New to bow hunting and need some advice..

[Walksalot]

Hey Walksalot , I certainly disagree with most of your post. First of all checking the scores of various archery classes only tells you which class had easier pin placment. Your scenario of the higher scores in the compound classes could easily be reversed , Further to this i notice a steady increase in the number of Traditional archers at these events. At the Abbotsford indoor event the largest class is Longbow and the third largest is Recurve, In fairness it must be pointed out that part of this is due to the number of Compound classes. A lot of the Traditional archers are rather new and a lot do not hunt. Respectively i suggest that your class score assumption is not accurate.

The traditional archers who do hunt are as dedicated or more then their Compound brothers and just as effective in harvesting game.

Greybark, I knew that post would raise you hackles but to many archers choose that type of equipment and are not prepared or even aware of how much time it takes to learn how to shoot with fingers and the practice required to be a good instinctive shooter. We owe it to the animals we hunt to be able to handle the taclke we use.
Greybark, if proficiency testing was manditory what pecentage of traditional shooters would use traditional equipment to challange the test.
While we all are comrads in arms I think people thinking of partaking of the short should know what they are getting themselves into before they spend a bunch of money on equipment.

[greybark]

Hey Walksalot , You are right on all accounts . I realize that you give considerable thought to your posts and appreciate them . Hunting is indeed a right and with that privilage comes the responsibility of ethics and personal limitations.

There is no way anyone can answer your question on Traditional proficiency because according to logic(and a perfect world) the test target would have to be set with-in each of our personal limitations which in my case the yardage gets smaller with age , cold weather and medical problems .


REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingertab On --

[greybark]

Hey Walksalot , It would be interesting to get the sales figures for Crossbows during the previous three weeks prior to the new any Elk , any WT deer Bowhunting seasons in Region 4 this year.

Also the question of how many times did the average Crossbow Hunter practise during the past YEAR would address your posted concerns .

REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingertab On --

[Onesock]

Traditional bowhunters are every bit as accurate as their compound brothers if shots are kept within their effective ranges. As many compound shooters miss or wound deer at 50 meters as traditional shooters do at 25 meters. I watched a hunting show on Sunday morning where the host was shooting a compound bow at Caribou. He missed by 6 feet on one and he didn't even know if he was high or low on his second shot. Lets not say compounds are any more accurate than traditional gear, but put the emphasis on the guy pulling back the string and hope each one know's their own limitations.

[ex bc guide]

Specialty is where I get all my rifle and bow needs,Mike or Ronda will be able to put you into a good set up.
Mike

[Walksalot]

Traditional bowhunters are every bit as accurate as their compound brothers if shots are kept within their effective ranges. As many compound shooters miss or wound deer at 50 meters as traditional shooters do at 25 meters. I watched a hunting show on Sunday morning where the host was shooting a compound bow at Caribou. He missed by 6 feet on one and he didn't even know if he was high or low on his second shot. Lets not say compounds are any more accurate than traditional gear, but put the emphasis on the guy pulling back the string and hope each one know's their own limitations.

If wishes were horses then beggars would ride.

[Walksalot]

Hey Walksalot , It would be interesting to get the sales figures for Crossbows during the previous three weeks prior to the new any Elk , any WT deer Bowhunting seasons in Region 4 this year.

Also the question of how many times did the average Crossbow Hunter practise during the past YEAR would address your posted concerns .

REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingertab On --

Greybark, I have never even held a crossbow but if the traditional shooter is not prepaed to do the practice required to obtain proficient accuracy then I say use the crossbow.
If the shooter is not prepared to do the practice required to establish good shooting form with a compound then I say use a crossbow because it is the animals in the end which suffer.

[mistx]

Sorry to go off topic a bit here, but felt I needed to respond to this post by Onesock --"Traditional bowhunters are every bit as accurate as their compound brothers if shots are kept within their effective ranges. As many compound shooters miss or wound deer at 50 meters as traditional shooters do at 25 meters. I watched a hunting show on Sunday morning where the host was shooting a compound bow at Caribou. He missed by 6 feet on one and he didn't even know if he was high or low on his second shot. Lets not say compounds are any more accurate than traditional gear, but put the emphasis on the guy pulling back the string and hope each one know's their own limitations."
I saw this show on the weekend also, and was disgusted that it was aired--with hearing the 'hunter' state that he had little or no experience with a bow for hunting and with the guide for allowing such an inexperienced person use a bow for hunting! I have been doing archery for about a year and half, and manage pretty well in competitions, but still do not feel confident enough in my skill level to go bow hunting! I have been hunting for about 30 years, am just new to using a bow and probably will not watch 'that show' again. I'm disgusted with it. Long bow, compound bow, or rifle--it is always the person behind who chooses the shots, and lets hope all of us choose the good shot rather than the first one that comes up!

[greybark]

Hey Walksalot , I agree with a slight diference . Not willing to practise with Traditional or Compound does not give you a license to buy a crossbow a week before the season and proceed to hunt with it.

REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingertab On --

[Bow Walker]

I saw this show on the weekend also, and was disgusted that it was aired--with hearing the 'hunter' state that he had little or no experience with a bow for hunting and with the guide for allowing such an inexperienced person use a bow for hunting! I have been doing archery for about a year and half, and manage pretty well in competitions, but still do not feel confident enough in my skill level to go bow hunting! I have been hunting for about 30 years, am just new to using a bow and probably will not watch 'that show' again. I'm disgusted with it. Long bow, compound bow, or rifle--it is always the person behind who chooses the shots, and lets hope all of us choose the good shot rather than the first one that comes up!

Hey Mistx - short of hijacking this thread I have to state that I agree with what you have stated, namely that it is the Nut pulling on the string, or squeezing the trigger that is the problem. As it has been said many times - Guns don't kill people, people kill people. How true is that.

Back to the subject at hand. The original thread poster was looking for some advice. A number of people have endorsed Specialty Shooting Sports (including me) and I hope that the message has reached the thread starter.

They are the people to see in that neck of the woods. IMHO.