Trad Archery Popularity

[Arizona_archer73]

Trad bow target shooting, I have no idea.

Trad bow hunting my gut says it is decreasing.

I can only base this on the amount of hunting videos for trad bow I can find on YouTube. (I hunt with a recurve.) There's not even 1/100th as many of those as there are with compound bows.

 

[270-300]

Trad bow target shooting, I have no idea.

Trad bow hunting my gut says it is decreasing.

I can only base this on the amount of hunting videos for trad bow I can find on YouTube. (I hunt with a recurve.) There's not even 1/100th as many of those as there are with compound bows.

Less than 1 percent of people who hunt are making youtube videos.

 

[Beendare]

Less than 1 percent of people who hunt are making youtube videos.

Thankfully...

There are a few good ones but most are clueless as to the use of a camera or how to tell a story with video. It really makes you appreciate guys like Remy Martin

 

[Arizona_archer73]

Less than 1 percent of people who hunt are making youtube videos.

Probably true. Whatever the percentage of hunters who make videos is, there's a ton more GoPro and professional videos with compound bowhunters than traditional bowhunters.

 

[ozyclint]

Probably true. Whatever the percentage of hunters who make videos is, there's a ton more GoPro and professional videos with compound bowhunters than traditional bowhunters.

Which leads to my point. Some start out youtubing trad hunts then find they can't keep up regular kill content that it demands.

 

[270-300]

Probably true. Whatever the percentage of hunters who make videos is, there's a ton more GoPro and professional videos with compound bowhunters than traditional bowhunters.

I think youll find most people who hunt with a non compound bow just want to be left alone and enjoy the peace and quiet of the woods. Not be youtube stars.

 

[ozyclint]

I think youll find most people who hunt with a non compound bow just want to be left alone and enjoy the peace and quiet of the woods. Not be youtube stars.

Amen

 

[Wilderlife]

Yeh. The assumption that people "can't keep up" with creating content may be right in some circumstances, but certainly not the majority. If people want to make videos, that's fine, but it would be wrong to assume that people bounce back and forwards between trad and other methods because of the demands of content creation.

I'm only saying that as someone who dabbles in YouTube videos. I make videos based on what I am enjoying at the time, and don't do it based on any assumed obligations to people who may follow, or any community and their un-written guidelines.

 

[Arizona_archer73]

Yeh. The assumption that people "can't keep up" with creating content may be right in some circumstances, but certainly not the majority. If people want to make videos, that's fine, but it would be wrong to assume that people bounce back and forwards between trad and other methods because of the demands of content creation.

I'm only saying that as someone who dabbles in YouTube videos. I make videos based on what I am enjoying at the time, and don't do it based on any assumed obligations to people who may follow, or any community and their un-written guidelines.

I agree with you.

I simply like to share videos with friends and family. (YouTube videos of various hobbies; mountain biking, etc ..) Since I got into hunting a few years ago, I take some vids here and there.

I have a GoPro video of me shooting a cow elk with my recurve bow last October. I haven't gotten around to posting it to YouTube yet. I'd have recorded the shot with a GoPro if I was hunting a compound bow, just the same.

I thought about reaching out to Bear Archery (maker of my two bows) to see if they'd give me a discount on another bow if they use the video for advertising. It was a nice shot, done in Fred Bear style (quick draw and aim, instinctive style). But that's a hope. Who knows if they'd do it. Lol

 

[Wilderlife]

I think the content creation world is an interesting one now as it's enormous. Lots of people are doing a good job with it and others are looking like they are trying too hard or going too far. I have a hard time being critical of people who are having a crack as they're just trying to be involved with the industry. Sometimes they're after a lot and sometimes they're not. Either way, if we're talking about an overall rise in popularity with traditional bowhunting, I'm not sure that it's accurate to say some people have a crack and then find it hard so they go and find something else to do.

It's like Aron Snyder used to say when people accused him of going to trad because of money or popularity or exposure - there is far less money, interest, and internet cred, in being a 'trad' bowhunter and putting yourself out there on the internet.

