Thought to begin a new thread not about bowhunting but about the good times we have at Archery festivals/shoots.
I know lot's of people here on Trad Gang have been to the Eastern traditional archery rendesvous at Denton Hill at least once. I myself attended 8 years straight and laid back couple years and finally reattended in 2010.
It is a magical place for traditional archers and I simply love the whole package it delivers as you all do too.
Would like to hear your fondest memories, times you had on the trails, bows found at swap meets, ect.......Pictures are always a plus
This should be a fun thread!
I will digout some pics too and post em.......Philip
I remember the very first ETAR.
There were around 350 shooters with lots of camping space with tables and free firewood.
There were maybe half a dozen vendors. Taper King had a small trailer with a flip up side. He had supplies that I had only seen in catalogs. I thought I went to heaven.
The very first swap meet was just several bows placed on a picnic table. We looked at those bows for over an hour! Wow!
Now there's several thousand people cramming for space, 150+ vendors, and a swap meet with hundreds of blankets. My, how we've grown!
I think the first year i went it was 1993 I believe. Have gone back every year since. I really liked it when I was introduced to rinehart targets. I thought they were amazing for easy arrow removal and for lasting so long. I came back and me and my friends convinced our archery club into getting them.
The old days of Denton Hill were incredible! Just a wonderful group of people. I attended the first 13 of them and enjoyed everyone, even though the weather not alway cooperated.
My kids athletic schedule has kept me away the past few years but I'm sure I'll be heading back sometime in the future. All the folks that run the shoot do a wonderful jobs. Over 10,000 people in 4 days is a huge undertaking!
I have attended several ETAR events and it is my favorite. I drive from Alabama to attend.
What year was the first year?
I went to a few early, then missed about 15 years due to Little League commitments. I've been to the last two and had an absolute blast. One thing that sticks in my mind is when I watched Byron Feruson's show, everybody in the crowd had a smile on their face for the whole preformance. I thought it was funny until I felt my cheeks ache from the silly grin I must have had the whole time also. GOOD TIMES.
I attended in 2009, my first. Driving from the SE Pa, area the trip was special, got to see alot of rural Pa and Mountains, saw a Black Bear on my way there. I camped with a friend from Brooklyn. I took many pics and video that I frequently view to relive the memories. ( sorry posting pics is a challange for me) I video taped the ski lift ride to the top of the mountain, and the 3-D trail down, what a special day that was. I loved the vendors there, Stewart, Saluki, Silvertip, Predator, Striker, Kohannah, etc, etc. I got a very special black and white photo of Fred Bear making arrows or a Elk Bugle for Charlie Krall that I just love. The setting, people, trails, vendors, ETAR has lots to offer.
MUD! Both times I attended :banghead:
First attended in '98 and been there 5 times I believe. Hoping to get back there again this summer. Always a good time!
We have been going for years. We camp back up by Ironman and meet up with the same guys from PA and NY. Guys that camp across from us are Dick, Ronnie and Joe. Dick and Joe have been friends forever and a day. Joe loves traditional archery and Dick found a old bow at a yard sale and brought it with him to shoot (I think Dick wanted to camp and hang out with his buddy more then anything else). So we hook up and hit a few courses together. I'm toting my Zipper TD and I'm lighting just about every target up and dead nuts on all weekend. Dick inquired about the bow I was shooting. Sunday, before we packed up, we decided to hit the vendor tent one last time to see what great deals could be had the last day there. Just as we come crusin thru the vendor tent, we catch Dick strokin a check to Bill for a new Zipper custom TD! He points at me and tells Bill "Hey, that's the guy I was telling you about!" Bill looks at me and said "You just got yourself a free teeshirt" Cool bonus!
Love that shoot...
Great gathering! I've attending many years, and missed a few as well. One thing you can always count on........you can't count on the weather!
The best part is meeting old friends.....and getting to meet new friends...and the last four years or so, folks I've only had the pleasure of talking to via this and other sites that cater to the ol stick and string. Every year I get to meet folks that I recognize from past years......I've met more TGers at Denton than anywhere else. A friendly bunch for sure.
