# Lets talk about our old bows we though were so great!



## Hunter2678

I had a Golden Eagle predator, bought it brand new and I was 15...the draw was way too long for me in hindsight, had plastic wheels but had the recurve limbs which i thought were soooo cool. I must have painted and taped the thing 50 times to obtain the perfect camo pattern but to no avail. Had a cheap old Bohning Pines quiver on it that would rattle the arrows when it shot. Made a loud twangggg and vibrated alot. The grip on the thing was like grabbing a cinder block, bulky and uncomfortable...But man did I think that bow was the best thing since sliced bread. Took my first 6 point with it and a doe. Both were shot walking under my stand. I think if I ever had to take a shot over 15 yards the deer would have jumped the string with no problem...puts things into perspective.


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## eliteFREAK

*xi flatliner*

i had an xi flatliner that i thought was the baddest bow out there, it was heavy grip was xtremely cold in the winter and it was alot bulkier than the bows of today.:wink:


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## luckieshot

I had/have a Martin Cougar Speed Flite, it was the new fast shooting bow of the day next to the Onza which I wanted but couldnt afford. I was 18 and had saved up the money to get it. I used it for 5 years or so winning many tournaments with it.
I thought that bow was the best one ever made.

I pulled that bow out of the case last month and looked at all of the corrosion onder the paint and saw a cracked limb. I almost threw it away right then. But I ended up ordering a new set of limbs and stripped the old riser of the old wineberry red paint and powder coated it Red White And Blue.
I added some new updated sights and rest, That thing still is awesome.

It does'nt have the letoff my new bow does. But it still shoots 320fps and groups arrows too tight to shoot at a single spot target.

I am glad I kept it!!


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## 963369

*xi nemesis*

still have it, still shoot it. still is my primary bow. every deer with thta bow has been a complete pass thru. shot it the other day for a neighbor who brought over his new bear truth. his had a bear style sts device...was fairly smooth, but no great shakes. i shot mine and his mouth dropped open. "that thing is QUIET and FAST!" yup...i'm keeping it.


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## Robert58

*Wing Presentation*

MY 1961 Wing Presentation. 64" 37lbs @ 28". With African Rosewood riser, orange wood. I should have never sold that bow.

I now have a 1961 69" 38lb, with African Rosewood riser with a delaminated bottom limb hanging on my trophy wall that I bought off of ebay just to bring back memories.

Robert


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## BowhntrOma

I had a Golden Eagle Predator as well. It was a fairly nice bow for the time. I later got an Xi Legacy. That also was a huge improvement over the Predator. I shot the Legacy for many years.


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## CamSpeed

My 1996 Bass Pro Shops Exclusive Browning Hi-Letoff Interceptor, loved that bow it shot my 521 grain arrow at 208 fps , killed alot of deer with that bow. It was so smooth and fluid to pull back.


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## mttc08

In 1979 I had a bear whitetail hunter......Don't know how fast it was, or wasn't...lol
I missed a lot of deer with that bow. Then I got a bear pronghorn hunter. It was a bit faster. Had my first bow kill that year. That was 1981!!
Wish I could remember all the bows I have had since then.
The memories are priceless!!!!!!.........


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## Hunter2678

I used my dads whitetail hunter for a while too (circa 1981)..he's still got it...I thought about getting it out the other day...just might have to put a few arrows through it...


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## Lazer

1975 I bought a Wing recurve, sold it bought it back, gave it away to my brother. Guy I sold it to the first time found it in a yards sale years ago. Gave it back to me last spring, twisted limbs and all. Have fixed limbs and plan on hunting with it this fall.

1978 the first year they came out with the split limb compound. Bought a PSE Lazer that year. 70lb with 25% let off. This will be the first year that bow will not see the woods.


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## bigcountry24

The first year that I started shooting archery was 1994 I was 16 and found what I thought was the greatest Bow in the world Robin hood 31" draw case and 18 arrows all different for 100.00 bucks and it was mine. Its funny now that I think about it and the bow was so slow that I could take nap before the arrow would hit the tarage at 40 yards but one thing is for sure I will never forget that cold Oct morning when I pulled back on my first deer with my heart beating out of my chest and I let the arrow go and hit my mark. That was a great day (I do not know how old the bow was when I got it but I can tell you this I still have it under my bed)


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## Hoyt Havoc

I still have a 1988ish Proline Point Blank that was the hot bow for then. It had "Space Shuttle cables!!" that don't stretch. I had an 80 pounder that I hunted with for years and years. In '03 I finally bought a used 60# '01 Havoc for hunting turkeys and was wowed by the techno advances. I used it for deer that year and haven't touched the old Proline much since. 2 Alpines and 2 more Hoyts including my '07 Vulcan make 5 newer bows with walls and actual draw lengths. My 1st bow was an 1976 Bear Whitetail hunter that I got for X-mas. Got my 1st deer ever with it the next fall the 2nd night out.


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## gpalma

Dang, that covers a lot of bows  I thought they were all great in their own way at the time. 

Recurves: Colt Arrowmaster, Browning Nomad, Howatt Hi-Speed Hunter, Bear Super Magnum 48. 

Compounds: Indian Comanche, Jennings Forked Lightning, Bear Black Bear, Bear Grizzly, Bear Grizzly II, Darton SL50, Darton SL1000, Darton SL3000, Martin Dynabow, Martin Jaguar, Bear BioTech, TSS Quadraflex, PSE Citation, PSE Mach 1, American Target, Astro Regency Target, American Cheetah, Pearson Renegade, Pearson Spoiler, Pearson Grey Ghost, Pearson Flame, Pearson Probe, Jennings XLRS, Jennings Carbon Express XLR, Jennings Uni-Force XLR and a bunch more


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## CutTheLoop

First bow 1976, I was about 10 and it wasn't much, just a 4 foot yellowish fiberglass recurve, which I shot strung backwards until an adult showed me how to string it correctly.

Year or so later I found a nice 40# recurve, made of "actual" wood  , I thought I had arrived.

Next was a red and black 50# compound a friend gave me, was made by "Indian Archery", could put 5 outta 12 arrows in a pie plate at 20 yrds:tongue:

Around 82(??) I got a Bear Whitetail hunter, saved all summer for it. Finally killed my first deer with it. Shot it until about 1986 the got a PSE Vulcan because the salesman swore to me it was the same bow used it Rambo II:embara:

Turns out it wasn't, but I did later find one... yeah, I know. Someone did think enough of it to steal it from me though 

Fell out of archery about 87 and didn't come back until 1999, could not believe how far the "simple" bow had come. Started back up with a PSE Baby G... 

until a friend of mine saw it and gave me his used Conquest Pro.

