My Story of how it all happened!

[Ol Man]

It was 1979 - I was shooting a compound I had just got (Wife bought it for me for Christmas - Browning something - all wood riser)

I shot it all winter and into the spring. I was shooting very well with it and shot maybe 5-6 times per week. well I went over to a buddys house! He knew how I felt about my shooting and to tell you I was a little conceited! When I drove up he tells me.. I have a bow you can't shoot and he proceeds to pull out a 72" - CheckMate Longbow. This bow is 65# @ 28" and huge!!!!

I ask him if it's OK to shoot it and he says come on and we go out back to the targets. I always used wooden arrows and feathers so no problems there. I pull up and draw - release my arrow and hit 8 feet in front of the target. Nock another and loose - dang 5 feet in front and way left! Another and another - shot maybe 40 arrows and never once hit the 2 ft. square target! I was getting bushed! Well I gave it back to him and asked him to sell it to me. He fought with me for over 20 minutes then finally succumbed. I went home with the bow and the next night I started practicing. I shot maybe 50 arrows the first night and was getting better. My practice regiment became to shoot 100-150 arrows each and every night until I felt I was good enough. Then I sold the compound and never looked back...

By the fall I started shooting competitions. I was pitted against compounds cause there were no classes for trad at that time. Heck I shot and most times came in the top 3 for many, many years against them - no sights barebow and back then no release aids!

This is my story what's yours?

[splitfinger]

I really started shooting a bow back in '67. It was a Shakespear Neceda 58" and 50# @ 28" with brown glass and some brown wood in the riser. I was 17 at the time and couldn't afford more than 6 arrows with it. I bought it at Woolworth in Houston. Shot it very well at the old Buffalo Field Archery off Woodway.

Fast forward to 1980. I'm out of the Military, working 60 hours a week, have a 4 year old Son, etc. etc. Managed to buy a PSE (something) compound that shot 216 fps. I thought I was shooting lazers. Never did shoot much competition but never was very happy with the compound. Living in Austin in the 80's and 90's I went out on a day hunt at the South Hills ranch and met a guy that shot a longbow. We struck up a conversation and he let me shoot it and I was hooked again. Went home and bought a Black Widow MA from a local guy. I've been shooting sticks ever since.

I still have a compound and shoot it some but for pleasure, I shoot my sticks. Now recovering from surgery in Dec. I only have a couple of weeks before I can shoot again. Man, am I looking forward to that.

God bless.

[bountyhunter]

Got my first bow back in '66 (6 years old), it was one of those Bear all fiberglass youth longbows and I fell in love with shooting. By '73 I had stepped up to a Bear 76er take down recurve and was ready for my first hunting season. I did take a doe that year but it was really a luck shot and a long story for another time. In '76 I got one of the new Bear Whitetail Hunter compounds for Christmas, it was just a bare bow and that is how I shot it, but never did shoot it as good as I did the recurve so never hunted with it until way later.

From '80-'88 I was in the USAF and really didn't do a lot of hunting at all and no bow hunting. Heck I didn't eve shoot a bow during those 8 years. I did however pick up my old Whitetail Hunter from home and started shooting again in the back yard, but had added sights and release. I was shooting it pretty good and took my first Texas deer with it in '90.

Then I got the bug for better so I got the top of the line fastest bow in the market in '92 an Xi Flatliner that was all decked out and man could I shoot it. I took six deer with that bow in 2 years, but in doing so took the thrill out of bow hunting. It was no longer a big challenge like it was in my youth and so I put the compound on the shelf and ordered a custom Marriah Chinook.

It took me a year or so before I thought I was ready to hunt with with the Chinook and even longer to get my first kill with it, but the thrill was back and since then I've never looked back. Well until I hurt my left shoulder and couldn't draw the Chinook and skipped one season. I then got myself an Onieda AeroForce compound so I could still shoot fingers and used it for a couple of years to help heal my shoulder, but now it is collecting dust. Will hang onto the AeroForce as a just in case thing, but it won't get used as long as I can shoot my longbows....

[trad"Doc"53]

Well, got my first bow when I was 5 years old (1958). My older brothers (by 10 years) flat bow had started cracking a little bit so he but it in the burn barrel. I got it out, wrapped the cracked area with electrical tape(the whole roll), tied a length of small rope to the end so I could drag it behind me,as it was 3 times longer than I was tall, and I always forgot to hold it straight up and down when running through the gate into the yard and wound up getting slamdunked to the ground from the bow being crossways to the gate. It was so long, I usually sat down with my feet on the riser and used both hands to pull the string. That one lasted me till I was about9, I then bought me one of those all fiberglass jobbers from Western Auto, then when I was 14 I bought myself a Bear Kodiak for my birthday. I have always had a recurve of some kind in my possesion, yes I did branch off to the compound thing owning one of the first Allen compounds in the state of Texas. I was 1/2 and 1/2 there for about 12 years then went back to all traddy about in 1995. I have had some really nice bows back in my younger days, the Kodiak,Super Kodiak, Super Mag 48, a Wing pro Slim Line; sure wish I had them all back!!

