What is traditional archery?

[thinhorn_AK]

yep i could of done that for sure.
I personally dont really care about competing i just go to get practice for hunting. I made a deal with myself that if i cant walk a 40 target course and hit in the kill on all big game animals, then i wont take it hunting until i do. Unfortunately at this point where i am at with my recurve i cannot do that without a clicker. I hope to be able to someday. I am close but not there yet.
im just there for practice, and your absolutely right. All i had to do to compete in that class was unhook clicker. They informed me of that and even tried to talk me into doing so. So therefore again, i have zero complaints about their rules. It just got my mind to thinking of how they arrived at the set rules of what is traditional.

Why can’t you do it without a clicker?

 

[thinhorn_AK]

ok so your definition of traditional is a compound? cool

my grandpa used to shoot ppl out of helicopters with machine guns in nam, guess that’s traditional too.

What?

 

[jog]

I have my own negative opinion regarding compounds. It has nothing to do with and is separate of my neutral opinion regarding hunters who use them. So get that anchored in your mind before you read what I express next:
In my view, the only connection modern compound bows have to archery is a string and an arrow as projectile. They are so far removed from what a bow has for centuries been, they are not recognizable as the same thing.
A 60+ yard shot, in my view, negates the whole point behind archery hunting in the first place, which is to get closer to game to be able to kill it. Doing that can be luck, or skill or both, but trad requires you do that somehow. Anyone can get 60 yds away from an animal. Hell, you don't even need to be quiet or worry too much about your scent.

And this is what defines traditional the best. You have to get pretty close to an animal to kill it.
A compound machine negates that requirement, allows shot distances more rifle-like, (half a football field is a rifle shot get over it) and in general requires less skill to master.
I hunt with a guy who shoots a compound. He is the most ethical hunter I know, regardless of the weapon. I have no problem hunting with him because of that. It helps he loads his compound with single bevels, runs a 625 grain arrow, and is a skilled woodsman. He easily could hunt trad.

In the end, I decided for myself a long time ago compound bows where not the type of device that would be a gateway to becoming the kind of hunter I wanted to be. Everything about them negated the why of it.
The very premis behind a compound even, undermines a hunt ethic I personally hold up as most important in the modern age. Figure out for yourself what I mean by that.

 

[TaterTot]

I have my own negative opinion regarding compounds. It has nothing to do with and is separate of my neutral opinion regarding hunters who use them. So get that anchored in your mind before you read what I express next:
In my view, the only connection modern compound bows have to archery is a string and an arrow as projectile. They are so far removed from what a bow has for centuries been, they are not recognizable as the same thing.
A 60+ yard shot, in my view, negates the whole point behind archery hunting in the first place, which is to get closer to game to be able to kill it. Doing that can be luck, or skill or both, but trad requires you do that somehow. Anyone can get 60 yds away from an animal. Hell, you don't even need to be quiet or worry too much about your scent.

And this is what defines traditional the best. You have to get pretty close to an animal to kill it.
A compound machine negates that requirement, allows shot distances more rifle-like, (half a football field is a rifle shot get over it) and in general requires less skill to master.
I hunt with a guy who shoots a compound. He is the most ethical hunter I know, regardless of the weapon. I have no problem hunting with him because of that. It helps he loads his compound with single bevels, runs a 625 grain arrow, and is a skilled woodsman. He easily could hunt trad.

In the end, I decided for myself a long time ago compound bows where not the type of device that would be a gateway to becoming the kind of hunter I wanted to be. Everything about them negated the why of it.
The very premis behind a compound even, undermines a hunt ethic I personally hold up as most important in the modern age. Figure out for yourself what I mean by that.

I respect your opinion, I even agree with it. But... ethics are a personal thing. One could argue that hunting with a recurve is less ethical than hunting with a compound, and that both are less ethical than hunting with rifle and that all three are less ethical than not hunting at all.

End of the day we're better off sticking together as hunters than to create wedges between our different factions.

I'm in the camp of I don't care what anyone else does so long as they are operating within the bounds of the law.

 

[Titan_Bow]

I have my own negative opinion regarding compounds. It has nothing to do with and is separate of my neutral opinion regarding hunters who use them. So get that anchored in your mind before you read what I express next:
In my view, the only connection modern compound bows have to archery is a string and an arrow as projectile. They are so far removed from what a bow has for centuries been, they are not recognizable as the same thing.
A 60+ yard shot, in my view, negates the whole point behind archery hunting in the first place, which is to get closer to game to be able to kill it. Doing that can be luck, or skill or both, but trad requires you do that somehow. Anyone can get 60 yds away from an animal. Hell, you don't even need to be quiet or worry too much about your scent.

And this is what defines traditional the best. You have to get pretty close to an animal to kill it.
A compound machine negates that requirement, allows shot distances more rifle-like, (half a football field is a rifle shot get over it) and in general requires less skill to master.
I hunt with a guy who shoots a compound. He is the most ethical hunter I know, regardless of the weapon. I have no problem hunting with him because of that. It helps he loads his compound with single bevels, runs a 625 grain arrow, and is a skilled woodsman. He easily could hunt trad.

In the end, I decided for myself a long time ago compound bows where not the type of device that would be a gateway to becoming the kind of hunter I wanted to be. Everything about them negated the why of it.
The very premis behind a compound even, undermines a hunt ethic I personally hold up as most important in the modern age. Figure out for yourself what I mean by that.

