took my new Mathews Wake to the indoor range after lunch. Cranked it up 5 more pounds, and went to tuning. Fourth arrow Robin Hooded the third.

The first one of these you ever do, is sooooooooo cool. After that, kiss thirty-five to sixty bucks goodbye.

The first one since doing a game getter in 1977. Remember them? Maroon color aluminum.

I still have some Game Getters, as well as those skinny Beman carbons they made with the "exerts" to attach the nock and broadhead....at the dawn of the carbon arrow. Yes, Robin Hoods are cool until you realize how much they're costing you!

PS: Rich, move back to 10 yards...it'll happen much less frequently :-)

there's a company making .166" OD carbons. They have a similar "exert" system.

You forgot Biebs, I'm shooting a Mathews Wake. The shot was at 200yds, pulling to full draw with the D-loop between my teeth...

Mathews?...they make nice boat anchors, never seen one of their bows.

you need to get out more...

I'm sure you know Mathews is made in Sparta Wi...To say they are the most popular brand here is an understatement. They're great bows, but I grew up shooting Hoyt. I get plenty of shit living in WI and shooting a Hoyt ,so I don't miss a chance to get my shots in

most of us started out with a Hoyt. When I was 14 I had a job driving a tractor across the river in Illinois, near St Louis. Big Time! 90-cents an hour to begin. I could catch the trolley for 15-cents, get a dime transfer and ride out to St Louis County to Earl and Anne Hoyt's shop. He was making recurves, one at a time to order and wood arrows. Mostly, he stocked Eastons. Aluminum was waaaaaaaay too expensive for a kid.

We had a million deer between our place and my Grandfathers. I convinced Mr Hoyt to build me a 6PM at 50lbs for deer.

Nobody had heard of this guy Allen, and bows with wheels back then.

The Hoyt's shop was next to this machine shop. A gutwagon came by about 10am every day, and the guys all came out and got a paper cup of the absolute worst black coffee I have ever tasted. My Hoyt got them to save the cups for him in a bucket. I would not characterize him as cheap, but he would take those cups and cut the side off about an inch from the bottom, and leave an ear on one side. He would take the cup and pin it to an excelsior bale and use it for a target.

Then came the Army, and Vietnam. By the time I got out compounds were beginning to show up.

Lots of water under that bridge in the last 40+ years.

About ten years ago I fell in love with speed. Mathews had that market. The last six years I shot a Monster Seven.

One of my nephews joined the Navy, went to Afghanistan, and just got out (with a wife and two kids) last spring. He "borrowed" the Seven and got a Turkey and a nice Muley buck last year.

Young guys just out got no money. Especially with a wife and two kids, and college full time. I sold him my bow for a dollar, and my arrows for another dollar. That was my lovely wife's idea.

Sooooooooooo, this spring I was healed enough from the Agent Orange Endoma surgery to start shooting again.

Ordered a 70 lb Monster Wake and am getting rounded into form finally.

Hoyt makes good bows, I just wanted one more real speed twin-cam bow before I got too old.

62lbs and a 425gr arrow at my 30" draw gets me 324 +/- fps.

I really like mine.

My first compound was a Jennings Model T

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
My first compound was a Jennings Model T

My uncle had one of those..probably the first compound I ever drew back. My first was a Bear Antelope...been Hoyt ever since.

Rich,
I really enjoy your posts here and these anecdotes. Real appreciation and nostalgia.
I didn't start with a Hoyt but a Bear like many. My first was in 1984 i believe it was.
Not quite in your era but i started bow hunting now over 30 years ago! (Damn I'm starting to go Grey)
Done many Robin Hoods, but they came harder after both Carbon Arrows and I long ago started aiming for different spots...especially at 20 yds.
Oh...and my eyes started going at about 40!

Between cranking up the poundage a couple pounds every ten days I am still working on staying in the yellow. I popcorned another nock this afternoon, it may be time to go to the 5-bull next week.

I've lived thru very interesting times, seeing the compound develop. I still have my old Hoyt Contender that I bought in 1985, and my PSE 4-wheeler. I had a Pearson 6-wheeler that a collector bought a couple years ago. Those were both the devil to keep in tune.

Congrats on the Robin Hood.
I have been an avid bowhunter since 1977 and have never done that.
A friend that started bowhunting five years ago and likely shoots less than 200 shots a year robin hooded one in my presence this last April. It was a miracle as he shoots. 6" groups at 20 yards on a good day.
Guess I have saved some money by not accomplishing that feat.

I have been informed, by experts, that the first one is a treasure to be displayed.

After that, they are just expensive...

Still in all, that incredible Thwack! is a totally different sound, and enjoyed.

I shot my first Robin Hood a couple of years ago on the first end of an MMA 300 tournament. I only had six arrows so I had to pull it apart to continue the match. I shot my second Robin Hood on the very next end, had to pull that one apart and borrow an arrow from my buddy to finish.

you can be accurate enough to have to borrow arrows to finish. Fortunately, I am not there yet. Or ever...

I gave up shooting at the same spot long ago ruined to many arrows with the 2nd shot.

It might be something shooting traditional bows but with modern bows sights and releases not really.

It has been 20025 years since I got my one and only Robin Hood. It is nice to have done it. I might still have it somewhere. I need to start shooting my bow again.

Congratulations Rich!

Tom

TWall, et al,

it is cool to do one. I switched the next day to the three-spot Vegas target.

yes, you do need to get the bow out again.

thanks,

Rich

My first compound was a Ben Pearson Mirage next came a Bear Flare II and finally my PSE Beast which I still hunt with, my fist bow was a Browning fiberglass recurve.

Steve.........