I was hooked again:wink:


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## Aspirin Buster

As an instinctive finger shooter I had an awesome bow in 1985... it was an Onieda H-500. I swear I could hit anything I shot at with it back to about 40 yards. I shot logs with it--big 2219 shafts...four fletched and 160 grain Thunderhead broadheads. That was a bowhunting machine.

I joined Hoyt's shooting staff in 1986 and so I started shooting Hoyt's but I loved that old Onieda. It was a great finger shooting bow.


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## Michigan Bob

I also had a Golden Eagle Predator, didn't kill anything with it though, two years later bought a Golden Eagle Hawk. Loved that bow killed a few deer with it too. But then I bought the Golden Eagle Evolution my all time favorite bow lots of memories, but I had a limb crack and the company not around anymore so moved on.


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## kraven

I had a golden eagle something or other that was my first compound. 
It was a prize a guy won at a shoot and he sold it to me since I was thumping around with a recurve and he thought I should do what he did. 

I got very good with that bow and it's the first time I realized I might have some talent or skill with archery. 

Lots of people would write it off as a "wal-mart" bow, including the guy who ran the pro shop. But, I managed to be as accurate with it as others were with bow that cost more than 10x as much with twice the gadgets. In some cases I was more accurate. 
I gave that bow away to a guy and went back to recurves. 
It wasn't a superb bow, but did drive home the point that it really is a poor carpenter that blames his tools.


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## Erbowman

I still have my favorite bow. It is the first model of Martin's Firecat. It has wood inlay and wooden laminated limbs. I did well with it back in the 80's . I soon got a hunting bow after that called a PSE Mach flite 4(still have it too) It was fast for the day especially with the overdraw system. It went from 55lbs-infinity. lol I did have it once in the 90lb range though


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## IBBW

*Old bows*

I have had in the past bows that without a doubt have not been eclipsed by anything made to date in my opinion. I finger shoot only and maybe my opinion is skewed a bit but as far as any "great" leaps in bow tech I don't really think I can put my finger on anything I would consider huge. They have gained about 30 or so FPS in the last 10 years and many became less dependable? Most all aimed at short ATA and speed. Release shooting 3D bows. I know there have been some good hunting bows put out in the last 5 years, I just cant think of but a hand full of them you could call great.

The mid 90's Defiants Hoyt made, they were heavy, but good bows even today. The PSE Mach 5 was an awesome hunting bow. A lot of the older Martins were great bows. I still own and hunt with a 91 Darton Lightning, great finger shooting hunting bow. I owned a Oneida TCII that was a deer killing machine, and just bought a 90 Oneida Strike eagle that I might convert to a AeroForce, if it will propel a hunting arrow in the 240 FPS range I will probably leave it like it is. For hunting purposes there are still a lot of good old bows out there that are more than sufficent for the task. There is really no need to break the bank on a new bow if hunting is all you have in mind. 

It's kind of like the 68 and 69 camaros, there may be newer, better, faster cars out there, but they can never replace these classics. With guys like Barnsdale around some will live on for a very long time.

JMHO:darkbeer:


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## Aspirin Buster

The original Onieda Eagle H-500's is one of my favorite old bows. As an instinctive shooter, it was one of the best!

Good memories of that bow and the hunts and shows we did with it..

Frank


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## SpotShy

It all started with the Ben Pearson Bionic Ben Coumpound at age six. In 83' I got a Bear Black Mag that I took my first bow kill with. Then I went on to a WhiteTail II, followed by a 1988 Martin Cougar Magnum, and then the bomb-1989 Person Spoiler (80 pound limbs, 28" draw, with a 4" overdraw). I wacked a many of critters with that rig shooting 24" 2114 XX75 shafts at 270 FPS. At that time it was smokin for a 28" draw. Mind you my current draw length is 26.5.  Soon I purchased a Wing recurve (the model slips my mind) and convinced myself that I liked the aid of wheels and a sight. I moved on to a Pro Line Point Blank "The New Wave" in camo and added to it a cool purple fade to black 93' New Wave. In 1998, I bought a Parker Super Mag 35 and in 2000 I sold it and got my first shop shooter bow, a Parker Ultralight 31. In 2002 I gave up Parker for a Mathews Conquest II. In 2004 I picked up an older Conquest Pro as my tourney bow and in 2005 I decided I needed a Rival Pro in the arsenal so I found a 2000 model in good shape. Later that same year I figured a Conquest III had to be a good bet. I got cheap in 2006 and didn't buy a single bow, but in 2007 I picked up a brand new Elite ICE. Currently in my shop you can find hanging: 3 Mathews, an Elite, three old Bears, a Damon Howett recurve, "The Original Person Spoiler", a PSE Nova, A Genesis, two mini Gensis, an old wooden crossbow with spring steel limbs and barrels of arrows.

I'll have to say though, of all the bows I have and do own, that darn Spoiler lived up to its name, I still like shooting that thing as much as any I own, just not at the 80# like I did when I was young and in shape.


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## gordon

Gotta agree,the old Onieda Sreamin Eagle great finger bow hits everything I point at.Just finihed putting a Martin Super diablo compound back together and it also shoots great.Next project is the Ridge compound with a 12"brace.:usa::


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## Hunter2678

gordon said:


> Gotta agree,the old Onieda Sreamin Eagle great finger bow hits everything I point at.Just finihed putting a Martin Super diablo compound back together and it also shoots great.Next project is the Ridge compound with a 12"brace.:usa::


12 inch brace!!???