And it's always nice to get back to familiar country.....I killed my first two wild turkeys about 20 miles from Denton in the mid-60s.
Vendor presence has really grown.....as have the overall numbers of attendees. It's getting to be a crowd!
I'm looking forward to the end of July!
:campfire:
My apologies to the Admin and you guy's.
I started the thread here then tried to stop it and relist it in another section. We now have the same thread appearing in 2 area's of the forum.
Heres a great memory of mine at Denton Hill circa 1999.
(http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt247/87philip/DentonHill.jpg)
I have made it the last 6 times and always enjoyed it. Going this year also.
I hope to get there this year. This is my first season of trad shooting since I was 15 years old. Let's just say that has been a few decades ago. Im enjoying archery again more than ever and cant wait for spring gobbler, summer shoots and fall whitetails. Denton Hill is on the top of my list with a local rendevous here. Two shoots I plan to attend.
Great place to visit been going for six years and I cant even shoot the courses spend my time visiting and in the tents,my boy tells me about the shooting part.Be there this year look me up cant miss me!!
I missed going to Compton one year so that I could attend Bear Quest. As compensation, I talked my wife into attending ETAR with me. (Yeah, she's a prize!) That one year turned into three straight now, and we are already booked for number four this year.
It is a highlight of the summer - great freinds, great shooting courses, and just an all around good time!
Where are your pictures everybody?
Come on!!!!!!!!
Go to "Pa Wilds Archery Festivals" there are 1145 pics.
In the early years I went with my buddies and we had a blast shooting, camping, laughing our butts off.
Then one of our gang got the bright idea to bring the womenfolk and it went down hill from there. We had to eat regular meals (at meal time), we had to bathe, we couldn't spit terbacky juice into the fire anymore, and the joke material had to be cleaned up greatly!
Now it's gotten so bad my wife and I stay at a local B&B. Nice clean comfy beds with TV, AC, and a john that doesn't have 1000 "customers" per day.
Man, I miss the good old days. Sort of.
looking forward to going this year my first time and an added bonus picking up a new Silvertip to hopefully be delivered there
Denton Hill is what really got me hooked on Traditional archery. It was about 2 weeks before Denton Hill in 2004 that I started playing around with Trad. bows. A bunch of guys at our local archery shop were talking about it, and said I really needed to make the 3 hour drive. Well, it's been 7 wonderful years for me now. :thumbsup: Always nice to catch up with old friends. I really look forward to my visits with Bill & Tracy Dunn, and Mike Treadway.
Bill
Back the year before the first Denton Hill I had my trad only archery shop (Renaissance Archery NJ) up and running. Some of my friends and customers from the PA Longbow assoc. asked me to be a vendor at the first shoot. I along with Tom Cole spent some time on the phone with Mike Nifely and several others talking about it.
It was low budget the first year, it was mostly guys camping in a wilderness type setting, a few families, large bonfires at night, good amount of singing, story telling around dozens of campfires, good shooting thru the mountains.
Groups from different camps camp hopping, a good amount of imbibing going on and I made some of the best life long friends from those days.
Bow makers that I had developed relationships with
eventually started coming and the shoot, rightfully so turned into a giant event. Those first couple of years, the guys that attended have a very special memory of something that is rare in this world. I attended every year, I missed one a couple of years ago due to family situation but I hope to make all the others.
It is a entirely different thing the past several yeas but still a very good place to meet the best people in the world, traditional archers.
no memories yet,but I am hoping to make some this year. my wife and I are new to traditional archery. I have been shooting wheels bows on a competitave level for about 10 years now, and i just got burned out. We started about 3 months ago and I am really looking foward to going to denton hill. we live in pa so its not to far. see everyone there later this year, hope we have a good time!!
I cant wait to go again this is going to be my 2nd year. Last year I didn't know what to expect we were only there for the day. So I just booked my motel last week my girlfriend and I are going to be leaving early friday morning and staying until saturday nite. Cant wait to check out all the new stuff and meet some great people. See you guys there
I went the first time this past year, wow did it rain but the sun came out at the right time and everyone had a good time. I had no idea it was so popular, I only went because I was getting back into Trad after many years and wanted a custom bow. The bowyers let me shoot until my arms were falling off, but I got my bow and have been very happy with my choice. I never even got to shoot the coarse, hope to change that this year. The people were GREAT to say the least and I look forward to seeing them again.
