Trad Gang

leon stewart had 2 longbows stolen from him at Denton hill!!!  NOT COOL!

We need to find a good rope and a strong tree !! This is not cool  :mad:    :mad:  

Gene  :wavey:

Get the specs/woods of the bows if you can and post them so folks can be on the look out for them.

I bought a Stewart Slammer at Baltimore this year, after years of flirting with them. You won't find a nicer guy, kind, patient, and painstaking in his craftsmanship, than Leon. Whoever ripped him off has saddened me greatly as well.

I would like to see those specs made public too, so that I can watch for them on auction sites and in classifieds.

This is the second report of thievery at a shoot that I have heard this year. I guess it is time to start believing a little less in our fellow archers and tightening up security. Dammit.

Killdeer    :(      :(      :(      :(

Sad day indeed  :(

F-Manny

Very sad!!! It only takes a few idiots to ruin things.  :banghead:    :(  


Bill

Yep, it made for quite a bummer of a closing "ceremony"...  :mad:  .

You never know. What a shame. Please do post details of the bows.......stout rope and tall Oak....  :mad:

When going to these events I'm always amazed when bowyers say ,"take it out to the parctice butts and shoot it". All I have ever run into were trusting and glad to have you try their bows. It's to bad that a bad apple has to show up now and then. It's amazing it does not happen more often. The good thing is that it don't. Which means most are good and honest folks.

I wouldn't be too quick to blame fellow archers.  Denton Hill lies right beside Route 6, a nationwide highway.  The degenerate, scum that stole his bows, or any other persons goods, may not have been an archer at all.  In all likelihood, it was some protozoa that knew what was going on there and slipped in during the night.  Next week they will probably be stealing quilts from a church social.

Archers?  No!  Inveterate slime?  Yes!

A couple-three times, Leon has told me to go ahead and SHOOT A COURSE with one of his bows. I think he knew that I would likely scratch the finish on a briar, feel guilty and have to buy it to preserve my honor. I begged off each time, but felt honored just the same.

I can't fathom someone doing this good-hearted soul so much wanton hurt.
Killdeer

I'm with you Killdeer;  I've know Leon for many years and he is a gentleman beyond all else.

You know,Denton has always amazed me with the quanity, and quality of people it attracts.I have
been to every one since the beginning,which was not more than a handful of campers down along the creek.
Talk about a shoot on steroids.Anyhow,on many occasions I would leave a dozen or two of really nice arrows on the outside of the front of my vehicle "FOR SALE",with an envelope saying to drop the money in the window.I never had anything unexpected happen."Lucky"...maybe,but everyone was honest.
  Just like Dentons attendance has changed,so is this world.That is no excuse for theft,but it is happening more and more. It started at Baltimore
and it probably is not going to end here at Denton. We all have to look out for each other.
Hopefully the details of these bows will be posted so we can all be on the lookout.We owe it to Leon and ourselves to nail these individuals.

                       Good Shooting,
                                   Craig

Occasionally we become the target of the ever present thieves out there. The thieves are a constant, the targets the variable. Still have faith in the Archery community. You guys are great!

I also heard that Art Vincent lost a couple of pocket quivers and the guys in the booth right next to him lost a fur quiver (I think it was fox?)  These happened the night after Leon's bows disappeared.  Very gutsy (not to mention stupid).  The vendor tents are lit at night and campers very close by.  Very very sad, that's for sure.

I agree with George.I don't think that  The slime that did this were  archers at all. Rte.6 can be very busy at times even at night and it would be very easy to slip in from the road and walk around. I had also heard from a smaller vendor that several wallets were found in the toilets by the folks that service them.

I spoke with Leon today and he was shocked more than anything. I plan on stopping over tomorrow afternoon I will see if I can get some specs on the stolen bows. Whoever did this would be a heck of alot smarter to come forward with there stupidity. It saddens me to think that possibly this or these fools may be among us. Hope to find out who it is. Leon is an honest hard working man,doing what he loves to do and would give the shirt off his back to anyone. Especially anyone who shares his passion for our sport. So if you are out there and reading this be smart and give back what is not yours. Sorry to ramble but Leon is one of my mentors and has shared his knowledge of the craft and is always ready to help out or just shoot the breeze. Big Ed

Well that truly sucks.  There should be no season and no bag limit on the kind of slime that would rip off Leon.  He's a great guy, has made some absolutely gorgeous bows, of which I'm fortunate enough to own a few, and has always patiently and gently answered all of my questions, even treating the stupid ones like they made sense and deserved answers.

Big Ed, when you get the specs, please pass them around.. Thanks.

get the rope!, sad to see bows stolen from a hardworking bowyer

you never know who is doing the stealing.i went to a 3d shoot way up in the woods this year and someone had driven in in the middle of the night and stole a bunch of coolers and various items....get a rope

I heard about this when I was on the swamp course...truly was a sad thing to hear!  I came over from the compound crowd in 07 and was completely blown away at the trust the bowyers have in people...it was refreshing to say the least.  I would insist on leaving my bow with them when I went to shoot a vendor's bow...I guess that was my way of telling them I was coming back.  

Whoever did this is not a good person...tough economy or not...it's not an excuse!  

I hope they somehow can find out who did it and prosecute them!

Josh

Protozoa????????? is that like a Flagellate??...PR

I, at times, wonder if the lowlife that steals at events like this are doing it for the things they take or for the buzz they must get from doing it. The overseas countrys are backwards compared to us, but cutting off a hand for stealing sounds right to me.
Fred.....

Why would someone not associated with the shoot stop at 2 bows and a couple-3 quivers?

