I thought this might be fun for some of the older folks, and maybe some of the younger ones as well?
A chance to sit, look back,and remember where we came from and how we got here... So many things have changed over the years. With the internet, outdoor shows,and all, there is a wealth of information literally at our fingertips! Now don't get me wrong, all of this is a good thing!! I have had a seat at our campfire for over 20 years... I have met some great people, made some great friends, and certainly learned A LOT!!!

I'm thinking that we try and focus our posts on "BC" (Before Computers, Before Compounds, Before Camo,etc)

For me, one of the biggest things that comes to mind, is hunting in blue jeans...
Early camo was sold in sets, or 1 piece coveralls, usually in WWII pattern. It was sized genericly S, M, L, sometimes you could find XL? I was short 5'7" with broad shoulders. I wore XL flannel shirts and 30"X30" jeans. Nothing that I bought ever seamed to fit? I bought my first set of camo when I was 16.A pair of 1 piece coveralls in XL that I bought at the Army Navy store down the road. They fit my chest and shoulders, but I was swimming in them!! I ended up cutting the sleeves at the elbows, and about a foot off the legs, but the crotch was about at my knees lmao!! They worked for my first bowhunting season...
My second season I managed to find a set of WWII camo in XL. The shirt fit great, but the pant were way too big! I cut about a foot off the legs, and a spare belt that I found helped to cinch up the waist. On the positive side, they fit over my jeans, but they were still a pain!! Soon, they just started getting left at home.... I would get home from school,throw on my camo shirt,grab my old Bear recurve, and head to the woods. I was fortunate to have about 80 acres of woods and swamp behind my house, that was my playground....
It was just so simple!! Throw on my camo shirt, grab my bow, and just go hunt... I had many close encounters with deer, and even killed a few!! I ended up actually hunting in blue jeans for most of my youth, and looking back, it seems to be one of my fondest memories......   

Heck I shot a doe once, butt naked from the waist down, she caught me taking a crap:) Glad there were no trail cams back then:)

You can't recall the '60s without HERTERS!  Model perfect this and model perfect that.  I spent my lawn mower money on their bows, arrows, camo clothes, binocular, fishing gear and so forth.  Wasn't any real options for me but them. 

Quote from: Roy from Pa on May 19, 2025, 10:11:55 AMHeck I shot a doe once, butt naked from the waist down, she caught me taking a crap:) Glad there were no trail cams back then:)

Glade to know there's more than me in the pants down around the ankles shoot them club. 

I'm not all that old, but I have some fond memories of simpler times from being a kid. 

I remember when we used to go to deer camp at my dad's buddies place.  No electric, water, or plumbing.  Just a simple one room cabin with a wood stove (a perfect hunting cabin). The outside was covered in old barn tin.
Joe (the owner) had us kids do the painting on the cabin.  He got us some spray cans and told us to paint it camo however we wanted.  We used some grasses and leaves and stenciled it the best we could.  He has always been good to us and always loved having any kids come to the camp.  He always made sure we got involved in everything whenever we were there. 

Being a kid, we had to get on the top bunks if it got full.  You'd just about cook in a sleeping bag up there, especially if the adults had one too many and kept on adding more wood to the fire. That's the place I killed my first deer.  Went back to camp, got my little brother, and we gutted and drug the buck back up to the cabin behind the 4-wheeler.  We were both proud as a peacock when the adults starting to filter back in after the morning hunt.  There was a lot of back slapping and congratulations when they got back.  Fun times.  Hard to believe that's been almost 25 years ago.

Yes, simpler times......

Baker Tree Stands!     

Ahhhh..... The "Baker Slide".....

Yep... nailing 2x4 steps or just climbing into the tree with a board to sit on. I remember walking behind my elder into the woods and stepping right where he did so not to make noise. Not seeing the sapling branch he had bent while walking and having it "whack" me once released.

Although it was painful then, I wouldn't trade those times for nothing. I got so nervous from buck fever I vomited my Cheerios instead of shooting as a kid.

Along with the Bakers, don't forget the Bear Razorhead Kamikaze bow quiver!

Yes, Terry!! Another fond memory.... Part of the "learning curve" and I still have the scar on my left hand to prove it! I couldn't step-through string my recurve because the arrows were in the way, so I swapped it around to put the arrows towards the back of the bow. Looky there! Problem solved!
Strung it up and went hunting... Came home and when I unstrung it, I slid my hand down the upper limb, right into the broadheads Bled pretty good!! Thank God I was home
Learned a very valuable lesson...Cover your broadheads!!! Saved my money and bought an 8 arrow, Bear spring arm quiver.If I remember, it cost 27 bucks But!! Even though it hurt the wallet, I didn't miss anymore hunting time... 

First real bow was a Ben Pearson 45#@28" and I drew @26".  Sears wood arrows with Bear razor heads.  The couple sporting goods locations we had close only had fishing and gun hunting stuff.

I remember as a kid buying my arrows at the sporting goods store. Kind of a "one size fits all" selection. Couldn't figure out why those wood target arrows went all over from my 55# Ben Pearson bow. They worked from my 35# Lemonwood bow. Going to the school library and checking out "Hunting the Hard Way" by some guy named Howard Hill. Fred Bear hunting movies on WGN TV, Outdoors with Jim Thomas. No camo, just jeans and flannel shirts. Deer? Maybe in the forest preserve but not within 50 miles of Chicago suburbs. But I had fun chasing rabbits and squirrels, even tried Pheasant. Miss those freezing cold days walking in the snow looking for bunnies

woodchucker, when it got cold....

It was TWO pair of blue jeans!!!

Usually only one pair, Terry... We had LONG JOHNS!!!! 

You southern boys probably never heard of them?? 

Quote from: woodchucker on May 19, 2025, 07:50:41 PMUsually only one pair, Terry... We had LONG JOHNS!!!! 

You southern boys probably never heard of them?? 

Yes, the white waffle ones that never fit. Those with two pair of blue jeans. 

"Woodland Camo" Zipper hoodies!!! Everyone had one... (and an orange one for gun hunting)

I took a ride down a tree on a baker stand.

Buying wool pants and gloves at the Army surplus store 

Around 1980? Plastic fletching was coming out... Feather fletched arrows were getting hard to find.
Bear Archery started installing "weather rests" on all of their recurves. I managed to find a dozen Bear cedar arrows 50-55# with vanes and Razorheads. I used them for a couple years, while my brother in-law and his brothers went with Easton Gamegetters with screw-in points. They were using Duke Savora's 4 blade broad heads with replaceable blades. Soon I too was shooting Gamegetters, But with screw-in Razor heads.
We had built a big open front covered shed, packed with about 20 bales of hay, and our "target" was a paper plate. Bricks were set in the ground as markers 10, 20, 30 yards. We shot almost every day, and by the opening day of bow season, every one of us could keep every arrow in the plate. We were ready to hunt!!!

Sent ya a message Terry