MDNewbie

I'm sorry if this has been asked before.

I'm new to bowhunting and was just curious how everyone got involved/exposed to bowhunting.

My Dad originally got me involved in hunting but he never bowhunted. I got into bow hunting by my future brother-in-law.

Rick James

My dad got me into hunting. He didn't really ever get serious about bowhunting though unfortunately. My best friend/neighbor in middle school, his father was a bowhunter and a guy that I looked up to very much at that age, who helped my family with a lot of things. He was possibly one of the best hunters I have ever known, he consistently killed deer with a bow or gun in Vermont every year, which is very difficult to do in Vermont.

BobCo19-65

My mother and father both shot competition archery in the 60's.

ccm352

My grandfather got one of those old bear 76er takedown recurves..

He tried archery and didnt like it.. So I told him i would archery hunt when I got old enough. Now.. No one in my family archery hunted.. Some of the guys that my grandfather worked at the hardware storewith were archers.. They got me set up using that old bear when I was 10. 40# recurve.. I shot that for two years and then for xmas of my12th birthday I got my first compound.

K2SOCO

Need a category for self. No one helped me or taught me or even asked me when I was growing up. I got into it on my own.

Talondale

I was self motivated as well. I actually got my father and friend into it. I did have a gentleman loan me his old Whitetail II bow so that I could see if I liked bowhunting without spending too much money. After I arrowed a 5 pointer I returned the bow and went out and bought myself a brand new XI Legend Magnum. Also had a lot of help from guys at pro shop (staff and customers) who helped me learn.

Rob/PA Bowyer

I agree with the post above, need a catagory for self....When I was fifteen, some 23 years ago all I wanted for my Nov birthday was a bow...prior to that I took an old fiberglass recurve for a walk in the woods every fall and thought I'd be successful....Well Nov 10th came and I did get a new compound. A Bear Black Bear II. I used that bow for the next 9 years with less than marginal success. At 24 I recovered my first deer with it, a young doe and it's the last I ever used it for hunting. I was ignorant to the sport and bows in general, I shot full length 2117's with 160 gr Thunderheads, off a flipper style plastic rest with fingers. Talk about underspined. I had sights on the bow and was rather proficient out to 20 yards but was a green horn to deer and bowhunting. At 25 I received a new Jennings Carbon Extreme XLR and a release aid.....started shooting 3D and darn did I get good at it....now with all those 20plus seasons and years of competition shooting...

Bowhunting is my life along with alot more of the outdoor industry....I was self taught in most intances in life growing up with nothing more than an older brother and a single mother....I didn't do too bad and praise her for it....But that's my story...self taught, addicted to the sport and promoting and prolonging it every chance I get....

Primitive Weapon

Ditto for me. My brother in law had a bow someone had given him. I borrowed it and shot for about a week. I was hooked......

PABowhntr

My Dad. I don't quite remember what got me started but I sure remember the Hunter's Education Course as well as the first trip out during rifle season. He fell asleep on a blanket and a herd of doe went by. I never fired a shot.....

....which is good because it was buck season at the time.

FroMan

My dad got me into hunting. But a buddy of mine, bought a cheap crossbow and started shooting. I borrowed a crossbow from my Grandpa and we both started shooting together.

It progressed...and as the natural progression goes...we both ended up getting into bowhunting, went out and bought compounds, and here we are.