Think I might be crazy

[HunterHawk]

I think I'm going to switch back to my recurve this year. I haven't hunted with a recurve since 2000. My dad still hunts with a recurve and my hunting buddy got one a couple years ago and he has been dogging me. I drew my e/s elk tag this year in one of the better units. I have never even shot an elk with my compound! I have no doubt that if I shoot everyday i will be able to do it as i still pick it up and shoot it from time to time but if I'm going to do this its going to be an everyday shooting thing...but since I have never shot an elk and have no doubt ill get into 300+ bulls that i might be crazy.

If the time comes and i don't think im ready i will use my compound but I need you guys to give me some encouragement.

Traditional harvest pics are an acceptable form of encouragement.

I also drew my deer tag... i feel like that might be better to get back into it as i have shot deer with a recurve and longbow before and have shot several deer that I have mounted with a compound but no mounters with the recurve...
Thoughts and encouragement welcomed!

 

[alexanderg23]

It will only happen if you get rid of the bow with training wheels on it. If not, you’ll grab it when the time comes.

 

[HunterHawk]

Haha, I'm not mad at that comment. I'm 35 and have never shot a deer with a gun and many with my bows but with that said I'm not completely giving up on the training wheels 100%.
My dad is 70 and he said he's done hunting if he can't hunt with his recurve anymore.. I love them but im not THAT crazy.

The compound will at least come on the trip but I'll have to set a date or something to get it out. Took me 11 years to draw this tag.

 

[A.Hutch]

Go for it!!!! Personally i think when the time comes and the clock is ticking if you have more confidance in the wheels, so be it. no need to rush things and turn what could be an awesome experiance into a gut wrenching one. But like you said, shoot that curve everyday, look into Tom Clum's training series, work on form do everything you can to build your confidance. I'ld throw up pics but I've lost all my hunting pics, broken phones, fried lap tops... lol
and dont be shy, ask any question you got, I'll help any way I can.



Hutch

 

[A.Hutch]

Also youtube Arne Moe, He's got some videos up that will help with any form issue also, Or hit him up on FB.


Hutch

 

[Montana Slim]

I think it's an awesome idea.

 

[Beendare]

I just feel better carrying my stick bow in the woods. I suppose its a bit silly, but the simplicity appeals to me.

Bring both bows, and if you get frustrated...just shoot the compound....no big deal.

Now, I have to warn you, calling elk solo with a stick bow the degree of difficulty goes WAY up. If you have a caller...then its about the same as a compound.

I was hunting solo last year with my recurve and had numerous bulls come in and screwed it up by either drawing too soon....and just couldn't hold like I do with a compound.....or wait until they clear and then the bull saw me draw. Not good.

If you have someone calling for you- its not an issue. If I hunt solo again, I will use my Montana decoy for sure.

Big advantage with a compound as you can come to full draw before they clear.....then just hold and wait for a shot.

 

[sndmn11]

Elk and recurves are a match made in heaven.

 

[Mister Sir]

I have recently done the same thing. I dropped the compound in February and haven't touched it since. I am glad I did and not sure I will go back to the compound. Enjoy!

 

[HunterHawk]

Beendare, luckily my buddy that is talking me back into this is coming out to call and video for me and it's true just having a recurve in my hand feels more natural and I always seem to have more fun and a better experience i just wasn't able to harvest as much because i wasn't able to shoot as far but at 35 i also know its not all about the harvest.

As for form goes its a little rough. Im left eye dominant and shoot a right handed bow. My buddy is big into gap shooting. That doesn't work for me.. unfortunately i was more of an "instinctive" snap shooter. When i was shooting all the time it was nothing to shoot a walmut or at least get damn close every shot at 21 yards (my old shot out deer target that i would put the walnut on) used to shoot squirrels running through trees, rabbits on the run, my first deer with a longbow at 12. It goes on. I know it just takes practice..

However i am thinking of going to Rocky mountain specialty gear this weekend and get a clicker installed and see if they have any other ideas.

They already helped me tune my arrows to my bow and got all that set up with spine so now it really is just trying to figure out the most perfect form....for me. Then shooting a million arrows because it really would mean the world to me to see how proud my dad would be if i got an elk with it.

 

[bjfoxhoven]

Go for it. Hunting with the recurve is my plan for this fall, maybe minus an antelope hunt.

You need to be 100% committed though. For me if I take a few days off shooting it really shows when I go to the range. I can get consistency back, but it isn’t there for the first few cold shots like they were this winter when I was shooting 4-5 times a week.

I know a few people who’ve dove in on trad the last couple years. One common theme is: they’ve never been so close to antelope before. And never had multiple close shots at nice bucks before....so it has forced them to be a better hunter. So u never know. It may help you over the hump on those elk.

 

[HunterHawk]

Ya with my pully bow i have drawn back on 5 different bulls (no shots). Closest was 11 yards. My bow did not clear the log in front. Had i had the recurve i would have made sure i was behind it and probably got the bull.. thats one way to look at it anyway

 

[Anvil69]

I just sold my compound, thinking the same thing, that I need to really focus on the trad bow to get good. I’ll use it this archery season and if don’t get anything I can always fill the freezer during rifle season.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

It's totally doable! Go ask Tom Clum or one of his boys at RMSG. They all have killed elk with both, I do believe.

Oh, and as for encouragement, the bull in my avatar was taken with a longbow. Coolest shot I've ever taken.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

I did the same thing my friend. You’re not crazy. I never shot an elk with a compound. In fact, I only shot compound one season, then said “this ain’t right” and went to a longbow and stayed there.


I got this guy my first year of trad during late archery in December 2016. It can, and does happen!

 

[HunterHawk]

Ya I have talked to them at RMSG many times, like i said only about 20 minutes away. Been in many times and never had a bad experience and yes I have seen their bulls and heard their stories. Pretty awesome.

And thanks for the pictures and the encouragement thats what i needed. Building my indoor range this weekend and my father's day gift is going to be a srason pass at the outdoor 3D range by my house! No excuses added bonus is my 7 year old has a three river's long bow he loves shooting, so we will have some fun trips to the range, and my 3 year old can come roll around in the dirt and eat sticks.

 

[sneaky]

Haha, I'm not mad at that comment. I'm 35 and have never shot a deer with a gun and many with my bows but with that said I'm not completely giving up on the training wheels 100%.
My dad is 70 and he said he's done hunting if he can't hunt with his recurve anymore.. I love them but im not THAT crazy.

The compound will at least come on the trip but I'll have to set a date or something to get it out. Took me 11 years to draw this tag.

If you take the compound it'll come out of the case after the first time you think you could have killed a bull if you had it in your hand instead of the recurve. Every one has a plan til they get hit... one of those deals lol.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Muckamuck4]

I vote for the stick bow!

You posted this on Tuesday, how many shooting sessions have you got in?

 

[A.Hutch]

Here ya go, it's the only pic I've got of any trad kill. Happened a few days ago. 22 Yrds paced off. Got a squirrel that morning @ 25 yrds

 

[HunterHawk]

I vote for the stick bow!

You posted this on Tuesday, how many shooting sessions have you got in?

I asked for a membership to the shooting range for fathers day... does that count? Its like $200 for the year.. and this weekend im building my "range" in my basement for the days i cant get to the range.