I thought about it several times. Even thought about it this year. Instead I revamped my setup to be easier to shoot and more forgiving. Time will tell if it was the right move. For archery though atleast for me its for fun. The best time to be in the woods is then. The rut all of it. If I was worried about killing just meat I would only hunt gun seasons only. And in pa I make time the third week in october for the early muzzleloader season to get out just to make meat with the flintlock. After that the following two weeks is hard at it in the pre rut early rut. but you do whatever makes you happy. Too many people base their life on others actions. But i know you wont kill with a stick bow if you dont carry it. A lot of guys tell me man I wish I woulda had it bla bla blah this one time because the deer was only 5 yards away. Thats just the way that cookie crumbles.

 

I bought and rebuilt a Bowtech Destroyer 350 a few years back in preparation for the day when I cannot ethically take a shot at a living animal with a stickbow. The thing is ready to go, but I just can't get excited about practicing with it. I know that it isn't modern any longer, but it is more than enough bow to put a deer on the ground. I did have a flagship Mathews bow a few years ago. Rather impressive arrow launcher but it had no soul that I could find. I sold it rather quickly.

 

I am just the opposite. With a degenerative disc in my cervical spine I can’t handle the harsh draw cycle of a compound anymore . I sold all my compound gear about this time last year.

The draw of a recurve or longbow is more linear than a compound and I can handle it without aggravating my neck. That being said I can’t shoot bows over 50 pounds and I was off all bows for a long time.

I am back to shooting alt least once a week year round. I thought I would miss shooting a compound bow. I don’t miss it at all.

 

I think everybody has done that from time to time.

For 9 years I tried to come back from injuries just shooting Trad. When hunting season came around, if my shooting wasn't good I switched to compound. About three years ago my shooting came back strong, so now I hunt Trad.

I would shoot Trad all year, then a month before the season I would grab my compound and break nocks.

Any responsible hunter would do the same thing you are doing. If you are going to hunt - kill. If you aren't comfortable with your shooting don't just hunt Trad to hunt Trad.

Here is me 3 years ago when I was finally confident shooting Trad to hunt. The next two pictures are the year before when I went hunting in Ohio. Do what you are doing and be loud and proud about it. Then keep shooting Trad until you are confident enough to kill.

 

Oh...get yer motor runnin....

 

I will hunt one day of gun season if i am lucky. And most of the hunting areas nearby are archery only. I am counting on the venison this year and inside 50 yards, to me, compound bow might as well be a rifle.

The stick is a 10 ish yard proposition for me so far.

 

Bryan, it sounds like you are making the right call. Not everyone can afford the luxury of waiting for deer to get inside 15 before introducing them to the freezer at home. My brother did the same thing a few years ago and doesn't regret it (and his kids sure like having venison in the freezer!). I hunted with only trad bows for about 10 or 11 years, some years never even pulling the string back. I love shooting and hunting with stickbows, but I got tired of seeing deer at 30 yards with no meat in the freezer and eventually picked up a compound. I have hunted with both compound and stickbows for the last 4 years and plan to hunt with both going forward.

 

I really dont understand why anyone chooses to hunt with a compound instead of a crossbow unless crossbows arent legal in their state.

To be clear I have taken a deer with a crossbow - if you want venison they are good choice.

 

I really don't get caught up in what people choose to hunt with. Do whatever is legal. The sermonizing about what is and isn't purist and the "good old days" is half the reason hunting as a whole is dying. 32 years of hunting and for some reason the last few years seems that everyone thinks they're the authority and if you don't do it their way you're blasphemous.

 

I don't see anything wrong with it. I sold all my compound stuff this past winter because I was tired of the growing cost of not just bows but the accessories. It also just wasn't as fun as it had been for the past 20 years. I kept my press and tools though and I'll probably build a new compound setup next year there will be a ton of used flagship bows for sale for cheap, there always are after all the newbies realize it's not as easy as YouTube makes it seem and they want something easier to master. As far as hunting this year I'll be using my trad bows until November if I still have open tags I fully intend to take advantage of my rifles to fill the freezer.

 

Nope,cant stand the look of them new bows..long skinny risers and no limbs. .

No style..jmo

 

Yessir, they've taken the bow out of the bow.

 

I got 2 crossbows...so far 0-3 with them...aint quite figured them out yet lol ...hard on the fingers at full draw.

 

53 years with the stick bow. never really thought of a compound as a bow . more like a machine. like lifting weights on smith machine .
that post will get everyone up in arms !!! lol

 

315# on a Smith Machine was my first shoulder injury in my mid '50s. It wouldn't let your arms and shoulders move naturally.

 

the late great flip pallot once told me, “sure you’ll fill the freezer faster with compound, but it ain’t archery.” RIP to a great ambassador to the outdoors.

