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I’ve been told…

CP3

CP3

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2021
Messages
579
That going back and forth between compounds and traditional messes your form up for both.

I’ve always hunted with a compound and have recently wanted to get into traditional, but not wanting to make a whole sell switch. Is there any truth to this?

Do you need to choose one a solely devote all your energy to it alone?
 
I always suggest somewhat jokingly of course that guys that want to go trad drop their training wheels (the compound). I have found that my friends who dabble in both tend to find a reason to grab the compound every hunt because they are just more confident. I say don’t give yourself the out, if your serious about giving trad a real go. Not to say you couldn’t become good with both.
 
Doing both definitely messed up my trad accuracy but not so much with the compound.

Ultimately I decided to fully commit to trad and my proficiency went way up, especially with hunting success.

That being said, I did use my compound out west for elk because my trad bows are a little light pounded wise and I wanted a little more range.
 
CP3 said:
That going back and forth between compounds and traditional messes your form up for both.

I’ve always hunted with a compound and have recently wanted to get into traditional, but not wanting to make a whole sell switch. Is there any truth to this?

Do you need to choose one a solely devote all your energy to it alone?
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I disagree also. I can go back and forth with no problems.
probably just an anxiety thing.
 
I made the switch a long time ago. The guy who got me started told me I would never get good with a trad bow if I had my wheels to fall back on. I realized he was right and sold all my compound stuff. I had to go all in. That was my personal choice and it worked for me.

There is so many great things about every aspect of archery. Primitive, modern, recurves, longbows, compound bows, crossbows all have something great to offer and none is better than the other. They all have limitations and are challenging, some more challenging than others but all offer real challenges. The one challenge that traditional archery gave to me was it forced me to get closer to game which made me a better hunter. I had so much more to consider it preparation for a much closer shot than with a trad bow and I am a better hunter because of it. I’m not saying I am a good hunter but I really believe I am better because of it.

These days because of a shoulder injury years ago I find myself using a crossbow more and more and my hunting style has not changed. Close encounters, adrenaline rush, hunting and killing my food, there’s nothing like it.
 
Robert loper said:
I disagree also. I can go back and forth with no problems.
probably just an anxiety thing.
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Some people are just talented like yourself. I’d say it has less to do with anxiety and more to do with how different the mechanics are. Are there any pros in both arenas? At the end of the day it’s different strokes for different folks. I find shooting a compound incredibly boring so I don’t have to worry about it.
 
Can you expound on your statement? It helps your trad form? I’ve heard it doesn’t hurt, I’ve heard it does hurt. But I’ve never seen someone say it helps.
 

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One of the problems people get with Trad is calmness, and pause for the shot. Target panic is common in small or large form. The compound bow keeps one used to holding back and settling a bit better at full draw. That translates to better controlled shots I believe. But to each his own.

I guess I should add I’ve been shooting trad for 32 year, make and sell bows, and also shoot some wheels again as of 2020.. all good

this site is pretty nice, I’ve been a hang and hunt guy since about 2000, when I realized its what made me a top predator.
 
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This is a fun thread and I think the OP asked a question lots of folks have asked themselves, some like me have asked it repeatedly over time.
I personally believe it boils down to what you are trying to achieve through archery. If you were a serious/semi-serious archer who likes to punch paper or qualify with points for huge 3d circuit events then it would be best to focus on one type of bow. If you shoot paper with friends, occasionally shoot some foam on weekends and devote most of your archery time and efforts toward hitting the woods in the fall, then I don't think there is any 'problem' with shooting both. You can easily maintain proficiency with both.

I shoot trad bows all year, usually everyday in my yard but for the past 4 years I break out my compound a couple months before the season and exclusively devote my time to that bow. I appreciate the predictable accuracy but more importantly the RANGE that I feel comfortable shooting a compound bow at, but truth be told, every animal I have ever killed with a compound has been well within my effective single-string bow distance without exception.

This forum, and specifically this board on the forum is really beginning to recharge my single-string bow obsession again.
 
Target panic is common. Target panic is a strange concept to me. Thankfully I have not struggled with it. Does it disproportionately infect trad archers as opposed to compound archers?
 
Agree, I updated my post. I’ll shoot anything, but 90% has been Trad. Never saw wheels as a detriment
 
Petrichor said:
Target panic is common. Target panic is a strange concept to me. Thankfully I have not struggled with it. Does it disproportionately infect trad archers as opposed to compound archers?
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Yes, you’re having full tension when aiming and your brain says ”it’s go time”
 
Petrichor said:
Target panic is common. Target panic is a strange concept to me. Thankfully I have not struggled with it. Does it disproportionately infect trad archers as opposed to compound archers?
Click to expand...


I don’t hunt Trad, I’ve only played around with it a bit, i only have two additions to this thread:

1)it’s nice to see a possibly controversial civil thread that hasn’t gotten ugly haha

2)I think it does for the simple fact that a thumb/trigger/back tension release is a far more consistent than fingers which equals a more desirable result when letting the arrow fly during a “panicked” shot.
 
Petrichor said:
Some people are just talented like yourself. I’d say it has less to do with anxiety and more to do with how different the mechanics are. Are there any pros in both arenas? At the end of the day it’s different strokes for different folks. I find shooting a compound incredibly boring so I don’t have to worry about it.
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I do agree. Lol. I am
Petrichor said:
Some people are just talented like yourself. I’d say it has less to do with anxiety and more to do with how different the mechanics are. Are there any pros in both arenas? At the end of the day it’s different strokes for different folks. I find shooting a compound incredibly boring so I don’t have to worry about it.
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id say anxiety being a target anxiety or a form anxiety comparing both. Most compounds use releases, have peep, kisser, or ive even seen a clicker .
most trad bows ( from what i have seen ) are more trad like. No sights, no peeps, no kissers, no release, sometimes a clicker yes thats about it
With trad especially beginners thier is alot more to think about than picking up a compound and at least for me.
a compound becomes almost muscle memory
So much faster than a trad bow.
thats all i mean.
im far far from being talented , i just work on it or have been recently because i want to go 100% trad within the next few years.
 
Yes, you can. I did it for a few years, but it wasn't until I put the compound down for good that my form and accuracy increased by a noticeable amount. I still have my compound, but it only gets shot by friends when they want to shoot. I set it up for a buddy before our bow season. I shot it a few times during that process, and it realized that I won't ever use one again. It was too easy to shoot even at long distances even after not shooting it for 2 years.
 
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ketch22 said:
I don’t hunt Trad, I’ve only played around with it a bit, i only have two additions to this thread:

1)it’s nice to see a possibly controversial civil thread that hasn’t gotten ugly haha
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Yes, the trad forum in general on this site is pretty top notch.
 
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