as the season draws near, I am getting hassled by my buddies.

[VA Elite]

the closer we get to the season all of my buddies are hounding me about going all trad this season. they watched me shoot the other day and I did not shoot well. I had been shooting the best I ever had until they show up! either way, I am not wavering in my decision. i realize I have some good days and bad days of shooting and I pray that when that moment comes, it will be a good day. all I can do is continue to shoot and try to fix issues that I can.

[highlow]

Good for you. No one's perfect. Do the best you can and keep any shot you might get within your confidence range. That's my motto.

[bear bowman]

I'm sure they have bad days with their fancy equipment also.

[Ron Vought]

Stick with it. Once you take an animal with traditional equipment it will come to you as to why you stayed with traditional equipment versus going back to a compound. I have taken animals with both over the years and there is nothing like the feeling of taking an animal with traditional equipment.

Ron

[VA Elite]

yes they do have bad days. of course it's always the bow and not them. my effective range on the target is about 15-16 yds. I can shoot farther but my consistency suffers. so I will keep my shots under 15.

[Michael Arnette]

I hear you on the bad shooting when compounds are around. I don't shoot well at paper or 2d targets so that can make a difference. Chances are they were shooting Outside of traditional effective range so I'm sure you were pushed to be shooting from a distance as well. Traditional eqiupment and instinctive shooting are a deadly combination inside 20 yards.

[Michael Arnette]

...it doesn't help that the average archer with a compound will be stacking arrows at most traditional guys effective ranges...it puts more scrutiny on otherwise deadly accuracy with traditional equipment. Remember, if you squarely hit the vitals you are good my friend

[VA Elite]

well they were not shooting it was an audience on me! I was not hitting my anchor so my shots sucked. but I got it back under control for now.

[Archie]

As much as I yearn (you read that right...) to take home some deer meat, I pass up shots I'm not comfortable taking. And that has the potential to be a lot of shots!  I would also be comfortable shooting out to 30-40 yards, given the right scenario.  

BUT, if I were defending my choice of trad gear to anyone else, I'd just tell them that I can pass on a shot and not sweat it... I don't take shots I can't make good on.  That gives me the freedom to hunt with my choice of (legal) equipment, primitive though it may be.  I, for one, enjoy the journey as much as or even more than the destination.

[Mike Vines]

If your buddies are hounding you to the point that it bothers you, then you need to find some new friends.

 Everyone can take some ribbing, but if it bothers you enough to post about it, it's time to move on from them, or at the very least, distance yourself from target practicing from them.  

If you allow negative crap slinging into your head, they have beat you.  Trad archery is 90% mental in my book, and you need to be mentally confident in your equipment to hunt with it.

[VA Elite]

I think it's more anticipation of the season more than anything. and maybe some jealousy of the fact I dare to do this 100% and they would not. I have hunted with these guys for 25 yrs and killed many deer with the wheelie bow with them. I think it's just shock that I gave it up. it is a lot of ribbing but I can deal with it.

[Java Man]

Just pick a spot, not the whole deer and you'll be fine!

[stillhunter]

I once had a guy get in my face fiercely about going out elk hunting w/ a longbow. Said bowhunters have worked too hard to secure bowhunting rights to be shooting them with inferior weapons. I kept my cool but told him my arrow kills by blood the same as his. Its part of shooting trad to get ribbed a little but feel blessed to enjoy the  trad hunting. Its pretty special and some great company.

[Nantahala Nut]

I get it man.  I have a buddy who hunts with a compound and he told me I should just take the compound out. He did it in a nice way and I had told him I wasnt feeling great about my accuracy at the time but it was enough to shake my confidence.  I shot the old compound for five minutes and took it back inside.  I will hunt with the recurve even if it means I pass on anything past 15 yards.

I think the preseason anxiety is getting to both of us a little. So much anticipation and preparation go into this that its easy to psyche yourself out.... I'm gonna go shoot

[VA Elite]

I have shot a little today. some good some bad. I just need to work on the kinks best I can before October 3.

A local fairly friendly cp shooter tried to make fun of me in the Taco Johns the other day.  He told the guys there, "Yesterday, I drove by and he was out shooting, how many arrows can you get in that back thing anyway? But like I said, he was in his yard shooting. An hour later he was out there shooting again. Then when I got off work, get this, he was was out for the third time and so lazy about it that he was sprawled in a lawn chair, completely laying back with his arrow thing just leaning there. He shot half his arrows in the heart and the half on the butt of his deer target. Really, laying on his back."  So I asked him, "Do you know what happens when you try to shoot 18 arrows at just the heart of a deer target?"  He said, "Beats me, I only have four arrows, it's all I need because with modern arrows, the points screw off and I can put hunting points on."  That really impressed the guys at the table, removable points, wow.  Then he goes, "oh I get it, you hit your arrows, well you were getting them right in there. But you can't take that lawn chair hunting."  I said "Think about it, I was on my back and I was not out there three times.  I was shooting for over three hours. Can you shoot your compound tilted that far over?"  He said, "I can't tip it at all. Can I stop by next time and check that out?"  I told him yes, but he could not shoot his compound on my property, the way he draws his bow could be a liability risk.

[Sam McMichael]

Who gives a rat's ass what "they" say? We shoot what we like, and they shoot what they like. That's what really matters. Logic, facts, or even displayed skill is not going to change some people's minds, so don't even try. For those who show genuine interest, do all you can to help them along.

[ChuckC]

Landon, it has been said, right here, that you will never kill a deer with a trad bow if you are carrying a compound.  

I know you have been practicing.  I hate audiences too.  

Just plan your hunt, get close, take a close, realistic shot, and smile big.  If it means letting a lot of deer walk, so be it. .  or. .  go back to the compound. My doe last year was taken at 5 paces, from the ground, in a marsh.  It CAN be done and YOU can do it.

It is nobody's choice but yours, and you should choose because of YOUR goals and wants, not because of peer pressure.

Just know going in that it may be a bit more difficult than it was before ( or, it may not. .  never know).
ChuckC

[paradocs]

Invite them to Dixie and we'll shoot a "Cool Springs" round....they'll be eating humble pie.

[ron w]

Maybe you need to find some folks with similar thoughts on gear and hunting.  Do you hunt with them or are they just giving you a hard time? I would just do my own thing and enjoy myself.....to heck with them!