G. Fred Asbell began shooting a bow and arrow in the late 1950's and since that time has hunted most of the big game species throughout the U. S. and Canada. In 1991, he bowhunted for black bear in Alberta, mule deer, elk, and Rocky Mountain goats in Colorado, and white-tails in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Alabama, and Alberta. He started hunting in southern Indiana, but has called Colorado home for more than twenty years. He is perhaps best known for his philosophical approach to bowhunting and for his writing on bow shooting.
Fred is the President of the Pope and Young Club, Hunting Editor of Bowhunter Magazine, and a regular columnist for Professional Bowhunters Society. In 1986 he wrote Instinctive Shooting, which is now in its fifth printing. A follow-up book, also on instinctive shooting, will be available in the fall of 1992.
Tim Baker, like many others, first became interested in archery after reading about Ishi and the remarkable weapons he made with only stone tools. Upon reading the available archery texts, it became clear to Tim there was a great deal of contradiction and confusion about wooden bows and their design. He decided the only way to get reliable information was to make every conceivable type of bow of every conceivable material while keeping complete statistics on each one. By comparing stats, the qualities which produce superior bows slowly became apparent. Based upon his research, he has written articles on wooden bows and their construction, as well as teaching at archery meets and primitive skills workshops. Tim can be contacted at 6609 Whitney, Oakland, CA, 94609
Paul Comstock never used a hunting weapon he really liked until he started carrying a wooden bow. He earlier tagged white-tails and black bears using a center-fire rifle, muzzleloader, shotgun, compound bow, and glass-laminated recurve bow. Since switching to wooden bows, he has abandoned modern hunting weapons entirely. Where legal, he also uses stone-tipped arrows exclusively. His largest game so far with a wooden bow is a 300-pound black bear.
He began making wooden bows in 1984. From the onset he began experimenting with woods other than yew and Osage orange, curious because old bowmaking books ignored these woods almost completely. In 1988 he published the first edition of The Bent Stick, the first bowmaking manual to describe in comprehensive detail how to get the best results from some of North America's most common trees. Subsequent findings have been incorporated into updated editions of "The Bent Stick." Some of these findings stem from investigative projects conducted with Tim Baker. Paul sells the "The Bent Stick" for $11 a copy, postpaid. He can be reached at P. O. Box 1102, Delaware, OH 43015.
Charles E. Grayson, M. D., 82, retired, has been active in archery for 70 years in target, field, flight, hunting, history, and collecting of archery items, memorabilia, and literature. He is a life member of Sacramento Target Archery Club, installed into California Archery Hall of Fame, and a recipient of the Drake Flight Medal. He has made most of his own bows from the old English type to backed bows, laminated recurves, horn and antler bows. His extensive archery collection is now partly in the Archery Museum at the University of Missouri, Columbia, which opened in October, 1991. The remainder of the collection will be housed there in a new museum building now under construction.
Jim Hamm was born in Texas in 1952, and practically grew up with a bow in his hands, graduating from small game to deer hunting when only twelve. His interest in archery never faded, and about the time he married discovered bows made entirely from wood, a discovery which was to consume his adult life. Though spending his early years operating heavy equipment, working freight docks, and "becoming a promising young executive," Jim finally went into archery full-time. He has been, as he puts it, "selfunemployed" for the past twelve years: making bows, researching, writing about bows, and recently, teaching others the age-old skill of wooden bowmaking through intensive, hands-on seminars conducted at his home. He also owns and operates Bois d'Arc Press, publishing archery books both old and new. Jim's first book. Bows and Arrows of the Native Americans, is available for $16.95 postpaid. To order books or inquire about bowmaking seminars write; Bois d'Arc Press 4, PO Box 233, Azle, TX, 76020.
Dr. A1 Herrin is a member of the Cherokee Nation and was reared near their capitol of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. He began shooting the traditional bow as a small child, and his interest in archery eventually attracted the attention of
Several of the old Cherokee bowyers who taught him the secrets of their ancient craft. A1 not only makes bows and arrows but uses them, regularly competing in archery tournaments (including the Cherokee sport of cornstalk shooting), and hunting big and small game. He has written extensively for newspapers and magazines on the topics of Indian culture and bowhunting. His book, Cherokee Bows and Arrows, is available for $14.95, postpaid ($15.62 Oklahoma, $20.95 foreign), from White Bear Publishing, Dept. H, Rt. 3 Box 172, Tahlequah, OK, 74464.
A native of Oklahoma, Jay Massey has lived in Alaska for the past 23 years and is a registered guide/outfitter and a former member of the Alaska Board of
Game. He operates an outfitting business. Moose John Outfitters, which caters to archery hunters, wilderness enthusiasts and salmon fishermen. He has written four archery books and is currently at work on a fifth which will combine fiction with fact to dramatize significant archery-related events of medieval England, the Steppes of Asia and pre-contact Indian America.
Jay's other books can be ordered through Bear Paw Publications, P. O. Box 429, Girdwood, AK 99587: Bowhunting Alaska's Wild Rivers ($15.95); A Thousand Campfires ($14.95); The Bowyer's Craft ($16.95); and The Book of Primitive Archery ($18.95). Add $2 for postage and handling.
Glenn Parker, M. D., began shooting an old lemonwood bow when only eight years old, and has had the good fortune to take many big and small game animals over the years. His interest in archery expanded to include the history behind the bows, arrows, and archers of the past and he became an avid collector of old archery items. His "hunting" now includes looking up old bowyers and bowhunters, and he travels across the country to personally meet these men. Hearing their tales of hunting in times past Glenn considers the most rewarding part of collecting. He has assembled one of the largest collections of historic archery tackle in the country, featuring items from Art Young, Saxton Pope, Ishi, Howard Hill, and a host of other well-known bowhunters.
Glenn currently manufactures a line of laminated recurves and longbows, each one hand-made with strict attention given to detail and performance. Contact him at Greywolf Bows, 11503 E. Jayhawk, Houston TX, 77044.
World History
