Favorite Hunting Heirloom or Antique
General Topic
Contributors to this thread:
badbull 11-May-23
BoggsBowhunts 11-May-23
Don T Lewis 11-May-23
ahawkeye 11-May-23
badbull 12-May-23
Will 12-May-23
wild1 12-May-23
badbull 12-May-23
WV Mountaineer 12-May-23
drycreek 12-May-23
Woods Walker 12-May-23
Zbone 12-May-23
badbull 12-May-23
fuzzy 12-May-23
TonyBear 12-May-23
137buck 12-May-23
Basil 12-May-23
Basil 12-May-23
Woods Walker 12-May-23
casekiska 12-May-23
Basil 12-May-23
casekiska 12-May-23
casekiska 12-May-23
casekiska 12-May-23
badbull 12-May-23
badbull 12-May-23
Boris 12-May-23
t-roy 12-May-23
Jim Moore 13-May-23
Zbone 13-May-23
badbull 13-May-23
ahawkeye 13-May-23
Zbone 13-May-23
Fields 13-May-23
Coyote 65 13-May-23
EmbryOklahoma 13-May-23
Sunset 13-May-23
badbull 13-May-23
badbull 13-May-23
ahunter76 13-May-23
casekiska 13-May-23
RJ Hunt 13-May-23
Sunset 13-May-23
Tilzbow 14-May-23
Sunset 14-May-23
Saphead 14-May-23
huntnmuleys 14-May-23
Dale06 14-May-23
Stubbleduck 14-May-23
ahawkeye 14-May-23
Kurt 14-May-23
kentuckbowhnter 14-May-23
Zbone 14-May-23
casekiska 14-May-23
ahawkeye 15-May-23
Wildan2 15-May-23
stealthycat 15-May-23
wyobullshooter 15-May-23
Zbone 15-May-23
badbull 16-May-23
Zbone 16-May-23
Hunter's Granddad 16-May-23
badbull 16-May-23
Al Dente Laptop 16-May-23
Meat Grinder 16-May-23
deerhunter72 17-May-23
Basil 17-May-23
Gulchman 17-May-23
Zbone 17-May-23
badbull 17-May-23
Rock 17-May-23
VaBowman 17-May-23
casekiska 17-May-23
Nemophilist 17-May-23
maxracx 17-May-23
Zbone 17-May-23
AaronShort 18-May-23
badbull 18-May-23
Cheesehead Mike 19-May-23
Cheesehead Mike 19-May-23
Cheesehead Mike 19-May-23
Cheesehead Mike 19-May-23
Catscratch 19-May-23
BC173 19-May-23
Corax_latrans 19-May-23
Cheesehead Mike 19-May-23
Jasper 19-May-23
Jasper 19-May-23
badbull 19-May-23
fuzzy 23-May-23
Cheesehead Mike 24-May-23
T-rex 24-May-23
saddle up dave 24-May-23
Buckdeer 24-May-23
Zbone 04-Jun-23
From: badbull
11-May-23

badbull's embedded Photo
Bear Gun
badbull's embedded Photo
Bear Gun
Do you have a favorite or special hunting related heirloom, antique, or archery item? My favorite heirloom is probably the one passed down from my great-grandfather. lt is a black powder bear gun said to be used by the railroaders as they pushed West. Supposedly only about 50 of them were made. I believe a chunk of meat was attached to the hook so the bear would shoot itself. These guns were used well before Ishi got Pope and Young interested in bowhunting. A different great-grandfather's Damaskus steel black powder shotgun was given to me by my grandfather. I am curious if any of you possess anything similar or any early archery stuff which would be interesting to the rest of us ? Please post or comment if you care to. Badbull

11-May-23
Not posting the picture because it’s not mine, but a good family friend has a old gun that his grandpa found in a cave around 1900, probably pre-civil war era firearm, that had a ladies name carved in the stock with the words “KILL ALL” following it. Would love to know the story of that gun and how it ended up in that cave…

From: Don T Lewis
11-May-23

Don T Lewis's embedded Photo
Don T Lewis's embedded Photo
Vintage Marbles compass and Marbles WoodCraft hunting knife. It was considered one of the best designs in a hunting knife. This knife was made sometime between 1930-1937 you can tell an early knife because it will be stamped PATD 1916 on the tang. And Marbles on the other side.

