Compounds :(

[kleinpm]

All the wheelie boys I encounter are very polite and interested in my equipment, I treat them with the same respect. I do slide in one bit of food for thought though when I tell them I shoot bows I make because I am cheap and only have about a buck fifty in the bow(for string material and finish) and almost nothing in my arrows but the cost of nocks and points because I traded wild turkey feathers for the shafts.

The above "food for thought" really sparks their interest but so far I only know one guy who has put down his wheels and made his own bow.

Most of the compound shooters that I know well are PROUD of how much their gear costs. Gotta have the latest and greatest. I don't get it, but I don't understand a lot of what most people do.

Patrick

[Parnell]

The Late Jay Massey called them," projectile launching devices".                   Dale

That's funny, that's what I've been calling 'em.  Last time I checked, it ain't a bow unless it bends!

[Mohawk13]

Have never owned one nor do I practice or hunt with those who do. I get alot of stares at the range and in the woods...Some questions and some rude comments...But My freezer is always full...In the end, enjoyment of ones sport and a full belly win out....

On a side not, one of my neighbors has come up with a Hickory stave and has been asking alot of questions about My bow.....Silently converting the world, One Archer at a time

[paulsemp]

It seems most people into this love messing around with tools no matter what your working on. Not only do I like archery but I love my time in the shop. So for the few compound guys I know I don't expect much of a positive response unless they like crafting things. The one thing I do brag about is the cost difference. While I spend my time in the shop they spend there time planning how to spend their next check

[Robby101]

I've been around long enough to remember when those things first started showing up. I can remember the first time I saw one. I was coming up out of the woods after shooting a round at our club, which at the time was very deep into field archery with three 14 target circuits winding through a hilly, beautiful woods full of mature hardwood of a variety native to this area. Anyway, the shack we proudly called the club house was well adorned with pegs for hanging bows and on that day I saw this thing hanging there and was truly mystified! Black, cables, sheet metal, what the heck, it was butt ugly!!! Turns out it was an Allen compound bow. Archery had been and still so much more than hitting a bulls eye every time and I stood there staring at this thing wondering how, why would anyone want something like this. I am not the greatest shot in the woods, but always manage to hold my own, but we did have a few members that despite trying every available aid, taped, screwed, or pinned to their bow, could not hold a group under sixteen inches at thirty yards, yet they were there year after year trying, and I so admired their perseverance!!!! Well, over the next couple years many of those same folks acquired those mechanical contraptions complete with sights, stabilizers, levels, a few unidentifiable's  and something else for that most critical moment, a release aid! Over the next decade, I became one of only a handful of traditional shooters and as time went on, I became the only traditional shooter, and even worse, on our typical Wednesday night gathering we still had a small turnout, I became the "only" shooter! It seems that as equipment got more refined, a lot of those compound shooters no longer felt the need to practice, lost interest, or just plain killed the spirit within themselves that brought them to archery in the first place. Many have been replaced with fellows that have never held a traditional bow, let alone seen the stuff like I make. I get a lot of questions, puzzled looks and kidding of a good nature, and don't mind a bit. I still love the sport and have never disparaged the choices people make, but have never warmed to the idea of owning one. I have had a to each his own and a live and let live approach towards life, I may not agree with the decisions people make but have always appreciated that people should be free to make them, something our government has forgotten, to the detriment of us all. Sad, but the fight goes on!
Robby

[soy]

I respect everyone's choice to shoot anything that has an arrow, to me it is all a good time!!!! To crap on someone because they are not shooting what you think is the only way to go is very closed minded and a bit unfair   a good ribbing between friends is all in good fun , but Snide remarks reflect poorly on us as a group...why all the hate?

[bloodstone]

I started with an old martin tiger compound and found that sights and all the fancy stuff just messed me up. I got it free I was happy to have a bow while waiting for my first bow making workshop, but I found I couldn't shoot it unless I took everything off of it and shot it like a traditional bow. It managed to tear my shoulder up b/c of the need to somewhat hold it and aim, out me out of shooting for over a year. Just got back in and finished my first bow

[Badly Bent]

I hunt public ground for the most part and even though its mostly crowded I rarely run into a traditional bow hunter much less a primitive guy like myself. The vast majority are compound shooters and most have little or no
interest in my equipment which is Ok because I have absolutely no interest in theirs. The few that do show interest
sometimes will say something like, I don't think I could hit anything with that, to which I usually respond, sure you could with a little practice. I'll try and explain a little about the essence of primitive archery so they'll understand why we do it this way. Sometimes I think it might give them some food for thought and further down the road that person may be ready for a further challenge or to step back and put some enjoyment back into archery.
I save the one liners for the cocky young first timers at the range who have their first bow and are bragging about the monster buck they are gonna kill this fall having never hunted a day in their life yet. Or for my one brother who went to a compound a few years ago after losing a couple deer with his recurve even though he had taken around 13 deer cleanly in about 8 years with the recurve. He found out soon enough that you can lose 'em with the rocket launcher too. He'll come back eventually.
But he's my bro so  we can razz each other and no one gets hurt.

