My dad gave me an old 25lb Ben Pearson Jet and a quiver full of old wood arrows that my grandfather gave him at about the age of 8 and I have been hooked ever since. I used to stand out there shooting until I couldn't pull that bow back. Then at about age 11 My dad bought me my first compound. A 1988 Golden Eagle Target bow (Which I still own) He managed to get it, a shooting glove, 1/2 doz Easton autum orange 1918's, a trebark camo arm guard, and a pack of 6 satellite broadheads, and a simple painted pin site and spring rest all for $100 from a co-worker who was a PA state archery champ who shot for Golden Eagle. The bow was Brand New. I continued to shoot that bow off and on Until at age 19 I was convinced to try bowhunting by some college Buddies. (The only other hunting I ever did was bowfishing for shark and stingray growing up with my dads 70's era Bear Black Bear Recurve.) See my dad never bowhunted and I know my grandfather used to but he passed away before I was able to hunt. OMG I knew nothing about bows. I just went out and bout some 125grn Bear razorheads and grabbed 6 easton aluminum arrows from walmart and bam I thought I was ready to go. LOL! Well little did I know I managed to take a Button buck my very first bowhunting outing and I have been hooked ever since. OMG I cringe when I think back at how little I knew about bowhunting and archery. So basically I have been shooting for about 23 years but only bowhunting for the past 12.