Great bowhunter or!

[Stone Knife]

After looking at the recent poll on great bowhunter's, I can't help but wonder is it the fact that a lot of those Great bowhunter's were actually good hunters or were they just fortunate enough to have the resources to go on great hunts. Not wanting to trash any of the legend's but it's one thing to go on a guided hunt were someone else does all the leg work and walking out the back door  or go to a strange place, successfully taking game all on your own. I'm sure there are people out there that are far better hunters than some of the better known names. Who do you really think is the best trad bowhunter and why.

[JoeM]

I hear what your saing Stone Knife, when I first looked at the list I would say the best hunters are probably HH and Paul Schafer.  The way the question was asked was who had the most influence on our sport, Fred brought the bow to the masses through production and advertising.  Will Compton from what I've read was Pope & Young's mentors and did a ton to promote archery in the beginning through camps and young kids.  Then again the Thompsons brothers were the first.  As far as the best hunter of all, probably someone we will never hear of, a real person of the land living in some far away land providing for his family or village with a stick and string.   Joe

[d. ward]

What would it mean if one of our hero's arrowed some critter that was caught in a steel leg hold trap? would he still be our hero.. What if one of our hero's arrowed a critter with a Pod (poision arrow) ? how about our hero's shooting world record critters in the butt ? What if our hero's were two season hunters and were really not bowhunter at all,but just another lucky hunter ? I will need to know what a trad bowhunter is first??? thank you,bowdoc

[Shawn Leonard]

Don speaks of Fred and Howard, Fred was expeimenting and curious to try new methods. Howard on the other hand new the animals or animal was chained, no comparison. I agree with above, some of best hunters are right here among us, guys who kill lots of game evry year with limited resources. Put quite a few of us on 5000 acres in Kansas or in Montana and we will kill our fair share of game. Shawn

[ishiwannabe]

Ishi hunted for food to sustain life. You cant get any more pure than that, regardless of how he did it. The fact that he survived for so long until his "discovery" proves he could hunt rather well. I just cant help but wonder what bowhunting would have been if he had just stayed in the mountains? Would it have ever ignited otherwise?
I think if you boil it down, someone will always do something "wrong" according to someone else. The best I hope for is to never be ashamed of how I hunted, who I hunted with, or the decesions I make while "in the moment".

[Steven Matthew]

Guys, think about it.  A mediocre talent can be helped by special advantages but there is only so much time , money and special situations.  Besides, "people will talk", and although there is always "spin", it is not really within the capacity of this type of individual to mount that level of PR.  It takes skill, unflagging focus, persistence and dedication to be at something for years and years and come out on top.  Sure there are always the stories, and stuff that we look on with a different perspective years later but give credit where credit is due. Also, in the mist of time, lots of things get distorted and mistold.  The famous names of yesteryear are famous for more than their hunting skill.  They were adventurers, they were film stars, they were media darlings, they were "personalities".

[d. ward]

Shaw I posted Glenn on the other post...and please note I did not forget him here.He would deserve no more or no less..I think they were all the greatest.....bowdoc

[ghost rob]

ishiwannabe, that was an excellent reply. I agree with you 100%. Rob

[Indiana_Geoff]

Rich guys can afford to do more cool things that money can buy.

It's a reason some work hard and smart to get rich.

[John3]

On a thread in the past year or two you were asked what trad bowhunter past/present would you most like to hunt with.
It didn't take me much time to answer ISHI. We are all lucky that things worked out so well in 1911. I give credit to those who came before and built my way of life. Without ISHI and then Dr.POPE where would we be?
I cannot imagine watching every single person I knew die and then survive by myself for years afterward. Truly a great bowhunter.