[chamookman]

Wheelies brought about "instant archers". To Me, a certain element (mind set) that Our sport didn't need. My .02 - Bob.

[DGF]

Compound bows are what started me and many others in archery. I can't really knock em' if I used to use them. I will say that compounds and traditional/primitive gear are two way different animals.

Now, if someone were to give me a hard time over my choice of gear I'd probably dish it right back with an old classic... the yo' momma.

-Dan

[Gsulfridge]

I am a recent convert (just over a year ago).  I bought the nicest equipment I could afford and competed for many years with a compound, both on the amateur 3D circuit and in indoor leagues.  I met many fine folks along the way and received lots of coaching from accomplished pros.  Most were more than generous with their time and advice.  Once I discovered primitive archery, I sold everything and now shoot and hunt with my own bows.  I still keep in touch with some of them and take an annual bow hunting trip with them. Even though I have changed my preferences, they are still the same good ole guys and all were very congratulatory when I killed my first self bow deer on our hunt this past season, as happy for my accomplishment as I was.  While I don't foresee them converting to "my" way of hunting, we will remain hunting buddies and lifelong friends.  I don't consider them "the enemy" or hold any animosity toward them at all for their choice of gear.

[RabidApache]

Compounds ......blah ! Blah blah blah from so and so shoots faster, $$$$, kills more game, replaceable blades, syn-pathetic bow strings, chrono, speed, distance all amounts to BORING.
Most local "archery" clubs in my area are 95% c-bows. Not knocking c-bows but I just cant stand the "in" crowds comparing c-bows or shooting distances.
IMO finding/gathering available materials, craftsmanship, skill at stalking/hunting/tracking, primitive survival skills, and spiritual side of archery is what I missed most when I shot C-bows. I wanna relearn and maybe even teach the traditional values of hunting. In apache everything about the bow or arrow has a purpose, song and power. How songs were sung to find the bow wood and arrows. Not many mention the relationship between an arrow and the game intended to hunt. Apache style foreshafts were made from mahogany because deer/elk love mahogany for food. Primitive skills and crafts just kicks arse.

[Dharma]

Well, if a person was looking for a defensive weapon and couldn't utilize a firearm for whatever reason, a compound bow would be the way to go. I've read of two incidents where a compound bow was used for such doings and in both cases, the guy zapped dropped in seconds. Just a wild card to throw into this shuffle, as it were.

I've never shot a compound bow so can't really speak about whether or not it's fun to shoot. If someone likes the weapon, well, who am I to offer up criticisms. But it isn't my bow of choice.

[nclonghunter]

One of my best hunting friends purchased an original Allen bow when they first came out. He never bought another bow and killed a ton of deer with it. My first was a Pacer bow. I have owned at least 5 compounds. I have also purchased several recurves and have made at least 7 self bows. I love archer in all forms except crossbows. I suspect at later age I may need one of those also. I enjoy going into the woods carrying any of the listed bows. It's the challenge and skill of getting in close quarters with game that is awesome.

Given a choice I would rather share the woods with a compound or crossbow hunter than someone with a magnum scoped rifle that kills at 500 yards. That's just me..

[Josh B]

Having hunted with a plethora of weapons, from selfbows to compounds and flint lock front stuffers to AR platform so called black rifles and yes scoped high power rifles I could care less what is being hunted with providing the weapon is adequate for the task at hand and the shooter proficient in its use.  All the elitist BS quite frankly is beginning to boar the snot out of me.  This topic is brought up in some shape or form every few months and it is really pointless.   Instead of everyone bashing everyone else's method of hunting, how about just be thankful that you live in a free country that still allows hunting.  If it were not for the vast numbers of hunters of every strife, hunting would already be illegal here as it is in many other countries.  We all have our own individual preferences on how we fill our freezer.  Be glad that you and and the rest of the free people still have that choice.  Not everyone does.  Josh