Note: Most of the photos linked to these thumbnails have undergone varying degrees of enlargement. If you feel you might not want to see a larger version of a given image (such as a "harvest" pic) please don't click on that thumbnail.

Row One: 1) "Harl" (Tom Davidson of Ontario Canada) - has done his utmost to help me (among others) so much in the last 3 or 4 years in pursuing my self-assigned attempts in trying to keep threads going on good causes (especially for the kids), raffles, auctions, Dino Wrangling, and the such along with sending me a very special little Doug Campbell Damascus Steel knife. I could not ask for a better, more sincere, helping hand and cyber-friend in these matters. It will come as no surprise that he would help in the "Traditional Bows Drawn" section project on this site also, by sending great full draw pics of himself and four friends on a cold Fall shoot. God Bless you, Tom Davidson. 

2) & 3) depict the other passion of an archery friend, Josiah Viv, who with his father, Lee, have also joined me in my quest for Dinosaurs for the kids at the annual ATAR trad shoot in July. They have already sent one box of Dinos, even though it looks like they won't be able to make ATAR in 2007 - thanks so much, guys. I met Lee and Josiah at The Baltimore Traditional Shoot this past Spring. Besides being an avid archer and drummer, Josiah is also a pretty smart young man to boot. 

4) Finally! After four years, I found someone to put my Logo (from the Index/Home page) on a T-shirt. How do you like the results?

5) Back in these pages are recent pics of dear friends (as Their Dad says, "probably more like family") Cal and Oak Sinclair.

6) Here is Dad, Chuck with Oak and a great backdrop panorama. A while back this family of fine friends lost their wife/mother. The guys all moved to Texas and it does my heart so much good to see the smiling faces and good appearances of these three "New Texans". (Your good fortune, Texas.) Chuck and his boys are so close - and it shows in the demeanor and personality of young Cal (I've yet to actually meet Oak - but I can't imagine too much less). Chuck and Cal are always a pleasure to be around and shoot archery with, as we have done many times and, good Lord willing, will many times more. A couple more pics on next row.

Row Two: 1) Cal Sinclair "benefiting" from an early Texas snowfall. Doesn't surprise me that his engaging smile is in place. Cal loves new experiences. 

2) So I know he loves this one with the pulled down snow mask and the four-legged Texan. I hope he loves horses as much as I always did, and gets as much out of his relationship with them as I did. Bless your hearts - all three of you, and thank you so much for the pics.

3), 4), & 5) While we are into snow let's "slide" right into this and use these three zoom shots of a Dec 5th snow storm in the Adirondacks, provided by one of my friends from upstate NY, Reg (thanks, Reg), and use them to help with my Christmas greeting to all of you ...

6) Please remember that "Jesus is the reason for the season".   

Row Three: 1) Young Ethan and Dad, Chris Funk, with Ethan's first Deer. 

2) Ethan and where he tracked his first deer to. See the story on Journal, Pg7.

3) Adam Cutts, Gy/Sgt, USMC. He looks like he got hit in the eye here as I called his name and then caught him by surprise as he was getting ready to use that machete to carve out a hidey-hole for me. My old Marine hunting partner, Big John Nolan hooked Adam and I up, (by internet first) from where he is over in Okinawa with his Wife and Son. He figured Adam would be a good one to pick up where he left off and show me some more spots on Camp Lejeune (and haul out my deer - - got to have those big Marines to haul Deer, you know). Turns out that Adam is from my original home state of NH also, and we hit it off from the git-go. We were out scouting a new place to hunt this coming Saturday.

4) A zoom on Adam - after he gained his composure - looks normal now, huh?

5) Here he is a little later checking for bow clearance in his just hacked out hidey-hole. His has to be a little bigger than mine. Adam uses a compound bow but we are already discussing getting together for some trad shooting, and then hunting with trad gear. He's anxious to try it, and I have every confidence he will do well.

6) Here is Adam with a really nice eight point buck he got with his Rifled Barrel Shotgun, on Camp Lejeune, in one of the gun areas, a couple weeks ago. First time he'd taken a gun out this season. He's really got the "Red Eye" in this pic but I think he was in a state of shock so he had a thousand yard stare. I certainly would have been. I think I was able to fix some of the "Red Eye" though.

Row Four: 1) This is a Fisher, Sometimes called Fisher Cat. Not a lot of folks get to see them as they are fairly secretive, solitary, and mostly nocturnal. I was lucky enough to see one on two on three different occasions while I was in Maine, during the late 90's early 2000's

2) The Fisher was taken by another Adam, the Grandson of my cyber-friend Reg of the Adirondacks, whose work as a taxidermist we've seen in these Galleries before (a Turkey). Fishers are our only Fur Bearer with brownish/blackish fur and are sometimes mixed up with Martens but the Fisher is larger, darker, and doesn't have the light patch on the chest that the Marten does.

3) My friend, John Dill, sent me a picture of a Christmas bouquet of his relatively new hand-made Kanati (Ka-nah-te!) Quivers that he is making quite a splash with in the traditional archery supply world. I have one myself on my Adcock ACS, as you've seen in these pages, and they are really fine-ice! Make a purty picture with the Poinsettia and homey setting too, don't they?

4) As this Christmas greeting card shows, my "Twin Sister, Bernie"s best buddy, Frankie Joe, is growing up. Handsome dude, ain't he?

