trad only for 3 years now and have 5 misses to my credit !...Perfect windage, Wrong elevation. I wouldn't go back to wheels for nothing ! Having too much fun. 64" Robertson Purist longbow 58lbs @ 26"...carbon express heritage 150's and 250 grain woodsman elites. Best of luck and good hunting to all my Trad Brothers and Sisters !!!

[Wallis Wetzel]

I've chased deer a couple of years with compound, never too serious.  I've hunted for years with rifle, but this year all the guns and all the compounds are gone - just sticks and strings now.  I'll be hunting from the ground with my Great Northern Ghost recurve, 68#@28", but I draw 27".  Shooting GoldTip trads in 7595 with 300 grain Phathead single bevels, about 635 grains total.  I'm pretty comfortable in my ability to hit out to about 25 max, plan to keep under 20.  Good luck to all!

[96ssportsp]

First year archery hunting, hunted with a rifle most of my life. Picked up an old Bear Bearcat from my father inlaw, 50# @ 28 pulled 29.5 shooting Goldtip 5575s with 120 grains forward weight & 125 gr Thunderheads. Harvested a whitetail doe last night @ 20 yards. All the hard work has paid off. Thanks to another member, Roughcountry, for helping me through all the "newbie" questions. Scott.

[Manitoba Stickflinger]

Best of luck to everyone chasing that 1st. Be safe, keep the wind in your face, and enjoy every second of it. The 1st is very special and only happens once so bathe in it and take it for all it's worth!

[mjones]

This is my second season of trad archery.  Shooting a bear paw classic takedown recurve #68@28.  Had a couple of close calls last year, but didn't connect.  Hoping to get my first whitetail with a bow this year.

[gregg dudley]

Go get "em, guys!  Enjoy every part of the adventure and take tons of pictures.

[tomcfc11]

Didn't make it happen last year. Have a couple good places to hunt this year and friends that are willing to let me hunt a doe on their lease! I'll be shooting my newest bow, and lowest weight;
Big Jim's Thunderchild 58" 49#
GT trads 5575 100 grn inserts with 125 magnus classics (simmons did not ship on time)

Been at it for a year and a half! Eager to get out there and make some memories

[tomsm44]

Looking for my first.  This is my 3rd year shooting trad (second shooting trad only).  Haven't gotten a shot the last two years during the archery only season but I have a lot of daylight pictures of a couple of back strappers.  Shooting an early 60s model 53# Red Wing Hunter.   150gr screw in bear razor heads on cheap Walmart Carbon Expresses.

Matt Toms