Archery / Bowhunting- what got you started? …

[Nait Hadya]

A grade school chum and a fiberglass recurve bow from Woolco.

[backyard]

my dad got my brother and I started when we were 5 ... so from 5-16 was target related 16 -18 was hunting related 19- 25 was drinking related (not much shooting my bow lol) 26- to present hunting and target and showing my kids the joys of shooting..

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by BigRackLover

this is my story.

Well done, love the family picture!

[BigRackLover]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

Well done, love the family picture!

Thanks All.

That is one of my favorite pictures of all time (and memory).

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

Well done, love the family picture!

X2...

[The moose]

I started hunting after hearing all the stories from my brother after he began Hunting 7 years ago. This will be my forth season hunting and I have caught the bug worse after every season ends.
When asked why I hunt its so hard to explain. Why is it hard to explain? Because I dont know where to start. I began hunting only for the meat. Now its so much bigger. The peace , the Thrill , The love of just sitting beside a river surrounded by nothing but nature , the Internal competition and striving to always be better and of coarse the best Meat you can eat.

I was skunked my first season but learned more than I could have imagined.

Second season I shot a small mule buck and he tasted so good.

Last season I shot a Large WT buck.

I would love to get a moose or elk this season.

Good lord im excited for this season....

How many Days we at now Lost?

[coyotekiller]

Started when i was 7 or 8 i believe got a cheap bow that i shot a couple times here and there and had fun with. Decided to get back into it 2 years ago and now and I'm big into archery, i bow hunt well into november, and rarely take a rifle out now. Hoping to get my first official big game kill with my bow this year

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

[QUOTE=The moose;2757311]I started hunting after hearing all the stories from my brother after he began Hunting 7 years ago. This will be my forth season hunting and I have caught the bug worse after every season ends.
When asked why I hunt its so hard to explain. Why is it hard to explain? Because I dont know where to start. I began hunting only for the meat. Now its so much bigger. The peace , the Thrill , The love of just sitting beside a river surrounded by nothing but nature , the Internal competition and striving to always be better and of coarse the best Meat you can eat.

I was skunked my first season but learned more than I could have imagined.

Second season I shot a small mule buck and he tasted so good.

Last season I shot a Large WT buck.

I would love to get a moose or elk this season.

Good lord im excited for this season....

How many Days we at now Lost?[/QUOTE]



Only 175 Sleeps...lol

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...66#post2760266

[Ticdoc]

Dad took my brother and I to an indoor range when I was 10 (back in 1950). Shot indoors for many winters and at outdoor ranges for many summers. Bowhunting started at age 12.
Still have a Bear Compound bought in 1960s and a Bear recurve of same vintage. Both are free to a good home if anyone saves old bows, etc.
Send me private message.
ticdoc

[Ericson]

Best pal had a brand new RXP2000 from Wendill Mills in Taber back in 1981. I talked him into letting me draw it and of course I dry fired it. He was mad of course and told me to get my own, and I did. Been bowhunting ever since.

[SportHuntingHelp]

Dad hunted with a rifle but not a bow as he had limited time with Military Duties. However one of his Sergeant's was a big bow hunter. So one day I get sent onto the base to meet this big, loud looking biker like Sergeant with a wild boar head on his wall. Well the rest is history I am an avid bow hunter now. Lost track of this individual and would love to find him again if anyone knows a guy like the one described above who goes by the name Herb let me know.

Side note is now I get to return the favor to my Dad last year he started to bow hunt too with me as his coach.

[Waterfowl93]

I went out to a bow only spot on a Christmas tree farm in BC with my dad. We were bird hunters and didn't really have a lot of time to do big game type hunting and so we hadn't gotten a deer for quite a few years. My dad borrowed a friends bow and his friend gave him permission to his secret spot for a good eatable deer. I was about 10 years old at the time and was always ready to go hunting with my dad at anytime, but I was all confused at why he had a bow, didn't think it would be effective and I was pretty skeptical about what would happen.(typical ten year old thinking that if it doesn't go boom then it doesn't work lol) well just before last light my dad and I spot a spike buck, I was all excited but this buck was facing away from us and we had to wait till it gave my dad a broadside shot. Well low and behold this thing went about 20 yards and keeled over after my dad released the arrow. I was so impressed! I wasn't instantly hooked because it was a one time kinda thing for us because the bow wasn't my dads so I had no practice. But I finally said I want a bow! So I bought an old browning this year and got it hooked up and sighted in so at 40 yards a heart sized group of 10 arrows is pretty standard! I can't wait to do some hunting with it! Spring bear is my first challenge!

