Barry Wensel for me and he doesn't even know it.  I was just starting in my traditional journey when October Whitetails came out.  I liked the simplicity of setting the bow arm and then drawing straight back to anchor.  I had to develop the anchor and release myself, my basic "style" or lack thereof in shooting was based on watching Barry in those videos.  It has served me well over the years.

D.P.

My Father gave me my first bow, Danny Delprat was the first to show me any archery form, Tom Parsons has spent about 25 years pounding it in my head, Bob Wesley the fine southern gentlemen, and Dave Miller's Expedition with a Dacron string and no side plate leather showed me how to grip the bow to get the best arrow flight, and Steve Turay explaining how the shooter can take the bow out of tiller just by his grip torqueing the bow limbs.

I learned more in a few days at a Rod Jenkins clinic than I'd learned in the previous 20+ years.

Terry Green via the shooting tutorial on the Tradgang video. I have shot trad for 36 years, but I have greatly improved since I started understanding the science behind making a repeatable shot form. I am not a target archer by any stretch, but I am so much more confident that I find myself surprising myself at some of the shots that I now make without hesitation.

My Buddy Friend aka Scott Sanders.

I wish I had someone to blame, I mean credit!    

When I was growing up we used to go to my Grandparent's "Gentleman's farm" twice a month.  Just a little 7 acre spread with a large garden and chicken coop.  Backed on the Susquehanna River.  He had longbows and static tip recurves.  I also had a "tom boy" aunt who taught me to shoot a bow, fly fish and ski.

But my Bowhunting mentor was Gary Hall.  He was a former state archery champion and an incredible shot.  Also a pretty good hunter.  We met at a local lake as we had similar sailboats and only came up with the common interest in bowhunting after a dinner at his home.

We used to boat into Balsam Swamp Lake and make camp and bow-hunt there for a week.  Until his heart started to go south on him and we went to day trips.

He died in 2005 in April winding up a 1964 Moto Guzzi motorcycle he had restored over the winter.  Had a heart attack and dumped the bike into guardrails.  Two miles from my house.  He lived a very full 60 years and I miss him a lot.  Not a week goes by that I don't recall Gary.

   

Ken Thornhill reminds me a lot of Gary.  I think that's why I instantly liked him.

It was my dad , back in 1963 .
I wanted a bow and arrow really bad and he got me setup with a 25# bow and a real neat cardboard target .
It was awsom .

It was my dad. He been hunting with a bow since the late 1950's, when bowhunters was a rarity to see in the woods. He hunted with a recurve only until two years ago when his shoulders was just giving him to much trouble to bare. With great resentment, he bought his first compound, or what he likes to say, a "screen door", because the way it sounds when he shoots. Ha ha! But he still manages a shot or two with his old Shakespeare recurve once in a while. Another thing, I, nor my brothers ever actually seen our dad buy new broadheads! We believe he has been hunting with the same set of Zwickey's for as long as any of us remember. So I have to credit him for my love for Zwickey's as well. Here is a picture of my dad hunting our family's property back east. Thanks Pop!

The information that people share on this site has always been helpful,thanks Tradgang.
Leland

Makes me wonder how many guys posted on this thread that still can't shoot worth beans....    

Barry Wensel and a fellow named Rick Blase. they had a video produced by whitetail visions called techniques for instinctive bow shooting. Rick shot an onieda eagle compound and Barry of course had a silvertip. i was in 8th grade, obsessed with bow hunting. watched this video and saw how much fun these guys were having so i took the sights off my golden eagle compound and shot 2 deer the next yr. then, a yr later i bought my first stick bow...brackenbury drifter. sometimes i wonder if those guys will ever realize how many people they influenced. the good ole days!

Pete and Dave (page 3 post): I want you to know how much guys like myself appreciate hearing stuff such as this, whether it's true or not, Ha. When we made those old/original videos they were produced in hopes guys like yourself would pick up the ball and run with it after seeing the fun we had. Knowing I've been a part of sharing so much enjoyment to others is a real blessing and makes me proud. You are right, I never dreamed I'd influence so many guys over the years. Every once in awhile I'll get a nice note or email from someone sharing their thanks. I really do appreciate that. Sharing our knowledge and experience goes a long way. And I'm proud I could help. Happy Memorial Day to all. And thanks again. BW

QuoteOriginally posted by Hankem:
Makes me wonder how many guys posted on this thread that still can't shoot worth beans....        

Guilty!

I have nobody to blame but myself  :(

My brother-in-law "limbhanger" here on tradgang in 1996
After 10 years of not even picking up a bow, he hands me a Howard Edwards "Challenger" longbow and I started my obsession with traditional.

Thanks Bro!

I had been bowhunting for 30 years before I met Dan Quillian. He taught me more in the first year than I had been able to put together on my own. That's when I became a real archer. I sure miss that old buzzard.

I guess the ones responsible for me not giving up on shooting a bow all together, must be my local archery seller, Ola Klopbakken and of course Moebow and the rest of The Gang. I still have a lot to learn, but I´m getting there.

My Dad sparked my interest at about 10 years of age. I continued on after he lost interest.      I can't find anyone to take credit for my poor shooting though!

As Jimmy Buffet once said... "Now I know, its my own damn fault"