Join me around an imaginary campfire as I imagine what it would have been like if I could have had many of my archery friends around one campfire...

As the sun sets down and the forrest grows dark, a group of archers comes in from afield and begin to gather around camp. The wood has been arranged and Rev Stacy Groscup does his now famous Indian style campfire ceremony, ending with his prayer and “Father, a needy one stands before thee, I that sing am he..”

As the fire begins to pop, Dick Mauch carries a fresh batch of Sourdough biscuits with venison on a tray offering them to the hungry hunters. Glenn St Charles takes one and asks Dick, “Did Carol send an apple pie by chance?” Tom Jennings and Sherwood Schoch are busy talking about a new bow design idea and Tom takes a biscuit and after one bite smiles, “Wow that’s good.” Dick tells him the sour dough starter is from the Little Delta Camp. Sherwood smiles and continues talking about the bow.

Earl and Ann Hoyt are heavily involved in conversation with Ann Clark about the deer Ann shot the day before. Jim Dougherty comes dragging a trophy buck into camp and everyone gathers to admire it. Jim grins.

Joe Johnston grins as he tells a joke and a tall, lanky fellas shoulders rock as they swap jokes. As he walks by Fred Bear snags two biscuits off the tray and continues laughing and enjoying Joe’s jokes. Dick Lattimer snaps photos of the whole event and notes who’s in attendance for Fred’s journal. Doug Walker, Al Henderson and Frank Scott listen as Chuck Adams talks about taking a record book elk last season.

Stacy gathers everyone around the campfire so that Robb laClaire can recite some of his famous bowhunting poetry. Then Dick Mauch steps up and recites some Edgar Morris poems and an anecdote or two that makes everyone laugh. Stacy closes the campfire with a prayer

I know this event didn’t happen but I can sure imagine all these friends gathered in one place. I knew each one of these folks, some better than others but they all Are archery giants. All made the sport and is better.

I was there but was probably washing dishes. Haha.

So it goes, as Dick Mauch often says.

Frank Addington

Ted Nugent comes in and plays guitar on a acoustic guitar

I totally missed Theo. Thanks for the reminder.

Frank

[[[ "Ted Nugent comes in and plays guitar on a acoustic guitar." ]]]

I've actually been there done that. He ain't half bad. 8^)

Rick

So add this to the story:

As the men get ready to call it a day, a vintage Ford zebra Ford Bronco comes Roaring up to camp. As the dust settles Ted Nugent jumps out and says, “Sorry I was late Gang, what did I miss?!?”

Rick Yeah, he bear hunts with my parents and they said he borrowed the guides’s son’s guitar and played. That would very cool.

My father, lifelong country music person, even knew “Catscratch Fever”... and I said how in the world do you know that song and he goes, “Oh aged played it..”. Very funny moment...

Theo always livens up camp according to my folks. Chuck Adams has veenbin campntoo but he’s pretty low key.

Frank

So nice. Jawge

Jawge boy! Hope you are well my friend

Heaven of dreams we all have, Goodone

Ron LaClaire. My iPhone is crazy sometimes.

That would be a good time wouldn't it Frank? I can think of some others that would have fit right in that group.

You bet. I used to have a “VIP” email list of many of these folks. Sadly that list has gone from maybe 21 down to three or four.

Fortunately thanks to Robert Hoague and Rich Walton, we were able to get many of them to participate in my “Celebrity Interviews”... including Glenn, Tom jemnins, Ann Hoyt and Ann Clark, Etc. You can google them. In many cases I think it was their last interview. I wrote the questions, Rich edited or added to them and then we submitted them and they responded. We ran their answers in their own words. Pretty cool stuff with vintage photos. I wish someone would Print them all and make sure they stick around for future generations.

None of us got paid for them, it was simply to help create a record of what they contributed and their point of view. Fortunately Dick Mauch and Mike Steager(Fred’s foster son) are still with us as well as a few others. Many of the others are gone.

I missed meeting a few legends of the sport(like Hill) but have known most of them that were active in the 70’s until now. Dan Quillen (so?) waves at me and I said Howdy but never really got to visit with him and I regret that.

Frank

That’s a good story Frank.

I have a painting in my home called Grand Ole party. It shows several Republican Presidents, loving and dead, gathered around a table playing poker. Teddy Roosevelt, etc.

The artist is Andy Thomas. So that kind of inspired me to think wow wouldn’t that be a cool story. You could actually expand this story and write a longer version adding many details. The cool thing about this story is that I knew them all. Many had been to my show or perhaps our home, some I knew slightly and some were old family friends. But I knew every one.

Perhaps someday I’ll write a longer version.

Frank

Good one Frank

Thanks Carol.

Miss you guys. I’ll be back at Ponca in 2020!

Frank

Fred signed a full page for me- two of his favorite quotes. I will get this out and run a photo of it sometime.

I sure miss his laughter!

Frank

You bet. Thanks Craig

Hope it finally warmed up in Nebraska. Long winter this year.

Monkeyball, you have good taste and sense of true Trad Experience...

Craig is a good man for sure

Frank, I would say that's pretty accurate! Pretty good campfire going on up there right now.

Darrall Dougherty

Nuge would probably rather be off bear hunting in Canada singing "Hey Baby!" Wait a minute that wasn't Ted who sang it. It was Derek St. Holmes.

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