From: ahawkeye
11-May-23

ahawkeye's embedded Photo
ahawkeye's embedded Photo
Neat thread not nearly as old or cool as what you guys have posted but my dad gave me his old pocket knife.

From: badbull
12-May-23
ahawkeye, My sons and I reward each other for bowhunting achievements by giving pocket knives. When we use these knives it reminds us of particular bowhunt memories together so we value them yery much, Badbull

From: Will
12-May-23
My wife's grandpa's hunting knife, circa 1930 or so. Some of his old wooden decoys with original "rope" as well.

From: wild1
12-May-23
My late father's 1970 edition of the iconic Winchester 30-30 lever action rifle. My son will own it someday in the future.

From: badbull
12-May-23
wild1,l regret not keeping my old Winchester 30-30. They were such a classic rifle, Badbull

12-May-23
A 1973 Remington model 700 in 30/06. It’s beautiful. And, it belonged to my granddad. It followed him all over this country shooting mule deer and whitetails, elk, bear, and antelope. I hope to put all these under my belt with this gun. I better get busy.

From: drycreek
12-May-23
No heirlooms here, I’m the first one in my family that hunted. My Daddy would kill a few squirrels now and then but he wasn’t a hunter. His old single barrel 12 gauge is long gone. My uncle was a bootlegger, and I wanted the .38 Special he owned, but my aunt sold it the day after he died I think. I’ll leave a couple firearms to my sons and grandson though, then they can have some heirlooms.

From: Woods Walker
12-May-23
Antique/heirloom? ME!!! ;-) I'm like drycreek....a "first generation".

What's telling though, is that from when I first knew what hunting/being in the woods was, I KNEW down to my core that it's what I was and where I wanted to be.

From: Zbone
12-May-23
badbull, that's interesting, pretty cool... What kind of bullet projects from the black power? I get the hook triggering the mechanism that fires and assume it has some kind of barrel and trigger mechanism, but what is it? Is it percussion cap, flintlock, or brass cartridge like maybe 45/70? Got pix of firing mechanism and barrel?

My heirloom is my great grandfather's Steven .22 WRM (Winchester Rim Fire) target rifle with long tubular scope... Looks similar to one of Clint Eastwood's old scoped rifles...

From: badbull
12-May-23
I have always been a little surprised by the number of people on here that are "first generation"that are really into bowhunting. There was a late bowhunter on here with the handle "City Hunter" that was a great asset to Bowsite and excellent bowhunter. I was always impressed with him for developing this interest on his own.

From: fuzzy
12-May-23
I have my grandaddy turkey box call

From: TonyBear
12-May-23
My Dad's military Kabar ('Kill a Bear" ) knife. He brought it home from WWII, shortened it by about 4 inches. Gutted many deer and few bear with it.

From: 137buck
12-May-23
I have my grandpa's old Remington model 10A shotgun, Told me that I am to have that gun and to keep it in the family.

From: Basil
12-May-23
Not hunting related but I have my grandpas fly rod. A Berkeley Cherry wood with an automatic Martin fly reel. Still has the hook, yarn & dried spawn bag he caught his last fish on it with me in the 80’s. I would love to respool the reel & catch one more fish with it but would never forgive myself if I broke it.

From: Basil
12-May-23
I have my great uncles Browning automatic 22. He was a Nuclear physicist on the Manhattan project. One of a number who died from radiation poisoning. Government confiscated everything he owned. My grandpa got a couple items back many years later.

From: Woods Walker
12-May-23
WOW! That is really sad. I would definitely cherish that item.

From: casekiska
12-May-23
In 1949 my late uncle was a young airman stationed in Alaska. He wasn't a hunter or an archer but soon realized he was living in a bowman's paradise. This prompted him to order a bow and arrows from a catalog company in the states. He made a back quiver out of leather obtained locally. He did bowhunt a variety of animals in Alaska, in Alabama when he returned stateside, and then in Wisconsin after mustering out. He never indicated to me that he ever killed any animal with his bow. In the seventies he passed his tackle along to me and I cherish it highly. The arrows of course are POC with Zwickey 4-blade Eskimo broadheads. The bow is a Bear (unsure of model due to decals all being missing) rigid recurve with an aluminum lamination.

From: Basil
12-May-23
I was mesmerized by it as a kid. Was a break down rifle in a small leather case in a basement drawer. Never knew the story behind it for years. Grandpa never really talked about it.

From: casekiska
12-May-23

casekiska's embedded Photo
This photo should have accompapnied the above post.
casekiska's embedded Photo
This photo should have accompapnied the above post.

