My brain is starting to play tricks on me about the recurve. I am starting to envision the pre-rut starting to kick off here shortly and what I might not be able to kill if I use my recurve instead of my compound. I worked so hard this year scouting that I don't want to miss out on a good buck if he walks by at 25 yards or if my skills with the recurve suck on a chip shot. LOL BUT I committed to get it done so I will! hahahaha. I hate when my EGO takes over and ruins the fun of something. I will not let it happen. EGO sucks so good bye EGO. lol. LONG LIVE TRAD HUNTING! Brett ps.....I wish you guys all the best as the deer get moving hard here soon.
Hey brother. Don't worry man, I missed what I would call the buck of a lifetime for me, with the recurve. It will come again. I don't even own a compound right now, but next year after this season, I will purchase an Elite Archery compound bow. I think hunting traditional is sweet, as for me it makes me feel like i'm doing something that they did hundreds of years ago. All I can say is practice and practice, I will put up a video showing on how I shoot, and how far I can shoot with a killshot.
I put away my compound bow 6-7 months ago. I love shooting the recurve and do not envision myself hunting with anything else for a long time.
My brother said the exact same thing, last year... He went out and had 2 shooter bucks running around at like 40yards or something. He came home from that hunt and went and bought a compound..
I think that shooting recurve is much harder then a compound and thats where the pull gets me. I think pretty much not ever getting any pass throughs, having to have the deer get closer to me. I think it's all great, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. The same thing could be said for deer that are too far for a compound, would you go out and buy a gun drawofbackward? Nope, you would just say, well they were out too far. Same thing with traditional, you just have to wait until they get close enough.
Honestly, I see me using a ML before I ever go back to a wheelie bow. Use whatever you want. No one else cares!
Thanks guys. I have no desire to use a compound anymore. I feel right at home in the treestand with the recurve. I had a 2.5 year old 6 point come walking by at 18 yards the other day and that felt like a long shot. I just need to get a deer under my belt with the recurve and the nerves will work themselves out. I am committed to the recurve, I just needed to vent a bit. GOOD luck guys!
A few years ago,I watched a legitimate 170-class buck for a 1/2 hr at 40yds. He never came into my comfort range. Funny thing is, I never thought..."if I only had a compound"
I take my hat off to you guys who shoot recurve, that would be an awesome experience to harvest a nice mature buck and tell everyone you used a recurve.
The old "If I had a compound thought" has rolled through my head a few times when I've had nice bucks close In the 15 some years I've hunted solely with my recurve. I've had my share of good ones close too but that's how It goes. Some day I'll be back shooting a compound when or If my body says so and It will be drawn by my fingers.
I didn't realize you'd been trad. hunting that long, Steve. That's a long time. How many whitetails have you taken with the recurve?
15 whitetails I believe the number Is Jeff. Some years I went with out but 2 of those 15 years we had 2 tags available and I used both of them. Sucks only having one tag 90% of the time.
I think most have this wrong. IMO, its not about "if anyone else cares" or bragging. I believe we shoot trad, most of us, for our own personal challenge, our own personal charge. We are competing with ourselves. I personally have to balance this charge I get with primitive gear, and the desire to harvest a mature animal, my meat needs throughout the year, and just plain fun. The only person your competing with, is yourself. Hunting, IMO is much more than just the weapon you used. Its about the scouting, chase, challenge, the weapon used, the shot you made, the gutting, the tough drag, the long night butchering, the recipie you used to cook that animal you harvested. Let me give you an example. My goals for deer hunting is 1.) have fun 2.) kill deer and fill freezer 3.) make my gear for hunting and use that to kill 4.) challenge myself to stretch my hunting skills to wait for the perfect shot and be satisfied if that shot doesn't come for this reason I try to take out my selfbows the first few weeks. But sooner or later, I want to kill deer, to eat. Maybe my confidense is shaken with my selfbows at that point, and feel the need to change weapons, my desire to kill a deer becomes more at that point. And by seasons end, if haven't killed anything, I wouldn't hesitate to use a gun.
Thank you for your perspective Mark. I myself set a goal to kill my first deer with a recurve this year. I will hunt with my recurve the entire season to fulfill this goal. My secondary goal is to kill a big buck. If I can accomplish both I will have succeeded more than my wildest dreams...but that is what hunting seasons are to me.....Dreams.
I cannot agree with you more Virginia. and DANG schutlzy, here in GA I get 10 doe tags and 2 buck tags!!!
Back at it this afternoon. Going to be hunting a good spot with the correct wind. I have been shooting good from the ground and from elevation. Bring on my first recurve deer!
Proud of ya Buddy , its a hard choice to make , but one that is very rewarding . I love hunting with my Longbows , but I still shoot a compound every now and again . Looking forward to seeing your first trad kill here on BH.COM .
Bigcountry.... You've got it nailed!!! Just remember that you're doing this for YOU, Nobody else.. As long as you're happy that's all that matters.. Schultzy... When I started out with a recurve you did have to worry about thinking "if only I had a compound" They didn't exist!!