How did you get started in archery/bowhunting?

[Raylander]

Uncle loaned me a 80 pound browning recurve in 1976

Good night!

Was your uncle one of the competitors in ‘Worlds Strongest Man’ ?

 

[bfriendly]

Never shot a bow growing up but my uncle had one, so did my friend……I always thought they were cool. My bow hunting career started when the limbs on my crossbow started to split.…….I initially got the crossbow so I could hunt archery season here in GA. While waiting for new limbs to show up, I learned to shoot my son’s PSE Infinity. Once I was able to Not hit my forearm with the string, I fell in love! Got a $150 starter bow for myself. My kid never really took to his bow, even though he is a really good shot with it. I decided to adjust his bow(much faster and Sweeter than mine) for me and used it for a few seasons…..maybe 2 or 3? I ended up buying a Blackout from Cabela’s and I absolutely love it! I’m In my late fifties so I’m in the “better late than never” crowd.

 

[Triple C]

1st store-bought bow in 1970 at age 15. Shakespeare Wonderbow. Still have it. Bear Whitetail compound in 1977 when they became legal. Never killed, or for that matter, slung an arrow at a deer with either of those bows.

Martin Firecat in 1988 or ‘89. Switched to trad bow in 2014 and been shooting a Black Widow PTF V ever since.

Recently started shooting a Dan Quillian Longbow Hunter that was given to me. Bow is from around late ‘90’s. Starting to like this longbow.

 

[notnksnemor]

1st store-bought bow in 1970 at age 15. Shakespeare Wonderbow. Still have it. Bear Whitetail compound in 1977 when they became legal. Never killed, or for that matter, slung an arrow at a deer with either of those bows.

Martin Firecat in 1988 or ‘89. Switched to trad bow in 2014 and been shooting a Black Widow PTF V ever since.

Recently started shooting a Dan Quillian Longbow Hunter that was given to me. Bow is from around late ‘90’s. Starting to like this longbow.

Longbows are great.

Just not out of tree stands?

 

[The Fever]

I got started in the early 2000's with a Bear Takedown recurve. I had gold tip hunter's tipped with 75 grain steel force broadheads and killed a boat load of time.
I was a terror to the SE Ga swamps. Now I shoot a Bowtech from a saddle and I wonder if I've gone too far lol

 

[earlthegoat2]

You couldn’t firearm hunt where I grew up until age 14 but you could bow hunt at 12.

Well, I wanted to hunt.

 

[Redbow]

First bow I ever had was in the fifties my Grandpa helped me make it from a tree limb. We used tobacco twine for the string and river cane for arrows. The bow worked pretty good until I broke it then we made another one.

I never had a store bought bow until I was a grown man I still have several bows that I made hanging in my shop even today and plenty of arrows some store bought some home made.

I never hunted with my bows just target practice and stump shooting but it was fun. Too old and stiff to even mess with archery anymore now.

 

[Deerhead]

I started shooting a fiberglass bow with wooden arrows. This must have been in the early 70’s. Then moved up to a 50# Ben Pearson recurve. Shot at aka missed several deer including a Pope & Young monster. After that miss I purchased my first compound bow. It was an Indian Bow. Missed several more deer with this one. Then bought a Bear Whitetail. I shot this bow a lot and got better but still did not kill a deer with it. The after college, getting married then divorced… I bought a PSE Babby-G Force. Killed a few does with it “Finally”. Then I bought a Bowtech Allegiance. I got to be a fairly decent shot. Even won my first and only competition. Still have the PSE and Bowtech, but now that I am older I have transitioned to a crossbow. I have passed lots of does and little bucks. Guess I just like being in the woods during the early season.

 

[gordylew]

I got my first bow in 1982 or 83. Cravotta Brothers Blackhawk. It was basically a recurve with the limbs shortened and hangers with wheels added. I knew nothing about draw length. It was a 31” draw length bow 55lb draw. I currently shoot a 26.5”. Got pretty good with it but only got to hunt a couple of weekends a season. Bought a PSE PhaserIII in Jim Crumbley Treebark camo around 1985 It actually fit me and killed my first bow deer that year with it. Big ol button buck. I was hooked.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

My daddy bought me a red colored white handled Bear recurve when I was about 7 years old. He bought it at a yard sale for $2 if I remember right. Back then you could go by the store ,Heck's or Hart's, and the had a whole display of strings in plastic tubes, and a whole rack of arrows. I was in business. Man I shot and shot that thing until one day my pet ground hog chewed the end of it half off and ruint it. Daddy found another one that was a right smart stouter and I started shooting it alot. I think it was #45 @28 inches, but I wasn't pulling it that far. I found out that I could stand at the upper end of our yard, pick me out a board on the front of the outhouse and use it for a target. That went well for awhile till I started shooting one day and daddy started hollering. I didn't know he was in there I promise. He tore the bark off my hind end anyway. First compound was around 1989 when I got out of the service, it was a Bear Whitetail II. I got the bug bad and have had several since. Nothing I like better than a dripping white oak and a bow in my hand. The sound of a muzzy going thru the boiler room of one is a sweet sweet sound.

