I've Still Got It- Have You?

[BWallace10327]

2017 marks the magic decade milestone for my traditional archery career.

It was in 2007 that I got my first "real" traditional bow. I had a fiberglass longbow when I was little, and the ***graduated*** to a compound somewhere around 11 or 12.  This bow was a red oak board bow that was backed with fiberglass.  My Dad and I tillered it and applied a truoil finish.  It looked alot better than it shot- but I probably put 20,000 arrows through it before it died.  I've gone through a lot of bows since, but I still have that one.  It's unshootable, but a fine keepsake nonetheless.  

I can clearly remember putting my bow up for the day and admiring my bow, tab in hand, keenly watching masters of the barebow I and looking forward to the next time I get to fling a few arrows.  

Not much has changed, while I'm sitting here typing, half-watching a disappointing football game, my attention is more in-tune with my bow hanging on the wall, my tab on my end-table and the time I'll spend shooting tomorrow.  There must be something special about this traditional archery stuff, seeing how I've been captivated with it for this many years.

[Shadowhnter]

I wish I still had my first....   :(

Nope! I don't have my first, and wish I did.

Bisch

[BWallace10327]

I guess I meant first bow and excitement for shooting my bow.

[Pine]

Still have my first real bow .
 
It's a 1953 Bear Cub .
I've had it for over 45 years .

[tomsm44]

My first was a 35# Bear Black Bear.  It belonged to my uncle when he was in high school.  (He passed away in his 30s)  I was at my grandparent's house one day when I was a kid and found it leaned up in a closet.  My grandmother gave it to me and my dad bought a string for it.  

I goofed off with it a few times when I was a kid, but I never really shot it much.  Like most, I got a compound in high school hunted with it for 10+ years.  

About seven or eight years or so back, I got interested in trad archery, so I went to my parents' house and dug it out.  My wife agreed that if I could get good enough with it to consistently hit a deer's vitals, then I could buy an old used recurve in a better hunting weight.  I tried a couple different times, but couldn't really figure it out.  Then I got to know an older gentleman by the name of Terril Hester, and under his mentorship, I finally learned how to shoot a trad bow.  I soon lucked into a three 1960s bows from two different people for the incredible price of free, and I started hunting with them.

I never hunted with that old Black Bear, but it's still hanging on the wall with my others.  My son has shot it some, and I actually got it out and shot it a few times last week, just for old times sake.  I'm planning to fill a couple holes and refinish it in the near future.  

My uncle left behind two daughters who both have kids now.  I've let my aunt know that if any of Uncle Kenneth's grandkids ever get interested in archery, it's theirs for the taking.  I'd be glad to pass it on to one of my kids, but I think it'd be much more fitting if one of his ended up with it.

[Longtoke]

mine was a bear minuteman,...love that old bow.

[Soonerlongbow]

Still got mine. It's only been about a decade or so since I've had it. I shot long bows and recurves in BSA (that's an organization that I wish I could trust still) and one of my step uncles when I was a teenager. But I didn't switch to a stick until about 2007ish. It was/is my only wood bow. PSE Legacy, 55#@28". It's not the fastest or quietest but she's mine. I've only taken one animal, a small spike, but that's one of my proudest deer ever. My brother in law was so surprised that an old stick could kill anything. But he still uses training wheels.

[slowbowjoe]

I would, if it hadn't blown up.

[KAZ]

I have my first traditional bow that I purchased to begin the serious journey, Spring of 1987... A 1987 Black Widow HS60 that was my only bow til 2012. Now I have a 2012 Black Widow 54" KB to keep her company... I Shoot them both but mainly the HS60 is for form / practice while the KB is the hunting machine...

[Owlgrowler]

Still have both of these, My older brother Mikes' with deer and me in the background 1961
 

And my first hunting bow from 1968, 56" Bear Grizzly 43# @28
 

[Trenton G.]

I still have mine. A 40# PSE Blackhawk recurve. I still pull it out and shoot it every now and then.

I got my first trad kill with it 4 (5?) years ago. This was the first animal that I ever shot at with a trad bow. I couldn't believe that I got it.

   

[KeganM]

I think my first "real" bow was a red oak flatbow I made after reading "The Bent Stick". It was the best bow I'd built for some time. It was long, though, at 70", and I later retillered it down to 64" but when I went too far and it lifted a splinter.

I wish I had the bow but will settle for still having the passion!  

[frank bullitt]

Gave my first away, to another new archer!
It had been given to me by a friend of my family.

Great pics and a beautiful buck, Owlgrowler!

Brent, disappointing game?

[Sam McMichael]

Mine was a 45# Ben Pearson Gamester. I still have it.

[cacciatore]

No regrets for selling my first traditional bow, it was all twisted Korean mass production.

[longbowman]

My daughter-in-law shoots my first "real" bow.  A 45# Bear Bearcat.  Killed my first 2 deer with that bow back in '68-'69.

[Mint]

Mine was a MR Hamilton Scorpion Grey Ghost Longbow and I still have it.

[Orion]

My first real bow was a lemonwood long bow, about 15-20# I believe.  That was a bit more than 60 years ago.  No longer have that bow, nor a lot of others I've owned through the years.  Still have a dozen or more I shoot regularly though.

[wood carver 2]

My first was a bamboo backed longbow that was my first build. It broke while being shot after shooting some 1000 arrows through it. I saved the riser and I'll rebuild it on day.
Dave.