 

Never heard of him, but he sounds like the kind of guy I'd like to shoot my compound next to, exchange a few verbal jabs, then grab a beer or two.

 

I'm in the same boat as Portlylawman. I've been hunting with recurves and compounds for several years, in the same year. This summer I found it very uncomfortable to get a proper sight picture with my compound, even cranked down to 50#/. So, my Borders will be covering the bases for me.

 

I Got old Warthog that ill use maybe some day.

 

Just the good ‘ol boys 😉 That bow is probably more “trad” than most modern trad bows.

 

im still trying to get enough nerve up to hunt with my dads old provantage. He used to shoot a 2219 with a 200 grain snuffer out of that bow. I can hardly draw it back now. Might revisit it and shoot it fingers a couple times. I know he shot a bunch of deer with it back in the day.

 

Tried a kickstand bow in the 70”s. Killed a bunch of deer with one. Still have it some where and hunted with it in SD for speed goats and muleys in high desert.
Never did much for me. Grew up shooting glass bows. Took about an hour the tune it up and hit 10-12 arrows at 75m in a 10” paper plate with fingers. Shot about as good as my Hawken with buckhorn sites. Never felt like bowhunting to me.

Ifyou need meat and have low deer densities i would shoot one i guess. String rifle…. Naw, im never even thought about carrying one of them thru forrest. Just shoot a 30lb kickstand bow.

HH~

 

I hunt w rifles, handguns, recurves and compounds.
Have for many years.
Do like the lighter mass weight of a recurve though.
And they do look pretty.

 

In fact I just shot a dozen arrows from my Blackwidow.
Must say, I actually do prefer it to my Satori.
Even though the Satori got a 2nd set of limbs for 3D/practice.
Even w my health crap the last 2 weeks, I just like the feel of the BW better.

Hopefully get back in the groove before Halloween.
If not, the compound gets the nod.

Will be whatever it will be.
No shots last yr, bow or gun.

May be a similar year LOL

 

BTW
Wish the Oneida Osprey had a more modern riser and go to 60#.

 

I liked target archery, it did not meld well with my hunting. I liked longer recurves with bow sights, I found it limiting with my hunting. I tried a compound for a year, it also was limited to my hunting. Guy down the street shoots compounds, he has one shot and that is not steeply down from a tree stand, 20 yards standing on flat ground, as he found out last season. He asked for suggestions on how to hit a 10 yard 18 feet down deer. I told him it was none of my business.

 

I like trad.
Think recurves are functional art.
Don't care for longbows or have any interest in making stuff from scratch.
Got buddies that do, good for them.

Am not wearing home spun wool clothing and riding the mule to the back 40.

Nope. I check weather apps w my phone, drive a Jeep (with heated seats and steering wheel).

My choice of bow is just my choice of bow.
Battling RA off and on, proly use my compound.
Would prefer my Blackwidow.
Just depends on how practice goes.

Have taken deer with trad gear, worked fine.
Don't have diddly squat to prove to anybody.
Heck I've taken one deer in the last 5 yrs (inclusive of gun)

Just not seen any shooters.
Guess it doesn't matter what I hunt with when my meat comes from the grocery store LOL

 

BTW, a 10 yard shot is a 10 yard shot.
Bad form/follow through is what gets folks when shooting at angle.

 

2D Archery was cool. Was very challenging. Late 70’s unknown distance out to 75yds. Early compounds guys shooting fingers. Brass pin sites.

Watching those guys shooting the turkey target at 60-75yds. Tough….

HH~

 

Remember that.lol

 

I still have the rulebook. Was a bitch finding arrow unless grass was buzz cut. They were same targets as small bore and big bore silloutte shooting; Ram, Pig, turkey, chicken.



Chickens were always between 30-40yds. Shot 2219’s full length 33” with 5” vanes, 55lb Browning later. 1st compound i had was a Bear Whitetail i think. Was pretty easy to shoot compared to shooting 60yds with recurve. Hild the pin on and keep even steady rhomboid pressure.


We had a range at my home place. Had old dock styrofoam bales. Shot over pond for 75yds. Was fun. Just always seemed real mechanical to me.



Biggest deer i ever took was a huge heavy bodied muley 4x4 at 60yds on a steep down angle. Had a 55yd pin. Used it too. Put that 2219 right thru him eating sage flowers with a satellite 125grn BH. Prolly went 275-280lbs dressed. I remember trying to get him on tailgate. Two of is had a time getting in.
Remember following thru shot and letting bow slowly drop the riser and seeing that heavy arrow arcing and going right thru deer lungs out other side and land in sage brush. Never hit the ground.



After that i shot a few more whitetails with that bow and hung it up forever.



HH~