Get rid of the compound?

[slvrslngr]

I’ll start by saying that I am pretty obsessive by nature, so I tend to go “all or nothing” once I find something to try.

That being said, archery has always been a constant for me. I’ve never given it up, and I always have enjoyed it since I can remember. I’m currently trying to get going in the trad world, but money is tighter than I’d like. This kind of puts me into a spot that has me questioning whether or not I’m just an idiot.

I’m debating selling off all of my compound stuff, simply because I’m a little put off by it. I have an old Samick type recurve with bent limbs hanging in my garage that I have more fun shooting than my Hoyt Hyperforce that I can effectively shoot decently far. I haven’t killed a lot of animals with my compound by any means, but the more I use it the more the technology of it kind of puts me off. When I pick up a recurve, I just don’t get that nervous feeling I get when I grab a compound.

Maybe y’all can give me a push either way, whatever that happens to be, but I’m seriously thinking there is no point in keeping a compound.

Go for it! Sell the compound, use the money to get a nice used replacement for your FUBAR Samick, dive in with both feet and don't look back.

 

[Gerard Marcaurele]

I don’t know you, but I like you

No homo

Go for it! Sell the compound, use the money to get a nice used replacement for your FUBAR Samick, dive in with both feet and don't look back.

 

[Newtosavage]

Here's a true story....

Buddy of mine was torn between his new recurve and the comfort-zone compound he'd used for years. We were getting ready for a caribou hunt in central NWT and there was more than a little riding on the decision. He asked me what I thought. I told him to just go with what his heart wanted and stop agonizing. Choose a bow and put the other one away for good....or until after that hunt. A week later he told me the recurve was the bow he chose and the compound was put away. He killed a heck of a fine caribou bull on that trip. I watched him make the shot and he nailed it. It's surprising what you can do when you remove options and just focus on one thing.

I would never tell someone to do it a certain way....meaning my way. I ditched the compound back in the mid '80s and went full-on stickbow. I wanted nothing more to do with a wheelbow and so getting rid of it wasn't a matter for debate. I gave myself no option except to get better with the recurve. I did. I killed as many and then more animals with the recurve versus compound. Best move I ever made and I still wouldn't change a thing if I could.

I did the exact same thing. The year was 1988.

 

[amp713]

I haven't read through all of the comments but I was in THE EXACT SAME BOAT.

Had a cheap PSE I'd got off camp fire 5 years ago. Never played with it much. Started shooting this winter and suddenly I never touched my compound that I had loved so much before. Someone posted a steal of a deal on a nice bow I had wanted to shoot if I ever got to that level. Posted all my compound stuff for sale just to see. It sold that day. Sold off a kifaru pack to get the rest of the money gathered up and bought the stalker.

I regret absolutely NOTHING. The bow is a big leap forward from my PSE and I shoot it even more than I shot my compound and enjoy it so much more. I pretty much only hunt archery so I'm all in for the year and excited as hell!!!

Get some legit coaching, check out the push and their Facebook page and Facebook has a traditional buy sale trade page that has great mid level bows for super good prices.

My vote is go all in!!!!

 

[Ngschmeichel]

I just started shooting trad this year, but have dove in head first. Love it. I got into it because I was waiting for my Hoyt RX-3 to come in. Ended up with a Sage to start and just ordered a Bob Lee. I got the Hoyt and will soon be listing it for sale, as I do not like that bow. I'm left handed so it's tough to find bows to test before purchasing where I am. So this year it's all Trad for my deer hunting.

I will say this though. I am going to spend time this winter looking for a new compound because a very smart man told me, "It's always good to have a nice set of wheels."

 

[Gerard Marcaurele]

After making the five, against some of you guys’ advice, ive gotta say I am a bit relieved to be rid of the wheel bow. Headed out next week to pick up my new Samick and get some coaching at RMS Gear. Eyeballing some Stalker Coyote bows as well, bit I’m not ready for that right now.

 

[Kevin Dill]

To me, it's not a right-or-wrong sort of decision. It just comes down to what you want from the sport, and what gives you the satisfaction you crave. Some guys will hang with both bow types. Some will go either-or and that's fine too. I do know there are some (like myself) who realized very quickly they're going to become a recurve or longbow guy and that's the end of the wheels. I really liked my compound bows for about 3 years, but as soon as I held a good custom recurve in my hand I knew that's where I was heading. I'm pretty sure it's because a 'real bow' to me was always a stickbow....recurve or longbow. That was all I knew as a kid and it's what I shot then.

The compound made it easy to be accurate, but the weapon itself was never a challenging or inspiring one for me. That's the thing that made me convert. My first good recurve definitely challenged me to shoot it well. The beauty and tradition of it inspired me to hunt hard, shoot often, and learn to get very close to animals. My compounds were finely tuned machines. My custom recurve was a finely crafted work of art made into a serious killing weapon.

All this took place back in the '80s and I've never hunted with wheels since then. I don't discriminate bow types or shooters at all.....in fact I refuse to do so. Many of the guys I knew who were fired-up traditional bowhunters have long since set aside their recurves and gone back to a compound. They're still hunting and that's what matters.

