Where Are You From & Where Do You Bowhunt?

[spectr17]

How about some short introductions?

Where are you from?

What kind of game do you like to hunt the most?

Who taught you how to bowhunt and when was your first bowhunt trip?

What kind of bow do you have?

What was your 1st bow?

What is your favorite bowhunting memory?

What is your dream bowhunt?

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My name is Jesse and I grew up in Missouri but l live in SoCal now.

My Dad taught me how to bowhunt when I was about 8 years old in the late 1960s. Hunting the grass ditches for rabbits as a kid also was my best teacher for instinctive shooting.

I hunt deer, hogs, turkey and bear with my bow the most. Elk, turkey and antelope are my goals with a bow.

Right now my bow is a PSE Coyote takedown recurve. Looking for a Sky Archery recurve takedown if anybody has any leads. Preferably one signed by Earl Hoyt.

I started with a Ben Pearson recurve and then used my Dad's self bow his buddy made for him. That bow was stolen from our farmhouse and then I went over to the dark side for a few years with a Bear wheelie bow.

Here's a pic of the Coyote. It has an aluminum riser but my gosh is that thing loud, even with the limb savers, string silencers and string leeches.



My favorite bowhunting memory would be when I was a kid about 11 or 12 and I ran out of arrows trying to shoot some deer. My Dad and uncle were trying to find me and they must have jumped 40 bedded deer who ran right by me. I was so shook up that I couldn't hit a barn door. We all laughed once they found me and saw all my arrows stuck in trees and in the dirt. I learned that day why you shouldn't shoot at spooked running game.

My dream bow hunt would be in Africa stalking something that wouldn't eat me. Kudu maybe.

[buckfever7]

Victor here.

Grew up in SW MI...have lived in and hunted the following states: MI, IN, ME, IL...they all had their great points, but our time in maine was the most enjoyed because of the variety of hunting opportunities.

My dad hooked me on hunting. However I did not pick up bowhunting until 1994. With my first bow, a Browning Summit 2.

Currently I have the Mathews Legacy...I think my all time favorite hunting bow would have to be the MQ32.

My favorite bowhunting memory would have to be the first year I was out. I lived on a farm in IN, this place had tons of deer. In mid November I was sitting on a cut bean field one evening when a young buck came in at 25 yards, I put one over his back then over compensated and put the second one under him...he didn't stay around for another chance. Then about 30 minutes later a doe came in and I missed her. I had 4 arrows, and had dropped the 4th in the process of loading another arrow during this fiasco. I got down out of the stand, retrieved my arrows, and proceded to hunt the remainder of the evening. Without any luck. I've been hooked eversince. Yes I still miss, but I've connected on my share of deer since that overcast Fall evening.

My dream hunt with my bow would have to be an elk hunt out west. My wife is from Montana, so maybe someday.

[Oregon Archer]

well my name is Chris and im born and raised in Oregon.

Favorite animal to hunt is elk by far followed closely by blacktails and then bear.

I started bowhunting in 97. i had a few friends who were into it and i tagged along and soon bought a bow. they didnt really teach me anything. all of what i have learned is from what ive taught myself through trial and error and its been a slow learning process let me tell ya lol. but things are finally coming full circle for me and getting within bow range of game is getting a lot easier lol


Currently i shoot an Archery Research AR34 27"/70lbs

my first bow kill was a little ol toe head spike. nothing glamerous but it was a start lol

favorite bow hunting memory would probably the opening day of the 98 archery elk season. i had promised my then 4 yr old son id take him hunting. being 4 he couldnt get out and really hike with me so i decided to take him up a little place and drive him around and look at some deer and call it a "hunt". well i did have my bow and stuff with me with no real intentions of actually seeing anything let alone shoot at anything. well we get to this place which usually gets a ton of people who just shoot, or ride bikes and stuff like that. well anyways we get to the backside of the mountain and have two really big bulls trot up out of the canyon and stop right in front of us at 50yrds lol. i of course about crap myself and scamble to get out and maybe get a shot at one. i manage to get out and knock and arrow and get to full draw. i put my pin on the closer of the two and let fly watching the arrow streaking toward the vitals when at the last minute the bulls turns and i miss him by only a mere 3 inches. well the sight of those two big bulls that close scared the begeezus out of my son and hes crying his eyes out. im wanting to go after them cause they only ran 50yrds into a patch of trees. well that plan was quickly scraped and we returned home and called it a day.

dream hunt would be in Alaska for brown bear and moose.

