A little about Jay Massey... Please?

[Jeff D. Holchin]

I never got to meet him but sure wish I did; his four books and the three issues of Alaska Bowman are how I know him.  Maybe from a few articles about him in the PBS magazine too.  I have my own set of his books and the three Alaska Bowman magazines, but both are available right now on the PBS auction, if you would also like to know this trad bowhunting legend a little better.

[Ron LaClair]

Kevin was I there?...It might have been a different time but I recall an evening dinner like that. Like you said Dick wasn't a dancer so I remember Vickie and Brian Oats cutting a rug that night on the dance floor.

[Ted Fry]

I was fortunate to have know Jay and hunted several times with him, a great guy to be around and a real gentleman.
I have one of his Osage sinew snake selfbows and a few of his arrows , sometimes I like to just sit and feel Jay in those items.
Jays passing was a great loss to the archery community and his friends and family.
Last year I was in Girdwood Alaska ( Jays home) spending time with my family, I took a walk down along the Tinny Creek trail and there was a sign at the start of the trail thanking all that helped put the trail together , nice to see Jays name on that sign. I would post a few pictures but all I have are slides of those times.

[Pat B]

I also have what I was told is a Jay Massey bow, sinew backed osage with halibut skin cover made in Jay's style. It has no markings but the person that gave it to me said it was one of Jay's bows. One of my treasured archery pieces.

[Ron LaClair]

Jay was a man like all of us would like to be. If you looked up the word "ethics" in the dictionary you might see a picture of Jay.

In 1987 Jay came to Michigan and he and I shared a booth at "Anderson Archery Clinic", one of the largest archery/bowhunting events of the day. Jay was selling his books and booking hunts. On Saturday it was so busy that we were on our feet for hours, finely late in the day it slacked off and we got a chance to sit down and rest our feet. We had sit for less than a minute when a couple  kids, a boy and a girl about 11 or twelve stopped at the table and was looking at the pictures in Jays album.

Jay jumped up and started talking to the kids, asking questions like "do you shoot a bow" He talked to them for quite a while showing pictures and telling them about hunting in Alaska. I sat and watched admiring the man that took so much time with young kids. Then he did something that blew me away, he picked up two copies of "A Thousand Campfires" signed each copy with a personal message and gave them to the kids I've often wondered about those kids who would be adults now, if and how those books affected their lives.

I've never met a man that I've admired as much as I did Jay, he was the real deal.  His death was a great loss to traditional bowhunting.

 

[Mighty Big Country]

I was fortunate and blessed to get to know Jay and Martha Massey well having hunted with and spent numerous times at their home in Girdwood, AK.  He was a man of immense character and integrity.  Few realize, Jay and Doug Borland spear headed the implementation of the same day airborne law in Alaska; Just one shining example of his outdoor ethic.  He introduced me to the likes of Doug Borland, Dick Hamilton, and Ernie Holland amongst others.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I spent 2 weeks in girdwood , I wish I was into bowhunting at the time.

[Greg Szalewski]

I watched that video and boy did it bring back the memories. Thanks for putting that up there.

[Tony Sanders]

I only met Jay Massey once, and had the opportunity to shake his hand, and that was sometime back in the 90's I believe when he was our guest speaker at The Traditional Bow Hunters Of Maryland Annual Banguet. A really great person. I always read his stories and adventures with keen interest.

  Tony