See all of you there.
Only been once so far. I had hoped to go with my best friend, but then he didn't think he would make it. I got caught up in a home project and didn't think I would go either. Well, after busting my butt and no sleep for a little over 24 hrs, I finished up and said heck with it, packed up and made a 4 hour ride in 3 hours to Denton. While setting up camp (I think I got the last spot) a fella next to me commented on my basket quiver. I told him he should see the one I made for my friend. After describing it, he says I know him, been shooting with him all day! I said, can't be he isn't here. So he takes me to his camp. Sure enough my buddy was able to go last minute. Well, I probably shouldn't admit to it, but we shot right through the night and half the next day. I had to leave by 1pm so I was there about 24 hrs and had one of the best times ever! By the time I got home, I had been awake for 3 days. Hope to go again some time.
All the money I save each year is lost in arrows on the courses. I love that place!!
I'd love to go, but that's my busy time of year. Like that's some kind of excuse!
Things are tougher now, need a passport and all. I was doing some business with Art Vincent (Cedar Works Leather) and he mentioned Denton Hill. We'd never met, but he offered me a spot at his campsite, as they're hard to get he said.
One of these years....
I was at Denton Hill the year prior to the first ETAR, when they were having their "BOW hunters festival "!!! when it was first announced .
Went that first year then for about 4 or 5 in a row after Have never had the chance to go back since. ALMOST made it last year but it just didnt happen I MISS It!!!!!!! First years were great I was awed at how it grew year to year .
I am planning to attend this year, with at least one of my sons For at LEAST a day .
Hoping to see some of the old gang there
I went when it was a small event and you could shoot all day any course without waiting. Its a little crowded for a old goat like me now. I walked up to the top of the mountain to shoot one of the 3D courses the first year I went. The ski lift only ran on the weekends. I bought a 21'st century longbow that was one of the first ones he made off of Jack Brobst, the famous turkey hunter and author.
I've made it to all except the very first year. My son had just become a teenager and we went and camped in the very best spot and shot for two days without waiting for anything. Fast forward to last year. We still camped in the same spot, he's over 30 now and the two grandkids are loving every minute of it! There's just a good feel there even if our women folk are staying in a motel.
Found some more pics....
(http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt247/87philip/DentonHill010.jpg)That's Angelo Christiano of Bison Gear and big Jim who went on to be a hunting celebrity with some Brooklyn friends.
(http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt247/87philip/DentonHill009.jpg)
(http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt247/87philip/DentonHill007.jpg) That's Ken Beck trying to convince me to trade my "old" bow for his "new" widow. Had a lot of fun with him! Great guy.
(http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt247/87philip/DentonHill-2.jpg) Ofcoarse, the Legendary Glenn St. Charles with his son. I so loved talking to him!
Great times with great guys!......Philip
I missed the first year and then found out about it and went the second year. I camped right next to the dealers near the lodge. I have only been missing it for the last two years. I gave up camping and stayed at the Ox Yoke Inn where most of the dealers used to stay. Its the best in my opinion of all the shoots.
Me and my friend George went to the first one and I only brought a dozen arrows.We stayed for 3 days and shot from sun up to dark and even after dark for the "coon shoot" course.They also divided everyone into four man teams for a trophy shoot.Our team came in second out of I believe around 800 shooters.I think I came home with 4 1/2 arrows.Didn't have much cash on me or I would have bought more.Went to the next 8 or so.Haven't been since.Sure was fun. :archer2:
is this the potter county denton hill? i go to thier 3d fest every year but never have gone to the trad one. i always have fun shooting thier awsome 3d courses though. this will be my first summer shooting a long bow there
Sawtooth, Same place. Try to attend ETAR. Well worth it.
