Decisions, Decisions

[Undomesticated]

How is a compound going to mitigate “swirling” winds?

You’ve named the major benefit of compounds, distance. And you are right about that. Without being too inflammatory, I’d argue that at a certain distance and with reliance on certain electronic technologies, you are no longer bow hunting. You no longer must do the things that bow hunters have had to do for thousands of years.

A traditional bow also has some advantages over a compound. It’s not all pitfalls. Light in hand, durable, and quickness to shoot are all things I find of immense value on an elk hunt. No way in hell would I consider dragging a 10-12 pound chunk of aluminum through blowdown for a week anymore.

If you lack confidence, I’d either commit to doing what I needed to gain confidence or just use the machine-bow to do it.

 

[Beendare]

How is a compound going to mitigate “swirling” winds?

<Face Palm>

I've bowhunted Elk every year for 4 decades in every Western state. I spent over a decade ONLY hunting with a recurve or longbow and had some great success including Coues deer.

There are some good comments here...but this one shows a lack of understanding.

FYI, Some of these hard hunted elk units in the western mountains are not conducive to short shots. The shifting wind screwed me on multiple different hard fought shot opportunities in multiple locations in that unit last year.

A couple situations calling they held up just out of range [of my recurve but not my compound] , waiting watching and then the wind shifted- gone.

A few times sitting water or wallows, they were right there- I could hear them coming in...and the wind shifted/swirled- gone. The 20-30y extra distance with a compound can make all the difference.

Then there was a couple more situations like that 2 years ago...one bull I snuck in on raking a tree at 50y and ran out of foliage between he and I- no shot with the recurve. I could go on and on.

If I didn't like elk meat so much, I would just say heck with it and hunt with the curve....and I still might.

Look, I'm starting to regret voicing this here. A whitetail guy postulating on this is ignorant of the conditions hunting general elk units in the mountains and wide open southern desert. Trad can have the same success as a compound guy in many parts of whitetail country....the fact is it doesn't translate to some of these western hunts.

 

[LostArra]

If I didn't like elk meat so much, I would just say heck with it and hunt with the curve....and I still might.

Meat hunt! Now you're talking my language. You definitely have enough trad experience to know tag soup is a possibility. If a year of that menu is tolerable then go recurve. My dear wife of 49 years is tolerant of many things but me striking out on elk is not one of them. Fortunately, my elk hunting buddy rarely strikes out with his crossbow and he always shares meat.

I never even shot a compound until I was in my 60's but I find myself using it elk hunting for exactly the reasons you mentioned. Open country (Wyo) and swirling wind = longer shots ("long" for my trad skills). Plus the areas I hunt are almost impossible to draw a bull tag and the cows are never stupid like Sept bulls.