Trad Archer wannabe

[RedSectorA]

Hello Tradgang,  My name is Joel and I am an aspiring Traditional Archery newbie.   I don't shoot archery of any kind, but I am now very interested in learning Traditional Archery.  Now, I don't hunt, however, I have nothing against it.  I fully support everyone's right to do their own thing, as long as it doesn't infringe upon the rights of others.  I'm more interested in just shooting archery for now, though I may get into Target or 3D shoots eventually.

I have been looking online, watching video's on YouTube, and based on what I've seen, I think Trad Archery is what I want.   I've studied it in articles, and video, and I'm now wanting to find some one to give me lessons, and advice, before I go and get any equipment.   Therein, lay the problem.

I have tried calling the local clubs within 20-30 miles of me, most don't have their phones manned, so I have left messages.  I have emailed the clubs when I haven't gotten a reply to my phone calls, and so far, after weeks of trying, not one clubs has called or emailed me back.   I have to say, this has gotten me a bit discouraged.  

I am looking for private lessons, as I suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder and don't do well with groups, even with people I know, let alone groups of strangers.  I don't mind paying the extra money that private lessons would cost, I just can't seem to find any people to take my money.  

So, when I found this site, I thought I might ask a group of friendly looking Traditional Archers, if they had any suggestions on what steps I could take to get some response from these Archery Clubs.

Thank you, in advance, for any advice you could offer.

Joel  
SE Michigan

[Terry Green]

Are you looking for Traditional Archery or Traditional Bowhunting?

[RedSectorA]

Just Traditional Archery, specifically Recurve. I'm not a hunter!

[snakebit40]

I just enrolled into the Ironmind Hunting online course by Joel Turner. I highly recommend it! I think where you are new to archery, this will help you get started on the right path and stay on it. Have fun!

[Terry Green]

Originally posted by RedSectorA:
Just Traditional Archery, specifically Recurve. I'm not a hunter!

OK...just making sure cause this is a Trad Bowhunting site and I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea of TradGang.

Yes,...lots of friendly and helpful people here for sure.

Have fun.

[Bowguy67]

As a beginner I'd advise staying off you tube. Anyone can post there and I've seen some horrendous stuff. Things posted as informative that just weren't right.
You're doing right looking for an instructor. Make sure he's showing/understands the way you wish to learn

[RedSectorA]

Ah, ok.  Don't mean to intrude on a hunting site.  I'll keep searching around for a site just about Traditional Archery.

Just want to say again that I have nothing against hunting, just not for me.

Thanks for advice all.  Good luck with your Trad hunting.  

[Bud B.]

Jump over to the shooting form forum.

[McDave]

Your desire not to shoot with other people may conflict with contacting an archery club, whose aim is getting people together to shoot.  Our club allows the public to shoot our range, for a fee.  You could shoot there all day without talking with anyone, if you wanted to.  So unless you have private property where you can shoot, you need to find a club like ours.  I would imagine there are quite a few skilled archers who would spend time with you if you could find out who they are, because we realize our sport is not immensely popular, and we would like to keep it alive.  If you were in California, I would be happy to spend time with you, as I have with many others.  There are probably people like me in Michigan.  Good luck!

[Terry Green]

Oh...you're not intruding....just letting you know.

 You might have questions that don't pertain to this site that's all.  Not that you certainly can't learn something here....by all means you can.

And the shooting forum here is for sure QUALITY and not quantity.

[Stumpkiller]

Welcome RedSectorA,

You are in luck.  You have the opportunity to start off correctly and not pick up bad habits you'll need to unlearn.

I started with archery - back when it wasn't "traditional" - and briefly ventured into compound bows.  Accurate but impractical.  So I went back to my roots in archery and adapted it to bowhunting.

Like Terry said, though, we are bowhunters.  Formal archery may split quite a bit from bowhunting.  The NFAA is a great common ground.  certainly any traditional bowhunter is by default a traditional archer; but form is adapted to need instead of being rigid and formal.

Stick around.  Maybe you'll catch the hunting bug.

[Stumpkiller]

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=148814

[Michael Arnette]

If you have a chance take a look on YouTube for "the push" traditional archery film. It's a good start and would really fit your aspirations well

[Steelhead]

Sent you a message Joel.