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## Longtimearcher

Bear Polar LTD, Cougar Magnum, Cougar II, PSE Laser Mag, Pro-line Tornado XR Magnum, Carroll, York, Mcpherson, Alpine, High Country, Hoyt. The list goes on and on. Remember when guys just had to have a Black Widow recurve and insist on shooting them in tournaments? You would have to "wait" until they found their arrows "behind" the target or "wait" for them to "dig" their arrows out of the target shed. I can also remember when folks would say that "there has been more deer killed (or wounded) with a Bear Whitetail Two than any other bow". I think that held true till the late eighties. They make a great bowfishing bow too. I still have a Laser Mag from 1979 or 80, and a High Country 3-D Supreme, and my present bow is a Conquest 2. I lost all my other bows in a shop fire. I am afraid to draw the Laser Mag back anyway (rememer when PSE had a tendency to break in half at the riser) and the Supreme is not cabled up. I think one of the greatest rivalrys in the eighties was the PSE LASER Mag or Mach Flite against the Cougar Mag. I saw lots of those bows sold during that time. Everyone had one or the other, if my memory is correct.


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## Flyboy718

My first bow was a Pearson Spoiler Plus that my Dad bought for me at my 
13th birthday. It had a Hoyt/Easton "Fireflight System" I am guessing this was the cable and strings. I shot 2213 XX75's with 25 grain NIB points and an old Martin rest with overdraw.


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## savagebandit

How about the Golden Eagle Formula 3D Compound Bow?


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## DetLieut

Great topic,

My first bow was a fiberglass Ben Pearson from Robin Hood archery in Montclair, N.J. About 1964 or so. Of all the recurves, longbows and compounds that I have owned my personal favorite would have to be a bow made by Grand Slam Archery in Arizona. The owners name was (if memory serves me correct) John Scharr . The bows were years ahead of their time. Twin cams, composite limbs with length matched to the length of the risor you choose. I still have 2 of them. they were 90-100 lbs. pull made for me and shot a 740 grain 2419 at close to 240 fps. I don't know what happened to the company but those bows were awesome. They also made a two peice bow quiver that mounted to holes in the riser. The quiver had weight knobs on the oppesite side of the arrows to compensate for the weight of a full quiver. It also came with a built in sight and cushion plunger. I always shot instinctive so I removed the plunger and sight. Black alluminum riser with camo limbs. Great bow!


DetLieut


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## jmvargas

i only wish i still had them all!!!......


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## SBills

High Country Sniper. This was one of the original snipers. Treebark paint, all fast flight system and wood grip. It was my first "modern bow" when I started in archery (after an old all wood browning recurve). It was short 41" and fast as heck, or so I thought (probably 215 AMO). But hey that was short and fast in 1992.


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## jcs-bowhunter

First real bow was a 40# '74 Proline Avenger Recurve that I got for Christmas when I was 11.

First bow I ever killed anything with was '88 Proline Zepher XE-II. Got my first 3 deer with it including my best buck to date. I keep it setup as my backup.

Still have both of them...


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## s_house

My first bow was a hand me down from my older brothers, a Herters recurve. My first compound was a Bear Silver Magnum bought from Fitzgerald Archery back in 1981 or so. To this day that is still the only brand new bow I have ever owned.


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## outbackarcher

I have had many bows over the years that stick out in my mind but there are a couple that I wish I would have hung on to. I had a Hoyt Defiant in 1995 that was awesome, I won alot of money with that bow. And another was the Bowtech Pro 40 Dually....that bow was a true shooter. I wish companies would start making some 2 cam bows again.


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## Darton01

I had an Oneida H-250 that was such a step up in speed over my Jenning's Super-T,that I thought it was the way all bows would be made someday.And I thought it looked way coooool.:wink:


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## ky hammer

in 1978 i bought a Bear Alaskan compound. i paid 225 for it and it was the top of the line. 33% let off and 6 wheels and was deadly quiet. i hunted with that for a very long time and also shot field with it. then i got a golden eagle cam hunter wich was my first cam bow. it had wood limbs and was a really great shooter. boy talk about bringing back the memories lol.


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## Kstigall

My first was a Jennings SideKick III in '76. Killed some deer with it and gave it to a neighbor kid years later. I kinda' wish I still had the little bow.

My next "cool" bow was a Jennings Mag Hunter in about '82. I saw it covered in dust in the shed a couple of days ago. The wood laminate limbs still look good. I couldn't afford a Split-T, T-Star or whatever the top Jennings bow was at the time. I still love the grip of the old Jennings.

I got a candy apple red Martin FireCat in early '86 and shot it a couple of years at 72 lbs. Still have the bow but it has Onza limbs and custom cables with different cams to get some speed. 

Another old bow I have is the bow I used to shoot my first 300 and 299 in 1990 at the VBA State Championships. The 299 was my personal best and then shot the 300 the next day. I didn't shoot another spot until 2005. the Hoyt Spectre Lite will always hang in my rack.

I'll keep my 2004 silver flame Martin Cougar III Mag with Nitrous cams forever. I was real lucky with that bow....................


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## itchyfinger

Mathews MQ32 was my first bow. Got it right when it came out. That bow was a hunter's dream and accurate.


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## bowshooter20

first bow was ben pearson recurve still have it and I have a pse buckmaster for a older bow it still shots good.


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## Dave V

My first was a longbow handed down by my dad. No rest or shelf of any kind, and I had the cuts across the back of my bow hand to prove it. Shot it until I was a teenager. The last arrow fired through it was a flaming arrow into a Boy Scout campfire (you could smell the kerosene for miles, we weren't taking any chances). It rained that night and the bow got wet. The next time I strung it, it shattered into three pieces in my hands.

After that, it was a Ben Pearson recurve, ordered from Cabala's back around 1968 with a beautiful wood riser and laminated limbs. I think it's still in a case at my parent's home. 

In my 20's I bought first a really cheap Darton compound and promptly traded up for a PSE. My wife at the time, not to be outdone, bought a Martin Cougar with a metallic blue riser and white limbs.... and never shot it.... ever.

Both were stolen in a break-in in the early 90's and I replaced mine with my current Hoyt (don't know the model. 90's vintage ProForce or Medalist maybe?)and the Martin, along with the ex, were gone for good.

I'm now drooling over all the new toys that have come along since then, but in the mean time I'm still enjoying my Hoyt immensely. It shoots far better than I do, so I really don't see the need to change.


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## fishnhuntr77

The first bow that I ever shot was given to me and got me started into compound archery and away from crossbows. It was a bear whitetail II. I shot my first nice buck with that bow and several other does and bucks. Used it for about 5 years until I upgraded to a bowtech tomkat. Shot that for a few years and am now shooting the General. Short lived bow career so far, but I sure loved that free Whitetail II!


