1937 - Michigan's First B&A Deer

[Wade Phillips]

In 1937 Michigan held its first special Bow and Arrow only deer season from November 1-14. Previously, bowmen could hunt deer only during Michigan’s regular firearm deer season. The 1937 archery only season was open exclusively for two counties, Iosco and Newaygo. The 1937 license cost $2.25 and permitted a bowman to take one bear and one male deer with antlers extending not less than three inches above the skull.

On November 6, 1937 William VanVorst of Lowell, Michigan took the first deer of this special season with a single arrow. Like many bowmen of the 1930s era, VanVorst handmade his own tackle including his self yew bow. VanVorst’s tackle is well documented in photographs from the 1937 hunt.

The broadhead VanVorst used features a sloped shoulder blade with an easily sharpened convex cutting edge. The head is 2.2” long and 1.2” wide. The slotted blade is soldered to a tapered ferrule, making it one of the earliest tapered ferrule heads produced for sport hunting in the US.

The antlers from that buck, the broken arrow with broadhead that was used to kill the buck are shown with VanVorst's license, coupon and back tag which are still in excellent condition. VanVorst inscribed the broken wooden arrow, “Wm VanVorst, Lowell, Mich, 11-6-37, Biteley, Mich, License #262, Spike Horn, 126#.”

VanVorst’s 1937 license, coupon, back tag, bow, arrow, broadhead, quiver, 1937 antlers and many other artifacts from Michigan’s 1937 Bow and Arrow Deer season, will be on display during the 2009 Compton Rendezvous in Berrien Springs, Michigan.

For the serious Michigan Hunting License Collectors, this 1937 license, coupon and back tag are truly the holy grail of the Archery Licenses.

   

In 1937, a total of 186 bowmen purchased licenses for Michigan’s first special Bow and Arrow Only Season. However, only three deer were taken in this order…

1. William VanVorst
2. Nelson Grumley
3. Leo Lang

Shown below are Nels Grumley’s 1937 spike deer antlers, an original 1937 photograph, and an  original 1937 Newspaper article of Grumley’s first bow and arrow deer. Also shown in photograph is one of Grumley’s very rare 1930s branded bows, made before he became Fred Bear’s bowyer. Nels killed 7 deer during Michigan’s first 10 seasons and was regarded by his peers as the best bow and arrow deer hunter in Michigan. During the years following the 1937 season, Grumley went on to become the most respected bowyer of his era.

 

[Wade Phillips]

Original photographs and original newspaper clippings of William VanVorst and his 1937 Deer.

VanVorst's personal bows and arrows also in the photograph.  

 

As a bowyer, VanVorst marked most of his bows with his initials and the date. These are the six surviving VanVorst made bows that I know of to exist from his personal possessions… left to right

1. 1930, Lemonwood “D” Longbow, cow horn nocks, thin leather wrap grip.
2. 1926, Hickory “D” Longbow, pointed self nocks with string keeper hole on upper nock., laced leather grip like a Kibbe.
3. Undated, Yew “D” Longbow 2” cord wrap repair and large knot 12” from end of flat ended self nock, cowhide wrap grip.
4. 1937, Yew semi flat Longbow, fishtail splice, small straight side flat end self nock. no grip,
5. 1936, Yew semi flat Longbow, made from stave, small straight side flat end self nock, open boot lace wrap leather grip.
6. 1937, Yew “D” Longbow, upper and lower limb both have two 2” cord wraps, self horn nock style with string keeper hole on upper nock. leather wrap grip.

 

William VanVorst's 1937 Back Quiver.

In the foreground is the bow he used to take 1937 deer. Also shown are many of his personal arrows with "WM VANVORST" inscribed between the feathers.

Three other VanVorst bows are covered by the arrows. Some arrows are in Bear Scabbard bow quivers, a later invention of Fred Bear, but just how VanVorst's arrows were displayed and preserved in excellent condition with feathers intact.

     

[Wade Phillips]

After taking Michigan’s first deer taken on a Bow and Arrow License in 1937, William VanVorst became somewhat of a celebrity in local circles as well as among national bowmen. Archery manufacturers gave their products to VanVorst as a means to promote their products. Well known archery manufacturer, Willis Barnes of Michigan gave Van Vorst a beautiful osage self bow and some Barnes branded arrows to commemorate Michigan’s first B&A license deer taken in 1937. VanVorst’s personal equipment from the late 1930s also includes the latest arrows of the time from some of the better known manufacturers such as Ben Pearson and Rounsevelle Rhom.

