What Was Your 1st Bow Or Rifle?

by **ElkNut1** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 1]

For me it was a bow when I was 11, it was a beaut! (grin) It was a hand me down 30# fiberglass recurve & I had 3-4 wooden arrows that seemed to be 4' long, but that never stopped me from shooting it nearly everyday! Man I loved that bow! Don't know whatever happened to it but it was my 1st! (grin) What was yours?

ElkNut1

by **Toby** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 2]

I was maybe 7 or 8, my grandpa bought me a 20# fiberglass bow. I shot it a million times, even took some small game with it. It is hanging in my basement now, brings back good memories from over fifty years ago.

by **NirvanaFan** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 3]

They just recently opened up rifle hunting for big game where I live, so everyone always used shotguns. My first was a 16ga shotgun handed down to me from my Grandfather when I was about 12. I still love that gun. I didn't get into archery hunting until I was around 18, when I bought my own Bear Whitetail II. It was cheap, but it worked! I took my first whitetail at 5 yards with it.

by **Trophyhill** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 4]

First rifle at 34 years young Ruger M77 7mm Remington Mag
First bow at 45 Martin FireCat

by **ElkNut1** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 5]

Toby, I am jealous!! You have no idea how bad I wish I still had that old fiberglass bow just to look at now & then, very cool bud!

Joe, a 16ga was an unusual gauge back then? Do you still have it?

David, you just may take the cake for the guy who started the latest! (big grin)

ElkNut1

by **patdel** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 6]

First bow was a little fiberglass recurve. Shotgun hunting here as well. First gun was a 20 Gauge youth model 870. Gifts from my dad, who was outstanding in every way. I really miss that guy. I was constantly running around with that shotgun looking for rabbits and pheasants. I went wherever I wanted and if someone saw me, they waved. Times have changed, if a kid did that now, I'm pretty sure he'd be riding home with the sheriff. The bow disappeared somehow over the years, but I still have the gun. It's priceless.

by **rudyc** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 7]

My first bow was a hickory self bow when I was about 8, first shotgun was a bolt action J C Higgins 12ga when I was 12 years old. Boy, that shotgun did teach me to make the first shot count!!!

Both given to me by my Godfather, still have them both and am still shooting self bows.
Nowadays I do my bird hunting with a couple of 16ga side by sides.

by **Trophyhill** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 8]

ElkNut1 wrote:Toby, I am jealous!! You have no idea how bad I wish I still had that old fiberglass bow just to look at now & then, very cool bud!

Joe, a 16ga was an unusual gauge back then? Do you still have it?

David, you just may take the cake for the guy who started the latest! (big grin)

ElkNut1

Ya know Paul? If there is one regret I have it is that I didn't start bowhunting and elk hunting right out of the gate. I thought I loved hunting mule deer with my rifle. That was until I discovered elk hunting with a bow. I thought about bowhunting since I was a boy (dad didn't hunt so neither did me or my brothers) and I envy all of you that got an early start at it. Just goes to show that it really is never too late.

by **NirvanaFan** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 9]

ElkNut1 wrote: Joe, a 16ga was an unusual gauge back then? Do you still have it?

Ohh, yeah, I still have the 16ga. My grandfather passed away when I was 15 or 16, so the gun has sentimental value and will always be with me. It will probably make it's way into my son's collection eventually. The gun was made in 1969. Finding slugs for it can be difficult, but birdshot is pretty easily found. I used to order 20 boxes of slugs at a time off the internet, but with NYs new gun laws (don't get me started on them :twisted:

) that is no longer possible. Whenever I see boxes of slugs at the store, I pick them up.

It's an Ithaca model 37 featherweight with a bird and slug barrel chambered in 2 3/4". It's a nice shooting gun, and has taken more than it's fair share of game. It kicks more than most 12ga that I've shot though, so most other people don't like it. It does need to be reblued, so if someone knows a good gunsmith with reasonable prices, feel free to PM me

by **Njdiverdan** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 10]

I grew up building bows from saplings all the time. Tough part was arrows. Probably around 10 I "borrowed" a thin hardwood dowel from my dad's word working stuff and the metal tip off one of my brothers darts from his dart board. Best flying arrow even with out fletching. My first real bow was a bear whitetail when I was 13. A couple years later the Whitetail 2 came out and I sold the whitetail and bought this new very fancy super fast bow.

