Reading some of the post, members refer to some of the famous archers as "the best" at different aspects of archery.
Who do you feel was or is the best bowhunter of all time, and why.
Being new to Traditional this subject would be interesting and informative to me. Thanks in advance.
It would be hard to pick one as the greatest. Alot of guys will mention Bear,Hill,Pearson,StCharles, and others. All were great bowhunters in their own right. Now 20 years down the road you will see some of the guys who are members here mentioned as greats also. Guys like Gene and Barry Wensel,Charlie Lamb, Curt Cabrera,Mickey Lotz, and many others.
That's like asking who your favorite centerfold model is?
what CJones said.
Read about Paul Schafer on this site.
Fav o rite bowhunter? My dad, hunted with a recurve until he was 83 yrs young. Don't know how many deer he has killed as he was never much for numbers. Why? He taught 6 kids and many grandkids how to shoot a bow.
Jon Stewart
Semper Fi
Denny Sturgis ... that man can dance ! ;)
ted nugent!!!!!
THE WENSEL TWINS !!!! HARD HUNTING & A LITTLE GOOD HUMOR THROWN IN!!!
The Bowhunters of TradGang.com! DVD coming soon!
Probably some guy I have never met who isn't known, doesn't get free stuff or seek publicity, and hunts with an old bow but does it the hard way and kills a lot of deer from the ground. I don't know his name but I know he is out there somewhere and that is good enough for me.
I think my favorite is....well, ME. That's it..I am my own favorite bowhunter.
Hey Mike! You Hit It Right On the Head! But I Know Who It Is..... It's Joe Skipp! :D :jumper: :rolleyes:
... mike ...
I woudl have to say Ron Laclair. He is kind of like Johnny Cash. A mans man. Tough, rugud, kind to others and very thoughtfull, honest as the day is long.A great represenative of Trad. Archery but hunting also. He is hunter first. Now can I get a 50% discount on a new Shrew????
Another vote for Paul Schafer!
I'd vote for Barry Wensel out of the group of famous guys. Having recently spent a week hunting with him I can personally attest to his warmth, humor and character. Played the same way to everybody. No pecking order with him. All just hunters together. Just a good 'ole boy as they say! :)
Paul Schafer
Another vote for Uncle Ted Nugent.
I would have to agree with Ray! I am my favorite bowhunter, as I get to physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually experience every sigle second of the hunt.
I'd have to say Gene & Barry. They are a couple of regular guys who became some of those most successful hunters of our time by doing nothing more than a little hard work and some great common sense. Plus I love there humor.
T.J.
As far as as a favorite...tough to say as I have great respect for many of them. Ron LaClair, G Fred, Fred Eichler, Gene & Barry, Paul Shafer, Fred Bearand so many of the tradgang members...the list goes on and on. BUT I'd have to put MONTY BROWNING at or near the top of the list.
Just sitting here thinking through a long list of good folks who have helped me, and while there are a few that really belong at the top of my list, I would have to say Neil Jacobson. Besides being a very good bowyer, a successfull hunter, he has been a huge help in helping not only myself but many of his other customers be successful with traditional equipment. There have been times when I have called and I know he is busy as all get out, and he always has time to answer a "dumb question". A first class person, and a true asset to Traditional Bowhunting.
>>>>Tim------->
/The list is very long of "great" bowhunters of the past. The ones that come to my mind is the Thompsons' (Maurice and Will) from the "witchery of archery". Of course, they were able to hunt in ways that we may only dream about these days. They are my favorite because the writings in that little book set up traditional archery as a great past time and a way of life for some of us.
Their hunts have inspired many of the all time greats of the bowhunting world and should be recognized for that.
As for "today" , one that comes to me is Curtis Kellar aka Little Feather. I have never met him, but he does alot for all of us, setting up the hunts, telling us the great stories, and giving opportunities to hunt that we may not have otherwise. Someday I will make it on one of his hunts with some of the greats from this site. :campfire:
WHAT!!!!! no one votes for smiley oh the shame of it !!!!!
Who's my favorite Bowhunter?
Well, he's the average working guy that's out there everyday, selflessly giving of himself, his skills, talents, craft and experience to help others to achieve and enjoy the sport of Bowhunting as much as he has, and does.
He's the one that tirelessly strives to promote the sport he loves, the contagious passion he possesses, the dream he's cultivated, the dedication he exhibits and his intense desire for you and I to thoroughly share in it all.
He's the supportive mentor, the excited listener, the leader by example, the one who never attempts to elevate himself by demeaning another, he respects your opinion and status in life, and will give more than you'd ever imagine without expecting a thing in return.
He's as proud of the trophies you take as he is in his own, he enjoys listening to your stories as much as he enjoys telling his own, and will hold all things in nature with respect and honor.
Who is this person?
If you've read this and seen anything familiar in what I've described, I've no doubt but what it's YOU! You're all my heros.
All time with no question there are a few. Pope, Young and Ishi for starting it all.
Modern day it is Chuck Adams.
Qualifications for "my" list are simple. Would I walk across a crowded room to have a conversation? Yes for the above.
John III
For me it's Bart Schleyer, and my dad.