From: casekiska
12-May-23

casekiska's embedded Photo
casekiska's embedded Photo
Not sure what is going on.....my photo of my late uncles bow & quiver seems to not want to post. I have no idea where that photo of the buck came from,...not one of mine. I'll try once more to get the photo of my uncle's gear to post. Here goes. Sorry about all this...

From: casekiska
12-May-23

casekiska's embedded Photo
casekiska's embedded Photo
Not sure what is going on.....my photo of my late uncles bow & quiver seems to not want to post. I have no idea where that photo of the buck came from,...not one of mine. I'll try once more to get the photo of my uncle's gear to post. Here goes. Sorry about all this...

From: badbull
12-May-23

badbull's embedded Photo
badbull's embedded Photo
badbull's embedded Photo
badbull's embedded Photo
Great posts guys! Zbone, where is JohnMC when I need him? Trying to get a photo for you but the quality is going to be bad. Badbull

From: badbull
12-May-23

badbull's embedded Photo
badbull's embedded Photo

From: Boris
12-May-23
I have my Dad's rifle that he bought at the age of 16. It was told to me that the rifle came as a hunting kit. It had 5 barrels with it. I own have the one barrel. An that is a 30-30. The rifle is a Savage model 219 single shot.

From: t-roy
12-May-23
I have my grandpa’s Model 12 Winchester 12 ga pump. Killed my very first deer with it when I was 12 years old.

From: Jim Moore
13-May-23
A couple of things. 1st is a longbow made for my father by Howard Hill himself. Old Tough Dog it was named. Hangs on my wall with some old osage bows my grandfather and my dad made. Years and years ago. 2nd would be dads Model 88 winchester in .308. Its near 70 years old and still a shooter. Took my first deer with it. Open sights. Shot it just about a month ago.

From: Zbone
13-May-23
badbull, that's neat, even has an octagon barrel... With only 50 made, would imagine it's valuable... Maybe a firearm museum or something like those roadside antique show folks may be able to put a value on it...

Jim Moore, that's cool, got pix of those bows?

casekiska, that aluminum laminated Bear bow looks in good shape, cool bow and think they're kinda rare but from what I read were known to delaminate even when new so would not try to string it... Any chance pix of the writing on the bow? If interested, those guys that collect old Bear bows over on the LeatherWall might be able to give you more info on it... I also have some info on the aluminum laminated bows I saved from here on stickbow I can post if you or others like...

From: badbull
13-May-23
Interesting stuff. I see that I am not the only one who has a grandfather's shotgun. I have already gifted my old shotgun to my granddaughter although I'm still keeping it for her.

From: ahawkeye
13-May-23
Badbull, I cherish that knife as well. I am lucky to still be able to hunt with my father, we lost Mom last September so it's a reminder that time is precious. A lot of my friends ask if I'd like to hunt with them I almost always decline. If Dad's hunting and I'm off work I'm with Dad!

From: Zbone
13-May-23
My grandfather had a 12 gauge Damascus single barrel shotgun too, it was a Winchester but unfortunately after he passed, my Dad sold it along with a trap door Springfield 45/70... My Dad had no sense of sentimental value and caused a lot of heartache between him and I, even to this day 20 years later...

casekiska, here's info from stickbow.com on:

"The Aluminum Laminated Bows

The first new bow model which was introduced in 1949 after Nels’ departure was the Grizzly. The Polar and Kodiak were introduced in the following year, 1950.

These bows of 1949, 1950 and early 1951 can be recognized by the lamination of aluminum in the limbs. This aluminum was scrapped from B-17 bomber airplanes of WWII, the purchase of which was arranged from the government by Glen St. Charles. The aluminum lamination on the Kodiak and Grizzly is found only in the inner lamination, surrounded by layers of maple and glass. However, on the Polar, the aluminum is found both under a layer of maple and glass, and on the outside lamination.

In 1949 and 1950 Bear was using a bi-directional glass on their bows which looks somewhat like a basket weave pattern. Then in 1951 Bear began using a new Uni-Directional glass in which the glass fibers all ran lengthwise to the bow limbs. This is a good way to tell the difference between the 1949/50 and the 1951 models. The 1951 Grizzly also began production with the aluminum lamination, but very early in 1951 the aluminum was dropped due to the high reported breakage problems of these aluminum bows.

