No, not Sgt. Pepper. :rolleyes:
Without my grandfather's influence, I doubt I would have ever taken up bowhunting, fishing, or pretty much anything pertaining to the outdoors. As early as I can remember, Grandpa Wesbrock was a bowhunter. And as a little kid, I always dreamed of the day I'd go with him to deer camp, bow in hand, tag in pocket.
I can still remember the first morning he walked me to my stand, telling me to stop shuffling my feet between pointing out landmarks -- turn west out of the cabin and walk straight to the field, turn right and walk to the big pine, turn right again and walk straight to the stand. Easy enough all right, and I'll never forget him laughing his butt off when I got lost coming back that morning, less than 60 yards from the cabin. Thank God my dad was there to "rescue" me, or I'd probably still be wandering around those pine trees. I haven't set foot on that property in two decades, but I'll bet I could still find that stand.
There are a lot of things about hunting with him I'll never forget, but most of all the time he spent answering all my stupid questions and trying his best to instill a love of the hunt above a desire for the kill. He was and still is the best bowhunter I've ever had the pleasure to walk a trail beside.
On Febryary 19, 1988 I lost my grandfather, my best hunting buddy, to lung cancer at the young age of 61. I still miss him every time I string a bow, make an arrow or just take a walk in the woods. God bless you, Grandpa. Hopefully on my best day I'll be half the man and bowhunter you were on your worst.
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y138/wesbrock/grandpa.jpg)
Very nice, He is always with you on every hunt!!
Nice words, Jason. May the Lord rest him. Jawge
Well said Jason.
That is a treasure of a photo. Enjoy your memories and shoot an arrow in your Grandfather's honor.
Fond memory for sure.. Great you could find the old stand. Question is, could you find your way back? :bigsmyl:
Thank you for sharing your Grand-Pa with us,it sounds like you are a lucky man.
Kurt Bel5
I bet you just made him smile :) well said and awesome pic...Don and Skyler
Good for you remembering your mentor as you do. I'm a grandpa and I selfishly give my grankids their first bow, make their first arrows and the oldest his first 410 shotgun. I got to hunt with the 10 year old last year and we had a blast. I hope I made as good impression on him as your grandfather did on you. I told my son "keep your kids in the woods and you will keep them out of jail".
Jon
Semper Fi
A wonderful memorial, thanx for sharing.
Amen Jason, I had a grandpa and uncle just like that. Lost my grandpa about 15 years ago and my uncle went on to glory just two days ago. My heart and prayers are with you!
Sorry for your loss.Just hold onto the great times you had together.He made you the man you are today.He would be proud you help a lot of us thanks for sharing.
Well done Jason...I hope mine and yours are enjoying each other's company by the last campfire.
very nice post jason,Im sure you just brought A smile to his face.
Thanks for sharing...great memories. :thumbsup:
His memory continues by the retelling of his story. Thank you so much for sharing such a heartwarming story.
-Brett
warms my heart , thanks so much for sharing ...Jason you sir and ur granfather , couple of the good guys in trad archery, for sure!!!!! Marco#78 :wavey:
WOW Jason that was a great....those guy's made use what we are today..Pretty cool,bowdoc
Thanks for sharing Jason. Your history is our history!!! Mike
:thumbsup: May his memory live on.
I am sure he is proud of the type of man and hunter that you have become Jason.
Nice thought Jason. I never had a family member involved in bowhunting, but my dad gave me the outdoor fever by letting me traipse after him during rabbit and pheasant hunts. I was the Barney Fife carrying the 22 with no bullets.
I miss him quite a bit....he passed away in 1971 at 58.
Thanks for sharing Jason--I'm sure your grandpa is proud.
These threads always hit a note with me, because I never got to know one of my grandfathers (he passed before I was born) and the other died when I was very young--I remember him, but just barely. Everything I've heard about both has been what humble, honest, hard working men they were. My paternal grandpa was known for rabbit hunting with rocks--too poor to buy a gun or ammo when he was young, he learned to use what was available--from what I've been told, if he had three rocks in his hand when a rabbit came out (using a dog no less), it was a dead rabbit. I always love to hear stories about them, or most anyone's grandpa.
My own father was a hunter, but a totally different type than is even accepted today--he hunted for food, and the methods that were common back then would be scoffed at today--different time, different place. He never had time to show me much--he worked all the time, and when he went hunting it wasn't as a pasttime--it was to get meat. I don't begrudge him for that, as I never had to worry about food on the table, but I wish we'd been able to spend more time in the woods together. He's still around, but isn't physically able to hunt.
I plan for my son to have stories to tell about the two of us roaming the woods together--and at least he will have fishing stories to tell about him and his grandpa. Hopefully I'll hang around long enough for my grandson(s) and/or granddaughter(s) to have a few stories to share (my son isn't quite 13 yet, so that will hopefully be a while).
Cherish those memories....
Chad
Jason ya a lucky man to have had someone to have taught you archery and hunted with you at a young age.
Great photo with greater memories tattooed on your heart.
God Bless all the Grandpa's and Grandma's of the world.
It is odd how a date can bring back memories. On that date I was in Korea serving my country and wishing I were home with my new bride.
I have not had the benefit of having a mentor for my love of the outdoors and envy those of you who do. Thanks for sharing your story Jason. It is 6 degrees out as I write this. I believe I will go down to the basement and shoot an arrow in your grandfathers honor. He must have been a great man. I'm sorry I never met him. Bless you and yours.
Nice memories, and as he would have wanted it, I'm sure, Jason. Thanks for sharing. I too am coming up on an anniversary for my own fathers passing....30 years ago, and he was the main bowhunting influence in my life as well. He left us at the young age of 40, and I often wonder about the hunts we might have shared.
I wrote "Feathers thru the Wind", to tell about the influence our fathers, grandfathers, and ouselves have on the younger generations....you are a living example of the passing of "spark" from your grandfather to you.
You were both lucky to have each other, if even for a short time. You do him great honor by carrying on his memory and sharing it with others. Thank you. I'm sure he was and still is very proud of you.
QuoteOriginally posted by Jason R. Wesbrock:
[QB] No, not Sgt. Pepper. :rolleyes:
Your dating your self there, I bet half the guys on here are to young to recognize that.
My old Grandad,was the best friend ill ever have.
That's a great legacy Jason :readit:
I'm sure he's looking down and he's mighty proud of you. :clapper:
Jason, Your words are especially touching to me because I had the same relationship with my Grandpa. Our thing was fishing and bird hunting. I lost him in 1987 so I hear you brother. Hope to see you around this year. Don't forget BigFoot has it Trad shoot Mothersday weekend and of course Compton for sure!
Regards,
Bill