What made you go full trad?

[TCUHunter34]

I'm curious as to what made the 100% traditional shooters out there either uninterested to begin with or lose interest in shooting a compound?

If you did shoot a compound, did you sell it all once you made your decision? Or keep it laying around in case?
Have any regrets?

 

[Billy Goat]

I have a friend that is full trad. He was a sponsored shooter for Jennings archery years ago. He got tired of dealing with the complications of a compound. He apparently had a few bows grenade on him, decided a single string was easier.

Now he has arthritis in his shoulder and is curious about trying them again.

 

[Wrench]

1992, my buddies prick older brother said it was too difficult for a kid like me to understand.

 

[Beendare]

I wouldn't say I've gone full trad...but I prefer hunting with a stick bow now.

I still pick up my compound for hunts where I anticipate longer shots...I'm not a trad snob....in fact, there are some guys that should be barred from hunting with them they shoot so bad. [ I met one in NM last season....he released a full 4" before hitting his anchor] I shot his RH bow better than he did- not too hard really.....and I'm a Lefty.

I've been bowhunting since the 80's. It started becoming automatic with a compound, I got to the point where it just wasn't that much fun to shoot. Oh its a killing machine compared to my stick bow thats for sure.

Small mistakes with a compound...and you are a little out of the spot. A small mistake with a stick bow and you are off the target!

Shooting a stick bow has upped my game having to get that much closer.

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[nastynick]

I actually started with a stick bow and ran it for about 7 years before shooting a compound for the first time, I probably WAS a trad snob. I still shoot both but mostly take my compound to hunt now.

Like Beendare said, there’s people that shouldn’t hunt with a stick bow. It requires near daily practice and even good shots with a stick bow wouldn’t be considered that good of a shot with a compound. Psychologically you need to concede that you won’t hit like you would with the compound, all things considered equal.

I am not a bad shot with a stick bow but just felt that for me harvesting an animal with a stick bow wasn’t the right thing to do. I found myself doing a lot of hiking with a bow in my hand as opposed to HUNTING, if you know what I mean. I’ve been happier hunting with a compound.

All that said, I find the simplicity, maintenance, and challenge of the stick how far more appealing than the compound.

I didn’t really answer your question but I did go the other direction and kept all my trad stuff to shoot occasionally. I find that it helps my form with my compound. Oddly, using a compound also helped with my trad shooting posture

 

[Runningwater]

I got tired of all the junk that got more complex, complicated, and "necessary" with a compound (started on a compound as a teenager in the 80s). Hell you about can't buy a compound anymore long enough to shoot fingers. I like my recurve but am not truly a hard-core. Hell, if Browning would reintroduce some of their old wood riser compounds like the Nomad, I'd probably have one in the fold with my recurves.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

I started with a longbow cause my dad shot one, and I’ve found out that I’m a proud, stubborn SOB when it comes to archery. I absolutely don’t judge other guys for shooting compounds, but to switch to one would be like admiring failure personally.

it might be a good exercise in self discipline to switch, actually... I will say that I’ve busted my ass to get good enough to hunt with trad bows and I’d hate to give it up now.

 

[Beendare]

I should edit my comment above as it was a tad harsh.

I can say that the crowd I know shooting stick bows at tournaments and such is mostly a really good group of guys....I've only run into a few elitists.

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