Gene Wensel once said, “ If you can’t keep your FIRST 3 arrows in a 5” circle,move up,you are to far away! “ consistent form is if not the most important thing to being accurate. Second , pick one bow to shoot for the year,have a backup but only use it when necessary. Third, poundage don’t believe in the myth about practicing with a light bow to get your form right, get your form straight with the bow you plan on using all year
@thecodeoftraditionalarcher27265 ай бұрын
I agree 100% Thanks for the comments!
@HondoTrailside5 ай бұрын
Two things from the Wensels. 1) between 18 yards, and 35 yards, a Whitetail is likely to jump the string. 2) Now that they are older, Barry is hunting from 16 yards. I don't actually know anyone who is dead on, all the time from 35 yards. If you look at the best barebow shooters at the Lancaster indoor shoot, under match pressure, they goof shots with fancy gear, and light draw weights, from 20 yards. 7 rings seem to show up often enough. So you have to face up to two things. Either you don't mind wounding, and wounding is the big secret of bowhunting. Survey after survey shows it. Or you are shooting from extremely short range. This isn't such a big problem for whitetail hunting. Or bears. Even moose. Since getting really close is possible.
@thecodeoftraditionalarcher27265 ай бұрын
I must say I agree with some of your points- wounding though.. not my big secret in fact I speak of losing an animal in my book since few folks ever speak of that. The big issue is every single predator on the planet- from raptors, bears to big cats wound when they hunt. There is not a single hunter out there across N America that has not wounded an animal or they simply are not hunting- across any weapons platform. I met the Wensels as a kid in the 70s- great fellas and icons truly but they also didn't discourage folks from the skill sets of traditional bowhunting either. The issue with success largely depends on opportunity (game pops) (private land) (time afield) and skillset as well.. they all factor in. Most folks that are hunting the land where a lot of "pros" have hunted are looking at very high deer pops- in comparison here in Ontario you may see one decent buck a year- if luck and skill is on your side with a 6-8 deer per square mile ratio give or take. I have seen the emphasis on success become "horn porn" more so in the past 15-20 years than prior.. it has always been there but success at all costs including risky shots seems to be the go to thing for many folks that follow what the "hunting industry" is pushing these days. I like to eat venison, it's the best organic meat in my opinion out there..and as much as I like to see big bucks- you can`t eat antlers. I know friends of mine out West that can take shots 30 yards and are effective- I also know folks that do not and get closer- but that's the point. They know what their limits are. Knowing one's limit is critical, and this is not talked about enough these days. If your limit is ten feet then it's ten feet.. make that yours. I spoke with Bryan Burkhardt (Comptons President) about this recently- I have become in the past 20-25 years very very picky about the shots I take- and he has as well.. its a learning curve and for new folks having a starting point is critical- even if its close. Thank you for the comment!
@thechroniclesofthegnostic71075 ай бұрын
I'm so glad you caution patience. One thing that seems almost never discussed relates to the fundamental question, "Why DO you bowhunt anyway??" For me, returning to bowhunting almost exclusively many years ago, then also going traditional, came from an early fall day when in thick woods a deer so very frustratingly kept moving around 30 to 60 yards out, loud all the time but barely even being visible, let alone coming in close to a shot. That frustration though? Was so... damn... exciting. And I realized by comparison every year of gun hunting had been a chore by comparison, at best punctuated by only a *few moments* of excitement. I keep hearing Carly Simon's "Anticipation" in my head when I go out into the field ever since. 😂 And realize it's not the shot and kill I enjoy, but the wonderful drawn-out process of "aaaaalllllmost" being there and getting ever closer until I am. 😊
@thecodeoftraditionalarcher27263 ай бұрын
One of the primary reasons I wrote my book was that the "process" is largely forgotten by today`s "influencers"- replaced by products.. Thank you for sharing!!
@user-gr7dz8vg1d5 ай бұрын
All very good points
@thecodeoftraditionalarcher27265 ай бұрын
Cheers!
@michaelmccatty13415 ай бұрын
So important to show respect to the animal you are hunting. Making a quick kill shows that you respect and care for the life you just took. I once made a clean kill at 35 yards, but I wasn't talented enough to take that shot. I probably could hit the 4" circle 60% of the time at that distance, but that's not a good enough percentage. I will never take a 60% kill shot again.