What year. Did u start bow hunting?
Wisconsin
What year did you start bow hunting? What type of equipment? I started in 71. Had a Ben Pearson bow. Bought from a farm auction picked up some wood arrows from. Ostling archery luck wis Hunted from the ground. Missed quite a few bucks. The first years but. There was very few bow hunters back then. And deer didn't. Seem very nervous to me on the ground. Them were the days still have the bow. A old back quiver and a arm strap
I started in '72. Had a Bear recurve but cannot remember the model.
1973, had a wing recurve, don't know the model either.
1965...Browning Nomad Stalker recurve...49lbs.
1993- Bear Whitetail II. Shot A nubbin on the last day and have been hooked ever since.
1971... ben pearson fibeglass recurve 45 lb
'74 (13 Yo)
Shot a 40# X 60" Bear "Kodiak" recurve
Hunted from the ground only back then.
Shot a lot kneeling on 1 knee. Remember not being able to crouch at all when shooting or the lower limb end would doink into the ground and the arrow would go about 10 ft.:)
1984 Jennings Lightning Hunter
'83. Bear Pronghorn Hunter
1983, American Archery Cheetah Mag. Still have it.
1976 Green fiberglass Bear bow. 45#
Deer 1959, Aluminum bow,wood arrows and Bear heads
87....an old Bear I bought at a pawn shop. Rocky Mountain Razor broadheads on Easton 2016 green arrows.
2012, Mission Venture! Sorry, I had to be the newbie!
1999 Mathews MQ-1 (still have it)
Started in 1963 at the age of three. Shot lots of squirrels and rabbits till 1971 when I started bow hunting deer. If you do the math my dad fibbed on my age so I could start at 11. :)
82, Bear Kodiak 50# recurve, fingers, cedar shafts, no sight, flipper rest, bear chisel tip broad head. Killed a fork horn on my first hunt. I went a long time without after that one.
75 Bear Whitetail Hunter.
Think it was around 1996 and I think it was an old browning? Still remember my first time I had my first shot at a buck. As the buck was walking by me I drew and kept following him and the dam broadhead stuck in my own tree before I could release the arrow. The lessons we learn :)
Ever since I can remember . Probably age four [1957] . Five and Ten Dime store bow with rubber tip's . Then a glass bow and arrow's from Warrior archery . Then saved my lunch money to buy a Herter's take down recurve. First compound was a wood riser Jenning's . Cost $300.00 new back then . A lot of money . Never have gun hunter for deer though .
Wow good memories. Still have my first backtag
1971 60" long bow no markings mom sold at thrift sale, wish I still had it.
1959, had a bear Tigercat! Still have it!
1959, had a bear Tigercat! Still have it!
1974 35# Bear Alaskan, it was too long to use for hunting so I cut grass fro a summer so I could get a 52# Wing Chaparral, Fiberglass arrows and Bear Broadheads with Bleeder Blades. Still have the bow and shoot it every once in a while. Lot's of good and not so good memories, a lot of laughs.
Wow!! I guess I'm gonna go as a newbie starting out in 2002. Yes taking claim as the baby boy of this website lol. Remind me to never argue/debate with anyone of you again. For seeing everyone here is my elder. All jokes aside.
My first hunting bow was a PSE JetFlite. My grandfather bought it at a rummage sale. It was almost 1.5 inches too long for me. I was 13 years old. I had to practice all summer long before I could pull that bow back at 63#s. I feel like I pulled off the impossible with what your typical 13 year old can do. Maybe that's y I think about archery hunting more than I think about anything else.
I was 22or 23 yrs old so around 04-05. I use the same bow now as I did back then. A borrowed then purchased Martin. I'm not sure the model (I've never actually been able to read the info as the markings were worn off before I got it).
The cool thing about that bow is it was used to kill a polar bear and a few other animals by the great Gary Martin. He is a Wisconsin bowhunter who has been successful in completing the NA big game slam with archery equipment.
1982...PSE Laser. Bumbled and stumbled the first couple of years learning how to hunt. No mentors or family members that hunted to fall back on. Read every magazine and book I could get my hands on.
1986. Proline compound bow (can't remember the model). XX75 arrows and Rocky Mountain Broadheads. Fletcher release. Cobra site. Aluminum ladder stand w/ a wooden platform (can't remember the maker). Paper plate for a target on a hale bale behind my Dad's house. Never took a shot on the stand, but man, I was one excited little dude. Still get excited today!
1985. PSE Phaser II, Easton shafts and PSE Brute 3 broadheads.
Hunted rabbits in the early sixties. My first bowhunt for deer was 1967. 45# Kodiak Magnum.
1972, 45# Bear Black Bear recurve that I bought with paper route money. Killed my first deer with it.
