Bowhunting, and how it has changed

[Sniper X]

Looking at all the bow threads, and reading what I do about today's equipment makes me laugh. It makes me laugh because so many people have jumped on the HYPE put forth by the equipment manufacturers, and all those who think they NEED it. Sure, new fast bows allow a longer shot to be taken without as much worry of a miss of the vitals, and faster bows, and arrows allow for it as well. BUT, I hear talk round the camp fire of all the NEEDED stuff to be able to hunt with a bow, like scent free clothing, the RIGHT camo for your area, the right scent masking boots and gloves.

I hunt with my recurve in a bright red plad hunting coat, and yellow orange flece lined pants, and a Orange hunting hat and get a deer every season when my buddies hunting in full Sniper Garb with anti scent clothes and boots, and $2500.00 worth of equipment get nothing. And after I get a nice buck with the 1968 recurve at a whopping 45lbs, and t is hanging right there in camp, they talk about they had the wrong broadhead, or the wrong camo or the wrong tree stand or if they had this or that, it would be their deer hanging there! And when I show up with a compound bow that is twelve years old, they say I'll never get anything with it and I do and they usually don't.

Hunting is a bit of Luck, knowledge, and a tiny bit of equipment. No one NEEDS all that stuff but it is fine they want it and have it but the excuses get pretty funny, as do the manufacturers adds telling you all but you won't be successful unless you get their garb or equipment. At the very least, they make it sound as if you will be 100% successful if you DO buy their equipment.

 

[hso]

Mindset, Skillset, Toolset, in that order (to rip off LeeLapin).

 

[Sky]

Keeping up with the Joneses comes to mind.

Wonder how the human race hunted/survived and fought/survived without all the high tech gadgets we have today. Maybe somethings are better and easier but hard to beat a recurve bow for simplicity.

In the old days they probably sat around and talked about which talisman they affixed to their bodies or weapon was best and how many women or horses it cost?? The more things change the more they are the same.

There was a shooting match around here last year and guys showed up with their latest and greatest Gee Whiz Gizmos that cost a fortune. The guy who won was using and old old something (? sorry I do not remember just everyone was amazed ) but what I do remember was all the disbelief and angst.

I used to see guys try to buy a golf game all the time ( been guilty myself). Best most expensive driver or putter yet they seemed to never figure out it would be more valuable for them to fix their screwed up swing and work on fundamentals than waste their money..... Some people really get off on the ooooh auhhhhh factor. Been guilty myself....But Now I like to think I am older wiser and cheaper!

 

[Sniper X]

Sky, the golf thing is near and dear to my heart because I was playing scratch golf with forged blades, and when I had about a year layoff, and got a set of the newest graphite shaft Titlist pro tour cavity backs, and they shot my game to hell. I am still looking for a set of blades for next year. I still can not work the ball like I could with those dang blades. Now I have a 15 hdcp.

 

[Sky]

hahahahah Golf is golf is golf...Just look at Tiger!! But I understand what you are saying....ouch... scratch to 15 hurts!!! Wow!

 

[nmlongbow]

hso has it right.

There's no doubt modern technology has improved compounds tremendously in performance and ease of use, at least it looks like that to me. I haven't owned a compound since the mid 90's and the last one I did own was made in the 80's.

I did shoot a local match 2 months ago and was grouped with a couple of unlimited compound shooters. It was really incredible to see how many 10's and 12's those guys could hit. There's not a barebow recurve shooter in the world that could match those scores. The technology is a huge help with targets but not so much in hunting.

I shot my elk this year using a recurve, $3 goodwill bdu's and a green shirt. No scent killers, special camo or other aids, mainly because I don't think all of the extra junk is worth it. I did spend some money on good quality arrows because I think that's the most important part of the equiptment. This years kill was one of the few times when a wheel bow would have been a hindrance as I had very little time to get the shot off.

For me patience and perseverance will overcome a lot of excuses.

 

[theotherwaldo]

Folks have been hunting with a bent stick and a string for a few thousand years now. It still works, and the deer don't know the difference.

