Who uses the oldest equipment?

[steve863]

Haha.. I just was looking at first picture, look at the rainbow of different arrows and fletches..makes me wonder what the hell he did with the dozen I gave him this spring.

He is keeping those in a safe place.  They will be zipping thru a deer or two in the coming weeks!  He will show them to you again when they have some blood on them!  LOL

[erussell]

I killed my 1st three deer ( and several squirrels)  with a Bear Kodiak my Dad got from his Dad on his 16th birthday. My 1st compound was a Hoyt super slam eclipse, and when I got tired of lugging that heavy bow around the woods, I bought a Pearson King Cobra back in 1998. I still use this bow and it still works great. Though I have been wanting another re curve or maybe a nice longbow lately.

[fasteddie]

I think I might have some of the oldest hunting items . Here is my Cave Scope

[steve863]

I think I might have some of the oldest hunting items . Here is my Cave Scope

Cool, where can I get scope mounts like that??

[growalot]

I started out with a 50 yr old Kodiak Bear recurve...then went to the Hoyt Raider/Intruder compoud....so12-14 yrs?and I'm still shoot her

[Nomad]

Got my first bow in '88 my second in '07 . Killed deer in every year in between, and since .

[covert]

1973 Bear Grizzly and/or 1986 Darton 30MX for bowhunting.  Sometimes I carry a 1921 Savage 99 takedown .30-30 in the deer woods.

[steve863]

Finally took a couple of photos of the bow.  Shot it for the first time in a number of years this weekend and it still shot dead on at 20 yards.  Only if I could shoot that well at a live deer!

[Doewhacker]

What is that bottom pin for, 100 yards and running to the left? haha Looks alot like my dads bow with the desert storm camo..

[steve863]

LOL!  Actually, the bottom pin is my 20 yard pin, which is the ONLY pin I use.  I have mentally marked off trees that are 20 yards from the stand I intend to be in and will not shoot at a deer unless it is standing within these marks.  I just don't feel confident shooting at a deer over 20 yards for various reasons.  I have never considered myself a good bow shot, but I have never found a bow difficult to shoot accurately out to 30 yards.  I honestly think it's easier to be a good shot with a bow (at least at foam targets!) at moderate range than it is with a rifle in field positions at 100 yards.

[fasteddie]

Wasn't Dirty Harry the one who said "a man's gotta know his limitations " . You're right Steve . If you aren't confident shooting past 20 yards , then don't .

[steve863]

I think I'm reasonably good out to 30 yards, but shooting at live deer is a whole different ballgame than  shooting at foam targets.  A whole lot can happen while you are sending that arrow towards a live deer even at a reasonable range.  I think a lot of bowhunters don't worry about these things, but I sure do.  The closer the animal is to me, the better I feel that something bad won't happen.  Now whether the deer will cooperate and come within 20 yards, is a different story! 

[guncrank]

Still using a Bear "Brown Bear" compound I bought from a co-worker in 1988. Laminated wood limbs and riser.Still love it after all these years.

[SteveMcD]

"I would be curious to know who else might hunt with such antiquated equipment?? "... Whoa... hold on there! Antiquated? Really? 

Here is one of my antiquated Flatbows I will be hunting with this fall. One of several Longbows that I own. They all hit what I am looking at and kill just fine. FYI.. my oldest is a 1966 Fred Bear Grayling BearCat Recurve. 

[steve863]

"I would be curious to know who else might hunt with such antiquated equipment?? "... Whoa... hold on there! Antiquated? Really? 

Here is one of my antiquated Flatbows I will be hunting with this fall. One of several Longbows that I own. They all hit what I am looking at and kill just fine. FYI.. my oldest is a 1966 Fred Bear Grayling BearCat Recurve. 

Well, I meant antiquated in the sense that many compound bowhunters change bows more than I change socks!  I love it!  You are what archery should be all about!  It should be a primitive weapon and these high tech gizmos bowhunters are using today are a LONG way from being primitive.  Heck, my bolt-action rifle is more primitive than some of these modern compound bows.

