The year was 1971.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  My father and I were in the backyard and he had bought my first bow for me & brought it home. I was four years old.  It was a simple fiberglass recurve kit, which was about all that was available then for young people. 

Pop strung the bow for me and gave the basics of shooting---to look at what I wanted to hit and then let the arrow fly.  Of course I am sure he went over proper form and all the basics but I what I remembered was to look at what I wanted to hit and let the arrow fly.   I've been shooting that way ever since.

I spent hours with that old bow.  We'd drive out to a friend's farm and shoot on weekends. 

My folks were bowhunters and mom took her first deer with a recurve in 1972.   They later would compete in NFAA style shoots and would often take me to these tournaments as well. 

These were the days prior to 3-D, so we shot bales and paper targets.

Around 1978 my father opened Addington's Bowhunter Shop, a retail archery shop they still run to this day.   Most family vacations revolved around hunting trips, competitions and such.   We rarely went to the beach or a "typical" vacation.   The things I carry with me are the lessons learned, the friendships and the campfires shared. 

Looking back I realize now just how lucky I was to never have played high school sports or went on a "typical" vacation. 

Instead I was able to call people like Fred Bear, Rev. Stacy Groscup, and Chuck Adams "friends." 

These role models and heroes had a lasting impact on my life.  To this day I still enjoy exhibition shooting, thanks to an early influence from friends like Stacy, Ann Clark and a few others. 

I harvested four deer before age 12, and took my first bear with a bow at age 18.  My travel schedule doesn't allow me to bowhunt as much as I'd like these days but just this past January Pop and I traveled  down to bowhunt the King ranch in South Texas with my friend Butch Thompson.  I truly enjoyed a few days with Pop; it took me back thirty years.  I am very lucky indeed to have not had many "typical" vacations.

I am thankful for every campfire I've shared at hunting camps from New Mexican elk hunts to an Oregon Roosevelt elk camp, to Canadian bear hunts.   The campfires, tales and friendships and times with my family are experiences I will carry with me and hope someday to pass on when my wife and I start a family.  These are lessons that cannot be learned in school. 

Please take time to take a young person fishing, hunting or to a target range.  These lessons learned will carry with them the rest of their life.  This will be a great step in the right direction to give them a lifetime sport and keep them away from drugs and the dangers of the street.

Now more than ever young people need positive role models and an introduction to get into the great outdoors.  With computers, TV, and all the distractions of the day there's a lot competing for young people's attention.   Take the time to help them get a lifetime hobby and you will be richly rewarded.

Today's Genesis bows are ideal for women or young people to get a taste of archery.  The National Archery in Schools program is also a great way to get young people involved in the sport of archery.
Email me for more information.

Until Next Time, God Bless & Shoot Straight,

Frank Addington, Jr.
www.frankaddingtonjr.com

Drop me a line at Aspirinbuster@aol.com and I'll email you back. 
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Email: Aspirinbuster@aol.com  Web Site: FrankAddingtonJr.com

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Email: Aspirinbuster@aol.com
Web Site: FrankAddingtonJr.com