Thoughts....Thinkin of goin back to wheels.....

[BmacBmac1]

I practiced with my longbow a lot the last few years, went to a bunch of 3D shoots. I along with some agreement from a couple of veteran trad shooters felt that I was good enough to hunt with it.

1st season out I connected with a small hog and a decent buck and did not recover either of them. The hog was killed with a rifle by the land owner 6 months later, GOD only knows about the buck.

2nd season I was extremely patient and waited for a closer shot and connected on a doe with what I felt was the best shot I had taken on an animal since going trad, unfortunately only to not recover it.

This leads me to this year, my first hunt for the year was yesterday and this morning. Seen deer yesterday but none close enouph for a shot. This morning I shot and totally missed low on a doe. Just before getting down I took the same shot but now aiming at a leaf and pinned it.

I know that a compound is not a sure thing but in (5) years previous to going trad I wounded (1) animal and recovered the rest.

I am thinking that the disciplines that are required to hunt with trad and my ability NOT use them, that it may be best that I go back to my wheels for hunting and just enjoy my trad shooting on the side.

Your Thoughts would be appreciated....

[bsimm78]

I say go with whatever makes you more confident in the field.

[DrenalinJunkie]

Billy I know there are those who believe there is only one bow to use when hunting (on all sides of the fence). But I look at it like this..... why limit yourself?

[Deb]

What ever it takes to make a quick, clean kill.

[trad"Doc"53]

What ever it takes to make a quick, clean kill.

The only thing I can add to this is: Which ever you are most comfortable and confident with. You must be fully confident with your weapon of choice, there is no room for any kind of doubt when it comes to making the shot. Your still a traddy either way!

[huntinpool]

Put a sight on you recurve/longbow.

[Deb]

Dang, Todd you're a smart rascal.

[axisbuck24]

What ever it takes to make a quick, clean kill.

X2....it is about being comfortable and confident regardless if it has wheels, stick n string, or gun powder. I like many wait for the most ethical shot and release when I am confident but with hunting sometimes even the best shot can lead to no recovery.

There is no one perfect bow simply a bow that yields confidence in your abilities. There is now a new generation called tradpounds...

Best of luck in what were you decide Billy...your trad family will support you either way. Simply look at how kind they have been to this wheelie.

[widdler]

Shoot what you know you can hit with billy we are behind you all the way. Make your decision on what you think and not what others think. Billy for me trad bow hunting is waiting for the deer to get to where i need them to be for me to make a clean kill if the deer does not it gets to walk away.

[Deb]

Amen to that, Rick.

[muzzlebrake]

Don't quit now! It took me 7 years to ever get my first trad deer. Made a lot of mistakes along the way too. Best thing I learned was patience. Lots of it. Second best thing was to use the biggest widest sharpest strongest broadhead I could find.

[BmacBmac1]

Thanks for the feedback.....

I made a commitment when I started trad that I would be "ALL IN". In doing so, I did away with anything that would allow me with no other option but to be successful. I have fine tuned my trad hunting set up so that when I "placed the correct shot", I would be assured it was me and not he equipments fault.

I also accepted and have followed through with passing up many a shot that previously with my wheelie bow would have put meat in the freezer. Thank GOD for HEB.

Outside of recovering an animal I connected on, I am a confident and successful "Traddy" as a fellow TBH'r referred to me today.

This morning’s shot and miss is the result of my lack in performance and not the equipments and is part of me being a hunter that has chosen to you use trad equipment.

As my best friend Ol Man said "that’s why they call it hunting and not killing, dont forget why you got into it in the first place."

I am thankful for this site / forum and the "Traddy’s" and "Non-Traddy’s" that I have met face to face and the ones I still look forward to meeting in the future.

Most importantly to me, "I am Traddy and I am still "ALL IN" !

[colejack3]

Does this mean no more sunday get together shoots?

[Bisch]

I say go with whatever makes you more confident in the field.

The only thing I can add to this is: Which ever you are most comfortable and confident with. You must be fully confident with your weapon of choice, there is no room for any kind of doubt when it comes to making the shot. Your still a traddy either way!

You know I feel your pain, brother! I too felt very unconfident ealier this season and temporarily went to the wheels. My attitude was that I could not continue to hunt with the sticks while I was shooting so poorly. I felt like I owed more to the animals I hunt. I have since gotten a litle coaching and corrected a few bad things and have enough of the confidence back to be hunting again with my longbow. It is a good thing too (for me) because I just never felt like the wheels "fit" me. Too many mechanical things and gadgets.

I agree with both of the above quotes. Hunt with the weapon you are confident with and will have fun with. I know I, for one, will never down you for being a more proficient hunter. The whole point is to have fun with your buddys; not to be frustrated and disappointed.

Good luck with it, whichever you decide. I will be looking forward to our next hunt whichever way you go.

See ya later,

Bisch

[Bowtechlady]

Billy

As a tradpole myself, I can tell you that there have been many times this season that I briefly muttered, if I would have had my compound...

I have stuck with trad and have no regrets. I have learned that trad is all about the patience. I can't tell you what happened on your attempts but I can only tell you that trad hunting for me has been a very humbling experience that has brought back the passion and pursuit along with a lot of patience, qualities that I lost somewhere along the way with wheels

I still own mine but I have stripped the sights just to eliminate any temptations

I did the same "all in" and it has been tough. I am a perfectionist as it is but trad hunting has taken it to the extreme. I wait for the perfect trad shot, which often means for me that a lot of animals walk.

I recently had a friend with me on a hunt and I wouldn't take a 20 yard shot at a porcupine. Now, I have been hunting this porcupine for several years and have him on the game cameras but he never comes in during the day, that is, until a few weeks ago.

My friend said, 'why didn't you take that shot, I can't believe you wouldn't shoot". She said, "I know you could have drilled him" but this is where my confidence is still lacking, even on a porcupine

I wouldn't take that shot because I am probably over analyzing everything and always worry about the what ifs... I can shoot a 20 yard shot at a 3D target all day long, even a motorized revolving strutting turkey but I still will not do it on a live animal.

Chronographing my recurve was a BIG mistake. I am so worried about distance, speed, and reaction that it has made it difficult but I have set my boundaries or rather trad hunting has set my boundaries and I will respect them.

A bow doesn't make the person a great hunter. It is the person's choices, judgements, abilities, skills, ethics, and patience that makes the person a great hunter.

Whatever you choose, we will support you but just know that it is just as hard for all of the other trad poles in the beginning. I am hoping over time for me that with more trad harvests, I will figure things out and be able to adjust my trad boundaries. I too have made some mistakes from switching from the wheels to trad but I have faith that if nothing else, I will have some great campfire stories about the big one I let walk