Arthur P

Back in the day when there were NO deer around where I lived.

I'd go cut a branch off an elm tree for a bow (always kept a few curing out in the barn, actually), and use willow switch arrows fletched with feathers from the chicken coop. Broadheads were made with tin snips and file from the tops of those old waxed paper oil cans. A few strands of kite string twisted up to make a bow string. I was taught to use the old... uh... gotta bePC here... AH!...Indigenous American pinch draw and didn't learn to shoot like white men, with anchor points and all that stuff,until I was in college. And I'd come home withmeat (rabbits and/or squirrels)after an afternoonout in the west pasture.

Then, when I was 12,I saved up enough pop bottles to cash in and buy myselfa fancy, solid fiberglass Bear recurve - a bow that'd never break? Wow![:-]

If I'd known how many thousands of dollars I'd wind up spending on bows and stuff after that measely $12, I'd have never done it.[&:]

By the way,when I bought that bow? It was another four years before Allen patented the compound.

Jimimac

In days of old when knights were bold and women weren't particular...

BGfisher

Back in the days when:

A top-o-the-line hunting bow cost about $200.
KE was not even thought of.
60# was the max most could handle.
20% letoff
Steel cables, dacron strings
Berger buttons and flipper rests were IT
Wooden risers not even cut past center shot.

Yeh, those were the days. Things are a lot better now except for the KE thing and all the number crunching. Shooting was the rage--field.

Sylvan

...few thought the compound would catch on.
...bows and arrows were made of wood.
...fletches were made of feathers.
...everyone sharpened their own broadheads.
...a long shot was 20-25 yards.

buttonbuckmaster

My arrows were big enough to use for water lines....Razor back 5's that weighed about a pound each....and a Whitetail II....those were the days.

stikbow26

Back in the day when i started there were only recurves and longbows and you couldnt even hunt from a tree stand here in Mich. Ill didnt even have deer to talk about and when compounds came out there wasnt any fighting over what brand was better there was only one brand!!!! Walt

Rob/PA Bowyer

This site was slower, you didn't need a username and password, we were a close group, remembering Maui Wes, Bowdacious, Mounting Man, Static, ArcticBowman and many more who no longer join us, we had 4 moderators, one got banned, Matt/PA was a card, oh he's still a card, There was what a half dozen forums, and things were simplier.

I wouldn't trade today, I do miss some of the old friendships and comradories as well as some of the posters.

Hoytshooter4life

a top of the line 40" bow ran ya about $300.00 instead of the possible thoudands now a days, scent lock was when you farted in your budys cabin and locked the place up for him to walk in to the next morning....those were the days werent they.

Zdeerslayer

I cant say I ever experienced "the days", but look forward to seeing how things will change(hopefully in a goodway)when I look back in another 20yrs. But I sure as heck hope I dont look backat a $1000 dollar bow and say"man those were the days"lolSometimes I wish I could go back and almost watch my dad hunt as if it was on a home video. He used to go to Vermont with his dad and his brother when they were 12. They would get dropped off at the top of a mtn by themselves and were picked up at the same spot at dark. Everyman for himself.lolMy dad only saw 1 deer in 5 yrs of hunting. They only wore flannels, blue jeans and cotton socks(w/ leather boots of course). And I complain that I'm cold yet I wear thinsulate, polypropalene, wool base layers.lol Till this day my dad said, even though he never saw much, it was some of the best times hunting hes had.(besides the times w/ me of course)

Zdeerslayer

Just the other day, I strung my dads old Fred Bear Kodiak(I believe thats the name), just to see what it was like. Man do I give you traditional guys some credit. I think I have found something to keep me occupied w/ next year season