Love you dad,
F-Manny
Tough question. Hmmm. Ok this is probably biased. My all time favorite is The one... the only... Fred Bear. I believe all of the above mentioned are great. The native's had to hunt to survive. Unlike today. I like watching the fella on Easton bowhunting Tv. Fred E. Have all of his tapes. Oh , I dig Chuck Adams too. Even though I have not seen him with a stick.
Anyone who takes stick and string in hand and gives of themself,not counting a kill as success but just the experience of being afield with bow in hand. Holding nature to heart and respecting it all.
Danny
Dianne Lotz!
Fred Bear and no explanation is needed.
QuoteOriginally posted by Ray Hammond:
I think my favorite is....well, ME. That's it..I am my own favorite bowhunter.
Yup! Ditto! No explanation needed. :archer:
For bowhunters I have only read about or met once or twice, it is a tie between Bart Schleyer and Monty Browning because of their adventurous spirit, as well as humble nature and attitude. I know that Monty is a Christian too, which means a lot to me. My favorite bowhunter that I've spent time with is Bill Allard (aka BB or Bugling Billy) from Utah, because of his obvious love of bowhunting, adventure and nature, and his humble manner and respect for others. My favorite Tradgang bowhunter is RC - that man can shoot and hunt, and is very successful on public land which is not easy! Like the others I respect, he is humble and helpful, plus he is not afraid to show his love of God anywhere, anytime. The first time I hunted with RC and Mudfeather, we went to lunch at a local diner and they both bowed their heads and offered a prayer of thanksgiving, as natural as can be because it came from their hearts. That impressed me more that their considerable bowhunting skills.
CHESTER STEVENSEN, wish I had being there to walk his trails.
on the serious side, I feel as NSLB does...I really was blown away by the way Chester Stevenson hunted- got a map, a compass, a pot and a fork, a bow, some arrows, and a groundcloth, hopped on a train, jumped off in the middle of nowhere and hunted his way out two weeks later!
how many of us would have the courage for something like that, nowadays?
In all fairness. I am of the same opinion as Dakota Kid and Danny Rowan. As archers and bowhunters it is all as highly individualistic as the type and design of bow we shoot, to the design of arrows we use.
What Mr.Kellar, uh... I mean Gary said.
For me it`s Fred Bear. Don`t know if he was the best or not, but he had a great influence on me.
Hard to narrow it down to just one. I have only read about most of the famous ones but of them Barry Wensel would be close to the top. He was one of the first guys that I saw hunting with a recurve(October Whitetails) and really got my interest in trad archery going. It was many years before I made the switch but he and that video went a long way toward influencing my decision.
I know it's already been said as there are so many to choose from and I have several favorites from years gone by, plus some great men and women that are still very much a big part of our tradition today as already mentioned.
However one of the more modern trad hunters I really like is Fred Eichler. He get's so excited no matter what animal he is hunting and he truly seems to enjoy what he is doing as well as he has no problem laughing at himself when he messes up. Even though he shoots a mechcanical bow on ocassion, he brings joy and excitement to camp no matter what the conditions.
Well since no one else mentined his name I will.
I pick Mr. Howard Hill....
I second that remark, Mr. Howard Hill indeed, Sir.
-Hillbilly
QuoteOriginally posted by Tom Leemans:
Dianne Lotz!
I'm kinda fond of her myself Tom ;)
I will agree it is hard to say who is the best. I like to read about most. Fred, H.H. Glen, and the rest of the old timers. To me some of the best reading from todays hunter is Monty Browning. Gene and Barry W. are very good along with alot of others but I love to read and talk with Monty. He is a great guy and down to earth. But I will never say one is better than the other.
Im going to go with my dad as well.
Always patient with me when I was a kid. Never gave me a cross look when I said I was cold and needed to head home. Never got upset when I didnt feel like going. (That doesnt happen at all anymore)
He hunted because he fed the family that way.
He hunted on days when he knew there wasnt going to be much moving, just because I had to be outside and hunting for no other reason than to be outside.
He spent hours looking for my lost arrows, when money was tight and I just wrote them off as lost.
He is the best friend a man could ask for and the best hunting partner Ill ever know.
My dad is the best bowhunter I have known.
I have two friends I respect very much and too me they are my all time favorites, maybe not the best but still my favorites. Nelson Harrington and Curt Cabrera. Shawn
All of the above archers mentioned, are truly some of the greats.
There are fellas out there who cannot afford a lease, or book a hunt, or for that matter get vaction during the season, they put there family first, some won,t even buy camo, faded blue jeans and a plaid flannel shirt, and there stick bow, no climbung tree stand, and all the goodies that came along in the last few years.
These fellas get out every chance they can,
with all there heart and soul, these fallas may not shoot a record class buck or bear or whatever the game they pursue, there trophy may be a nice doe or average size buck, or maybe just a lot of fresh air given during the fall archery season, these fallas that never complain, or make excuses, the weather isint right the moon phase is off, or whatever,
These are the fellas that archery hunt I truly admire.
I'd have to say Jim Dougherty I've always enjoyed
his writing...
As far as the well known bow hunters go i would have to pick Howard Hill. As far as the relatively unknown in the world of bow hunting goes i would pick a newcomer, my son Joe. whether we are stalking foam targets or hunting stumps, when Joe goes into his signature stalking mode, I can't help but smile and think, how great of a hunter and archer will this guy be in 20 years? At 11 years old this is his passion, all he has ever shot is trad gear and i think he will stick with it. In my mind he is the greatest.