Also bought hand-made cedar arrows from the Ostling Archery arrow factory in Luck, WI. It was a treat to visit there and talk to old man Ostling and smell all that cedar. If you killed a deer with one of his arrows he would put your photo up and give you a free dozen arrows.
My first bow was a yellow fiberglass recurve that I found sticking out of a garbage can when I was an 8 year old kid growing up in Minneapolis. It didn't have a grip or shelf on it so I made one out of hockey tape and a piece of cardboard and talked my mom into buying me a string and some arrows.
Late season 1963, hunted with some low end wood arrow that were one spine fits all. I had a blue fiberglass longbow my Uncle Russ let me shoot. I had little idea what I was doing other than I knew I wanted to Bowhunt.
1972...Dad handed me his Indian Archery recurve and a handful of mismatched Port-Orford Cedars with rusty Bear heads and told me to "get lost". So happy to say I've been lost ever since! Still have the old bow too, but it's more decoration than anything these days:)
1980...with a 2nd hand Browning Nomad compound bow.
1985 Browning Bushmaster Deluxe, my Christmas present and remember pulling it back 100 times till i dry fired it... Luckily didnt break and used it many years. Easton arrows and Rocky Mtns broadheads
1967. American Archery Super Nitro 54" recurve. 40 pound pull. Made in Oconto Falls, Wisconsin. Bought it at the local dime store. Still have it. Also have the cedar shaft arrows with the Bear heads and their razor inserts. Still have scars on my thumbs from inserting those damn razors. LOL.
1975 - Jennings Super T Hunter. It had metal hangers to hold the eccentric wheels. It was a blazing fast 150fps....AND it did kill deer.....even though it didn't shoot 350+fps like many believe is needed today. Easton Game Getter 2018 arrows and Savora BH.
Started in 2004 or 2005 with my Hoyt Ultramag. It wasn't set up right to fit me from the "pro" shop but over time I learned to set up bows myself.
Deer 1962 with straight fiberglass bow (Shakespeare)
I recall that I started they had just invented the bow.....
Well sometime about 1965 and I used a Ben Pearson (Puma?) 45 lbs. Wood arrows Hilbre broadheads and determination.
The bow that I practiced with before hunting season delaminated just before season and my folks managed to find this one for me just in time.
y2k Browning Micro Midas 45# Muzzy 90 grain 4 blade
1959 Staghorn 49# 60" recurve.
around 1967, Manitowoc county. Some sort of recurve. first bow kill (small buck) around 1978 Buffalo county.
WOW, Did not realize how, lets say mature, the folks are on this site, lol
84 Bear Kodiak that I still use!
Around 1987. Started hunting with a Darton wheelie compound. Before hunting age, I goofed around with a Bear fiberglass recurve. Never killed anything until almost 10 years later. Started by sitting on the ground in jeans & an army jacket. The first deer I killed though, was while I was sitting in the stand I built in a clump of trees, consisting of a platform and 2x4s for a railing (was built for gun hunting.) I was also on my 2nd bow,which was a Hoyt Raptor. I still use the wheelie for bow fishing. The only animals I have got with it are carp, gar, and sheepshead. No big game.
1955, shot my first deer in 1956 north of Grantsburg, with a bear cub and zwicky head.
1975 with a Bear recurve. My neighbor got me into bowhunting. My parents made me wear fluorescent orange too! I remember flinging arrows at a running deer, pushed by the neighbor, the arrows literally forming a semi circle. Bear heads, olive colored. Switched to a Browning Explorer bow that looked like a recurve but 4 wheels. I wish I had that bow, let somebody use it and never got it back. Killed a doe with it in 1978. I was sitting on a fencline, no woods in sight. I was sitting on the ground and deer walked 10 feet away across fence. I pulled back and shot as it bolted. I hit it right in the butt (Wasp 4 blade where ferrule was deep green and bladed held on with retaining ring) but got femoral artery. I remember it didn't go far and I tried finishing it off with all the remaining arrows. I recall a "pin cushion". I was so happy, archer for life. I still have the arrow. It looks like a boomerang.
We complain about crossbows, but look back at what most of us started with. I toil with returning to traditional to get that "happy" back again. It has gotten too easy, but I am not ready to use an Atlatl.
I was waiting for someone with insight like treefarm to point out the obvious. Well stated! Look how we've come along to the modern day compound and gear, yet that line in the sand is that bloody crossbow? Hell, I'd rather hunt with my bow....it's easier!
1991 bear compound. first time hunting unloaded my quiver went and picked up three arrows and then hit a nubbin buck. i can remeamber like it was yesterday. was sitting on the ground in a funnel and was really unsteady. lol
1984 - Browning Bushmaster. Started to seriously in 1996 - Oneida Eagle which I still have and use for bow fishing.
