I started bow hunting in 1965. I lived in Md at the time and while shopping with my wife we went past a sporting goods store going out of business they had a dummy in the window dressed in camo with a bow and arrows armguard and glove, I went in and bought the whole outfit. It was a 6 in Ben Pearson recurve 45 # wooden arrows with helbrose broadheads. My first attempt at a deer was at an 8 point at about 15 yards I missed by about a foot he ran off to about 30 yds and I turned and flung one at a bunch of does at about 20 yds yep missed them too, got my arrows back and walked out the ridge and saw a rabbit at about 30 yds and fired at him hitting him in the mouth and coming out his butt completely gutting him. And I was hooked. It took me several years to connect with a deer ( a spike) but for the first several years I was the only person I knew that hunted with a bow ( I moved back to WV in that same year.
Like some have stated sometimes I hunted for weeks and not ever see a deer at all and when I did they would be 50 to 100 yds away. But I really enjoyed those times it didnt take me getting a deer to make it a successful hunt. Today with all the modern things we have it is a lot easier plus the fact I see more deer in a day then back then in a season. I still love it but it is getting harder for me all the time what with 2 heart attacks and age I just cant get back there where I want to be anymore. Oh yeah I still have 2 of my very first arrows.
Back then 45 # Ben Pearson recurve no rest shoot off shelf no sights at all
30 in wooden arrows with a helbrose head
three finger glove
hunt from ground and always try to guess yardage.

Today Bowtech Guardian 60 to 70 with one moveable pin that I make myself
Ripcord drop away rest
349 acc"s 27 1/2 with 100 gr Shockwave
Scott release
Bushnell rangefinder
at least 5 different camo outfits 2 in scentlock
3 different pairs of rubber boots with different degres of insulation
5 tree stands
Do I enjoy it more no do I enjoy it less no I am still just as excited today when I see a deer as I was back then.