I've only heard about these hunts. My dad hunted there way back in the 50's. I believe he said that the refuge was closed to hunting, but opened up to bowhunting right after firearms ended.

There were LOTS of hunters and LOTS of deer running around. My dad recalled that the line of cars with deer on them at the end of the day was over 1/2 mile long.

The hunted sounded chaotic but exciting. Anybody on the site who actually hunted there and has some anecdotes?

Never hunted there. But have older archery magazines with stories and articles about it. Would have loved to particapate and the camradiere among the Bowhunters sounds like something I'd like. It sounded like it was a good time by those who took part. If you want more info I can research my archery literature and relay it to you.

I hunted there in the late 50's. They guys I hunted with stayed overnight in a room upstairs of a bar in Necedah. We went out hunting in the morning and as you say, cars were lined up along the road and hunters were walking all over the place. My friend and I took off out as far ahead of the crowd as we could and two deer came running across in front of us. I shot at one of them and it went down. It was my first archery kill. I was shooting a Mamba. I was 19 years old at the time and have been bow hunting ever since.

My brother and I shot our first deer there. It wasn't a hunt, it was a shoot.

Necedah is huge. From what I remember it was divided into 3 sections. One was opened for the early bow season. Second was opened for the rifle season and the first one remained open for the gun season. All the deer were pushed into number 3.

On the first Saturday of Dec. they put 5000 guys, maybe it was only 2000, but a lot into the 3rd section. In 3 hours you'd see 50 deer and could get a dozen shots. This was in the early days when it was important to get off a shot, more than a well placed shot.

It was not very sporting compared to what we know of hunting today.

Bowmania

Wow! - Necedah Wildlife Refuge - brings back fond memories. I hunted there on my first bowhunt for deer on opening weekend of the early bow season in 1957. I was 12 years old (minimum age for hunting in WI). I recall having a shot that first morning at a small 6 or 8 point buck that came running by. I was on stand by a large bush in a meadow that was interspersed with other large bushes...high grass & large bushes in the meadow...that's what I remember. I had the shot...maybe 10 - 12 yards...missed, of course. First shot ever at a deer, and first deer I had ever seen in the wild.

In September 1957 I was in 7th grade. My 6th grade teacher had been a bowhunter and he invited my dad & I into his camp for the weekend. We were hunting public land in the Meadow Valley area of the refuge. We camped out,...canvas tents, Coleman lanterns & stoves, sleeping bags, the woods & deer. A young boys introduction to the way of life called bowhunting.

I recall there were about 20 - 25 bowhunters in the group my dad and I were invited to join. We only knew my former teacher and a friend, but got to know others as the weekend progressed. Probably at least a half-dozen or more pup tents and wall tents set up around two or three campfires. Probably 10 vehicles parked throughout the campsite. No john or porta-potty. Everyone took care of business out in a private spot in the woods.

Dad & I left Kenosha (extreme SE part of WI) after school on Friday afternoon before the Saturday opener. We drove to the Necedah refuge (central WI) and arrived after dark & had to set up camp after dark. I was SUPER excited...on the eve of my first ever hunt. I don't think I slept a wink that night!

In the dark, opening morning, camp is a hustle bustle bee-hive of activity. Everyone is getting ready to go out to stand, lots of last minute prep to do. Finally the eastern sky lightens a bit and dad & I head into the woods. We have never been to this woods before and for both of us this is our first bowhunt. We had no idea where we were going, where we wanted to go, or where we would end up. We just headed sort of in the direction all the other guys in camp went. After walking (stumbling) through the half light of dawn for 15 - 20 minutes dad says we should split up but should meet back at camp later that morning. We did, I was anxious, I wanted this hunt to begin. I also wondered which way was camp. (Turns out I found my way back very easily, an old logging road led almost right to it.)

It was finally full light and I found myself in a meadow standing by that large bush. That small buck came by and I had my first shot. By mid-morning I had seen other deer but nothing close or NOT running. All the deer I saw had been spooked by other hunters and were on the full run trying to escape danger. I never knew before deer made so much noise running through the woods.

Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning we all continued to hunt with more deer seen but neither dad or I had another shot opportunity.

One fellow in camp did take a small three legged doe. One of the front legs had been shot off just above the knee the previous year during the rifle season,...at least that's what was surmised. It was the first deer I was ever able to look at closely and the very first I had ever seen carrying evidence of a prior wound.

By noon on Sunday guys were breaking camp and we were on our way home. My first ever deer hunt ended.

