[PABowhunt4life]

I was watching The Outdoor Channel today, I think it was Hunting Adventures, or something like that, I watch so many shows it's hard to keep them straight. At any rate, it was a special "disabled hunters" edition that featured 2 bowhunters hunting for antelope.

WELL, one of the guys was completely blind. He shot a left handed bow right handed and had a spotter behind him that told him when to release the arrow. The other hunter had a sever case of Muscular-Distrify (probably spelled wrong), so severe in fact that he walked hunch over and it looked like walking hurt him. Both guys harvested beautiful animals which made me feel good. However, listening to them talk really hit a cord. They thanked god for waking up every day and doing something they never thought they'd be able to do again, they purely enjoyed shooting, and enjoyed every minute they spent in the outdoors, and most of all, they did it against some serious odds being stacked against them.


At any rate, here is my point. We get on her every day and there's always some sort of bashing going on...... my bow's faster, mechanicals stink, mine flys better, Mathews is awful and so forth.

WE ARE ALL BOWHUNTERS, plain & simple. I know everyone one of us truly enjoys the sport and shooting and what not, but at the same time, I think a lot of us take it for granted. I mean, who knows, one of us could wake up tomorrow morning paralyzed for no reason at all. Then what? All the bickering and who's bows faster and who's broadhead's better arguments will seem really insignificant I bet. You'll be wishing and praying that you can get back in the woods, shooting any bow, and any broadhead, even if just for another day. I myself have fallen in to these arguments, so please don't think that I am on here pointing the holy "shame on you" finger. I just know that as of today, nothing is taken for granted, and no matter what you use as far as equipment goes, you are all my brothers

 

[Deer Dave]

PaBowhunt4Life

You couldn't have said it any better. I agree with you 100%. You never know what tomorrow will bring. I hope your post will serve as a reminder to the AT members to help each other, Sometimes when we see a show like that..it does hit a cord. Which is a great thing when it is recognized by good people like yourself. I give you a lot of credit for posting your feelings on the subject.

Dave

 

[tony dempsey]

Right To The Bone

YOU SAID IT PURTY GOOD MAN.
i here the same BS from alot of guys .
we git to see and do things that most of the planet would hardly beleive,
its not about whos better, which is the best, whos way is better,
its about doing it, learning from yer experiences,and enjoying to the last
second the opotunity that you have.
just think of that blind fella, he cant see the animal hes going to take but i bet he can feel the same rush of adrenaline the any hunter would feel, it just a bit different, more intense i think.
to everyone out there, dont ever argue about whats better or best,
you do what you do, they do what they do,i do what i do,
but remmember this ... we're all looking for the same thing....
think of why your a bow hunter ... you'll find the answer.

 

[fredbear90]

man that is really touching and really makes you think will i be able to do what I love tomorrow or the next day you never know.
God Bless

 

[liv2hntwhtetail]

I admire your post,you are so correct. Like you said,we are all bowhunters and we should all feel lucky that we have the ability to enjoy this wonderful sport we call bowhunting. Being able to shoot the cheepest bow on the shelf at wal-mart would probably be a dream come true for all too many. Sometimes we forget what this whole thing is really about. Dave

 

[RxBowhunter]

Well said

Good post.

 

[PABowhunt4life]

Well, truth be known, this actually touches home on a personal note.

My grandfather passed away in May of last year. He was an avid hunter, fisher, and just an all around outdoorsman. Served in WWII and was awarded god only know show many metals for acts I couldn't imagine doing, especially when he was only 23.

At any rate, out of all the game he shot, he never shot a turkey. Well, as he got up in years he became blind. He eventually had surgery to fix that, but before the surgery I harvested my first turkey when I was 17 ( first year I tried with a gun, used a bow from (13-16). At any rate, I was happier than you could believe and I took it to show my pap. Well, even though he couldn't see it, you could hear in his voice the emotion when he was rubbing the feathers, I honestly thought he was going to cry.. I'm not sure if he was happier or I was. That tailfan is now burried with my grandfather so he essentially has the turkey he never got while alive.



Well, when I saw the blind archer rubbing the horns on the antelope, when he started to speak with that emotion filled cracking voice, all I could hear was my pap at the time. He was blind for about 5 years, doctors were debating if they could fix him, yada yada and so forth. I know how bad he wanted to be on the water during that time. Even though he said he was done hunting because he had shot more than his fair share of game, he still wanted to fish BAD, and seeing him like that KILLED me. As goofy as it sounds, a man who had done so much and seen so much wa sliving through my hunting and fishing adventures. At the time, I really didnlt understand how truly special that was, I was too busy taking what I was doing for granted. I expected another day in the woods, I expected another day on the river, another fish, another deer and what not.


Now, I expect nothing but what the good lord thinks I deserve. Whether I ever kill another animal again is not important but as long as I am able to take to the woods, I am going to enjoy every sunrise and sunset that I can.

