Vabowman

Dan, that is an awesome story about your father and you. I bet you will never forget that as long as you live..

MeanV2

Landon, I am no Spring chicken by any means, but I am fortunate enough to still have both my Dadand Grand Dad alive. They have both been a Huge part and influence on my life. Dad's 72 and we still take a Motorcycle trip at least once every year. Honestly he rides more than I do. He has more time. It's nice when you can have the relationship with your Dad and Grand Dad that I have been fortunate enough to experience.

Dan

Born 2 Bow Hunt

In the 70's, 60's & 50's the hills were much smaller......

LittleChief

It sure does feel that way, doesn't it? I don't remember the 50's or 60's, but I started hunting in 76 when I turned 13. I don't think I even saw a deer until I was 15.

Vabowman

Dan, that is awesome. My dad was too busy farming, coaching football, and doing whatever he wanted to do. He is still alive and I love him, but I had to learn how to hunt on my own. He gave it up when I was around 7 yrs old, he got too busy with other things. After killing over 70 deer he still has never congratulated me on one of them. He doesn't care and I guess never will. He thinks Im imature, Im 32 yrs old and Im raising a family, have a teaching career, and a wife, and a house. Every year he says to me, you haven't grown out of that crap yet??? I say nope, Im just getting started!! I wish I had what you have Dan, I know you appreciate every minute of it!!

davidmil

Exactly. I started hunting when you did. People today just don't get the concept of seeing a couple deer a year. And the guy who managed to stick one was the Hero of the area. I was fortunate to kill one or more every year but one. Hunters today really have no concept of what hunting was 35 years ago. I remember a stretch of 5 or 6 years where I never saw another bowhunter in the woods or on the way to the woods. It was peace.

badger109

I guess some places in northern Wisconsin just took a step back in time now that there are wolves.[:'(]

hardly ever see deer there anymore.

davidmil

Time to wolf hunt.

907Alaska

I was gun hunting in Arizona in the 70's...there was not as much pressure on anything, it just seemed easier back then, less complicated, I was just a kid, and I enjoyed it alot...the hunting & camping experience.

royak

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.