The Kodiak was introduced in 1950 with the bi-directional glass and the aluminum lamination. Then in early 1951, just as with the Grizzly, the new uni-directional glass was introduced but the aluminum lamination was still present. This glass change apparently occurred around serial number 5000. Then in mid-1951, the aluminum lamination was dropped. So for 1951 you will find Kodiaks with aluminum and bi-directional glass, aluminum with uni-directional glass, and no-aluminum with uni-directional glass.

This aluminum laminated caused two problems. First, the bows had quite a bit of handshock when shot, and as a result were not comfortable to shoot. Secondly, the large amount of shock contributed to a large number of bows delaminating. This warranty problem caused a substantial strain on the companies finances, but Fred insisted that all bows be replaced if returned broken. "

From: Fields
13-May-23
Mine isnt as expensive or anything that will be passed down... but when I was 12, the first day of trout was a big deal to me and my brother. Mom took us shopping and of course we had to stop at the tackle shop to see what was there. I picked up a small dispensable split shot holder... My mom said she would buy it for me. I babied that thing for years, before I decided to only use it for the first day of trout. 42 years later and it still accompanies me on every first day of trout. Every time I see it during the year in my tackle box or use it the first morning of trout, I think of mom.

From: Coyote 65
13-May-23
I have a western auto .22 rifle that my dad bought in the 1930's during the South Dakota dust bowl days. SD had a bounty on jack rabbits and the first day of hunting them he and his brother earned enough to pay for the rifle. Plan was to climb on top of a hay stack and shoot them as they came in to eat. Also have 1897 Winchester shotgun my mom bought for him as a first anniversary present.

My wife has a Hoffman Arms 375 H&H rifle from her grandfather circa 1920's and a AF Tait oil painting circca 1870's titled "The Retriever" of a dog chest deep in water with a duck in its mouth. Terry

13-May-23
Ironically, it’s a browning 7mm that my stepfather gave me last year. With tears in his eyes, he said… “I’ll never use it again, it’s yours.” I killed an Oklahoma elk with it last fall. I called him after I killed the bull, and his excitement was everything I needed to hear. Means the world to me now.

From: Sunset
13-May-23
A small Civil War cannonball passed down from my great grandfather who fought in that war.

From: badbull
13-May-23
Not hunting related but I have from the late uncle that raised me a .25 caliber German pistol very much like a Beretta. The gun was disarmed from a German woman during the Battle of The Bulge. I also have his Purple Heart from a sniper wound he incurred when shot through his clavicle. When I talk about this or see these items l remember him and what he meant to me, Badbull.

From: badbull
13-May-23
These posts continue to be very interesting. Sunset, do you know many millimeters that cannonball happens to be? No problem if you can't show us a picture but curious about the size. Badbull

From: ahunter76
13-May-23

ahunter76's embedded Photo
ahunter76's embedded Photo
ahunter76's embedded Photo
That first shot Oct. 4th 1958 Doe arrowed at 35 yds with that Eddings
ahunter76's embedded Photo
That first shot Oct. 4th 1958 Doe arrowed at 35 yds with that Eddings
My 1st real bow bought in 1956, 64" 45#s Eddings made in Iowa. I bowhunted Illinois FIRST EVER Deer season in 1957 with it & missed 4 shots that year. In 1958, my 1st shot I arrowed my 1st Deer with a bow. It now hangs among my sons archery/bowhunting gear & mounts.

From: casekiska
13-May-23
Zbone - thanks for passing along the info regarding the alumn lam Bear bows. That is little known but very interesting archery history. And probably history that few fellows are aware of. I actually had read much of that a few years ago, I don't recall who or where I read it but its all good to know. Seems to me there was more to the story and if I remember correctly it went something like this.....the high failure and return rate of these bows almost put Bear Archery out of business due to Fred's promise to replace all of the broken bows at no cost to the purchaser. Apparently Bear had to borrow a substantial sum to stay in business and the company was in debt for quite some time. Again Zbone, thanks for the interest and info. It's all good to know.

From: RJ Hunt
13-May-23

RJ Hunt's embedded Photo
RJ Hunt's embedded Photo
My pops got me this knife when I was 12. Has a bone handle and is blood stained from skinning my first ever buck I killed. The only time I used that knife… now is in the pocket of my daughter.

From: Sunset
13-May-23
Badbull, It’s in my safe deposit box in the bank so I can’t readily take a picture but it’s about the size of a golf ball or just slightly larger.

