# Compound and Traditional?



## 88luneke (Jan 13, 2009)

Anyone shoot a compound and a recurve/longbow?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## bowhunter426 (Oct 20, 2010)

Yes.


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## 12970 (Apr 19, 2005)

Comparing them is hard because of the let off on a compound makes it shoot different than a Recurve. And while shooting a compound is different the draw weight is where I see the big difference. I have both and now rarely shoot my recurve I thought buying a 50lbs Recurve would be okay but it is hard at times to shoot a lot because it takes a lot to keep pulling it back after a few arrows been thinking about getting a lower weighted Recurve but have a Bear Grizzly and have a bit invested in it so have not had the $ to buy another Recurve to see if it is really the weight issue or something else. But now and then I pull it out just to shoot something different from my Oneida.... Looking atmaybe a 40 lbs recurve many someday down the road...

Newaygo1


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## thesafecloak (Sep 7, 2009)

I just got a recurve given to me from someone who was not using theirs. I shot it and really like it. I want to get some practice in this summer and plan to use it next season. I really like the idea of 'instinctive shooting'. I was better at it than I thought I would be.


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## thesafecloak (Sep 7, 2009)

I there a club in Midland or Mt. Pleasant with some folks who might share some wisdom as to proper form, tips and technique of shooting a recurve?


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## bassdisaster (Jun 21, 2007)

Recurve/traditional or Compound bow?
Good question really, it all depends on what you want to get from the expierence.
I have made the switch to trad and back a few times, what usually happens to me is this: BIG BUCK 35 yds no shot with stickbow, easy shot with compound, 3 times in 1 season I had a whopper standing in easy compound distance but way out of my effective range with the traditional equipment, so in the end its a choice that you will have to live with!

BD


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## Bushbow (Nov 12, 2005)

IMO you will never become completely proficient with a traditional bow if you have your compound at home hanging in the basement. As mentioned above, you will always have opportunities within a season that you will think: I could have had him w my compound! If you are not fully committed to the idea it just won't happen. Either weapon is equally effective in taking big game but if you are always thinking, " I am better with my wheel bow" you just won't ever have the passion for it. Equivilent to hunting with your compound during rifle season - even if you have enough private land to hunt undisturbed deer during rifle season odds are you will see bucks out of bow range and be thinking of your rifle.

Many, many PnY and Booner bucks are taken every season with trad gear and the only true difference is effective range. For most the range that is offered with a modern wheel bow and all the accruments is double or more what is realistic with a stickbow. Kind of like dry fly fishing Vs. spincasting. Some, like myself, would rather catch one trout on a dry fly over a creel full on spinners. 

All that said, I feel way more proficient with a recurve or longbow in my hand than I ever did with my compound I shot some 25+ years ago. You just have to decide if you are willing to put in the time scounting, practicing and preparing to get within 20 yards of your target Vs. 50. 

If you are commited to that then sell or give away your compound. The bow will kill the same if you put your broadhead where it belongs - all the rest is moot. 

Do what will satisfy your challenge committment and don't worry about what others think of your choice. 

Bob Urban


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## 2PawsRiver (Aug 4, 2002)

Making the change from a compound to a traditional bow is almost like quitting smoking for me, it was all or nothing. When I chose to go with traditional gear I sold my compound and havn't looked back.

Compound or traditional.......depends on what your looking for out of your hunt and where you want to concentrate your skills.


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## sbooy42 (Mar 6, 2007)

My wife picked up a 30# recurve this summer as a decorative piece that was really fun to shoot and really sparked my interest in getting a heavier one to hunt with..


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## Joe Archer (Mar 29, 2000)

I primarily hunt with a compound, but enjoy shooting my recurve. It is very hard to get profecient with a recurve and I am a much better shot with the compound. Really, I am a decent shot with the recurve and might end up hunting with it more often. For me the distance limitation are not all that great. Max with my compound would be about 25 yards. Max with the recurve would be about 20.
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## bassdisaster (Jun 21, 2007)

I shoot all year @ 40 yds with my compound, I therefor determine my effective range to be in that 35-40 yd range and it has proven its self over and over, My effective range with the longbow is 20 yds max, But to say that in order to get proficient with a stick you cant keep your compound is rediculas and arrogant!
I have both and shoot both, a clean shot with my compound bow out to 40 yds I do no thave to let that buck walk!
Now as 1 poster mentioned he switched 25 yrs ago from coumpound to trad and said he was more proficient with trad, well he hasent got a clue about the new equipment then, any rookie with a modern bow can become proficient in just a few months, it does not require years and years to get there!
So make your choice and go hunting if you choose different tomorrow be happy you still have the compound bow!

BD


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## agross (Jan 18, 2009)

I hunted with both this year, and will continue to do so. Enjoy them both.


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## 88luneke (Jan 13, 2009)

Thank you all for your input and insight on this subject. While I do want to get a recurve and hunt with it, I'm not sure that I would have the time needed to practice and get as proficient as I would like to be when taking an animal. So therefore the idea is on the shelf for now, but still in arm's reach. We'll see 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Pinefarm (Sep 19, 2000)

I concur with Bushbow and 2Paws.

If you want the muscle memory and subconscious knack for instinctive shooting, I think it's better to go all or nothing, as far as hunting goes. Practice over the Summer is different, but for hunting I think it's best just to shoot one or the other.

If one wants to be an exceptional fastball pitcher, it's difficult to throw hardball one day then underhand softball the next and still retain the best form at hardball fastpitch.


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## 2PawsRiver (Aug 4, 2002)

> But to say that in order to get proficient with a stick you cant keep your compound is rediculas and arrogant!


