Maybe 51- I started at 14, but my birthday is in the middle of hunting season, so I'm not sure. It's been quite a trip- in those days, deer were scarce, and just to see one made for a good season. Getting a shot was something I only dreamed about for years. It took me 13 years to make my first kill. As deer populations increased and opportunities came more often, I managed a few more. Bowhunters nowadays have it easy by comparison.
My 50th season is my best yet. I'm a happy man! I know there are some here that can top my years, but nobody has had more fun! This is a sport that can carry you for your whole life, and it just keeps getting better. Just had to brag a bit. : )
PS: I used a compound for 10 years, but never really liked the complexity. Went back to traditional in '88.
You sure have seen some things change in 50 years Don. Heck you saw the trad bow go out of style and then start a comeback. You have a great attitude about this lifestyle - one that I will try to emulate.
50 years is a long time and what a great trip with bow in hand. I look forward to still be bow hunting after that many years. My first hunt was in 69, first deer not until 75.
John
Great accomplishment! I reached 50 consecutive opening days this year, but for a number of those years, I did not hunt with the bow. Yours is truly a magnificent milestone. When you first picked up a bow, did you expect the fascination to last this long?
Congratulations Don..quite the milestone...one I hope I can reach in a few years. Like you I started hunting at 15, bowhunting at 16...I turned 61 this past August. I need a few years to catch up to you.
Really enjoyed shooting your SuperCeeders, still have one dozen left, great shaft and both you and Dan Quillian were a pleasure to deal with. Keep flinging those arrows for another 50!!
Congratulations, Don!!!!!!!!!! :clapper:
Certainly a Milestone indeed!!!!!
I'm creeping up on the 40 year mark, myself... Looking forward to 50, and MORE!!!
Getting close to 40 years here... Congratulations on 50!
Congrats Don, glad that you've had a grand time! Keep on, keepin' on...... :jumper:
Congrats on 50 years, Don. Bet it doesn't seem that long-time flies when you're having fun.
I started hunting earlier, got a shotgun for my 10th birthday (1961). Didn't start bowhunting until 1975. My father didn't approve of bowhunting, so it wasn't allowed when I was growing up. Had to wait until I was stationed stateside in the Air Force before I got to start bowhunting.
Ive been at it 23 years and hope I have twice that many left.
Congrats Don.
I actually started shooting a bow earlier than that, starting with the little hickory bows from the dime store (now dollar stores) that had a red and white string, and came with arrows with suction cups, which were removed immediately, of course. My first hunting bow was a 40# Bear solid fiberglass longbow that could be shot from either side. Got it for $5 from one of my brother's friends who had graduated to a recurve.
These days I sense that some people think 40# isn't enough- Back when, practically all hunting bows were 40-45# draw. The strongest bow I remember anyone shooting was 60#, and he was a target archer. Everyone marveled at his ability to shoot such a powerful bow. Today's bows shoot harder, with advanced designs and strings, and I KNOW 40# is enough. A buck I shot year before last was hit quartering away, just ahead of the hindquarter, and the broadhead lodged in his sternum. He didn't go 40 yards. Nothing is more important than accuracy and sharp broadheads.
Our arrows were Bear cedars, complete with Bear broadheads. They were $2.50 each from the Western Auto store, and I bought three at a time. That was big money to a kid like me.
Thanks to everyone for the kind words. It's been a real pleasure, and continues to be. I'm already looking forward to next season. The deer will be well-fed going into winter, and antlers should be big next season. Bumper crop of acorns in my hunting place.
Congrats Don,
I sure like the wisdom you older hunters bring to the table.
"A buck I shot year before last was hit quartering away, just ahead of the hindquarter, and the broadhead lodged in his sternum. He didn't go 40 yards. Nothing is more important than accuracy and sharp broadheads."
That last sentence speaks volumes. Thank you.
What kind of arrows do you shoot now?
I actually started shooting a bow earlier than that, starting with the little hickory bows from the dime store (now dollar stores) that had a red and white string, and came with arrows with suction cups, which were removed immediately, of course. My first hunting bow was a 40# Bear solid fiberglass longbow that could be shot from either side. Got it for $5 from one of my brother's friends who had graduated to a recurve.
These days I sense that some people think 40# isn't enough- Back when, practically all hunting bows were 40-45# draw. The strongest bow I remember anyone shooting was 60#, and he was a target archer. Everyone marveled at his ability to shoot such a powerful bow. Today's bows shoot harder, with advanced designs and strings, and I KNOW 40# is enough. A buck I shot year before last was hit quartering away, just ahead of the hindquarter, and the broadhead lodged in his sternum. He didn't go 40 yards. Nothing is more important than accuracy and sharp broadheads.
Two Tracks, in the '90's my brother and I manufactured the Superceder shafts, barrel tapered yellow poplar. We sold them only in spine and weight matched sets. Dan Quillian was our sales manager. I have a lifetime supply. : ) I prefer Snuffer broadheads, which were also Dan's favorites. He introduced me to them. Big holes! As far as penetration, Dan shot one completely through a record-class grizzly, using shafts I made for him in our pilot plant before we got into production. It stopped in the skin on the opposite side after quartering through the bear's chest. Good enough for me. We used that grizz in our advertising.
