Sometime before I was 10 years old I developed an interest in archery and I don't even know why since no one I knew shot.  I got a green fiberglass Ben Pearson bow in a kit with three wood arrows, a tab and an arm guard.  Shot that until I was around 12 when I ordered a Ben Pearson Equalizer from Gander Mountain.  The green fiberglass bow is still hanging on the wall.  The Equalizer, after I don't know how many thousands of shots, finally developed splintering at the limb edges.

Mike

My very first recurve was a little Pearson Prep in 5th grade but I knew absolutely nothing and it delaminated after only a few days....guess stringing one backwards was not best idea...though made it easier to get string over the tips.  

My real recurve that started it all was a Jeffery Royal Hunter I bought from Mr. Owen Jeffery himself in his old shop on Pepper Street around 1991/1992.  His new (at the time) mountain riser (laminated greens, browns, blacks) with red oak limb veneers over maple cores..under clear glass.  She is on her third set of snake skins on the limbs...and is not prettiest or fanciest or fastest...but a consistent, solid and reliable hunter.

Sold her one time and then spent more to get her back after I realized my error.

I called her MEDUSA...
 
   

I had an old recurve with branding of any kind. Probably from the 60s or 70s. I was about 11-12 when I started shooting it. My brother, my cousin, and I used to shot at apples hanging from trees that grew on our farm.

My first real bow was a Ben Pearson #46 Renegade. I had a couple other bows before that, but they were just starters. Jim Dougherty taught me to bowhunt, not in person, but in all his writings. I bought a couple of bundles of Bow and Arrow magazines that were a few years old and from the mid 60's at a flea market and they were full of great stories each one containing at least one story by Jim. What a writer! I read these over and over. Yes, Jim taught me a lot. Rest in peace Jim, you are my idol! I always wanted a Pearson Mercury Marauder because of his stories, now I have a couple and they are as good a shooters as Jim said.

First real one was a Bear 76'er when I was about thirteen or fourteen, I have one exactly like it now, killed a turkey with it two years ago! Had a little red one at about eight or nine, could shoot it in the school yard back then without SWAT being called!

Ben Pearson recurve purchased with Green Stamps.

At around 16 I got a brand new Shakespeare Kaibab, and an Ocala...fine bows, for $25 each in Houston. Nobody to teach me and didn't know about nock points, spine, or nothing, but sure had fun.
That was in '67 I think.

I found an old Ben Pearson recurve in my parents garage around 10 y/o.  Shot the snot out of that thing that summer.

-Jeremy

Mine was a Shakespear Comet,a redish color fiberglass bow . It said 25#s but it pulled more than that.I carried that bow all the time and got pretty good with it and eventually shot a deer with it . Last winter while going thru **** I came across its twin so I put a bid in and got it for $23 it looks like new ,the first one is pretty beat up but still shoots good. My grandson and I are going to have fun with both of these bows.

My first store-bought bow was purchased when I was seven for up until that time my dad had made bows for me and my brothers. I went in to the hardware store in my town and put a penny down on the bow, a yew longbow, which cost $7.99 if I remember correctly. The gentleman that owned the store called my parents and asked if it was alright if I entered into a contract with him to purchase the bow and they agreed. I know that the price of the bow doesn't sound like much, but for a young farm boy back in the fifty's that was a "small fortune". I did anything and everything I could to get the money for that bow and I do recall that it took me almost a year to pay for it. My only regret is that I don't still have that bow nor the ones that dad had made for me.

Regards,
Grouse

I was a military brat, and Columbus A.F.B. in Mississppi had an archery range run by a sergeant who lived just up the street from us. I was about 10 (circa 1959) at the time, and we used green fiberglass Indian bows. The first bow I bought was a Ben Pearson Gamester recurve when I was in college. I killed my first deer ever with it and still have it.

30 something.
Herter's 46"

Great thread - love these memories.

Started early 60's. Probably 10 or 11. My dad bought an old fiberglass bow, with the white plastic tips from Mac's Archery shop in Milwaukee. I used to shoot wood arrows from the local Badger Paint hardware stores. He paid .19 each. The bow was 6 bucks.

1960 age 12, I made 60 cents an hour picking cucumbers and I bought my neighbors 45# Paul Bunyon custom recurve(he was getting one of those new fangled laminated ones) for $15. Five hardware store arrows with Bodkin 3 blade heads $1.25 each, Minnesota deer license $3.50 and I was ready to go. Only thing wrong was I couldn't string the bow so my mother strung it for me! Still got a Paul Bunyon custom recurve hanging on my wall.

Green Stamps! Now that brings back a lot of memories.

I got my first bow for christmas when I was about six or seven years old.  The bow was a Ben Pearson lemon wood longbow, which I still have. My Dad was a rifleman so he really didn't know much about bows or arrows. I didn't have anyone to show me how to shoot so I just flung arrows, but I had a ball and still shoot a longbow after all these years! Now I build my own bows and teach other people when I can. Building bows for my 15 grand children keeps me busy, in fact I'm building two bows right now for two grand daughters that graduate in June. The song of the arrow never stopped for me.

Bob Lee takedown recurve with rattle snake skins I bought from my father in law

1962 Bear Kodiak Magnum. Bought new January 1962 after reading a book by Fred Bear.

Next was a 1963 Tamerlane. Bought it new too with Christmas money. Wasn't old enough to drive a car yet when I bought both bows.

Don't own them anymore but still own a bunch of rosewood Bears.  Just like'em.

A family friend gave me a 42# lemon wood long bow when I was 12. 1960.