Wow. A lot of archers that once they started got hooked with a passion
A little trivia the first back n leg tags for arches wher issued was 1965 Archery. Stats. 1965. Season. 1358 bucks 4629 antler less 85,114 bow hunters 2014. Season. 30,433 bucks. 24,377 does. 214,213. Hunters
Archery hunting. Every so fun!!!!! Anybody have any 60s tags they would like to sell? Thanks
Wow. A lot of archers that once they started got hooked with a passion
A little trivia the first back n leg tags for arches wher issued was 1965 Archery. Stats. 1965. Season. 1358 bucks 4629 antler less 85,114 bow hunters 2014. Season. 30,433 bucks. 24,377 does. 214,213. Hunters
Archery hunting. Every so fun!!!!! Anybody have any 60s tags they would like to sell? Thanks
Interesting to think about all those old bows with the big brackets to hold the wheels before split limb designs. Of course the bear Whitetail and Polar models had wheels and cables everywhere.
I remember that it felt like everyone was shooting either Rocky Mountain Razors, Wasp, or Savora for a while.
Any body remember the 5 blade bro ahead that spun on the shaft? Was called?
Or The Browning X-Cellerator bow. " the exploder" they called them back in the day. They came out around the Bear Whitetail did and Jennings.
1972, My dad got me a 40# Shakepeare Recurve. Got my first compound in 1975. A PSE Pacer
I started shooting arrows in the back yard at about age 11 (mid 80's). My Dad gave me his trusty Bear re-curve that he purchased from West Town Archery in the mid 60's.
First time I officially went bow hunting was in 1996 at age 22. I borrowed an old compound bow and aluminum arrows that were given to my Dad by a friend. In hindsight, I'm glad I didn't see any deer or shoot at any b/c I had spent "zero" time shooting that bow.
I didn't bow hunt again until 2010, once again using the same bow I used back in '96. (plenty of practice this time)
In January of 2011, I bought a Mathew's Z-7 Extreme. Still suits me just fine.
I enjoy every minute I get on stand and will continue to bow hunt until I can no longer steady a bow and draw the string.
I started in 1958, got my first bow from Warrior archery, wooden arrows from Rose Tool and Die in Milwaukee, Got my 1st deer a Spike buck in 1962. Carolyn got her bow a White bow in 1964. 1st deer in 1970.
I think the Browning Explorer was known as the "Exploder". At least the circles I ran in. I owned one for a while. It is why I will never own anything from Browning again.
I shot my first game animal, which was a rabbit in 1961 or 62! I shot my first deer in 1964!(15) I was the first juvenile to shoot a deer in my county! But it was kind of a Big Deal on one hand and sucked on the other. Back then you were only allowed one deer license! There was no separate archery season. So the deer I killed was my deer for the year! I don't remember when and the state started he actual archery season. Anyway, I'll just keep shooting my recurve and chasing animals.
1972 Ben Pearson bow, ceder shaft arrows with Bear chisel point tips, finger tip glove and arm guard. I have no idea where the bow ended up SAD...
This was my fourth bow hunting season. I always participated in the 9-day rifle season from about 10 years old on. A friend got me into bow hunting and we've been trying to hunt the rut every year. Each year I feel like I've learned so much and made progress each season. Still haven't gotten a deer on the ground nor have I let an arrow loose.
This recent bow hunting season left me with one of my best deer observing stories to date. It was about 9:00 AM and I'm camped out in my ground blind. I heard a rustle from behind me and I saw a smaller doe coming into view. Not too far behind her was a smaller spike buck. He was chasing her like mad and grunting up a storm. Well I don't think she was much interested in him because she never let him get too close to her. They chased all over the woods but never stopped long enough for me to draw and get a shot on either deer. This went on for what seemed like a 5 minutes or so and then they disapeared down into some thick brush. Not 10 minutes later another buck followed the same path as the doe. I ranged him at 25 yards but his vitals were behind a tree. All he needed to do was take one more step! Well the other two deer the smaller doe and the spike buck came back out of the thick brush and the two bucks locked eyes and it was on. I've never seen two bucks chase each other like these two were. The doe just meandered out of view while these two juveniles figured there business out.
Like I said never was able to get them to stop long enough for a shot but it was one of the best moments while sitting in the woods. Hoping that next year and getting my butt up into the air will lead to greater success.
1961 Pearson , 62 homemade , 64 Bear cub ? , 68 bear Kodiak , 70 bear super Kodiak , 75 Black Widow , 90 Staghorn .
92 Pearson spoiler cam , 1st compound , 95 Browning , 98 Staghorn or Bear super Kodiak , 2000 Mathews fx ? , 2005 Mathews , 2007 Mathews , 2009 Staghorn , 2010 Mathews .
I ran a morning paper route all summer to be able to buy my first compound bow. A Jennings T-Star. Never killed a deer with it but had enough close calls to get me hooked. All these years later, through many compound bows and a buck or 2, I find myself ready to go back to the beginning. So I bought a recurve last year and am looking as forward to the opener as I did when I had to ride my bike to the woods with my bow over my back and my arrows (3 of them total) across the handle bars.
