LessIsLess
Well-Known Member
Long time reader, first time poster. The forum's been a great read in the past, and I half signed up a few times, but until now I wasn't comfortable with 'the man' knowing who I was and where I lived. I appreciate letting me just browse in the past 
Now back on topic here - A couple years back I launched a plan to get my dad back in the woods more. I scouted and put him in a few honey holes, and he had some success, which made it easier to keep getting him back in the woods. My plan peaked last year, when I finally convinced him to hand over his recurve (browning nomad from the 70s) and replaced it with a crossbow.
OK - I know a couple of you just puked, and maybe a couple others put their hand through their monitors, but stay with me here. He had not TRULY archery hunted in probably a decade. Complaints of the heat, seed ticks, chiggers, work, and what have you. I got him in the stand a couple years ago with his bow, and when I snuck up on him to get him down for lunch, I found him sitting with the bow unstrung. Looking back at it, I realized that he was probably simply too proud to admit that he couldn't pull his bow any longer. So getting him the crossbow for his birthday was my last hope at getting him back in the woods for archery. I just had to get him past all his lifetime of comments on crossbow users as "for them handicaps" or something of that manner. Capping this piece off - he's now sighted in with the crossbow and couldn't be more excited to get in the woods opening weekend.
When the handoff of his recurve took place last spring, I immediately took the bow in and had it checked out. Got a new string, some new arrows, and set off to my back yard for daily practice. The bow is 54" and 47#, and I know that the old man has taken many deer with it in the past. After about 6 weeks, I was holding 3-4" groups at 15 yards, but was much less comfortable at 20 (more of a pie plate group, I feel like 18 yards or so was when the speed really slowed and it was tougher to stay accurate). As of last week I had worn the fletchings off of all 6 arrows, and dropped them off to have them refletched. When I went to pick them up, I was so excited to shoot I, I asked to use the range in the shop. I always enjoy talking to others shooting, and there were some good people in, so I planned to stay for an hour or so. On my third shot, I was settling in to take aim, and the upper limb exploded. Shrapnel flying, people ducking....it took me a few seconds to even figure out what happened. Right where the string loops around the limb, the limb had buckled and pulled apart. Dead bow, and it seems for good.
I'm pretty deflated on bow season now. I'd put a lot of stock in continuing on to hunt with my dad's bow, and hopefully taking a good deer with it (and my first with a traditional setup) this fall. All emotions aside, I have no idea what I'm going to do. Going back to the compound seems boring, and I haven't shot it in 9 months or so. The thought of a new recurve is kind of cool, but seems very costly and I'm not educated on it. Buying used gives me some concerns on past care and how long they�d last (given my recent experience). With the season being right around the corner, I don't think my indecisiveness is going to pay off.....any thoughts from the wise ones?
Now back on topic here - A couple years back I launched a plan to get my dad back in the woods more. I scouted and put him in a few honey holes, and he had some success, which made it easier to keep getting him back in the woods. My plan peaked last year, when I finally convinced him to hand over his recurve (browning nomad from the 70s) and replaced it with a crossbow.
OK - I know a couple of you just puked, and maybe a couple others put their hand through their monitors, but stay with me here. He had not TRULY archery hunted in probably a decade. Complaints of the heat, seed ticks, chiggers, work, and what have you. I got him in the stand a couple years ago with his bow, and when I snuck up on him to get him down for lunch, I found him sitting with the bow unstrung. Looking back at it, I realized that he was probably simply too proud to admit that he couldn't pull his bow any longer. So getting him the crossbow for his birthday was my last hope at getting him back in the woods for archery. I just had to get him past all his lifetime of comments on crossbow users as "for them handicaps" or something of that manner. Capping this piece off - he's now sighted in with the crossbow and couldn't be more excited to get in the woods opening weekend.
When the handoff of his recurve took place last spring, I immediately took the bow in and had it checked out. Got a new string, some new arrows, and set off to my back yard for daily practice. The bow is 54" and 47#, and I know that the old man has taken many deer with it in the past. After about 6 weeks, I was holding 3-4" groups at 15 yards, but was much less comfortable at 20 (more of a pie plate group, I feel like 18 yards or so was when the speed really slowed and it was tougher to stay accurate). As of last week I had worn the fletchings off of all 6 arrows, and dropped them off to have them refletched. When I went to pick them up, I was so excited to shoot I, I asked to use the range in the shop. I always enjoy talking to others shooting, and there were some good people in, so I planned to stay for an hour or so. On my third shot, I was settling in to take aim, and the upper limb exploded. Shrapnel flying, people ducking....it took me a few seconds to even figure out what happened. Right where the string loops around the limb, the limb had buckled and pulled apart. Dead bow, and it seems for good.
I'm pretty deflated on bow season now. I'd put a lot of stock in continuing on to hunt with my dad's bow, and hopefully taking a good deer with it (and my first with a traditional setup) this fall. All emotions aside, I have no idea what I'm going to do. Going back to the compound seems boring, and I haven't shot it in 9 months or so. The thought of a new recurve is kind of cool, but seems very costly and I'm not educated on it. Buying used gives me some concerns on past care and how long they�d last (given my recent experience). With the season being right around the corner, I don't think my indecisiveness is going to pay off.....any thoughts from the wise ones?
