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TIP: 4 Reasons to Try Traditional
By Mark Melotik
For most deer hunters, the dawn of a new year is the perfect time to dream big and plan for the upcoming fall. If you’re looking for inspiration, here’s a goal worth considering make 2025 the year you hunt deer with a traditional bow.
Each year, some compound-bow hunters decide to take a step back in performance and embrace the “old-school” charm of recurves and longbows. Many never look back—and some call it the best decision of their hunting lives.
Ready for a new challenge? Here are four reasons to try traditional bowhunting this year:
- Quality, Affordable Gear is Readily Available
One of the best things about traditional archery is that you can get started relatively inexpensively. In recent years, some affordable Asian import bows (available on Amazon and at select pro shops) have garnered praise from trad bow enthusiasts for their impressive performance and quality. While I haven’t personally tried them, these recurves and longbows—such as the Black Hunter—cost around $100 to $150 and are said to perform as well as custom models costing much more.
- No Special Skills Required
While shooting a traditional bow does require more athletic skill than a compound, the basics are easy to grasp for most people. The key is starting with a bow weight you can handle comfortably and shoot accurately. Most men will find a bow pulling 40 to 45 pounds at 28 inches sufficient—it’s powerful enough to shoot through a deer at traditional bowhunting distances. What are those distances? Typically, 20 yards or less, with many dedicated traditionalists preferring shots within 15 yards.
- Starting Early is Smart
Though the basics of traditional bow shooting can be learned quickly, achieving consistent hunting accuracy requires time, dedication, and practice. If you plan to hunt with traditional gear this fall, start now. For most, the process takes months, not weeks. Along the way, you may face setbacks—your accuracy might even regress at times. Don’t get discouraged. Stick with it, and you’ll improve. Few accomplishments are as rewarding as becoming a proficient traditional archer.
- Help From Pros is Readily Available
Anyone interested in traditional archery should start with a visit to their local pro shop for basic instruction and advice. Joining a local archery club can also connect you with experienced traditionalists eager to share their knowledge. Additionally, social media is a treasure trove of resources. Check out informative YouTube channels like Instinctive Addiction Archery, Samko Trad Bow, and The Push Archery to fine-tune your shooting accuracy, gear choices, and overall skills.