Tell us about your first time

[jhg]

The first time I shot a trad bow and everything came together was an unforgettable moment.

I recall where I was, who was there, the bow, everything. Up to that point shooting a trad bow was something akin to mystery. Sure, I knew you pulled on the string, kept the arrow from falling off the rest. But the whole process was so new, so unusual, that I had no idea what was "correct" and what was idiocy. It felt kinda weird. I had no benchmark for what a good shot should feel like. I had no basis for what felt right, or should feel right, and what would feel wrong.
But I told myself not to over think it. I sent arrows down range and tried to be relaxed. I knew I should "pick a spot". I trusted, eventually, my body/brain would connect.

Then it happened. I drew my bow, concentrated on the target, on "the spot" and the next thing that happened was an arrow gracefully entered my sight picture, arching ever so majestically through space and dead centered the spot I was concentrating on.
OMG!!
It was an epiphany, a touch down, a first kiss, a job well done, all in one!

I have NEVER looked back. I was home.

[woodchucker]

I honestly can't say.... I've been shooting bows & arrows since I could walk.

My Grandpa used to make them for me out of split saplings.
My arrows were green bamboo tomato sticks, fletched with chicken feathers.
He stuck a 6-8 penny nail in the end for a blunt point.

When I out grew (broke) a bow, he'd just make me another... I was a happy kid!! 

[GCook]

About 6 years ago it was starting to come together.  I was finally able to shoot decent in the yard but had not translated that well into the field.  It was awkward.   I even managed to take a doe on a freezing late season sit but it was a liver shot and a messy recovery.   But I still felt out of sorts and wondering how I rated and if I was capable of hanging with the big dogs.
Fast forward to a hunt at Buff's place with several seasoned archers there.  I'd been shooting a little over 4 months at that point.  We were at the lodge and everyone out shooting the 3D range off the porch.  I walk up to the line and Buff, the guy who got me going in the right direction initially, saw my recently acquired used BW PSA and said something to the affect of look at the new fella with a nice Black Widow bow as I drew.  I released and the arrow hit perfect behind the shoulder on the deer target at around 15 or 17 yards.  He says "and he can shoot it too!" enthusiastically and at that moment I knew that although I had a lot to learn and growth to be made I was gonna be able to make it work.
Thanx to him and Bisch I'm still working at it and learning.

[Bowguy67]

My story is similar to Woodchucker’s. I’ve been shooting since I was 3 or 4. My parents disagree. I remember being in Maine, my pop carved a bow out of a sapling. Arrows too. My mom, I still remember her cut off jeans, filled a bag with leaves for me to shoot at. I even remember the blue flecked string for a bowstring. Eventually progressed to a fiberglass kids type recurve around 5, than a longbow. I don’t think I’ve ever stopped shooting since that first time, nothing memorable it all just blends together.
I did start shooting a wheel bow alongside for a spell it but I never stopped shooting styks.

[The Whittler]

It's a learning process and I hope the journey never ends.

[Sam McMichael]

I was 10 years old living on Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi. The sergeant who ran the base archery range lived just a few houses up the street from us, and he offered my sister and me a chance to try out the bow. In 1959, all the equipment was traditional, as the compound bow was not yet invented. It was the little farbenglass (I guess a type of fiberglass) recurve by American Archery. Let's just say I was not a natural, but it sure was fun. Have liked archery ever since.

[Basinboy]

It’s a magical moment! 

[PrimitivePete]

Ever since I watched that old Fred Bear movie where he hunts the Polar bear, I was more than hooked. But I had to wait my turn because my family didn't have the ability to buy me a bow. Many years later when I first started working in NYC, I saw an ad in the local paper about an Outdoors show to be held in Madison Square Garden. I took a few hours off work and went to the show. They had all types of exhibits and they also had an archery 3D course. You basically shot mismatched arrows out of fiberglass bows. No one was shooting so I stepped up to the line, a very nice gentleman handed me a bow and a handful of arrows. At this point this would be the very first time I was shooting anything that resembled a real bow. I don't know why but I hooked the string 3 under and started shooting. To my surprise I started hitting targets I probably would have a hard time today hitting. Because I was shooting so well, the man kept feeding me arrows to attract more people to the line. I never had so much fun and I went home with a burning desire to be a bowhunter. It took more years to finally get to the point I am today, but to this day I smile when I think of that day in MSG shooting arrows and having the time of my life.
That day all but proved to me that the instinct is there !!!

[Roy from Pa]

1956:)