The Necedah Wildlife Refuge was first opened to bowhunters in 1953...not the entire refuge, just selected portions of it for selected portions of the season (i.e., early or late season). It quickly gained a reputation as being a bowhunter's hotspot for the September opening weekend and for the late season (usually December) opening weekend. Literally, thousands of bowhunters used to congregate there on either or both of these weekends. It was not unusual to see dozens & dozens of deer running through the woods not knowing which way to go...hunters were everywhere. If you hit a deer there was a good chance someone else would tag it before you got to it, there were just so many hunters. It was a circus and a very confused weekend for the deer and the hunters....it also generated a lot of adverse press for bowhunters and more than one negative newspaper article appeared regarding the hunt. In 1955 a WMTV INDOORS AND OUTDOORS CALLING program hosted by Stan Bran was widely viewed and among the worst of the attacks on bowhunting. The 15 minute program focused on the late season hunt at Necedah and created a large negative impression of bowhunters. Eventually however, through the work of pro-bowhunting groups in the Madison, WI area the commotion and fuss settled.

For many, by the mid-1960s the shine had worn off hunting at Necedah and far fewer hunters were going there...compared to the mid-1950s. I think bowhunters began to realize they had a better chance of recovering the deer they hit if they were not hunting with so many others around...less likely your deer would get taken by someone else.

Dad and I hunted there a few more years, then I started going out on my own. I never hunted there after 1962. But I have continued bowhunting and have not missed a year since I started 1957. Even when I was in the USMC I managed to take my leave in the fall to get home to WI to bowhunt. This fall was my 61 year bowhunting, a journey that began at the Necedah Wildlife Refuge.

I should have also mentioned there was no comradery. IF someone could steal your deer they would. Unless I just ran into bad guys.

This was back when there was one deer tag - could be used for bow or gun. So most of the guys there were gun hunter trying fill a tag.

Bowmania

I have several memories of Necedah in the late 50s60s. A few of our club members would go the opening weekends & then over to Mauston & hunt. Great fun times. Yes, it was a zoo & cars lined all the sand roads but the Deer were running everywhere those 1st 2 days. We liked the Meadow Valley area. It was all an Archery only area if memory serves me right & then in later years they did have a gun season in there & reports were they slaughtered the Deer. This is a 6 pointer I shot opening morning of the late season in 1964 at about 10 feet when he stopped in front of me.. 5 of us took 2 Deer, mine & a Doe but "everyone" had shots... I had a close friend shoot one also & his was tagged by other hunters b/4 he got to it.. That DID happen more than once to a hunter (sad).

I did not get into bowhunting till the late 90's and seeing the mention of meadow valley reminds me of my first hunts there. I took my first and second deer within 15 min at a spot I hunted off Cranberry Road. I also liked going up Bear bluff road.

Years later I joined Big Foot Archers. I got to telling some of the older members about my hunts up there and they told me stories of the old days when they hunted up there and the days of the Necedah hunts. Like Bill, Todd and John said it seems it happened a lot where a guy might shoot a deer and if he did not follow up right away, another hunter might have tagged his deer. One of my friends said there were at times arguments of who had rights to a deer that got heated. Did not sound like a lot of comradery like has been mentioned.

I will say this, and not to hijack the thread, but my early days learning how to become a bowhunter in that area are VERY fond memories. The day I shot my first deer (spike), he came in and gave me an easy 15yrd shot. I was pretty sure I heard him fall after a short run. It was early yet so I nocked another arrow. 15min later a doe came in on the same trail. She was behind a bush but there was a hole I could shoot through. I made the shot and it was a short recovery. Actually both deer did not go far. It was a day I will never forget. I had printed out a "How To" on gutting a deer. I remember following those directions step by step as I dressed them out. I got it done but I was a bloody mess after.

Again, hope I did not divert the OP's thread too much. Those sandy roads are pretty neat.

Bill

Thanks for the memories, guys. My dad had told me that deer were running all over, and yes, that other guys would tag your deer. I know he had that happen once to him. He also said that you would see wounded deer running by.

Remember - no tree stands - all ground hunters.

But wow, that hunt (shoot) would have been something to see! Were any big bucks taken?

In all the times I went to Necedah I never saw a big buck taken. However, at the time the WI Bowhunters Assoc. published THE NATIONAL BOWHUNTER magazine and there was always a report in there on recent events at Necedah. It seems there was always a photo or two of a big buck that was taken. Keep in mind however, a bow killed buck back then that was labeled as a big buck was different that what we would identify as a big buck today. Yesterday's big buck is different than today's big buck. Yesterday's big buck is not a shooter today.