At least I keep good company..........I wonder if BD is truly as Ass or if he just plays one on MS.Com :lol:


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## popy (Mar 7, 2010)

Pinefarm said:


> I concur with Bushbow and 2Paws.
> 
> If you want the muscle memory and subconscious knack for instinctive shooting, I think it's better to go all or nothing, as far as hunting goes. Practice over the Summer is different, but for hunting I think it's best just to shoot one or the other.
> 
> If one wants to be an exceptional fastball pitcher, it's difficult to throw hardball one day then underhand softball the next and still retain the best form at hardball fastpitch.


I have to disagree with your baseball analogy. Tossing a softball underhand every other day has ZERO effect on your overhand fastball. Now if you were to use the hitting aspect of the game then I would concur, you will screw up your timing and eye level switching, but even that would go to timing on hitting a fastball, not a softball. As for shooting both types of bows, I started with a recurve, then bought a compound, shot both for awhile, then used my compound exclusively.


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## Bushbow (Nov 12, 2005)

I apologize for any miss-understanding of my post - any disrespect taken towards others choice was not at all intentional. I even went back and read what I wrote?? I just was giving my opinion to the original question ask. I have never been on either side of the wheels V sticks debate - or any infighting at all within the ranks of hunting. There are enough people against us on the outside that I feel we all need to stick together. Everyone I know and hunt with shoot compounds and I could care less if they hunted with flame throwers(if legal). I just feel if you plan to "hunt" with a traditional bow and you have a compound in the closet you will be second guessing everytime a buck walks by w/i your comfortable compound range and outside your stickbow range. 

I used the example of hunting with a bow during gun season but you can swap a trad muzzle loader when you have a scoped inline at home or..... I do stick to "my" belief that if you are going to hunt with a stickbow then get rid of the compound and commit to it. Opinions vary and I was not saying either is better. 

So to make my point - I don't care what you hunt with but if you are going to "hunt" not just shoot sometimes with a stickbow then you should seriously consider going "all in" so that there is no second guessing in the field.

I am very aware of the modern archery equipment and am 100% sure I could buy a bow in the morning and be proficient that night to hunt. I just "feel" more proficient with a longbow when hunting because it eliminates all the possiblity of mechanical error with triggers, sights, wheels, cables, range, ect... There is nothing for me to second guess - either I make the shot or I do not. 

BD - do you hunt with your trad gear? Have you shot any deer with it?


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## 88luneke (Jan 13, 2009)

Bushbow I agree with what you're saying about the thought in the back of your head thing. I have the debate every muzzleloader season on whether to take the smoke pole or my bow. The distance problem with bowhunting hasn't come up a lot recently as I've become much better with scouting and set up my stands for 25 yards and in. With that said I'm not completely sure if I could get rid of my compound.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Pinefarm (Sep 19, 2000)

Bushbow took the words out of my mouth. 

I don't care if someone shoots a trad bow in the morning, a compound at noon and a xbow in the afternoon.

I was just offering a suggestion that bouncing back and forth, and then still being pretty solid with traditional bows is probably a more difficult path than just sticking with trad bows. 

The fact that several of us here are of the same mind may be something to consider. Nothing more than that. Knock yourself out and enjoy whatever it is you do.


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## johnhunter247 (Mar 12, 2011)

I have never shot a traditional bow and would love to try it. But all the people wounding and not finding deer with all the advanced equipment not sure if I would wan't to see eveyone go to traditional. I know people make bad choices for shots and not to blame the equipment but I feel that the rate for unrecovered deer would increase greatly.


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## Pinefarm (Sep 19, 2000)

For me personally, the biggest adjustment "hunting wise" was totally changing my mindset from "how far can I shoot, how fast can I shoot, how many trails/ground can I cover from my treestand" to now "how close can I get to either one super trail or a trail intersection with limited visablility while on the ground."

The change is 180.

It's akin to a college basketball program always known for explosive offense and high scoring changing to a program based on tight defense and low scoring. 

What I have noticed is, while I have less deer sightings hunting this way now, when I do see a deer, there's a much higher probability of a shot.


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## 88luneke (Jan 13, 2009)

johnhunter247 said:


> I have never shot a traditional bow and would love to try it. But all the people wounding and not finding deer with all the advanced equipment not sure if I would wan't to see eveyone go to traditional. I know people make bad choices for shots and not to blame the equipment but I feel that the rate for unrecovered deer would increase greatly.


Bad shots will happen and IMO it has nothing to do with what equipment you're using (unless something malfunctions) and has everything to do with the shooter and shot placement. 

Question for the trad guys -- How difficult is it to shoot say a 58" recurve out of a fixed tree stand or a climber tree stand? Ever have the stand (fully enclosed climber, shooting rail, etc..) get in the way of your bottom limb?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Terry Williams (Dec 20, 2000)

I hunt early season with my longbow then switch to compound during Rut.


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## fr3db3ar (Feb 26, 2009)

I originally bought a cheap take down recurve as a backup in case something unexpected happened to my compound on a hunt. It didn't take long before I was just leaving the compound at home. I like to walk a lot and the weight issue was very apparent. (perhaps I'm just lazy) 

I still have my compound and there have been times where I though I might have been able to get a deer with it that I didn't take a shot at with the recurve.

I now hunt exclusively with a longbow and I wouldn't change that for the world.

Once you go traditional you won't go back.


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## Bushbow (Nov 12, 2005)

I hit my limb on a limb one time and also on the cable on my treestand. It happens but you just adjust your shooting to avoid it. I have never hunted from a climber but if I did I would certainly take off the shooting rail.


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## Joe Archer (Mar 29, 2000)

I think I could add that I believe that shooting a recurve instinctively can have a positive effect on your compound shooting. Most likely, I can relate this to the concentration needed to shoot instinctively. If some of this spills over to the compound (especially if you shoot with both eyes open), incorporating these instincts could make you better with both bows. 
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