Advantages of Traditional Hunting

[doegirl]

It's the season where the archery forums are full of distraught compound shooters who can't get their bows tuned or have some sort of equipment failure. They laid out well over a grand on their setups and are faced with either running to the proshop or buying an expensive press to work on their bows. God forbid if something goes wrong in the field.
I'm really now starting to think the supposed benefits of a compound are overblown. Especially in close in hunting situations 25yds or less. Archer Fred Eichler said trad shooters are at an advantage at closer ranges and I have to agree with him.
For the time it takes a compound shooter to prepare for the shot, the trad shooter already has his arrow downrange and is snapping the second arrow onto the string. I've had a few opportunities blown while hunting with a compound because the it all happened too fast.
OH and no bow press! Just a $15 stringer assuming you use one. An arrow saw is probably the biggest ticket item a trad bowhunter should have. You just saved a ton not having buy all the the needed "stuff" that screws into the riser of a compound.
Imo, the hardest thing to tune on a longbow or recurve is the archer himself. Practically the whole modern archery industry revolves around selling the latest and greatest to help an archer hide his weaknesses. Really only the manufacturers benefit from this.
IMO most able bodied bowhunters would find much more fullfillment and satisfaction returning to the simpler ways. Not for "challenge", but because it simply makes sense.

 

[Mike]

I'm new to traditional archery, but I tend to agree with you. I have under $100 in my hickory selfbow. I love shooting it and I may actually be confident and ready enough to hunt with it this season.

 

[bowhunter1023]

IMO, the biggest advantage of shooting traditional is the high horse it allows some people to ride. Other than that, I'll give the nod to simplicity and challenge that the non-elitist trad shooters enjoy.

 

[Jackalope]

Shoot what you brought and thats all that matters. To some that's a trad bow, to others a crossbow, or even a shotgun only. None is better than the other it's just personal preference. Everyone gets a sense of accomplishment from their weapon of choice and being proficient with it. At the end of the day all we care about here is dead deer and good times afield. How you do that is your business.

 

[doegirl]

IMO, the biggest advantage of shooting traditional is the high horse it allows some people to ride. Other than that, I'll give the nod to simplicity and challenge that the non-elitist trad shooters enjoy.

I'm sure there are some trad shooters who think they reek nothing but of purity.
However, I can't help but think back to the days when I was single and shooting 3D with my Bowtechs. I shot alone as I had no partner. Never once did a group of compound shooters invite me to shoot with them. I was always tagging along with a group of stick bow boys who really didn't care what I was flinging an arrow with.

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

I'm sure there are some trad shooters who think they reek nothing but of purity.
However, I can't help but think back to the days when I was single and shooting 3D with my Bowtechs. I shot alone as I had no partner. Never once did a group of compound shooters invite me to shoot with them. I was always tagging along with a group of stick bow boys who really didn't care what I was flinging an arrow with.

Sorry you had a bad experience with people. And again, it'd be the people, not the weapon they are shooting. As Joe aligned to, there are douches who should trad bows, compounds, crossbows, shotguns, rifles, and douches that hate deer hunting. And then there are damn good people that shoot trad bows, compounds, crrossbows, shotguns, and rifles - and we're them.

Welcome to TOO.

 

[bowhunter1023]

Amen to what Jack and Huck both said. No doubt the trad community is largely comprised of great men and woman. However I also know some great men and women who shoot wheelies and crossbows. I could care less what a person chooses as their primary weapon so long as they are good people. Beyond that, the rest is just details.

 

[Mike]

Amen to what Jack and Huck both said. No doubt the trad community is largely comprised of great men and woman. However I also know some great men and women who shoot wheelies and crossbows. I could care less what a person chooses as their primary weapon so long as they are good people. Beyond that, the rest is just details.

Yep. I've killed a deer with a crossbow, shotgun and muzzleloader. I'd be tickled to add a longbow to that list. I can appreciate all the ways we kill things.:smiley_coolpeace:

 

[Milo]

Milos garage shelters all who seek refuge from the storm

 

[dante322]

You like shooting trad, good for you. You see some advantage in it and you made a couple valid points. I dont think you were trying to belittle anybody, but it did kind of come off that way.

I on the other hand see advantages to shooting compound or crossbow. faster speeds and flatter trajectories lend to better penetration and complete pass throughs. To me that translates to a faster bleed out and a quicker death.

I can see myself getting into trad shooting in the next couple years, just seems like a natural progression.

Bottom line, To each his own.

 

[hickslawns]

Much like some people shoot a crossbow because they don't feel they can commit the time to effectively shoot a compound, I shoot a compound because I don't feel I can commit time to kill a deer with trad equipment. Were I to have more time to practice (and most importantly gain confidence) using trad equipment I would surely give it a whirl. Good luck this year doegirl.