 

[Stainlessman]

Will I get booted from here if I say the "C" word..
Crossbow, I guess I'm a opatunest(if that's a word) I always wanted to try archery but was always working to much. I've had two shoulder operations in the last eight yrs. Then two yrs ago our state here started allowing crossbow hunting. So I took the online course and bought a crossbow started practicing. And I've take two deer with my crossbow. Last yr with meat in the freezer and lots of work I didn't hunt. Now semi retired and working less. I will be hunting. Here's a photo from twenty yards from my buck hut last night.

 

[splatek]

Adult onset hunter here. About a decade ago now, I think, Gander Mountain in Snellville was going out of biz. My now mother-in-law was an employee there and when they started knocking prices to 70, 80, 90% off she'd grab anything she could. Ended up grabbing a BearX Crossbow and a Diamond wheel bow. That was about the same time I got addicted to flyfishing (whole other story), but after about 5 years of solid bluelining, one day she (MIL) says to me, "I'm cleaning stuff out, do you want a crossbow?" I told her sure, and it say in my closet with a broken cam and no string for about 3-4 more years. Then I finally found someone that would mentor me a bit in hunting (a flyfishing buddy) and I got that old crossbow restrung for about $35. Killed my first ever deer with that thing at 8 yards, at 45 years old. Then I killed another. Then she asked me if I wanted a "bow" and gave me the Diamond wheel bow for free, as well. I took a small doe with it. Then one day the bow blew up on me in the yard and if I am being honest, it scared the bejesus out of me. So, I found traditional archery and dove in. Got me a samick sage, then a black hunter and killed a small buck at about 3 steps with the black hunter. That was exhilirating. I made a hickory selfbow and knapped a few points the following summer and hoped to kill a bear with it, but it broke 4 days before the season opener, so I had to use my black hunter. I really developed a love for traditional archery and the people around that sport. Picked up a few old 70's era bear bows - a grizzly and a kodiak magnum. I usually try to grab anything like that I can, because finding left handed bows can be a challenge. That grizzly is about the quietest bow I've ever shot and will be hitting the woods with me this season. This off season, I started to play around with the wheels again in order to get my 13 year old up to speed (he's a great trad shot, but likes the tech of compounds). And in that process, I've really started to like shooting that thing. Not sure if it'll hunt with me, but it sure is fun to shoot and play with long distances. There is just something special about flinging arrows.

 

[RovingCodeMonkey]

I shot recurves at camp as a kid, but didn't get my own bow until a few years ago. Picked up hunting as an adult and was looking for any way to extend my options. Over the last few years I've picked up and learned to use a compound bow, crossbow, muzzle-loader, shotgun and a rifle or three.

I'm still garbage at being a woodsman but It's a work in progress!

 

[Nicodemus]

I shot recurves at camp as a kid, but didn't get my own bow until a few years ago. Picked up hunting as an adult and was looking for any way to extend my options. Over the last few years I've picked up and learned to use a compound bow, crossbow, muzzle-loader, shotgun and a rifle or three.

I'm still garbage at being a woodsman but It's a work in progress!

Keep at it. I`ve been working at it and practicing to be a woodsman for 65 years, and I`m still learning. You`ve done well.

 

[formula1]

I bought my first bow with lawnmower money from Western Auto in 75. It was a 45# Indian Recurve combo, had push pins for sights on the side of the rubberized riser. Pull them in/ out a little to adjust windage and stick them higher/ lower in the riser for elevation. 3 cedar practice arrows and later 3 cedar hunting arrows with glued on screw-in inserts for Bear razorheads.

Shot at plenty of deer with that thing but never killed nothing until I got the Bear Whitetail and later the Whitetail II. PSE, Hoyt, then 2 Bowtech’s. Now left shoulder ain’t good so crossbows are working! It’s been a ride. My biggest buck ever was in 2009 - a 176” - shot with a Bowtech and mounted by Keith Clay Locust Grove.

Enjoyed going down memory lane!

 

[Stainlessman]

Western Auto. Now that's showing your age.
It's to bad all the good stores get gobbled up by Walmart or Walgreens.
We had a maine based drug store LaVerdiers , a french family. They had like 30 stores. Sold whatever you needed, except firearms.
Had a pharmacy in each store, fishing supplies, foods, then Rite Aid bought them.

 

[drhunter1]

My first bow was a Bear whitetail recurve when I was about 6. It was only 25 lbs but I loved that thing. That was about 52 years ago. Good Lord how time flies.

 

[formula1]

My first bow was a Bear whitetail recurve when I was about 6. It was only 25 lbs but I loved that thing. That was about 52 years ago. Good Lord how time flies.

Youngun!