Having said that, there are some people doing consistent stuff - The Push, Clay Hayes, Jason Samko - who have great stuff, and are definitely helping trad grow.

 

[BrockJ]

From my experience it’s increasing. I just started shooting trad last summer. I bought a cheap Ben Pearson off eBay and started practicing. Practiced enough to where my effective range was about 20 yards just in time for deer season. I didn’t end up harvesting anything. It’s definitely more of a challenge than compound and that’s half the reason I like it. Plus, it gives me an excuse for when I don’t tag out.

 

[Cedarsavage]

I think it goes in cycles

 

[Wrench]

I think youll find most people who hunt with a non compound bow just want to be left alone and enjoy the peace and quiet of the woods. Not be youtube stars.

I'm a rifle builder and have killed a lot of deer and elk over the years. I have never wanted to be famous or even in a picture for that matter even though you all know some of my friends by their success. I took up trad archery in the early 90's and realized that it's a labor of love not a means to keep the freezer full. In the last 15 years I have really fallen back in love with the value of my success and nothing will show you your failures more than a 30 yard tool in a 100 yard game.

I love how I'm forced to be hyper sensitive to the conditions and searching out terrain features to complete my stalks. I love that I'm the ballistic calculator, and everything is my fault....be it success or failure. I do this knowing it's a solo sport and dangerous at times and frustrating all the time. I love the talks that go on in my head and the way I'm happy to see my family when I return....yet thankful to be alone when I can.

I have learned to gauge my success on lessons learned not just arrows loosed. I know that I have been incredibly fortunate to walk where I have and seen what I have seen.

I hope every single person gets the chance to feel the successes and failures and lives long enough to share those stories with people who care.

 

[Tilzbow]

Thankfully...

There are a few good ones but most are clueless as to the use of a camera or how to tell a story with video. It really makes you appreciate guys like Remy Martin

Remy Martin? The Cognac guy? I do like Remi Warren’s content and the archery shop his Solo Hunter partner Tim started in Reno has the best shop bow techs I’ve run across in 40 years.

In my state, traditional has seemed to be on a steady decline the last 10-15 years. It’s to the point most shoots don’t have more than 1-2 longbow shooters, if any, (wooden arrows a requirement to be in long bow class) and maybe 10-15 recurve shooters at bigger events.

 

[Guncap]

Most of what ruined compound archery for me is how now a middle of the road hunting bow set up is about $1k with about $35 a piece for hunting arrows with broadheads.

The money/consumerism part of it is what really me. I was running a compound pro shop for a few years and greatly enjoyed it. But what got to me after awhile was the number of guys who would come through with the attitude that they can simply purchase their way to success, especially new guys. Rather than learning how to become a better archer and hunter, just spend more money on sights, arrows, and releases to extend your range another 20 or 30 yards.

I started having a lot of very close encounters with mule deer while stalking them with my compound and that's when I really started to ask "why aren't I doing this with a recurve?" Between that and my general displeasure with the state of the compound hunting community, I decided to finally put together a recurve setup two years ago and have been learning as much as I can since. It's been tough as I've had to essentially teach myself, but that's also making it more rewarding. It's become my own little silent "protest" of sorts.

 

[1Canvas]

I’ve been shooting trad for about 25 years now and that’s exactly why I switched from a compound because it was getting too automatic.

Shooting and hunting with a recurve reignited my love for Archery and bow hunting.

I think there are a lot of guys like me that want to take it to the next level, even though it will limit your success. If you are a tree stand Whitetail hunter it really isn’t that big of a deal to shoot a trad bow because you can set up for short shots on Whitetails.

Over the years the compound and accessories have taken much away from the challenge, that’s what moved me to a recurve, but due to arthritis in my hands I still hunt with a compound from time to time.

