# Time To Go Traditional



## rockymountainelk (Jan 18, 2009)

Ok so I met an awesome guy today at work. He is big into traditional archery. He showed me around his house and told me about the different animals he has taken. He also showed me his bow collection and where he makes them. Man I could not believe some of this guys bows. The only word to describe them is (BEAUTIFUL). So I spent almost an hour just talking to him about all of his bows and his experiences. I am sold man I am now in the market for a recurve. I am going to put my compound away and go with the good old stick and string combo. If anyone knows were I can get a good used or new bow for a good price please let me know. I am also wondering if anyone on here knows this guy. I don't know how he would feel about me broadcasting his name on the WWW. So if you think you know a guy that might fit this description PM me and I give you his name. He is in the ogden area. There is also a chance he is a forum member. So if anyone here had the cable guy at your house today it was me  .


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## InvaderZim (Sep 7, 2007)

Oh Geezus..


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Nice.

You've seen the light.

As for a bow, I just bought a bow off ebay tonight. A 60 inch 45# Shakespeare Wonderbow. I have been looking for this particular bow now for three years. You see, when I was 9 years old I saved pop cans and newspapers for a year to earn enough money to buy my first bow. It was the bow I just described, Brand new in 1974 it cost me $40 at JC Pennys. I bought 6 arrows with the last of my money and I was off to the races. Three years ago I loaned the bow to my brother to see if his wife would enjoy shooting. She was out on the driveway with it and dry fired it. Snap! There went the tip. My brother was beside himself because he knew what that bow meant to me. (I was pretty pizzed myself) But he said he would replace it if we could just find someone selling one. Tonight I finally did and I got my old bow back. As near as I can tell it's the exact same one. I can't wait to get it. I plan to string it up and kill a deer with it this year to celebrate.

Just go to ebay and surf around. There are a lot of good bows on there. Another place to try is the bowsight.com they have classified section or also try tradgang.com.

Good luck. If you have any questions about any bows feel free to PM me or call me any time.

718-7353


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## Anaconda Pintler (Oct 29, 2007)

You had better buy another Tex I still have not got this shootin' little thang shipped! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: 

As far as going traditional, I have hunted and taken alot of animals with trad. from elk, antelope to bear and deer, throw in some turkeys, hogs, coyotes and carp. All I can say you will love the simplicity of trad bows but do yourself a favor and really look at a longbow as well shoot both recurve and longbow alot of people myself included find them easier to shoot than recurves! Good luck and if have any questions feel free to pm me, I have 28 longbows on my walls so chances are I have shot it or seen it when it comes to alot of the custom bowyers out there so feel free to ask.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

> You had better buy another Tex I still have not got this shootin' little thang shipped! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:


*DAMMIT!!!* I WANT MY SELFBOW!!! /**|**\ -*|*- *()* *(())*

I've seen the way you "ship" stuff, so I might be screwed... :| -)O(-

Ya, AP likes his longbow and for many they are the bow of choice. Light, simple, snappy. But I like the added speed you get with a recurve, and the added physical bow-in-hand weight you get. More weight= more stability. (I can't shoot a longbow to save my arse) AP is lights out with his. Also, if you've had a lot of dental work done and have a bunch of fillings in your head, you might want to go with the recurve. :mrgreen: Longbows are more snappy therefor they have a lot more hand shock. Some recurves have it too. You just have to shoot some and see what you like.


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## Anaconda Pintler (Oct 29, 2007)

Sounds like Tex has never shot a GOOD longbow! Handshock I will take anyday than the ridiculus whipping and vibration that comes with a recurve they are designed like a tuning fork you know store the vibration clean to the tips! :mrgreen:


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

I've shot your longbows. I guess they're not that good... :mrgreen:


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## hitman archery (Mar 29, 2009)