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

Originally Posted by Ericson

Best pal had a brand new RXP2000 from Wendill Mills in Taber back in 1981. I talked him into letting me draw it and of course I dry fired it. He was mad of course and told me to get my own, and I did. Been bowhunting ever since.

Funny but not so funny...lol

Could be another question ...I wonder how many first time draws for shooters was a dry fire..!!

Neil

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

Outstanding storys Gang...better than I would have imagined!!!

Neil

[Stumpslayer]

I was a gun hunter when I was young and lived south of Edmonton but still in the gun zone, met a woman that would not eat wild meat so gave it up for several years...then gave her up without much remorse...LOL.

I lived in Grande Prairie until 2001 and September 17th was an acceptable start date to hunt for me then, but I moved south and lived a little more then an hour north of the city and as hunting season approached it became apparent that I'd eitehr have to change my stratagy or drive a lot further to hunt. So the property I lived on had a creek and awesome bedding areas for ungulate populations, and the surrounding area had several alfalfa feilds, I saw elk and deer daily and it drove me crazy to think I'd have to wait until November and to top it all off only hunt for 30 days!

So I borrowed an old York compound for a year then bought a used Darton a year later, upgraded a few times since and well been on the hook ever since. Killed a few deer, couple elk and bears and enjoy both hunting and recreational 3D shooting. I wont stop until I'm too old to draw a breath or my bow, whichever comes first.

[fitzy17]

Dunno if I have really started, I haven't actually shot a bow yet, but I've been reading up on as much archery information on here and the places on the internet for the last few months, So I guess thats part of the process.

I think what got me interested in bowhunting was that I would casually take a peak at the Archery section on here and the fact I can have a longer hunter season if I learn to bow hunt, I just love being out there I want to get as much out of it as I can.

[transplant]

My first winter in Canada I was a bit um….. under-active… a friend is an archer and has hunted for years. He encouraged me to try archery.

I explored the archery shops in Winnipeg and found a group of very helpful folks and I was hooked.

Now, having sat in a tree stand and watched bears come to the bait barrels I am dreaming of a bearskin rug….

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

Originally Posted by fitzy17

Dunno if I have really started, I haven't actually shot a bow yet, but I've been reading up on as much archery information on here and the places on the internet for the last few months, So I guess thats part of the process.

I think what got me interested in bowhunting was that I would casually take a peak at the Archery section on here and the fact I can have a longer hunter season if I learn to bow hunt, I just love being out there I want to get as much out of it as I can.

Welcome to the dark side....lol...If you read the fine print on your BowHunting licence...it states Warning*** may be habit forming and addictive!!! ...lol

If you have any questions at all feel free to PM me or call...

Neil

[Settle&release]

It all started back in grade four when I moved to vegreville which became the home town for the next 10 years. A guy who didn't know me from Adam invited the new kid out to his place to go moose hunting with his family on his birthday. Back then it was the drive around with the moose noise cassette tapes blaring and the windows rolled down kind of hunting. Anyways my pal spots a little bull and the hunt was on. That hunt was successful and I still picture it to this day. That is what started the bug. Eventually that same friend invited me out to try the fibreglass bow that he had received for his birthday a couple years later. I still picture the arrow arcing through the sky and the sting of the bowstring hitting my wrist at 40lb draw weight. After that I didn't shoot for a while but eventually that burning image floated back into my mind. Fast foreword to 2008 and I picked up a bowtech sniper and practiced until my arms were tired every night. That September I set up a treestand and the first night I sat in it a big mature dry doe wandered by at 20 yards and I drew and fired with the first shot being a miss. The deer bounced off only to later come back and sniff the arrow. This time I made it count. I still remember that arrow streaking towards that doe and the adrenaline rush afterwards. I had to sit down in the tree because my legs were shaking so bad pine cones were bouncing off of my hat. I will be forever grateful to my best friend who took me out hunting on his birthday and that doe for igniting such a passion for bow hunting!!

[58thecat]

A gentleman by the name of Bub Hill out of Saskatchewan. Bought my Jennings XLR in 1993 and all the trimmings too.
Countless hours learning, asking questions etc, same year I took my first big game animal a mule deer buck!
Still carry the same bow...mice to moose have been harvested with it.
Taught me to become a hunter, not a shooter, love the up and close personal accounters.

[mountain man 300 win]

I remember getting my first cheap plastic recurve now and a handful of aluminum arrows around 6-7 years old, me and my buddy made a fort in the tree and shot at an old hot tub cover pretending we were hunting... A year or two later got a plastic cheap compound bow, maybe a 15# draw length.. Cheap Walmart beginners bow. Started shooting a bit more. Then Christmas is 2008/2009 when I was turning 13 my brother in law gave me his Martin jaguar, set at 60 pounds, draw length was perfect, fully set up, and I practised and practised pulling that thing back. Finally got it pulled back and decided we should drop the poundage, because once I got it pulled back I dry fired it and snapped cable and strings..

