I hate making this decision but....

[Sir-diealot]

I hate making this decision but I am not going to go out bow hunting opening day and maybe not the entire season. I went out got all new equipment, bow sight and so on and honestly thought I would be ready for opening day but the truth is because of my two shoulder surgeries I just do not feel I am shooting consistent enough to shoot at any animal. Really sucks, I will continue to practice and maybe by the middle of the season I will be decent enough but right now I just don't want to be one of those people that just go out and fling arrows hope for the best and injure game in the process. I was late in deciding to get new stuff and try this year, in years past I always started to shoot in the summer to be ready for deer season and this year I made a fast decision to go bow hunting and traded my old bow in and got one that shot 45lbs. instead of 70 and thought I would be ready in time, I am not and refuse to injure an animal for my ego. Maybe I will get one during rifle season.

[Zag]

Crossbow time!!

[Robhuntandfish]

Seems like the right call and maybe you'll still make it out before season is over.  But sorry to hear that and you don't want to injure yourself either.

And as Zag said above.  There is a nice xbow deal here posted the other day and can still hunt the best two weeks of the season with it.  If it's an option for you. 

[airedale]

I have mentioned this before, one of the best things to do to stay in bow shooting condition is the old Bullworker exercise device. It is easy to use and a person can duplicate and exercise the muscles required to draw and shoot  a bow sitting on their couch.

I am an old man almost 72 years old and I can still draw all of my bows with no problem with some set at 70lbs. Now I can not say for sure it will help with rehabing an injury but if used properly  will positively condition and strengthen those muscles utilized for drawing a bow. I have mine sitting right here next to my desk and pick it up all the time and just do a few reps, it really works.

Al

Edited September 30, 2020 by airedale

[Sir-diealot]

21 minutes ago, Zag said:

Crossbow time!!

I am not insulting those that use a crossbow but I have never nor will I ever consider a crossbow to be archery, it is a gun with a string not archery equipment.

I will however defend anybody that chooses to use one as it is a legal implement to hunt, united we stand divided we fall.

[Sir-diealot]

21 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Seems like the right call and maybe you'll still make it out before season is over.  But sorry to hear that and you don't want to injure yourself either.

And as Zag said above.  There is a nice xbow deal here posted the other day and can still hunt the best two weeks of the season with it.  If it's an option for you. 

Thank you but I do not care for crossbows even a little bit.

[Sir-diealot]

27 minutes ago, airedale said:

I have mentioned this before, one of the best things to do to stay in bow shooting condition is the old Bullworker exercise device. It is easy to use and a person can duplicate and exercise the muscles required to draw and shoot  a bow sitting on their couch.

I am an old man almost 72 years old and I can still draw all of my bows with no problem with some set at 70lbs. Now I can not say for sure it will help with rehabing an injury but if used properly  will positively condition and strengthen those muscles utilized for drawing a bow. I have mine sitting right here next to my desk and pick it up all the time and just do a few reps, it really works.

Al

Thank you very much, I will look into that. I have in the past used the Bow Fit devises with very good results but when I had my car accident in 2001 and was no longer able to do much I paid people to clean for me and many things became lost or just simply got thrown out because they did not know what they were I suppose so I no longer have any of them. I had all 3 weights and would suggest the setup to anyone. I do no think they are made anymore though.

Edited September 30, 2020 by Sir-diealot
Misspelled word

[airedale]

The Bullworker is nothing new, these things have been around since I was a kid, they are still here because they work. The are tons of videos online to watch to show how to use these things and you can do a complete body workout if you desire. I got mine years ago just for something to exercise with because I do not have a lot of space, the conditioning for archery was a welcome side benefit.

Al

Edited September 30, 2020 by airedale

[Sir-diealot]

8 minutes ago, airedale said:

The Bullworker is nothing new, these things have been around since I was a kid, they are still here because they work. The are tons of videos online to watch to show how to use these things and you can do a complete body workout if you desire. I got mine years ago just for something to exercise with because I do not have a lot of space, the conditioning for archery was a welcome side benefit.

Al

I have a lot of free weights but right now I am not stable enough to use them much. I did look that up, the big unit is 200 plus shipping but they do have another for 89 plus shipping, I may look into that. I am also still doing therapy at home with the color bands tied off to my lat machine so I am using those to try to mimic pulling a bow as well.

[airedale]

Just want to add, check out ebay if interested in a purchase, you can not wear these things out and a good used one will save you a good chunk of change. Like I said there are plenty of you tube videos showing how to use them.

Al

[Zag]

I was against them originally to but after harvesting two nice bucks with clean shots I didn’t have anything to disagree about!!

[grampy]

I commend you in knowing your limitations, and not wanting to wound a deer. That is how a hunter and sportsman should be when considering their options. Always take the game we hunt under consideration first. Not our ego's.

I too have bad shoulders, and just take every season like it will be my last. I shoot just one arrow, and rest for a few minutes before shooting another one. I concentrate on making that first shot a good one. Just as if I were hunting. But cannot hold full draw very long at all. But I'm doing well in making that first shot. And when I can't or become unable to draw my bow, it will be time to stop bow hunting.

That said, I have no problem using a crossbow to stay in the woods! That is all I need, to just be in the woods!!! Killing a deer is just a bonus at this point after over 40 years with a bow. No a crossbow is not a vertical bow. But it is legal, and fun to shoot. And for me, choosing to hunt with a crossbow, or not hunting at all, is a no brainer.

Wish you better health, and best of luck when you do get to hunt.

