TRADITIONAL ARCHERY 101
In recent years, more bowhunters are trying traditional archery. Many longtime compound bowhunters are hanging their compound in the closet and giving traditional archery a try. There is something magical about traditional archery. For some, it is because it is the purest form of archery hunting; after all, it is how the Native Americans bow hunted. For others, it is because guys like Pope and Young and Fred Bear hunted this way. For many, it is because they want to challenge themselves. Traditional Archery requires the bowhunter to be extremely close to the game animal they are pursuing.
Dr. Grant Woods, the host of Growing DeerTV and well-known hunter recently made the switch to traditional archery. Dr. Woods’ show is largely about deer management but he and his crew spend a lot of time in the woods hunting. Until recently, they mostly bow hunted with compound bows. “There are many reasons I switched but one of the main reasons is because they are much lighter and easier to carry. A traditional bow is a very simple weapon that is a joy to carry around the woods,” Woods noted.
As bowhunting with compounds became more popular over the years, bow companies worked hard at making compound bows quiet. Regardless of how quiet compounds have become, they will never compare to how quiet a traditional bow is. “I love the fact that traditional bows are whisper quiet,” Woods explained. “They are so quiet when they are well-tuned that deer often don’t even react to the shot like they do a compound.”
Another reason Dr. Woods enjoys a traditional bow is because they are plain and simple. “Not much can go wrong with a traditional bow. We have all heard stories about something going wrong with a bow when hunting and it ruins a trip. A traditional bow is so simple that doesn’t happen very often. They are fairly worry free.”
Although traditional archery can be fun, it definitely isn’t easy. Becoming a good shot with a traditional bow takes time and effort. Clay Newcomb, the host of the Bear Grease Podcast and member of the MeatEater team has killed several animals with a traditional bow. He says the difficulty of the sport is what attracted him to the sport. “There is no easy route to being good at traditional archery. You can’t fake it or prop up your proficiency with technology. If you’re killing animals you are good, not lucky,’ Newcomb noted.
Bowhunters who are thinking about making the switch need to plan on shooting multiple times a week. Many dedicated traditional shooters shoot almost daily. It takes constant shooting to develop the instinctive eye required to be a good traditional archer.
Like all hunting sports, buying a new traditional bow and all the gear required can be expensive. If a bowhunter is considering trying the sport, the best option is to buy used gear. Older, traditional bows can found online relatively inexpensive.
Shooting an old long bow with arrows equipped with feathers and a cut-on contact Bear broadhead can be a ton of fun. For those who have the time to dedicate to the sport this summer, the reward of killing a deer or turkey with a traditional bow is certainly worth the extra effort.
