bigcountry

I would like to try out a longbow but can't see me selling my compounds any time soon. Do you think it practical to shoot both? Pretty cheap to start out on longbows? Does most shoot cedar arrows? Reason I ask about the arrows, is I imagin I will be doing alot of missing with the longbow at first with no peeps or sights. And I can't imagine real wood arrows will hold up well.

arrowsmit

I wasn't able too, & chose to sell my compound bow, but lots of ppl shoot both bow types. At least for awhile.

Good thinking on the arrows, durability will definitely be a plus when starting off. Like you mentioned, misses are gonna happen.

Have fun w/it!

BobCo19-65

Hi bigcountry,

I think you can shoot both if you want to. There are some differences to get used to though. And you may find yourself liking one better then the other and never really wanting to pick the other up again. But if it something you want to try, man, I'd say do it. I really think that there are a lot of traditional archers at heart currently shooting compounds out there that have the inner drive to eventually pick up the trad bow and never put it down. Don't be afraid, just go ahead and try it.

As far as expense is concerned, you may want to pick up a decent used bow. I saw a new Viper Deluxe going for $135 on ebay yesterday. Or you could get a real decent one built to your specs for about $300.

As far as arrows go, I still use the Easton Gamegetter shafts that I get for about $30 a dozen (shafts). I most definetely take shots with them that I wouldn't take with a decent cedar.

If you are interested maybe do a little resaerch, get Byrons Ferguson's book and video. Maybe do some reading in Traditional Bowhunter Mag.

Arthur P

My thoughts are, shooting a compound with sights and release is so totally different than shooting a longbow that doing one does not interfere at all with doing the other. I shoot my compound barebow and with fingers release, but I also shoot it 3-under while I shoot my recurves and longbows with a split finger release. Doing that compensates for the slower arrow speeds from my traditional bows and kinda keeps the sight pictures the same.

With my draw length, it's very hard to find wood arrows long enough for me. Straight carbon arrows are too light. So, I shoot either aluminum or carbon/glass composite arrows. I really like the Carbon Express Terminator Selects. If I want to shoot my longbow, but tournament rules say I must use wood arrows to get into the longbow division, I'll shoot the longbow in recurve class.

Now, I feel it's an abomination to shoot anything but wood from an all wood bow, but am of the opinion that arrow material is wide open with bows made with fiberglass.

MichDeerHunter

Bought my first recurve 4 years ago. Still have my Solocam. I shoot and hunt with both. I find my recurve helps me learn to aim better and also keep quiet. My compound still has it place. I rather not take my $900 custom hierloom into the woods on a super hot / super cold or very wet day. It is not that I don't think it can handle it I just want to pass it on to my son someday. It is nice to be able to choose which one to take to the field or the range. Good to be well rounded.

Good Luck

Kates

I think I know what your feeling. I wanted to get into traditional last year and bought a recurve. Played around with it, but didnt feel confident to carry it to the woods and kill a deer. My thinking was I always had my compund to fall back on, problem is I enjoy shooting my recurve better. I am getting rid of my compound after bow season to make the full commitment to my recurve. I shoot almost every day so I feel my next year I will be confident enough to take my recurve to the woods..if Im not guess I will stay home! LOL

Double Creek

I just started myself back in April. After 15 years of compound hunting, I don't know if I can do it again. Shooting the longbow is SO MUCH FUN!!! At first it is tough and you question your sanity. But after a few months you start getting much better. I've gone from barely hitting the target at 10yds to being ready to hunt at 15yds in just a few months. If I can hold 4-5 inch groups at 20yds by October 1 then I will sold out on trad archery. If not, I may use the compound another year until I get proficient enough to hunt with the longbow. I am first and foremost a hunter and I feel I owe it to the deer to be 100% confident and effecient with my weapon before I take it to the woods.

What helped me the most was Rick Welch's VHS Volume II. You can get in at 3riversarchery.com Watch it over and over and over. Every time I watch it I pick something else up. Although I don't shoot exactly like he does, I do use many of his techniques.

BobCo19-65

JMHO, but there are a lot of deer killed within the 15 yard zone every year.

Double Creek

right on Bobco, and I bet out of almost 30 deer I've arrowed with a compound, the average shot distance would be 15yds or less.... I'm definitely hunting with the stick this year, just not sure if it will be 100% stick.

Arthur P

I got to thinking about my response... I've been shooting a long time, since long before compounds were invented. It doesn't bother ME switching back and forth, but that might be mostly due to my experience. Sometimes when I start having form difficulties with my traditional bows, I can pick up the compound and use the letoff to get my form straighted out again. Compounds are excellent training aids. But I'd definitely recommend spending the great majority of your practice time with the stickbow. You can't learn to shoot traditional if you give in to the temptation of the easy accuracy with the compound.

Whatever kind of arrows you get, put some judo points on a few of them and go stump shooting. The best way to learn how to shoot accurately in the woods is by shooting in the woods. When you get to the point you know you are going to hit a leaf, clump of weeds or a beer can at whatever distance you cut loose, you'll have the confidence to take a hunting shot at that distance. Small game hunting will also sharpen you up for deer season.