Old Bowhunters Thread....

[woodchucker]

About 1980.....

I was home on leave from the Marines. My future(and now) brother inlaw, his youngest brother & I, took a trip up north, to my uncle's mountain in Schoharie Co. My brother inlaw had 1 of the first compounds, a 50# nonadjustable Bear Blacktail Hunter. His younger brother had a Pearson recurve, and I had my old 50# Bear Alaskan. I had camo painted the old Bear and it was now wearing a green tape on 4 arrow bowquiver. We were all shooting 2117 Easton "Gamegetters" with plastic vanes, off of a Bear Weatherest. Mine were tipped with old green Bear Razorheads. I was dressed head to toe, in my Marine issue woodland camo utilitys, and my face was painted with G.I. camy stick face paint. We were SERIOUS Bowhunters!!!!!

I stillhunted my way up the upper logroad of the mountain, bumping a few deer along the way. 1 was even a buck, a nice 4 pointer!!! On top of the mountain, was a big overgrown pasture field. I stillhunted along the edge of the field, and came acrossed another bowhunter sitting on a rock alongside the field. I slowly walked up to him & said "Good morning".....

He was an old grey haired gentleman with a grey beard. He was wearing green wool pants & a Red&Black wool Mackinaw. On his head was an old Red&Black wool "Jones Style" hat and he had L.L. Bean Guide boots on his feet. He had a backquiver of arrows on his back. In his hand, was what looked to be Ben Pearson recurve, with black glass & white limb tips. Nocked on it's string... was a beautifuly crested cedar arrow, fletched with barred turkey feathers. It was tipped with the BIGGEST Pearson Deadhead that I had ever seen!!!!!

We talked awhile, He lived at the base of the mountain & knew my uncle. I told him about the buck, and he said he had seen it a few days before. It had spooked before he could stalk close enough for a shot. We wished each other "Good Luck" & I stillhunted on my way.....

I remember thinking how COOL he looked, and wondering how long he had been bowhunting??? Looking at me, I'm sure he was thinking that bowhunting was going to hell in a handbasket, Lmao!!!!! I wish I could have got to know him better, I'm sure he had some stories to tell.....

[DennyK]

Kinda getting away from Joes question a bit. But my favorite Good old days of bowhunting good fortune was parking my'71 Ford LTD off a Kent County  country road and going hunting. I was 17 at the time and had a gentleman pull up behind me in the field and say "You Know This Is Private Property Don't You??" I apologized up and down and said I would not do it again and was getting ready to get back in my car and leave. The gentleman (Neil) said "son- It will be alot easier and I would appreciate it if you parked up at the house alongside the barn." I was estatic, I had access to 300 plus acres and my relationship with Neil and his family lasted the better part of 30 years. I have great memories of my current spots, but the best years was hunting Neil's property where I cut my teeth. The very much UNDESERVED and UNEXPECTED Blessing I recieved from Neil resulted in some of the best times of my life.  Well then after my morning hunts I'd go Down to Bear Archery Center on Leonard St. in Grand Rapids Mich and talk with "Pops" (Ken Englebretsen) and drink some of his coffee.

[Doc Nock]

Neat Thread.  Thanks for the head's up, Ron!  And Joe, I qualify as "OLD" so I'll chime in!

Vernon Kinsey was injured in an industrial accident and liked archery.  Story goes his coworkers set him up in his garage with a bow shop to run from his wheel chair.  Kinsey Archery was born!

By the time I was in HS, he was in the Mt. Joy Paper box plant.  He kept it growing till he had a huge wholesale operation and also a retail store before his death.

I bought a Wing hunter Recurve there... by year or 2 after graduation, I noticed I couldn't hit anchor...my arms grew to catch up to the rest of my tall self.  Hit a wall!

I went up around 1968' with my bow--confused.  Guy handed me a Jennings T2 hunter with those awful brackets on the ends w/ "wheels!"

I pulled it back but it wouldn't budge...guy said to keep pulling...when it rolled over, I about broke my nose, went to my knees, and he laughed.  I swung at his head w/ the bow but missed.  

Period on the "dark side" cause I didn't have much time to hunt or shoot and shot the T2 w/ fingers and no sights. That was the first compounds around here...67-68'.

You could shoot buck or doe on your buck tag back then w/ an archery tag. That didn't last long. Now it's antler-less permit draw by county or WMA.

Used to see deer every time out...they had no idea what we were trying to do.  Shot at deer standing looking at me and watch them duck a quiver full of arrows...then meander off!

Also remember Slim Jim Bakers! Wore all the hair off my sternum not knowing how to go "up"...we pulled ourselves up...ouch!

Great memories.  Now deer all have Ph.D's in "avoidance" but still fun time afield.

Just too many people out there, but numbers preserve the sport they say!