You do realize that Howard Hill, Fred Bear, Ben Pearson, and many other pioneer bow hunters took insanely long shots on game, especially by todays standards. Using yardage as a defining characteristic of what is “traditional” really doesn’t work all that well.
I have taken big game with self bows, laminated longbows and recurves, and modern compounds. I’ve shot animals from 5 yards away to 60 yards away and enjoyed every hunt I’ve been on and am thankful for each one. I don’t feel like my compound kills are any less meaningful than my self bow kills, they are just different. Different circumstances, different setups, etc. For example, You have the luxury with a compound to setup with the express intent of maybe setting up a 40 or 50 yard shot for example. It’s still rewarding when your plan pays off and that buck walks by at 40 just like you expected!


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[jog]

Defining trad by distance works great for me.
I absolutly do not care what Fred Bear or Hill chose to do in regards to distance. Have you not read Bear recounting why he abandoned putting his name on arrows? The dude got caught trespass hunting on private land.
Do what you want, but don't suggest those guys were gods. I understand their influence and contributions, but those do not make them above thoughtful criticism.

 

[Rob5589]

Spending some time on "trad sites" and the like now that I'm shooting a recurve, I am staying away from the "trad" description and just use recurve or single string so as not to stir up the "trad" pot.

 

[Newtosavage]

Traditional is whatever YOU consider traditional. Nobody else. Don't let anyone else define your traditions.

 

[Foggy Mountain]

I know this was typically started as a competitive type thread but I’ll just say for me it is what it is. I like nothing metal on the bow like magnesium risers. Don’t care if you use one though. I also like nothing that takes anything about the archer or his consistency out, like clickers, rests, sights but that’s me. I honestly don’t care if you do.
I like only wood arrows with glue on sharpen them yourself arrows. Knives should be sharpened yourself also. I don’t care what anyone does equipment wise. Something gets me though. It’s regarding hunting. How can someone use cameras, ones that even wirelessly send pics to you from a bait pile and feel anything about that is traditional? This is all me mind you. Here’s another regarding hunting. When I was a kid bakers were just catching on. Aren’t tree stands non traditional though? I use them btw.
The line is def blurred and in today’s day and age speaking your mind or wanting things to stay the same makes you a terrible person.
In a nutshell to me, a single string, hand drawn bow with nothing but a nock point and silencers on it preferably wood arrows, glue on broadheads you sharpen yourself.
Hunting no bait or cameras though tree stands and if you use food plots that’s ok. To me less is more of you involved.
We can all differ but let’s be honest all single string guys are brothers. I don’t target compete so can’t comment there

 

[Btaylor]

Spending some time on "trad sites" and the like now that I'm shooting a recurve, I am staying away from the "trad" description and just use recurve or single string so as not to stir up the "trad" pot.

I hear you, I am just a bowhunter. Sometimes I hunt with a compound, sometimes with an ILF longbow and sometimes with a recurve I built.

 

[LIWolverine]

I will lead off with this, I have killed with selfbows, laminate long and recurve bows, compounds, crossbows, blowguns, slingshots, etc. I will hunt the way I feel like hunting and you do the same (just a general term, not directed at anyone).

The following is directed at the argument in general and not toward any one member or person on this forum or anywhere else:

I get so sick of this argument. It’s unbelievably useless and doesn’t matter in any way except to the person participating. You want to go “trad”??? Live in the woods, hand craft all your tools and weapons using stones, bones and wood. No clothing except harvested game skins or vegetation. No metal utensils, no polymer anything, no going into society. Go full trad if that’s what you want. No one can actually kid themselves into believe that ANYTHING we do is “traditional” in the sense of archery. We can take this argument as far as history will allow us.

There is no such concrete thing as “traditional archery”. It is only what we make it.

Please for the love of all things quit arguing over this. It shows a massive lack of maturity on all sides. It only divides people and doesn’t do any kind of good for anyone. We are all hunters and it doesn’t matter one whit what we choose to use. It will not and has not actually negatively affected the game animals. We have come light years in conservation to where we have all the game we could possibly want. Me using any of the equipment I pointed will will not be in any way negatively affect another hunter on the planet unless I do it illegally, then it negatively affects many people.



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[TaterTot]

I will lead off with this, I have killed with selfbows, laminate long and recurve bows, compounds, crossbows, blowguns, slingshots, etc. I will hunt the way I feel like hunting and you do the same (just a general term, not directed at anyone).

The following is directed at the argument in general and not toward any one member or person on this forum or anywhere else:

I get so sick of this argument. It’s unbelievably useless and doesn’t matter in any way except to the person participating. You want to go “trad”??? Live in the woods, hand craft all your tools and weapons using stones, bones and wood. No clothing except harvested game skins or vegetation. No metal utensils, no polymer anything, no going into society. Go full trad if that’s what you want. No one can actually kid themselves into believe that ANYTHING we do is “traditional” in the sense of archery. We can take this argument as far as history will allow us.

There is no such concrete thing as “traditional archery”. It is only what we make it.

Please for the love of all things quit arguing over this. It shows a massive lack of maturity on all sides. It only divides people and doesn’t do any kind of good for anyone. We are all hunters and it doesn’t matter one whit what we choose to use. It will not and has not actually negatively affected the game animals. We have come light years in conservation to where we have all the game we could possibly want. Me using any of the equipment I pointed will will not be in any way negatively affect another hunter on the planet unless I do it illegally, then it negatively affects many people.



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Bingo.

 

[Beendare]

Del