-dan

by **atfrith** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 11]

First shotgun- single barrel break action 410
rifle- Marlin lever action 30-30
Bow- all I know about it is that it's an older browning compound

by **zpd307** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 12]

my dad bought me my first shotgun when I was 12, a used rem 1100. It was used and I later looked up the serial number. It was made in 1962. i bought my first bow just out of high school in 1994, it was a darton. i was going to use it when we first went to Colorado 2 years ago, but bought a used bear attack instead. i am glad i did, as the bear is light years ahead of that old darton. i also bought my first rifle just out of high school. put my browning a-bolt 300 win mag on layaway back in the day....

by **Raven10** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 13]

My first firearm was a remington singleshot when I was 10. My first bow was a Team Primos at age 52.

by **Indian Summer** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 14]

First bow was a 20# grey fiberglass recurve. My brother and I each had one. Shot them a million times. This thread makes me want to go to my mother's house and look for them. Killed lots of empty milk jugs with those starting when I was about 6.

First shotgun: JC Higgins 12 gauge given to me by mad dad. Yep... make the first shot count. I still have that.

First rifle given to me by my mother a Revelation model .30-30 bolt action. Had open sites but I put a side mount on it with a 4 power weaver scope. Still have that too. I keep them all anymore.

by **Elkduds** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 15]

Dad's 1950 model 94 in thutty-thutty got me my 1st deer. My 1st bow was an archaic $40 Browning compound from the classifieds. Got a new Ithaca model 37 12 gauge for my 14th birthday.

by **Olydog09** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 16]

My first Firearm was a Ruger 10-22 with 4x scope. It was a Christmas present when I was in second grade. I remember being in class the first day back from Christmas break (It was still called Christmas break then) and the teacher had us write and draw pictures of our gifts. All the other kids were drawing Barbies and play toys and I drew a picture of myself shooting a gun. Hahaa the teacher was a little surprised.

My first bow was a Darton Excel, I still have both and have been considering taking out the old Excel for a season, Fine line sights, TM Hunter and all.

by **elkmtngear** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 17]

First bow- 5 years old...little yellow fiberglass.

First rifle- hand me down 30-30 lever action, I started using it at 12 years of age (legal age to buy a deer tag)

by **Ghost** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 18]

A bear 50lb recurve, I have my dads recurve, keep telling myself that I'll practice and use it for archery, never seem to get the time. Built up an A303 when I was a kid, still have it, last thing I shot with it was a mule deer buck in 2003.

by **Broken arrow** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 19]

I was lucky not sure what age but my dad worked at York archery so I had several fiberglass bows. I also got my first compound a whitetail hunter at 12 didn't kill my first deer till I was 19 with a 55# bear recurve that I still have. (Dad was a bird hunter). First shotgun was a JC Higgins 410. Then I moved up to a rem 16ga auto made for Sears.

by **ElkNut1** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 20]

Great stuff guys! I was hoping it would pull a few out of the woodwork! (grin) I can't believe how many guns & bows many had at a young age! Looks like many should be very thankful to their dads & grandpas! Awesome!

ElkNut1

by **easeup** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 21]

I bought my first bow at 48 yrs off eBay just to see if I would like shooting one; it was an old Martin firecat with steel cables.
who would have figured it was going to change my life? In Sept of that same year I took a 4pt bull with it, and the rifle has not seen daylight since.

by **WapitiTalk1** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 22]

First rifle was a Savage over/under 20 GA-22. First bow was a Jennings Shooting Star.

by **Lefty** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 23]

I found a rifle barrel and action in a junk pile as a kid, When I was 12 I bought a Stevens Semi Auto from a neighbor for $25.00 . At 14 I bought a new Ruger 10/22 at Schells for $39.00 and before that fall a 12 gauge Ithica 37 A Featherwight

First bows were when I was 4,5,6 My dAd would buy those cheap Indian bows with the suction cups arrow tips , we wore those things out, then he bought some youth fiberglass bows from a school auction.

