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Contributors to this thread:General Topic
From: TREESTANDWOLF
25-May-23
I recently had a discussion with a new Bowhunter who absolutely cannot wait until fall.
He’s looking forward to filling all his tags, and is willing to hunt everyday of the season to do so. He even is willing to hunt before work, after work, save comp time for xtra days off, just so he can hunt.
He lives and dreams hunting every day.
I thought back to those days. It meant the same to me back then, but now, each day afield is truly appreciated and I’m no longer that hunter.
Thinking back, many lessons afield back then.
Listening to him, it was me also.
It’s a transition from killing and shooting everything to appreciating the time afield.
From: Charlie Rehor
25-May-23
I value each hunt much more these days knowing my hunt numbers are running out. I’ve still been working hard at getting better. I greatly enjoy the excitement of helping kids get hooked. What matters most now is being amongst the critters and trying hard. At this stage I know I’ll get my game:)
42nd year
From: spike78
25-May-23
When I started at 15 years old I sat all day sits all the time now it’s like screw that.
From: ahawkeye
25-May-23
When I was starting I had no money, no knowledge, and no patience. We did some funny stuff to try to get a deer! Fox pee, skunk scent and trail timers (not cameras)! A lot has changed, I think the biggest change is satellite imagery and cell phones. I've learned so much from satellite photos!
From: Jebediah
25-May-23
Oh boy the skunk scent. I’ll never forget it.
From: cnelk
25-May-23
Baker stands. Talk about never forgetting
From: ILbowhntr
25-May-23
Bear Flare, XX75 2216 with Thunderheads, sitting in a LocOn stand. Boy, those were the days.
From: Fuzz
26-May-23
My legs go numb every time I even think about a Loc-on stand....
Dammit.... just happened again :-(
From: Charlie Rehor
26-May-23
Why did the Razorback Five’s go out of business??
From: BC
26-May-23
I remember those days. I’d hunt before work, even if it was only for an hour. After work, same thing. Couldn’t wait to be in the woods. Some great times, good memories. These days I’m a little older and a little slower but still get the fire when the leaves turn.
From: WV Mountaineer
26-May-23
I remember. It was special. But, my drive to hunt is as big or bigger today than it ever was. I’m so thankful for that.
From: jjs
26-May-23
Remember climbing up on several 2x4s and tying a belt or rope to the belt loop to keep from falling out on a windy day, didn't know what a scrape or rub was just thought a trail was good, young and dumb.
From: Fran
26-May-23
Just curious Mountianeer what age group are you?
From: 12yards
26-May-23
I've been at it for nearly 40 years and, while I do appreciate every day afield, I'm still driven by the sight/kill of a nice animal. I'm also driven by the love of game meat. I do love the woods and being in them and witnessing nature. It is my mental health time. But I still am driven to kill something.
From: Brotsky
26-May-23
My 36th year of bowhunting this year. Love it every bit as much as the first one. Still go every chance I get, just go a little further from home now :)
From: wyobullshooter
26-May-23
I remember my Honda Big Red three-wheeler, the old Ranging rangefinder where you turned the dial till the two images lined up, and giving my buddy grief about his Satellite broadheads. For me, the thing that’s changed the most is I no longer feel guilty for taking a day off every few days during the season, but filling my tag remains my highest priority. That hasn’t changed.
From: bowhunter24
26-May-23
Took me 3 years for my 1st kill, 1985, with Martin Warthog and Razorbak 5's. Funny part was after 2 local farmers helped me pull my deer up out of the creek bed I had dragged him down from where I had shot him was seeing their faces when I pulled an article from Outdoor life on how to field dress a deer!
From: Iowa booner hunter
26-May-23
My thinking back in 78 was if the razorbak 5 is good then the wasp 6 blade had to be better, it wasn’t even close. I’m still just as excited heading into my 46th season. Someone stole my Baker treestand and I still appreciate that now but not when it happened.
From: deerhunter72
26-May-23
I remember and wouldn't change a thing. I skipped a couple years of football and countless other high school events so that I could be in the woods. I had a Baker and we built several "permanent" wooden stands. Dragging deer out forever. My how things have changed. I don't have the drive to kill that I used to, don't even really care if I kill or not, but I still love to be in the woods in the fall.
From: Basil
26-May-23
Starting out as a young teenager in the early seventies. it’s amazing how far the sport has come. I had no bow hunting mentors only tons of desire & endless wilderness at my doorstep. Devoured every magazine & book I could find but mostly learned by trial & error. In hindsight it’s kind of amazing dad let me roam as far as he did. Grouse & rabbits were relentlessly pursued with much success. Walked on clouds for weeks after my 1st deer. Seemed like I was the talk of the town. No kids were bowhunting. Only a couple of secretive old guys.The old gear & clothing was junk as if it wasn’t difficult enough. When the season ends every fall I’m kinda lost for a while. Yeah, the desire still burns strong.