[techman]

Hi
Gerald here,
Live in Central Cal. Started bowhunting when I ws old enough to get a tag.
First bow was a Bear Whitetail Hunter.
I have hunted most all western states and will hunt anything with a bow. Also like to shoot NFAA and 3-D's. Currently shooting a Hoyt single cam. Love hunting pigs and Javies with the bow.
Best bow hunting experience was a Caribou hunt in Quebec. Although we missed the migration by a week and did not harvest a single animal it was probably the best trip.
Dream Bowhunt will be when I return to Canada to harvest a Caribou, or a Hog here in Cal.

:JHP rocks:

[Surveyor]

Ed ,Here
I live in Manitoba ,Canada, primarly hunt whitetails but have Elk on my land as well.(Elk tags are all draw)
Just started with a Bow a couple of years ago, self taught.
I'm using an Ultramag.
Haven't been doing it for long enough for any real good memories , but had a Doe and Fawn at about 10 feet last summer,Fawn still in spots so I just watched.
With luck could draw a Bow tag for Elk this year, that would be the dream hunt.

[bubba]

Where are you from? Born and raised in San Jose, CA. Now reside in Los Banos, CA

What kind of game do you like to hunt the most? Deer and Pig

Who taught you how to bowhunt and when was your first bowhunt trip? Still learning, hoping to get some good info and advice from you all. Currently going to Predator Archery in Gilroy , CA for lessons and advice. Just got my first bow about 1 month ago.

What kind of bow do you have? XI Legend Force One, compound, single cam

What was your 1st bow? Current bow

What is your favorite bowhunting memory? Working on it

What is your dream bowhunt? Once I get proficient, I would like to get a Bull Elk. I think I will tag along on that JHP AZ Javalina hunt the next time it rolls around.

[Canus latrans]

My name is Dave Heffner. I live in the central coast area of Atascadero.

I have been hunting with a bow for several years. My best memories and fondest hunts have been with antelope. I set out to take an antelope in as many states as I could. Getting tags is harder than having success with the hunt. California was a very special 7 day. 84 hour ordeal.

Javelina have been a very enjoyable animal to pursue. Being able to hunt all day long in beautiful country adds to the thrill.

Elk has got to be on top of my list for future hunts. I will be guiding in Wyoming this fall and may be able to finally get involved with an outfitter that can bring that dream to real life.

My choice of bow is a custom Black Widow recurve. My practices include several tournaments and someday the state broadhead shoot.

I would be glad to help anyone out who would like to hunt antelope in either California or Nevada. Also, would like to have others join me for javelina.
daheffner@tcsn.net

[BDB]

My name is Steve. I grew up hunting in rabbits in Saskatchewan when I was young and then moved to Nova Scotia at 15 and took up deer, ducks, and partidge.

I started bow hunting in my third season of hunting deer when I met a firend who I rifle hunted with and he bow hunted. Been doing it ever since. I still rifle hunt but start with bow hunting every season and only turn to the gun late in the season.

In CA, I have only hunted deer with a bow. I want to hunt turkey and pigs with the bow also.

My first bow was an older bear compund and I now shoot an Oneida Strike Eagle that I bought 12 years ago and still use. Soon time to get a new bow. Looks like next season though due to some other financial issues this season.

My favorite bow hunting memory is from my second year bow hunting, I had access to land with tons of deer and no other hunters. I still hunted all day and blew more chances that day than I think I had in the next 4 years combined. Day ended with a shot on a small 6pt (east coast convention) that I estimated the yardage too short on and just nicked his brisket. I searched the rest of that day and the started the next day but ended up getting a 9 pt the next morning. The day before was still the better day from a memory standpoint.

My dream hunt right now is for a bull elk in the mountains of Colorado. I have it booked for next fall, but that will probably end up being a gun hunt due to a number of factors. Who knows maybe I will use the bow after all

[P. Beyer]

P. Beyer Here! Born & raised in Wester Ky, Do most of my bowhunting here also. I started when I was about 15 years old. I chase mainly Deer & Wild Hogs.

