A story from "back when"

[BAK]

What is that broadhead Ron?  I just found I have a few of them in the shop>

[Roadkill]

Simpler times, probably bred a sense of responsibility in our generation.  I bought a kid's longbow from Mr. Earl Hoyt-yep addressed all adults with a Mr or Mrs.  it had a split lifting so i got it for cheap.  Arrows were 15 cents each-no broadheads.  There was an overgrown "Negro" cemetery with a plumb orchard along one side.  The guy encouraged us kids to harass the maurading birds in the plumbs.  I skewered a blue jay-that hooked me—circa 1958.

[Longbow1953]

   

[Dsturgisjr]

When I was 8 o 9 years old I always had Bodkins and Bear razorheads in my quiver. I can remember my dad getting home from work and being slightly disappointed if I hadn't killed anything. As a matter of fact, he's  still like that when he stops in.  

[Ron LaClair]

"You'll put your eye out"

 

[Ray Lyon]

Ron, don't know if I ever told you but the EXACT same story happened to me except it was in the late sixties.  I had one dollar in my pocket and target arrows were 3for 96 cents and Bear arrow (cedar) with Bear Razorhead were 1.00 exactly. The man in the sporting goods department finally asked me if I needed help after watching me stare at arrows. I told him my dilemma of only having $1 exactly so wouldn't have the sales tax for the hunting arrow. He sheepishly looks at me and says is it ok with my parents and I of course say yes.  He says ok, I'll cover the sales tax and off I went to the car ( mom was still in the store and some of my other siblings were in the car already-back when we didn't lock cars and didn't worry about snatching kids).  Anyway I showed off my prize to my siblings as a proud ten year old.  Mom gets to the car and little brother blurts out 'Ray's got a dangerous arrow'.  Mom marches me back in, clerk apologizing to mom but says I said it was ok and I march out with three target arrows.  My dreams were delayed for a few years but the passion always remained.

[Ron LaClair]

Ray, kids live to adulthood because of mothers

 

[Ray Lyon]

And little brother tattle tales

[Biggie Hoffman]

Man Ron, you put me deep into the ol memory bank with that story.
I made my 1st set of deer hunting arrows in 1965. Daddy said if you're going to hunt, you have to be committed enough to make your equipment.
No paint, no cresting. Just glued the feathers on the shafts, burned the feathers (you would have laughed at the profile I bent the wire into) and nocks and black diamonds. I think the whole dozen cost me 2 weeks allowance, about $2

They say we can never go back, but I do......quite often 8-)

[Ron LaClair]

Bob Hope said it in a song,
"Thanks for the memories"

 

[randy grider]

Reminds me of when I was about 12, and bought a Bear Red Bear fiberglass recurve set, with money I had saved from mowing yards. A few years later I upgraded to an Indian fiberglass longbow, about 40#. When my buddies bought bear whitetail compounds, all tricked out, they were set on deer hunting , and wanted me to join the wheel bow fraternity, I declined telling them id just use the fiberglass longbow. They laughed at me and said "You'll never kill a deer with that thing", I wondered myself then, but now I know better. I never did hunt deer with that bow, but only because I never found a place to go. Deer were scarce back then, and a deer hunt was about as likely as an African safari, for a poor youngster. My, times have changed. Great story Ron, it takes me back.

[NY Yankee]

Great story Ron! We all have a story like that at one time or another.