Last week I had the pleasure of hosting an old Navy buddy I served with many years ago. He came up from PA for a few days of fishin, but the weather was pretty bad so we spent time at our camp sitting round the campfire, eating fresh walleye and grilled vension hind quarter and puttin a hurt on the local beer supply.
PAul is pretty new to archery, been shooting hos wheelie bow at his local club, but had expressed some interest in Trad archery. So, I threw a few bows in the truck before I left home.
I had a Bear, Shakespeare and a Browning recurve laying around in right hand, nad of course a couple of my Thundersticks, but theyre leftys.
Anyway, we were hangin out grillin dinnern and I strung up the 'curves for him to try out. It was kinda like watchin a new fawn takin his first steps as he shot a few arrows over the block into the tall grass. He as a little shaky and unsure, but after some playin around, and re-assuring him a couple lost arrows wasnt any big deal, he started to relax and focus, and soon enough was hittin the target.
I saw a grin on his face, and I could tell he was likin it.
After a couple days doing that, I asked him which bow he seemed most comfyt with. he felt the Browning fit him the best. Good enough for me, I gave it to him, along with a fistful of cedars to take home with him.
While I dont know if he'll take to it enough to hunt with it just yet, hes got a good start.
He was amazed at the ease I shoot my longbow, and couldnt get over how much fun they are to shoot.
Didn't catch many fish, but hooked into another trad archer in the making.
All in all, it was a great reunion. I got out of the Seabees after one hitch, Paul stuck it out and retired a few yrs back. . Been a lot of years since we've seen each other. But seems like just yesterday.