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I didn't either, with three tears in my right shoulder rotator cuff, I didn't even bowhunt last year, have healed nicely over the last 9 months, happy to report I shot my bow and hit really well with my 30 and 40 yard pins, 25 or so shots felt nice.

I gotta get with the program, I've got a couple real stud bucks on trailcam, hope to ease in early with a bow and catch one napping.

Yes!!!

I’ve got the same problem with a torn rotator cup. Haven’t been able to bow hunt the last 2 years. Sucks but there’s no way in heck I can afford the surgery right now. And I refuse to buy a crossbow.

Thanks Dan and CHLI, I cant wait to get started, hope, in time you can heal like I did Neal, cant recall anything that hurt that bad for that long, I have an old buddy [71] that has a crossbow, I gladly hunt with that old dude, he has bad shoulders and cant draw a bow anymore.

I do hope things are good for you,but ? my shoulder surgeon told me this : i needed to do the surgery right away so nothing grows back together wrong then its to late.now this is what happened to me in late 2017 October 2 weeks before the deer rutt I fell got up lifted something to heavy and tore competely loose my main muscle in right arm and ruined what was left of my rotator cuff, this was nothing to brag about either I lost almost compete use of my right arm ,I belonged to the less than 1% club and had only 20 % chance to recovery,since the surgery in early December 2017 I started light therapy in February now in early august with a lot of therapy in the past and a lot even today ,yesterday I was able to pull a easy 30 lb coumpound bow back and shoot 1 arrow with out pain then I quit,today I shot 3 arrows very little pain, sept 14 th we head back to the mountains for elk. as a bowhunter of over 50 years its hard to see my days could me numbered yet and i have no use for a x-gun either. the surgeon said if this does not work I will need another surgery and will get all new artificial parts and that's means 15 lb. weight limit for life. the surgeon said I was the worst he has ever did shoulder surgery on,said he had to do Frankenstein stuff in my right arm that`s why I got 20 % chance and this surgery will take 2 years to recover maybe longer because I am 65 ? be careful maybe go see a surgeon,Pete53

I shoot broadheads year round because I try to hunt year round somewhere. I practice from 5 to 100 yards. For many many years, my longest shot on a whitetail was 18 yards. Only once did I take a buck at 35 yards. The bulk of my 130 archery kills with a bow are under 15 yards.

Other game in spot and stalk situations warrant what one is able to achieve in regards to how close you can get based on cover. 65 yards is my longest but kills at 30 to 65 yards have been no problem. Practice with boradheads at long ranges is what I attribute my success.

Was stupid and overconfident 20 some years ago and shot a buck at 80 yards. That was pre rangefinder and with an old 80# Hoyt compound and 2317's. I am much more proud of the kills I made at under 20 yards. My average shot on mule deer and elk has been right around 40 yards. Long range shooting is not what bowhunting's all about. Before you tell me I need to practice more, etc. I have won our local league for the last 3 years in the bowhunter class shooting the same bow I hunt with. It's not about hitting something at long range, it's about the target still being there when the arrow gets there.

My proudest bow kill was at 8 or 9 yards, a doe was walking broadsided looking into a stiff north wind, she was headed west, I was south of her in a rock crevice [gap in a bench] maybe 4 ft below her, my sightless longbow went off and she never turned her head, never heard it, I saw the arrow disappear into her ribs, massive elation on that one.

That is what bowhunting is all about! Well done.

Sept 29 is getting closer, practicing 4 to 5 times each week. Got a wedding invitation, opening day, they are going to get married with out me!!!

Thanks, and you bet centershot, the best part was me actually hitting what I was aiming at, and yes, I have to shoot three under and aim my arrow shaft at the target, I'm Scotch-Irish and Osage injun, but not enough of the peyote button, mushroom, peace pipe smoking injun breed to become the mystical flight of the arrow bullspit, gotta aim.

I prefer to shoot without conscious aiming.
Takes a lot of arrows to ingrain sight pictures for that.
Is fluid, reflexive.........and allows for movers.

But with aging and injury, I had to go 3 under and aim (not enough time to practice).
Way easier, but static..........not fluid.

I ended up face walking too.
Two sight pictures, two anchors. Good to 30 yards.

Just irks me, having draw arm higher.
I'd like to go back to split finger and reflexive.
But will proly stick with 3 under and gap again this yr.

I've taken a couple of deer at 5 and 6 yards. Definitely a rush. Treestand though.
One of these days I'll get a good one from the ground

Good for you Hook, we have to use what we have left as we age, or are injured/worn out.

I have to go three under, no choice in the matter, even though I can throw a rock and hit a tree, the bow is just different from some reason, think it's because I'm damn deadest FOR proper shot placement, burning a hole in the front sight on Sharps rifles has not helped my instinctive endeavors ;]

My bow at full draw is 58 or 60 lbs, I don't notice stacking? or whatever it's called at that low weight level, I just draw to anchor, aim down the shaft and release, going to shoot more today after the light rain moves out, will be with a bag target and field points, damn Rottweilers ate my broadhead target. how did they get 10000 sheets of foam in a square so small?

BTW Hook, if I ever get lucky and stab a big buck with a longbow, I'll never be able to come on her and give you men a report, certain I'll die in the woods from an over excited coronary condition.

I am one not to give up on drawing my bow back again ,I do not want to use a x-bow, I can draw and shoot 3 arrows at 35 lbs. about before to much pain hope to get back to 45- 50 lbs with my Barnsdale compound for elk hunting we leave September 14 th for the mountains again. I watched a TV show called Yellowstone and when they showed the mountains standing in the meadow: it sure got me the old dude bowhunter of over 55 years fired up again ! If you have never been to the mountains when the bull elk start to bugle,smelled the mountain air on cool mourning when snow is up on top of those mountains don`t do it > its a warning !! it will cost you lots of money over many years,your family will be upset with you ,its an addiction that can never be stopped to a bowhunter and I gave the fever to my son too ! good luck this fall and be safe,Pete53