What is "Traditional Archery"?

[Larryjk]

Is it long bows, recurved bows, the pulleys machines, how about a crossbow? I think if it shoots a stick it is archery.

[Adam Helmer]

Larryjk,

I agree with you. Here in PA the "traditional archery deer hunters" are upset our game commission has included crossbows in the archery deer season this year. Our first archery deer season back in about 1949 involved long bows. Along came recurves and then compound bows, and now crossbows. I have no problems with crossbows. Despite the sights and scopes, the crossbow is only about a 30-yard arm.

Adam

[petey]

The term used losely, "normally" refers to those using either long bow or recurve, with typically no aids in drawing or aiming.

Meaning, a bow and an arrow. No release, no sights, no fancy drop away rests, etc...

I can be taken a step further by true traditionalists who physically make their own bows, arrows; from shaft, to feathers, to broadheads.

I am both "hi-tech" and "traditional". I shoot both a decked out solo-camed bow with all the dressings, release aids, etc.. and I shoot a recurve instictively with fingers. All in what I feel like hunting with that day....both two different styles of shooting.

Of course, this description is all from my point of view of what Traditional Archery means.

[skeet]

Traditional is long or recurve in my opinion. Some of the newer "compounds" are pretty easy to shoot... maybe as easy as a crossbow.. and a whole heck of a lot quicker to shoot twice. But a crossbow is still a bow. And the bow guys that are fired up about the crossbows are 90% compound shooters. What don't they get? They want to get all fired up..have the game commission do away with crossbows AND any kind of compounds sights and release aids at the same time. Think they'd scream over that? As Petey said 2 different styles of shooting. But if I was gonna hunt with a bow..it would be plain recurve. No sights no release aids. Real bow shootin. And as has been said about 30 yds is it for the average shooter with no high tech stuff to make it easier. Bow shootin takes a LOT of practice...for a long period of time

[Adam Helmer]

skeet,

I have three recurves; two 58-inch and a 48-inch. I never crossed over to compounds or crossbows. I agree with Petey, it is all up to the individual.

Adam

[skeet]

I have some recurves too..and a Bear Alaskan Compound. Never could get as accurate with a compound for some reason. But I never shot one of those 60% or more let off bows..hunting I mean. Just didn't seem right. Nothing against compounds or crossbows just a traditionalist when it comes to bows.. but when it comes to muzzleloaders I'm not. But then I think they made inlines way back when anyway. Wish I could still shoot a bow but injured my shoulder quite a few years ago and can't pull a bow. I could shoot my crossbow though..might have to give it a try. Elk season starts Thursday...but rifle season.

[mdel747]

slow in here every one must be out sitting in the fresh air ,,
I have been running wheels for the last 18 years i ran the 3d rounds way to long ,,
you should of seen the guys at the chronograph when i poped a 328 at the ASA shoot in Illinois back in mid 90's , it was hard to get down to 280 , i stuck with IBO after that until i fry-ed on it ,

as for the cross bows i don't see much difference from them to the new wheels out there these days that spit them out at 342/352 high country i think it was but anyway , there running up to 80% let off now , so there is really no difference in the wheels and the cross bow other than the way you hold it ,

most of the time , like around this hick town i live by, everyones friends UNTIL deer season comes around , then its eat or be eaten ,
i have to lol at them, as they think the other guys going to get there big buck , and they dont know whats out there , but i do , i sat out the hunting season for a few years ,but i hunt my bucks with my Nikon with a 1000mm lens before hand , last few years

I got talking with a Buddie out here and found he was shooting sticks now , and he showed me his longbow , i liked it and that brings me to this site as i ordered a longbow and waiting for it to get here ,

I haven't shot any thing but wheels except the coon shoot at plug and pellet ( happened to win it ) must of been the beer ,

so i find my self looking FW to a new challenge and new learning curve
I will need a string and some wooden slivers unless i use ACC's but those are tweaked at 5gn # to light for the new stick if i read it right

but get back to basics and looking FW to my first trad deer

long winded mdel747

[DON WALKUP]

IMO. it's anything without wheels, including non-wheeled x-bows, that delivers an arrow.

the x-bow goes back to approximately the 9th century A.D.

up until the 1950's bows/x-bows did not have wheels.

JMO...

[Brithunter]

Hmmm having recently gotten back into archery my take on traditional is that it depends on the region/country your in/from. In England it was the Longbow although recurves eventually sneaked in but places like the Steeps of Hungary they used a shorter recurve Horse Bow. In central Asia it seems to ahve been recurves as well yet Japan had a verly long limber bow that was drawn from only 1/3 down the bow really weird looking.

I brought a used outfit, a modern target recurve with alloy riser foam carbon limbs (36lbs) and a long rod stabiliser. There is NO bow hunting in the UK so it targets only and this set up will out last me. After a break of over 30 years it's taking a lot of learning again.

[Hoyt]

I have no idea..the term Traditional wasn't around when I started shooting recurves in the 50's. We just shot the best recurves and longbows we could get.

Some used sights, stabilizers, whatever made them shoot better. I didn't hear the term Traditional until after compounds came about.

Seems like a lot of the things we used in the old days are looked down on now by the self described traditionalist.