 

[bry2476]

Good Post

You are right. We complain about work and some people out there can not work, we go hunting and have no luck, some people would love to just go hunting. Everybody needs to think about what we are talking about here. Take someone hunting so they can enjoy the outdoors and experience what we love. I took my brother in law hunting and it was the best hunt I ever went own. He even killed one. There maybe someone out there that just can't afford to go. Give them that old bow and arrows that you have no use for. Take them to your hunting spot and let them enjoy it also. We as hunters are so selfish. We don't want someone to kill our monster buck, so we don't take anyone hunting, I remember when I first started my grandfather took me hunting. Now he is not able to go because he cannot walk without loosing his breath, After this I am determined to take him. I am going to build a blind and drive him up to it. He deserves to go after what he has done for me. Everyone find someone to help and lets do it!

 

[fredbear90]

Well, truth be known, this actually touches home on a personal note.

My grandfather passed away in May of last year. He was an avid hunter, fisher, and just an all around outdoorsman. Served in WWII and was awarded god only know show many metals for acts I couldn't imagine doing, especially when he was only 23.

At any rate, out of all the game he shot, he never shot a turkey. Well, as he got up in years he became blind. He eventually had surgery to fix that, but before the surgery I harvested my first turkey when I was 17 ( first year I tried with a gun, used a bow from (13-16). At any rate, I was happier than you could believe and I took it to show my pap. Well, even though he couldn't see it, you could hear in his voice the emotion when he was rubbing the feathers, I honestly thought he was going to cry.. I'm not sure if he was happier or I was. That tailfan is now burried with my grandfather so he essentially has the turkey he never got while alive.



Well, when I saw the blind archer rubbing the horns on the antelope, when he started to speak with that emotion filled cracking voice, all I could hear was my pap at the time. He was blind for about 5 years, doctors were debating if they could fix him, yada yada and so forth. I know how bad he wanted to be on the water during that time. Even though he said he was done hunting because he had shot more than his fair share of game, he still wanted to fish BAD, and seeing him like that KILLED me. As goofy as it sounds, a man who had done so much and seen so much wa sliving through my hunting and fishing adventures. At the time, I really didnlt understand how truly special that was, I was too busy taking what I was doing for granted. I expected another day in the woods, I expected another day on the river, another fish, another deer and what not.


Now, I expect nothing but what the good lord thinks I deserve. Whether I ever kill another animal again is not important but as long as I am able to take to the woods, I am going to enjoy every sunrise and sunset that I can.

Man that actually brought tears to my eyes. Your post reminded me of my father he died when I was only 2 and took me on one of his hunts with him and he shot a deer today the antler is buried with him. Since then I have been hooked on hunting, Something people take for granted and dont stop and think what they have. Yoday My mom hunts with me and she has had 4 heartattacks at the age of 35 and I wake up each day and thank god shes hereand each time I get in the stand it reminds me of my father and his passion for hunting.
God Bless

 

[PABowhunt4life]

Man, I apologize guys lol. Not to brag, but I am 6' 250 lb. of solid mass because I LOVE to lift lol. I look like a bi gmenacing guy, but go figure that the one HUGE feature I get from my mother is her emotions lol. She cries at telephone commercials, and unfortunately I got that gene lol.


Like I said, that show just opened a gate

 

[talonwolf37]

wow PA,
this is the very best post i have seen on here.your words could not be more true. every time i go to the woods i pray and thank god i am able to do so.

I was very blessed in my lfe that my grandparents raised me.they were avid
in the outdoors.the stories of your granddad brings back so many memories.

when i started bowhunting my grandpa gave me a set of small mule deer antlers he had. i used them for rattling antlers. I rattled in my first deer with them. i know my grandpa was excited as i was.

i remember all the dove hunts we shared. from the time i was 2 weeks old until i was 17yrs old, i went on every vacation he took.

i can honestly say that in 13 years of bowhunting i have never put down another persons equipment and i never will.

thank you very much for posting this PA... :thumbs_up

 

[bowtroll]

Hit home with me too. Well Said.

 

[DE-bowhunter]

enjoyed this thread, thanks

 

[RobN]

:thumbs_up Excellent Post - Definetly puts things into perspective!

 

[HeWhoHunts]

Without each other.....

A great post, with great replys from a great group of people.

Without each other, and each other's support......we really have very little.

Overcoming ANY kind of difficulty any bowhunter has makes each and every bowkill that much bigger a trophy.

While going to PBS Banquets I met a fellow who did shoot while totally blind with his wife behind him "adjusting' his aim with sights off to the side she could see.

The animals they had taken were staggering, in anyones "book". That said a lot to me about not only bowhunting but life in general as well.

Hopefully, I wont mess up this quote, but it is one that has stuck with me for several decades. It not only covers all those great people hunting with physical handicaps, it also says something to all of us that attempt to make bowhunting "easier".

"The magnitude of a personal trophy taken is directly proportional to the amount of effort it took to do so"

Not a direct quote, but.....close.

My own PERSONAL best "trophy hunt" consisted of me stalking a 1.5 year old buck in bright sunshine, at 4 PM, actually getting TOO CLOSE, but being able to take him with a 62 lb longbow and a cedar arrow that I had hand tappered using an old bear razorhead as a "plane" and sandpaper. The feathers I had pulled from a road kill turkey, split and sanded the quill and "chopped" them to shape before fletching.