I think the first year I went was back in '96. Jim Duclos of Green Mountain Longbows invited me to go along with him. My jaw dropped when we drove in there. Being from VT where there's not a lot of trad bowhunters, I never knew so many existed. Needless to say, the next year, I brought the whole family. I've only missed a few years since. The wife and daughter don't go anymore, but my son loves it just as much as i do and he looks forward to it every year. This is a picture of last years campsite. Someone mentioned the heavy rain we had last year! Envision a river of water rushing by my Alaknak a 1/2 " below the zipper of the door and that's how bad our campsite had it. I'm glad we had cots, though the inside remained pretty dry. (http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r224/REALVTer/DentonHill10001.jpg)
Phil maybe we can make a few new ones this year.I been working on the boss to give me a week off in july(see how things go).That would be so fun to do again.I know you know what I like to drink too right ? I ai'nt had another one of those since that day.That was the last time you and I stood together in the smoken hot sun getting rained on ? and getting rained on hard too like I never seen in my life it was a great time.Oh yeah buddy you interduced me to my first.I saverd those few minutes in time and like I said I have never had another since that day.Who would have ever thought a memory so good would come from one bottle of soda ? I would I guess bd
I have attended the last 3, having gotten into traditional archery only 4 years ago. Last year I attended after only a month out from major surgery. I used the upcoming event as a motovator for my recovery. My group was great at supporting me. I was still able to shoot a couple full days with my 55# recurve but was not able to pull arrows from the targets. I had a great time and can't wait to get back this year. Trying to get my family involved but you know muddy shoes are not for everyone!!
QuoteOriginally posted by ScottV_7:
Sawtooth, Same place. Try to attend ETAR. Well worth it.
i would love to go but sadly I dont have any friends that shoot bows and im the only one in my familly that shoots trad bows. plus im taking a week off work for the 3d thing they have, i rather to to the trad one and see all the venders and check out some bows. heck maybe ill just head up thier for a day or 2 and shoot a bit. could just sleep in my car or something haha
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd238/calebmichael2003/archery/7e2e233d.jpg)
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd238/calebmichael2003/archery/c3761426.jpg)
Last year was my first time there and met some really good people. Already have my rev for this year!
The best memory for me was when I took my son to the shoot for the first time, they had some guys on horseback shooting horse bows. These horses were moving now, I mean scary speed. The archers were shooting and nailing the targets every time from horseback. I was thinking, these guys have got way too much time on their hands. Then they brought out the girls with the round targets rolling the round targets in the opposite direction than the horses were running, and these guys were hitting every target in the opposite direction from the back of the horse. Truly amazing, my son was hooked, he never wanted to shoot a compound bow. Long bow and recurve hooked Priceless.
:deadhorse: :deadhorse: :deadhorse: :nono: :nono:
Have been to all of them. Fond memories of the begining years. When all 2 or 3 courses was located on cardiac hill area. One course was pretty much straight up and straight down the hill, rocks and boulders galore. The wind, rain storms, ufo's, bears. And my daughter was always along!
Wished the governor would have left the dealers alone also.
A lot of memmories have been left on those hills. I remember when we use to shoot across the hollow to the other side. No one was camping there back then. I also remember when all the top bowyers in the US were there. Boy did we have fun shooting there bows. You never had to go on a course to shoot. Just spent all day shooting there bows. Everyone trusted everyone, times have change. Blanket sale, there was always a great deal, Traditional Archers took care of each other, no one was trying to take each other over, Yes times of changed. Friends have stopped shooting, They just don't go anymore or they have passed. Don't know if we will be back this year and this will be the first in a long time. I wish time could have just stopped a few years ago. But, life must go on. "Keep those arrows flying"
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v462/Cbireley/DSC_0233.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v462/Cbireley/DSC_0239.jpg)
We always have a lot of fun at Denton Hill. Its funny, sometimes we have to drive all the way to PA to see our shooting buddies that are spread out across VT.
(http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r224/REALVTer/DentonHill10024.jpg)
(http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r224/REALVTer/DentonHill10011.jpg)
(http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r224/REALVTer/DentonHill10009.jpg)
(http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r224/REALVTer/DentonHill10007.jpg)
Cool thread! I have a few pic's I would like to share.