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## hikick1

*First real bow: Original browning Hi-let-off*



CamSpeed said:


> My 1996 Bass Pro Shops Exclusive Browning Hi-Letoff Interceptor, loved that bow it shot my 521 grain arrow at 208 fps , killed alot of deer with that bow. It was so smooth and fluid to pull back.



I still have this bow and it shoots superb. Has outlasted three bows since. I keep going back to it. My string size rubbed off the label and I wish I could find out the original length before the next replacement. I bought it as a Bass Pro shop exclusive and I think the year was 1998.


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## TWO SWITCHBACKS

on or about early 1969 i had a jennings compound, and one of my friends brought in an allen compound to work about two months pryor before this all took place, and we copied all the components from the jennings and wemade our own compounds cables ,side plates, cams out of delrin etc, and with the help of fred bear & employes he told us about limb layups and glueing,he knew nothing of the compound bow, i bought a herters take down and adapted the limbs and all to there metal handel and had a bow that when draw let down from 53# to about 38#(i was the first one to have a metal handel bow it was light as a feather, and i shot about 40 arrows and it broke in the middle of the handel from all the pressure and we never had one cast thick enough to with stand the energy, the rest is history i also invented the little roller bearings in the cams, and we anodized our easton shafts a green and brown with the help of our plating dept.those were the days and now look where we are and i am a (lefty).


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## BowStrapped

I had a Darton Lightning which was one of the fastest bows in its time and replaced it with a XI Flatliner. Luckily enough I still have my first bow ever....Hoyt ProForce Extreme ( if i remember correctly ) that I use for bowfishing.


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## larry s

my first bow was a bear whitetail 2 got my first deer with it i still have it now that i look at it and then look at my mathews switchback xt i say to myself man how far bows has come


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## Stash

Black Widow 1225 - 45# 64", black riser, black limbs. 
I've owned more bows that I can remember, but that's the only one I really wish I still had. 

None of the compounds stand the test of time.


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## ky hammer

in 1977 i bought a Bear Alaskan and man i thought i was the stuff lol. i then got a target version of that called the Bear Starfire the next year. then it was a Golden Eagle Cam hunter with wood laminated limbs and man did that bow shoot well. boy those were the days lol


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## muck

Golden eagle fomula 3-d
I had one when the first came out. I got it 50% off shooting for Golden Eagle. Thought it was bad azz.


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## Dale P

I loved the late 80's McPherson 3000. The super slim grip, 10" brace hight and solid back wall made for a real forgiving bow.


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## Oscar Green

1970 Hoyt Pro Medalist. Still got it,still shoot it. Need I say more>


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## rcgerchow

First real bow was a Indian Archery 40lb recurve that was wood with yellow fiberglass laminated. Shot my first deer with it, man I had scrimped and saved to buy that bow from the local ACE hardware. Then a Browning recurve (Nomad?) from Herter's or Cabela's. That lasted until maybe we made a trip to Anderson archery in Grand Ledge and bought a new Bear Whitetail.
Next in line was a Pearson ProStaff 6000, omg what a nightmare. Traded in for a Darton SL 50 (sweet) that I shot for a few years, then came a Browning Bridger until I won another Bear bow that I shot for a number of years. Got a Parker Guide bow and around that time gave up bird and waterfowl hunting and started shooting more archery. So in 20 odd years I had 7 different bows, since 2005 I have had a new bow or two every year. Currently have five hanging in the workroom now.


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## ArtV

First bow was a Roy Rogers signature...all black, about 15lb pull....I killed a many a bales of hay with that baby. Then came an all fiberglass straight limbed longbow I saved for by delivering papers...you could shoot off either side......at 35lbs I started to understand the power of a bow.

One of the sexiest bows ever made was the Bear Tamerlane HC 300....I've been able to obtain 5 over the years. (It's the one bow I wanted when I was a kid but could never afford.) I love to take one out in the back and just shoot to watch the arrow fly...the deep throab of the limbs as they power the arrow towards the target digs deep into me. 

I have an old PSE 900 compound that still shoots 282fps with fingers...never saw the need to get another compound...of course I haven't shot a compound since the mid to late 90's. The mystic of a stickbow has drawn me back into archery as archery once was..man, bow, arrow..no allen wrenches needed, no excuses other than the shooter.....sweeeeet.


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## BDUAres

My very first "bow" was a Barnett Supreme 150# crossbow I bought new back in 1983. Had it for about a year and sold it, then didn't buy another bow until about 1993, when I picked up an old 1970's Bear Whitetail Hunter set at 60#. 

I put it away and never shot it until this year, after I had bought another old bow, an 80# Golden Eagle Falcon, which is is what I shoot weekly and have absolutely no complaints about. The Bear WTH shoots very low compared to the GA Falcon, and has a shorter pull. It shoots fine but feels a lot "looser" than the GA Falcon. But both bows are in practically mint condition and I bought them for a song, so I am happy with them.


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## Gunpowder

My first bow was an Indian Cam Star. I switched to a Hoyt gamegetter. I remember shooting indoor leagues against the target shooters with that hunting bow. I usually was in the top tear. My brother still hunts with that bow. 

I now am still shooting a golden eagle Hunter turbo with the wooden laminate limbs. Plan to retire her after this years hunt. 

Speaking of good old bows. Anyone remember Oregon? Was a sweet shooting bow.


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## Hillcapper

I had a Jennings T-Star around 1980 (16 years old) which I traded a .22 pistol for. Thought I had arrived.......


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## jrw013

I just got into bow hunting last year and happened to have a old bear whitetail hunter laying around took it to cabelas got laughed at but had it re strung got a new sight and rest and now its good to go. Ok so yea maybe its super slow and if I try for a shot over 20 yards probably gonna get string jumped but I told my wife and myself I wouldn't buy a new one till I took a deer with this one.


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## Novanglus1774

I had a Browning Nomad a few years back that I really miss. It was in like new condition, and I think I paid 100 bucks for it. 50# pull. Very sweet shooting bow. I let my dad have it and he got so good with it I had to quit shooting with him! :teeth: It disappeared in some sort of trade, the exact details of which I cannot recall. Wish I had it back. Good bow!

Dave


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## Soocom1

First bows I shot were old long bows and recurves that my parents had. Dated from the late 40's or early 50's with old wooden arrows. Busted 3 out of 5 of the bows and my nephews finished the job years later. Never knew the brand, but my dad tried several times to repair them using brass wire and brass sheet stock with super glue. (Didn’t work). 
Then came my Whitetail II that I just retired after 20 years. Then my PSE Firebird that is an interim until I get the new one.


