made sapling bows when I was a kid, to shoot birds & squirrels. First real bow was a Checkmate Falcon. Did a lot od wheel bow shooting in between. Mike

The first bow I remember shooting was a fiberglass bow when I was about six years old. The first bow I bought was a Bear Patriot from a pawn shop. But the one that really got me hooked was a Martin Mamba I bought once I got out of the Army in '93.

Pearson lemonwood longbow.

My first bow was a mid 60's Bear Cub purchased at a garage sale in 1971 for $10.  Been shooting and hunting with recurves since.  This excluedes bows we made from saplings and boards early in life.

My first Traditional Bow 50# Martin Hunter. Couple years ago gave it to My son in law, so He  could pass-it-on to My Grandson. (ONESHOT)

Herters perfection 46"

My first bow was an Indian Archery Seneca #40.  Got it at a flea market when I was 9 or 10.  I still have it today.  A countless number of arrows launch by that bow.

Shawnee Traditions mild r/d longbow. Took a little break and came back to a Great Northern Ghost. Owned a bunch since then. Favorite now is a Super Shrew.

My Dad had made a longbow in high school shop, I shot that a few times until I broke it.  He never got mad but that was the end of my archery until I was 30.  I grew up in Ohio back in the 60's when there wasn't a deer season.  I was a shotgun hunter mainly pheasants in Northern Ohio but quail in Southern Ohio when I was in Vet school at Ohio State (notice I said Ohio State because back then the wasn't a THE before Ohio State).  Anyway my Dad retired back to Wisconsin where his side of the family lived. My vet practice was going gang busters but I was able to get off for week in November to visit for some fishing...dang cold in a small boat that November.  All my cousins where bowhunters and I'd never seen that before.  The following year 1979, my Dad and I picked up compounds to deer hunt.  In deer camp was a friend of my cousins with a longbow, I feel in love with the simplicity of that bow.  When I got home an order a 60# Tim Meigs green glass longbow from a young guy in Michigan by the name of Ron LaClair.  As a side note when I was collecting bows I found that black glass longbow that started my journey...61# Dave Johnson longbow.  I still have that bow and won't ever sell it.  The Meigs is long gone as it kicked like a mule  

Like Wingnut, my first real store bought bow was a 50# lemonwood longnow, purchased at Sears-Rowbuck.  I believe it cost $12.00, with six field tip wood arrows, and six Bear Razorheads, armguard, finger tab, and side quiver. I'm guessing it was around 1949, I was surely overbowed at 10 years old.  I still have that bow. Wish I still had those razorheads.

My first "exposure" was to my Dad's Clan Gordon Duke.  I believe it was 44@28, but he's a giant and pulled a true 32".  It was an awesome thing to see when you're a kid!  When I was 13 or 14 he found a Browning Fire Drake for me and I tinkered with it over the years while hunting with my compound, and even becoming a pro-shop shooter for BowTech.  I eventually developed awful target panic and came back to the simplicity of my recurve because it was fun to shoot and that TP wasn't there.  That hooked me in deep and now like many of us, I own a garage full of various recurves and longbows and love them all.    

...but the Fire Drake still hangs dressed and ready to go.

1962 Bear Kodiak Magnum. Bought it new in '62.

Second was a '63 Bear Tamerlane in January the next year. The K Mag just didn't do it for field archery shooting. Bought both with my own money before I was old enough to drive a car. Had been reading NFAA's Archery Magazines in '61 someone left on the table to read when I attended Explorer Scout meetings. Read a book by Fred Bear too sitting around the summer of '60 so I was primed and knew what I wanted - only the best.

Dad always made us use our own money for everything not necessary for just plain living including the fancy clothes we preferred for school (like real Levis instead of cheaper jeans or a nylon wind breaker I got from the golf shop where I worked). Still enjoy shooting my old Bears bought recently from that time period. Maybe they take me back a little.

Indian archery recurve 35 lbs, don't remember the model. It was my constant companion as a youngster. I got it for Christmas but really wanted a 45 lb bow because that was what was required to legally bow hunt back then. Of course back then I didn't know anyone who bow hunted, there were no deer around our area and I had no way to get to where there were deer. But that didn't matter, in my heart I wanted an honest to god bow hunting bow.

Mine was a Hoyt "Rambo" recurve.
I still use it for a bowfishing bow.
It is a great platform for bowfishing. With the metal riser and all of the inserts.

The Black Widow PMA recurve in my signature.  The first I ever shot was a friend's Acadian Woods tree stick.  Shot it twice... 2 shots total... My next shot was with my Black Widow.

1970's A red bear fiberglass youth bow. Lost most of the arrows. Used reeds for arrows, Then Dad's Pearson recurve. I think I was drawing 57 lb at 11 yrs old. Cuz I had to! A mismatched handful of bent aluminums. I think some or all of the arrows had plastic vanes. A variety of points and broad heads. No shooting glove.

The Bob Lee in my signature. Found it used about two months ago. Haven't picked up my compound since I got it.

The yellow fiberglass bow in my avatar was my first.  Probably 4-5 yrs old, around 1972.  My grandfather bought each grandson a Bear Cub as we got older.

45 lbs. Jet fiber glass bow, 3 arrows and arm guard in July of 1966. Purchased with hay bailing money.