My first "Memory" of bowhunting was being so nervous and missing a "gimmie" at a fat ol' doe my first season out!
I've since redeemed myself though! I shoot a PSE Carrera. I also enjoy short trips to TN for Wild Boar, in the "off" season you'll find me chasing Turkey or with a hook in the water trying to land a Monster Bass!

[buckskinner]

I live and hunt in NW Georgia

[MIBowhunter]

I am from Northern L.P. Michigan but do most of my hunting down here in South Carolina since I am station here. 16 more months then retired and back home.

I hunt with a Browning Mirage 33. I hunt both dder and hogs with it and will try turkeys next year. Was able ot break my cherry with shotgun this year so next year I will move aup and try it with a bow.

Also have a Pearson recurve 45# that I am going to try out this year.



MIB

[hronk]

I've bow hunted since the mid 80's. My first bow was a Browning Excellerator. I shot a Hoyt Spectra for the last 13 yrs . I retired it this spring for a Mathews Q2. I hunt Ca. for deer, Turkey and Pigs, Nev. for Deer and Colorado for Elk and Grouse. My favorite has got to be bugling in a rag horn Bull that has no idea that he is in trouble or a mature bull that sneaks in and never quite gives you the shot that you can take. Turkeys are a recent favorite, getting my 1st one last year. In my opinion the toughest game has been spot and stalk hunting MATURE Mule Deer. Not the ones in batchelor groups, but the loners in the rim Rock and Buck Brush.....hronk

[so cal hunter]

Hello my name is keith; born in sikeston missouri been in so cal long beach. for just over 30 yrs. my12 yrs of archery and bowhunting consist's of deer, elk, bear, pigs, and predators, i got into archery after seeing the olympic's shot at el dorado park in long beach ca. several yrs. ago and was HOOKED bought several books and mag's on archery then went to arrow mfg. in orange co. (out of busines now). bought a hoyt pro force extreme. some 2216 easton shaft's and was on my way and boy was it a tough first yr. of learning. i am now shooting 3-d tourn. and bowhunting with several different mathew's bow's z-max and q-2 for bowhunting and hoyt for tournament shooting my favorite hunting memory was shooting my first buck a 4x5 in velvet in d-8 in august in the HEAT. my dream hunt would probably have to be a month long trip in a few different states hunting deer and elk with my son.

[Nanny Whacker]

Hi my name is Hubert and I am a non-recovering bowhaulic. I live in LA (that's lower Alabama - Notasulga) but grew up in Milton, FL (panhandle). Got my first bow around age 6 - it was a Bear Mini-Magnum compound and learned to shoot it instinctively. Graduated to the Bear Whitetail a few years later, but didn't kill a deer until I got a McPherson in the early 90's. I now hunt with a Hoyt Tenacity I bought used last year. A couple of months ago I built my first selfbow out of a hickory board stave and it is truly addictive - so much so I cut out a half dozen blanks from a hickory tree this weekend.

Even though I have a pending P&Y from last season, my best memories of bowhunting have nothing to do with antler size, but spending time with best buds, waiting in the stand for the sun to come up and melt the frost, those first faint sounds of hooves in the leaves, following that magnificent bloodtrail, and a good meal to recount the days adventure. A deer on the meatpole is just icing on the cake.

[sdbowyer]

Hubert, you couldn't have asked for a better name than the patron saint of hunters. Looks like it's done well for you.

[havotec]

I have to say, Jesse has a great page going here!! Just hunting California my first year this year. The heat, the bugs, and the few deer that are in Southern California can be frustrating. I think some of it is I just got spoiled being one of the local boys in Colorado, and getting access to hunt some nice ranches. On which I did not spend days in the feild to see a half dozen deer. That normally happen by day light....

Where are you from? From Colorado, been in California for 3 years.

What kind of game do you like to hunt the most? Most Deer, hoping to get into some pig hunting.

Who taught you how to bowhunt and when was your first bowhunt trip? I was 15, hunting the local ranches in Colorado with my dad.

What kind of bow do you have? Hoyt Havoctec

What was your 1st bow? Bear White Tail Hunter (old 4 pulley)

What is your favorite bowhunting memory? Running around the local ranches in Howard, Colorado.

What is your dream bowhunt? Alaska.