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## ToddRvs

I had a prototype Jennings Carbon Extreme signed by Tom Jennings... I aquired the bow in 1989 when I worked a Bear Archery Gainesville. I took the bow to a Archery Pro shop to have a new string put on it in 2001. I was in the Military at the time, and then the planes hit and I was ordered up and was in the air 2 days later heading to Afganistan. I was unable to pick my bow up before I left. When I returned 14 months later the pro shop had sold my bow because I never returned for it. I was completely devastated. I killed a lot game and won alot of shoots with that bow. That bow meant a great deal to me.

Funny story on how I aquired that bow. I was working at Bear Archery part time, as I had a full time job working construction and I was in the Navy reserves as well. I had just gotten married and had a new baby and I was trying to buy a home a well. Anyway this fellow came up to me one day, when I was sweeping up the museum upstairs, he was an older gentleman and kind of pugey. I really had a lot work to do, but he seemed nice enough though and we struck up a converstaion. We started talking about different things from hunting to sports. Pretty much anything before I knew it we had talked for over and hour and I was way behind on my duties so I thanked him for the polite converstation and told him I had to get back to work. He came by every so often and we struck up a friendship. I never knew what he did at Bear Archery as I never asked him, he only said that he was one of the bow engineers with Bear. One day we were talking and he asked me "what type of bow do I shoot?", I said none at the present as I did not have the money because, I was recently married and had a new baby to provide for and I was working two jobs and also in the Navy Reserves to help make ends meet, I showed him some pictures of my wife and baby, he said I had a good looking family and he could see why I was working so much. I told him I had been saving my money for some time though, and I hoped to have me a new bow by the time hunting season rolled around in a few months. He asked me how much I had saved up for the bow I told him not alot I was putting away $10.00 a week and only had saved up about $100 or so. He continued to come by every now and then and we would talk, he would always ask how the family was and how much I had saved for my new bow. One day he stopped by and I was cleaning up and he said hello, I said hi, and he saw that I was a bit down and asked me what was wrong. I said nothing really, he asked me again and I told him I had almost enough to get my new bow, but something had come up at home and I had to use the money I saved to pay for it and it looked like I would not get to go hunting this season after all. Hunting season was less than a month a way and I had saved all year to buy me a bow. But I told him it was ok, there would always be next year. He said "family has to come first and I am glad a young father and husband as yourself knows that, good for you". He told me that he would see me in a few months that he had to get back on the road. I told him I had hoped to see him when he returned. A week or so later I was told that Frank Scott wanted to see me. I went to his office and knocked on the door jam as the door was already open, he asked me to come in and said I have something for you. In the corner was a brand new Jennings Carbon Extreme bow all decked out for hunting and another box of Bear Arrows with broadheads and practice points. This bow was not even on the market yet. I told Mr. Scott thank you, but I could never afford such a bow. He said well that may be so but atleast take a look at it and tell me what you think. I went over to the table the bow was on and picked it up and the first thing I saw was a signature on the bow riser that said. "To a hard working father and a friend, Tom Jennings..." 

This may sound unbelievable, but the man I had been talking all those times was none other than Tom Jennings and I never knew it. I never did get tio thank him in person as I never saw him again. A month or so later I received news that my package to switch from Naval Reserve duty to Navy active duty had been approved and I was cut new orders to Pearl Harbor. I will never forget those months spent at Bear Archery and the many talks I had with Tom Jennings.


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## 1elkhuntfever

Great story! I grew up in a place about 100 miles south of Bear Archery before they moved it to Florida. Ithaca, Michigan was the place. My dad had bought a Paul Bunyon fiberglass bow for us as a Christmas gift and I soon took it over, shooting almost every day. In the very early 60's my eldest brother took me east of town to an archery shop owned by a man named Meyers. We picked out a Ben Pearson Golden Scot recurve in the Golden Sovereign series along with a half dozen cedar arrows. When I moved to Indiana, I sold it to dad but later he gave it back to me. I still hangs in my basement along with a Wing recurve I bought in the 70's. Good memories!


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## MoNofletch

My first real bow was a PSE Edge 1000c. Bought it at a liquor store that sold bows!!! Had it for a few weeks then fell in love with Oneida. Bought an Oneida Phantom 80# limbs with my grass cutting money. One of the best shooting bows I have ever had. Wish I still had one!


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## Green River

I had a PSE Polaris, the risor had no clearance for the fletching. The fletching would bounce of it everytime I shot it, those kind of small details did not bother me then.


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## TWO SWITCHBACKS

huh!?"


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## hoyt316

Killed my first deer with a jennings T-Star I was 16 years old in 1981.I have owned so many over the year's that I can't thank of all of them.I came up with the total of forty somthing and still buying them!


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## silentdeathtx4

I had a High Country max force back when I was in high school, I think it was a 97 model. That bow was just awesome, I wish I still had it. Got hurtin for money and sold it to a friends dad.


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## 1156

I started out at 11 years old with a pse pulsar 40#bought at a pawn shop for $100.00, then in 1992 I bought a new provantage fast flight when I was 14 years old . I shot, hunted, 3d, and competed with that bow until I went to college. I haven't held a bow in over 10 years but decided to get back into things this winter. Recently I've bought 2 aspens and they are on the way but was getting ancy and pulled the provantage out yesterday and dusted her off.... looked her over... built a target, paper tuned it and practiced a little then shot a 300 round. Needless to say the ol' girl still shoots tacks, shot a 292 33x with fingers. Hopefully shooting will be like riding a bike, can't believe that was the first time I've shot a bow in 10+ years, sure had forgotten how much fun/challenging it is. Funny thing is I'm setting up 2 used aspens for less than I have into the provantage when I bought it new 18 years ago, lol! I haven't shot many newer finger bows but I can't believe they make one on the market that is light years ahead of my provantage from an accuracy stand point, speed yes... accuracy I doubt it.


