I started out 50 some years ago (yes I am that old) with a longbow, then a recurve and then one day I saw me one of them compounds.... I was strictly a hunter then. I shot with fingers and no sight compound hunting for close to 30 years. Then I switched to a sight, and (gasp) a release in 99. Even started shooting some more 3D's and was getting competitive. Switched back to longbow and recurve in 2003, sold all my CP's. A few years back I was tired of not having anyone else in my class to shoot against and started shooting in the BH class also. Really enjoy that class and the people, however at the State and local level there is NO competition. All the top shooters are FS in my State, so I have started shooting FS also. Not sure yet, but looks like after Louisville I may make the switch over and shoot strictly FS for a while. I still love shooting my recurve, but when the closest competition is 70 points behind you, its not any fun. If I lived in a place where I shot against a lot of the guys on here I'd probably never switch. I hate the word "trad" but longbows and recurves are a great road to take... enjoy the adventure.