Right before my 13 th birthday My neighbor took me to Herters in Waseca. He spent hours looking at bows. He picked out a bow with "defects"
from the back storage building. I think he just talked long enough the salesman was ready to leave. I paid $35.00 for that bow the others without "defects " sold for $105.00
I still have that re curve. I was planning on being a great archer like my neighbor. He taught me how to shoot I think in the summer of 1971 and kept me supplied with aluminum arrows.
At thirteen I was 85lbs soaking wet, and could shoot that 43# recurve all day long

I still own that piece of junk Stevens, the rifle barrle and action I found in the junk pile and that Herters bow

by **mrganser** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 24]

A Ruger M77 6mm was my first big game rifle that I bought myself when I was in 4th or 5th grade. I still have it and it is one of the most accurate rifles I have ever shot.

First bow was a Diamond Outlaw purchased a few years ago. That was my gateway drug into this great world of archery.

by **elkoholic** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 25]

My first gun at the age of 10 was a Remington .243 youth model.
My first bow was a 45# bear at the age of 12, but I do remember having a red fiber glass bow prior to the bear

by **husky390** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 26]

My first bow was a Bear fiberglass recurve that I inherited from my Dad. I gave it to my brother with some of my old arrows this year.

My first rifle was a Stevens .22 that I bought when I was 12. A family member found it after his dad had passed. He refinished the stock for me and I carried it all over the woods of Wisconsin during the summertime. Hair trigger and accurate but has a problem feeding from the tube magazine. I still have it.

My first pistol was a Ruger Single Six with both cylinders. I got that when I was 13 for getting good grades. I still have it.

by **Harmy** » 03 01, 2014 • [Post 27]

: CHH_3727.JPG (133.53 KiB) Viewed 35763 times

Daisy Pump BB at 8.
49# fiberglass bow at 10 (couldn't pull it for many years later though)
Browning BL 22 at 11.
Remington 700 .243 at 12.

Still have them all.

by **Wyo67** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 28]

As an 8 year old cub scout, my first bow was a fiberglass Bear. Back in the day when I could use a hay bale as a back stop...

A couple of 12gauge shotguns, .22's, a 22-250, and a .270 were passed down to me when Dad was killed turkey hunting when I was a kid. Still have them all. Still use the ol' model 700 .270 for everything from antelope to elk. Shoots fantastic groups.

by **Mofarmboy** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 29]

My first bow was a little green fiberglass my grandpa give me when I was 6. First real bow was a bear kodiak I bought from Kmart......recently bought it back from my buddy for sentimental value.
First rifle was a rugerm77 257roberts I bought when I was 13. I've killed a ton of deer with it .my wife and daughter claim it now. it's a great little gun that my son will get someday.

by **ElkNut1** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 30]

Wow, I had no idea so many started out with the older fiberglass bows? I guessed I should have asked how many didn't have a fiberglass bow! Except for Trophyhill!!!! (grin) By the way mine was a Ben Pearson one the best I can recall.

ElkNut1

by **husky390** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 31]

Mofarmboy wrote:First rifle was a rugerm77 257roberts I bought when I was 13. I've killed a ton of deer with it .my wife and daughter claim it now. it's a great little gun that my son will get someday.

