A YEAR OF TRADITIONAL ARCHERY (NEW pics added)

[DW]

I've been at this sport of bowhunting 30 years and have enjoyed every minute of it. The only real job I've ever had has been in the sporting goods industry and all of that has been archery related. 20 years ago this year, a good friend, Jerry Bearden, introduced me to traditional archery and it made a big impression on my life. I would drift in and out of trad archery over the years, bowfish with my recurve, practice during the summer, then wimp out before season opened. Jerry was a good hunter and an excellent shot with that old Hoyt Ram Reflex. He shot at 28 deer with that old bow and killed 27..clean miss on the other and he had a good excuse on the miss, just can't remember what it was...Jerry has had some health issues the last few years and hasn't been able to bow hunt. This spring he called me up and wanted to try one of my Black Widows. He hadn't been able to draw his bow but thought he might could pull my BW. He shot it well and a lot, that afternoon and he went home with it, but that was the last day he could draw it back. He came to see me a few weeks ago and gave it back to me, along with the old Hoyt. He passed away last Tuesday. Jerry took great pride in the fact that Skyler loves to shoot trad bows and said often that he was proud to have had something to do with that....I will miss him a lot and was proud to have known him........Skyler has had a recurce since before he was born and he and I built one for Chloe Beth last year before she was born. About 2 years ago, we got serious traditional archery thats in large part to our good friends Jimmy and Mason Shelton(NO CAMS). They've been our traveling buddies for the past 2 years and re-ignited that passion for traditional bows....TRAD GANG has been a huge help and inspiration and we've met so many great friends because of it and when I sit back and think about that old computer and TRAD GANG, It still amazes me,,,,,JC, IRON BULL, BOB WALKER, Mike, BOW CHEF, JDC, STICKHUNTER, MIKE BOLIN, DOUG CAMPBELL, BUCK VALLEY, WHIP, SHELL and Frank, Terry, and so many more,,,,,Amazing.....a wonderful, understanding wife and 2 healthy children and just coming off the BEST and most enjoyable year of my bow hunting life, I really am blessed.    .....These pics are not in order but are from Labor Day 2006 until this morning, which is where we'll start.......Sorry to be so personal but it's the way I feel.....    

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[Terry Green]

Sorry to hear about your friend....and good to see you carrying on the tradition.  Keep them younguns in the woods, and they'll be better off down the road.

Thanks for sharing.

[deadpool]

woah ur sons bow is nice!!!

so is that hog!!

what kind of wood is that on the riser!?!?

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[jesse cales]

well said,don.sorry to hear about your friend.
true friends are few and far between.you make me realize how lucky i am to have friends like you and sky,chas,chad ,danny and all the trad gang
crew.your pics tell a wonderful story of a great life with friends and family.

[4runr]

Very nice memories there Don, sorry to hear of your loss. Your friend will live forever in your mind and the memories created.

[Larry247]

Sorry to hear about your loss....
I know that something like that can really tear ya down..
I'm glad you shared the pictures with us and the nice comments about your friend. It looks as if he had something to do with all the youngsters getting started into bowhunting. That makes for unreplaceable memories.

[Mike Bolin]

Don, I am truly sorry for the loss of your friend. His family and friends will be in my prayers. I have to say that you have been blessed, having a family that shares your love of the bow and nature! Although we have not met in person, I consider you as a friend and look forward to sharing a campfire with you and Skyler next year. God bless>>>------->Mike

[BillyBobHowdieVern]

don im sorry for the loss of your buddy. but im glad we got reaquianted this year. and im glad that skyler is into trad like he is. that boy can sure nuff shoot and i know you are proud of him.

your friend
john

[DW]

None of this would've been possible with out a great Mom and Dad and grand parents. My earliest memories are riding on their shoulders while rabbit hunting. They didn't bow hunt but they certainly planted the seed........Don

[paleFace]

the circle of life continues. Jerry would be proud and i am sure in some way he can see or feel how he touched your life as you did his. his spirit will live with you when ever you are afield with bow in hand. he no doubt has arrived in the happy hunting grounds and is probably stump shooting with Fred Bear or Howard Hill as i type this.

thanks for sharing the photos, they will be treasurers for your children and their children some day.

[NoCams]

Don,
I wished I could have met Jerry, sounded like a great man ! Sorry you have lost an old and dear friend.

On a lighter note and just so everyone here will know...... Two years ago after deer season was over I was chewing the fat with Don, Skyler, and Conan, ( a.k.a Fur Chaser ), at the bow shop and told Don I had ordered a BW for a test drive that I was thinking about shooting recurve and dropping the compound. Wished I had a pic of their faces ! You would have thought I was ready for Shady Pines Mental Home or something, haha ! I think Don was going to slip away and call the men in white coats to come get me. Long story short, after test shooting that BW and a Morrison in front of them at the shop, well..... all of a sudden everyone said, " Heh, let me shoot that thing a time or two. " As we all know, once you shoot a stick and string one time you are addicted and there is no cure known to anyone on this planet !

Since that day two years ago the rest is history. I feel exactly like Don and Skyler do..... Best thing we have ever done. Mason and I have made lifelong memories with Don and Skyler over the past two years getting out and meeting the fine folks of trad archery. We are truly blessed to have friends like all of ya'll !!!I am amazed at how nice and helpful the tradgangers are, especially newbies like me and Mason. You know we hear everday about how rotten people are and what shape the world is in, yet I have met nothing but the finest folks here on tradgang.Looking forward to many more years of trad archery making more good memories, Good Lord Willing !

Don, better get a patent on that Chloe Beth quiver you got there, haha !!! Pretty soon she gonna be going with us too !!!    

Jimmy & Mason
 ( Nocams )

[LUCKY MAN]

Good Stuff !