In all the times I went to Necedah I never saw a big buck taken. However, at the time the WI Bowhunters Assoc. published THE NATIONAL BOWHUNTER magazine and there was always a report in there on recent events at Necedah. It seems there was always a photo or two of a big buck that was taken. Keep in mind however, a bow killed buck back then that was labeled as a big buck was different that what we would identify as a big buck today. Yesterday's big buck is different than today's big buck. Yesterday's big buck is not a shooter today.

When I and the family transferred to Tomah in 85 Nacedah was one of the first place I stumbled around in getting my feet use to hunt big wild county since coming out of Iowa. Got a real experience on willy Wi. deer, during the work week didn't have many hunters but weekends the hunting pressure would ramp up. There is a lot of ground to roam in along with Meadow Valley and that was the difficult problem in setting up, it seemed that where ever I parked when coming out that was where the deer were by the truck. As far as big bucks only got a glimpse on several but seen some nice rubs while still hunting. Notice a decrease on deer in the late 90s and with increase of wolf activity. Spring time was always interesting with the water fowl migration coming back, that whole area could be a diamond for traditional hunting only but that is just a pipe dream. Seen old pictures of the bowhunters camping out there and over at the Buck Horn St. Park, that had to be one big arrow flinging time. Times have change with technology along with hunting behavior but the land is still there to tackle it.

Wisconsin bowhunters used to have their yearly shoot in the refuge the week before the opener, now it's in a county park nearby. The refuge is still 87,000 acres combined with meadow valley, so there's a lot of room to rome. Bought 10 acres that borders the refuge 11 years ago and can walk out my cabin door for 12 miles before i hit a road. I'll see if i can find an article that was written about those hunts years ago, they truly were bowhunting history. Herb Herb

Wisconsin bowhunters used to have their yearly shoot in the refuge the week before the opener, now it's in a county park nearby. The refuge is still 87,000 acres combined with meadow valley, so there's a lot of room to rome. Bought 10 acres that borders the refuge 11 years ago and can walk out my cabin door for 12 miles before i hit a road. I'll see if i can find an article that was written about those hunts years ago, they truly were bowhunting history. Herb Herb

I hunted there in the early 60's! Deer everywhere, along with as many hunters! I remember a one antlered buck ran by us with about 5 or 6 arrows in it ! I also remember two guys fighting over a deer that they both said they shot! You could see several hundred deer a day if the were driving area's! It was crazy! I have not gone back. Maybe some year I'll venture back?

Everything reported above is true. At the time it was truly a wonder. I shot the Wi. Bowhunters shoot, at that time called " the Necadah shoot", many times when I was a kid. It was much better than today's Wi. Bowhunters shoot at Mauston. I and three others went last year and what a disappointment.

One story about my Dad. At Necedah was he ventured into a closed section and got caught up by a Warden. Believe it or not his name was " Little John". Anyhow he confiscated my Dads bow for the rest of the season and brought it back to the house after the season. They both had a laugh about it and we never forgot him and was friends with him until 1954 when we moved away from Tomah.

Another story was about Eddings bow company from Megregar Iowa. He flew into the Necedah shoot with his Stinson airplane and landed in the field where the clout shoot was held. It was quite a sensation at that time.

The " clout shoot" was another story where everybody there was welcome to shoot as far as they could at a circle drawn on the ground.

I guess the Feds took over the preserve and that ruined everything.At least that's what i heard.

Many good times at Nacedah.

Anybody out there from the "Tomah Bowman" contact me.

Silverhawk-MY EDDINGS CADET I bought in 1956, shot Necedah shoot with & killed my 1st Deer with in 1958. I lived in Illinois & 2/3rds of our club owned Eddings bows.

4 of my fellow Illinois club members (all passed now) with Eddings Bows & 4 Ws. Deer (1958). Illinois had it's 1st ever Deer season in 1957 so prior to that we went to Ws. to Deer hunt.

I hunt there every year including this year. Lots of land and a good number of deer. It's great!

A hunter 55. What Illinois club were you in

I saw two big bucks in the December hunt. One on the hoof and one being dragged. Not really sure if I'd call them that big now??? The one being dragged had some major mass so with him I think yes.

What I remember most was the guy and the buck look like a picture of Barry or Gene Wensel dragging a buck with one hand and a bow in the other. I know it wasn't, but every time I see that picture it's a flash back.

