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in reply to: Black Widow #51547
My maternal grandmother was an antique dealer. When her health started to slip, I started going to auctions and shows with her to help buy and sell items for her. One time I was looking for a particular item for my home and found one at another dealer’s booth that caught my eye. I asked my grandmother if the the asking price was good for that particular item. Her response was that if I liked the item and felt comfortable with the price, than the price was good.
I feel the same way when it comes to bows. If you like the bow and feel comfortable paying what the bowyer is asking, it’s a good price. Otherwise, it’s not. What someone else would pay for the same item is irrelevant.
in reply to: Are we forgetting our roots? #13806Amoose wrote: It is a shame that 2 such influential members of the Archery community could not put aside their differences, but is a perfect example of the difference between those that bowhunt due to a love of Archery, and those that use a bow just to hunt.
I think it’s also a perfect example of the difference between someone who uses himself to promote a pastime versus someone who uses a pastime to promote himself.
in reply to: Are we forgetting our roots? #11375Nine or ten years ago I took an NBEF course because my membership in a bowhunting organization mandated it. One of the first things the instructor did was ask people to name some of the folks who were instrumental in the formation of our first bowhunting seasons. The first two answers? Ted Nugent and Chuck Adams.
in reply to: Who's Hunting the Late Season? #58861David,
Since you mentioned lead bullets and meat contamination, I just want to point something out that a friend of mine who rifle hunts told me this year. A few manufacturers make lead-free hunting bullets (Hornady and Barnes are two, if I recall). So if someone is concerned about lead in their meat, there are other ammunition options readily available.
in reply to: Who's Hunting the Late Season? #58777This weekend was the end of Wisconsin’s general rifle season, and since the state finally extended bowhunting through the rifle season, my daughter and I grabbed our orange and bowhunted our property. It was cold, rainy, and oddly quiet for a Wisconsin gun season. With muzzleloader season and then a short any weapon antlerless season, it will be a couple more weeks until we can pack away the pumpkin suits for good. Personally, I’m looking forward to it.
in reply to: switch from compound to traditional longbow #53297You won’t be able to get the same arrows to tune properly in from both a 65# compound and a 50# Hill longbow. They are at opposite ends of the energy scale. You’ll either end up dangerously underspined with the compound, or grossly overspined with the longbow.
I agree with Dave’s advice regarding the transition from compound to Hill-style longbow. That’s a huge learning curve, but not impossible. Personally, I’d start with a recurve first and then go from there.
in reply to: Deer Calls? Or Just Blowing Hot Air! #51906Wayne,
By “blind calling” I mean using a call periodically even when you see no deer. The only time I use a bleat call is when I can see a buck that’s not working his way toward me, and then I only use it enough to get his attention and start him in my direction.
in reply to: Scentless waterproof spray? #51265donthomas wrote: Fuggetaboutit! If an elk can smell your waterproofing, it can smell you. Don
Exactly!
in reply to: Deer Calls? Or Just Blowing Hot Air! #51261I’ve never had much luck with grunt tubes, although I’ve stopped and shot more deer with a soft grunt than I can recall. With respect to the Primos can call, I wouldn’t be in the deer woods during the rut without one. I’ve called in and shot several bucks with it, including one last weekend. But I don’t blind call with them, and only use it after I spot a buck that’s not heading my way.
in reply to: trad bow for tall guys? #45565Are you looking for a recurve or a longbow? That may help us narrow down some options for you.
I’m 6’4″ with a 32″ draw length, and I’ve been through quite a few bows, some that worked far better than others. If you’re new to tratditional archery, I would highly suggest you stay away from short bows (for the sake of discussion, let’s assume that’s recurves less than 62″ long). Can some short bows be shot with your draw length? Technically, yes. But they will be far more twitchy at your draw than a longer bow, so why handicap yyourself right off the bat?
