I know we have wide spectrum of traditional bowhunters here from beginners to seasoned veterans. I would like to hear about your accomplishments and future goals with your trad gear. Pictures would be great as well. Thanks and just so no one reads between lines here, I am simply just interested in hearing your stories, seeing your pictures and hopefully learning something more about each and everyone of you. I will start, I dont have any accomplishments as of yet. So that was easy! :d But, I have already had some great times hunting last fall with my trad bow and getting to shoot with Ryan when he was out. And I did pass up one young spiker bull elk at 3 yards, had a bull moose at 10 yards (no permit) and a flock of turkeys at 3-5 yards but only hens. My goals for my traditional bow right now are to take at least one of every species (over the counter critters, not draw only like mountain goat not yet anyway!) that I can hunt for here in Idaho. So A bear, A turkey, A whitetail, A mule deer, An elk, An antelope. Say within the next 20 years.
Shed, I bought my bow last Jan(08'), I shot, shot and shot some more until I was confident enough to hunt with it! I spent all summer getting ready, shooting everyday except for a two week period where I was unable because of work! I shot because I wanted to, for me it's fun and enjoyable! Early on on the season I missed a Doe on my first shot, I thought to my self I did it, I got a shot off. I couldn't stop shaking, it was unbelievable. I looked down at my right leg and couldn't stop it from shaking!! I knew I was hooked big time! Then, I called this guy in a month or so later, he came into 10 yards and put my arrow right where its supposed to go! I did it, my biggest accomplishment in hunting and my Buck of a lifetime!
BHF, thats great man, I love hearing the enthusiam and passion in your writing. Very cool. This is exactly what I was looking for,thanks for sharing. I am really looking forward to my first trad kill.
.... as for my goals. I really would like to get a shot off at a Tom this spring hunting from the ground using no blind! I just want a shot. I did it this last fall, I stalked a flock of Hens, got with in 22 yards, shot and drilled her, flipped her over 5 or 6 times, blood and feathers everywhere. I ran up to her and when I got about 3 feet away she flipped over and ran into shoulder high grass connected to a bean field! I ran after her but I lost her, I looked for 2 days, nothing, I know I killed her but just couldn't find her! If I would of lost her that would of been right up there with killing this buck! So with that behind me, honestly I'm still not over it, I want a shot at a Spring gobbler!
Dang, BF, thats a tough one, Hope you drill on this spring. That would be my goal this spring too, get one shot at a gobbler off the ground no blind but natural cover etc. I know Ryan just missed a gobbler last year as well. Good luck I am gonna hunt bear with my trad bow this spring too. Turks in the mornings, bears in the evenings. Kind of a neat combo we get here.
Thats awesome right there, Bears and Turkeys! I have a few years until I draw a bear tag, I'm waiting patiently..... NOT! I'm really considering in the next year or so going somewhere to chase a bear. I got a hog hunt to go on this year still. That should be fun, never killed one!
Here's only a few photo's of deer and bear that I've taken with my recurve. I've got a bunch more photo's of other deer and bear but there all In a photo album and not on my computer. So far I've shot 10 deer (maybe more) and 5 bear In 13 years hunting with my recurve. My 2007 Mn Bear (150lbs dressed). I'm so pissed that I didn't hide or cut the tongue off, my bad! 1995 Bear hunting trip. We went 10 for 11 that year bear hunting In 9 days of hunting. The 1st night we had 5 blood trails to follow, we finished up at 7:45 that morning. All the bear were recovered. 9 of the 11 bear were shot with traditional bows. My 2000 Mn Bear (325lbs dressed) (20 5/16 P&Y). My one and only chocolate colored bear. My 2002 Mn Bear (180lbs dressed) 1996 Mn Bear. This was my 1st recurve killed bear (130lbs dressed). My 2007 Mn Buck (210lbs dressed) (140 1/8" Net P&Y) It was only my 2nd hunt of the year (October 24th). I actually felt guilty. My 2008 Mn Doe Fawn (67lbs dressed). I shot her on the last hour and day of the season.
As far as goals I'd like to get a B&C Bear. I believe I've got a shot at It, we'll see I guess. So far I'm 0 for 6 on elk hunting. I've had a few opportunities on a couple cows, a calf, and one 4x4 bull that I let go by at 15 yards being I had 2 bulls coming In from 2 different draws ready to fight but was later screwed up by 2 other jackass's for bowhunters!!! My other encounter was with a magnificent bull that I believe was In that 400" range (7x7). I had him at 15 yards after I had let 15 of his cows come by me at 15 yards. I was just about to hit full draw and let the arrow fly when all of a sudden he bolted. 30 yards to my right was another bowhunter, he said he was lost. I could of beat him I was so mad!! :mad1: So my goal Is to get myself an elk, I'll probably take the 1st cow that gives me an opportunity this time.
Awesome Steve, just awesome! I sure hope you get that booner bear, that would be a hell of a kill! Bears are just so cool, intriguing, I love hunting them as well.
That pic of you and your big buck Steve, still one of my all-time favorites online.. Hope you hammer another this coming fall.
So far ive got one doe on the ground, and to be completly honest I feel that if I were to never kill another animal with my trad gear I would be ok with it because that was a major accomplishment in itself. I doubt i'll ever go full time with the trad but It will always be my main weapon during the late archery season. No real goals in particular, I would like to get out with it for a spring gobbler hunt, but I think that I need to become a better spring gobbler hunter first .
Thanks Troy and Joe, that means allot coming from you guys!! I just went through all of my photo albums and I cannot find one more single picture then what I already have, I'm fricking steaming right now!!! I'm missing one bear picture and 8 different deer harvest pictures. Not good!!! I hope my mom has some at her place or **** Is going to hit the fan!!:evil:
Here is my one and only trad kill. It took my breath away to do a spot and stalk on this hog. i'll remember that hunt as long as I live. I no longer own that bow. I gave it away here on this site a while back. My goals for the future include my first kill with the longbow. I don't much care what it is. I spoke to the bowyer,(Kanga), this morning about using it for a turkey this spring. I'll also try for a hog throughout the year and really want to take a deer with it this fall. mostly my goal is to continue learning and enjoying the trad journey!
My only accomplishment is a robin hood & all that did was ruin 2 arrows. My goal is to just kill something with trad gear. I knocked out a few feathers from a big ol gobbler last spring. Eventually I would like to achieve the proficiency and develop the mindset where all my hunting is done with trad gear. So far that is years (& years) out.
I've been shooting recurves for 45-+ years. I've been bowhunting for about 25 years. It took me about 5 years to get my first harvest, except for the squirrel I shot in the back yard and hit the neighbors house. Dad took my bow for awhile for that stunt. I've killed a few bucks but never a wallhanger and quite a few does. I started hunting before digital cameras, so I don't have many pictures. I did go on a wild boar hunt and killed a nice one. CLICK ON BLUE PICTURE TO VIEW After all these years I still have never killed a turkey with my bow. I've cut some feathers but never put one in the game bag. So I guess that's my goal. I would really like to be able to head out west to go on an Elk hunt or up north to hunt Caribou. At 53 years old the clock is ticking! I think one of my best accomplishments is teaching as many guys to shoot traditional bows as I have.
Excellent stuff!! Robert, your a good man In my book!! Teaching people Is allot of times the biggest reward one can do. My hats off to ya my friend!!