I doubt I will ever again have the feeling I had inside when I saw that two blade mangus hit home and the deer went less than 20 yards.

A lot of "needless" effort went into "just trying something" but ......OMG, worth it?.......YOU BETCHA!

An easier comparison I have used talking to other bowhunters is this.

If you hunting ONE particular buck, think about this.

If you shot the buck the FIRST day of season how would that trophy compare to if you had hunting hard the whole season, sat through rain, snow, wind, etc. and shot him on the LAST day of season?

Each of us have to overcome some kind of VERY small "hurdle" compared to the dedicated hunters above in the original post. If you don't, believe me you will. Those true hunters mentioned above should speak LOUDLY to all of us, I very much agree with the author of the post!

Regardless if it is "Father Time" breathing down your neck and various parts of your anatomy just don't function like they used to, or financial problems rear up and kick you in the head, ending hunts you planned or takes the majority of your hunting time away because you have to work two jobs......all "hardships" overcome before taking that next trophy, really does make that trophy.........A TROPHY!

I have to admit something to all of you. I have been on the web for just short of ten years. I have been in several forums as well. While still new to lots of you....ok, fine, MOST of you :shade: I have found THIS forum to be better (a.k.a. HAS LESS BASHING ) than the others. I FOR ONE, reread my posts.........OR TRY, looking at my very OPINIONATED replys. Presenting them in QUESTION form, or simply stating past experiences USUALLY doesn't offend anyone and cause me to be "tarred and feathered" by all of you. (IF I EVER state something you found offensive I ask that you PLEASE PM me about it. I slip, I am human.........I will make amends.)

We are here to SUPPORT each other, offer experienced advice, present new ideas, and old ideas too......hehe!

I hope it remains so. MOST here simply state THEIR preference and why, if it differs from the opinion of others. That is a good thing IMO! :thumbs_up

If I wanted to fight and argue, I'd get married again! :wink:

Thanks to all those above and all those that will post below. I am and will enjoy seeing replys to this post.

 

[tayloel]

Please Read

I have a little advise for all of you who were touched by this post. Get involved with the National Wild Turkey Federation Wheelin' Sportsmen. You to can share in the experiance of helping someone with a disability hunt and/or fish. You will be amazed at the emotion that you will feel. They are always looking for people to help with their hunts.

You will leave with a much greater appreciation for all that life has to offer.

Send me a PM if you need more information on becoming a volunteer.

 

[COJO1]

I have to tell you a story of one of my greatest thrills.
I have a friend who has diabetes real bad. I taught him how to hunt turkeys and he showed me how to trap beaver many years ago in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
He finally moved to Iowa and we kinda lost touch with each other. A few year later I called him and found ot he had gone totally blind. He was a wreck. Hunting/fishing/trapping were his life and he was just sitting around wanting to die.
Well, I read on a fourm such as this about a blind bow hunter. I contacted him and to make a long story short, got in touch with my friend who found someone to help him out.
At the time I was living in Utah and invited him out for an elk hunt. I worked my butt off that summer building tree stands that would hold two people (him and his aimer). Well, he shot a nice 4x4 elk the second day and also got a mule deer his last day there.
I attended another hunt with him in Minnesota a year later. Even though we blanked out, we had a great time meeting fellow handicapped archers from all over the country including three other blind people.
Groups like "Wheeling Sportsmen" and others (I forget the name of the group he belonged to) need our support and help. After his success in Utah I worked very hard with the Department of Wildlife and got handicapped boat docks put in at many of the major lakes in Utah for fishing and boating help.
They are some of the most appreciative people in the world for the help they receive from others.
My hunting friend is having a hard time finding hunting partners in Iowa because they don't want to give up their precious hunting time to be with someone else except on rare occasions. It's a darn shame because the biggest thrill I have had is watching him shoot that elk.

 

[PABowhunt4life]

I ha
They are some of the most appreciative people in the world for the help they receive from others.
.

Man, you said it right there. We have a few stores here that employ a lot of mentally challenged people. Whether they are bagging groceries, welcoming people or collecting parts, they have a smile on their face and are always eager to chat. They go about their jobs with pride and LOVE what they are doing. Those people (don't mean to sound rude) are living life happier than an 18 year old that just signed a multi-million dollar contract. Then again, there's me, "Man, I hate my job, yada yada", complaining about life.

There is a family that comes in to the sportsmans club I belong to that has a "challenged" son. He loves pool, so one day I decided to join him in a game. At the time I was actually pretty good, but I can't tell you the last time I played. At any rate, I was helping him out, showing him where to aim for banks and such, and just trying to have fun in general while teaching him something. Long story short, from that day forth, no matter where I saw him, I got a hug and he would thank me like you wouldn't believe. You would have thought I had given him the world, to him, maybe I did.

Again, just the things I have taken for granted for so long

 

[Lien2]

Awesome post! We need to count our blessings and remember it can always get worse, be thankful for what we have and for what we can do.
Good thread guys! :thumbs_up

Lien2

 

[Ranger690]