With respect to used bows, there’s one major problem you’re likely to encounter: draw weight. For every inch you draw over 28″ you can safely add 3# to the bow’s draw weight at 28″. Most used bows these days are in the 50-59″ weight range, which when you add 3# per inch for your draw, may be far to heavy to learn on. If you’re interested in recurves, a Hoyt Excel riser and some inexpnsive wood/glass ILF limbs will cost you less than $300 and shoot as good or better than most anything on the market. If you want a wood riser, the TradTech Pinacle can be had for a few dollars more.
in reply to: FOC Question #22070Mudd,
I think the main reason for that type of combination is that the person already has a particular broadhead they like and does not want to switch. For example, I’ve been shooting 125-grain Ace Standards for several years and have a decent supply on hand. If for some odd reason I needed to add front weight to get an arrow to tune properly, I would use heavier insert. They’re much cheaper than new broadheads.
in reply to: Hunting Deer with a 35# bow… #10049Wisconsin has a 30# minimum.
in reply to: Help with instinctive shooting #52928Steve,
You bring up some excellent points, especially regarding individual talent. I think that directly related to barebow aiming styles. I’ve never been a proponent of one style over another, having shot pretty much all of them at one point or another throughout the years. One thing I’ve noticed repeatedly is that no one aiming style works well for everyone, and there’s little as unfortunate in shooting as watching someone struggle and become mired in frustration because they felt such-n-such was the only correct way to shoot barebow and they just couldn’t reach a level of proficiency that brought them happiness.
I’m not sure at what point in time the notion that recurves are only supposed to be shot instinctively came about, but I think that idea has probably lead to more frustrated archers than any other notion. Well prior to compounds, instinctive shooting was seen as just one of many viable barebow techniques—one wrench in a box full of tools. But these days, those shooting recurves and longbows are told that instinctive shooting is the only tool they should need, regardless of whether or not it’s appropriate for the individual’s talents.
One of my good friends is an incredible instinctive archer. He’s tried various conscious aiming systems throughout the years, but he always performs at his best when he shoots instinctively. Another friend of mine is the total opposite. When he transitioned into traditional archery, he believed that instinctive shooting was the best way to shoot, and spent years not being able to hit the ground with a quiver full of arrows. Eventually he asked me for advice, and together we completely rebuilt the way he shoots. Within a few months, he went from being someone who lost a lot of arrows at 3D shoots to someone who always places in the top three. I can tell you, he actually enjoys shooting now, as opposed to being mired in self doubt and frustration.
in reply to: Whats you FOC? #51648Troy Breeding wrote: Whats you FOC?
Full length Beman ICS Camo Hunter 340s, 20 to 25-grain (I forget their exact weight) Flightmate adapters (now called glue-in/glue-on adapters), 125-grain Ace Standards, 500 grains, 13% FOC.
Troy Breeding wrote: One thing I forgot to ask is “are you content with your FOC or are you working to go higher”?
Troy
I’m very content, but the animals in my freezer are probably less than pleased about it. 😆
in reply to: Help with instinctive shooting #51642Daniel,
I agree with Clay. From what you’ve said, your problem is distance estimation. Would you buy a new car because you blow a flat? Or would you fix what’s broken?
Distance estimation is critical to any shooting style. The laws of gravity don’t go on vacation just because you ignore the tip or your arrow. The only difference with regard to the mechanics of distance estimation is that for the instinctive shooter, it is handled in the subconscious. For the rest, it’s more of a conscious decision.
I shot indoor target and field archery for several years as an instinctive shooter and won more than my share of hardware in the process. Ironically, during that time I could shoot mid-400s on a field round and 270s in an indoor round, but would always shoot over or under deer. I assumed it was buck fever or something like that. Picking a spot was never an issue. It wasn’t until I shot my first outdoor 3D round (in which I missed more than I hit) that I figured out my problem.
While I had trained my subconscious to shoot any distance between a few feet to eighty yards (field rounds), I hadn’t trained myself to recognize those distances devoid of yardage markers. If your subconscious can’t recognize the distance to a target (not necessarily put a number on it, but to guide your bow hand to the proper elevation) it’s a case of garbage in garbage out. When I filled that void in my abilities, my success in the hunting woods increased dramatically.
My suggestion to you is one that was told to me probably twenty years ago by a very successful 3D shooter. Since you already have a range finder, spend a lot of time with it. Leave your bow at home and go for routine walks in the woods. Stop at random spots, pick out something, estimate the yardage, and check it with your range finder. It won’t be long before you are able to immediately estimate yardage within your effective hunting range without using a range finder. And I’ll bet at that point filled tags will be the general rule every time you drop the string.
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