From: Tilzbow
14-May-23

Tilzbow's embedded Photo
Tilzbow's embedded Photo
My Dad’s Ruana hunting knife is my special heirloom. He passed in 2016 at 79 and I won the knife in a coin toss with my older brother (he wanted the knife as bad as I did since we both knew how special it was to my dad). Here’s the back story from the knife maker. As of 2017 Ruana knives were still being made and I was surprised to get an email response.

Hi Scott,

The knife's an old model 20 B that would have been made from 1944 - 1962 with the blade being from a Studebaker leaf spring.

From: Sunset
14-May-23
Badbull, It’s in my safe deposit box in the bank so I can’t readily take a picture but it’s about the size of a golf ball or just slightly larger.

From: Saphead
14-May-23
Have my Dads little revolver and his marlin 22. Nothing nut a picture from my grandfathers. The best heirloom I have is a walnut Chest owned by Great Great great great , maybe 1 more great, Grandmother who was Cherokee and who with her English husband left N.C just 1 year ahead of pres. Jackson's forced walk to Oklahoma. He must have seen the writing on the wall. (Trail of tears) They went to Sedelia Missouri. I have her big cooking pot also.

From: huntnmuleys
14-May-23
My grandpa’s .257 Robert’s. He wasn’t a bowhunter, but he was my best friend.

From: Dale06
14-May-23
A side by side rifle made in Germany, with out side hammers, lots of engraving and gold inlays. It’s chambered in 8.15X46R. My father in law brought it back from Europe at the end of WWII.

From: Stubbleduck
14-May-23
My Dad's 1958 Model 70 30-06 and my Father in law's 1950's Winchester Model 12 12 gauge . Classic weapons from a couple of classic guys...both WWII vets.

From: ahawkeye
14-May-23
Dale 06 can we see some pictures? That sounds really neat. Especially the inlays.

From: Kurt
14-May-23
Ahawkeye, that 10 year safety award folding knife from AMAX looks familiar. I too worked for AMAX but in Colorado at a molybdenum mine and we gave safety award knives. AMAX was sold to Cyprus Mining and became Cyprus-AMAX 30 years ago.

14-May-23
My fathers Winchester rifle.

From: Zbone
14-May-23

Zbone's Link
casekiska, here's the stickbow.com link to the full article:

http://www.stickbow.com/stickbow/Collector/beararchery/

From: casekiska
14-May-23
ZBONE - thank-you for the link. Great info. Far, far more informative than anything I had read earlier.

From: ahawkeye
15-May-23
Kurt, I agree on all info, Dad retired about 19 years ago, after Cyprus/Amax I don't know if the whole company was sold or just Dad's mine to RAG. Dad was really nervous about that as the sale happened about a year prior to him retiring. All went well though.

From: Wildan2
15-May-23
My father's Savage Model 42,.22/.410 combo gun purchased in the late 1950"s.I was with him when he bought so I was about 10 years old.He really wasn't a "gun" guy but this purchase I think was mostly for me.Took my first small game with it. Recently handed it down to my own son.

From: stealthycat
15-May-23
on my mom's side, a 1936 $15 Sears ordered Remington Speedmaster model 241 .22 on my dad's side, his Remington Speedmaster 552 .22

just coincidence they're both Speedmasters, both have killed more deer than believable

15-May-23
I have two. My grandpa’s Savage Model 99 lever action in .300 Savage that he used on California Blacktails back in the 1930’s. The second is my dad’s old Remington Model 722, also in .300 Savage. He let me borrow it back in 1972 when I killed my first mulie.

From: Zbone
15-May-23

Zbone's embedded Photo
Zbone's embedded Photo
Th one time world record grizzly was killed with a .22 signal shot...8^)

From: badbull
16-May-23
Wyobullshooter, back in the day in California it seems that those 300 Savage rifles were a deer hunters choice taking hunters away from the popular 30-30. Zbone, a grizzly taken with a .22 is truly noteworthy and I bet that there is quite a story behind that, Badbull.

From: Zbone
16-May-23

Zbone's embedded Photo
Zbone's embedded Photo
Don't mean to highjack your tread, but yeah Badbull...

"The World Record Grizzly Bear Used to Belong to Little Old Lady who killed it with a .22

If you have never heard the story of Bella Twin and her world record grizzly bear you are not alone. I stumbled across her amazing story while scrolling through Facebook and it was too good not to tell.