I wonder how many arrows has Turbo Pig devoured?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/Rugerfan/ResizeofIMG_1109.jpg)
Young Nate drawing down on that elusive Potter county polar bear..
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/Rugerfan/ResizeofIMG_0155.jpg)
Greg doin his Zipper SXT justice nailing the standing bear at the sitting log shot on the Canadian course;
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/Rugerfan/ResizeofIMG_0157.jpg)
The PA boys always ready to hit a course...(left to right: Hutch, Dick and Ronnie);
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/Rugerfan/ResizeofDSC_0108.jpg)
I have only been to Denton Hill once but it is one of my best memories. I intend on going again this year and was wondering where the best place to stay is?
QuoteOriginally posted by the real bowdoc:
Phil maybe we can make a few new ones this year.I been working on the boss to give me a week off in july(see how things go).That would be so fun to do again.I know you know what I like to drink too right ? I ai'nt had another one of those since that day.That was the last time you and I stood together in the smoken hot sun getting rained on ? and getting rained on hard too like I never seen in my life it was a great time.Oh yeah buddy you interduced me to my first.I saverd those few minutes in time and like I said I have never had another since that day.Who would have ever thought a memory so good would come from one bottle of soda ? I would I guess bd
I hope you could make it! It's gonna be wild........Philip
Guys, I'm Jealous!!!!! My job is in the muzzleloading field and the biggest trade fair of it's type is in kempton, Pa. that same weekend as Denton Hill, only for the last 30 years!!!! I just CAN'T miss it......it just kills me reading these and looking at these pics, knowing I'm not going to be able to make the shoot.....enjoy it fellows while you are there, shoot a few arrows for those who can't attend so we can live it somewhat vicariously!!!!....John Getz
John, you should go to the Sawmill shoot then. Its a month earlier.
We have been to the last 4 ETAR events. It's been great experience for Karen and I as vendors there. We stay at a bed and breakfast that's very historic and a pleasure to visit.
It's got everything for me, great environment, great people, lots of archery equipment to look at, and a lot of legendary guys who go back a long time. I love to talk with some of them about the days before the X bows.
One of the guys that I met a couple of years ago was Lenny Rock at Bob Lee. I ask him what he attributed his success to. He said something like "luck, hard work, and a particular tab that he'd been using. The tab was made of unborn calf hair and had an O-ring. He said that someone had been making it but that it was no longer available. I was making a few tabs and liked this one that he showed me. I told him that I would make a similar tab, and he agreed that it would be okay. What we make is not exactly like the one he had but we like to refer to them as the "Rock Tabs". (http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n64/2fletch/P1010008-4.jpg)
Fred Asbell and Byrun Furguson are two others that can tell and show us a lot. We both enjoy talking with them, or watching them in action.
This is Hope Gillete after winning the "Eagle Eye" competition last year at Denton Hill. Darn, can she ever more shoot! She hit the center of the orange dot on her first shot to qualify, and was near the center on every shot that she took to win.
(http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n64/2fletch/P1010094.jpg)
I have not been to any "big" national trad events but really want to. I just retired in Feb and I hopoe to make at least one a year starting in 2012. Those on my list include; Denton Hill, Cloverdale, Howard Hill, and any others i can find out about.
Bisch
Hey JL - I think my daughter, Gracie, put the stalk on that same Potter Co. Polar Bear Young Nate was shooting at.
(http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/ae23/jsweka/CAM_1340.jpg)
Here's a couple more of us at Denton Hill.
(http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/ae23/jsweka/CAM_1339.jpg)
(http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/ae23/jsweka/CAM_1341.jpg)
This time of year I dream about going to Denton Hill. Once Denton Hill is over, I dream about opening day of bow season.
VTer....I went to sawmill last year and plan on going again this year....It's a great shoot...just not as big. Baltimore is great too!
Yep, sure does look like the same bear! He sure does get around! I'll be at Baltimore and Denton Hill this year. Have to miss Sawmill due to another event I had to attend and I only have so much vacation time each year. We camp up the road when you head to the ironman course at Denton. Looking forword to Denton Hill again this year!