This is your thread. It's about shining the spotlight on someone you feel has been an influence in your archery experience.

For some, maybe it's Fred Bear. For others maybe it's a father, grandfather or other influence that got you into archery,,,, Just write about someone that has helped you in a positive way enjoy archery... Maybe it's someone here that's given you archery gear, advice or help. It's your thread now, let's hear your stories...

Shoot Straight,

Frank

Well, maybe I'll go first unless someone beats me to the button. Frank, I'd have to say my mom and dad. They bought all of my first bows for me. Gave me tons of encouragement. Neither shot a bow or hunted, but my dad talked about Howard Hill and was always encouraging me to buy archery books and magazines he'd pay for. He also taught me how to put an edge on steel. My mom has always been just as encouraging. I talked her into going fishing, a few weeks after she turned 90, and she reeled in 6 crappies on 6 casts! She'll be 95 this November, and we plan to go fishing again this summer.

Joe

I have to admit mine were two of my early bowhunting idols. The first was Barry Wensel - I was totally captivated and coverted to traditional archery after watching Bowhunting October Whitetails. It was a dream come true to actually meet Barry this spring at his bootcamp. To actually walk through the woods with him and hear his stories and thought process on hunting big bucks.... priceless.

My second was Myles Keller. His stories about knocking down big bucks with his Black Widow and Rocky Mt Recurves and Zwickey broadheads, also contributed to my passion to pursue whitetails with trad gear.

Like Frisky, I would say my mother and father were really supportive. They bought me a bow when I was 10 years old and yet another when I was 12 after the first broke. Money was tight but they knew it was important to me. Jawge

Mom Dad several others And Georg Stout! REB

I'd have to sy it was the old authors who wrote of archery.. Arthur Conan Doyle's "The White Company" and "Robin Hood " by Paul Creswick, and Robert Louis Stevenson's " The Black Arrow"..that I read many times before I was 10 years old..and of course, Richard Greene who played Robin Hood in the old Brit 1950's TV series..:)Robin Hood.. Jim

We had no television growing up on the rural farm..Grandma and Grandpa got one in the early 50's and we'd get to watch it once in awhile..

So we read A LOT!...I read almost everything Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote before I was 10 years old..

Still enjoy Hiawatha and Mudjekeewis..Hiawatha's exploits with the bow always inspired me..:)

Out of childhood into manhood

Now had grown my Hiawatha,

Skilled in all the craft of hunters,

Learned in all the lore of old men,

In all youthful sports and pastimes,

In all manly arts and labors.

Swift of foot was Hiawatha;

He could shoot an arrow from him,

And run forward with such fleetness,

That the arrow fell behind him!

Strong of arm was Hiawatha;

He could shoot ten arrows upward,

Shoot them with such strength and swiftness,

That the tenth had left the bow-string

Ere the first to earth had fallen!

And we spent much time outdoors in woods and pastures hunting critters and making things.. Hickory greenwood sapling bows with binder twine strings and shoot arrows..:)Jim

Back in the late 1980's, I had an opportunity to meet TEDDY TAYLOR, who was managing Trophy Archery in Fort Worth, Texas at the time. I was shooting a compound then and was, if I do say so myself, an excellent shot.

But when I saw Teddy shoot his 80+ pound recurve with such amazing accuracy, I wanted to learn to shoot the way he did.

Teddy was my FIRST and BEST mentor in traditional archery. If I could only actually execute every shot they way he instructed me...I would be an amazing archer, rather than an average one.

Teddy, if you are out there, "Thank you!!"

Biggest influence? The fictional characters Yan and Sam (Guy also) from Ernest Thompson Seton's 'Two Little Savages'. First read it around 1960 and still have the hardcover book from then. I’ve read it dozens of times in the past 54 years.