Bella Twin was a Cree woman who lived near Slave Lake in Alberta. She was an amazing outdoorswoman who hunted, trapped and was a crack shot with a rifle. She was 63 years old when she killed the bear that would land her in the record books.

On May 10th, 1953, Bella was small game hunting with her partner Dave Auger when a grizzly approached them out of a cut. The pair moved off the side hoping the bear would pass then by, but instead, it came right toward them. It got to a point that Bella thought it safer to shoot it than allow it to come any closer.

She threw up her rife, a Cooey Ace 1 single-shot .22 rimfire and shot it in the left side of the head sending the bullet into the bear’s brain. She added a few more shots to make certain it was dead.

The hide was displayed for many years in the Slave Lake beer hall, nailed to the wall. It moved on to the Reynolds Museum in Wetaskiwin, opened in 1955 by Stanley Reynolds. Today it’s stored at the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton, too threadbare to be displayed.

The bear’s skull was bought by a hunting guide and sent into Boone and Crocket to be measured. The bear’s skull measured 26 5/16 and was confirmed as the world record grizzly bear. The record has since been broken but Bella’s bear is still the current Alberta provincial record."

16-May-23
The antlers of a mule deer that my grandfather shot in the 60's. He scored 179 and some change. I also the the 8mm Mauser that my grandfather had customized and used to shoot this buck and several more. It has a Weaver 2 power scope. Jim Dougherty scored the buck for my brother.

From: badbull
16-May-23
Interesting stuff still coming,thanks.

16-May-23
My Dad's Kabar. The stacked leather handle needs replacing, as they are dried out after many decades. But it is one sharp SOB!!!!

From: Meat Grinder
16-May-23
Probably 65-70 years ago my Mom gave my Dad a Winchester Model 12 shotgun. Twenty gauge, full choke. I still have it, along with the original box. Took my first shot at a deer with it (I missed). When I was about 11 or 12 my Dad gave me my first shotgun, a J. Stevens Model 59 .410 bolt action. Killed a lot of rabbits with that gun. I'll never get rid of either gun.

From: deerhunter72
17-May-23
Wow! Great thread and a lot of cool stuff. This is a little emotional for me, but I'm very fortunate to have several guns passed down by my grandfathers to my dad and now to me. My moms dad was a great sportsman and one of the first bow hunters in our area of Southern Illinois. Like most, they were fairly poor and while I'm sure he enjoyed hunting and fishing, he did it to put food on the table. From him I have his .22 LR Remington semi auto with a Weaver scope, this was his squirrel gun and I've killed several with it myself. Also have .22 High Standard Sentinel revolver. I'm not sure what happened to any of his archery stuff, I never saw any of it. I never knew this grandpa, he died when in 1977 when I was 2. He had a heart attack on the cage at the coal mine where he worked and fell off the cage and down the shaft.

From my dads dad, I have .22 LR Savage with open sights that apparently was his rabbit gun. By all accounts, he was a crack shot. Also have a very cool Lefever 16 ga Nitro Special. And a 20 ga Breda-Brescia semiauto which is a very cool looking gun that I killed my first deer with, and several more after that. I knew this grandpa very well. He was a carpenter who had 8 kids and very little money. He had a stroke when I was around 5 and never did much of anything after that. I never once saw him handle any of these guns.

I also have several guns that my dad bought over the years. 2 12 ga Wingmasters, 2 20 ga Franchi semiautos, a really cool 70's Remington 700 in .17 and a few other odd and ends. These guns I've had in my safe for several years. My dad is now 76 and in the early/mid stage of Alzheimers. A couple of months ago, mom called and said that she wanted me to come and get the rest of dads guns. He had 7 more that he had acquired and he had also told me that I needed to come and get them. But, when I got there to do it he didn't want to let them go and he had tears in his eyes. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done to load those up and drive off with them.

Anyway, all of these guns and the several that I have bought will be passed on to my kids. I'm proud of my hunting heritage and I'm glad that I can pass some of it on.

From: Basil
17-May-23
My dad owns a gun shop. Buys lots of collections from people that are getting too old or have no family to hand them down to. Never ceases to amaze me just how important these items are to these people. Priceless heirlooms that mean so much to so many. My dad is a gruff old marine drill instructor. I remember how the tears flowed when he handed over my deceased brothers deer rifle to my oldest daughter. Politicians can’t understand what these heirlooms mean to people and can’t understand how someone would be opposed to background checks on private family transactions.