John III

[Mike Bolin]

Alot of it is circumstance.....and desire. I voted for Bart and it was close between him and Paul. After some contemplation, if I hadn't already voted, I would vote other. There are probably a bunch of great hunters that we have just never heard of because they hunt for for themselves and the experience of doing it their way and I know a few of them personaly. Money talks today and my perspectives have changed alot as I have gotten older. Living where I do in IN, I am fortunate to have available land to  hunt deer, turkey and small game with very little outside pressure. I want to hunt moose and elk and stalk black bear in AK. I used to work extra jobs and as much overtime as I could to fund hunting trips and new bows, but after spending 11 months away from home chasing the big money I have changed my mind about that too. Mike

[billy shipp]

I think there are many folks on this site that could be as good as any bowhunter that ever lived. A big part of it boils down to having the time, money and opportunity to hunt in the right place at the right time. I may hunt everyday for 2 weeks straight and not see a single buck, much less a P&y deer. If you ain't where the game is, you ain't gonna kill em.

Billy

[vermonster13]

A big part of the question asked is "influential" as in who inspired the most folks to pick-up a traditional bow and give it a go. Greatness as a hunter can just be interpreted in too many ways.

[bowdude]

True on the title of the question of greatest bowhunter could be some unknown.   But that is not having the greatest contribution to the sport by poll description.  By that the person must be well known and have contributed to the masses.

[Bear Heart]

Where is this poll as I would like to check it out.

[Gary Logsdon]

I was lucky to have known Fred Bear on a personal level and he was one of the kindest, most genuinely likable individuals I've ever met.  He had NO ego, in fact, he always was more interested in what I had been experiencing in the woods than spinning stories of his own hunting exploits.  Fred loved people and especially children, who he went out of the way to joke with and make feel comfortable.  How many of today's so-called hunting big names have similar, well-deserved, reputations? Very, very few. I have seen far too many "TV Hunters" shun people at sport shows who wantng nothing more than to relate a recent a hunting experience.

Fred was THE reason I and thousands of other old farts were drawn to the sport and will always have a special place in my heart and mind.  Does this make him THE BEST bowhunter?  In itself probably not, but it is worth mentioning in this day and age when a handshake doesn't mean what it used to.

[joe skipp]

From the Poll...

In your opinion, who do you think best represents the best part of our sport? In other words, who had the greatest ability, made the most noteworthy accomplishments, had the greatest influence, and made the greatest contribution to traditional bowhunting?

I know a person who has taken the Grand Slam with his Compound...yet...no great influence or major contributions to Bowhunting....You can be a great bowhunter, take many animals, have your face and name in P&Y etc...but according to the poll...."influence and contribution back to the sport"....I voted for Fred Bear....

[Quill Flinger]

I am grateful to all the bow hunters that came before me & passed on their skills, knowledge & experiences to others. Whether by legend, written works, handed down, passed by fellowship at clubs & shoots, or exibition shows etc.

We all share a kindred spirit, & understand that it is the hunt, the prey, & the experience that should be considered "greatest". However humble the prey may be.

In my eyes, all those that accept the challange of hunting with stick & string are great hunters.

[C2@TheLibrary]

I too knew Fred Bear personally. I was only a boy but everytime I saw him he remembered me by name(well nickname.) Quite often he took time out of his day to watch me shoot a bow and shoot with me for a short time. He would talk to me about hunting and shooting a bow. He was always kind, patient and jovial with me. Few of the current bowhunting "celebrities" hold a candle to him.
The only reason more tradgangers aren't "great hunters" is that making a living and raising a family take up so much of the time they have available.

[Gary Logsdon]

That's the Fred I knew. The last time I saw him alive he had just left the hospital from another long illness.  I was in Panama City FL on vacation and decided to call Fred's office in Gainesville to see how he was getting along. His secretary told me about his recent illness, how he was still at home and wasn't expected in the office for quite a while.  I told her not to bother him and that I'd call on him some other time. The next day I got a call at my hotel from her saying that Fred had heard I was in FL and wanted to say hello IF I happened to be in town, BUT he didn't want me to go out of my way just to see him. She also noted that he was getting bored at home and was looking for a reason to get out and see people;^)

Well, PCB is a some distance from Gainesville, but I decided to make the trip over to visit with Fred. We spent several hours swapping tales and walking through the museum. I heard stories that I had never read, of ever expected to hear, about Fred's travels. What a treat. That's the last time I saw him alive.  What a great fellow.