Sounds like "us".  Sad.  VERY sad.

It is always surprising too hear when this happens.  It wasn't during the day but at night when the shoot is supposed to be providing security.  I think the vendors need to put their collective foot down at ETAR and get outside security like the other shoots, maybe offduty police officers.

Mike

It's not just the articles lost, it's the loss of trust in our fellow archers that bothers most of us.

I once had a primitive tool (made from a meteorite) taken from my table at a heritage day festival. I was working with a group of kids, many of them shooting a bow for the first time. While I was away from the table, the tool disappeared. It was precious to me and to think of losing it at a voluntary event where nothing is sold seemed ironic. To realize that it was not a kid, but an adult who knew what he was taking, did not give any comfort.

Anyone know when the bows were taken? Was it at night, or during the day? Was anything else taken? What was the security? It was my understanding that there was someone present, but was one person watching all of the tents?

Leon, I'm sorry about your misfortune. Although I didn't get to shoot your bows, I did hear some good things about them.

Folks,
   Here is some information I received from Leon: Both bows were his one piece slammer, with the 18 inch riser, 58 and 60 inches, curley maple lams with bamboo core, one was had a bubinga riser and the other a Gonclave Alves riser, serial numbers are LS 50 & 54. Keep an eye out for these on **** etc. tom massaro

Hope you are as lucky as I was.  Left my bow at a range couple months ago & when I returned it was gone.  Thought it was stolen, but a honest man (Trad guy too) had it & was trying to find me.  Took him a couple days, but he was looking for me from the word go.

"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots (Luke 23.34)."

If you are reading this, thief, I'll hold my tongue. You know your heart. Which of the two thieves will you be like when your judgment comes?

BASS TURDS!!!  

Your right on the money 2fletch. What a shame! Been going there for years, what a great group of people and family fun. I hope it doesn't change things but I'm sure some trust will be lost.  
It's one of the few events in todays world, where I thought you could leave a bow at your camp and know it would be there when you returned. Times change and people change but I hope events like this never do.
I wonder if they could think up a shooting event next year where the proceeds go to Leon for his bows?

That is said when this happens,the trust has gone.I hate to see this happen to a great bowyer or anyone.

He should file a police report so if they do find out where they are he can get them returned, you have to play by the rules even though they dont,what a shame.

Denton Hill has become a crowded and "city slicker" filled orgy the past few years and this only solidifies my opinion and assumption of it's downward course. It has become a money making endevour and nothing else. I have attended for many years but the admission price and attitude are no longer barable. I will never return. Sorry for the bad "tude" but it is what it is.

QuoteOriginally posted by jct:
Denton Hill has become a crowded and "city slicker" filled orgy the past few years and this only solidifies my opinion and assumption of it's downward course. It has become a money making endevour and nothing else. I have attended for many years but the admission price and attitude are no longer barable. I will never return. Sorry for the bad "tude" but it is what it is.

It was my first year there, so I don't know how it used to be.  I really didn't feel that it was filled with "city slickers", but perhaps your experiences were different.  I paid $36, I think, four 3 days of shooting.  I thought that wasn't too bad.

Leon, Hopefully the culprit will be found or better yet maybe hit by a Mack truck while trying to pawn his goods.If he is caught forget the rope better to use the best tool we have our hands !!!!

The very idea that some lowlife would violate the trust of the trad community disgusts me to the core. The one thing I was surely impressed with when I started attending trad shoots several years ago was the trusting nature of everyone. Camps with several custom bows or collectible bows hanging on the bow hooks. Bowyers with dozens of hand crafted bows,vendors with all sorts of wares available for everyone in attendance to handle and test.

Most of the vendors camped among the attendees, and the strongest lock was a cotton tie string or zipper on a tent.

This is a sign of the times, where sometimes selfish greed overruns common decency. They culprit will eventually be caught. Thieves are stupid.

The very idea that some lowlife would violate the trust of the trad community disgusts me to the core. The one thing I was surely impressed with when I started attending trad shoots several years ago was the trusting nature of everyone. Camps with several custom bows or collectible bows hanging on the bow hooks. Bowyers with dozens of hand crafted bows,vendors with all sorts of wares available for everyone in attendance to handle and test.

Most of the vendors camped among the attendees, and the strongest lock was a cotton tie string or zipper on a tent.

This is a sign of the times, where sometimes selfish greed overruns common decency. They culprit will eventually be caught. Thieves are stupid.

Both the bows were 58" Slammer One piece bows. All Leons bows have the serial numbers under clear coat.I was over talking with Leon yesterday. Lets find these crooks. Ed

Ed if you get the serial numbers put them up on the site. sooner or later one or both will come up for sale or trade. Outsiders have no idea how big our brotherhood is, sooner or later this guy will make a mistake..... I spend time with Leon each year when he comes to the whittingham shoot in NJ, he is definitely one of the best.
Denis

TTT...Bringing this to the top! I pray we find these bows. I do not know Leon, but I feel for him....For those people/persons responsible who stole these bows...YOU REALLY MAKE ME SICK

I feel really bad for Leon.  His hard work gone without compensation.  But I also feel for all of us.  We (collectively) were "robbed'.  I can only imagine how this will change things at events like this going forward.... the brotherhood and trust has been damaged.

We have all been violated!

Man I hope we get you!

The serial numbers are
LS 50
LS 54
as stated before they are both one piece 58" Slammer models. Hope we can bring some ending to this horrible act of stupidity and disrespect for our fine sport and a hard working man. Man this really ruffles the ole'feathers.Leon plans on updating his Web-Site here soon, so log on and take a peak at his bows. Ed

ttt