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john nail

56. Started shooting in 1958

Your life is made of time, not money.

GEREP

I was 41 in September. Starting shooting a solid glass "Brown Bear" when I was 12. When I was 14, I started hunting deer with a Bear Super Magnum "48" I bought that bow from the Bear museum/pro shop in Grayling MI. I hunted with that bow for 3 or 4 years and took my first two deer with it. I then switched to a compound because it seemed that that was the thing to do. I bought a Darton Trailmaster and I hunted with that bow for about 17 or 18 years. At that time I bought another compound, a Jennings Quest. Had all the toys on that one, red dot scope even. I really liked that bow, but after taking a few deer with it it just seemed a little boring. After last season, just for the heck of it I picked up a recurve that belonged to the owner of our local archery shop. Fired a few arrows with it and I guess I was just hooked. Shooting that thing felt like it did when I was a kid. Within a few weeks, I purchased an older Bear Grizzly and shot that for a few months. Thinking that I wanted something a little heavier for hunting with, I purchased a Chek-mate Falcon from a guy that I had been talking to on a bulletin board. The bow was new, never been shot, 54# @ 28". What a sweet little shooter. I shot that bow all summer and was committed to hunt with it this fall. In the meantime, I enjoyed shooting that Falcon so much that I decided to order another one a little lighter weight and a little fancier. Well, I orderd a Falcon Special, Cocobolo riser, red elm limbs, clear glass and some really pretty overlays. Because my bow was not here for hunting season, I hunted with the other Falcon and managed to take a nice Michigan 5pt on the opening day of the season. I might ad that somewhere in there I started making my own cedar arrows and that is what I used to hunt with.

To make a long story real short, I haven't sold my compound, probably won't, but I can't ever see going back to it. As I said, shooting the recurve actually brings back the excitement for archery that I had when I was a kid. I can literally shoot for hours and never tire. Never wanted to do that with the compound.

As far as tips go, I'm a relative newcomer myself so I could use the tips myself. If I could give one tip that was given to me it would be this. Unlike shooting the compound, where even on a bad day you are very accurate, shooting the recurve is a lot different. Some days it feels like I literally cant miss. Somedays it is the exact opposite. For whatever reason, some days it is just not there. You're best off setting your bow down and coming back tomorrow. Don't try to shoot through it...it will only get worse. The fellow that got me started told me this. He is what I would consider to be a superb shot and even he has days when it just doesnt work.

Keep it fun and if you would indulge me, one more thing. This is a pet peave of mine. It seems that for whatever reason some of the people that shoot traditional equipment are on some sort of elitist ego trip. Trad shooters in my opinion are no better, no more ethical, no more sportsmanlike than any of our counterparts that shoot a compound. We just choose to shoot different equipment for a multitude of reasons reasons. Try not to let it be anything more than that.

JMHO

KPC

kodiakhuntmaster

I'm 22 and will be 23 in March. I have shot a recurve since before I could run, but never hunted with one until two years ago. I started bowhunting with a compound about 4 years ago and have been fortunate enough to harvest a deer with it every season. This past bow season I tried to only use my recurve. I didn't see nothin'! until my string broke and I had to use my compound, and then I killed a big doe! It was 40 yards anyway and way out of my recurve range. That was the only deer I saw all bow season. Lucky I got her huh? I get bad target panic when I shoot my compound on the range, but hardly any problems when shooting a stickbow. It just seems more natural to me.

"Hey ya'll, watch this"

mlj64

38, going 39 in a couple of months. I started bowhunting 4 years ago, using a compound with all the "gizmos" (rifle hunted before and wanted to try something different). I changed to the stick and string a year ago for a couple of reasons; the technological evolutionary arms race became irritating and, being a "fiddler", I was constantly tinkering. I needed a change to something simpler. This change was challenging, fun and heightened my outdoor experinces with a wonderful hunting season.
Mark

"tread softly and carry a big stick" - acknowledgements to LandRover & FDR.

billstick

55 this month , I was a Bowaholic , belonged to the "Bow -A-Month "club , went to counceling almost cured now, only buy one or two bows a year. Came over from the "Dark Side" 13yrs ago.
Tip : You NEVER have enough BOWS !!!!!

Bill

Lilhunter

Be turning 27 here this Jan 23. I started shooting a compound at 14, took to a recurve the next summer and by that hunting season rolled around it was the only bow I owned. A Martin hunter I paid a whopping 190 bucks for NEW! Hard to imagine in that short of time they have almost doubled in price. I have since been becoming a history nut. Trying to dig up old magazines/books/periodicals/photographs on the sport of bowhunting/archery seems to consume most of my time and almost all of my extra cash! Got some great photo's that need a frame job that for now will stay put away till that day comes. The wife picked me up a rare find here for xmas, Arab Archery almost half of what I have seen a good copy go for. Btw if any of you have anything of interest let me know! I am always looking for more! Two reasons I guess it has hit me, one why make the mistakes they made? There has been many "changes" and yet very little is new and there is tons of info on what they have done out there if you dig hard enough in the right places. Second its just a plain ole good read! Interesting to see how the archery and bowhunting worlds came to be what they are today!

One tip I guess I have is perfecting your practice and your equipment as it relates to your accuracy, and then adhering to that "max effective range" you have limited yourself too. There is no excuse for the reputation stickbow shooters seem to have amongst many different groups! Many of whom enter the woods every year wounding and loosing game and have track records that make many sick. Sure there it's supposed to be fun, but dont loose the grasp of what you are trying to do with your choosen equipment. Kill an animal as quickly and humanly as possible PERIOD! Even those who just enjoy the woods and the time spent there, are at one point or another, going to find themselves inthe situation of "the moment of truth". Do it right when that moment presents itself and its all that more sweeter!

CT Bowhunter

I'll be 43 in June. Shot a fiberglass longbow from about 8 to 15 years old. When I was about 9, we were shooting around some woods in town for anything that moved. A notice went out from the police that there was a band of crazy people in town shooting bows at squirrels and things. Our parents called us in and told us to be careful for the crazy people and wouldn't let us near the woods for a week. Never told them it was us. Restarted with a compound about 1990. I also got tired of the new and improved mechanical things. Started the evil traditional habit again about 6 months ago. It was after visiting this forum and buying my first Crusader from Chad that the Viruses got me<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>. I sold my compound and I now own 5 longbows with a new Crusader on order, I'm ashamed<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>. Beware the 4th Axis of Evil, Chad and Crusader bows<img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

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lamb1647

Turned 56 this past Monday. Started bowhunting 18 years ago with compounds. Sold my compounds in the winter of 1999 and ordered a T/D recurve made by a fella in the local area. Have since given it to my son-in-law, bought a Chek-Mate Firebird, gave it to my son, bought a Fox Reverse Handle longbow, because some fella says Long Bows Rule, then sold it and ordered a Check-Mate Crusader from that LBR fella. I must say I do agree with him. Long Bows (do) Rule! And I love my Crusader.

I will give you one tip in three words all starting with the letter F. Family, fun, focus. Always put your family first, have fun and focus whether practicing or drawing down on an animal for a shot.

Bill

Praise the Lord, He is worthy