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## old5spotshooter

Martin Magnabow ! Sold to me at Elkhorn Archery in Salinas, Ca by shop owner and Martin pro shooter Jim Cox. At 80lbs., with a 29" draw length and shooting overdrawn 26" 2117's it was a blistering ( for the day ) 265 fps ! Painted on fern pattern camo and an original Bodoodle rest it was a cutting edge killing machine. I'm laughing as I write this as at that draw weight with it's 50% let off it would kill me to draw, hold and shoot today !! Incidently, Cox shot his at 95lbs, if I remember correctly and got justa tad under 300 with it, but Cox was also one strong little s.o.b. !


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## VAHUNTER01

my fist compound was a PSE. it had real metal cables with a tear drop for the string to hook up.then i upgraded to a ole Golden eagle that was a slayer. not fast at all but extremely quiet!!
then i bought a new Browning ballistic.i thought that thing was the best made. i guess at that time it was


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## sleepless95453

my first bow was a bear "panda" 32#, i shot it for years then had the opertunity to shoot my first joe fries bow made for peggy ortez, won the reno silver arrows with it and then got my very own from joe down in templeton cal., i still own it! its a deflex,reflex, recurve 70" draws at 36#.

sleepless95453


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## killerloop

VAHUNTER01 said:


> my fist compound was a PSE. it had real metal cables with a tear drop for the string to hook up.then i upgraded to a ole Golden eagle that was a slayer. not fast at all but extremely quiet!!
> then i bought a new Browning ballistic.i thought that thing was the best made. i guess at that time it was


yes 1984 pse nova, metal cables and tear drops, still have the scars as proof on my wrist, (twice)............ that bow hated me!!


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## MISSOURIBOY

mttc08 said:


> In 1979 I had a bear whitetail hunter......Don't know how fast it was, or wasn't...lol
> I missed a lot of deer with that bow. Then I got a bear pronghorn hunter. It was a bit faster. Had my first bow kill that year. That was 1981!!
> Wish I could remember all the bows I have had since then.
> The memories are priceless!!!!!!.........


Got my first bow kill in 1979 with a whitetail hunter. I missed a lot of deer with it as well!

Best old bow IMO (not to old though) was the Jennings Buckmaster.


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## Carbon Jack

When I was about 13 my older sister built a wooden crossbow like those used in Vietnam by the mountain people. My sister was very mechanically inclined and we had a full machine and wood shop to play in.

Cathy, (sis) got the plans out of a book and cobbled together a crossbow that would shoot solid aluminum quarter-inch rods through a sheet of light plywood like nothing. This horrified my mother and made my father proud...

This remains my favorite bow of all time.

Jack


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## centershot

Started in high school with a Martin Warthog, big gold cams and a light colored wood riser. Sold that because I was told the limbs could not handle the stress of the 'agressive cams'. Bought a PSE Vector II shot it a year then went to Hoyts. First Hoyt was a Contender target bow then a Rambo for a hunting bow - top of the line in 1987 and on top of the world!


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## sammyg

I went from my first real bow,a Wing recurve model Redwing Hunter, to a Bear Polar II, to 3 different PSE Citations,a couple of Bear Alaskans , and finally the bow I have shot since the early 1990's , a Hoyt Pro vantage Legacy. This year I'm retiring the compounds for a while going back to shooting a recurve if my shoulder can handle it. I want one of the new Bear Take-Downs.


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## Badger Pete

Shot a Pearson Javelina recurve from the mid 70's to 1990. The bow was a hand me down from my older brother and I believe it was originally purchased in the mid-60's. Bought a 1990 Pearson Spoiler for the fall of 1990. It read 70 lbs at 28 inches. I have a 30 inch draw and was getting 82 pounds out of it and shot XX78 2317's. Loved the bow but the limb cracked in the "V" after 13 years. Bought a Mathews Ovation in 2004 and am still shooting it. Started as a finger shooter and I'm still a finger shooter.


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## SARASR

I started in 90' with my friends PSE not sure of the name but it is 42" AtA with wheels not much more than 2" in diameter shot it instinctively with fingers for a couple years and had a ton of fun. Then around 92" picked up a Browning Xcellerator? wood riser glass limbs and short. I made my first big mistake with this bow (still finger and instictive) I had a buck 30yards out behind my tree as I leaned around the tree my stand got a little off balance, I let the arrow fly:awkward: but was half minded on the stand = gut shot, believe I found the carcuss a month later durring shotgun season close to 500 yards from where I shot em:sad: In 2000 I got a Jennings PWC and changed to a release, sight + peep, this bow tuned very nicely and was very accurate only complaint is that it kicked like a mule. When I shot my current bow for the first time (Iceman) I though something was wrong, I had never shot anything that was so dead in the hand upon release.


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## mkmk

New technology is not tested a lot


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## jgoodman1082

Bear Whitetail my dad set up for me. From there a Darton SL50, then Martin Lynx Magnum, and then High Country National Champion. Now PSE X Forces, 3 of them..


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## kballer1

1959 Stag Horn XP 60 56# & 1972 Astro Bows Stinger compound, first split limb 15# adjustable 2 wheeler 50% let off 75#.


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## Clarkson

Very useful information.


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## gumby223

My first bow was a Pearson Rogue, bought around 1989. One of the limbs on it broke, which brought me here, to see if I can get it replaced/rebuilt. I haven't shot since about 1991, so now I'm wading through all the info trying to figure out what I want to buy.


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## Chiligrass

I started target archery with a 66” 33# Bear Polar. String walkin dream for a young kid. :whoo::laser::laser:


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## AZMUZZY

Got a Bear Polar II in fall of 2005 at a garage sale for 50$. I thought it was cool you had to put the cables onto the rollers. Had a new string put on along with a peep and a D loop. Ended up shooting it pretty good and got a javelina in Jan. of 06. I still have it today.


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## Viking53

i have owned alot of bows over the years since around 1960 age 7? but my first deer hunting bow is a old recurve Ben Person i got back in around 1968 from my dad, i still have this bow ? my 1st compound was a 1973 Allen compound i don`t have that bow anymore,but i do have my next compound bow Jennings model I from 1974. i still own many bows yet but my all time favorite bow was a Jennings Arrow star i purchased new in 1976 and used for 12-14 years killed many deer ,bears and all kinds of critters too,with a new job ,just married,babies i had to use that old Arrow star for many years,that old arrowstar bow fed my family with venison in those days.


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## Chiligrass

I still have a 79 Jennings shooting star. I never really got a chance to learn much about it. It's a hunting bow and I don't recall the weight range, I'd bet 45-60 ? Really glossy black textured paint and glass on a split limb two wheeler. I sprayed matte camo on it:sad: I'd like to turn the weight down low and learn to shoot it with a release.


