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agd68:
I"M in agreement with Tsalaqi, I have tried a compound a couple of times but they never felt right in my hand,cold and mechanical, no soul. Too many Goo-gahs and doodads to mess around with all the time. I've shot a Bear Montana Long bow for years and I recently got my first Primitive bow. I love em both. To me the feel of a well balanced wooden bow in the hand just seems sorta natural. Though I tease the wheelie guys at the range about graduating to a "big boy bow," I really feel to each their own. Crossbows are starting to creep in up here and they got the nest riled up let me tell you. By the way Tasalqi, good choice in guns. Both tough as pig iron.

recurve shooter:
Tsalagi, i agree. i have several bows, some trad, two primitive, and all were given to me. out of my .308 simi auto and my old winchester modle 94 30-30, i use the old lever action. out of my new 870 express and my 50 dollar 16guage crackbarrel, (named it old ugly for obvious reasons) u use the crack barrel. i like light, simple, reliable weapons and gear.

i shoot my glass bows right now, just because i am more comfortable with them, but im learning to make my own arrows, and slowly truning to my osage/hickory rather than my pearson. all a matter of personal choice. if you want to dump countless dollars and hours in to your gear for a little extra range or power, be my  guest. but if a feller is a good hunter, only the bare minimun is nessicary.  ;D

Parnell:
Personal preference.  My basic interest springs out of a true hobby and tying in food and culture and tradition.  I think the incredible hold making the gear has over me is that it takes on so much more - becomes a lifestyle.  I've got nothing against other forms of hunting, though.  To me it's more important that people are trying to have a better grip on what food is and where it comes from than to discourage the need to constantly purchase.  Nothing wrong with purchasing - thats what drives the economy.  I tend to think though, that people need some sort of craft - an outlet for creativity to pursue happiness.  I think without some form of creative outlet people suffer for it.  To me, the idea of using the natural world and local materials to harvest game is the pinnacle of ethics.  I believe in ethical hunting.  It maintains a natural balance.  Conservation is needed and hunters play a very critical role. 

My wife is going to sew me a shirt - voyageur's pattern.  Maybe some other things in the future.  She wouldn't be able to hunt unless forced for survival, but understands it's importance.  Her taking interest in the things I make and wanting to contribute through her own hobbies is something that creates a tie for us and she understands that the time I spend making all these things is time well spent and beats a lot of much more poor outlets I could be doing otherwise.  I've been meeting some really outstanding people through this pursuit, also.  People that I'm developing friendships with.  It seems sometimes that it's hard to cultivate new friendships as I get a bit older and pursuing flintknapping, bowmaking, and the hunt has helped counter-act that.  I dream of a day in the future that I can live, more or less, 'off the grid'.  All the things I'm learning through this reinforces what I want in life.

These are things that bring balance into my personal life.  That's why I find I'm so passionate about it.  I wouldn't be getting anywhere even remotely close to as rich an  experience if I had gone out and bought my gear at a superstore.  Plain and simple, for me.

Swamp Bow:
I've found that many of the compound bow hunters are much more "results" driven than the primitive hunters who seem to be more "process" driven.  That is of course a blanket statement and not true for all.  I have met compound hunters that could care less if they ever harvested another deer, and primitive archers that only have fun if they have meat on the table.  But the average seems to follow the trend of meat towards process as you more towards primitive gear.  Traditional hunters seem to be more toward process, but not as much as primitive.  Just like more people seem to want to make their own stuff as they move toward primitive (like PatB said).  I see the same apply to fishing, bait vs. artificial vs. fly.  Again I know bait guys that throw everything back and are REALLY careful with the fish,  I also know fly guys that fill the cooler till it pops.  I really admire the precision and engineering of a compound, I also value the skill it takes to catch and fish live bait.  However, I'd much rather shoot a bow I've made, and throw a fly I've tied.  Personal choice.  I'm not saying that making meat is bad (not at all in fact  :) ) or that it should just be about the process.  Frankly as long as there is respect for the game and the hunt, could care less what people want to use.  I just get torqued when a lack of respect and ethics is shown (and often encouraged).  Just my opinion.

BTW I find more compound hunters that will take a 60 yd shot than not, at least around here.  So I'm not sure I can agree that the compound guys want to get closer.  Might be different elsewhere.

Cracker, got enough popcorn to share?  ;D

Swamp

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