And yep, I also watched the Richard Greene in the old ‘Robin Hood’ series back in the day…the theme song is still stuck in my head. BTW: YouTube has a lot of the episodes

pockets, Last year I bought the entire 100+ episodes of the old Robin Hood series on DVD for under 20.00... Great fun watching the old episodes..:)

Some I had never seen when they were on Grandma's TV..:)Jim

When I was about 25, I met Al Henderson down in Phoenix at Henderson Archery.. He gave me a series of lessons..whacked me a few times when I wasn't following directions properly for form..and helped me solidify my archery-form-accuracy.. He was a cranky old man by then..but sure did understand what is required for consistent, accurate archery..

I was shooting a 75# Howard Hill Tembo at the time..

Al went on a couple years later to coach the U.S. Olympic archery team to victory..Jim

Ishi sparked my interest in archery and my Grandad gave me my first real bow,but a man that few probably still remember was my first real mentor.Mr Poteet,was no accomplished trick shooter or famed target archer,but he helped many,with his archery,who never shot an arrow.He helped them by puttin meat in their freezers,who would otherwise not have it.He helped many a single mothers with children,that had fallen on bad times. Mr Poteet was a crotchety old geezer,who could care less,if anyone ever heard of him or what he did for others,but he sure did influence and impress a 12 yr old kid who will never forget him.

He has been gone for many years and i still call him MR Poteet.

Traxx,

That is a hero! Thanks for sharing...

Errol Flynn's Robin Hood and of course Howard Hill. But the latest most recent influence on my archery career (such as it is) was an Archer/teacher in the S.C.A. one Sir Merwyyd of Effington!!

since my first archery experience was with damon howatt and doc kenagy, nothing more needs to be said. hey traxx!

For me it was the guy that invented the cheap, green, 15 pound draw, solid fiberglass recurve. Also Howard Hill for writing a book the library carried when I was a kid. A little while later it had to be Bob Lee for (previously) designing the Red Wing Hunter. Suddenly I was in the "big league!" - John

Hey Larry!

Can't say I was influenced by any famous big screen or small stars. Probably the one who pushed me down the path the most is some guy I don't even know. Showed a dumb farm kid with good eye hand coordination how to really shoot a bow during 4H camp one summer. It's what hooked me on the sport.

Very cool thread gang.. Keep Em coming!

Another,is my Pard Skip. He does alot for other,away from archery,as well as spend alot of his free time,helping 4H kids with archery.He and his wife Debbie,are as close to saints as anyone i ever been around.My pard Tatum is another one.Hes done things for me n my wife,that i damn sure know most wouldnt do,and he did it wearin a skirt and proud of it.LOL

Im takin this opportunity to thank these folks like i should,cause i aint real good at expressin my feelins like i should to those that have it commin,but im workin on that..

Mine is a teacher from Wilbur Wright High School in Dayton, Ohio named Doug Brinkley. We made take down bows in electronics class in 1973. THANKS Bink....wherever you are.

Dang....I have to post on this one.

The biggest influence was without doubt my dad, and my grand dad. They were hunters, and taught me to hunt from the time I could follow them in the woods. My granddad didn't bow hunt, he was a hound man, but a hardcore hunter non the less. My dad hunted with guns as well as bows, bows were his passion however.

Then there was Earl Hoyt, Dan Qullian (not so quiet if you knew him)Stanley Hipps, an old retired Special Forces Major named Joe Tupas and a number of others.

Frank, you can't leave the thread like this though, tell us about your pop

Paul Schafer

Fred Bear's "Archer's Bible" caught my eye as a teen back in the mid '70's, I acquired a red bear solid fiberglass recurce, with money earned by mowing lawns. I have dabbled with it ever since, but not seriously until the early '90's. It has been an enjoyable 40 or so years.

I would say my mom and dad,my dad bought the bow and arrows,my mom took me to the archery range. That was back when money was tight,and it was hard for them to come up with the money.I'm still shooting 50years later.

My next door neighbor, Johnnie D. He took a curious 7 year old boy under his wing. Gave the boy his first bow and some arrows. Taught him how to shoot, and then took him hunting. His kindness and friendship will never be forgotten. TLM

How about all those people that got together in the 50's and 60's and formed archery clubs, put on tournaments and got people shooting. Not to mention giving Mr. Bear, Mr. Pearson and Mr. Coe etc someone to sell all that equipment to. The logo is one I found of the club my father was involved in starting in the 50's.