 

[Btaylor]

To me, it's not a right-or-wrong sort of decision. It just comes down to what you want from the sport, and what gives you the satisfaction you crave. Some guys will hang with both bow types. Some will go either-or and that's fine too. I do know there are some (like myself) who realized very quickly they're going to become a recurve or longbow guy and that's the end of the wheels. I really liked my compound bows for about 3 years, but as soon as I held a good custom recurve in my hand I knew that's where I was heading. I'm pretty sure it's because a 'real bow' to me was always a stickbow....recurve or longbow. That was all I knew as a kid and it's what I shot then.

The compound made it easy to be accurate, but the weapon itself was never a challenging or inspiring one for me. That's the thing that made me convert. My first good recurve definitely challenged me to shoot it well. The beauty and tradition of it inspired me to hunt hard, shoot often, and learn to get very close to animals. My compounds were finely tuned machines. My custom recurve was a finely crafted work of art made into a serious killing weapon.

All this took place back in the '80s and I've never hunted with wheels since then. I don't discriminate bow types or shooters at all.....in fact I refuse to do so. Many of the guys I knew who were fired-up traditional bowhunters have long since set aside their recurves and gone back to a compound. They're still hunting and that's what matters.

Some fine shooting, Gorgeous buck, and as fine a summation regarding bow choice as I ever remember reading.

I have been a fence jumper for the last 12-15 years switching from stick to wheels every 5-6 years but the tug of shooting a stickbow has been with me since I was a little kid shooting my 20# Bear recurve and watching dad shoot his Kodiak Mag. Jumped back to a longbow this year and have shot more arrows this year than I can remember. It is a lot of fun to pick up the compound and know when I have crap dialed I can consistently hit a nickle at 25 yards but it just pales in comparison to watching a well loosed arrow drop in the kill zone from the same distance with a stickbow.

 

[GregB]

After making the five, against some of you guys’ advice, ive gotta say I am a bit relieved to be rid of the wheel bow. Headed out next week to pick up my new Samick and get some coaching at RMS Gear. Eyeballing some Stalker Coyote bows as well, bit I’m not ready for that right now.

I would say stick w/ the Samick for a while before you spend the money on a custom bow. This will give you some time to figure out what you do and don't like in a bow. Grip, length, split or 3 finger etc. Then you won't have any regrets on a $1,000 bow.

 

[Gerard Marcaurele]

I would say stick w/ the Samick for a while before you spend the money on a custom bow. This will give you some time to figure out what you do and don't like in a bow. Grip, length, split or 3 finger etc. Then you won't have any regrets on a $1,000 bow.

That’s what the folks at RMS said. I will definitely do that.

 

[GreenNDark Timber]

I think the fact that you're asking the question means you already know it's what you want to do. Selling the compound and not having it to fall back on may feel like you've lost a crutch at first, but once you figure out you can walk just fine with out it, it feels pretty damn good.

 

[Newtosavage]

So what was your decision?

 

[jspradley]

Shooting a compound and a stick bow is 99% the same skillset and they compliment each other so there's no reason to get rid of one for the other unless you just want to or to fund a new bow.

Shooting my stick bow has greatly improved my compound shooting and vice versa so I'm keeping both, either way both are awesome in their own ways!

 

[Newtosavage]

Curious how you feel your compound shooting has helped your stickbow shooting. Not doubting you, just interested.

 

[Cng]

I agree with a lot of the posts here in that I too am put off by the insane level of technical intricacies being thrown around by the compound crew online...

But be prepared to encounter the same level of geeking out over minor technicalities in the trad world. It’s perhaps even worse because the things they are geeking out over are even simpler and seemingly less significant.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Shoot what makes you happy. And the next time a tool bag comes up to you with his nose up and asks you what you’re shooting as a way of judging your prowess and acumen, look him dead in the eye and say, “It’s called a bow.”

 

[Gerard Marcaurele]

So what was your decision?

Sold the compound to help pay for a trip to Colorado last week to buy a fleetwood recurve from RMS Gear. Wouldn’t change a thing because selling that compound put me in front of one of the best coaches there is. He watched me shoot and helped put me on the right track to start off. I was shooting baseballs at 10 yards that day. I got them to ship my bow down here to Tx and I should have it tomorrow.

I have a lot more fun with it, and with enough practice I know I can become lethal enough.

 

[Newtosavage]

Which coach? I probably know him.

 

[Gerard Marcaurele]

Which coach? I probably know him.

Tom Sr

 

[wodje96]

My compounds haven't been touched in 4 years, but I haven't got rid of them yet. Maybe my boys will want them...

 

[wodje96]

The last time I took out the compound was opening day a few years ago. I'd been shooting a mid 60s # longbow all summer and a few day before season my shoulder was giving me trouble, so I go out with the compound and end up with an 8 yd shot on a deer I should have just grabbed one of my lighter bows, it would have turned an un-notable hunt into something that would have felt like a personal accomplishment. That was last time I used the compound. When I was switching back and forth I always seemed to have the wrong bow on the wrong day for the situation encountered. Now I always have the same bow and no regrets.