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Pondering

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Kegan:
I was thinking about this while shovelling snow the other day. It seems that with everything out there anymore, archery seems pretty divided. I mean, compounds make it so any Joe could go in, buy a wheelie bow, and wlak out ready to bring home Bambi. Now, with most of our local stores, and my father's Game News Magazine catering to compound shooters, I've read a number of articles in my idle time on them. Seems alot of my beliefs were misconceptions!

The general concensus, short of Western antelope and mule deer, is that though 40 yards is possible, 20-30 is better. That though picking up a compound and taking it that week to hunt is possible, it's discouraged. And of course, lastly: things still go wrong!

Which brings me to my next revelation: fiberglass traditional bows. I have to say, I was under many of the same assumptions as I was with compounds, with them being easier to shoot and all that good stuff. After reading through a few Traditional Bowhunter Magazines, as well as articles here and there, it seems that the only difference between their hunting, and "primitive hunting", is at most a 5 yard difference, on average, of comfortable shooting distance. If that!

So I was thinking, it seems that bowhunting is slowly turning into much the same for everyone, regardless of gear choice. Get close enough, within your comfortable range, to put an arrow through your quarry. Beyond that, it all seems to be a matter of personal opinion (or occasionally ego :D) that dictates your "style."

Which made me wonder if that's how it was c3enturies before. One triebe or people using a certain style of bow to accomplish the same thing as another, basing their selection or means off of their persoanl limitations or available resources. I got into primitive archery because there was a draw to the simplicity of the longbow, but went from "trad" to "primitive" because though I couldn't afford to keep buying and playing with different styles. I continue to do it now because the "cost of performance" is so low, or neglible, that I'd see it as a waste. But I'm quite aware that some people don't have the skill or desire to build their longbows or recurves, just as I'm aware some people very much want to hunt but don't have the time to deveote to becoming competant with barebow shooting. I think thats seen more so in how archers drift from one style of equipement to another, or use multiple types: jsut developing their own "style."

Seems modern thinking has put us all under the canopy of "bowhunters" and ethics seems to shrink the differences anymore (hey, PETA contributed something POSTIIVE to hunting :D). But, that's jsut what I was thinking. Thoughts?

cracker:
O.K now I gotta go to the store for pop corn.

Pat B:
When I shot compounds it seems like every time I turned around I was looking for something else to stick on my bow or arrows and was hung up into buying the most up to date camo, tree stands and other hunting gear. Then I began looking for simpler. I bought a recurve but still had to buy a bow quiver and more camo and another tree stand. Then I went to a longbow and used the same bow quiver and arrows as well as the old camo and tree stands. When I began to make wood bows it was to get as simple as possible and still be effective as an ethical hunter. I don't like bow quivers on selfbows so my bow quiver became a GFA style over the shoulder quiver, instead of cedar or ash arrows I went to sourwood, viburnum or cane arrows I cut and built myself. My points are mostly trades or stone made by friends. My hunting range is the same as it was with compounds, recurve or longbow, out to about 25 yards with most shots at 10 to 15 yards. Still using the same camo but am mixing in plaids and drab colored cloths. Still using the same tree stands I bought 25 years ago but am trying to stay on the ground more and today I don't have to kill anything to enjoy a hunt. It is nice but not necessary.
  Kegan, I rarely shovel snow either. Too much time for thinking!   ;D

Kegan:
Thanks for the input Pat :)

I think what you said perfectly exemplifies what I was trying to get at: it's all archery, and there's such a broad range we can pick and choose to suit our style. My good friend Art has a compound, longbow, and makes his own selfbows. As a hunter and person he's as good a person as you can find.

Just like all hobbies there are those who like to buy, those who like to play, and those who like to try and make. There's alot out there to just have fun with, and I didn't think I realized that before because of the sometimes subtle prejudices- like my own!

I was on another archery forum and someone brought something up, and it made me realize that if you shot your recurve and compound the same way, shooting your compound once in a while would be just like shooting a lighter weight bow for form practice- I never would have thought of that before.

I love building and shooting wooden bows. The reasons aren't as important because it's just a personal thing, like shooting a recurve, a compound, or what have you. In the end who a person is, I guess, is just more important than what they shoot, especially in the world of bowhunting. These days bowhunting is just bowhunting, the gap and difference is shrinking and it's getting easier to realize it's all just what makes you happy :)

Tsalagi:
Color me persnickity, but if I'm going to get into mechanization, I'm going to use a firearm. That's why I don't shoot compounds. I just don't like having to diddle around with things like that. When I'd go to the range, it seemed the compound guys spent more time tinkering with their bows than shooting them. Just not into bows I need a toolbox to service.

That said, I'm the same way about firearms. I prefer stock-as-issued Mosin Nagant M91/30s and SMLEs. Iron sights and in the same configuration they were issued in. Nothing can go seriously wrong with these weapons. The SMLEs I have, a few went through both world wars and then some. The Mosins went through a world war. They're not going to disappoint me. I have a Remington 870 Express 12 gauge I took apart and slicked up into a Poor Man's Wingmaster.

  Don't get me wrong, I like to tinker with things. But not constantly. I like to see an end at which I can rest, grunt aloud, and state "It is good!"

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