From: Supernaut
26-May-23
This will be my 39th year of bowhunting. Some of my most vivid and fondest memories were made in the woods with a bow in my hand.
I love it as much now as I did then and even more so but for different reasons I suppose.
From: jdbbowhunter
26-May-23
Will be my 43 year this season. Can still remember first deer I shot after school. Priorities have changed but still enjoy as much ,if not more than when I started.
From: RD
26-May-23
Sunday I'll be bear hunting in Ontario starting my 59th year. Where did they all go? In 79 I got a pack of Razorbak 4's to try from Andy Simo(SP). They worked great the first took a P&Y moose the second a Mt. Caribou. The excitement is still there!
From: Dale06
26-May-23
Bear whitetail hunter, Baker death trap climber, gamegetter arrows with Savora BHs, and on my first sit, I missed a doe twice at under 20 yards. That was 1977, and I’m still hooked.
From: Basil
26-May-23
Iowa Booner I remember the Wasp 6 blade well. Flew terrible & blades came out easily. Shot my 1st 10 pt buck with one. Arrow flew crooked & deflected off a limb. Hit him in the back ankle joint. Foot was only hanging by hide when I finally caught him after several miles. Broadhead only had one blade when I recovered the arrow. Still have a wicked scar from trying to change blades on a Satellite. Yeah the gear has come a long way.
From: canepole
26-May-23
Trailhawk tree stand with the mounting pin(s). Skyhook tree steps with lag bolts. Thunder head 125's on Beamon Carbons, and a used Bear Whitetail. My equipment was fine but all those cotton long johns and cotton camo shirts didn't keep you nearly as warm as todays gear.
From: Rob Nye
26-May-23
I was fortunate to have one of the first modern bowhunters in Saskatchewan teach me to shoot and shared his knowledge of how to hunt with a bow and arrow. Back then I bought OTC archery tags for antelope, whitetail and mule deer and headed to south west SK for a week long hunt. By the end of the first day I knew my rifles would get mighty dusty until I get too old to pull a string.
From: q d m
26-May-23
I started in 57 shot my 1st deer in 61 it's been a great trip.
From: Hackbow
26-May-23
Season #45 coming up. So much has changed (probably me, the most). But once I started bowhunting, guns became just a tool for grocery shopping. I still use guns to hunt birds and shoot sporting clays (other peoples' guns...mine were all lost in a boating accident), but even those things can't hold a candle to chasing critters on the ground with a stick and string. I don't do it nearly as often as I used to but every day is special.
Rich, we need to talk soon. I was up home a few weeks ago to get some things from the barn and cut down an osage I've been watching for almost 20 years. Our first grandchild made her way into the world in November and that tree off the family farm will hopefully make first bows for her and any other grand kids. As long as I'm breathing, every one of them will have a bow in their hands by 3 like their daddy and uncle.
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
26-May-23
16th year bow hunting this year….with kids it’s much tougher to get out and get in the woods as much as I use to. But, once hockey winds down we’ll be shooting bows more frequently getting tuned up for the coming season! The kids are excited for it, but still love missing it for hockey lol. As long as they’re active happy and having fun that’s the main priority. Hunting will still be here when they’re done sports.
From: Jeff Durnell
26-May-23
Geeze some of you guys make me feel like a newb and I've been at it 42 years. I guess it's not that long, time goes by fast. Yeah I remember. Those were the good old days. Lots more deer and far fewer hunters, on public land to boot. I hunted for many years before I saw another bowhunter, and it was an old timer stillhunting with a recurve. Now I'm old-er, slower, more patient, and stillhunt with a selfbow. Been a fun journey so far.
From: Jebediah
26-May-23
I remember my mother-in-law gave me a Baker climber as a birthday gift. Very generous, but I find myself wondering if she was trying to get rid of me.
From: HUNT MAN
26-May-23
At 44 I still can’t shake it!! With the boy starting to hunt now the fire is stoked hot as ever!!!
Great post!
From: casekiska
26-May-23
This fall I'll be in my 66th year bowhunting,...first season for me was in 1957. Had a shot at a small buck that first morning in '57. Missed. But that shot became the seminal opiate for what then became a life long addiction. Have enjoyed every season. Wish I could go back and do them all over again. Great sport. Great people. Made life worth living in a multitude of ways.
