I don't watching hunting shows these days but as I passed by a Tred Barta episode I listened to him speak. He said something to the effect, "After my accident they told me to go to the gun, they told me to go to compound. I told them I AM a longbowman, I use a longbow. That is who I am. I will use it until the day I am physically unable to do so.....". As I sat there two days ago I began thinking and then I went down to my garage and pulled out my recurve. I started flinging arrows. I hadn't shot it for ten days because to be honest with you I pulled out my compound for two weeks in November because my confidence had been shaken so bad with my recurve and my three misses before I finally connected. The recurve bug bit me again. Then today I put on the broadheads and shot over and over again from elevation with my recurve/broadheads. I was nice and accurate all the way out to 15 yards. The real reason I put my recurve down two weeks ago is because I was scared and my ego got the best of me with the "what if a big buck came by.....". I copped out, whined, and tricked myself into believing something that was not true. That is not me. I also remembered a quote from Bill Parcells when describing Lawrence Taylor. They asked him why Taylor was so good. He said, "he has confidence born of demonstrated ability". So he was so good because he had succesfully done things over and over and over. I have to kill a lot more deer with my recurve in order to gain that confidence, that edge. I remember going through that cycle when I first started bowhunting with a compound and it is not different than with a recurve. So if any of you are opting out of anything in the hunting game because of fear or because you are whining, just stop it! And that includes me. So if darn Tred Barta can still kick butt from a wheelchair with his longbow and did not give up, why should I? Tomorrow, it is back to the woods with the stickbow! Thanks Tred! JUST HUNT.
It is weird because what makes me happy is using the recurve. I also like hunting down big bucks. Therein lies my mental dilemma. But I think I have more love for the recurve right now so that is what makes me the most happy.
Then go with it ... with as much venison in the freezer as I have this year, I am trophy hunting now ... I wont shoot a doe until the end of the season, and that I will butcher and give it to our mission ... no little bucks this year ... and I think I am done shooting them at all ... but we will see .....
If a doe cross my path again this year it is getting an arrow. I have a limited time to hunt the remaining six weeks of the season so I am taking what the woods offers up to me and my sorry behind.
I play the same tug-o-war, Brett. I'm not nearly good enough with a recurve yet, and thats what keeps me from taking it in the woods. Eventually, I think the compound will stay home...maybe for good. Knowing how you feel about the recurve...imagine how great it will feel to take a nice buck...now imagine taking that buck with the recurve. Ya dig? Elitist.
Good read Brett...the mental aspect is everything isn't it? I will rarely watch any hunting shows on TV...but I will watch Tred Barta episodes over and over...my favorite parts are just when he talks... I hope my body starts to go before my mind does...Good Luck Brett!
You can say what you want about Tred. He may like to pat himself on the back and express little humility about his desire to do things the hard way..... But, the man is like a heat seeking missle. He locates a target and locks on. Good stuff in my book..
Brett, I'll never use a recurve, but when the dr told me to quit shooting the compound and stick to a crossbow, I was depressed. Then I figured out that from the sitting position I can use my knee to get the bow pulled back I put the crossbow away again. If the day ever comes that I can't get the bow pulled back with my knee, I'll have to go back to gun hunting 'cause the crossbow seems like cheating to me. Personal opinion only people.
I hear you Mark. I am not saying I will never use my compound again, I am just saying I prefer the recurve these days. And this post isn't even really about compound vs recurves, it is about overcoming your fears and keeping a "heat seeking" mentality as DropTine said in his post.
"Heat" = "Degree of Difficulty". If "seeking" becomes easy with the recurve, then what? Rocks? I say yes, whatever it takes to keep it fun and challenging. For me, it's moving from arena to arena and constantly changing that which/where I pursue.
You just have to get to the point where the "how big" and "how many" are FAR less important than the "how". Shoot whatever makes you happy. I even tried gun hunting this year for the 1st time. Have I enjoyed it? Well.....let's just say everything I ever thought about it wasn't true. But, 99% of it was. I tagged an 8 pointer in my first sit (with the rifle), opening morning.....1:15 into my hunt. Haven't been back out with it. I've fired one outdoor round through my new rifle. I've been hutning with the recurve, since (and prior). Stop worrying about it and just hunt and have fun. Good luck, buddy.
I had the best rifle season of my life this year...and I didn't shoot a deer. I pushed deer to my daughter and my cousin (both new hunters) and my father and his friend. All is good, though. The freezer was filled during the early bow season, my cousin and daughter are hooked, and we had some good times. Now is the time for me to find some antlers. Next year will be a different story, as a new fawn is to be born next summer...
The recurve saga continues. I missed right over another does back at 10 yards tonight. I was shaking like a school girl receiving her first kiss. I had a herd of darn deer out right into my set-up 20 minutes before dark. I waited for a "great" shot and missed at 10 yards. I SUCK. I have been hitting good for three days. I shot from elevation this morning and was drilling it within 15 yards.
Something tells me Brett your not picking out a spot but rather an area or maybe no area at all. Focus on that tiny little spot you want that arrow to go. What's been the norm with your missing? Shooting high? Low?
You are correct. I felt like tonight I picked out her shoulder blade, meaning the entire shoulder blade. Before she entered my zone I told myself to aim small. But at the moment of truth I aimed "medium" and missed right over top of her. Every one of my misses has been 4-5 inches high, every one. In practice I am able to focus like crazy and hit very specific spots, but in the woods I seem to get very general. It has been hard but I am going to stick with it. Any advice? I am thinking of shooting many shots from elevation at a 1 inch circle. Only focusing on that circle and perfect form. I am really good at waiting for the right shot and not getting picked off by deer, but at my release I feel like I am in no mans land....you know.
Nerves Brett, It's all nerves. Your doing everything right when practicing, It's the hunting part (the nerves) the needs to be dealt with. Put all of your effort Into that hair/spot on that deer right before and during your draw. Burn a hole In that spot with your eye's. You'll get It yet and you'll know It when It happens.
Thanks Steve. Tonight, I hunted a new spot I had never hunted. The deer came out exactly where I thought they would based on the wind. They came right TO ME. I stayed cool and calm until that doe gave me a great broadside shot. At that point I felt my heart pounding..goodness! It was just a little doe..hahahaha. But it was so much fun. I had two other does within 20 yards and a weird looking young buck. I waded through all of their eyes and they did not even see me move to the left and draw. Everything was smooth except I shot high and did not aim at a small spot. I will really focus during practice on hyper focusing on a small spot.
