jesse 25

Alright everyone spill it. How old are you, and when did you start shooting traditional? I am curious, seeing that I am a relative newbie when it comes to traditonal archery. I am 28 years old and have been shooting a compound bow for a long time. I started with a compound, and until recently, that is all I shot. I started shooting traditional recently and absolutly love it. I hooked my younger brother who is 23 years old and he loves it as well. I am curious to know about the rest of you out there. In fact I would love for each of you to list one tip. If you could only provide one tip to a relatively new shooter what would that be. Remember it is only one tip......Also one of my new years resolutions is to stop lurking in the background and start posting more. Hopefully you guys won't mind.

LBR

I'm 33, will be 34 in Feb. I don't remember the exact date I started shooting traditional, but it was approximately 10 years ago (unless you count homemade equipment as a kid). Bows and arrows were things I only saw on TV while growing up--it never even occured to me that I could shoot. My folks were never exposed to it either. I fell into it by pure accident, and am very thankful I did--compounds were ok, but never took a hold on me like this. My son started shooting when he was 2, he will be 8 in March, and he already owns one longbow, two take-down recurves, and a self bow. He isn't a collector--lol--he just keeps outgrowing his bows.

My one tip is to keep it fun. Practice properly, but have fun with it. If it's not fun, then what is the point? Don't take yourself too seriously, don't take everything that every "expert" tells you as the gospel truth and the only way it can be done--experiment, play, shoot with friends, walk in the woods, go to tournaments, shoot every bow you can get your hands on, and love the sport.

Chad

Long Bows Rule!

towerrat164

I am 37 and I too started with a compound. My first bow was a indian deerslayer 50lbs. I could not pull it when I got it for Christmas but by the end of spring I was shooting it nearly everyday. Even though it was a compound I shot it instinctive and did so until I tagged my first deer with it. From that day till about 4 years ago now I shot compounds with sight pins, and releases. Needless to say I got tired of trying to keep up with the techno junkies. Back to plain bows and big smiles. Best tip would be to always use a stringer and to ask questions.
shoot straight, aim well,
and tell tall tales to
good friends.

Wahya

52 years young. I shot some when I was a kid, but not enough to be serious about it. I starter with compound when they still resembled a bow, then 10 years ago or so I picked up my first stick and got rid of the wheels.

I guess my best tip (since LBR stole my other one<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>) is to start lite in weight, say 40-45# at your draw and work on the mechanics of the shot before accuracy. Because consistent accuracy won't come until your form, anchor and release are consistent.

Make em sharp and shoot em straight, or leave em home.

Edited by - wahya on 01/05/2003 00:00:27

Troy n Oh

Turned 31 yesterday.I have been shooting traditional about a year or so and wish I had started with traditional instead of a compound (much more fun).At least I started my son out right he is 8 and doing quite well so far.My best tip would be a bad bow will still shoot a good arrow to its mark but not even the best bow will put a poor arrow where ya want it!

SHOOT STRAIGHT >>>--------> Troy

Pigdog

I'm 34 , started shooting 21 years ago when my grandpa bought me my first curve. I got my brother into shooting curves about a dozen years ago, given him over a dozen curves since then (he has more bows than me now)

I did a stupid thing when I was 18 and chased my girlfriend of then time over to Abbotsford, and fell into making bows for a living (was better than finding actual physical work....)

Marc

Arthur P

I'll be 51 in April. Started when my grampa made a selfbow for my 3rd birthday. Killed pigeons, sparrows and other assorted vermin around the chicken coop until I graduated to rabbits, possums and raccooons when I was 7. Shooting arrows and small game/varmint hunting has been my favorite hobby ever since (but I still have to get my fishin' in some time<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>). To this day I'd rather hunt small game than deer.

A lot of folks don't count their experiences shooting bows when they were little kids. I do. I've loved it ever since the very first arrow and just never had sense enough to quit.

I did start shooting a compound a little around 1981 with an old Pearson wheelbow that had all of about 35% letoff. Got pretty serious about field archery tournaments in the mid 80's with my compounds. I've still got a few wheelies laying around the house, but I've only hunted with them a few times. Like Chad says, 'longbows rule'.

My alternate tip, besides having fun, would be to not be afraid to do some long range shooting with your bow. You'll lose and break arrows, for sure, but you'll learn more about shooting stickbows with long range practice than you'll ever learn by constantly plugging away at 15-20 yards. And when you get to where you can shoot something resembling groups at 50-60 yards, it makes those 20 yard shots slam dunks. Develop your form with close range work. Perfect it with long range shooting.

Tuffcity

Rolled over to 40 last May, might even grow up one day...<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> I started out around 5/6 with vine maple bows strung with cotton butchers twine and arrows my gramma whittled out of the kindling pile. Hunted grannary mice and frogs. Graduated to my mother's fibreglas 2 piece longbow with knitting-needle-thin aluminum arrows (bow circa ~1956), killed alot of cardboard boxes, buckets and even a couple of fish with that unit. At 8 a neighbour gave me a Ben Pearson &quot;Old Hickory&quot;, still have it. Fiddled around with those bows into highschool but never hunted with them (too light anyway)- was more into game birds with .22 and shotguns. Went compound in '84 shooting fingers and 3 sight pins, never got caught up in a gadget phase, always thought I'd go back to recurves and eventualy did. Wife got me an &quot;offshore special&quot; recurve for Christmas in '92 and I haven't looked back. Through the kindness of a benevolent stranger I got my first quality 'curve a few years later and now I even shoot an LB from time to time.

Tip? Segments of the trad world seems to be rife with random acts of kindness- give back if you're able.

RC

Kip

I am 35, and began shooting a Bear fiberglass bow at the age of 6 or 7. I played around with all the new wheels and pulleys until just recently.
This past Sept, I was allowed to shoot the CM Crusader of a very evil person while moose hunting in Ontario. Needless to say, it rekindled an old flame, and brought back the desire I was looking for.
I am soon to start building my own arrows. I am already re-finding the joy of archery that was disappearing.

My tip? Be safe, have fun, and pursue what makes you all warm and squiggley inside.

Dick4bows

I'm 52. I've been shooting since I was 13. Started with a 35# fiberglass bow and graduated to a 48# Bear Kodiak Hunter when I was 17. At the age of 24, I fell over to the &quot;Darkside&quot; and bought a wheelie bow. About 10 years ago I went back to traditional archery because the deer were still jumping the bow even with all that &quot;Speed.&quot; I decided to see if quiet was a better approach. It is. I'm having a lot more fun now.
My tip would be to learn to make at least some of your own equipment. It helped me understand 2 things. 1st is why things work and 2nd, why bowyers charge what they do for a &quot;Simple stick and string&quot;. Dick