From: badbull
26-May-23
Colorado May 2023
Colorado May 2023
I remember being that way but now I look forward to helping my offspring. Still get pumped up when I see something like this year's elk as shown in this recent photo of a bull that looks like he is going to be a good one as long as the wolves stay away.
From: midwest
26-May-23
I only started bow hunting to kill the month of October before trapping season opened. Eventually, it became my number one obsession. 40 years now.
From: yooper89
27-May-23
I’m younger than most on here but I remember riding my moped home to pick up my bow after school and driving to the closest public land spot in the UP. Had a climber stand stashed in some brush.
Remember seeing my gym teacher while I was riding out to the spot. The look on her face is something I’ll never forget with my bow propped up over the handlebars on the ride out.
From: shade mt
27-May-23
Ben pearson recurve, cedar, and microflight arrows, bear razorheads and super hilbre broadheads, hunted off the ground, no treestands available except bakers or homemade baker inventions. Luchenbach texas playing on a old transister radio on top of the old frigidare at hunting camp. I wish i could go back, change some of the mistakes i made, but know and appreciate what i had.
From: Z Barebow
27-May-23
Over 40 years for me. Starting years I sucked. Mainly bow hiking with intermittent trips of climbing trees and standing on limbs. (No steps or stand)
After college, the area where I moved to sucked for birds. So bowhunting became my focus. First year I killed a small buck. But the fire was lit.
Putting an arrow in a critter at close distance is still the end goal. But I no longer feel defeated if I don’t notch a tag. I enjoy and value the journey as much as possible. The memories accumulated are immeasurable. I could/would never seen so many places and sights without a bow in my hand.
From: Basil
27-May-23
For me it started with a fiberglass recurve from the local hardware store procured with funds from picking night crawlers. Had a foam quiver with no broadhead cover. Wooden arrows with long, thin broadheads with a plastic ferrule. Hunting was mostly just walking around hunting grouse & rabbits while hoping for a deer. No deer the 1st couple of years but lots of encounters. Killed that 1st doe carrying the bow along while checking traps. I would often jump a deer & hound it all day in the snow. Did manage to get my first with that setup & after that it was like the flood gates opened. A bear whitetail was my 1st compound with fiberglass arrows & bear razor heads. Killed a buck that fall & one or more deer all but the fall of 79. My 1st year of college no car & no place to hunt. Enjoyed & learned every step of the way.
From: DL
27-May-23
My dad bought my brother and me bows. My brother had a recite and I had a long bow back around 1959. I used to drool looking at Herters catalogs hoping to get one of their recurves someday.
From: Buglemaster
27-May-23
Circa 1973. Bear Grizzley 40#. Cedar shafts with MA 3 broadhead. 3 point buck. First archery harvest.
From: Franzen
28-May-23
I remember sitting in a wooden stand on my dad's property that I didn't even know whose it was. I remember standing the entire hunt (stand didn't have a seat anyway), and not knowing whether I should keep my bow drawn or not. I remember being in tennis shoes, a couple thin cotton layers, some cheap coveralls, and freezing my ass off when the temperature dropped. I remember the mystique of deer seemingly appearing out of nowhere. I remember the morning dew turning to morning frost, and the sunsets seemingly taking forever. They go fast now.
Yeah, I remember.
From: Bou'bound
28-May-23
As time passes it’s more about who you hunt with than what you hunt. Until you get to that point you will find no sense in that statement ………. But rest assured you will get there.
From: Timex?
28-May-23
I'm just as passionate at age 61 about hunting & fishing as I was at age 16.
It's the killing part that that has become less desirable for me with age. Don't get me wrong we eat more venison than any other family I know and my freezer if full by the end of hunting season.
I have just developed a conscience about killing that I didn't have in my younger years.
From: W
28-May-23
Bear Whitetail 2 compound bow.
From: Beendare
28-May-23
Yeah i remember.
Its more muted for me now…but its still one of the highlights of my year to go hunting.
I went through a period where it wasn’t even fun to shoot my compound anymore. Even killing critters with it just became too automatic.
Since I picked up a Recurve it reinvigorated me to bow hunt..
From: Basil
28-May-23
Timex I understand exactly what you are saying about the conscience part of hunting. I’m very selective in my shots aa well as the animals I choose to take. I strive for quick clean kills but would prefer not to see the animal die. I would prefer that the animal die in peace just out of sight.
From: W
28-May-23
Bear Whitetail 2 compound bow.
From: Bou'bound
28-May-23
As time passes it’s more about who you hunt with than what you hunt. Until you get to that point you will find no sense in that statement ………. But rest assured you will get there.
