Well who would have thought, it's only been twelve months !
Twelve months since what ? I hear you ask.
Well twelve months since I placed an order for a Custom built Gringa longbow & decided I was going to be a traditional archer !
Some may snicker due to the carbon arrows that frequent my quiver, but since October last year, I have picked up my wheelie bow only three or four times. Most of those just to make sure it still works. In fact, only 1 hunt that comes to mind & that was right at the start of this journey.
So what has happened in the last twelve months that is worth writing about ?
Plenty, I have taken my 1st Trad kill, I have harvested my first kill of species on Goat, Pig & hare.
There are a mile of photo's from north Qld, western Qld, southern Qld & anything that was worth a damn in between.
I attended my first Traditional archery shoot, my first Gladstone Muster.
At these shoots, I also met many of the big prominent names that frequent these parts of Ozbow & some that don't. Many people I have spoken with on here & can't wait to catch up with.
I have learnt to make my own timber arrows (since learning it's an art best left to those with more time than I) I have tried & failed at more shooting techniques than I care to name.
I have spent many hours with a select few who have taken the time to share their knowledge with me. Not just in practice, but hunting & basically just chewing the fat over a beer or two.
Three people who have been very influential over my Traditional archery venture in the last twelve months.
Blu-dog(bgs05, shanks, more names than he knows what to do with that boy). Blu-dog introduced me into the realm of trad archery (yes dear, it is he you must blame) Not only letting me fondle his long bows, but brokering my first long bow purchase for me (I was to scared). Then Introducing me to LbRod55 when the time had come to place that all important order for a bow to suit my needs.
LbRod55 (Gringa, sweetheart, what is it with you blokes & all these bloody nick names) What can I say, you have spent countless hours watching my arrows fly down your back yard & smash into anything but what I was supposed to be hitting. You have gently offered advise & pointers & occasionally smacked me over the back of the head when you seen fit. I am just glad you have never charged me by the arrow for all the ones we have sent down your range. You created me the Red Belly Black Stick which has turned out to be one of those bows I would refer to as "Ol' Faithfull. When it has all turned bad, this is the bow that brings it together under any conditions for me.
You then went forward & produced The Mistress. Well what fun she has brought. With a shoulder injury slowing me down, the lower poundage has seen me continue on in my Traditional archery venture. At the same time setting me a whole new set of challenges to deal with.
Keith (Yowie, Geez mate, they must have got tired making nick names by the time they got to you) Yowie has the 3d range on his property that he allows us to shoot any weekend we can get there. You never know what you are in for, the range is never the same twice, he likes to keep you on your toes. Keith hand crafts every arrow he shoots (except the ones I give him ....lol) I spent a few days in Texas hunting with Keith, a man that could teach many hunters a thing or two I am sure.
As I said, they has been many that have spent the time to help me get this far. Those are just the three main guys I guess.
But anyway, back to reflecting on MY last Twelve months.
I reckon it would be safe to say, thousands of arrows have passed over the shelf. Many of which that found their mark ....cough..... cough....... ok, some of them did, many of them didn't .... lol
How about I shut up & take you on a photographical journey of the last twelve months ...........
First ever Trad kill with my first longbow (a Smokey bow)
Having a go at my first wood arrows
The ruff crowd I been hanging out with.
Even made my own target butts
First Trad goat
Scored a Longbow hare
My first long bow Pig (Taken on a group hunt in the Cape 6 weeks after picking up the red belly)
Hunting with a mate who I have introduced to archery (although he is a wheelie hunter) But on a recent hunt this year we both took a billy from the same mob, he with wheels, I without.
Sharing a hunt with Blu-dog to secure his first Trad kill (Other than a mouse)
Same hunt I scored my first full trad kill, Longbow & wood arrows .......
On a hunt long before I had turned to the dark side, we had a bloke accompany us on a hunt to Mitchell.
Ozbow's own Scrub bull, 2 young billies with a long bow. I may not have know it, but I am sure it started the spark of what the dark side was like .....lol
Gladstone muster
Shooting a round at Keith's is great fun, even better to share it with someone new. G'day Roadie.
I made a tapering machine due to my insane hatred for hand tapering timber shafts ....lol Kingly modelled by blu-dog
Hunting Texas with that rowdy crew again
Terrible things you see when out on a late hunt
I could go on & on for ages. But I am sure I have just about bored you lot to death by now. I guess I just wanted to mark the mild stone of turning one. Pay some respect & say thanks to all those who have helped me on my way.
I hope the next twelve months has just as much in store. I hope to catch up with the mates I have made during this journey & meet just as many more.
Thanks for listening to my dribble & thanks for reading.
the words thank you are often over looked in today's world. So I guess this was my way of making sure, just in case they haven't heard me 
I thought 'Red Ones" go faster!
Huh! Seems like forever... 
