Got invited to a hunt in middle GA last year.....and there was a guy in camp I hadn't hunted with in nearly 20 years.  It was great to hunt with him once again, and we picked up right were we left off.  He was hunting with me when I made my 1st bow kill some 20 years ago.

Being a die hard bowhunter he was hunting with his compound , and the rest of the hunters had their rifles, it was gun season........and I had a few of my longbows.

I got away from camp a little that evening and was shooting a coke can in the dark shining from the camp lights while the rest of the crew was gathered around the fire and the grill waiting on supper to be served.

The next day at lunch, one of the gun shooters broke the ice, and asked me about my bows and just how was I able to shoot a can in the dark.  I started chatting with him, and before long several other's gathered around......then I was asked to shoot.  That went over really well, and my old hunting bud was really inquisitive.  Told me he wanted to learn to shoot like that.

We chatted several times during the next year, and I asked if he was ready to get a bow yet....I could still sense the excitement in his tone, but he hadn't made much of an effort to get a bow yet.

Well, this year we were in camp again, and after lunch one day I told him to get in his truck and I'd be there in a minute.  I got in with two longbows, and he said, where are we going to go?....away from all these folks so you can shoot this bow.  He said, ...."heck, I can't shoot one of them", and I said...."wanna bet"?

I gave him some very basic instruction, and we started to shoot.  After a dozen shots not aiming at anything, I told him we were now going to 'stump shoot'.  This guy was a natural, and caught on very fast and his perfect arrow flight from the get go was proof of great things to come.

You wouldn't have thought a 45 year old man could be this excited over shooting a longbow.....well, some of you could. He just couldn't believe how much fun he was having, he wanted to just keep shooing, and said he told me to order him a bow like the one he was shooting on Monday.  I sent him home with a bow and some arrows, and I ordered him a bow 1st of the week.

I then found a bow on our classifieds just like his but 2#s lighter for him to use while waiting on the one I'd ordered.  I took possession of the used bow and told him I'd give it to him Friday evening in camp....we were going hunting again.

I gave him the bow soon as I arrived, and he looked it over and was raring to shoot it that evening after we hunted.  So, we woofed down some pizzas and he got his bow.....here's a pic of Mr. Mike Tinch and his very 1st shot out of his 1st longbow which was just over 20 yards in the dark.......The judo arm clicked the can.            

           

He's hooked guys.....hook, line, and sinker. He's gonna be a longbow hunter next season, and I'm gonna take him hog hunting in a few months. He's a Trad Ganger now.....registered just this week.  Tell him howdy if you take a mind to.

Hey Mike.... Welcome to the site and trad bows.... Terry

Welcome to the fold, Mike.  You have a great friend there in Mr. Green.  But, you probably already knew that.      

Java Man

Terry, the Center for Disease Control down in Atlanta now has you listed as a "carrier" for the Traditional Bowhunting virus.

Welcome Mike!

His smile says it all!

Pretty neat! welcome Mike to a site with a bunch of great people...an to traditional archery.

Nice bow, too, Terry. What is that?

Welcome Mike!  Life as you knew it will never be the same.
Terry sure played this one well.  Sounds more like fishing to me - put out some bait, wait for a nibble, set the hook, and reel him in!  Seems like you got hooked good and solid, and there won't be any turning back now.  
Enjoy every second!  

Welcome to the Gang. You not find a better more helpfull bunch of folks out there.
A warning (though it sounds like its already to late) Be carefull This stuff is addictive.

Good Job Terry.

Yep semi growed men playing with sticks and strings.  Don't get much better then that!!

Welcome to the fire.

Mike

Extending a hand to shake. "Welcome to the Gang" Mike.....I'm Mark

Very Cool! Welcome, Mike!        

Enjoy the journey!    

Welcome to the "fire" I think you know what I mean.
Any thing we can do to help, just ask.  

Welcome, Mike. Great story!

Welcome Aboard Mike! This is gonna be more fun than swimming naked in a pool of bird seed!... :D ...You have yourself a great teacher, Terry, who will help with trad gears' ups and downs... ...Wish I knew someone like him eight years ago. Wouldn't have all of those "almost" stories to post... :rolleyes:

>>-----> mike <-----<<  

   

that smile just says it all don't it??

Life is good!!! thanks for sharing,,,marco#78

Welcome Mike. You couldn't have had a better teacher. We'll all be expecting to see dead piggies soon.

LeRoy

My hat is off to you Terry ( I to am told I wear a silly one also!) and welcome to the fold Mike. Enjoy the path of Traditional Bowhunting/archery.

In Oz, alan