Bowmania

I shot my first deer in Necedah, Dec 3 1967, a button buck that I watched drop in sight. By the time I got to it a guy was already standing over it, He congratulated me but by the time I had dragged it out at least 3 people asked me if I shot it or just tagged it. Kind of ruined the experience. I hunted with Ron,Fran and Ed from the LaCrosse area and the next year Ron shot a big 6 pt that ran over a hill so he took off after it when Ed started hollering for help so Ron went over to where he was and there was his buck with one arrow sticking out him. Ed's arrow! Ron was sure this was the same buck he had shot but Let Ed tag it, when we got it skinned out there were two hole in the carcass, one on each side of a rib, but only one in the hide! Fran sat in a log chair he formed from some downed trees where everyone walked in about 100 yards from a parking lot. His bow had a 4 arrow quickie quiver on it and he also carried a box of 1 doz arrows. Everyone would kind of chuckle when they saw him sitting where he was but at the end of the day he would just about be out of arrows!

Basil's wildernessI think the place was called at Sprague had arrows that successful archers shot and some racks on the wall, had lots of stories and history , for many at that time and era mention NECEDAH and that was the place.

Lots have changed since but unlike many areas its still there and thousands of unposted/leased acres to roam for the archer.

Good hunting still. All three of my boys who are now in their twenties have tons of memories of bowhunting and taking deer there when they began. We still hunt it every year and enjoy this little wilderness in the south central part of Wisconsin...

ahunter55, What a good pic of this shooter and his Eddings. Is that you? Eddings was one of the few that made true "working recurves" and they were fast bows pound for pound. Look at how the recurves straighten out. They don't make them today but some claim they do. I was from Elgin back in that day and raised in Tomah Wi.

Silverhawk-yes, that was me at 16 (60 years ago) This is the old guy that evolved from the skinny kid.

ahunter55, glad to see your still in the game. Where did you live back in the day?

Silverhawk. Where you from in Illinois

I hunted there once when I was a teenager. Had my 58 inch Widow, wood arrors, Zwickies. I did take a deer there, but the memory that haunts me most is the number of animals I saw literally running around with arrows stuck in various parts of their anatomies. I swore I would never be part of that mess again and kept that promise. Sure glad there were not video cameras taping the "hunt" like there are now days. Pretty pathetic in all aspects from my young perspective.

Wow Spook bad memories. Glad I didn’t see anything like that when I was there

I never saw wounded animals in the many times I was there either.. Silverhawk-I lived in N.W. Ill. (Sterling/Rock Falls) 50 miles S. of Rockford & 45 miles from Moline, Davenport area. My 1st Deer with horns came from near Necedah in 1964.

I am truly glad neither of you had to experience what I witnessed over 50 years ago. That said it made a rather lasting impression on me,even after taking multiple Whitetails,black bear,caribou and antelope with a bow. Funny how something stays with you much longer than it should...

Frits, now from Huntley IL. bit first from Tomah then to Elgin IL. Still hunt but that's all. Been in archery sense I can remember. My Dad made bows and sold several hundred from his home shop.

Spook, Yup some of that happen. Ya have to think of the heads we were shooting and many never sharpened what they had. The late forties and fifties was a big turning point for modern archery.

All and all this shaped what we have today and those that went back to traditional have rediscovered the fun in archery we all had back in the day. Who wants to shoot a machine? Cheers to all, Lee

Yea, Some of us have experienced so many changes in 60 years or more of Archery/Bowhunting. In the mid 60s when I started my full time shop/lanes I got a request from the DNR to hold a seminar on bowhunting & its legal tackle to a bunch of wardens. I did & it was pretty awesome that "I" was teaching wardens. They wanted to understand more so they could know if hunters were using under weight bows & dull arrows (for real). It was one day well spent AND I ended up with 2 new customers & future bowhunters from the class.. Silverhawk-I've done a ton of bowhunting around Black River Falls & Millston in years past Always camped a Pigeon Creek Campgrounds. This Doe came from the State Forest there. My son was with me. Hes a seasoned bowhunter now over 40.

Our group also hunted, sort of, the Black River Falls area. We were east of there a bit, out Hwy. 54 near Crawford Hills, Potters flowage, and where the Knapp Fire Tower used to be. This was back in the early to mid-1960s...great fun & we learned how to bowhunt back then. I took my first bow & arrow deer there in September of 1964, a small eight-point...back then he was a trophy but today most fellows would not even look twice at him. I still have the rack and what is left of the arrow I used to take him.

