Confidence kills

[Hawker]

How many of you guys feel that the trad gear is better for hunting? Whenever I run my compound I always feel at a disadvantage. It just seems that there is to many things that can go wrong with all those gadgets. Or maybe it's because I shoot the trad gear so much more.

 

[Ryan Avery]

I have shot animals with both. I don't feel a disadvantage with either! To me it's more rewarding with a stick

 

[ozyclint]

there's advantages in the simplicity of trad gear that's for sure. you have to have the dedication to practice alot though.

 

[G Posik]

I do not own a compound bow any more. I hunt with traditional archery only now because I love the challenge. I shoot everyday because it is fun. As far as one having ab advantage over another, compound has a little more accurate range. I have killed many critters with both compound and traditional bows, just like the traditional better.

Glenn

 

[Lost Arra]

I just like the entire hunting experience with a traditional bow (never owned a compound).
The practice required, the bow/arrow tuning, making arrows, sharpening broadheads, getting close to the animals even when a shot does not present itself.
I occasionally hunt with an osage selfbow that I have made and it is really the ultimate hunting for me.

I went on an elk rifle hunt in October. Shot a cow at 50 yards. Love the meat but the hunt was just not the same.

 

[Rod]

I have not shot a compound since 1984. I have total confidence in my longbow & love the challenge!

 

[Broken Arrow]

I've shot traditional my whole life. Tried a compound a time or two killed a doe and missed so many more just to much for me. I just want to pick a spot loose an arrow. Simple yet effective for me.

 

[bluestone]

Longbow hunting for me takes the hunting/backpacking experience to another level. Range limitations--yet some advantages--quick shots. Not to mention truly being in the 'lightweight zone'.

 

[RockChucker30]

I killed my bull last year with a compound but the backup bow I left at the truck was a recurve. Good and bad to each.

With a recurve if I practice a lot I'd be comfortable to 30, maybe 35 yards. With a compound I shoot daily to 80 and hit whiffle balls fairly regularly.

Compound is heavy and slower to shoot. Recurve is a joy to carry and shoot. I get more enjoyment from the recurve but if I'm trying to make meat the compounds range is hard to give up.

 

[aggieland]

In the fall of 2011, I went on a week long pack in hunt in Southern Colorado. I had been shooting a compound bow since I was roughly 6 yrs old, I had never really shot a traditonal bow more than just a few times over the years. Well, on this hunt I carried all of my backcountry gear along with my Hoyt Carbon Element bow my Spot hogg Hogg Father sight etc, etc. All total over $2,000 worth of bow and accessories for the bow alone. I had been practicing at home shooting out to 100yds, I was able to usually keep 4 of 5 arrows on a paper plate at that distance. Any animal that got even close to me was going to fill my wrath "Right"?? Well needless to say somewhere along the trail or while hunting my sight houseing got bumped. I had never killed an elk and on the second morning managed to call in two small bulls to roughly 35-40 yds. I raised up on my knees, drew the bow and shot just over the grass at the first ones vitals. I knew I had a kill the bull ran down the mountain side and stopped 50 yds below me. I drew and shot a follow up shot, never seeing either arrow hit I just assumed I had nailed him. Well an hour later with no arrows to be found and zero blood on the entire mountainside "That I had climbed up and down 10 times it seemed" I came to the conclusion I had missed somehow. Well after we packed out and got back to the main base camp a few days later i decided to shoot a few and see what had happened. I launched my first arrow in the rocks 10yds short of the target, hmm a second arrow same problem. Well I finally get the sight straighted out like it was supposed to be and the next problem happens, my $150 release starts sticking and not letting go until well after you hit the thumb activated release. AHHHHH Long story short, I started considering going to a longbow and decided to call a friend of my dads who owns over 40 trad bows. He invited me over to shoot and after i had shot several of his bows he asked me which one I liked. I told him and talked for a while longer then went on my way home. A week or so passed and he called my dad to tell him he wanted to give me the bow I liked. I was speachless, he gave me a very expensive nice bow and that is how I got into Trad archery, I was able to harvest a doe that same fall with that bow. I love it now and don't see myself ever going back to the compound, If I don't kill anything thats fine it's just more fun with the longbow for me.