 

[Kachok]

I think the modern advancements in bow/arrow/scent technology have made it easier to get quick clean kills and extend our range a little. I shot my Kronic for the first time at 40 yards today, there is no way I could group arrows worth a darn with my old school #45 recurve at that range, much less keep every single shot on the target all day long. I am probably shooting 60-80 fps faster and 8-10 yards further then I could before. Nothing wrong with that. That said no 600 fps bow would be a replacement for a little hunting skill. It is legal here to hunt with a spear, some very skilled hunters actulay do that, you only have about a 10-12 yd maximum range, but a sold hit will kill DRT due to the HUGE cutting area of modern hunting spears.

 

[OH_Spartan]

I'm there with you. I use a Bear Whitetail II which I bought off my dad, who bought it used back in the late 80's. My cammo is an XXL realtree long-sleeve shirt that I bought off the clearance rack 6 years ago.

The years I don't get a deer it is almost always a mental lapse that spooks away an incoming deer (cough/sniffle, stand up, etc.).

All that said, I would enjoy a bow with more let-off. Or a crossbow that would require less movement when a deer is 15 yds away. Or a better.... Ooops...looks like my decline has started....

 

[R H Clark]

I've gone to all traditional archery gear.It gives me much more pleasure to make my own equipment and a greater sense of accomplishment to master it.Here is my munting bow for this year.It's bamboo backed Osage,60lbs @ 29" and 68" long.It is completly silent and I'm deadly up to 20 yards.Where I hunt you won't get a shot much farther anyway.

 

[Sky]

Yes Mr. R H Clark, and you can change the string without a bow press and a degree in stringology! So you made that Bow? If you have one about that length (62" or longer) in 45 to 50# and want to sell it PM me!

Nice bow.

I have compounds now and yes they can be very accurate and consistent farther out than a recurve; 320/340+fps with a compound is impressive...... yet, for just the "plain old shooting fun of it" a recurve is still my favorite.

 

[Bobson]

Very nice bow. When I bought my compound about six weeks ago, I bought my 15 year old brother in law a recurve (he insisted that's what he wanted) so we can hunt together. I'm getting pretty good with my bow, but I can't shoot his to save my life. He's about as accurate with his recurve as I am with my compound though.

 

[Sniper X]

I will also say that even though I am a ton more accurate at target shooting with my compound, when the target is moving, the 1968 recirve is where it's at! I can shoot rabbits on the run with it and at the range the revolving balloons are in high danger.

 

[Sniper X]

That is a very nice looking longbow there RH! I had a longbow, and ended up selling it because it was so shocky. I got a hybrid longbow, one with a slight recurve to the limb tips, and it greatly (for me) reduced the shock in my hand. I loved it but it de-laminated. It is a Larry Nirk bow and since they are un reachable for warranty for the older bows, I use it as a wall hanger.

 

[Kingcreek]

I hunt with a modern compound bow and also with a longbow I made myself. Every once in a while I'm tempted to drop a few hundred on the latest greatest new g-wiz compound rig. Then I just watch a couple of old Fred Bear videos and go back to the practice butt. Just like golf or anything else- some people think they can spend thier way past the practice.

 

[Sky]

Now having agreed and read all the above I ordered the 4 dot Sabo holographic sight today!!! Supposed to be cool and work really well!! Marketing is alive and well!

 

[Sniper X]

Nothing wrong with sights, I have a good one on the compound. I would not attempt to use a compound bow without sights or a release, just as I would NOT try to use a release or sights on a recurve bow. I once asked a guy shooting fingers and no sights on a very modern compound why he chose that route, he said "I wanted to be as traditional as possible". I just had to look at him quizzically and walk back to my lane.

 

[R H Clark]

I shoot a lot of trad 3D and bowhunt very little.I enjoy the longbow and recurve because of the time and dedication that it takes to shoot well.It is a lot more satisfying for me to score a perfect shot.

There are a few advantages with either the modern bow or trad bow.I do however see more of the instant gradification folks with modern bows,but that seems more prevalent in society in general.I think it's our attitudes that matter the most.