Blessed to be here.........

[Steve-ALA]

Greetings all........

In June of 2012, I was in a motorcycle wreck in TN.  Was in a 3 week coma, close to death for two days, and in the hospital for 2 months.  My left shoulder is put back together with hardware, ALL left-side ribs were broken, not cracked, left lung was punctured, both hips messed up, and a head injury.  Needless to say, I'm very blessed to be alive.  I haven't ridden again since and never will.  In the 20 years prior, I was very involved in traditional archery.  I've been an officer in my state's tradbow association.  After learning how to walk again, I started becoming more active.  Around December that year, I took out my tradbows but being left handed I couldn't draw any of my bows.  Not caring to gun hunt, I bought and got proficient with a compound.  I hunted the rut in January 2013 for a solid week with that compound in hand.  Never loosed an arrow but I was simply glad to be in the blind.  Well throughout 2013, I continued to practice with my compound and got very good but was never satisfied.  Toward the end of 2013, I was finally able to draw my trad bows but it was a struggle.  In the last 3 weeks this year, I bought two new longbows with lower weight.  The first shot I was able to take in my backyard, I hit the target face....not a great shot but finally felt a sense of satisfaction.  So after several days of getting better shooting, just last week, I took the week off to hunt the rut with my buddy.  I spent every hunt in the blind and ladder stand with my longbow.  Like last year, I never loosed an arrow, but it was the best week I've had hunting in 20 years.  Sorry for being long winded, but wanted to say their's nothing like traditional archery to heal the soul.

[BDann]

Welcome back!

[huntnmuleys]

wow, welcome back.  what a road to take to get here.  hoping the best is yet to come.

[Pat B.]

That was a tough situation!!

Glad you're back and able to shoot..


Years ago I was at a shoot and was squaded with a big fellow who was very nice. I noticed that he held his bow a bit strange but never said anything.
  At some point I made a less than desirable shot and made some pissy comment.. He said he was just glad to be out shooting on such a pretty day. He then told me that a couple of years earlier his brother had accidently shot his bicep almost completely off with a 12gauge shotgun from about 10'.. And then proceeded so show me some pictures from the hospital, gruesome!
  And then he told me that was the second time he'd been shot. While in Vietnam he was on a river boat that took on fire and was going down. They were swimming for shore. He remembered reaching shore and climbing over a log. Next thing he remembered he was in a hospital, he'd been hit three times across the chest by automatic fire. He pulled up his shirt and showed me the scars, front and back..
  Like you, he was lucky to be alive and shooting his bow!
   Good luck...

[Bernie B.]

Glad to have you back in trad archery!  I can't imagine what you had to go through after your accident.  It's great that you're again enjoying hunting with your longbow.    

Bernie Bjorklund

NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin

[96ssportsp]

Life is precious, enjoy! That said, I can't imagine not ever riding again. I have had a few issues that "held me up" and riding was/is the best therapy. Good luck in your rehab. Scott.

[Duker]

Welcome back Steve       Were blessed to have people like you with such great spirit    May you have a blessed and speedy recovery  

[Mudd]

A motorcycle accident almost ended my ability to shoot my bows.

I give God and a good surgeon the praise. It took 5 and a half hours of surgery to put my right shoulder back together.

This is one of those injuries that I feel every day but I am blessed to still be able to shoot the bows I love.

I am very happy to hear you are also making a comeback to your love of traditional archery.

God bless,Mudd

[bartcanoe]

Great story, and welcome back

After two bouts with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, I know the joy it is "just" to be alive and the contentment found in life's little pleasures like shooting a traditional bow.

Dave

[Larrydawg]

welcome Back, ive been into archery 45 of my 51 yrs with a lil doubt when I tore my right rotator cuff and acquired tendonitis in both hands. I about gave up archery but kept my old bows just now getting back into full swing after 5 yrs of not sure what to do.. a loosed arrow soothes the soul!! I went and shot in local 3 D shoot last weekend with my 10 yr old granddaughter and we both had a blast..
LarryDawg

[cahaba]

Welcome back Steve. I'm glad your recovery is coming along.

[varmint101]

Glad you are making it back!

[Mac Hicks]

Welcome back to traditional archery Steve!  Hope that your recovery will continue and that you will have a great 2014 season.  I think you are right ......the best therapy is just being in the woods with your longbow again.    

[South MS Bowhunter]

Give God the Glory!  Glad to have you back and at it, soldier on!

[SheltonCreeker]

Thanks for sharing your story. Congrats to making it back to the woods. I hope you get to continue your traditional journey without incident.

Sorry for your suffering thru the accident, but glad to see you percevered and are back!

Bisch

[Homey88]

Welcome back!