The differences between traditional and compound.....

[D.J. Carr]

I couldn't agree more, a quick question to a sponsor here turned into a serious of hr long conversations.  I was sure I knew what product I wanted and he told me I didn't need it and I should spend less money on a different product.  In the real world we have come to not expect honesty and a high level of integrity in people we deal with, traditional archery is filled with traditional values.

[PUDDLE JUMPER]

When you meet another traditional  hunter in the field you are likely to shake hands and introduce yourself. In the wheel world this is far less likely. The only thing I know about someone carrying a compound is that he/she is a bowhunter. And just being a bowhunter covers a lot of ground.

Right or wrong, I feel like I know something about the guy with a longbow in his hand. Theirs also the connection between the craftsman and customer. So much of the equipment comes down to a shared design philosophy.

[TDonald]

NOTE: this member (TDonald) has been banned.

he has nothing to contribute to the traditional archery/bowhunting community
and somehow he thinks that wheel bows are just like trad bows, if not better.

[Mark R]

Hey TDonald did you read all the posts,most guys just related there opinions on there experiences, I've read pros and cons on both sides and did'nt read anyone diliberatly bash  anyone. You need to take a chill pill. After all this is a Trad hunting site, most love our sport,it brings us together in a good way, you can take a hike and bash us all you want we're to intelligent to argue with ignorance,just my opinion I could be wrong.

[ChuckC]

TDonald
At the top right of your screen is a red block with an X in it.  Try clicking on that, it will help.

Later
ChuckC

[Kevin Dill]

I've had great experiences on both sides of the coin. I might have to go deeper to find the right person in a larger company, but they can be found. I've dealt with (only) a few independent traditional folks over the years who were rather indifferent. In general I think I can find friendliness in most activities or companies if I just look. I don't personally think it has to be a matter of weapon type or style.

On the other hand, I've seen enough intolerant people explode into forum rants to last a lifetime.

[Sixby]

Hmmmmm, Never thought I would see that on this forum. I watched TG for several years before I decided that it was where I wanted to sponser. My first take was that it was way up tight. The longer I studied it the more I realized that there was a reason for that. As long as the subject stayed in the red all was good. When it strayed it was possibly removed. The overall tone I noticed was congeniality, concern, and post that were relative to the subject. Traditional Bowhunting.
There is no tolerance for confusion or for trash.
Personally I like that and it is why I chose this site to be a Sponser. I do feel slightly alienated by being a Westerner. But hey. I get to elk hunt every year and that helps muchly.    

God bless, Steve

[Whitetail Addict]

TDonald, I just re read this thread, and in all honesty I don't see any bashing going on, or have I ever seen any on this site.

I had to quit school and go to work at 17, so I may be one of the "less-than literate" people you spoke of, but I'm no elitist by any stretch.

I choose to shoot, and hunt with traditional equipment, and I'm proud of my accomplishments as a traditional archer, but I don't look down on anybody else for what they choose to shoot, or hunt with. We're all on the same team as far as I'm concerned.

In the time I've been here, I've never seen anything from the other members but respect, generosity, and helpfulness. I'm proud to be a part of Trad Gang, and I'm sorry that you feel the way you do.

Bob

[Michael Arnette]

I've noticed the same, very few bad apples in the traditional group!

[daveycrockett]

We are a whole different breed!!!  

I am an elitist, when I meet a young and friendly compound or gunner hunter, I do my very best to talk them into becoming a traditional archer.  However, when being goaded by three cp guys that are talking of ways to get crossbow permits and pooling their funds to buy a camera equipped drone and bragging that they could check out where and what I was hunting and keep me from getting anything, seen a completely different kind of elitist.  One with a phone and a computer that immediately called the DNR and emailed the state about clarifying abuses to the current laws.  If you think one person cannot influence the state, watch me.

[Crittergetter]

He's just trolling guys! He started crap on the bowyers bench too!

13 posts like that and he is still here?  The two newbie cp shooters that came over the other day, the first year newbie did some home work and hit the ground running with my Kodiak Special.  That skinny kid is stronger than he looks.  This being a traditional elitist can be fun. I will make him some arrows if he goes for it and sells his compound. I don't think Mister T D is up for any kind of a personal challenge.

[MnFn]

I agree with the above.  

Maybe it is different elsewhere, but my friends that hunted with compound bows with me have all given up on the sport. None of them really seemed to love shooting their bows- it was just a way to hunt deer earlier.  For me at 62 years old, I love it more than ever. Love shooting target practice, hunting -everything about it.

