RE: lets talk Fred Bear (just finished a book on him)
 

Lol--did the splits for the new guys I shot with Sat--may have cost them a few points.[8D]

First, I don't have any bowhunting "heroes", modern or otherwise. I have more respect for some than others, but that's about it. If I found out those guys were taking risky shots, they just loose my respect. Not that they will loose any sleep over it, but I can voice my opinion.

Most of the hunting shows (and videos) I've seen are infomercials, pushing X-brand bow, X-brand camo, X-brand scents, etc. etc. etc. The message they try to convey seems to be "If you use the same crap I do, you too will be able to hit the woods on any given day and kill a monster". They think they have to kill something really big for the camera, and I guess they really do in order to make the sponsors happy. I watch very few videos anymore, and couldn't tell you the last time I saw even part of a hunting show on television. For the most part, I think they do more harm than good.

Chad

RE: lets talk Fred Bear (just finished a book on him)
 

Not heros, legends. Those guys I listed are legends in bowhunting - what they've done for the sport of bowhunting is well documented.

I agree - they're absolute trash and do more harm than good.

BUT ........ (there's always a but, isn't there ? :) )

IF the premise is that bowhunter and hunters in general have to be better at ethics ......... why then do we both agree that everything on TV is trash ? Isn't those tv shows THE #1 exposure that hunters get ?

See what I'm getting at ?

RE: lets talk Fred Bear (just finished a book on him)
 

Not legends to me--Chuck Adams is the only one you listed that I'm the least bit familiar with, and that's because of advertising and some comments he's supposedly made that were the topic of some threads a long time ago. I have no idea what bow, broadhead, arrow, camo, etc. he uses, and really don't care. I couldn't tell you one thing he's done for the sport, other than create the "Super Slam".

I understand that is the only exposure that some folks get to bowhunting. That doesn't excuse the rest of us from setting the best example we can, and we don't have to support those shows. I don't watch them, and most likely don't use any of the products they advertise (not sure, since I don't watch them, but I've seen the stuff advertised in the past--no thanks).

RE: lets talk Fred Bear (just finished a book on him)
 

LBR

Fred Bear created modern arhcery equipment. He has like 17 patents on archery equipment from the fiberglass they use, to the quiver to the archery glove you likely use. His films and exploits brought millions to the sport.

Ben Pearson created a great company and produced a lot of bows and arrows. He gave much to archery.

Schafer ........ a hunting legend.

Pope and Young - the fore fathers to Fred Bear and what he did, their bowhunting adventures were unheard of, their interactions with Ishi invaluable.

Howard Hill - enough said huh ?

Randy Ulmer - incredible archer, accomplished bowhunter. Chuck Adams, holder of many world records, incredible hunter, lives and breathes hunting.


I read a lot, I know who these guys are, a bit of what they've done, and there aint no denying their place in bowhunting history. Even Ted Nugent has cemented his place - as controversial as he is.


We come to todays hunting world, where a guy shoots 55 yards or takes a frontal shot etc and he gets HAMMERED by his fellow bowhunters and yet, we look back on the previous listed legends and they did the same thing. And they missed and they wounded and the killed. No different than today.

So I'm now wondering where all this self righteous, hard line, black and white ethical stuff comes from. It aint from the pro's on tv - they're anything BUT ethical. Its not from any of the legends of bowhunting. So where's it coming from ?

If its for fear of the ARA's, then I'd think TV bowhunting would be THE #1 driver to insure that ethics are passed on and made ultra important, wouldn't you ?

Yet, they're all in it for the money, the glory, the horns .......... they don't care nothing about ethics IMO.


And all this has me coming back to one thing ....... what does it matter if I shoot 12 times, miss 8, wound 3 and kill 1 ...... am I a "bad" hunter for that ? A bad bowhunter making our sport look bad ? Or am I just a bowhunter, a killer of game and not reading anything more into it that that ?

RE: lets talk Fred Bear (just finished a book on him)
 

Ben Pearson was also an inventor and innovator, and although he doesn't get nearly as much press or credit, probably did as much or more for archery than Fred Bear. Mr. Pearson figured out ways to mass produce bows, arrows, broadheads, etc. so they would be cheap enough for most people to afford, and even make it into a family sport. Of all the "icons", I respect Mr. Pearson the most--partly because he didn't sell himself, he just promoted the sport.

I've heard of Randy Ulmer, but couldn't tell you anything about him. I have heard of some of Chuck Adam's "accomplishments", but haven't heard of anything he's done for the sport itself. He probably has, but all I've heard about promotes Chuck, not the sport. Don't know if it's true, but I've heard he's made a few less than flattering comments about traditional archery.

I used to read a lot, but the last several years my reading time has been very limited. I stay very busy most of the time, and spend too much time on these boards. I'm pretty selective about what I read--nothing against compounds, but reading about them or those that hunt with them just doesn't interest me much at all, regardless of who they are, what they killed, what it scored, how many animals they have stacked up, etc.

Self righteous? Black and white? I can't speak for anyone but myself, but neither of those describe me. I've already said I won't impose my standards on someone else. Some things are, to me, black and white--but there are also lots of gray areas.

I'm not afraid of ARA's, but I do worry about the influence they can have. Obviously money/fame is more important than the impression they give for some. All the more reason for those of us that care to do our best to leave a good impression.

That's all be hashed and re-hashed on this thread.

RE: lets talk Fred Bear (just finished a book on him)
 

LBR - these threads are what makes the off-season worth while, aren't they ? I don't know yet how my bowhunting will evolve for the 2007 season ...... I bought my Dads Q2 compound and might shoot it. I've bought a DAS and a Gamemaster in the past 3 weeks and neither of them did me any good,I shoot my Adcock better then either.Which I'll have in my hand this fall, I dunno yet.

Good thread though .....

RE: lets talk Fred Bear (just finished a book on him)
 

Like I said--get your butt to some tournaments! You build your skill, you build your confidence, and there's a good chance that someone will be there that may spot or figure out any problems.

I do enjoy these debates, but I've got to get back at it--still got 40 or 50 strings to get made![8D]

RE: lets talk Fred Bear (just finished a book on him)
 

Ihave a fred bear TRX 400 and this bow has some power. I haven't shot and deer with it yet, but out on the target range, this bow, I think beats the other competition. I can hit dead center at 40 yards without hesitation. I got it last fall right before the bow season started and i had to go back to my home state of wisconsin. So i left it in oklahoma where i reside now and i thought i was going to be back before the season ended. I was wrong. But when elk season opens in colorado I will let you know how it performed and how well it shot.

RE: lets talk Fred Bear (just finished a book on him)
 

I'm telling you, target shooting I do ok - killing live deer seems to be the problem ! ARGHHHHHHH

I stump shot some on Sat ....... didn't do bad. Shooting my 52# Adcock ....... seemed as fast as the 55# Dalaa and Gamemaster to me and a WHOLE lot quieter and smoother.


We'll see ......... might hunt with both this 2007 season. I gotta get my groove back, somehow someway.

RE: lets talk Fred Bear (just finished a book on him)
 

Shooting bales, or even 3-D targets in the back yard or by yourself at the range is different. 3-D isn't hunting, but it's as close as you'll come. You have pressure, you have unknown yardages, uphill, downhill, through the bushes, etc. Lots of shots you probably wouldn't attempt on a live animal, but they still help over-all. Besides that, it's a lot of fun.