[SteveMcD]

I agree with you Steve. I will not say all technology is bad. Some of it is very good. The key is not to let technology replace skill or fair chase.

[Fantail]

I have an old fletchhunter release, probably has 15 years on it.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Hey Steve. Just wondering how the wood ages after all these years. I often thought about trying to get one but always woried about defects. Cracks and stress is easy to see on composite limbs. how do you check wood?

[wztirem]

"I would be curious to know who else might hunt with such antiquated equipment?? "... Whoa... hold on there! Antiquated? Really? 

Here is one of my antiquated Flatbows I will be hunting with this fall. One of several Longbows that I own. They all hit what I am looking at and kill just fine. FYI.. my oldest is a 1966 Fred Bear Grayling BearCat Recurve. 

Fantastic equipment!

[bpb]

I have my 1st bow from my 8th birthday. My grandkids use it. I have a Hamilton 22 that my Grandfather used to kill hogs and woodchucks with. Also a 22 my Grandfather won in a card game back in the early 60's.

not including my pre 1900 centerfire firearms is a Belgium SxS 12 bore percussion & a Mills Fowler percussion circa 1830-40.

[Doc]

I have an old fletchhunter release, probably has 15 years on it.

I have two of them (actually, I think mine are called the Fletchmatic because they have the string retention instead of the jaws). I'm pretty sure they are in the 25 year old range. I used them for tournament and hunting, both. They're still the sweetest action (over-center link, all rotation action) and absolutely the most durable and also the most adjustable. Only problem is that they cannot be used with the "D" loop on my bow string.

Doc

[Doc]

Well, I meant antiquated in the sense that many compound bowhunters change bows more than I change socks!  I love it!  You are what archery should be all about!  It should be a primitive weapon and these high tech gizmos bowhunters are using today are a LONG way from being primitive.  Heck, my bolt-action rifle is more primitive than some of these modern compound bows.

I'm still waiting to hear one of our members start talking about taking a deer (any deer) with their home-made single piece (no laminations) long-bows with the sinew fastened, knapped flint broadheads, and wood arrows fletched with hand shaped turkey feathers ..... etc., etc. What a great thing that would be. You can't get any more traditional than that. Can you imagine the satisfaction of taking a deer with a completely hand made bow (not a kit) and accessories? Has anybody ever considered doing that?

I have ...... Of course "considering" is about as far as I ever got. ;D

Doc

[PREDATE]

I just got done shooting my Jennings T-Star XL. I think it'll put one down this year!

[steve863]

It seems to me that bowhunters way more than gun hunters are obsessed with having the latest and greatest equipment available.  Many bowhunters even go as far as getting a new bow every year.  I for one have used the same gun for 25 years and have no intentions of replacing it.  I have never considered myself much of a bowhunter and honestly haven't hunted with a bow for a number of years now.  For some unknown and bizarre reason I am getting an itch to give bowhunting another try again this year.  I will be pulling out my vintage 1990 Bear bow with aluminum arrows and giving it a go.  I would be curious to know who else might hunt with such antiquated equipment??  Knowing the gearheads bowhunters tend to be I doubt there are many, but it would be interesting to know who hunts with the oldest bow here?? Pictures would be a plus.  I may snap a couple of photos of mine and post them in the coming days.

Don't usually post pictures of anything I am lucky enough to kill, but just thought I'd add this as a postscript to my original post.  Got this deer Sunday morning.  Bowhunted only 4 days this fall and only practiced with the old bow for a total of 30 minutes after pulling it out of the closet and dusting it off after it lived there untouched for at least 5 or 6 years!  Who says one needs the latest and greatest to make a kill??  Couldn't be happier to have bagged a deer again with it after all these years!    

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Congrats Steve......is that strap around him the one you used to tie him up to the post while you were fattening him up?...lol ;)