...recurve bows, wood arrows, Bear Razorheads, finger tabs, instinctive shooting,...a method & way of bowhunting mostly gone now. Today we have better equipment, know more about our quarry, and kill way more deer...but many question if this is really progress...there's a certain nostalgia attached to the old ways and a character which seems lost in today's bowhunting...many today do not understand this and you have to be an old timer to realize it and to feel it on an emotional level...luckily there are still folks around who do but I wonder about the future of our great sport. Years ago Howard Hill wrote HUNTING THE HARD WAY, but our modern technology has made it easy. No doubt about it, bowhunting has changed and I for one am not certain it is for the better. Too many of the old values seem lost.

casekiska, I totally agree,

our modern technology has made it easy. No doubt about it, bowhunting has changed and I for one am not certain it is for the better. Too many of the old values seem lost.

I lived 7 mis south of Millston back in the coulies west of Hwy 12 for 20 yrs and hunted all over the area, lot of ground and were alot of deer. Use to take the family on the early spring deer drive and they would be all over by the back roads toward evening, one field usually had about 100. Then came the dreaded T-zone and the war on deer it when I relocated the deer were few and far apart. One of the worst drags out was up by Hog Island, Meadow Valley ended up taking a drainage ditch and help to float it out. Times have change and enjoy the early yrs while living there and not so much as time went on with a new influx of ethnic hunting groups that came into it and of course the blaze orange army was always an experience to behold.

Silverhawk, I was born and raised in Tomah. I wasn't even born when you guys were hunting there. I moved away back in 90 but recently moved back to Warrens three years ago. I was a member of Wakoda Bowmen back in late 80's. Is that the club you were referring to? When I moved back here I rejoined, but now it is Tomah- Warrens Sportsman alliance. Still on the same grounds. Archery is a small portion of the club, mainly shotgun sports. They still have the field course, but needs some work. Especially on the tracks side of the property. I see the old broadhead bunkers are still there. Often thought I might start refurbishing those bunkers.

Just read your thread on Wakota, that was a bad deal what happen to the club. Steve Gephart and co. railroaded that one, Dale Anderson was upset that the vote was basically behind the scene. Wakota was a special bow club compared to the other ones I have been to, the old gun club out at Dale Resin worked well,went out there and shot skeet and had my two sons go through the hunter safety course there. I have several friends that do not even go out to Wakota anymore with the conflict from the gunners, sad. Remember moving to Tomah in Mar. 85 and went to Wakota and told myself there are some serous archers/bowhunters here, it was a fun place to shoot. I bought a place out just south of Co. E. west of Hwy 12, the kids went to Warrens elementary and then Tomah HS and sold the place in 06 and moved across the River (Red Wing), miss the place especially the peace and quiet and the surrounding country, but to be honest it was a hard area to be in if not born from there, relative is the proper word. I talked to some gents I knew that never bowhunter the public area, that is what I miss is just driving out and get out and go hunt. The latter yrs I started to cc for several incidents and bad behavior from a group of asians that were getting a little aggressive which started to take the fun out of the hunt, at least Ft. McCoy had a better control on safe behaviors. Before 911 I was able to go into the backside of the Ft. which made it alot easier, seen some nice bucks when in there. Good hunting to you and appreciate what you have or living around there. One other issue is to notify your st.rep and get the x-gun sent back to the muzzleloader season, Mn. bowhunters are fighting hard to keep it out and from what happen in Wi., seen the stats and the buck kill is making a difference w/ the x-bow, not good. I seen the difference on the other side of the river on public the last several yrs, it is a game changer. Enjoy your hunt- JJ

jjs - you mentioned Dale Anderson, I knew him well. One heck of an archer & bowhunter. He gave a lot to the sport as a WBH Director and ambassador for bowhunting. Dale has recently passed but those bowhunters who follow him have big shoes to fill!

Casekiska, when you think of Wakoda bow club you think of Dale anderson. Hell of a good man. Your right on about his giving back to bowhunting.He will always be remembered at least by me.

Hunted with Dale in Colorado one year. He took a nice mulie that hunt. I remember when we would buy Dr. Scholl's "mole skin" to silence our arrow shelves He heard us talking about mole skin...so he went out and trapped a mole for its hide! Sorry to hear about his passing.

The Fall 2016 issue of "The Bowhunter: The Official Publication Of The Wisconsin Bowhunters Association", on page 41, featured a color photo of Dale Anderson along with brief comments regarding his contributions to bowhunting. His was a life well lived and he will be fondly remembered by many.

Love articles about the ole days. Don't know which was more fun the hunting or the prep! the smell of burning feather, lacq.going on arrows, making a new string.

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