I love that cartridge and hope to get a deer with it this year.

by **Fridaythe13th** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 32]

My dad bought me my 1st shotgun the year before deer hunting season Remington Wingmaster the bread and butter of shotguns in my opinions. My 1st rifle was 25-06 Browning. 1st bow was wood limb compound I don't know the name of it might have been a PSC hunter?

by **Csrbowhunter** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 33]

My first bow 20# red fiberglass bow with wooden arrows. I shot the heck out of that bow. My first gun crossman pellet gun. I killed so many birds with that gun. Me and the kids in the neighborhood would be gone from daylight till dark hunting the old railroad tracks. We would have contests to see who could kill the most birds in a day or frogs just what ever.lol good times. These days I won't even let my daughter go outside unless I'm outside too! How times have changed.

by **itsnlkthing** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 34]

My first gun was a daisy lever action BB gun at 6 followed by a single shot 20 gauge at 10. My first rifle was a winchester model 94 30/30 octagon barrel that was my great great grandfather's. Still have all but the Daisy. My first bow at age 50 Bowtech Insanity. Just got it and looking forward to my first year of bow hunting.

by **Mofarmboy** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 35]

husky390 wrote:
Mofarmboy wrote:First rifle was a rugerm77 257roberts I bought when I was 13. I've killed a ton of deer with it .my wife and daughter claim it now. it's a great little gun that my son will get someday.

I love that cartridge and hope to get a deer with it this year.

Its a great caliber especially for youths. Low recoil but plenty heavy bullet for a clean kill. Why type of rifle do you have?

by **Triplebhunters** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 36]

30-30 marlin my dad bought me for my 12th birthday

Couger magnum by Martin was my first bow, never did learn to shoot it. After I lost my first six arrows I hung it up for the next 25 years. Then went from bowtec general to Hoyt Carbon element.

by **slim9300** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 37]

I was 8 when I was given my first hunting rifle. A cut down Remington 7mm08 with a red dot scope. At 13 years old I received a Pearson compound, which once I could get it up to 60 lbs. DW at age 14, my dad let me finally go kill my first elk with a bow. (It only took about 20 misses first!)

by **Mikeha33** » 03 03, 2014 • [Post 38]

I got my first shotgun when I was 12, an old Winchester model 41 Bolt action .410, that was a 3rd generation hand-me-down. Still have it, and shoot it sometimes, It'll be my son's first shotgun. I used to carry it quail hunting with dad and grandpa (when we had quail), and when the dogs would go on point, one of them would toss me a single shell to load. It's killed a bunch of birds

First bow was a compound XI paragon I got for Christmas when I was 15, I think. I asked for a bow, and didn't have any archery hunters at all in my family, so I self taught everything about archery. Wish I still had it to hand down also, but I guess he'll get lucky and get a lot nicer bow than my first.

by **jrnorton4** » 03 03, 2014 • [Post 39]

First bow was a left hand Browning Fusion I saved up for and bought around 1994, when I was in middle school. I just had new strings put on it last year and hunted with it, as it was still the only compound bow I had. Bought a newer Elite a few weeks ago for our elk hunt this year. Man, technology in bows has come a long, long way!

I borrowed my dad's guns when I was younger, but the first one that was really mine is a Remington 1100 3" magnum, 30" full choke barrel. My parents got it for me for Christmas one year, and its just like my grandpa's that has taken more game than should be allowed by one gun. It was stolen about 4 years ago from my parent's house, along with all of my other hunting guns, but by the grace of God they were recovered the same day. It is still the only gun I turkey hunt with. The only time I have ever taken a different gun turkey hunting, I missed a gobbler with a 10 inch beard. Learned that lesson.

by **ishy** » 03 03, 2014 • [Post 40]

No fiberglass...pretty sure my first bow was plastic. Some of my earliest memories are shooting rotten melons that went bad out my dad's garden. First gun that I really claim is a remington bdl 22-250 fast and flat. Learned pretty young how to reach out and touch rabbits and ground squirrels. First shotgun is a great story about my wife. We were newlyweds and barely had a pot to pee in. I worked at a local hardware store that had an old shotgun with a homemade safety on it just sitting in back. The manager was a bird hunter and I was going to offer him $30 for the old gun just to be able to go bird hunting with him. At christmas that year my wife got a second job while I was at work wrapping christmas presents at the mall and did it all completely without me having a clue. She pulled a complete christmas story on me. I had already had a great christmas with lots of stuff including the movie A Christmas Story. We had finished watching it and she says,"did you get everything you wanted?" I replied yes and then some, and she asks "whats that behind the tree?" She had hollowed out the tree and there was a brand new remington 870 hiding behind it. You guys know I have some heavy issues at home, but I still can't tell that story without getting goosebumps.

by **ABQ_Chica** » 03 03, 2014 • [Post 41]

My first bow was a PSE Chaos (at age 38). Have since moved on to other compound bows and traditional archery.