 

[dylanvb]

Shooting a trad bow is what got me into archery in the first place. A compound makes hunting with a bow more appealing since success rates are higher but I am currently working to build confidence in myself to hunt with my trad bow. I see trad as the pinnacle of hunting. If you can successfully get within distance and take an animal down with a trad bow you are the ultimate predator. Thats the goal for me.

 

[roosiebull]

I’ve been shooting trad for about 25 years now and that’s exactly why I switched from a compound because it was getting too automatic.

Shooting and hunting with a recurve reignited my love for Archery and bow hunting.

I think there are a lot of guys like me that want to take it to the next level, even though it will limit your success. If you are a tree stand Whitetail hunter it really isn’t that big of a deal to shoot a trad bow because you can set up for short shots on Whitetails.

Compound hunting is not too easy for me, but I feel like I should be able to fill my elk tag with a stick every year (maybe irrational confidence)

I hunted with a recurve 2 years and broke my 15yr streak of killing a roosie with my bow, but I had 6 layups that I managed to screw up in different ways, and it got to the point that I got paranoid about making bad shots and went back to my compound

Now I have the itch again and feel like I have better mental control, and have heard so many stories from successful trad guys that talk about whiffing a lot of critters before putting it together, so my perspective had changed a little… I went through the same thing with my compound starting out, I spent my first 4 years missing them, then once I killed one, that abruptly changed.

I hadn’t really considered it for awhile, just got a compound I really like, and was excited about that, then I started shooting my stalker and was shooting good for taking some time off, but I was wearing out pretty quickly, form breaking down, so I made a decision to get rid of my stalker and blacktail and go ilf

Have a P2P 19” riser on order, and am going to get some 45# yangis (med to make a 62” bow) and go from there. I 100% plan on using the recurve this year pending how I’m shooting, and the plan as of now is hunt all early season with the recurve and if I don’t kill a bull I will break out the compound for late cow season

I have always had an irrational optimism hunting, and short term memory, and plan on pushing through until successful, but the last time with all of my missing, I got worried about making bad shots on one, but I think that is the wrong way to look at it

 

[1Canvas]

Compound hunting is not too easy for me, but I feel like I should be able to fill my elk tag with a stick every year (maybe irrational confidence)

I hunted with a recurve 2 years and broke my 15yr streak of killing a roosie with my bow, but I had 6 layups that I managed to screw up in different ways, and it got to the point that I got paranoid about making bad shots and went back to my compound

Now I have the itch again and feel like I have better mental control, and have heard so many stories from successful trad guys that talk about whiffing a lot of critters before putting it together, so my perspective had changed a little… I went through the same thing with my compound starting out, I spent my first 4 years missing them, then once I killed one, that abruptly changed.

I hadn’t really considered it for awhile, just got a compound I really like, and was excited about that, then I started shooting my stalker and was shooting good for taking some time off, but I was wearing out pretty quickly, form breaking down, so I made a decision to get rid of my stalker and blacktail and go ilf

Have a P2P 19” riser on order, and am going to get some 45# yangis (med to make a 62” bow) and go from there. I 100% plan on using the recurve this year pending how I’m shooting, and the plan as of now is hunt all early season with the recurve and if I don’t kill a bull I will break out the compound for late cow season

I have always had an irrational optimism hunting, and short term memory, and plan on pushing through until successful, but the last time with all of my missing, I got worried about making bad shots on one, but I think that is the wrong way to look at it

I started traditional 6+ years ago and shot most every day, but it was about three years before I took my recurve to the woods for fear of wounding a deer. I also have some mobility issues so I needed the best shot I could get. Once I worked out my shooting and aiming style the gear was another thing that took some time ironing out. The ILF system made the most sense to me and finally settled on the Hoyt Satori, I figured it was good enough. The one thing that I learned going through different risers is what an incredible difference grips make in shooting. That is one area the Satori really shined, there are an endless selection of grips available for it. I have had good risers but I just couldn’t get along with the grips and few were available.
I would say, once I got everything down, a good grip brought everything together in accuracy but mostly consistency.