I shot a compound bow for years but never understood archery until I started building bows. If you make the equipment it forces you to come to terms with with what ARCHERY IS. I also design radio controlled airplanes which forces you to learn why a plane preform in a certain way under certain conditions. When I take the plane to the flying field pilots that buy ready made planes can't understand why I don't just buy ready made planes. I think in this country we are moving to a "I want it now" mentality. It seems like it is fueled by immediate gratification and connected to comsumerism. With modern equipment you don't need to know why and think for yourself because all you are doing is pushing a button and watching how well someones Else's creation works. Now this is not a bad thing but it is what it is. Sounds like distance for them creates challenge. Think about that idea for a minute. If you take parts off their bow it would create challenge but it does not fit with the idea of selling stuff. More distance more cost. Funny thing I figured out when hunting traditional I learned to hunt so that the long shoots were not necessary. So making my equipment really taught me archery and this taught me to really learn to hunt and take shoots at 15 yards. I did not know how much I did not know before I started building so it make sense that there is problem. I would leave the uninformed alone and take your own target to a safe place that you can shoot 15 yards.
Well said. I think the sport is big enough for all of us, even (and I know some will get mad at this one) crossbows. I don't hate the commercialism of it all. I think competition and capitalism creates better products for us all. Every time I hear this argument I am reminded of the Windows revolution. The computer programmers who coined the term "Windblows" hated it because it suddenly put every day people on an even playing field with themselves, after they had spent years to learn to perform the same functions in the old school way. Yet none of these people are complaining when they pick up a new laptop for $250.00.
I believe we should focus our attention on the anti-hunters out there instead of each other. They are the real threat to our liberties. If some older man or child needs or wants a crossbow to get into the woods to hunt I have no issue with that. Many of us came to traditional/primitive archery by way of the compound and if we frown upon those weapons now, we're also frowning on future members of our own chosen skill.
As far as the range goes, I would rather practice a ten yard shot in the garage, driveway or basement than deal with the training wheel folks who are literally years behind everyone here in their knowledge and appreciation of archery, but that's just me. I'm lucky enough to have a yard backed by woods but I'm quite sure that one of the neighbors, farmers or even abandoned parking lot owners would give you permission to practice on their land, if asked. It's kind of like a one-night stand. You may get 99 "No"s before you get the one "Yes" but it only takes one, doesn't it?