 

[rob-c]

Good for you for being a responsible hunter, I agree with your philosophy 100%. Better to be proficient than to injure a deer  only to loose him so no one can enjoy the table fare or hang on their wall. Give yourself time to heal , I’m most likely going to sit out most of the season as I’m not healed enough to feel comfortable hiking through the woods. You’ve only got one body but hunting season comes around every year .  

[Swamp_bucks]

Your more responsible than most people.  Good for you for making that decision.  Deer will always be there anyway you can drop that bow down to 40? Maybe just that 5lbs can help you?  Hopefully you can get out before gun.

[Sir-diealot]

2 hours ago, Zag said:

I was against them originally to but after harvesting two nice bucks with clean shots I didn’t have anything to disagree about!!

I have shot them in the past, not my cup of tea at all. I am actually also trying to learn to shoot a stick bow. If I get good at that I will not use the compound anymore.

[Sir-diealot]

2 hours ago, grampy said:

I commend you in knowing your limitations, and not wanting to wound a deer. That is how a hunter and sportsman should be when considering their options. Always take the game we hunt under consideration first. Not our ego's.

I too have bad shoulders, and just take every season like it will be my last. I shoot just one arrow, and rest for a few minutes before shooting another one. I concentrate on making that first shot a good one. Just as if I were hunting. But cannot hold full draw very long at all. But I'm doing well in making that first shot. And when I can't or become unable to draw my bow, it will be time to stop bow hunting.

That said, I have no problem using a crossbow to stay in the woods! That is all I need, to just be in the woods!!! Killing a deer is just a bonus at this point after over 40 years with a bow. No a crossbow is not a vertical bow. But it is legal, and fun to shoot. And for me, choosing to hunt with a crossbow, or not hunting at all, is a no brainer.

Wish you better health, and best of luck when you do get to hunt.

 

I still have a lot of wobble in the bow arm shoulder and can't hold steady on my target, I had surgery on the right side as well but it seems to be doing much better. I am almost 2 years out from the last operation on the left, rehab has gone very slow on it though. They waited almost 6 months before they put me in rehab for this one because I tore the largest tendon in the shoulder this time.

[Sir-diealot]

2 hours ago, rob-c said:

Good for you for being a responsible hunter, I agree with your philosophy 100%. Better to be proficient than to injure a deer  only to loose him so no one can enjoy the table fare or hang on their wall. Give yourself time to heal , I’m most likely going to sit out most of the season as I’m not healed enough to feel comfortable hiking through the woods. You’ve only got one body but hunting season comes around every year .  

Thanks. Yes one body, mine has been through a lot and I am just trying to get in as much as I can before I am unable to anymore. I will try to go out with my camera some this season anyway.

[Sir-diealot]

1 hour ago, Swamp_bucks said:

Your more responsible than most people.  Good for you for making that decision.  Deer will always be there anyway you can drop that bow down to 40? Maybe just that 5lbs can help you?  Hopefully you can get out before gun.

No 45 is about as low as I can go and the lowest I can go and be legal to hunt with. I am going to have the guy at the bow shop check the draw though, seems like it is not set right, I have always anchored with my thumb on the rounding part of my jaw line and my index finger riding my cheekbone and for some reason I am near my neck and below when I am anchoring with this bow. (PSE Stinger)

[nyslowhand]

A very admirable & ethical choice on your part to not hunt if you don't feel "good" about it physically &/or morally! 

Edited October 1, 2020 by nyslowhand

[Hock3y24]

I respect someone much more that can make that call vs going out there and injuring something, hope you're able to keep practicing and get where you need to be. 

[Pygmy]

5 hours ago, airedale said:

I have mentioned this before, one of the best things to do to stay in bow shooting condition is the old Bullworker exercise device. It is easy to use and a person can duplicate and exercise the muscles required to draw and shoot  a bow sitting on their couch.

I am an old man almost 72 years old and I can still draw all of my bows with no problem with some set at 70lbs. Now I can not say for sure it will help with rehabing an injury but if used properly  will positively condition and strengthen those muscles utilized for drawing a bow. I have mine sitting right here next to my desk and pick it up all the time and just do a few reps, it really works.

Al

I wish you would stop posting that picture of me, Al....

Everytime you post it I get all of those calls from hot young women and The Mermaid gets all pissed off...

[Sir-diealot]

5 hours ago, nyslowhand said:

A very admirable & ethical choice on your part to not hunt if you don't feel "good" about it physically &/or morally! 

The guy who pretty much taught me everything I know about archery really instilled the ethics of archery in me, he also taught me about paying it ahead to those that are coming after me, he gave me lots of stuff related to archery and I try to do the same with up and coming hunters whether it be archery or otherwise. They are our future and we need to invest in them, I truly believe in that and one of the ways we have to invest in them is to hold ourselves to the ethics we preach and I have always said if you can't take an animal cleanly then you have no right going out there at all.

 

5 hours ago, Hock3y24 said:

I respect someone much more that can make that call vs going out there and injuring something, hope you're able to keep practicing and get where you need to be. 

Thank you for the compliment and I sure hope I can as well.

 

[Sir-diealot]

5 hours ago, Pygmy said:

I wish you would stop posting that picture of me, Al....

Everytime you post it I get all of those calls from hot young women and The Mermaid gets all pissed off...

Why is it everybody from Steuben County is so delusional?

[sodfather]

I don’t know if this has been covered but have you tried just shooting 1 or 2 arrows a day ? 

[Sir-diealot]

I don’t know if this has been covered but have you tried just shooting 1 or 2 arrows a day ? 

yeah I've been trying that I'm just not satisfied my groups aren't tight enough and consistent enough near the bullseye when I am grouping well it's not near the bullseye where it should be. I did discover that one of my site my vertical on the site is not right a screw is loose same as with the guy who owns it.

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