A conversation with Larry D Jones

[twitchstick]

When I was young I got the opportunity to talk with Larry. I did not know who he was at the time other than a really nice man. I don’t hear much about him in the traditional community so I like to share my story. This was a long time ago so I hope my memory isn’t too clouded.
When I was young every time a big hunting/fishing/camping expo would come to town my dad would load up the family and go. It was a good cheap day of entertainment for us. At one of these events a painting at a booth caught my eye. I was about 16 maybe 17 at the time and a want to be artist. The painting caught my eye because it looked just like a picture I had sketched. I walk over to the booth to look at his work. He was and still is a famous Utah wildlife artist. I was admiring his work and told him I too was an artist. I was hoping to talk to him a little about painting topics with him but he seemed a little too busy with no one else at his booth at the time. I wasn’t trying to be annoying to him I was just young and very interested in wildlife art. I told him that I had just finished a drawing that was almost the same as his. I used a lot of magazines for reference material at that time and it was obvious that we had used the same reference picture. It was on the cover of an old hunting magazine and he had just flipped one the 3 bucks head angle in the painting. I don’t think he like the fact that I had pointed that out. About that time I heard a voice behind me asking me “so you like to paint wildlife”.  The guy in the booth next to him said if I like to paint I might want to check out a calendar he had. It was filled with wildlife painting of some Oregon artists. He showed me all the different paintings and then gave me one for free. He asked me about what I like to paint and talk art for a good half hour or so. Then he realized that I was a bow hunter and we started talking hunting. If I remember right he was promoting some Wyane Carlton elk calls at this event and had the calendar along to help some local artist out. He spent another 20 minutes with me talking hunting and showing how to use a diaphragm call. He gave me a handful of calls and I was on my way. It wasn’t until later that year when I started my traditional journey that I realized who he was. I was watching a video of a guy shooting a bull elk with a recurve when I recognized it was that nice man I had met at the expo. I don’t know how much of the conversation he had heard between me and the artist but I think he had heard enough he disapproved of him. I really think he went out of his way to be nice to me that day and after seeing he was shooting a recurve it sure inspired me with traditional archery

[TSchirm]

Cool story!  I know I sometimes need to take a lesson from that story, when I allow myself to get to busy or preoccupied to treat someone as well as they should be.

[BigErn]

Cool story!
 Didn't he get elected in the Bowhunter Hall of Fame,just recently!I believe he has segements on Bowhunter TV.
                                    Ernie

[Duker]

Great story    It's good to hear good things about nice people:::THANKS for sharing  

[elknutz]

Yep, nice story about a very nice man. Elk Fever was the first bow hunting video I saw and it got me started hunting with a bow and talking with elk.  Larry D. Jones is good people.

[cacciatore]

Originally posted by Duker:
Great story       It's good to hear good things about nice people:::THANKS for sharing    

X2.And I have to add,that there are a lot of good people in this sport!

[habujohn]

Never met Larry but my brother has hunted with him and has nothing but nice things to say about the man.  I love his moose video with MR James, what a cool looking moose and Larry sure made a great shot.
John

[maineac]

It is great to hear your story and be able to associate it with a "tv star"  Thanks for sharing.  Did you ever continue on the artists path?

[twitchstick]

Maineac I did and some what still do paint. I painted through college and got into the doing fine art landscapes but the whole gallery world wasn't for me.

[elkken]

Bugled my very first elk in with a Larry D Jones metal reed bugle back in 1984 ... didn't have the slightest idea what I was doing but it worked.

I met Larry in person at an outdoor show and he was a very pleasant guy to talk with and gave you lots of his time. I loved his elk hunting videos.

[elkken]

Bugled my very first elk in with a Larry D Jones metal reed bugle back in 1984 ... didn't have the slightest idea what I was doing but it worked.

I met Larry in person at an outdoor show and he was a very pleasant guy to talk with and gave you lots of his time. I loved his elk hunting videos.

[Mike Theis]

I remember a archery talk Larry gave in Sauk City WI many, many years ago. It was in the basement of the local hardware store, for about 20 people. We were young, and gunho, and he did something I haven't seen since. He had brought along his hunting pack with his gear, and let us young pups look through it to see what he carried around elk hunting. He answered all of our questions, and treated us like old friends. A great hunter, and a great person.

[BigErn]

This is the Larry D. Jones we are talking about,isn't it?

 http://i652.photobucket.com/albums/uu250/BigErnK/LarryDJones.jpg

[Bivyhunter]

I had the good fortune to meet Larry when I was about 19, shortly after I saw his "Bowhunting Open Country Mule Deer" video (it still is one of my favorite videos!). I had more enthusiasm than direction or brains at the time. He always took the time to say "Hi", at minimum, whenever I'd bump into at a trade show or our paths would cross. Both he and his wife Merriam are superb people. He is truly one of the icons of the sport. He held his own during a time when wheel bows were everything in archery and the stickbow was all but forgotten. I had the pleasure of spending a few days with him on a hog hunt while we were working on our next video. He hasn't changed a bit, still as genuine and humble as ever and hunts harder than most guys I've met--first one out and last one in.

[Roadkill]

our true heroes invest time in youngsters-they are the future of our sport

Nice to hear that about one of our greats

[Littlejake]

Anyone know how to get in touch with Larry,web site,address or phone#?

[wulf]

I would agree that Larry D Jones is one of the nicest people you could ever meet on or off the trail.  Years ago he and his wife would set up a booth at the Anderson Archery Clinic in Grand Ledge Michigan and he had his elk and deer calls for sale as well as his fantastic camo creme products.  Larry would sit in a chair in his booth with his face and hands camouflaged watching all the people walk by not even recognizing a human being was sitting right there in front of his backdrop.   Larry would always give his full attention to anyone who wanted to talk.  Great guy.

[PaddyMac]

Larry D. Jones is why I am a bowhunter.

[Terry Lightle]

Met Larry many years ago,great person and down to earth

[JoeM]

A very cool story!!! Thanks for sharing.  Joe