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## D.W.Smith

ToddRvs said:


> I had a prototype Jennings Carbon Extreme signed by Tom Jennings... I aquired the bow in 1989 when I worked a Bear Archery Gainesville. I took the bow to a Archery Pro shop to have a new string put on it in 2001. I was in the Military at the time, and then the planes hit and I was ordered up and was in the air 2 days later heading to Afganistan. I was unable to pick my bow up before I left. When I returned 14 months later the pro shop had sold my bow because I never returned for it. I was completely devastated. I killed a lot game and won alot of shoots with that bow. That bow meant a great deal to me.
> 
> Funny story on how I aquired that bow. I was working at Bear Archery part time, as I had a full time job working construction and I was in the Navy reserves as well. I had just gotten married and had a new baby and I was trying to buy a home a well. Anyway this fellow came up to me one day, when I was sweeping up the museum upstairs, he was an older gentleman and kind of pugey. I really had a lot work to do, but he seemed nice enough though and we struck up a converstaion. We started talking about different things from hunting to sports. Pretty much anything before I knew it we had talked for over and hour and I was way behind on my duties so I thanked him for the polite converstation and told him I had to get back to work. He came by every so often and we struck up a friendship. I never knew what he did at Bear Archery as I never asked him, he only said that he was one of the bow engineers with Bear. One day we were talking and he asked me "what type of bow do I shoot?", I said none at the present as I did not have the money because, I was recently married and had a new baby to provide for and I was working two jobs and also in the Navy Reserves to help make ends meet, I showed him some pictures of my wife and baby, he said I had a good looking family and he could see why I was working so much. I told him I had been saving my money for some time though, and I hoped to have me a new bow by the time hunting season rolled around in a few months. He asked me how much I had saved up for the bow I told him not alot I was putting away $10.00 a week and only had saved up about $100 or so. He continued to come by every now and then and we would talk, he would always ask how the family was and how much I had saved for my new bow. One day he stopped by and I was cleaning up and he said hello, I said hi, and he saw that I was a bit down and asked me what was wrong. I said nothing really, he asked me again and I told him I had almost enough to get my new bow, but something had come up at home and I had to use the money I saved to pay for it and it looked like I would not get to go hunting this season after all. Hunting season was less than a month a way and I had saved all year to buy me a bow. But I told him it was ok, there would always be next year. He said "family has to come first and I am glad a young father and husband as yourself knows that, good for you". He told me that he would see me in a few months that he had to get back on the road. I told him I had hoped to see him when he returned. A week or so later I was told that Frank Scott wanted to see me. I went to his office and knocked on the door jam as the door was already open, he asked me to come in and said I have something for you. In the corner was a brand new Jennings Carbon Extreme bow all decked out for hunting and another box of Bear Arrows with broadheads and practice points. This bow was not even on the market yet. I told Mr. Scott thank you, but I could never afford such a bow. He said well that may be so but atleast take a look at it and tell me what you think. I went over to the table the bow was on and picked it up and the first thing I saw was a signature on the bow riser that said. "To a hard working father and a friend, Tom Jennings..."
> 
> This may sound unbelievable, but the man I had been talking all those times was none other than Tom Jennings and I never knew it. I never did get tio thank him in person as I never saw him again. A month or so later I received news that my package to switch from Naval Reserve duty to Navy active duty had been approved and I was cut new orders to Pearl Harbor. I will never forget those months spent at Bear Archery and the many talks I had with Tom Jennings.


Incredible story... Did you ever try to search out the purchaser of your bow? That bow belongs with you and maybe someone here on ArcheryTalk could help you reconnect with it. You could start a thread telling your story. you never know, someone here may know where it is.


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## ArcherFox09

There are some awesome classic bows out there... too many to name! Love all the posts so far


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## Mtnhighhunters

I had a Jennings Forked Lightning. Had a POS prong rest. 21/17 Eastons with 4in vanes and thunder head broad heads. Micro pin sites. Was deadly and shooting at 100 yards in 1990 but the next county over could hear when I shot an arrow out of it.


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## salth2o

ToddRvs said:


> I had a prototype Jennings Carbon Extreme signed by Tom Jennings... I aquired the bow in 1989 when I worked a Bear Archery Gainesville. I took the bow to a Archery Pro shop to have a new string put on it in 2001. I was in the Military at the time, and then the planes hit and I was ordered up and was in the air 2 days later heading to Afganistan. I was unable to pick my bow up before I left. When I returned 14 months later the pro shop had sold my bow because I never returned for it. I was completely devastated. I killed a lot game and won alot of shoots with that bow. That bow meant a great deal to me.
> 
> Funny story on how I aquired that bow. I was working at Bear Archery part time, as I had a full time job working construction and I was in the Navy reserves as well. I had just gotten married and had a new baby and I was trying to buy a home a well. Anyway this fellow came up to me one day, when I was sweeping up the museum upstairs, he was an older gentleman and kind of pugey. I really had a lot work to do, but he seemed nice enough though and we struck up a converstaion. We started talking about different things from hunting to sports. Pretty much anything before I knew it we had talked for over and hour and I was way behind on my duties so I thanked him for the polite converstation and told him I had to get back to work. He came by every so often and we struck up a friendship. I never knew what he did at Bear Archery as I never asked him, he only said that he was one of the bow engineers with Bear. One day we were talking and he asked me "what type of bow do I shoot?", I said none at the present as I did not have the money because, I was recently married and had a new baby to provide for and I was working two jobs and also in the Navy Reserves to help make ends meet, I showed him some pictures of my wife and baby, he said I had a good looking family and he could see why I was working so much. I told him I had been saving my money for some time though, and I hoped to have me a new bow by the time hunting season rolled around in a few months. He asked me how much I had saved up for the bow I told him not alot I was putting away $10.00 a week and only had saved up about $100 or so. He continued to come by every now and then and we would talk, he would always ask how the family was and how much I had saved for my new bow. One day he stopped by and I was cleaning up and he said hello, I said hi, and he saw that I was a bit down and asked me what was wrong. I said nothing really, he asked me again and I told him I had almost enough to get my new bow, but something had come up at home and I had to use the money I saved to pay for it and it looked like I would not get to go hunting this season after all. Hunting season was less than a month a way and I had saved all year to buy me a bow. But I told him it was ok, there would always be next year. He said "family has to come first and I am glad a young father and husband as yourself knows that, good for you". He told me that he would see me in a few months that he had to get back on the road. I told him I had hoped to see him when he returned. A week or so later I was told that Frank Scott wanted to see me. I went to his office and knocked on the door jam as the door was already open, he asked me to come in and said I have something for you. In the corner was a brand new Jennings Carbon Extreme bow all decked out for hunting and another box of Bear Arrows with broadheads and practice points. This bow was not even on the market yet. I told Mr. Scott thank you, but I could never afford such a bow. He said well that may be so but atleast take a look at it and tell me what you think. I went over to the table the bow was on and picked it up and the first thing I saw was a signature on the bow riser that said. "To a hard working father and a friend, Tom Jennings..."
> 
> This may sound unbelievable, but the man I had been talking all those times was none other than Tom Jennings and I never knew it. I never did get tio thank him in person as I never saw him again. A month or so later I received news that my package to switch from Naval Reserve duty to Navy active duty had been approved and I was cut new orders to Pearl Harbor. I will never forget those months spent at Bear Archery and the many talks I had with Tom Jennings.