From: Gulchman
17-May-23

Gulchman's embedded Photo
Case broad heads given to me by my grandfather. Most came directly from Roy Case. About five different designs, but were all by Case. Most came from the 1950's
Gulchman's embedded Photo
Case broad heads given to me by my grandfather. Most came directly from Roy Case. About five different designs, but were all by Case. Most came from the 1950's

From: Zbone
17-May-23
I collect broadheads and have a small collection Gulchman, and that's cool...

From: badbull
17-May-23
Gulchman, I wish that I would have kept a collection of at least one of every type of broadhead that I shot or bought over the years. They have surely improved since the Bodkin and others that I glued Shick razer blade edges onto.

From: Rock
17-May-23
I have 2 old partial Bison Skulls I found while Turkey hunting, a stone hammer (I think) with an attachment ring/groove around it, and a Bear Grumley bow with 2 original soft cases. Also all of my fathers guns as well as my own that hardly ever get used anymore.

From: VaBowman
17-May-23
My dads pre 1964 Winchester 94, 30-30

From: casekiska
17-May-23
Gulchman - Neat display! Lotta Case heads there. I recognize four different models,...the Keen, Korreck, Kiska, and the Last. A few of yours have notches filed into the cutting edges. That seals the deal for me, I know they came from Case himself. He started doing this on his personal hunting arrows in the 1950s. The display of Case bowhunting tackle at the WI Bowhunting Museum has a number of his arrows with broadheads that have these "notched" edges. Roy's late son (Kaleb) donated these arrows and he too noted the notches his famous father filed into the cutting edges of his broadheads. Great collection & good part of WI bowhunting history.

From: Nemophilist
17-May-23

Nemophilist's embedded Photo
Nemophilist's embedded Photo
My Buck (woodsman) knife my Dad bought me in 1971, and my Ideal knife my father-in-law gave me in the 1980s. And a compass that was my brothers. All three are gone now but I think of them often.

From: maxracx
17-May-23
When my Dad turned 10 my grandfather bought him a Remington 870 20 ga, 1958 ish. He killed all kinds of squirrels, rabbits and deer with that gun. He used it like a hammer. Fast forward 20 years and he gave it to me when I turned 12 (1979 ish) and was old enough to hunt. I killed many squirrels, rabbits, grouse and shot my first couple of bucks with it. I too used it like a hammer. About 20 years ago I sent it out and had it totally refurbished. Had the wood all redone in a satin finish, had the metal all reblued. It is truly a work of art. I will give it to my son when the time is right. He is 20 years old and I don't think he would appreciate the history. That is one of those things I will never get rid of.

From: Zbone
17-May-23

Zbone's embedded Photo
Zbone's embedded Photo
Gulchman, thought I'd share this photo for you or your collection... Not only was Roy Case the first broadhead collector, he was a pioneer of modern bowhunting who was first to persuaded wildlife officials to adopt bowhunting seasons... There are articles and books written on the subject... Mr. Case acquired a special permit from Wisconsin wildlife officials to allow his archery equipment during their 1930 firearms season and he kill the spike buck photoed.... This was the first big game animal killed during modern era regulated hunting... In 1932 official's then allowed bows during firearms season, and then after Roy Case along with Fred Bear, Aldo Leopold, and Larry Whiffen influenced Wisconsin to adopted the first annual bowhunting only season in 1934... Today's bowhunters should appreciate Roy Case...

From: AaronShort
18-May-23

AaronShort's embedded Photo
AaronShort's embedded Photo
Here is an Ethan Allan 7 shot .22 thats been passed down. 1861 date on it.

From: badbull
18-May-23

badbull's embedded Photo
1933
badbull's embedded Photo
1933
badbull's embedded Photo
badbull's embedded Photo
My father's hunting regulations from back in the day. Deer tag was 1 dollar.

19-May-23

Cheesehead Mike's embedded Photo
Cheesehead Mike's embedded Photo
My mom grew up on a farm in NW Wisconsin. Sometime in the 1940's when she was a kid her dad found a big set of whitetail sheds out in the barnyard near a silage pile that the deer were feeding on in the winter. He mounted them on a board and made a gun rack out of them and hung it over the fireplace for many years. Years later after my mom and dad got married my mom's dad gave the gun rack with antlers to my dad's dad to hang them in his lake cabin.

