Is archery a lost art?

[Limbwalker]

I was in Bass Pro the other day for less than 20 min., and saw at least 5 kids bows heading to the registers. It's a real shame they aren't buying recurves for those kids. Half those bows won't fit those kids they're being purchased for, in less than 2 years. A good little recurve can last and last. Well, our society is a disposable one these days, so...

[BO-N-ARO]

I think personality is a huge factor when it comes to archery and or hunting. Traditional, compound, crossbow, rifle (center fire or mussel loader).
I have shot and hunted with all of them over the years and in general the gun hunters vs archery hunters are just plain and simple different. ( some good folks and some not so good in both groups, but different) I have no comment about those that use cross bows since I have not hunted, or even shot one. But I will say this, I think again in general, cross bows are used by those that choose not to spend the time to become an archer and have a different personality than a archer. This does not include those that have to use a crossbow due to physical reasons.
I do think the art of archery is fragile, and it is up to us to teach others. That is why the Pope and Young Club is so important and why all of us should be members and support this organization.
The Texans Archery Academy here in Plano/Dallas and now San Antonio is a breath of fresh air for archery. Visit it on a Saturday and you will find it full of kids and parents learning this art and life style.

[M.E.B.]

We need a bunch of bowyers, trad clubs and archers to sponser a traditional archer show on cable.

[Buff]

I was big time against Texas making x bows legal during archery season.
My one and only heart burn with them was that it would remove the incentive for kids to learn to shoot a bow. I think most of the folks I know started bow hunting because they could not only hunt in October but they could shoot a doe with there bow, they were not legal to shoot during gun season.

There is no going back now and 80% of the kids that hunt my farm are using cross bows.
You can take a 6 year old, show him how to look through the scope and he can kill a deer with it. I have seen folks kill a deer or pig with the 3rd or 4th arrow they had ever shot in their life.

I see no difference between a x-bow and a gun.
It is just sad they will never know how much fun it is to have a goal, practice long and hard and then finally take a deer with their bow.
It is a great feeling

[60 Deluxe]

Give me a bow or give me a gun and I will be o.k. in the woods. I cannot imagine carrying anything more clumbsy than a crossbow.

I really like the idea of archery clubs in the schools.

[M.E.B.]

I was big time against Texas making x bows legal during archery season.
My one and only heart burn with them was that it would remove the incentive for kids to learn to shoot a bow. I think most of the folks I know started bow hunting because they could not only hunt in October but they could shoot a doe with there bow, they were not legal to shoot during gun season.

There is no going back now and 80% of the kids that hunt my farm are using cross bows.
You can take a 6 year old, show him how to look through the scope and he can kill a deer with it. I have seen folks kill a deer or pig with the 3rd or 4th arrow they had ever shot in their life.

I see no difference between a x-bow and a gun.
It is just sad they will never know how much fun it is to have a goal, practice long and hard and then finally take a deer with their bow.
It is a great feeling

My buddy's 3 girls all shot their first deer with crossbows at our lease. They were all around 7-9 yrs old. Yep practiced a few shots and went out and hunted. Killed the first or second time on the stand. He never really gave them a chance to get involved in archery.

My sons killed their first bow killed deer with 30 lb recurves at ages 7 and 9. It was a blast getting them their first deer with rifle and with bows.

[ajcarricktx]

I agree I know growing up I was not allowed to go hunting untill I could keep all of my arrows in a small pie plate. I wasn't allowed to have a release untill I was 16 many years after I had started shooting. I only wish they would require at a minimum an archery proficiency test to get an archery endorsement on your license. I have l have lots of friends at work that think I'm Fred Bear himself because I can set up a bow or cause I've killed something with a recurve.

[lepperson]

My boys are 5,8, and 10. My take on trad and kids is far more than their accuracy with the bow. It's the skill needed to get that animal inside trad range. Which differs for many I know. Between my three boys one can't stay quite over 14 seconds, one has to pee every 15, and the other will be asleep 5 minutes after we're in the blind! The day they reach the obsessive stage in archery as their father as I'll spend my life savings on custom curves or sticks for each. But as far now I'm just cherishing the moments spent with them wether they are holding a rifle, xbow, slingshot, or pea shooter.

[moe monsarrat]

I just came from my backyard range & hung up my longbow.....it ain't lost.

[M.E.B.]

I just came from my backyard range & hung up my longbow.....it ain't lost.

I don't know if what I do with my longbow could be considered art.

[Limbwalker]

Give me a bow or give me a gun and I will be o.k. in the woods. I cannot imagine carrying anything more clumbsy than a crossbow.

I really like the idea of archery clubs in the schools.

I couldn't agree more, on all counts.

[RickBarbee]

Naaa. You just ain't lookin in the right places.

It seems to me archery & traditional archery have been on the incline the last few years.

As far as the other stuff about the Xbows & stuff.
I decided a while back it wasn't worth the rise in my blood pressure to be concerned with it.

I will add this however - Marty, I'm just as apposed to the crossbows as you are. If I owned a hunting place/operation like yours, they would not be allowed except for qualifying handicapped. No other exceptions period.

Rick

[M.E.B.]

I don't like crossbows. If I had to hunt public land I would like them a lot less.

[Texas5o]

To each his/her own. I am not big fan of crossbows either, but you have to admit that it gets more people into the woods than would be otherwise.
As far as the original post on this thread......I think our society has become a society of "instant gratification" in far more things than archery/bowhuning. I'll just try to enjoy the time I get to spend in the field, or in the back yard, with my hunting equipment (whatever it may be), and to teach my kids and grandkids to do the same.

[Limbwalker]

I am not big fan of crossbows either, but you have to admit that it gets more people into the woods than would be otherwise.

Yup, and if we threw $1000 out on the ground and announced it on twitter, we'd get even more folks into the woods...

The thing that some "legislators" don't understand is the difference between quantity and quality. Perry signed the X-bow bill because he's swayed by the lobbyists and I'm sure sees more revenue for TPWD, and doesn't genuinely care about those who put their time in to have a quality experience in the outdoors. It's the worst kind of legislator IMO - one that has a small knowledge of a subject, and makes decisions based on that.

X-bows were kept off some public lands because there is no safety course for them, and if any weapon needs one, it's a crossbow.

So-called "bowhunters" are going to be putting the crosshairs on things they can barely see, and pulling the trigger with no concern for how little energy a crossbow bolt carries at longer distances.