I shoot recurves with and without sights. I also like to shoot Oneida bows the same way. People ask me when I shoot with a sight on a recurve why I don't just shoot a compound. Usually respond that I like the feel of a recurve and like the fact that there is less parts to fail on a recurve. So has anyone here had the same question asked and how do you answer. Thought it would be fun to hear people's responses.

I only get that from some people here. Anyone else doesn't really care. LOL

"People ask me when I shoot with a sight on a recurve why I don't just shoot a compound."

That question usually translates into, "You're not shooting a recurve the way I want you to, so I wish you'd go away." I've heard that question on account of everything from gap shooting to metal risers to elevated rests and carbon arrows. Honestly...water off a duck's back.

I do what I want. If I wanted to shoot and call it Instinctive I would do it. If I wanted to string walk I would, If I wanted to gao shoot at bow or target I would.If I wanted to use a release aid with an ASL I would. I am not TRAD, I am a Recurve longbow shooter and I AM COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET AND SAYIN IT IS OK TO USE A METAL RISER TOO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I did not like the Village people. lol

"Well, I'm into archery and in archery you have to shoot a bow. For 50,000 years bows got harder as you pulled them back. A compound is not a bow."

LOL. I usually get a good laugh.

Bowmania

AND you could also say, "I don't want to embarrass myself by shooting a compound in a hunting season that was started for primitive weapons."

Bowmania

LOL, I've had folks ask me that when I do some string walking.

99% of the time it comes from folks who can't hit a 4ft X 4ft square at 20 yards.

To each his/her own. I like a full bag of tricks to use (sights sometimes one of them), but only with my recurve, or longbow.

Rick

People were using sight pins on recurves and longbows long before compound bows showed up and long before anyone referred to them as "traditional" bows.

You might explain to the, er uh person that Fred Bear shot sights in the 1930's, just a day or two before compounds.

All I can say is "shoot what you like and enjoy shooting" It really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Tzioxphon, by the way, about 10 years back I smashed my ring finger on my string hand and couldn't draw or shoot my longbow. I put a D-loop on my string and used a release to hunt with. It worked very well and I was able to hunt and harvest 3 deer with that set up. LOL. You should have seen the looks I got at the range with that set up!

Heck I just started shooting left handed. By all accounts of anyone teaching shooting form, I'm waaaay out there. I had some elbow issues and picked up my wife's left handed Widow one day. In one hour almost 30 years of recurve shooting all changed. I am selling all my right handed bows (that don't have sentimental value), and shoot better than I ever have after only 2 months. The only thing that really changed is I have to shoot one eye now; that dominant right eye wants to take over if it's not mostly closed.

My first lefty I picked up was a Kodiak Hunter with a sight on it. I removed it, but then I thought what the heck, if I'm experimenting, let's try that too. I think just for kicks I'm going to put it back on.

Jim, I tried a release with my recurve in '07 when I was dealing with an injury to my draw arm. I could never get used to the shock of releasing that string with the trigger. I ended up getting a compound and shooting 2 deer with it that year. Should have killed the biggest buck of my life with that setup but he heard the bow and ducked completely under the arrow. Guess they don't get that big in Illinois without being smart. LOL

I like shooting my recurves instinctively. If I need to range find and pick a pin I will use my compound and said gadget and gadgets. I am happy we have options and can all do what we like. I am not bothered if you shoot different equipment or style than I.

I have a friend that lost sight from his dominant right eye and he was right handed. Going to a DAS sight on a left hand bow, is not only his accuracy aid, it is also his relative sizing range finder on deer. He is once again a happy and successful bowhunter. What could possibly be wrong with that? When he went to a shoot, not one person had anything critical to say to him.

Sites were traditional until about the time that Traditional Bowhunter magazine came out.,then the definition of what was traditional kind of changed IMO

"People ask me when I shoot with a sight on a recurve why I don't just shoot a compound."

When anyone asks me a question with an obvious underlying agenda on any subject, I usually explain that they have mistaken me for someone who gives a ****.

I remember my dad and some of his buddies shooting self bows with matchsticks taped to the back of their bows in the '50's. Don't know if they hunted with them but it was no big deal to them either way.

tbm had an article by a well known bowyer giving the definition of trad.... I didn't measure up so I just do my own thing...ron

In 1967 there were over 30 archers in our club at Chestnut Ridge A.C., There were only two of use who hunting without bow sights.

This "trad" thing is totally made-up and started in the 1990's. Prior to that, almost all bowhunters used a sight, and those who went to compounds simply were continuing using a bow sight...as they did with their recurves. There were almost no longbows around in the 1960's, save for a few guys who were Howard Hill fans.

Another disappointment to the neotrad generation...those who think trad was invented in their lifetime, is that the old guard looked forward to improvements to help them be better shooters in the woods...and that included synthetic and alloy arrows, bow sights, raised arrow rests, and some even used releases....including the Asian people of thousands of years ago.

Nothing wrong with limiting yourself as much as you like, but don't be so haughty that you think no one else ever used sights, or other accessories well before you were even a thought.

I am one that had a re-curve with a 5 pin sight before compounds were invented. One answer, it is about 1/3 the weight. My answer is I am an ARCHER. If it flings an arrow I have shot it. I simply prefer my Osage Self Longbow at this time.>>>----> Ken

I'd rather carry a recurve with a sight than a compound any day. Like 2 bears said, just the weight alone makes a big difference, plus I can always cant the sight out of the way and shoot "instinctively" if I need to take a really quick shot.

It was actually my compound shooting hunting partner that said "you should put a single pin sight on that thing so you can hit something" That was in 1986, I've never looked back. Been shooting one pin for over 30 years, I like to hit what I,m shooting at. Not saying that I can't still miss, just not as often:) John

I went to field archery club not long ago and a friend there,who I see only at 3D, said he'd never seen me shoot a bow with sight on it before.I told him that every time I stepped up to a target where it was more than 40yds I was just guessing without it and I don't like looking for my arrows.

limbwalker nailed it in my opinion. Regardless of what the "traditional romanticists" want to admit, sights have been a part of recurve shooting for a long, long time. And using them like George and limbwaker suggest may be the most versatile style of shooting available for those who actually want to learn to shoot well, and be effective beyond 17.3 yards.

I shot sights for a few years and can tell you from experience that sights will do anything hunting that barebow will. And do it quickly if need be. Not sure where that barebow's better for hunting came from but whoever said it never hunted with a stickbow n sights.

"This "trad" thing is totally made-up and started in the 1990's."

Exactly right, George. Agree with you about the percentage of archers and bowhunters using sights in the so called "Golden Age" of archery.

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