Why did you start hunting Trad?

[Jason277]

Hello all, I'm just curious what made you start hunting Trad? I have hunted with a compound bow unsuccessfully for 4 years now for elk and have only been hunting in general for 5 years. I haven't had an elk at bow range ever. What keeps me thinking about Trad is the more simple setup vs a compound. I know it's way harder and your woodsmanship has to be spot on. What made you guys start?

 

[Wilderlife]

Almost limitless opportunities to hunt in the area where I live, and a huge abundance of game. I hunted with compounds briefly and blew one up. When you get to hunt as much as I do and see as much game as I do you start to look for new challenges. I like the look of trad bows more and being a bit of a history nerd sees trad bows speak to me a lot more than compounds or rifles.

That being said, I still hunt a lot with rifles and may potentially hunt with compounds again in the future, but I will always find the time to walk around with trad bows and slip arrows into game at less than 15 metres.

 

[mrolen]

After killing a few deer with a rifle then a compound I switched to trad for a few years to really challenge my self and learn how to get closer. I killed one mule deer doe at 10 yards and had some close run ins with elk but haven’t connected yet. Was planning on hunting trad this year but I haven’t put in enough time with it to feel good about hunting with it so I’m focusing on rifle hunting this year… but next year I will pick it back up.

 

[0815]

Never hunted with anything else. No need to follow the techno path if it worked for thousands of years.

 

[Cedarsavage]

I started with trad then went to wheels and now back to trad. For me, it got to the point where I was hardly bowhunting. I enjoyed hunting with a rifle more than the compound, went full tard on trad last year and I like bowhunting again.

 

[smoke]

When I started compounds really weren't a thing (I'm 62). Shot my first deer with an old recurve and a couple of years later, while in high-school, got a new Bear Whitetail compound. I think my selfbows are faster than that bow was. I then read Saxton Pope's book on hunting which spoke about the elegance of longbows . . . I just couldn't get that out of my head. Went back to trad bows after only a couple of years with the compound and have been there ever since. It sounds funny but for me, there just isn't any romance to a compound.

 

[mparks270]

I just enjoy the process of working on my shot in the off season. I usually hunt stands where shots are under 20 so I can usually shoot well enough for that range. I do keep a compound dialed in for the times when I'm not feeling so confident.

 

[slick]

If you hunted as much as I do and saw as much game as I see you’d hunt with trad equip too.

Mostly I did it because Aron Snyder did it.

 

[Wrench]

I hunt in places that certainly favor the longbow. A 30 yard open area is a rarity in my area. I can bomb critters with my rifles if I don't want to hunt them....and do. I am not trad specific but don't really consider the compound an option....even though I have a couple. I keep them in case I injur another shoulder or a friend is interested in the game.

 

[Mtn_Nomad]

Honestly to become a better hunter. Plus I've always loved the traditional look and feel of bowhunting. I've had compounds with all the gadgets and gizmos but nothing looks or feels better than a wood bow and feathers

 

[slick]

In all honesty, I had a good friend who was a devout trad hunter who had one of every bow that a certain bowyer made.

One of the bows didn't have a proper sight window cut for this long armed fella and so he gifted it to me and taught me to shoot. Edit to add: kind of shoot.

 

[Anglo-American]

Hello all, I'm just curious what made you start hunting Trad? I have hunted with a compound bow unsuccessfully for 4 years now for elk and have only been hunting in general for 5 years. I haven't had an elk at bow range ever. What keeps me thinking about Trad is the more simple setup vs a compound. I know it's way harder and your woodsmanship has to be spot on. What made you guys start?

Because it's better...

Depends what are you looking for from hunting. You can always rifle hunt as well.
Ofcourse then there is also the black powder question. Gucci black powder or trad black powder..?

 

[Geewhiz]

1. The simplicity of a one piece wood and fiberglass bow. No sight, rest, stabilizer or any other garbage to knock around.

2. I was looking for a new challenge. Had killed a number of bulls with a rifle and a number with a compound.

3. 'cus its super bad a$$

 

[ARK_Ginger]

It's a more fun shooting experience for me. That and after carrying a compound in the mountains I decided I like to carry my recurve more just do to weight.

 

[Squints08]

1. Challenge
2. Practice is an outlet that’s easy to do
3. Nuts and screws come loose and reason for question and doubt
4. Reward is on so many more levels than guns, compounds or crossbows IMO

 

[Bama Creek Bum]

Because killing whitetails in Alabama with a compound bow for the last 35 years has gotten to the point that it’s net very exciting.

 

[TaterTot]

After chasing a Boone and Crockett with a rifle for years and making it happen I thought to myself ok, now what. Kinda like when a dog catches the car its chasing lol. So I switched to trad on a whim. Bought a 100 dollar bow, got bit by the bug and haven't touched my rifle since.

I thought I was a good woodsman before spring the bow, traditional equipment crushed that and humbled me haha. I wouldn't have it any other way now.

 

[Gutshot007]

I really don't care what someone shoots game with. Personally shooting trad I feel like I'm shooting a "bow and arrow" it feels natural. I like the challenge of a close game , but sometimes jealous of distance compound guys get out there. Shooting a compound feels too much like a " gadget " to me and not the simplicity of a longbow or recurve . Imo truth is you probably are going to kill more game with a compound or a crossbow . Is one willing to accept that and shoot trad for other personal reasons and satisfaction?

 

[Jagger0502]

I am more about prepping for a hunt than the actual hunt. Getting a traditional bow shooting well and consistent form is much harder with a traditional bow. Honestly, sitting in a stand or saddle hunting is very boring to me but everything leading up to that sit is fun. With a compound, which I still do hunt with, it’s a few fine tunes each season and some shooting and it’s good. With traditional, if you don’t shoot for a while you basically learn to shoot all over again so it keeps me shooting year round. Tinkering with arrow setups and form is challenging and more rewarding when you stick something with it.

Plus you look cooler when someone sees you in the woods.

 

[kfili]

If you hunted as much as I do and saw as much game as I see you’d hunt with trad equip too.

Mostly I did it because Aron Snyder did it.

Damn beat me to it!