very cool story.


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## Ga8point

Started with a 4 wheel bear whitetail hunter in 1986. Browning Mirage was my favorite of all time. They were all great bows thru the years.
In 1989, Browning Mirage, (after the year drop issues were fixed), ‘90 Mirage, ‘91 Mirage all 3 were 80lbers. Below is a list that I remember having. Was thinking I had a Blue Mountain, but can’t remember 100%. Below is a list that I have owned, and still can’t remember all of them

Bear Kodiak
PSE Fire Flight
TSS Quadrflex split limb
Mountaineer
York shoot thru
McPherson Eliminator
Hoyt Vantage 
Hoyt Pro Vantage with Overdraw
Hoyt FPS
High Country
Golden Eagle -2 
Oneida Eagle -2 
Pro Line Point Blank
XI Legend
Martin Cougar Magnum
Martin Lynx
Parker EZ Draw
Jennings Carbon Express
Bowtech Commander - 2 of them
Diamond Marquis
Hoyt Contender
Apex - 2
Elite 35
Elite 37
Elite 39
Diamond Medalist
Chill R - 2
Chill X - 4
Pearson Trust
TRX 38
Now a TRX 36 and still shooting the Chillx


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## Deo Vindice

still have mine, just an ornament now..


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## Deo Vindice

hoyt super slam supreme


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## dondiego

Beautiful recurve as a kid. Learned the hard way to remove the arrows BEFORE unstringing after I buried a broadhead into the back of my leg when the bow slipped off my wet boots when unstringing! Those were the days when there wasn't a cover over the broadheads...or at least I didn't have one.


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## DryHollow

Started with a Bear Black Bear, then an XI legend, then Browning Midas, Golden Eagle Pro Turbo and a Hoyt Havoc that I have hunted with since the late 90’s. I keep threatening to buy a new bow but just can’t give up what works


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## stubblejumper1

Awe. My first compound bow. No idea what it was, bought it new when I was 14. Shot the hell out of it every day after school. Often before.

When I needed new arrows, I took it to the fancy range in the city. The range czars told me I needed a kisser button, sight, and a new rest(I had made one) for it to took. We shot for a bit. Several of them were suddenly done shooting for the day.


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## Theisgroup

Started off with a Hoyt td3 promedalist and purchased a td4 gold medalist. Snapped it and hour sent me the new td4+

Put the td4+ on the shelf for 28 years abs just unpacked it last September and started shooting again.


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## bowproPat

For all you guys and gals that have old bows you love with metal cables I have good news for you.
Within the next couple of months a new supply of double teardrop cables will be completed and Pat Norris Archery will have them in stock. Pat Norris Archery is the Springy Rest guy. LOL That's me. for more information email me at [email protected]


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## joel308cal

My CSS bows from back in the 90’s are still being used daily. System 1 for 3D and a System 2 for hunting.


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## Chipalexander

outbackarcher said:


> I have had many bows over the years that stick out in my mind but there are a couple that I wish I would have hung on to. I had a Hoyt Defiant in 1995 that was awesome, I won alot of money with that bow. And another was the Bowtech Pro 40 Dually....that bow was a true shooter. I wish companies would start making some 2 cam bows again.


Did your defiant look like this one? Definitely a great bow


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## Copan250

I have a Jennings Quasar, it was my fathers originally and it has been kept at museum quality for 30 years, it’s currently hanging on my office wall lol


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## joesangimino

Hunter2678 said:


> I had a Golden Eagle predator, bought it brand new and I was 15...the draw was way too long for me in hindsight, had plastic wheels but had the recurve limbs which i thought were soooo cool. I must have painted and taped the thing 50 times to obtain the perfect camo pattern but to no avail. Had a cheap old Bohning Pines quiver on it that would rattle the arrows when it shot. Made a loud twangggg and vibrated alot. The grip on the thing was like grabbing a cinder block, bulky and uncomfortable...But man did I think that bow was the best thing since sliced bread. Took my first 6 point with it and a doe. Both were shot walking under my stand. I think if I ever had to take a shot over 15 yards the deer would have jumped the string with no problem...puts things into perspective.


My Fred bear bow was on of my favorites! I shot many arrows each day out of it as a 16 year old. Good times.


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## Davelefty

My first bow was a used Jennings Sidekick. I was in college and on a tight budget. I wanted to jump into archery but didn't know if I'd still with it. I am left handed so I couldn't just "try" bows from all my RH friends. I found the used 50# LH Jennings for $29 with a quiver at a small shop in Punxsutawney in 1977. I don't recall shooting it particularly well but it cured my itch to jump into archery hunting. I bought my first new LH Martin Cougar Magnum (wooden limbs) a few years later. At that same time, a younger LH fella was in the same boat. I lent him my Jennings which was stolen from his truck. Never saw it again.....................


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## mallardsx2

I had a reflex express that was a great bow. I should have never sold it. It was the most accurate bow I have ever owned in my life and I have had a pile of other bows that cost significantly more $$.....


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## Clayf250

My old Hoyt Superslam Supreme was a boat anchor! But I shot the hell out of it every chance I got!


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