I bought a recurve about a year ago and I just cant seem to put it down. I still enjoy my compound bows but the simplicity of the recurve is nice. It is still taking a while to get the hang of shooting and hitting the target right wear you want to hit. Im lucky that in my club i have some great friends that shoot traditional and are always willing to help me out when ever I need some help.
I cant wait to harvest a big game animal with it.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Hitman, Making that transition from a compound to traditional is a very difficult thing for many guys. Mostly because you're dealing with two totally different shooting styles. Shooting a compound is a stationary, static, thing that requires a huge thought proses to pull of the shot. Shooting a recurve or long bow is simply looking at what you wan to hit, and loosing an arrow. It's hand eye coordination in it's purest form. Getting the mind to wrap around that concept for many, is a hard thing to do. I know it was very hard for me when I was first reverting back to shooting traditional equipment after years of shooting training wheels. But, now that I've learned the fundamentals of shooting instinctively I can go back and forth from compound to recurve seamlessly. Am I as good as my friends who shoot compounds all the time, hell no, but I can pick up any recurve or long bow and shoot it resonably well in just a few arrows. And if a compound is set up to where it fits me, I can shoot it reasonably well too. Fred Eichler is a perfect example of someone who shoots both a compound and a recurve very well. He shoots both, and has many animals on film to his credit. He is also the first man on the planet who has taken the Supper Slam of big game animals with traditional equipment. I wanted to be that man many years ago, but when I found out how much a Polar Bear and all the sheep tags were going to cost, I gave up on that dream... :? 

It's good that you have friends to help you. Keep it up, and for Gods sakes don't ever actually kill something with it or you'll throw your compound in the garbage. :twisted:


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I might know the bowyer your talking about. I made custom recurves and longbows for 18 years and I got to rub elbows with quite a few of them. Is he an older guy, say about my age, 47 years?


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

How come ya don't make em any more? or do ya?


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## Califbowmen (Jul 1, 2008)

Theres not a thing wrong with shooting a Longbow or Recurve. I met a young man in Southern Utah a couple years back, who lives in Lancaster, Calif and who makes Longbows and recurves, wood arrows, strings and even quivers. He was hunting and camping near me so I wandered over to check out his bows and he even let me fling a few arrows. He makes beautiful bows and arrows that I can even shoot quite well. I'll be bringing one with me this year to shoot around camp, unless I get better at hitting the kill zone before the season opens and then I may even hunt with one.


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## Anaconda Pintler (Oct 29, 2007)

Dedication, is what it takes to shoot and hunt a trad bow successfully, if you can fall back on your training wheels and sights whenever you want it will be hard to ever dedicate your hunt to a trad bow. You must be willing to sacrifice a kill now and then and just settle for the experience once in awhile, sure this takes a little discipline and maybe a few less pictures to paste up in the archery pro shop board, but only then will you be considered a trad bowhunter! And then and only then will your stories not contain "man if I only had my compound" stories, they will sound more like " Man it was cool, no shot, couldnt quite get close enough but it was cool just being there, maybe next time it will come together". And then someday you will probably feel the same way alot of us do that hae hunted with trad bows for years and that is, We do not feel hadicapped at all and enjoy as much success as the speed guys.


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## Califbowmen (Jul 1, 2008)

+ 1 Well said AP.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Stickbows are definately no handycap. Once you learn to shoot instinctively, you've got it forever. It takes me very few arrows to get "my eye back" after a long layoff. And shooting under the pressure and excitement of a close-range animal is way easier with the instinctive method. You just remember to pick a spot and the shot just flows out of you. It's amazing.
Grab yourself a traditional setup and start practicing. If your not ready by hunting season then just use your compond. No problem with that! Good luck and I would love to help you if you need any.


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## Firstarrow (Sep 28, 2007)

:mrgreen: <<--O/


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## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

coughcoughgaycoughcough :mrgreen:


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

bwhntr said:


> coughcoughgaycoughcough :mrgreen:


coughcoughcoughcoughcopoutquitterpussycoughcoughcough :mrgreen:


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

> Stickbows are definately no handycap. Once you learn to shoot instinctively, you've got it forever. It takes me very few arrows to get "my eye back" after a long layoff.