Photo below shows two of VanVorst 1938 self nock Ben Pearson arrows, which are easily identified with the large red bands in front of the feathers and the small red band between the nock and feathers. These arrows have the original 1938, 6x7 Barbed Skeleton Ferrule Ben Pearson Broadheads that are stamped “Patent Pending”. The plastic nock arrow dates to 1940. The nocks are MID NOX, made before the molding of the raised nock indicator for the cock feather. VanVorst inscribed his name between the feathers “WM VANVORST”.

At bottom left, original 1938 photograph of William VanVorst with rabbit and 1930s Rounsevelle Rhom arrows in quiver and in rabbit.

At bottom right, original 1938 photograph of William VanVorst and Forest Smith of Lowell, Michigan; pausing to examine their arrows for the photographer.

 


William VanVorst’s complete one dozen of 1938 Self Nock Ben Pearson Arrows in unused condition…

 

VanVorst wrote his name between the feathers which are still completely intact 71 years after being made. Perhaps this is the only known completely intact dozen of 1938 Ben Pearson Hunting arrows with their original 6x7 broadheads still originally attached to the arrows. …

 

VanVorst’s 1938 Ben Pearson arrows are tipped with Ben Pearson 6x7 “PATENT PENDING” broadheads which still have the original plated finish. Complete history of this broadhead appears on pages B-19 and B-2- in “Broadheads 1871-1971, Identification and Rarity Guide, Second Edition”.

 

[bkupris]

Wade

Being from Michigan myself and starting my bowhunting "career" in Newaygo I find that info to be most interesting...  

Thanks

Brian

[4runr]

Thanks for sharing that history with us Wade.

[ckruse]

Ditto on the Thank You! We are blessed to have all the great knowledge that gets posted here. CKruse

[450 marlin]

Every day there is more good information to jot down in my archery note book. I'll have to ask my father in law if he knew this man, seeing he is from Lowell also....thanks Wade

[JavelinaHink]

 That's a nice group of items for Michigan first Archery Season, I believe I've hunted in the same woods as he hunted being he hunted just north of Bitely that day and by an old railroad grade, as you know I've mention it to you before the railroad grade was 100 yards from my property line....and I never found any arrows when walking but I sure looked.....thats cool stuff Wade thanks for the posting.....Bill

[mwmwmb]

great post Wadde.

[alaskabowhunter]

Very well documented archery history there, great post Wade.

[Wade Phillips]

Guys - Happy to be able to share all of these items from the historic items of William VanVorst's and some of the rich history of Michigan's first special bow and arrow season.

I'll add some more photographs and text to the first three posts in this thread, so make sure not to just skip to the end as there will be some added to the beginning...

[Rick Enos]

I love it,Keep em coming.This stuff is just fantastic....Rick

[Blackhawk]

Awesome stuff here!!!        

I believe Washington's first season was in 1938 and would love to have detailed info like this for our trad monthly newsletter.  

[Wade Phillips]

Lon - I would guess that the information about Washington's early seasons is available, especially since the great Northwest was one of the three main sources of documentation during the era as well as the primary source for much of the raw materials to sustain the sport. For 1938/1939 information I would check "American Bowman Review" and "Ye Sylvan Archer".

[Rick Butler]

As a Michigander this is much appreciated.  Can't wait to see this at Compton's. Thank-you.

[KYArcher]

Very interesting Thanks Wade.
                         ......Scott

[Ron Roehrick]

Great presentation Wade, how are you doing? I will give you a call soon and we can BS,havent talked to you since Coon Rapids. Ron.

[Wade Phillips]

Rick & Rick - I know you Michigan guys really like all this early Michigan memorabilia. This evening I will try to load some more stuff from the 1937 season.

Ron - Yes, have missed our BS sessions. Are you still collecting broadheads? If so, I have a pile of extras that I would like to sell or trade. As always will trade broadheads for just about any other archery collectible.

[Wade Phillips]

This photograph was taken in Michigan in 1937. It shows some of the different styles of broadheads that were used during the 1937 Michigan B&A Season.

Although a couple of the heads are fairly common, many of these heads are quite rare. Some have never been located by collectors and several remained unnamed or unidentified.

Of these fourteen 1937 broadheads, it is extremely rare to see more than five of them in one individual collection.  

   

[d. ward]

small world is'nt it.I just ment the Ben pearson Crest...bd