Congrats Don ! , I believe bowhunting keeps you young ! I'm into my 46th year hunting but same as you shot frogs(toads), a few birds and a muskrat before that . At 14 I saved the unbelievable amount of $32.00 and bought an Indian "Deerslayer". It may have been but I sure wasn't.
Quite an accomplishment... Congratulations on 50 years behind the bow, this is my 43rd.
Thanks for sharing your memories, Don! I took my first bow killed deer with a Bear Razorhead out of a #45 Bear Kodiak Mag back in 1973! Like Don said, back in them days, #45 was considered the standard. One of the guys in my hunting "group" used a #52 bow and we all thought he was just a little on the crazy side until he explained to us that was the only bow at the store when he went to buy one. Lots of things have changed since then but I still love it just as much as I did then. Maybe even more! Thank you LORD for being able to enjoy hunting in YOUR creation!
Wow Don, I hope I can say that some day! Pretty darn great.
Stepped into this arena at 22 and my first bow being a Bear Super Kodiak Magnum was a bit of a challenge.
Stepped away for awhile, raising a son and other lifes adventures.
Having the time of my life right now, hunting with stick and string could not be any more enjoyable.
Forty years later, so many opportunities have come to pass and so many yet to appear.
What a trip this has been and continues to be!
Stepped into this arena at 22 and my first bow being a Bear Super Kodiak Magnum was a bit of a challenge.
Stepped away for awhile, raising a son and other life adventures.
Having the time of my life right now, hunting with stick and string could not be any more enjoyable.
Forty years later, so many opportunities have come to pass and so many yet to appear.
What a trip this has been and continues to be!
It is a great life style.
22 years and counting.
That's good stuff Don. I hope I still have the passion after all of those years.
Congrats to you! I hope I get to make a thread like this someday! I also agree with your take on it! It does just keep on getting better!
Bisch
Don I know where you're coming from,been at it for sixty years and the fever has never slowed down. Shot a doe last week and the feeling and fun is unbelievable,never found a sport so life consuming,congradulations and many more years of fun.
Congratulations Don! :thumbsup:
What will you do when you grow up?
;)
Congrats on your 50 years of bowhunting.
That's awesome! :thumbsup:
Happy birthday Don. 51 years here and like you it's been more fulfilling than I could ever have imagined.
There are some who think of the early years of bowhunting in this country as the "good old days" and in so many ways they were.
Not many understand how scarce big game could be in many of the states.
Even in a 3 month season seeing a deer a month was pretty darn good for years.
May your arrows continue to fly to the mark and all of your blood trails short ones.
Congratulations Don!
Great points about the "good ole days" too Charlie. In Indiana where I started one was doing unusually well to have 1 bow-range opportunity per season.
I bowhunted pests beginning at age 14 in 1968. I've been bowhunting seriously since I killed the first live whitetail I ever saw at age 16 with a Pearson Cougar. This is my 44th year bowhunting big game.
I left the curve in 1975 and went with compounds through 2009.
Like you Don I am having as much fun as ever and have never wavered in my love of archery/bowhunting.
I sure wish I knew in the early 1980's what I know now. I had the best hunting spot of my life during those 5 years and while I killed deer and passed on nicer bucks than I have ever killed (still)I made a lot more mistakes than I do these days (I still make em though).
Ironically, I could still be hunting that location (extreme N. IN)but I stopped because my exclusive access ended. I'm not much for "strange" company.
Woke up this morning to go out, looked at my radar app, and rolled back over. My property in MS has a late rut, and it should just be getting interesting out there. Haven't hunted it at all yet, and it should be prime. Been concentrating on MO, where the deer are bigger. This is the home ground, though, and I'm looking forward to renewing the relationship. My favorite stand is about 150 yards from the back door. I've taken several deer there.
It took me a while to get here, folks, and I intend to fully enjoy the fruits of my labors, as long as this well-worn body holds up. Now my goal is to make it to 60 and beyond, like Turkey65!
I'm really enjoying the stories I'm hearing here, by the way. It's great seeing how this sport has enhanced other lives like it has mine.
Been at it a long time too..nothing like climb n' trees, hid n' in the bushes, sneak n' up on critters, get n' dirty and drive n' big trucks, little buggies, wade n' around in the water and shoot n' wild animals..just to mention a few.....
Chased tweetie birds, grinnies, and any other small critters around I could find with self made bows and arrows from green switches and kite string from about 4 or 5 years of age. What I remember about my age was it was before they made me go to kindergarten... :) and I'm now 54, so I'm right around 50 years a bowhunter too...
Grew up during a great period...
My first real bow was a yellow (with black grip) Pearson Jet bow my uncle bougt be for my 6th or 7th Christmas... Graduated to a #45 Ben Pearson, Cougar a few years after that. Things are starting to get foggy in this old age to remember exact dates... :)