Old Duffers were young once.

Charlie Lamb · May 13, 2005, 09:59:00 AM

Here's one of my favorite places on earth. Doubt I could get there anymore.

Joey Ward · May 13, 2005, 10:20:00 AM

When I get young, I wanna look just like Van.

Dave Bulla · May 13, 2005, 10:23:00 AM

Hey Charlie, is that beaver the one ya fell into the icy river trying to retrieve?

Ron LaClair · May 13, 2005, 10:27:00 AM

You younger people be sure and take lots of pictures, todays young are tomorrows Duffers.

This picture only goes back 15 years or so but it's one of my tresured one's. Glenn and I shooting together.

Ron LaClair · May 13, 2005, 10:48:00 AM

Here's another favorite picture taken in the early 80's. This is my wife Nancy, my bow hunting partner for the last 45 years. We were on a winter rabbit hunt in northern Michigan and Nancy's feet got cold so we stopped and built a fire. She's pretty tough and the cold usually dosen't bother her. She still hunts with me and she's already talking about this coming season.

Check out that converted bow quiver I'm using.

Cody Roiter · May 13, 2005, 01:19:00 PM

are the bow howard hill longbows ron

Cody Roiter · May 13, 2005, 01:19:00 PM

sorry i have typo are the bows howard hill longbows

Ron LaClair · May 13, 2005, 01:33:00 PM

Cody, our bows were Hill "style" bows made by Ron Maulding of Big Horn Archery in Montana.

Cody Roiter · May 13, 2005, 01:44:00 PM

cool ron i love all the old pics you have do you have any more or any one with fred bear

David M. Mathis · May 13, 2005, 02:11:00 PM

Van, you wear a tie at the office, what better place than the outdoors.

Charlie Lamb · May 13, 2005, 04:58:00 PM

Dave... Nope! Not the same one. I took this one in the spring. Dang things sure do die poorly! Still have the hide.

SuperKodiak38 · May 13, 2005, 05:44:00 PM

Thanks so much for taking the time to post these, they are incredible!

Ron LaClair · May 13, 2005, 08:37:00 PM

This is me as a kid on the farm. The date on the back of the photo is 1945. I had a lemonwood longbow, a pinto pony named "Scout", and an Indian outfit. :cool: I roamed the woods and fields pretending to be a mighty hunter living off the land. I always went home when I got hungry. "[tunglaff]"

The picture below was my 1st archery award that I won at summer camp in 1947. My folks wern't rich but they sent me to a fancy boys camp that had classes teaching all kinds of outdoor activitys. Riding horses, rifle shooting, wood craft, canoeing, and archery. You were supposed to go to a different class every hour. I wouldn't go to the other classes and stayed in the archery class shooting with a different group of boys every hour.

When they ask me to go to the other activitys, I refused and told the instructors all I wanted to do was shoot the bow. I foung out later that the camp director called my parents to tell them of the trouble they were having with me. My dad told him, "if all the boy wants to do is shoot the bow, then let him shoot the bow".

The last days in camp when everybody had to shoot to qualify for a Bowmans certificate with a score of 100 or better. I shot 189, the highest score in camp.

mich-mtnman · May 13, 2005, 08:58:00 PM

man this thread is great.
im glad that you took lots of pics. very cool

Donavan Daniel · May 13, 2005, 09:11:00 PM

Mr. LaClair, this is the best thread that I have seen yet! Thanks for sharing the memories every body! Keep them coming!

Cheers,
Donavan

**DONOTDELETE** · May 13, 2005, 11:32:00 PM

QuoteConcrete bridges are tough on arras!!!

WildmanSC · May 13, 2005, 11:41:00 PM

"Here's a younger, leaner and meaner Ferret circa 1958 or 59 (will have to scan some others)"

Ferret,

That's a nice pic of your son. How about some of you?

Bill

WildmanSC · May 13, 2005, 11:45:00 PM

Ron,

I would guess that sometime between now and deer season you will be 69. Would have never guessed. You are in great shape! Congratulations!!

Bill

bayoubowman · May 14, 2005, 12:22:00 AM

Van,

I remember your dad doing those shooting demos. He did one for our church group one time. I remember him shooting an arrow off a ramp and busting a balloon. Thanks for sharing the pics.

cajunbowhntr · May 14, 2005, 01:37:00 AM

This is gotta be the best thread ever.I really regret not taking enough pictures "back in the day".
Of course to me that was 1980 not 1950 something LOL.keep em coming.

Thanks for sharing

CB

PS Warren you gotta share your secret for stayin in such good shape after all these years.probably ain't got nuthin to do with hikin in 2 miles to hunt ehhh.