[Brute Killer]

We grew up on a ranch near Pleasanton. I remember making bows out of what we called "desert willow". I don't know what the correct name is. I made arrows out of pampas grass flower stalks; they were straight but not particularly tough.
I'd fletch them by tieing on two feathers, no glue. I literally still have the scars on the top of my bow hand from the quills on those fletchings.
I also made points out of cow bone. I don't know where I got the ideas from, I just knew arrows needed feathers and points. I was probably 8 years old at the start of it.

About the age of 12-14 my mom bought my brother and I a couple of Bear "Golden Bear" all fiberglass recurves (they were more like longbows in profile).
They came with cedar arrows, which when broken we replaced with more cedar arrows from the Gibsons there in town.
I made a few "broadheads" from hacksaw blades for that rig.
I don't think I ever killed anything with any of those bows.
Somewhere along in there I quit shooting my Bear bow.
When I got into high school I bought a Bear "magnum Hunter" compound from Gander Mountain's catalog and a dozed aluminum Eastons in that copper color they came in. Also got some Bear Razorheads to go with them.

Only thing I ever shot with that bow when I first got it was a javi, and I lost him.

I set that bow down for very many years (about 12) then for some reason got the itch again. I shot a few hogs with that old bow then bought another compound out of Cabelas catalog (about 2000).

I started reading all of these message boards and decided I didn't like a ll of the gadgetry associated with compounds, all the tweaking and adjusting and what not.
I had been reading the Leatherwall and then heard about Tradgang in 2003.
I bought a Martin X200 off of that site and its been trad only (again) since then.

[Bisch]

I started shooting a bow in about 1987. I was about 26 yrs old. I made a promotion at work and got a new assignment. There was a guy there who was all in to archery. I bought my first bow, a Darton SL50 compound, at a pawn shop and began shooting. I went on my first hunt with this buddy at the Texas Shootout Javelina Hunt and, afdter 4 or 5 misses, finally connected on my first game animal. I was that day, forever hooked on bowhunting (Thanks Joe!).

My buddy was not a competitive archer but I love to compete and as soon as I learned about 3D I was all into it. While shooting 3D I met up with several other guys that I worked with that were all into trad shooting. I was intrigued by the no sights thing but never really gave it any credit. They finally talked me into buying and old Bear Kodiac recurve to play with. I started shooting it and immediately was aware of how hard it was, shooting trash can sized groups at first. I finally gat good enough (so I thought) to take it to the 3D range. That first tournament I started with a quiver full of arrows. On target 30 (the last target) I had to borrow an arrow from one of my friends because every arrow of mine was either bent, broken, or lost. I was humbled that day and truly learned just how hard trad shooting is.

It also became a challenge for me. I could not let this simple stick get the better of me. I vowed that day that I was going to learn to be proficient with a stickbow and take an animal with one.

At first there was little improvement and I asked a local trad legend "How do I get good with one of these bows?". He looked at me and said "Boy, you still got that compound?". I answered "Yes". He said "Sell it!". I immediatly knew what he was saying. I was still shooting both bows and considered my compound my go-to bow. I did not sell that bow but did put it in its case and under the bed while I concentrated on nothing but the stick. For the next six or eight months I shot the stickbow every day. Sometimes only 20 shots, sometimes 120.

As time passed I got better and better until I finally felt comfortable enough to take the stick into the woods. By this time I had moved on from the Bear recurve to a Palmer recurve. I think it was the summer of the next year when I booked a blackbuck/ram hunt on a ranch near Juno, Tx. It was there that I was able to take my first trad animal, a nice corsican ram (spot and stalk). I was that day, forever hooked on traditional archery!.



Many newbies have come to the TBH trad forum since I joined and asked for advice and such. I am by no means an expert but try to give input when I think I can help someone. One thing I have told many guys is this:

"There is no other feeling in the world than that of walking up to (recovering) your first trad shot animal!. When you are succesful with trad gear it is a feeling like the first time you EVER shot an animal, period."

Anyway, that's my story (sorry for the long read but I got carried away a little).

After my family, trad archery is IT for me! See y'all at a shoot or hunt soon,

Bisch

[Bisch]

yes I did branch off to the compound thing owning one of the first Allen compounds in the state of Texas. I was 1/2 and 1/2 there for about 12 years then went back to all traddy about in 1995.

AHA, the nasty truth comes out!!!! I don't feel so bad now knowing that I strayed for two weeks. j/k

BTW, Doug, This is a great thread!

Bisch

[Tom Kidwell]

Nice thread Doug, thanks for posting! I have noticed a couple of resounding similarities in reading everyone's story... First, it ain't easy. Second, is the dedication and overwhelming satisfaction that is gained from long hours of shooting. I see a little bit of myself in each story. Does my old heart good! Thanks again!