 

[finelyshedded]

Great points by everyone who posted! I'm with Phil, one day I hope to become proficient enough with the ole recurve to give it a try. I have one but just haven't taken the time to get arrahs for it and practice with it. I barely have much time to shoot my compound like I want to!lol

To each their own I say! Good luck this season doe girl!

 

[doegirl]

I'm kind of at a loss as to why posters here are getting defensive about what I posted.
Simply stated, there are some real advantages a trad bow has over a compound bow.
I said nothing about the character of the user. Nowhere did I say that compound users or whoever are lesser people.
I'm comparing one piece of equipment to another, not one hunter to another.

 

[dante322]

I said nothing about the character of the user. Nowhere did I say that compound users or whoever are lesser people.
I'm comparing one piece of equipment to another, not one hunter to another.

However, I can't help but think back to the days when I was single and shooting 3D with my Bowtechs. I shot alone as I had no partner. Never once did a group of compound shooters invite me to shoot with them. I was always tagging along with a group of stick bow boys who really didn't care what I was flinging an arrow with.

kinda sounded that way.

 

[finelyshedded]

I didn't get offended and I thought you brought up some very good points doe girl. Although I will say I still feel a sense of accomplishment myself when I take a deer down with my compound. I just know for me personally I'd rather be much more proficient and accurate so the game(deer) that I do shoot at is taken as quick and humanely as possible. I just know that presently I wouldn't be able to do that and having much more experience,knowledge and money invested in how I shoot/hunt now is my best and only option.
I'm sure those who do kill deer with a stick and string feel a strong sense of pride in what they accomplished but quite honestly in my mind every deer I've taken with my bow leaves me feeling pretty dang good myself.
What you and Tiny do for us showing these test results on all these different broadheads is simply awesome,very helpful and extremely appreciated! Anything that helps our fellow hunters,outdoormen/ and women be successful and more informed about the products we buy is a great thing!
Don't forget, it's hard to fully grasp the true tone of ones words that are tapped on a keyboard. I think guys were just mainly clarifying and not getting defensive per'se.

 

[finelyshedded]

It's the season where the archery forums are full of distraught compound shooters who can't get their bows tuned or have some sort of equipment failure. They laid out well over a grand on their setups and are faced with either running to the proshop or buying an expensive press to work on their bows. God forbid if something goes wrong in the field.
I'm really now starting to think the supposed benefits of a compound are overblown. Especially in close in hunting situations 25yds or less. Archer Fred Eichler said trad shooters are at an advantage at closer ranges and I have to agree with him.
For the time it takes a compound shooter to prepare for the shot, the trad shooter already has his arrow downrange and is snapping the second arrow onto the string. I've had a few opportunities blown while hunting with a compound because the it all happened too fast.
OH and no bow press! Just a $15 stringer assuming you use one. An arrow saw is probably the biggest ticket item a trad bowhunter should have. You just saved a ton not having buy all the the needed "stuff" that screws into the riser of a compound.
Imo, the hardest thing to tune on a longbow or recurve is the archer himself. Practically the whole modern archery industry revolves around selling the latest and greatest to help an archer hide his weaknesses. Really only the manufacturers benefit from this.
IMO most able bodied bowhunters would find much more fullfillment and satisfaction returning to the simpler ways. Not for "challenge", but because it simply makes sense.

This statement could be taken as an "elitist" opinion I would guess...?!?

I don't think that is what you were trying to convey though...

 

[Jamie]

I'm kind of at a loss as to why posters here are getting defensive about what I posted.
Simply stated, there are some real advantages a trad bow has over a compound bow.
I said nothing about the character of the user. Nowhere did I say that compound users or whoever are lesser people.
I'm comparing one piece of equipment to another, not one hunter to another.

lots of folks are just sensitive about their equipment. they get defensive whenever trad folk start discussing equipment. must be the default setting or something. doegirl, I suggest you just sit in the corner and keep quiet if you don't wish to offend anyone or appear to be on your high horse. I thought it was a fair and honest post, but everything is a matter of perception.

 

[Jackalope]

lots of folks are just sensitive about their equipment. they get defensive whenever trad folk start discussing equipment. must be the default setting or something. doegirl, I suggest you just sit in the corner and keep quiet if you don't wish to offend anyone or appear to be on your high horse. I thought it was a fair and honest post, but everything is a matter of perception.

Taylor shoots trad. Nobody has an issue with that and he's a blast to shoot with at shoots. Likely because he doesn't proclaim statements like compound shooters spend money because they're just covering up their weakness. Not sure how you could perceive that as fair or anything other than a slight towards another group of hunters based on what they shoot.

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Milos garage shelters all who seek refuge from the storm

Is before 7am too early to start :smiley_adfundum:

 

[Beentown]

Dang, those stereotypes are hard to hide...they always seem to prove themselves. Lol