Tell me about the PBS

[Jeff Holchin]

Hey Steve, I grew up in the Pittsburgh area and can surely find a freezer or two with my family if you need to store some meat.  However, Kevin's idea ain't bad either.

Too bad there isn't some local hunting or some excuse to fling some arrows.  Diane was trying to find something like that - wonder if she had any success?  I'd be willing to bring a 3-D target or two if we found a place to set up a course.........

[Rick McGowan]

Stevo, I am sure the hotel can stick a cooler in their freezer for you, you are going to have the pork in a cooler right? Not a pillow case or Piggly Wiggly bag?
Joebuck, you left out "pick cotton", the last time I was in Tunica the cotton field grew right up to the edge of the casino parking lot.

[Kevin Bahr]

Jeff, there will be a bow test shooting area.  Not a course mind you, but a place to shoot at the hotel.  
Our PBS "man on the ground" Rod Bear might be able to help you out with a local range if you are going to be in the area early or late.  
RicMc, "...you are going to have the pork in a cooler right? Not a pillow case or Piggly Wiggly bag?"  That is TOO funny, LOL!

[Ryan Rothhaar]

PBS member for around 10 yrs and the first son of a Regular member to also become a Regular (I get to be first at SOMETHING)  

Can't add much to the posts above.  I've been around the PBS my whole life and I can honestly say it is head and shoulders the best organization I know of.  Any organization will have a few bad apples, but PBS has VERY few.  

Here are some guys to watch out for....Kevin Bahr-wears too many scary Hawaiian shirts, Rick McGowan-too tall, can't trust a tall guy, Jason Wesbrock-Chicago gapshooter....other than these guys you're pretty safe, though.

On a more serious note...won't be making the banquet in Pitt  :(

Using the vacation time to take the wife on a mule-pack trip into the back country in Montana this Spring      

later, guys

Ryan

[Steve H.]

"On a more serious note...won't be making the banquet in Pitt"

WHAT?!?!?!!?

McGowan is tall?  Uhhh ohh!

If I get a piggy I thought I just carry it in my carry-on pillow case! (inside Joke to RicMic)

[Nook]

Hey Ryan.  I was looking forward to meeting you.  We applied for regular membership at the same time.  I'm sure we'll bump into one another some day.  Made reservations for my wife and I yesterday.  See everyone in March.  Jeff Harper

[Kevin Bahr]

Dang, forgot about that dress code, LOL!  
Hey, ride the mules from Indiana to Pittsburgh, that ought to make Katia forget all about the Montana deal.  I'll let you buy me a beer if you come to the banquet, Ryan.

[Kevin Bahr]

Wait til you fellas see all the bows being donated.  The generosity of these bowyers is something special, to put it very simply.

[Brian P.]

OK, ya talked me into it. Just made my room reservations. Better order my tickets now, huh?

BP

[Kevin Bahr]

Yes Brian, get your tickets.  If you make your reservations before Jan 1, you get an engraved name badge and 25 more free raffle tickets for the general raffle at the banquet.  I'm very glad you are coming!  Now you need to talk Jamie into it as well.  I think Charlie and Rick are already signed up as well.

[Greg Szalewski]

OK you guys hit on a topic that finnaly made me register for this site. I joined PBS about 14 yrs ago, seemed like a good organiztion to support. I am still an associate member as I know regular members only cassualy and had never hunted with a regular member until recently. Actually when I joined I did not realize that PBS was so heavy into trad. gear. The first banquet I was able to attend was St. Louis in 2000. my wife and I had a great time, made a number of new friends and got a feel for the members at the membership meeting. It was clear to me that the big names were just as concered about how we were percieved as the regular Joes. One of the topics concerned having a  bow on an ATV. The members did not want anyone think that they might be road hunting and most felt the bow should be unstrung even if it was legal to have it strung.
A couple years back I encouraged my 16 year old son to apply for the youth leadership hunt that PBS puts on. He was accepted and all we had to do was get to Billings MT.(I went as his mentor) Boy was I blown away. When we got to MT the red carpet was out for five kids and their dads just for the opporotunity to teach these kids some hunting skills and most importantly that they needed to get involved in archery at the leadership level.  To say my son was impressed would be an understatement. We had our tags paid for, 1000 private acres to hunt(Robertson/ Fisher ranch), stands in place with transportation(Yote Robertson and Billy Lewis) full time cook(Joseph Myers). Bo Slaughter and Larry Fisher set it all up and ran the hunt. Then there was program provided by Dick Robertson(future of bow hunting),Yote sharpening broadheads), Joseph(first aide), Mark Baker(leadership), Ray Alt and Doug Campbell(flint knapping). Not only that, we were all treated like old friends and all these people are as concerned about my son as myself now. This truely is a special organization that goes beyond sharing common interests, but doing what it takes to promote them.
 Since that hunt I have gotten to know a few members better, swapped some hunting and built on friendships.
 I will once again be attending the banquet with my wife(Bryan is in college now) and donate a youth take down recurve that I made. Perhaps it will plant and provide some nurishment for a seed.
See you all there, hope this helps answer some questions on the PBS.

