Traditional vs Compound

[highclimber]

I would get both hunt trad early and compound late hunt.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

interesting idea, but once you go trad it gets addicting 

[jdb]

why is it that most of the traditional guys shoot long bows and noone shoots a recuve? I relize that the long bow is more traditional but it seems like noone uses a recurve?

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I am not sure who you are seeing, At Traditional Bowhunters of Washington 3-D shoots its at least 8 recurves for every longbow. All the guys in my hunting circle (18 guys) use recurves. I own 26 recurves myself, nothing against longbows there is just more of them.

[jdb]

by most I ment most on hear. soory after rereading my post it waswnt very clear.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

No big deal, I dont know much about longbows, but I have shot them. More hand shock, but a quieter bow.3 Rivers sell a nice one (Tomahawk) but way too pricy for me.

[Ray]

It's just bows to me  Shoot whatever you like.

I don't feel that recurve has less hand shock than a longbow.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

It could have been the one I was shooting, Howard Hill 80#, as I said I am not too familiar with them just because I dont run across them as much. My 64# 1952 Grizzly Static tip has more hand shock than my 65# 1960 Grizzly recurve, every bow is different.

[Hornseeker]

StickandStringer... yeah... the HH style "True" LB's can be pretty shocky  :yike:compared to most recurves... nowadays... bowyers are learning how to make even true LB's less shocky, but there is a new breed of LB's out... the "hybrids" or "deflex-reflex" LB's like I build. Ray just got one, Doug has one and another on the way...    These bows, when strung, are "nearly" D shaped and are definitely LB's, but they are the Least shockey bows I"ve ever shot and they shoot arrows as fast as any recurve... like you say though... very few will be under $500 and you can easily pay $1000 for one...

I like trad because shooting the bows is "fun" for me and the hunt is DEFINITELY NOT all about the kill... not that it is for all compounders either...I dont have a dad-gummed thing against compounds and have considered buying a new one to lay the smacker down on some meat-does this fall... just for something different... But man.. I LOVE to shoot my longbows or my recurves! My compound wasn't as fun and it didn't take long to master. Sure, I could have got better with it, but for what I was doing, I didn't feel like I needed to. 6 arrows in a paper plate at 50-60 yards was all i needed, especially when I was trying to hold shots to under 50...

the cool thing is...as fun as stickbow shooting is... if you take up the challenge...and have the time... you can put 6 arrows in a paper plate at 50 yards... OR even MORE! There are many stickbow shooters than can put 6 arrows in a row in a paper plate at 60 yards... its really an inspiration to see these guys shoot! I am good to about 40...but plan to get better this spring/summer!

Good Luck... either choice you will be happy! Bowhunting is Awesome!

Ernie

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I agree, I hunt Trad because I just like taking a walk in the woods to explore and got tired of carrying a "Cadillac Bumper" around. I hunt to kill, but that is secondary to just enjoying a day in the woods and talking to my own true God. I appreciate the look and feel of real wood and due to my style of hunting I usually get within 30 yards of my quarry. I hold Glenn St.Charles as a personal hero and have hunted with his son Joe. I wish I could have met Fred Bear and consider myself lucky to own several older Bear bows that I fling arrows around my back yard with. I have nothing against compounds and sometimes miss their range/accuracy but get more of a sense of satisfaction from hitting my target naturally than I did looking through a sight and pulling the trigger on my release. 

[Ray]

they shoot arrows as fast as any recurve..

Very fast indeed. I was out shooting this weekend and the fellows who were with me were surprised. One of them noted twice how the bow was a flat shooter and the arrows were quick. Not really any noticeable trajectories out to 25 yards. I could be wrong on the range but that was what a lot of the targets were within. Just a few long shots..

[Bookworm]

Hey Ray or Bone. I'm thinking about getting a stick bow  to get back to having fun when I'm bow shooting. Anymore it seems to be too much of a competition when my buddies and I are out shooting.  How long is Ernie's turnaround for one of his bows? I really like what I see on his website and am curious about how far out he is.

[Hornseeker]

BW,
I can answer that...

Right now, I am starting to catch up pretty good. Ive got 6 bows to build, which I'll finish by the end of March. That will get me started on anything new in April.. .lets be conservative..and say I can have a bow ordered now out the door in Mid Mayish... end of May at the latest...

Thanks for your interest,

Ernie

[Bookworm]

Thanks for the info Ernie. I'm not ready yet but you do make some beautiful bows.

[Jake T]

i always look at it like this.  rifle has sights and a trigger.  so does a compound bow.  rifle was invented to increase the distance from the target and still be lethal.  so was the compound bow.  if you're going to shoot a compound bow...you might as well shoot a rifle.