No firearm yet--I'm in love with quiet twang of archery season and reusable ammo.

It's great so many of you started so young. I'm just now living the huntin' & fishin' childhood I wish I'd had. It's never too late!

by **Swede** » 03 03, 2014 • [Post 42]

First real gun was a 22 Winchester. The first center fire was a 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser. It was a crude military piece when I got it, but dad did an incredible job in converting it. I still have both guns. My first bow was a 54# Browning recurve. I shot Port Orford cedar shafts tipped with Herter's broad heads. The shafts also had 5 inch turkey feather fletchings.

by **Washington Wapiti** » 03 04, 2014 • [Post 43]

A REALLY old . . . uh, vintage pellet gun that was my grandmother's. I don't even know what brand it was, maybe a Sheridan or something. I did "depredation hunts" of robins and crows on my grandparents farm when I was 12 and 13.

Hey, someone had to keep the buggers away from the fruits my grandma canned, and grandma handed down the orders. A LOT of birds went down in those days. I learned to sight-it in on my own from the get-go. Don't ask me why it took another 24 years to actually pick-up the hunting obsession in earnest. Weird. Besides the plastic one from K-mart with the suction cup arrows, first and only bow I still have today is a Bowtech Vital Impact. It is basically a replacement for the old Bowtech Tomkat, with a few upgraded features from the Tomkat. It was made for Sportsman's in 2007 and I bought mine in Utah in 2008. They are discontinued now. I love that friggin' thing. I shot 5 different bows the day I went in and that one fit like a glove and shot the best to me.

by **husky390** » 03 04, 2014 • [Post 44]

Mofarmboy wrote:
husky390 wrote:
Mofarmboy wrote:First rifle was a rugerm77 257roberts I bought when I was 13. I've killed a ton of deer with it .my wife and daughter claim it now. it's a great little gun that my son will get someday.

I love that cartridge and hope to get a deer with it this year.

Its a great caliber especially for youths. Low recoil but plenty heavy bullet for a clean kill. Why type of rifle do you have?

It's a custom barrel for a T/C Contender Carbine. Unfortunately I can't shoot the +P ammo through it due to the pressure levels but the accuracy from minimum loads will easily get the job done.

by **JJ Overkill** » 03 04, 2014 • [Post 45]

my first bow was a hurters perfection 52" 8 wheels on that thing. I still have it but I had a limbs snap on me and I cant find a replacement anywhere. my dad got it for me for Christmas when I was 12. the bow was built in the late 60s it is over 20yrs my elder. I wish I could find limbs for it so I could shoot it one more time

by **ElkNut1** » 03 05, 2014 • [Post 46]

Sweet, never saw or heard of an 8 wheely bow? How heavy would you guess it is?

ElkNut1

by **Bow4Elk** » 03 05, 2014 • [Post 47]

My first gun was a Remington 870 Wingmaster in a 20 ga my dad got me for Christmas in 1965. Still have it and it has killed a lot of chukar in that time.First bow was a Ben Pearson fiberglass recurve for Christmas in 1966. Bought my first rifle in 1970. It is a Remington BDL 7mm Mag. Still have all of them and more now. Just can't seem to quit buying toys for shooting and hunting.

by **8upbowhunter** » 03 05, 2014 • [Post 48]

My first real gun was a Stevens Savage bolt action .410 which I still have. Before that it was a Daisey pump BB gun then a Benjamin pellet gun. Man I did some damage with those 2 guns. My first bow was a Bear whitetail hunter in the late 70's. I killed a spike with it on my first hunt and I have been hooked ever since.