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Where ?

Where are all the old timers, ( pre compounders)? Few names come to mind: Larry Stewart,( Anamosa) Milt Cloah,(dubuque Larry Briney ,Dave Mason (Cedar Rapids ).

When I say where are they,( and many others), I mean, Let's hear from the old timers !

Jim Keefer, Iowa City

I doubt I'm known at all by any but I did manage to join organized Archery in 1956, Bowhunted Illinois 1st ever deer Season (my home state) in 1957 & killed my 1st Deer (A yearling Doe) in 1958. I've resided in Ia. for 17 years now & a 20 min walk from the Mississippi River & 45 min from my Ill. home town. I managed 38 Biggame animals with recurves b/4 switiching to compounds in the mid 70s. Pic is my 1958 Deer. 2014 starts my 58th year of Bowhunting. I have plans (if nothing happens) to shoot the State Target & Field championship shoots this year and I have my lodging booked in Yankton S.D. for the NFAA Nationals. I will be shooting the Master Senior Bowhunting Division..

I remember reading some of your posts on Bowsite ,(leather wall ?) in the past. Perhaps it was on Tradbow, but I do know of you. Who were some of the early Il. and Ia. bowhunters you knew ? Thanks for posting !

Ed Rhode. a top recurve shooter in the 60s70s. Ia.. Keith Stidmon from Quad city area., Pete Shepley & the Ragsdales when PSE was in Ill. (I knew Pete when he shot recurves). Noel Feather, Ill.. I've known/met & competed with some of the greatest archers & many were never famous or well known.

I knew Ed Rhoade from Muscatine personally. He and his group of pros (Stan Warner,(nfaa animal champ) Hugh Shaw, Jim Gorly , etc. came to many of our field and indoor PAA shots Did you know Lonnie Byrd, one of the few from Il. that I kinda knew? Thanks again, nostaltia lane is fun to go down !!!

I knew Ed Rhoade from Muscatine personally. He and his group of pros (Stan Warner,(nfaa animal champ) Hugh Shaw, Jim Gorly , etc. came to many of our field and indoor PAA shots Did you know Lonnie Byrd, one of the few from Il. that I kinda knew? Thanks again, nostaltia lane is fun to go down !!!

I had a shop/lanes (actually 2 after 74) from 64 through 80 & sponsored a few Pro-Ams. Rhoade & Shaw came to 1 of my 1st indoor 300s & Ed & a fella from Ws. tied with 300s. Shoot off lasted 1 end & Ed won the shoot off. Yes, I knew Lonnie pretty well. So many great shooters in those recurve days. Imagine all those perfect 300s, 560 fields & animal rounds back when it was recurves & fingers & tackle so much less than todays. There is a pic of my 1st full time shop where Ed shot that 1st Pro-Am in this article that was in ISAA Arrow Hound last year. WE have seen so many changes...

Im pretty sure Larry Briney passed away. I learned how to shoot at Larrys Archery with my dad as a kid. but that was probably 25 years ago.

Great guys, keep em' coming (memories and oldtimers.)

You mean there are only 3 of us "old timers" on Bowsite. Come on, lets hear from those others be still in the game or not. If nothing goes wrong I will be shooting our state Target, State Field & NFAA Nationals in Yankton, S.D. this year. Already have my lodging booked for Nationals. I know I can handle the shooting, don't know if the knees can handle all the walkin. Deer was 1964 taken on a weekend hunt in northern Ws. My 1st horns & he proudly hangs with all my other mounts.

A FEW NAMES FROM MARION COUNTY COME TO MIND THAT MAYBE YOU ALL MIGHT RECOGNIZE...LOYD GOAD [WORLD RECORD WHITETAIL] TOM TUCKER, CHUCK WALTERS, DON BENNETT,DWIGHT ROBUCK, STEVE DONNELLY, DON CLARK ALL BOWHUNTERS THAT REALLY GOT ME INTERESTED IN HUNTING WITH THE BOW BACK IN THE EARLY 60'S!

I remember Goad, world record holder for wt nt if I remeber rt. Other names are familiar, but can't really remember. (old age dont'cha know!

It's hard to believe that competing for so many years in ILL. & IA.(late 50s thru about 1980) that I have forgotten so many names of so many great shooters. Recurve shooters drilling 300s with fingers on single spot face b/4 5 spot target & the FEAR of the dreaded "kiss out" & tons of busted nocks. String walkers & how meticulous they were thumb nailing their serving. New Bows being bought & not being drilled. tapped for sights or stabilizers OR cushion plunger (we did this on our own back then). US OLD GUYS have witnessed Soooo many changes, improvements from even how you keep score & a score card in itself. In the early years striving for that "first" 500 field score & the getting a coveted NFAA 500 club patch. Yes, age takes it's toll & some of us that "knew" we would be shooting "any" tournament clean or close to it can only "remember" the days & now have to look at some of the newbies in awe as they post scores & other achievments with seemingly ease. Personally (only my opinion), I believe "tackle-aids" makes this difference & many of todays great shooters could have been that back then, just not as many.. Regardless, we (old archers/Bowhunters) have experienced ALL of the best from old to new.

Anyone remember Dick Bramstetter from Pekin, Il.? This guy was an awesome shooter. He would draw & almost a snap shooter but deadly. Many a perfect score. Heck of nice guy also..

3rd from right, Noel Feather 1957 & other club members of Broken Arrow Bowhunters, Sterling/Rock Falls. Ill. on their annual trip to Northern Ws.. Illinois 1st ever Deer Season was 1957 so the club went to Northern Ws. for deer hunting back then.

a "young" bow hunter who has a little more mileage on him now!

Iowa Cedar Shooter-looks like the X ring on that Buck for sure...

ahunter55? Is Noel Feather still poaching for a living?

ouch

I don't think much of Noel either !!! Really screwed some of my buddies on a bear hunt. (geez, that doesn't sound very nice). You guys know what I mean.

I knew Noel for many years since we belonged to the same club, lived in adjoining towns & I owned local archery shop/lanes back in those days (20 years). We didn't travel in the same circle & he didn't associate with many locally. When he was busted locals knew his history long b/4. It was unfortunate since the man was an excellent archer. He did many wrong but we all will answer for our earthly mistakes. Unfortunately we see several of these "famous" in our sport fall from grace due to the apparent "need" to be well known OR our name in P&Y book. Nothing can be a true trophy or achievement IF you cheat to get it. I have no idea if he even hunts as he has to be over 75+ & I no longer live in Ill.. Regardless, the man could outshoot most. just not me..

You're right ahunter, too many good archers and good guys want that fame and cheat to get it. Ruins how people remember them. Tarnishes them.

Keep those memories coming. Do you remember Denny Ballard.? We started the Iowa city "Whitetail Bowmen" archery club back in 66'. He was a well known guy in archery circles back then, and I was, as now, just a local name. Denny is a P&Y senior member and is on the board.

Ballard sounds familiar but can't really say. So many great Archers/Bowhunters that never found or seeked fame. I truly believe the caliber of people in Archery is greater than most sports.

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