[Sixby]

If it is about killing I will take a .300 Win mag. Of course I am exaggerating but I could definitely shoot game at much longer range with a compound. For me it extends the range from 30 yards max to 90 yards max, That sounds like a 300 percent increase.
So , I am not an elitist but I just plain enjoy the dependableness, light weight , stump killing , mushroom bustin, longbow or recurve about a thousand times more than carrying a hunk of metal around in the woods. To me compounds do not even resemble a bow anymore. But again, to each his own and I recognize compound shooters as bowhunters. I fail to do that with X bows though for some reason.

We , compound and trad bow shooters are enjoying the same things but honestly I feel like most compound shooters do not enjoy the bow and arrow like most trad shooters do. I know that the first time I killed an elk with a recurve I felt an accomplishment like nothing else before that. But hey,. That may just be me.

God bless you all, Steve

[Brock]

agree with many above...and truthfully, I think the modern compound guys have more to fear than we do from crossbows...hear me out.

a lot of guys I know and knew shot compounds because they could sight it in and unless it got bumped hard would shoot flat and straight out to 40 yards...but they still had to worry about target panic, hitting release too quick, and very finicky arrow flight the faster they got with the lighter arrows and heads.  So the huge advantage started to dimish somewhat except for the most dedicated as they max out around 60-95% letoff.  Still takes effort to get it over the hump and into the letoff and drawing without being seen...though once there you can hold it significantly longer.
Next comes the X-gun....started off as a poor performer but the industry has latched on to it as the next big money maker...hence all the advertising and every PRO hunter on television is shooting a x-gun at least once a month it seems.  It chaps my ass to hear a compound called a STICK AND STRING BOW...but now have heard it used for recurve x-guns as well. WTF?

Anyhow...now the group that wanted faster, easier, more accurate, longer range, etc.....are looking for x-guns for even more ease of use...and also a whole new host of even less ...lets say....woods-wise hunters are coming in the woods and buying everything they can find.  Not sure if it is the zombie crap or just the mass marketing but you cant shake a stick without crossbow crap in catalogs and stores everywhere.  You are starting to see fewer and fewer hosts shooting compounds much less traditional....and easily half or 3/4 of most store inventories are going to cross bows for the box stores...and every PRO SHOP has at least a couple as they get asked for them all the time.

I think there is a real threat that the x-gun will nearly replace the compound in use as modern hunting weapon in most areas.  I am also going to predict....that it will cause a lash back and many will come BACK to traditional or try it as they are looking for more than just squeezing a trigger while looking through a scope for a bow season weapon.  Once the novelty wears off...the true hunters will want more I think.  May be wrong...we shall see.

as for compounds vs trad....i started with wheels on my bow and swapped out for recurve in 1990 or so...never looked back.  I never had the fun, the emotion, or the connection with nature and hunting until I started having to seriously play the winds, learn the habits, and know my quarry's personality while hunting....to be honest...the compound was just another hunting weapon and I felt more CONNECTION with my old .54 cal hawken when hunting with lead balls and iron sights than I did with my compound.

There is a difference....a huge difference in hunting with a true stick and string.  If you dont feel lit....then I suspect you are not fully immersed...most I talk with that dont have that feeling are still going back and forth with compounds...or trying to treat the trad bow like a compound with never ending quest for speed, flatness, pinpoint accuracy...nothing wrong with that...but part of the fun and challenge and satisfaction is knowing your limitations....and STILL being successful by staying within them and never quitting.

[Stickbow]

Nice post Ron, seems we think along the same lines....Interesting prediction as well.

If I had to wager rather than compound shooters moving to traditional I would suspect them to redefine traditional to include their equipment. But hey, just speculation on my part, time will tell.

[Firstlight]

Like bike riding, there is a big difference between die hard mountain bikers vs. road bikers.

There is a bigger difference as a whole between people who shoot traditional bows vs. compounds, IMO.

A very interesting and notable reality.

[LBR]

I've met good and bad in most every walk of life, traditional archery being no exception.  Met some of most stand-up people ever in the sport, experienced some of the most hypocritical skunks, and pretty much everything in-between.  

The older I get, the more this rings true...for me at least.

[md126]

What LBR said x2. For the most part, People are people everywhere you go, regardless of demographics or interests. Most are inherently good and some are better than others.

I primarily shoot/hunt trad but have used compounds and have family and friends that still do. We have just as much fun shooting together as anyone. They are serious and highly ethical hunters but know how to have fun.

We're a lot more similar than you think. It just comes down to personal preference