Hunting deer with Traditional Equipment

[bowmike]

I was talking with my brother in law and father in law on Friday about archery hunting and such. I told them I was going to get a new string for the old bow they gave me a while ago, an older Eagle Oneida. My FIL had asked if it was the wooden bow he had? I told him know it was an older compound style bow but told him I was going to try and sell some stuff and buy a recurve. He told me to wait a minute as he thought he had his old recurve in the basement.


He brings me out a Bear Super Magunm 48" bought new in the early 70's. He told me here just use this one. Needless to say I was pumped. I attached a few pictures of the bow and such. It is pretty much brand new. I ordered a B-50 Darcon Flemish string for it that night.









And no I am not in Santas workshop, my Mother in law was having the kids make ornaments lol.


No clue on what other stuff I need to pick up but just excited that I will get to use this bow. I will never give up my compound entirely but think this would be a lot of fun for the early season when I am targeting a doe for the freezer. But who knows, I said that about fly fishing too.

I have really upped my game a bit with setting up to keep all shots under 25 yards with my compound, and imagine I should be fine with a trad bow.

Any tips, insights, or any guidance on how to get started with traditional archery? I love my compound and it is pretty much my favorite weapon I own, but something about this traditional stuff gets me pumped. I already have a summit open shot climber lined up to use. I don't think my climber with the bar is going to cut it.

I need to do some research on selecting the right size arrows, and broadheads and such as well. It is a whole new ballgame but one I am excited to give a try.

[briar]

Here is my take on my year experience with traditional archery least year. Its a BLAST, but its HARD AS HECK!! For me 25 yards was way to far. 15-17 is where I felt most comfortable. Setting up isn't that hard, just need a variety of shafts sizes, and tip sizes and get you started. I found getting good arrow flight the easiest part of the whole thing, accurate shooting was another matter....crazy hard

[Hawthorne]

That's a cool bow. I started with a 52" kodiak magnum when I first got into trad.Look up clay Hayes on you tube. He has a couple short instructional videos that are great. I shoot 3 fingers under with a sight picture pretty accurately out to 25yds. Form is important just like a compound even more important actually. I like the feeling I'm always pushing and pulling on my bow even at full draw after I get my sight picture right. The longer the bow usually the more forgiving. I shoot a 58" hybrid longbow and that's considered short. Not that you couldn't be accurate with a 48" bow. Just tougher

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[woodswalker]

You know how to shoot a bow, the only tip I would give you is practice with it because there will be no let off when you get it to full draw you will be holding back all the poundage. You will have to get your muscles used to doing that.

[DaveT1963]

welcome to the dark side - prepare to be entertained and fulfilled. Nice bow - best of luck to you.

[Ol'DanBoone]

What Would I Tell you as a tip/insight: BACK TENSION!!!!! Also.......BACK TENSION.
NI matter your form, not matter your style, you will never be satisfied in your shooting, nor have confidence, if you don't master back tension. Do that first, and it's a piece of cake. I'm speaking from bad experience. I just grabbed a bow, and started shooting. People will talk about tuning, various aspects of form, aiming methods etc. Good shooting is a product of form, and good for starts at back tension.
Have fun.

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[bowmike]

Thanks guys,

My string came in last night, I got it put on by my dad showing me a step through method, but I am buying a bow stringer. I have read a lot of bad things about that method. I ordered the finger savers, and will be picking up some Red Cat whiskers as well.

When I went to my dads he gave me some brand new WASP broadheads with the slip o rings. Things have got to be from back in the day. The replacement blades were still in the original small box. I may try to use those. I am hoping to get the bow to a point I can start practicing soon. I may even take it out for small game just for fun. Maybe pick up some of those Flu Flu arrows, and really make grouse hunting fun. LOL

[jonsimoneau]

Cool old bow. I hunt with recurves/longbows and can tell you it is the ultimate in satisfaction but it's 5 times harder than with a compound.

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[bowmike]

I am hoping my archery tech is in today. I want to get arrows sized, and get a nock put on it. I am dying to try and shoot it. LOL

Only thing is I don't have any chances left to deer hunt with it. I might try some flu flu arrows on some ruffed grouse. Heck I miss them with the shotgun anyway.

[keb]

Stickbows here, lots of fun, killed more big deer with the stick than I did with wheels.

[JoeRE]

I have been dipping my toes in the trad waters but haven't mustered the nerve to jump all in. I want to shoot a doe yet with my recurve this year....it sure is fun shooting it.

My biggest problem is my mind, knowing I am cutting my effective range by more than half from a compound

[buckmaster_b]

I have been dipping my toes in the trad waters but haven't mustered the nerve to jump all in. I want to shoot a doe yet with my recurve this year....it sure is fun shooting it.

My biggest problem is my mind, knowing I am cutting my effective range by more than half from a compound

The last few years I hunted with my compound and always "wanted to shoot a doe with the recurve" but never took it out much being afraid to limit my range as well.

June of this year I sold my new Hoyt and put all my focus in shooting the recurve daily. I knew if I had the opportunity I would take the compound every time. I missed a doe at 23 yards (a range I'm comfortable with on target) and it really got in my head. If I had the compound I would have picked it up right then and stopped hunting traditional, but that wasn't an option. I honestly questioned how ethical of a decision I was making and if it was fair to the deer for me to use a weapon that overall is less practical just for my own interests. I passed multiple opportunities after that, I think I was just afraid to miss or worse put a bad shot on a deer. I think my problem was not picking a spot. Morning of Nov. 10th I shot a doe at 12 yards, and the shot was perfect. That evening after taking her home and hanging her up I was sneaking back in to hang a stand in a funnel for the next morning and seen a buck working my way scent checking trails going into the crp. I hit the ground and waited as he worked into 25 yards, I took the shot with the Lone Wolf on my back and had a perfect heart shot. I can say it wasn't until that shot I felt it, but I am hooked. It is a strange feeling looking at an animal without a pin to "know" where your arrow is going, but once I put a good shot on that doe the next shot felt much more natural. All this being said I have missed a few shot and put a few bad hits in my time of compound hunting, so I am in no way saying that using a compound is a gimme or an easy way out.

I know without fully committing to traditional I would have never had that opportunity. It's changed how I hunt in just one season. It may not be for everyone but its definitely an amazing experience. I say commit to it for a season and just see how it goes. Stick to what you are comfortable with and remember to pick that spot.

[tgreeno]

I give all you trad guys a ton of credit! I'm too old to be messing around with that at this point. I'll stay with my compound.

I have an old Browning Wasp in my basement.

[Ol'DanBoone]

I give all you trad guys a ton of credit! I'm too old to be messing around with that at this point. I'll stay with my compound.

I have an old Browning Wasp in my basement.

"Too old", HAAA that is when your supposed to take it up. Lol, jk jk.

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