[Mitch]

Where are you from? PA

What kind of game do you like to hunt the most?Big whitetails

Who taught you how to bowhunt and when was your first bowhunt trip? Taught myself. First bowhunt was 1973.

What kind of bow do you have? Way too many to list all. This year...5 hoyts and one custom recurve.

What was your 1st bow? Ben Pearson recurve

What is your favorite bowhunting memory? So many great memories. Maybe my first buck in 1974.

What is your dream bowhunt? Coastal Brownie
[quote]

[Mississippi Dave]

Hey People!
My name is Dave Allen and I hail from South Mississippi. I hunt whitetail and hogs and occasionally the wily 3d target.
I bought my first bow in 1990 while I was in the Army in Virginia. I believe it was a Browning Summit. I fell out of a stand that same season and traded the bow toward a new rifle. I started bowhunting again three seasons ago and it's my passion. I shoot a Diamond Hornet and a Ben Pearson HD90 Recurve. I hunt in Central Mississippi (Yazoo County) and around home.
My best memory is October 1st 2001, opening day of the year I started back. I had practiced all summer religiously and placed my stand in a pine tree on a little knoll that formed a bottleneck with a deer highway going through it. I sat there for about 2 hours and two nannys and a yearling came through. I had forgotten just how hard a slickhead doe can make your knees shake. The deer were coming from the opposite direction than I anticipated however, and at one point they were eye level at about 40 yds (out of range still to this day). I froze and they kept coming. The lead doe was the most bang for the buck so I put the sight behind her shoulder and released at 22 steps. The Muzzy went through both shoulderblades and she bulldozed for about 50 yards before collapsing. Man, I can still feel the adrenaline now! Those were the best steaks I've ever tasted!
My dream hunt would be to hunt Blacktail in the Cascades. I went out there on fire detail for the US Forest Service (I work for them as a wildlife biologist) last year and I hope to go back to hunt.

[Dave B]

Dave B
From PA
I mostly hunt PA and NJ, but we do goto Ohio every year.
And we have been makin plans to travel to other states.

[twodot]

Hi all I'm Tom been bowhunting since the mid 80's. Let it goo for a couple of years due to job requirements (away from home to much), started back about three years ago. I use a compound bow, a Whitetail Elite 55lb draw at least for now. Hope to upgrade in the not to distant future. My main quary is White tails and turkeys. I live and hunt in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. I hope to hunt out west at some point for antelope elk and mule deer, as well as pigs, probably even more than that haven't compiled the complete list yet.

Tom


Practice, practice practice

[old turk]

hi my name is len,i am from western ny,first bow was a bear recurve,then a oneida eagle,am now using a hoyt vortec,self taught,hunt whitetail,have missed more than i care to admit,would like to hunt elk in colorado

[vermonsta]

Hi my name is John and I'm from Vermont. I like to hunt moose but have to settle for deer ,still no luck in the lottery. I got hooked by a friend of mine after trying his Bear whitetail . We both ended up buying a Jennings Mag T the first year they came out sometime in the late 70's I think. I'm currently shooting a Martin Cheetah. my favorate bowhunting story is the time I took my oldest daughter who was 5 at the time and we had a doe respond to her using a fawn bleat and then later when I pushed 2 deer by her and she stopped one about 15 feet away from her with the bleat.We still relive that on a regular basis. my dream hunt would be in Alaska , start with a monster bull moose , and then a Kodiak bear and then........

[nolejoel]

name is joel be a diehard bowhunter for around 5-6 years. would rather have my bow than a rifle.

I live in north-east florida and hunt just to the southwest. I first picked up a bow that my dad gave me and will never forget my first time in a tree stand.

I started around 8 or 9 years old, I'd have to say my biggest influence is and will always be my dad, to this day he is my best hunting partner.

[okiefirefighter]

SW OK. My dad taught me about hunting. Started with a bow in 94.
I owe most of the best childhood memories to my dad when we would dove hunt.
We both got our first turkey toghter in 97. A double kill and the same this spring.

[staceyfb]

Born and raised in north-central WI. Bowhunt here all my life and have so many memories I wouldn't know where ot start.
My dad introduced me to bowhunting. Had my first American Archery recurve in solid rosewood when I was 4 or 5. Wish I still had that bow. Now I hunt with an Xi Omega.