No truer statement could be made of trad archery. I call it "becoming automatic" Automatic is when your brain takes over and you just do it without thinking. Like you I find I'm a reasonable shot all the time without doing much shooting. My layoffs are usually way too long... :? (shame on me) But my best arrow is usually my first one. Then things start to go downhill from there... :wink: Back when I was shooting every day I would amaze myself all the time with how accurate you really can be with trad equipment. I was shooting pheasants out of the air, making shots on stuff through obstacles, running shots were no big deal, and if I had a good look at a broadside critter it was lights out. They go right where you point em! 8)

Man, I'm gettin all worked up. I think I'll shoot my bow in the morning.


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

,.jhlkjhlkjhlkjh


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## Anaconda Pintler (Oct 29, 2007)

Airborne said:


> Well this is my first post on this site and I hate to start off as a nay-sayer, but I don't believe any trad guy shoots "instinctive", at least not anyone who can shoot worth a darn. This is debated ad nauseam on every trad site so I won't go on, but merely suggest that if you are looking at going traditional you would be better served by doing the following:
> 
> -Start with a light weight bow 40-50lbs
> -As stated you have to dedicate yourself to it, and shoot a lot--I shoot 4-5+ times a week and could still do more
> ...


Wow your first post, and I already think you are the best trad archer here, you have me convinved! Well I do shoot instinctive and no I do not wander around looking for arrows, but I do wander around following blood trails!


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

> Well this is my first post on this site and I hate to start off as a nay-sayer, but I don't believe any trad guy shoots "instinctive", at least not anyone who can shoot worth a darn.


 Good post Airborn but I beg to differ. I've read all the books you mentioned and got the very most out of G. Fred's words. At least for me his methodology works the best. I don't know if I could stand in front of a paper bullseye target and shoot the scores you say will confirm my prowess with a stick bow, but I can darn sure hold my own roaming around and on a 3-D course. (hunting type practice) witch quite frankly, is the only kind of shooting I give a crap about. Standing in front of a paper target and shooting statically from a fixed position is like shooting trap. (yawn) Give me a double gun and lets shoot some sporting clays! In fact, I shoot a bow a lot like I shoot a shotgun. I do NOT aim. I look at what I want to hit and I let my brain "point" the weapon where it needs to be, "Instinctively", with hand eye coordination.
I guess that could be the very definition of "aiming". If you look up the word "aim" in the dictionary is says, "To point or direct a weapon in order to hit a target". So, I guess according to Webster, we're ALL aiming. :shock: Who knew...  :mrgreen:

I value your opinion Airborn, it just differs from mine (not much, but a little) Like you said, this debate could go on all year, so I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. 

You ever shoot up at BWB on Friday nights? I'll be there tonight with my boy, you wanna come fling some wood with us? I'd love to meet you.


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

;alskd;aslkdf


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

BWB is that archery club at the top of Parleys canyon on the left as you reach the summit going east. They are a private club but open their range to the public on Friday nights to shoot 3-D targets. They also serve dinner for a few bucks and have a playground for the kids. It's a great way to spend a Friday night with the family. From the sounds of it, you're fixin to start one.  Or do you already have kids...

Yes, I actually own two Mike Bird Bows.  My sons recurve, and a longbow I had him custom make out of solid Birdseye maple. It's _gorgeous!_ It's just too bad I can't shoot a longbow worth a sh*t...He and I met about three years ago and hit it off pretty well. I think his handle on this forum is Nontypical.

Way back a hundred years or so ago I used to shoot that traditional league at Jakes. The Haabu bow guy was just getting started and I offended him when I called his Haabu a "Black Widow Wannabe" Back then he was copying them right down to the finest detail. Since then he's changed them quite a bit. I shoot mostly Black Widow bows and I was shocked to see someone copying them so close and selling them. :shock: I don't know if Ken Beck ever caught wind of it or not. May be he did and that's why the changes came about... Oh well...

Nice chattin with ya, may be I'll see ya at a shoot or something. 

Say hi to Mike for me.

Darin Gardner


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