The Challenge – Video

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#7503

New short film produced by Sitka, profiling a trad bowhunter.

“A perfect example of you get back what you put in…”

The Challenge

[Dave Nash]

#62715

Stirs my soul. Very nice.Thanks for posting

[Leo Carrisalez]

#62722

Grabbing my bow and going outside to train. Goodstuff!!!!!!

[David Petersen]

#62772

Bruce — Yessir, this is another good example of the new breed of hunting video that is struggling to make a good show since Primal Dreams kicked it off. My favorite line in the vid is “To … stack the odds in their (the game’s) favor” as a primary6 justification for trad bowhunting. The slow-mo gets a bit tedious (good tricks work better in small doses) and I personally prefer no kill shots … but the way they did this one, where you see the arrow leave the bow and you see the buck jump and know he’s hit solid, yet you can’t see the arrow in the animal and no blood on the snow …well heck, it’s just really well done and should offend no one. I am one who, with every word I write about hunting or speak in public and with the upcoming film, always think primarily of my reader or viewer as reasonable nonhunting viewers who can be turned pro or anti by what they read or see, and also the ethical hunting viewer–the same things seem to please and displease both and to hell with those who are disappointed by the lack of gore and bravado. I’d love to think that someday this sort of hunting video, to be further represented I’m sure by Clay’s forthcoming film, will substantially displace the typical Outhouse Channel filth. But hey, artful and sensitive TV doesn’t sell product, and without product sponsorship you have no program. But frankly it’s enough for me to have this quality of video just to share between us, and knowing it will find its way on occasion to thoughtful nonhunters as well (like spouses who aren’t sure if they like what we’re doing or not). Sitka should be congratulated not only for the sensitivity and quality of the video, but for keeping it commercial free. I am left with a far more charitable feeling for Sitka products than any amount of advertising could ever buy. Thanks for posting.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#62805

Yep – they did a pretty good job on this one. I agree about the slight overuse of slo-mo, but otherwise, it’s about the best cinematography I’ve seen in a trad vid. Hopefully, there’s more on the way – dare I dream of a trad resurgence, in which people leave all, or at least most, of that needless technology behind?

[James Harvey]

#62839

David Petersen wrote: I personally prefer no kill shots … but the way they did this one, where you see the arrow leave the bow and you see the buck jump and know he’s hit

Dave, I thought it was a miss, it shot over the back of the buck’s neck. I’m going from memory, the link just failed for me for some reason, so I couldn’t check 😕 I took it as a start of a sequence of failures that we all know are a (large) part of a hunters story.

[Brennan Herr]

#62875

I thought the same thing Jim…a few replays and the arrow floots right over the top of the buck’s neck. Hard to tell with the white fletching against the snow. I really like the burning of the arrows, it looks really nice. It is a good video to share with the non trad guys I know to nudge them a little from the status quo.

[Col Mike]

#62888

Bruce

Thanks for an uplifting point in a down day of setbacks in the battle to prevent gas development in our pristine eastern mountains. Might have to check out Sitka and try camo clothing again.

Semper Fi

Mike

[Stephen Graf]

#63228

Yea, he missed. But it doesn’t really matter if you miss, which seems like another subtle point of the video.

Although I have cracked a small smile at a miss, it still leaves a burn inside. I could see that burn in his eye.

Ending the video with a hit, would have reduced the theme, imo.

[wahoo]

#8507

nice job I love the I know how to shoot and shoot well and it goes over the back. Man I’ve done that a lot

[David Petersen]

#8551

Well shucks, I’m overdue for a visit to the eye doc 😯 (I plan to make an appointment tomorrow) and judging by the way the deer jumped I assumed a hit that I couldn’t see in the vid. However, I have to politely depart from my friend Steve’s view that “a miss doesn’t matter.” It matters a lot, insofar as had the miss–maybe not this particular one, since I can’t see it on the small screen, but certainly in most cases–been in another direction, it could have been a nonlethal wound. I am speaking here from the tragic experience of too many Mea culpas in the early days, meaning about half of my hunting life. Misses should not be taken as a signal of failure or incompetence, but neither should they be kissed off as insignificant and in need of no thought or redress. A miss is a learning opportunity–“What did I do wrong this time, baby, and what do I need to do going forward to assure that particular screw-up never happens again?” Taken as important learning opportunities, misses are essential and inescapable life lessons. Dismissed as inconsequential, as with the popular expression “Well at least I missed instead of wounding,” which I know I’ve said myself at some point, and we learn nothing and actually lose ground. Misses are inevitable, but not dismissible. I know that Steve knows and believes this, but it’s worth reminding ourselves from time to time, IMO.

[Col Mike]

#8580

Dave

Well said, some tough lessons learned.

Semper Fi

Mike

[Stephen Graf]

#9072

I guess I was assuming a lot when I said the miss didn’t matter. I was assuming everything Dave said was understood. And I was just dwelling on the thought that the purpose of the hunt was the hunt, and not the kill.

But as Dave pointed out, there is a real problem with poor hits and a cavalier attitude of “oh well, I’ll get the next one”. And I should have been more sensitive to that.

But if I may be so bold, I’ll say that I don’t think we have too many boneheads in this group and thoughtless wounding is not a big problem in the special case of this forum. Which is one of the reasons why this is the only forum I bother to waste my time on.

So Salute! to everyone here, and especially to Dave and those like him, who make me proud to be a Traditional Bow Hunter.

[shreffler]

#9106

Great video – thanks a bunch for sharing. Will have to watch again sometime when I’m not at work and can turn the volume up a bit more 😆

I agree though that ending with a kill may have just not seemed a fitting way to end the video. No one likes to miss – but despite the thousands of arrows and hours of preparation that is put in year round, we’re all human. Sometimes we miss. Sometimes the odds are just stacked against you on that particular day and no matter how much you focus on that perfect shot, the arrow flies high or low. Like he said – it’s all just part of the challenge – and that’s why we all love it so much.

[David Petersen]

#9225

Steve, I agree with you absolutely about the overall exceptional high quality–ethical, thoughtful, respectful–of an easy majority of tradbow members. Types attract types so most who follow us for a while in silence and then join, or start participating, are of the same high quality and wouldn’t be here otherwise. Our Beloved Webmother has worked long and hard and patiently to create this special and perhaps unique atmosphere for adults. Salute to all (well, most all) 😆

[Col Mike]

#9692

Steve

Your right not a lot of boneheads here. The problem are the jarheads! One in particular–Mr. Dave who persists in making us think:lol:

Semper Fi

Mike

[Brennan Herr]

#10945

I could be mistaken but I have watched the video a little more and not to beat a dead horse…but…it looks like the miss is caused by branches in between him and the buck. You can see them moving after the arrow pass by them. Just another thing to check for to help reduce wounding and misses. Can’t catch everything all the time but something like the limbs from a stand should be addressed when it is put in or at least aware of the location of them. That said, I really enjoyed this video a bunch and cannot wait to see Clay’s film and The Good Hunt.

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