Apparently my dad's dad didn't like them much because I spent a lot of time in the cabin and never saw them until one day as a young teenager in the 1970's I was rummaging around in the crawl space under the cabin and I found the antlers mounted to the board that was now rotten.

I removed the antlers from the board and took them home. I mounted them to a chunk of wood and my mom gave me a piece of green velour type material that I covered the board with. I kept them that way hanging on the wall for several decades until about 10 years ago I decided they were worthy of a better fate.

I mounted them to a plastic reproduction deer skull plate and restored some of the chips and broken points using epoxy. I painted them with oil paint to restore them since they were very faded. I then opened up the cape on one of my older mounts and removed the rack and skull plate and mounted the restored shed antlers. I think it turned out really well and is a great way to honor and preserve a cool set of sheds with a great family history. My taxidermist looked at my work and said it turned out great.

19-May-23

Cheesehead Mike's embedded Photo
Cheesehead Mike's embedded Photo

19-May-23

Cheesehead Mike's embedded Photo
Cheesehead Mike's embedded Photo

19-May-23

Cheesehead Mike's embedded Photo
Cheesehead Mike's embedded Photo

From: Catscratch
19-May-23
You did a great job with that restoration cheesehead!

From: BC173
19-May-23
Well done, Mike!

19-May-23
VERY nice, Mike! No way I’d have the guts to attempt that…

My wife’s grandfather was the family historian; he had his wife’s grandparents’ Winchester lever in .40/82, purchased to fend off the Hostiles, along with a family heirloom .58 from one of his forefather’s’ MA unit’s time in the civil war, and his own grandfather’s ivory-handled, nickel-plated S&W 1 1/2 in .32 H&R RF… And a Long Tom and a few others that got parceled out to my wife’s side of the family.

My dad was given a .45/70 trapdoor by his scoutmaster before the SM headed off to The War; it’s target/sniper grade, with a flip-up rear sight that you can dial in for both windage and elevation. I’d be up fir an Elk Hunt with that. And there’s a big-bore pistol that had been converted from flint to percussion that’s kinda fun to daydream over. But safe to say that one has fired its last round….

I sure did want to get an Elk with that .40/82, too, but I suspect it is no longer in the family.

19-May-23
Thanks guys it was a fun and rewarding project.

From: Jasper
19-May-23
Interesting thread; great job Mike!!

From: Jasper
19-May-23

Jasper's embedded Photo
Jasper's embedded Photo
Here’s one of the most cherished items in my trophy room; a note from Fred Bear. I killed my first deer with a bow in 1971 when Fred Bear was the editor of Bowhunter magazine. They had a Camera Corner section and they published my picture. I didn’t have a cover on my Kwikee Kwiver so Fred told me to be careful with the uncovered broadheads

From: badbull
19-May-23
Mike, that was a great find originally and great job by you. I have found quite a few sheds but rarely a full set and never of that caliber. Jasper, really nice touch for a trophy room. Badbull

From: fuzzy
23-May-23
Cheesehead Mike that mount looks great!

24-May-23
Thanks again guys. I've always thought that the head that I mounted those antlers on had a beautiful cape. I have a great memory of killing that buck so by adding Grandpa's old sheds I was able to combine two memories in one mount.

I would have liked to have seen the old buck that carried those antlers, I'm envisioning a big old gnarly northwoods buck pushing 300 pounds on the hoof.

From: T-rex
24-May-23
Man - This is a great thread!

24-May-23

saddle up dave's embedded Photo
saddle up dave's embedded Photo
while stalking elk during sept, I crawled up edge of a timberline clearing near a place called "buffalo meadows" in Colo, I spied something sticking up about an inch thru pine needles. I dug up a buffalo horn that must be at lease 100 years old. Last buffalo were killed out by meat hunters in this area late 1880s according to my research

From: Buckdeer
24-May-23
Cheesehead great job,I have a real pretty drop tine set that I found in a farmers metal pile about 25 years ago.he said he found them in the late 50s or early 60s before there was a season in Kansas I should do that with them

From: Zbone
04-Jun-23

Zbone's embedded Photo
Zbone's embedded Photo
Since we discussed Roy Case and his broadheads and this cool thread has kinda ran its course thought I bring it back to life with these vintage ROY CASE KORREK ABCC#0338 AND ROY CASE LAST CASE ABCC#0341, I won in auction today... Yay... Maybe casekiska can tell me what "KORREK" means... Thanks...

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