[basinboy]

Hello, I'm Corey Bailey. I'm from South La. Been bowhunting for 15 years. I shoot a Mattews Q32 and a Ben Pearson recurve. On my very first hunt I had a doe and yearling coming in. I too started shaking vilantly. When the doe got behind a bush I started to draw. Naturally she locked up when she heard my arrow squeaking across my rest. ( I forgot to put the shrink tubing) She did an about face and high tailed it out of there. My dream hunt would have to be Canada.

[VTbowman]

My name is Shawn, I live in northern Vermont and its where I grew up.
I learned to bow hunt by myself. Being in archery since I was about 8.
My first bow was a frankenstien-ed Martin compound. Linx riser and Tiger limbs, custom made string and cables.
I have owned several bows since then but ended up with my "last" bow for the rest of my life!
A Mathews SQ2. I shoot Beman ICS 400 at about 285fps with 67# KE at 30 yards. I am deadly out to 50 with it but stick within 35 on deer.

[Tailchaser]

Alright, I'm a newbie here....I've know about the web page for a while and finally jumped in. I'm a native Oregonian and have been bowhunting since my Junior year in HS. My travels hunting have taken me as far as Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and hopefully soon to Arizona or New Mexico. I have one thing that chills my bones and love to chase and that's monster bull elk. I'm addicted to the bugle, what can I say. If I cross paths with a big buck, then it's a bad day for his luck, but I don't spend a whole lot of time pursuing them directly. We've been very successful in our hunts and I'm still young enough to be that crazy guy that chases elk in the nastiest holes on earth. But I love every bit of it. The pain even feels good packing one out knowing there's a cold one at the top of the hill.

Typically our style of hunting is getting dropped off by someone 8-12 miles in from the nearest road and bivy-sac hunting from there on out. So it's pretty extreme and not for everyone. I think you have to be half crazy to do it, but it's rewarding at the same time.

I shoot a Mathews Ultra 2 and am a sponsored shooter during the summer at a lot of 3-d shoots for a local archery shop and possibly by Mathews after this summer if I win enough competitions. I shoot stricktly a setup to hone my huntingt skills during competition. I shoot the same bow I hunt with and fixed sights are standard. I've gained a lot of respect for that when so many are going to scopes, and movable sights that aren't helpful to hunting situations (not to mention illegal). My father taught me from day one how to hunt (mostly with rifles) but became addicted to bowhunting after taking a buddy out and watching him miss two bulls under 30 yards. Man it was intense and I didn't even have a tag. But that was the last time I didn't. I've given a few stories to Eastman's and a couple other magazines, but none have been published yet. I'd love to have a job working there but my job as an engineer doesn't fit real well with my love of the outdoors.

My dream hunt is Elk in Arizona or in the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico. Some day my number will come up , but until then a caribou, moose hunt in Alaska will suffice...

So enough about me, I'm glad I finally made the jump onto this site and look forward to meeting others from all over the nation on here. Oh yeah I love this little thing.

tc

['Ike']

Hello!!! I've grown up hunting in CA and live in the Sacramento Valley....Love chase'n Muley's and Blacktails along with Waterfowl, Pheasants, Turkeys and Upland..... My first 'real' bow was a Bear compound, then moved on to Jennings and then in 98 to Hoyt. Stayed with Hoyt since and currently shoot the RazorTec with the Cam & 1/2 system

I've hunted CA, OR, NV, MT, WY, CO, AZ and NM....Maybe not in that order!!! Glad to be here and I've attached my 03 Nevada Muley

[Terry]

[b]I'm from Maine, but have lived in Massachusetts, since February of 1966; still, I return to Maine every Fall to hunt!

I hunted with a bow from 1953 till December of 1982, when an accident and 4&1/2 hours of surgery made my left elbow so that I could never draw a conventional [long/recurved/compound] bow ever again. During the summer of 2003, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, passed a handicap crossbow law allowing me to apply and get my handicap crossbow permit. I then purchased a Barnett Quad 300, and got to hunt the archery season for the first time in 21 years. I saw two spikes and got a shot at one and missed when the left limb of my crossbow hit a tree along side of me. Still it was a thrilling moment and the first of many more to come, I hope.

Now, if the State of Maine, will except my Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Handicap crossbow permit, I'll get to hunt the early season there.