Going Full Traditional! any tips?

[Cab]

So this year I'm thinking about going full traditional for hunting Deer and Elk. Bear recurve, homemade cedar arrows(in the 650gr range), vintage Bear razorheads. I have 2 bows I plan on using and I wanted to get some feedback if I could from someone with experience. Bow #1 1964 Bear Kodiak 60" at 45lbs I was thinking this would be a good Deer bow but too light for elk. Bow #2 Bear 1975 Grizzly 58" at 55lbs I was thinking this could be good for Elk. Both bows I can shoot very well and I was thinking limiting my range to 30 yards and under. Any experience/tips with especially hunting Elk with a struggle stick would be great. thanks!

[Special T]

Shoot a lot! Hit up 3ds if you can. Shoot as many walk through courses as you can.

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[Cab]

Shoot a lot! Hit up 3ds if you can. Shoot as many walk through courses as you can.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Never shot 3D but often enjoy stump shooting to help with practice. I love it but if you miss it can mean searching for an arrow for a good 20mins

[scotsman]

It amuses me when people think hunting with recurves is harder than compounds. Folks have been killin' critters with compounds for what, 30 years? On the other hand folks have feeding and defending their families with with single stringbows for at least 15,000 years. Just practice and keep shots in your true first arrow range.

[Dan-o]

It amuses me when people think hunting with recurves is harder than compounds. Folks have been killin' critters with compounds for what, 30 years? On the other hand folks have feeding and defending their families with with single stringbows for at least 15,000 years. Just practice and keep shots in your true first arrow range.

Of course it's harder.

I suspect that most of the folks using traditional bows during that 15,000 year period you mention would have  traded for a nice compound and some modern broadheads in a heartbeat to gather food and defend family.

[Dan-o]

P.S.  To the OP, good luck.       That will be a heckufa challenge.

[Tim in Wa.]

Sounds like you are on the right track.There is a great article in the latest Traditional Bowhunter Mag. about trad bow elk hunting techniques

[Squidward]

shoot a lot, go slow in the woods, no slower than that  . good luck! Hope to see pic's of your elk this fall. I'm still trying to kill my first trad deer, with stone points. Squidward.

[Cab]

Sounds like you are on the right track.There is a great article in the latest Traditional Bowhunter Mag. about trad bow elk hunting techniques

I will need to pick that up for sure thanks for the heads up!!

[Cab]

shoot a lot, go slow in the woods, no slower than that  . good luck! Hope to see pic's of your elk this fall. I'm still trying to kill my first trad deer, with stone points. Squidward.

Thanks! Good Luck to you as well, one of these days I'm going to try and make my own points.

[Sandberm]

I get thinking I'm a pretty good shot in the backyard shooting level at 25 to 30 yards into a paper target in a hay bale while standing...

Then I go out to hunt and most of my shots  are downhill shots and I shoot over the back of the animal...or I misjudge distance...other times  I find myself in some Tony Pena catcher stance behind a big rock or sagebrush with my bottom tip digging in the ground so I have to canter the bow  a bit.

So in summary, stump shoot a lot and especially downhill shots and on one knee.

[Timbuckto]

 I have some questions, before I can answer your post.
1. What is your draw
2. How long have you been shooting trad
3. How long have you been hunting
4. Do you have a mentor
5.what aiming method do you use
6. Do you understand how to tune stickbows and select arrows

[Skyvalhunter]

Apply out of state

[Cab]

I have some questions, before I can answer your post.
1. What is your draw 29"
2. How long have you been shooting trad 4-5years
3. How long have you been hunting roughly 10years
4. Do you have a mentor I have good friends that have been traditional bow hunters for 30+ years but not locally
5.what aiming method do you use Instinctive
6. Do you understand how to tune stickbows and select arrows yes, I have been making my own arrows for a few years now

[Cab]

Apply out of state

Any certain reason for me to go out of state?

[pianoman9701]

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[Cab]

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  well played pianoman

[Timbuckto]

 Based upon your answers I think you are good to go. I would however tell you in my option based on years and years of shooting trad bows you really should pick one bow to shoot and hunt with for the year. It is very difficult to shoot two Stickbows with your aiming or non aiming style and if your kodiak is 45 at 28 and you get a honest 29 your getting at least 48 but closer to 50 I bet shoot with back tension do not collapse your anchor at release. Get the bow tuned and silent with a low brace height. Get some woodlie weights to increase fox,7 but remember you have to increase spine as you increase foc. I assume your shooting 60_65 spine for your kodiak will have to go higher as you increase foc. That kodiak will kill anything in north America at your draw if set up right. Keep em sharp good luck.

[Cab]

Based upon your answers I think you are good to go. I would however tell you in my option based on years and years of shooting trad bows you really should pick one bow to shoot and hunt with for the year. It is very difficult to shoot two Stickbows with your aiming or non aiming style and if your kodiak is 45 at 28 and you get a honest 29 your getting at least 48 but closer to 50 I bet shoot with back tension do not collapse your anchor at release. Get the bow tuned and silent with a low brace height. Get some woodlie weights to increase fox,7 but remember you have to increase spine as you increase foc. I assume your shooting 60_65 spine for your kodiak will have to go higher as you increase foc. That kodiak will kill anything in north America at your draw if set up right. Keep em sharp good luck.

Fantastic insight Timbuckto!! Honestly the Kodiak is a much smoother shooting bow. Thanks again for all the feedback!

[Timbuckto]

1964 kodiak is a great bow you couldnt do a much better. I would chrono the two bows with arrows at 11gpi. Get a 10 strand string for that as well maybe even 8.