My grandma Milbocker bought me my first bow that wasn't a bent stick and binders twine:)

Keep this thread rolling! Great stuff.

FDP I'll try and contribute later, enjoying all of you guy's posts.

Frank

Great post! That was a fine meal, and the cookie was outstanding!

Frank

My son Klent gave me a 1966 Pearson Colt last May. I gave up the compound. He is my teacher, my best friend and a good son. Have a good Easter.

My wife and I were in the same club as Gene Foster ("Papa Gene") in Lake Tahoe. I was a compound shooter, and Gene loaned me a longbow that Tim Meigs had made for him. It actually had the words "you're gonna miss!" on the top limb just above the riser. He let me hang on to it until we left the club. That bow got me started shooting stickbows, and I've never looked back! Gene ran a "rest stop" every year at our annual shoot, where ladies could swap an undergarment for a shot of "group tightener". This was in the forest, and all the trees around his area were covered with donations he'd received over the years...I'll never forget that, or him...

I must say my mom and dad. I have posted about dad before and his accomplishments but my mother who was disabled and had to use crutches to get around since she was 11 years old, as a result of an accident her right leg was 4" shorter than the left.

Mom was a state champion archer more than once ,walking field rounds and target archery while having to use her crutches. She was a heck of a shot and the best mother a guy could ask for.

Mom died in my arms at 61 years old as I performed CPR on her.

That happened in 1985 and it was like it was yesterday.

As corny as this may sound, I was not smitten with the archery bug by a person, but rather the flight of the arrow itself. I used to watch my Dad and some other old timers at the range in Grantsburg and I was simply in awe of those beautiful arrows silently arching their way to the round straw targets down-range. That influenced me more than anything or anyone to want to shoot a bow. Shooting a bow eventually evolved into wanting to hunt with a bow, and when it comes to hunting with a bow (recurve specifically) then I would have to give all the credit to G. Fred Asbell! He's been my major source of inspiration in this "sport".

My grand dad, took me to learn about nature not just hunting. Frank has it right. REAL heroes do not put thier names or exploits out by themselves, advertising themselves, but rather let deeds and others tell the tale. They are the quiet ones who do what they do for the love of what they do

Raptor Just read the thread you mentioned. About your auto being fixed. Glad all turned out well. Did you make it to the show?

Frank

My father owned a gun shop and never owned a bow. My grandfather never owned a bow either but he appreciated the bow and those who used one in the name of sportsmanship. So he was the one who asked me if I wanted to try it and he was the one that financed the operation. From there, it was Fred Bear. When I was young I wrote to Fred and to my surprise, He wrote back. This back and forth correspondence went on for a few years until I was 14 and then girls took over my interest. By the time I was 20, I had enough of chasing skirts full time and got back into bowhunting with a fervor. Haven't stopped yet.

This is a great thread.

My neighbor down the street a couple of houses was one, his name was Harry Winn, I grew up watching him shoot, I started shooting with him and imitated his style and form, to me it looked loose and very fluid, I later met a friend of his named Red McLachlan whom I also became very good friends with, both of these men were a big part of the state of Arizona ever getting an archery only hunting season, they are both dead now, the last few years of Harry's life we stump shot about every day, he was buried with one of his bows and a quiver full of arrows, he was 77 years old if I remember. Now old Red lived to be 99 years old, when he hit about 82 years he started shooting a compound bow because as he said I just can't shoot a real bow anymore. I miss both of those ole buzzards, they were a lot of fun and man could they shoot a bow.

This is a fun thread. Keep them coming...

Mine would be a friend named Gene Demers. He was one of the few at my club who back in early nineties that was still shooting a recurve at the 3-D shoots. He mentored me in traditional archery, flinging arrows as well as making them.

He still shoots everyday at 84. The bow is a bit lighter and a few less arrows then in the past,but still everyday.

He is a great guy, a good man too call a friend. Thanks Gene!

Keep this thread going!

Howard Hill, saw him in person in the mid 50's, got my first bow soon after.