[Brian P.]

Kevin,
 I will work on Jamie. He can be stubborn though   )

 Check is in the mail for my tickets.

BP

[Kevin Bahr]

Welcome to the Gang, Greg!

[Greg in Delton MI]

K-Bahr clued me in on this post a few days ago, my life has been running so fast this morning is the first time I've been able to break down and read it. I have to admit this is one of very few internet threads on the PBS where contentious words are not present and good information and fraternalism has abounded.

It is often hard for folks on the outside looking in to understand what the PBS is and what you can gain from being an involved member. I became a member in '89 and a Regular'94 and then a life member around '03. I have friends all around the US and overseas from being an active member.

I have hunted with Associates and Regulars and frankly I can tell you I will hunt without reservation with any PBS member because in all of my experience I have never had a bad experience on any hunt. It has always been a pleasure to associate with other PBS members because of the depth of commitment that we all have to bowhunting and doing it right.

I'm looking forward to the Banquet and hope all of you who attend are ready for a best ever event. I know the council and our crew in the field have been working there collective a$$’s off to make it so. In fact Kevin Bahr has lost 6 inches in pant size, his butt may well disappear by late March.    

See you there,

[Kevin Bahr]

HA!  Greg, unfortunately I lost the 6" in length, not width, LOL!

[Greg in Delton MI]

Well Kevin you'll be wearing Uncle Gene's hand me downs real soon then. LOL!!!

I once got a care package from Uncle Gene and he sent me a couple pair of Mossey Oak pants with the hems walked off. They looked like camo Lederhosen's it was too funny, I'd have sent them to Biggie but he'd have worn them and they would of looked like a camo bib overall speedo and that was just way too scarey for the rest of the world  

[VTer]

I've been an associate for almost 10 years I think. I made it to one banquet in Baltimore. I really feel PBS is al about the members. A bunch of guys (and gals) that just love bowhunting and take it very seriously. In this group there is a broad spectrum of occupations and how much money we all make as individuals. I did not find this to cause any sort of elitisim, in fact, if it weren't for the fact that I'm pretty shy and quiet in groups, I know I could've hung out with most anyone at the banquet. Also it's like having your own personal Fish & Game dept in each state because you can call up any member and get honest answers about the wildlife in any state. The members are the resource! If I make it to Pittsburgh, I'm hoping to mingle more.

[Kevin Bahr]

Greg M, I hope you can make it to Pittsburgh.  The more the merrier!  Do you know Steve Leffler?  He is a Vermonter like yourself and is a PBS member.

[VTer]

Yeah, I know Steve. I don't think he likes me though. When we do our bowhunter Ed classes together, he always uses me as an example in his first aid section. For instance,...."Say Greg is out bowhunting and he accidently drives an arrow through his thigh, what should he do".

[VTer]

Hit the submit button to quick. Anyways, Steve and I are the perfect example of the non-elitism in the PBS. He's a big time ER Doc and a Regular and I run equipment and drive plow tucks for the town I grew up in. Do we talk about that stuff when we're together, maybe a little, but it's mostly about the bowhunting that we both love. I don't think of him as a doctor and I'm sure he dosen't know how good I am with an excavator or he wouldn't pick on me so much.