2015 spur of the moment when I realized I finally had enough time to hunt again mid Nov and saw an old Polar Bear bow probably from the 70's on CL for $20. Didn't see much but sure enjoyed being out. Hoping to devote more time this next season.
1987. Nearly 30 years later I still recall many of those first hunts.
I started bowhunting, in 1976, invited by friends to try it, and go with them in the spring, for walleyes and bears in Ontario........
I did not shoot a whitetail till 1981, but by than I had already killed 4 bears,,,,,, I started on the opposite end I guess
Amazing the age of bow hunters on this site also. The love for the sport!!!
1955 - Ben Pearson longbow - Got my first deer 15 minutes into the first day -- 14 pt. buck -- Been hooked ever since. (I shot carp and a rabbit a year before that but it wasn't legal so I don't brag about that.)
1996 Proline Raven...Had about a 10 year break chasing other tail and joined the ARMY been back at it for last 8 years
74. Recurve, don't remember what kind. It took 5 years and a pse compound before i was able to get my first deer. A forky. You could hear me screaming with joy at least 5 miles away! Never have lost the fever.
73, Bear grizzly recurve 50lbs@28, cedar arrows, Bear razor heads.
1972 when I was 16 for deer with a Bear Alaskan. Cedar arrows and Bear Razorheads. No deer were ever harmed with that bow. I wish I still had it so i could redeem it's honor.
About 1966. Had a Shakespeare recurve. Couldn't hit much back then. Really did not understand instinctive archery. Seem to remember that bow licenses were $1.00. I would have to guess that most of wish we still had our original recurves.
Started bow hunting in 1974. Started with aa fiberglass recurve bought with my paper route money. Then got an American archery WOOD recurve, pretty pumped with that. Got a PSE sizzler, 2 wheeler a few years after that. Shot my first deer, a forken horn, with that bow in 1979. Went threw a multitude of wheelers since. Now since the x-gun thing, I'm back to either a bear grizzly or a OMP Smokey Mountain Hunter takedown. I haven't had this much fun and enjoyment shooting for a long time. I recommend going traditional to everyone who bow hunts.
R2T2 Looks like 1954. Is. One of the first. Hunters on the site. To archery a few from. 1955. Wow. The story's they can tell and have seen over the years. From the. Recures wood shafts etc to the age of the compounds and now the crossbows. The technology. Is. Always improving
Up till 71. Ground hunting was the only option. Thank the Wisconsin bow hunters for. Getting tree stands allowed in 1971. WBH. Does a lot for our sport!!!!
1952 in vilas county. My dad and I hunted with Art Laha, Roy Case, Ing Gisselman, and Howard Thrapp. Believe I used a Bear cub. Shot first deer in 1956
Gulchman. You Hunted with legends. Wow!!!!
1972. My dad took me to Montgomery Ward in LaCrosse and he bought me a fiberglass Bear recurve with a dozen wood arrows. Six tipped with field points, six tipped with Bear broadheads w/razor inserts. Couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. Shot at few deer, didn't come close! Didn't kill my first one until I was 19. I was then using a Bear Whitetail Hunter. Haven't missed a season!!!!
Hell. I feel honored To hear the years everybody. Started hunting talk about dedication and the love of the sport!!!!!!
i start every year. some years i even finish.
Back in the early 70's I hunted with Bill Tutt out of Mercer WI. We use to go Art Laha's for supper at his bar. I would listen to Art and Tutt talk people that use to come north and hunt with them. Awesome stories! Art Laha said his wife was a better tracker than he was. Also when I was staying at Tutt's, is when Fred Bear showed up! Tutt worked for Bear Archery in the late 50's/60s after he returned from Korea. I guess Bear would make a trip or two up to see Tutt and his family! I was at Tutt's on two occasions when Fred was there but that's another incident all together! At 67 yrs. of age, I've been very luck to meet some awesome folks in the world of Archery!
I started hunting with a bow & arrow as a very young boy in the late 1940s, mostly rabbits & whatever else I could locate in the back yard. I had about a 15-20# plastic bow. I first went bowhunting for deer at the age of 12 in 1957 and have not missed a season since then, even during my time in the service from '65 to '71. I always used to take my leave during the month of October so I made it home for the season. I got my first deer on 9-30-64 near the Knapp firetower (taken down now) in Jackson County using a 45# Bear Magnum bow, wood arrows with 4-blade Bear Razorhead broadheads, and a Kant Pinch finger tab. Shot instinctive, no sight on the bow. I was lucky, the deer was an 8-point. Maybe a 12" antler spread and he probably dressed out about 120#.
1945. Very few Hunters back then.