Got new cable and strings put on and started shooting lots. Everyday for hours. Finally shot a porcupine one day, then ever since then been hunting.. Have shot a few deer with my bow now. I absolutely love the sport. Starting to get more into the 3D shoots more. I've had a few different bows, APA mamba, Mathews riot, Hoyt spyder 30 but traded it for my elite! Currently shooting an elite energy and couldn't be happier!

Shamus

[elkchaser]

I guess it started in the fourth grade gym class . Loved it enough to talk my dad into buying me a cheap fibreglass stick and string to use at camp in northern ont . Then I was given a shotgun for duck and ruffles and forgot about that bow . Fast forward to 1998 moved to Alberta and bought a new old stock Martan cougar compound played with it a it but never hunted . Forward to 2007 and had a friend show me a few velvet Mulie bow mounts he has and I thought I have a bow I should extend my season . Well I upgraded my bow to a Apa mamba xl 3 years ago after having cancer and almost losing use of my right arm I can't believe it took me so long realize what I was missing ! I would rather give up rifle in a heartbeat and feel the rush is a spot and stalk.

[32-40win]

I'd noticed the archery seasons in the regs over the years, considered it as a way to add some hunting time to my season. In 1993, after the Schuetzen shoot was over in July, I had nothing I really wanted to do, with the guns I had at the time. Was bored one day, decided I'd go look at some archery stuff for the heck of it. Got a rental bow at CAC, tried it out upstairs, decided it was something I'd like to try. Ended up buying a finger bow to use for the first while, a Super Slam Legacy, 45" A to A. Didn't shoot anything with it that fall, had a couple of chances, wasn't sure of the shot. Over that winter I learned a lot, and enjoyed it, didn't miss any opportunities the next season. Met a lot of good people and had a lot of fun, still hunt with a couple of people I met thru archery. Went to a krapload of 3d shoots in Sask, AB and BC, did well in quite a few of them, even won some money.

[ant12hony]

So I would learn how to hunt better and because I wanted to hunt when my dad was busy. But know I am addicted...

Anthony

[josh_beeks]

When i first moved to alberta i wanted to tag a mule deer although the wait was too long so I bought a bow in middle of august (which was also my first time ever shooting a bow) and shot my first mule deer buck in september! Beginners luck maybe....but now im hooked

[KyleSS]

I think this explain it

[Ajkjlake]

My grandpa is Jack Kempf..that should explain enough lol.

[abhunter8]

I bought my first Bear compound in 1991 when I was going to College. I was an avid rifle hunter and wanted to pursue more time in the field. I would go to Edmonton Archery on Argyll road and shoot my bow as a stress relief from college. I was shooting with fingers and developed a bad case of "Target panic". I missed the target by a couple feet and hit the cement wall beside the end target lane. I was so embarrassed I gave it up...

Fast forward 10 yrs and my older brother decided to start hunting and we decided to get into bow hunting so we could chase moose in the farmland with a general tag and extend the season. Unfortunately after calling in several moose and needing them to take that one more step into the open... I am still waiting to take my first big game animal with a bow. I have shot dozens of grouse and loved every minute. I always kinda treated the week I would take off to bowhunt as a week of scouting for rifle season. After not bowhunting for the last 5 years I bought a new bow this year, joined a 3d archery club and am going to put in a greater effort this season. I can't wait!

[Bowhntr4life]

I've been bow hunting since 12 and I was shooting since I was even younger. It's my passion. I've knocked down some animals with my guns, but the bow dominates 90% of the hunting I do, from birds with flu-flus, fish with my bow fishing set-up (although hard to do in Alberta... Not much carp), to gophers, deer, elk, moose, bear, etc.

Once my kids grow a little older, you can bet I'll be getting out more and they'll be joining me. Hopefully they'll develop the same passion for it that I have so we can share our memories together the rest of our lives!

[JohninAB]

Was out reviewing a preliminary harvest plan in 1994 and came across a group of elk. Zone was archery during the rut so went to the local hardware store and bought a Bear Whitetail bow package. Spent numerous evenings and days walking the Whitecourt 3d archery range that summer getting proficient with the new fangled toy. That fall shot my first elk and was hooked.

Was thru bowhunting that I met my best hunting partner in 1995. A lot of great memories from weeks spent chasing elk and moose together ever since.