# Switching to traditional archery



## siwhitetail (Jan 10, 2011)

My dad switched to traditional archery a few years ago after shooting compound only for several years. He is not a snobby traditionalists as some haver stereotyped the traditionalists to be. He has just enjoyed a new challenge. He's going to write a series on traditional archery for the blog. This is his first piece. 
http://www.indianasportsman.com/forum/blog.php?u=8514


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## Terry Williams (Dec 20, 2000)

Most people that shoot traditional are the nicest people you could ever meet.


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## 2PawsRiver (Aug 4, 2002)

Is good to see a number of people, including myself going back to the challenges of archery hunting w/o the assistance of gadgets.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## TwoBear (Jan 19, 2011)

I just got a hitmancustom bow made for me by a client as part of a trade on a hunt. I don't have time to hunt too much on my own, but I am definately looking foward to getting up and going in the summer. It's certainly a new challenge, and I plan to cut my teeth on it hunting whitetails off our ranch. If I have enough time to practice, I'll be using it to chase elk this fall.


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## michiganangler71 (Jan 25, 2011)

I love tradional. Only way to go.

jim


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## paradork (Jul 27, 2010)

Brings fun back into archery i think. If your lookin for a cheap bow to start with I recommend the Samick sage. Great bow. I've got a few $500 bows and they all are collecting dust right now. The bow is $129 and limbs are $70 for extras. I dropped down to [email protected] which is 42 at my 30in draw. Awesome for target practice and learning form. Bought an extra set of hunting limbs for 70 bucks. Can't beat it. I do have a blacktail on order tho. So when you get serious go to blacktailbows.com


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## buktruk (Jan 15, 2004)

I just bought a Bear Montana Longbow and can't wait to start shooting it. I am not giving up my Destroyer but would like to take some deer with the longbow as well.


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## HardWayMike (Nov 24, 2010)

WOW! This is the first time I have ever heard of traditionalist's being called snobbish! In my experience with going to strictly trad hunting these people have been the cream of the crop when it comes to attitude twords hunting and shooting. Alot of them don't like the xbows but most will stand up next to a xbow hunter to defend hunting in general all day long. Just my opinion tho. There is always a bad apple in every bunch. Good luck with the switch and hope it works out for you to enjoy this sport that I have become addicted to. Just be careful when you buy your first bow, it really starts a trend,lol. Not so much that the grass is greener but ya just never know,lol.


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## U.P.Nate (Dec 11, 2009)

I think people are who they are regardless of what kind of bow they hunt with.(except the kind with stocks and triggers) But me personaly, I use a 60# BEAR takedown recurve.


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## JOHNL (Feb 10, 2000)

Shooting Trad bows is so much fun I would recommend for everyone to go to at least one of the Trad events like Compton in Berrien Springs. Or the Michigan Traditional Bowhunters Jamboree in Grayling. or any of the others.

http://www.comptontraditional.com/index.cfm#menu

http://www.michigantraditionalbow.com/jamboree.shtml


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## HardWayMike (Nov 24, 2010)

I second this notion!


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## mcfish (Jan 24, 2010)

U.P.Nate said:


> I think people are who they are regardless of what kind of bow they hunt with.(except the kind with stocks and triggers) But me personaly, I use a 60# BEAR takedown recurve.


Nothing snobby about this post.  I'm pretty sure that Ishi never used a take down recurve, kind of like bows with stocks and triggers. But people are who they are no matter how much technology is used in their weapon of choice.


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## scubajay (Jun 9, 2003)

I too am switching to traditional archery. I purchased a crossbow to replace my Bear re-curve.

Info on why I consider a crossbow traditional;

Bronze crossbow bolts dating as early as mid 5th century BC were found at a State of Chu burial site in Yutaishan, Hubei. The earliest handheld crossbow stocks with bronze trigger, dating from the 6th century BC, comes from Tomb 3 and 12 found at Qufu, Shandong, capital of the State of Lu. Other early finds of crossbows were discovered in Tomb 138 at Saobatang, Hunan dated to mid 4th century BC. Repeating crossbows, first mentioned in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, were discovered in 1986 in Tomb 47 at Qinjiazui, Hubei dated to around 4th century BC. The earliest Chinese document mentioning a crossbow is in scripts from the 4th3rd century BC attributed to the followers of Mozi. This source refers to the use of a giant crossbow in the 6th to 5th century BC, corresponding to the late Spring and Autumn Period.[citation needed] Sun Tzu's influential book The Art of War (first appearance dated in between 500 BC to 300 BC) refers in chapter V to the traits and in XII to the use of crossbows. One of the earliest reliable records of this weapon in warfare is from an ambush, the Battle of Ma-Ling in 341 BC. By the 200s BC, the crossbow was well developed and quite widely used in China.

The earliest textual evidence of the handheld crossbow used in battle dates to the 4th century BC. Handheld crossbows with complex bronze trigger mechanisms have also been found with the Terracotta Army in the tomb of Qin Shihuang (r. 221210 BC) that are similar to specimens from the subsequent Han Dynasty (202 BC220 AD), while crossbowmen described in the Qin and Han Dynasty learned drill formations, some were even mounted as cavalry units, and Han Dynasty writers attributed the success of numerous battles against the Xiongnu to massed crossbow fire. The bronze triggers were designed in such a way that they were able to store a large amount of energy within the bow when drawn, but was easily fired with little recoil when the trigger were pulled (this allowed it for precision shooting). The metal portions of the crossbow were also mass produced with precision, with the bronzer mechanisms being interchangeable. Finally, the Qin and Han Dynasties also developed crossbow firing lines, with alternating rows of crossbowmen firing and reloading similar to a musket firing line.


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## 2PawsRiver (Aug 4, 2002)

It's your world, tell yourself anything you need to


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## doogie mac (Oct 24, 2010)

Id give anything to have my Bear recurve back! Traded it back in the 80's for something I cant remember!!!!


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