Traditional Gear ?

[Will]

Well I've been playing around with the thought of going after Big Game with one of my Bows....I have taken a few grouse with one but never took a stab at hunting Big Game:wink:

This Spring I plan on taking my 1st Bear in years as my Bow Hunting Introduction........should prove interesting:-)

I admit that I follow Archery hunting and love to read the Books and watch the vids.....I'm always amazed at the effectiveness of an arrow on a large animal. I just never seemed to get motivated enough to begin.

I'm gonna go with a Traditional setup......Cams, pulleys, graphite and such doesn't really interest me at this point.......I much prefer the simpler stuff....plus it's what I grew up with.

I've Got the Hunting part down I think...but doing it with a Bow is abit different :wink:

What's everyone using for Traditional Gear and if anyone has any Traditional Gear tips I'm really eager to hear it !

Many Thanks for your time:cool:

[Awishanew]

Will, the best advice I can give is to take an IBEP course before you go hunting with your bow. I also hunted for many years with a rifle but bow hunting is quite different. In another post on here a guy spoke of hearing his heart just about come out of his chest, Maybe a good idea to have your heart checked also. Have fun.









intern

[J_T]

Will,

Congratulations. There is a lot that can be learned from Awishanew. Don't let him off the hook that easy.

There is certainly a difference in Trad gear from the perspective that there are good functioning bows, and there are some that could make pretty cool wall hangers.

The bear is a good start. Generally it is a well controlled moment.

To hunt, you need one that is functional and fits your body. Typically, if you are tall you might want to consider a long bow. However that isn't always the case with the newer bows. There are outlets in BC for bows made by Chekmate. Awishanew can put you in contact with a dealer at the coast or either of us can put you in touch with someone in the Interior.

It's nice to try before you buy. To hunt, you require performance out of your bow. A Chekmate, Take-Down Hunter II is a great bow.

While we enjoy the art of wood arrows and turkey fletch, a good many of us have a set of carbon arrows for hunting. The "kill" requires everything you can avail to the moment and it isn't a time to be thinking about the tradition of how you went about it. Be accurate. The carbons are also more durable, somewhat lighter and stiffer by design and therefore fly just that much better.

But the key to performance with Trad gear is going to be shooting. You gotta shoot. Your expected effective range with Trad gear, is about 20-25 yrds on a large animal (elk) and 12-18 on deer.

But I've seen Awishanew pull the burr off a bear's a$$ at 30.

[NightOwl74]

I have a Checkmate Hunter II in a Purple heart/Bubinga riser, Elm wood limb configuration. The front of the limbs have a "centre-cut" grain orientation on the limbs. The back is "flat- cut". I got mine at Archerybymail.com a year ago for around 450$. Let me tell you, I couldn't believe the worksmanship on this bow. I almost wept:roll: when I opened the box. It arrived quickly by greyhound courier, and that website is awesome........you look up checkmate bows and you can scroll down their inventory of bows in stock. There is a bunch of them listed right now in different wood combinations. These are takedown bows as well. 2 bolts takes the bow apart. I equipped my bow with a couple dozen hand finished Hexshaft arrows(from Vernon), and man does it shoot fast. If you don't shoot often go with the 48# model, my 50# model is pretty tough to hold for over 10 seconds without shaking. No letoff! I gotta get the muscles built up! I'm actually pulling about 52# with this bow because of my 29 1/2 inch draw.8-)

[Bow Walker]

Can you see spending time just browsing in here? You wouldn't see me for days! This is the store mention in post #4....

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Picture_111.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=6599&size=big&cat=500)

[Will]

Wow looks like quite the shop ! .......could lose myself for awhile there,no doubt :cool:

I guess I should be abit more "forthcoming" about my experience with Bows. Shots LOTS growing up....we used to shoot gophers at a Friends cabin and spent countless hours terrorising the woods around a Friends cabin.....kids will be kids :wink:

Nothing too serious.....mostly stump shooting and such.

Anyways I've got an Old Ben Pearsen Longbow in Great shape...pulls about 52#(?) and shoots very well.....at least it did years ago. I've got some Broadheads including some Old Zwickey Eskimos (new in box). Still have a couple dozen of New Cedar arrows hiding somewhere too....If I can't get my "Vintage" stuff in order might step up to a New Bow....we'll see.

Thanks for the tips and advice Folks......Much appreciated.
Should prove interesting ! 8-)