Tonite I was looking thru one of my old Montgomery Wards Catalogs, Fall & Winter, 1958. When I turned to the sports section, there it was; what I had been thinking about all that year, a bow and arrow set. I was 8 yrs. old, and nothing seemed more important than getting a Ben Pearson Archery Set. I know, without a doubt, I looked at that catalog back then, and The Sears & Roebuck as well. So look at this full page ad from the Fall of 1958, and think about when you were 8 yrs. old and enjoy your memories as well as mine. Oh yeah, I didn't get that Archery Set, I had to sell Greeting Cards (on my paper route) from the back of Boy's Life Magazine, to earn enough points to get the Ben Pearson Archery Set 2 years later. Great memories!

Boy the Pic on the IPad looked great, nice and crisp, very readable. Doesn't look great now. I tried.

Great memories. I bet you appreciated that bow all the more for having to wait and earn it yourself. Thanks for sharing.

Great story.

Thanks.

Yes I remember those Monkey Wards Catalogs! 8>))

Ole Thumper

The Montgomery Wards, Sears and sometimes Spiegel catalogs arriving in the mail were a big deal. May dad got to hit them first.

I bought my first serious bow from JCPenney back in 1970. I had had a Ben Pearson Jet -- 45 pounds -- and was going to hunt with that but the thing blew up on me during an archery class at school.

Went right out and ordered a Bear Grizzly. Still have it.

That is way cool Mike that you still have that catalog. They were seasonal and as I said, the highlight of the month that they came. Always liked the fall ones better than the spring ones because they had bows and arrows, guns, and hunting clothes and boots in them.

Thanks for sharing that.

Actually this catalog isn't the one I looked at in 1958, but I know without a doubt I looked at that edition, as well as Sears, because at 8 yrs. old, that was the only way I could see something like that. They also would send a Hunting Sales catalog before hunting season. My Dad would snatch that and I couldn't look at it until he had thumbed thru it.

My Christmas present under the tree in 1955 WAS a Ben Pearson longbow set with rigid leather quiver, wood arrows, armguard, glove and target. It probably was my best ever present.

One of my best Christmas presents? XMAS 1974: Woke up to find that Santa had left me a 1974 Bear Green Mag Takedown under the tree. Number 3 limbs that pulled 61 pounds (a tad too much for this 16 year old lad, but-- I had dreams of hunting Alaska) Still remember stringing her up (the "step-thru" method!!)and shooting some brand new, fancy Easton 2117s with plastic vanes (that I purchased from Tom Jennings at S&J Archery only weeks before) into my Saunders Archery Matt target in the backyard while everybody else was still opening presents in the living room. Man, a different world. And, perhaps, a far better one... Shoot Straight, rare breed

I sold greeting cards from Boys Life to earn enough to get my first bow. Shot it a couple of days and my cousin pulled it back and let it go and snapped it in two. His parents made him buy a replacement bow which was a green fiberglass model and I haven't looked back.

Christmas of 81 got a shakesphere aluminum riser bow with 30 and 45lbs limbs. And a daisy 22 pellet gun. . Still have both

Yes sir I do remember those times. Born in 1950. The old herter's catalogs too. Great times. Sure wish I could go back.

Wow! Such memories! My bow from 1958 pulled up a splinter. Ma and Dad bought me another in 1960...a Bear Fox. I still have it. Jawge

Great memories. Our Ben Frankin cast iron stove is all that is left from the fire in 1980. My wife bought me a 30-30 in 1973 there too. It and everything else went up in smoke. Good stuff, thanks.

I bought my first Ben Pearson archery kit in 1968. There was a book in the school library about archery which I checked out continuously. I can't explain the connection, but archery bit me big time. I got my first good laminate bow, a Bear Tiger cat, in 1970. I still have it and it's as good as new. Archery has been my "escape" since the late sixties.

Foxbo, you said "I can't explain the connection, but archery hit me big time". I've had that exact thought over the years. It's like, this is what I'm suppose to be doing. There is nothing indistinct or muddled about my interest in the bow and arrow. It's crystal clear. I think about it all the time. I've had other interests in my lifetime. But all the other hobbies seem to hit a saturation point and then I lose interest. Not so with archery. Since 1998 when I found there was an Archery Club in my town, it's been non stop. I like that aspect of trad archery. There's something about being out in the woods with a bow and a quiver full of arrows. It's both unexplainable and fulfilling.

mine was in 59 a ben pearson jet bow! I hung up my "fanner 50" been in love with archery till this day!

Remember how many fishing lures you could buy from Herters for Five bucks. Best color pictures of bows still to this day. I also loved reading about their world famous fruit cake that trappers would travel hundreds of miles by canoe for one peace. Iron Hand

Does anyone remember the other things the catalogs were used for back then? 8>)))

Ole Thumper

Ole Thumper, spent many a cold morning looking at catalogs! LOL

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