A gentleman up here in NH by the name of Ray Grenier. When he was running Lost Nation Archery he sold me my first DH Hunter. I think he knew I didn't have a lot of money and gave me a great deal on the bow. I love that bow. I shot it to death. It has since been retired, but my love for archery is still going. Thanks Ray.

Thanks for these great posts!

Dad started us three boys out with a .22 around age 8. He was a hunter fisherman and trapper. Didn't shoot a bow, but was always there to encourage, help and seemed thrilled with any success I had with my "bow and arrows"! I think it was Richard Greene's Robin Hood that sparked my interest in archery, and like dire wolf I too have the complete DVD set, which can take me back to Sherwood every once in awhile!

Mine was fred Bear on TV.Dad didnt use a bow so I taught myself.

I always had some type homemade bow as long as I can remember so that was always there. My dad took off at about age & never to be heard of again. My Mom always supported me in my love of fishing & hunting & my G-Pa was next. In 1956 I joined a local archery club & one man took this 14 year old under his wing. He took me to archery shoots & mentored me learning "real" archery with a "real" bow. Jack was the #1 person to shape the beginning of my archery journey. He took me bowhunting in Ill. 1st ever deer Season & was with me when I arrowed my 1st deer in 1958. Jack was by far the biggest influence in what has been a 59 year journey now. There were others that contributed & now. all have passed. When I was 55 years old,I tracked all 7 down & I had 7 old archers come to my home & "thanked" them for introducing me to such a great sport & everything they had done for me. We had a great meal & as we visited viewed a video I had put together of "old" 8mm from hunts of us all in past hunts from the 50s60s & photos. It was a happy tear jerker event. WE ALL relived some of our happiest times for sure. Every season, as I venture into the bowhunting woods, I think of them all & know they are still with me. The day they were leaving my home from the reunion, SEVEN WHITETAIL Deer passed through my yard. left to right, 1958, Vince, "JACK", Ed & Arza pictured & 2 Genes & Rut missing. I have done in archery/bowhunting what many will only dream of, THEY are responsible for one of my many Blessings.

My first introduction to archery was at 2yrs old, my brother (3yrs older) knocked me down the basement stairs and ran an arrow into the roof of my mouth, had a delay in speech after that one.. Then several yrs later Virgil Berg built a house down the road and he owned a archery shop and got a real interest in watching him and his wife shooting out in the yard and of course a couple of local kids got the kids bows out to do some damage on stray cats and rabbits. No hits except one kid got hit in his foot standing on the other end of the culvert,bounced off his P.F.Flyers and ran home crying. Was just taken to the magic of the arrow and those big ACE broadheads.

I would like to thank George Stout for tirelessly answering my archery questions. Thanks George!

Well, I wouldn't call some of these guys Heroes. I save a special place for those people. But leaders, legends, elders, etc, current and gone include in no particular order, Asbel, LaClair, Sturgis, Wensels, Bear, and so on. Have some friends who really were good woodsman who are no longer here whom I think highly of. To many to mention. As far as helping in my shooting, one has to think of Larry Yein. Well, just an opinion folks. but thats my 2 cents.

Here's who got me into archery, my dad. That's him and me with his biggest archery buck ever! That photo is about 35 years old. I had a red fiberglass Bear recurve at the time. I remember beautiful fall mornings in our yard, dew on the grass, and balloons waving in the morning breeze on the hay bales. As you can see by the photo he had switched to a compound and that is what I shot as well for many years, but he thought it was really neat when I made the decision to switch back to a longbow. One of his old recurves from the 60s is my bow fishing bow and a couple years ago I spent an entire hunting season using his old Sweedish steel recurve. I wish he was still in the field with us. He is with us in body, just not in mind anymore at age 91. He hunted until age 87.

Fred Bear, Joe Hall, Dillard "Buck" Bucklin, Chuck Adams and Greg Cadenhead.

Yep...they were mt hearo's in order. ;)

Watched the Fred Bear documentary and was captivated, now Im on a mission to become addicted to the "old" sport.

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