[berettadave]

Mine started at the age of around 7 or 8. I got my introduction to archery by bowfishing. My dad and I would go to the lake nearly every weekend during the spring and summer to bowfish. I had a youth model bear fiberglass bow(don't know the specs) that was pretty weak. I actually got to where I could really hit the fish but I had a hard time keeping them on the arrow. When I was around 12 my dad bought me a Bear polar LTD and we started hunting. I never got to shoot anything with that bow but I put lots of arrows through it at targets. We used to go to the Austin Archery range and shoot some with a guy named Rusty Gaines. He gave me quite a few pointers on how to shoot. I never used a release or sights on my compound. Well, starting with my later teenage years I put my bow down and didn't pick it up much unless we were going bowfishing. I didn't shoot a bow much for 20+ years. About a year and a half ago a friend of mine started shooting a recurve some and I got interested in it again. I borrowed a custom bow from a friend of mine(a Doug Knight bow)and started practicing. I then was able to borrow a few Toelke bows from another friend of mine(FH Becker)and I was hooked on the Toelke whip nearly immediately. I wound up having Dan Toelke build me a longbow and I have been shooting nearly every day since then. I now have two Toelke whips and I am getting ready to have him build me a chinook recurve. I hope to have it by the time the Vanderpool shoot comes around. My only problem is that it seems that the ones who got me interested in shooting have all quit now. I shoot mainly by myself and I figure I probably pick up bad habits that way. I built a formaster device and I have it on one of my whips. When I feel like my shooting is bad, i put that bow up and work on the formaster. Hopefully this will help out. But, I will keep after it because I really enjoy the simplicity of the longbow and recurve.

BTW, I still have that old Polar LTD and I laugh everytime I look at it. With all the pulleys on that thing, it looks like you could use it for a block and tackle.

Dave

[Deb]

It started for us when a beat-up woman with a limping dog knocked on our door. She asked if we had the time to sit on the porch and talk with her awhile. We did. She said "My boyfriend is a good man when he ain't drunk, but when he is he beats the tar outa me and anything livin'. I'm tired of it and my dog is tired of it. He's gonna really hurt or kill us one of these days. I don't know what to do. I come down here 'cause Arvin, I know you used to drink and be real mean. Fact is, you remind me a lot of my boyfriend in a lot of ways. I know you quit drinking and actin' like that. Will you please talk to my boyfriend and see if you can help him?" Well, we knew this man and we wasn't thrilled about talking to him. We didn't care for him much. But after some discussin' we decided that if God put this man in our path for help, we'd better step up an help him if we liked it or not. So we did. After some time had passed, this guy came walkin' up the driveway. He had a Bob Sarrels longbow in his hand. He said "Ya'll been good to me and helped me out a lot. I don't have anything to give you for your work and all, but I can teach ya how to shoot this here bow". Well, we didn't have any paticular intrest in that, but what are ya gonna say? Ya'll know the rest of the story. That one act of obedience to the Lord's will came with a HUGE reward. Now we have the whole archery world and hundreds of new friends. God is good, he required us to do something we did not want to do, but he never required us to fool with compounds. Praise up. Lol.

[Bisch]

I then was able to borrow a few Toelke bows from another friend of mine(FH Becker)and I was hooked on the Toelke whip nearly immediately.

It's a small world, Dave! The local trad legend that I referred to in my story....was also F.H. Becker. We need to get to gether and shoot sometime. I am in Georgetown.

Bisch

[axisbuck24]

Wow, what an awesome thread!! Thanks for starting the story...one of the best reads in a longtime. Now carry on...next! Sitting around the campfire listening to the legends of traditional archery

Deb,
God still put a compound in your path...me

[Ol Man]

Deb,

Now that is a great story! thanks to everyone for posting...

I actually started shooting a bow when I was 7 - My dad shot and had an old American Archery Hickory longbow.. I used to shoot it a lot as a young kid up until I was maybe 10 then we moved in to town! Quit shooting until 1979...

Been shooting longbows every since '79' shot a recurve for maybe 6 months but always came back to the longbow!

[Samiel2d]

the first time i picked up a real bow just this past spring. like most everyone on here i had attempted to make several "bows" out of tree limbs and a piece of string. not what most would consider a bow, but it would fling a dowel a few feet and thats all i cared about, the "arrow" left the bow. granted the bows me and my brothers made as kids didnt shoot worth a **** but hey we were kids having fun, and that is what mattered. so this past spring i just so happened to go into Gander Mt here in tyler, if im not mistaken i went in to buy fishing lures (it was spring time, bass were spawning and i have an ace in the hole on pond bass ) when i saw this little hunter dan kids recurve. figured what the hell i'll give it a try, bought the little cheap bow and its been down hill since. i have shot basically every day since ive owned a bow, and god willing i will continue to shoot everyday.

[berettadave]

It's a small world, Dave! The local trad legend that I referred to in my story....was also F.H. Becker. We need to get to gether and shoot sometime. I am in Georgetown.

Bisch

Bisch,

Your right, it is a small world. I remember meeting you at the Weavers a while back. I also went out and met some of the guys from Tradgang at Solana Ranch on Dec 31st. They said you came out the night before to visit.

I would like to get together and shoot sometime. I could always use some pointers. PM me sometime if you want and maybe we can get together and shoot.

By the way, I will be seeing FH this coming Sunday at a sporting clays shoot in Austin.

take care
Dave