5) Friend, John Nolan (Marine S/Sgt recently selected for Warrant Officer), with a Texas deer he just took on an invitation hunt with Realtree Tv Shows. He had to take leave from Okinawa to go for it - a dirty job but someone has to do it. (Our troops deserve it!)  Watch to see John and his Deer on the Realtree shows next year (2007). "A reg-oo-lar T and V star, as I live n' breath - an' I knew him when ."

6) Titled, "Christmas Leftovers" - Greatgrandpa Bernie, Samara (L), Kiara (R). Nuf said?

Row Five: 1) I guess you could term this Christmas leftovers too as you can see the decorations reflected in the glass behind Oak and Cal Sinclair. The Texas boys are cuddled up in one, of two, hand made afghans that Rose donated to tradgangs Annual St. Judes Auction 2006. Rose has always made and presented beautiful afghans to friends and relatives (as did my Ma before her). Last year I asked if she would consider making one for the Childrens' Hospital auction. She told me if I thought they would do well she would. I did, she made two, Chuck Sinclair made the very generous top bid on this one, I delivered it to him at ATAR in WV, and he and his boys love it - plain to see, huh? Rose already has a couple more afghans ready for this mid-summer St, Judes auction also.

2) Cal and Oak near one Whitetail Rub (on sapling) of a string of them that runs across the "homestead" in Texas. As I told Chuck, this picture is soooo Cal - . I can hear it now, when I say something like that, Cal will say, aside to his Dad, in a low voice, "What'd he say?" Chuck would reply in his equally quiet, matter of fact way, "He said it is you, that's Bernie's way of complimenting you." They have such a great relationship, and it is always so evident.

3) Here's my girls, also from Christmas Day - L to R - Great-granddaughter Kiara, Granddaughter Onesty, Wife Rose, Granddaughter Haylei, Daughter Lois, Great-granddaughter Samara

4) & 5) Friend and Former Marine, Bill Pierce killed his second Deer with a traditional Bow in his first ever season of hunting. It was this nice 5 point buck, and he got it New Year's Day. You can read the short report on Journal, Pg7

6)  Mike Griffith (of Mike's Archery Leather, in CA) has worried my poor dog. My wife caught this picture while I was at the club range, cleaning lanes etc. for next week's (first of the season) shoot . It points up my "claim" of the opening line. A couple weeks ago I was reading one of Mike G.'s  fine threads, on the archery forums, about Bow Beaver hunting in CA, when Camo Dog came along and stood up on my knee and saw the pictures on the computer screen. Ever since then he has kept his favorite toy close by him and spends time staring out the glass door in the direction of California a lot - with that worried look on his face. ;^)

Note: Mike tells me to assure Camo that his "little buddy" is safe. He (Mike) is only after the big, 50# and more, Beavers - . I think it's working, Camo has been more relaxed lately. 

Row Six: 1) My friend, Mike Brooks, a retired Navy Corpsman that served often with the Marines, has been instrumental in helping me with another first in my life and in archery. In his home shop, he has generously helped me and instructed me in making my very first bow, a laminated wood bow. 

2) Here I am scraping on one of the limbs of the bow to shape and bring into proper tiller. The bow came out pretty much where we set out for it to, at 65 1/2" nock to nock and 44# @ 27". It is Hickory Backed, Massaranduba (Beefwood), with Brazillian Cherrywood riser, and Bloodwood nock overlays.

3) Now I'm shooting-in the pretty,  little bow,  before final tillering, sanding, and finishing. It is really a smooth, quick shooting little bow and both Mike and I have plenty of reason to be proud of it. I'll post another (at least) picture of it after finish is applied.

4) Before we started on my first self-made laminated bow, Mike taught me Cane straightening, for making primitive arrows with, which I am now eyeball deep into - LOL.

5) Mike also made a kids Bow out of Holly - knocked it out in about 30 minutes - and gave it to me to sand and apply finish, for use in teaching youngsters the joys of archery. This is how I finished it. The little rascal really shoots nice too. Thank you, Mike.

6) Here is a close up of the Indian Symbols that I decorated the little bow with. The Thunderbird for good fortune/luck and. below that, a group of Tee Pees, to symbolize camp ground/community. Soon we will get back to pictures of the finished Laminated bow shown at beginning of this row, if all goes well.

Row Seven: 1) Friend, Will Batten went on a pig hunt recently, with his Dad and a couple other gents in SC - no pigs by Will or Don (his Dad) but Will made great shots on a couple of Armidillos. I can remember, not only when there were no "dillas" in SC, but even back further when they were only in the SW of the USA

2) one of their buddies, Jet Matthews with a fine pig he nailed. Don and Jet go way back and I met Jet, as a regular customer,  while working at Camp's Archery. Good job, good hunt, guys.

3) Friend, "Bone", Wayne Caldwell, of tradgang and our TBD pages, passing it on to his Grandson, Grayson Lawler - as we all should be doing with every kid we get a chance to. Ya gotta love it! Grayson is 5 years old, and lives in Houston, texas.

4) "Bone's" Grandson goes solo (under Wayne's watchfull eye, of course). Before we know it that youngster will be appearing on our TBD pages with a sweet trad bow of his own. They do grow so fast!

5) My buddy "Tex Cal" Sinclair and his ACS - a Deadly Duo, with a dove that he arrowed the head off at 25 yards. You go, Cal!

6) This is a photographic self-portrait of/by my dear friend "Killdeer", on one of her annual camping/hunting trips to the VA/WV mountains. She still hunts the woods on the ground, at her own pace, in her own way. Now and then, when he can, husband Clark joins her for a day or two at a time.

Row Eight: 1) My good Cyber-friend Reg, Adirondaks in NY, when he worked for the Weld family at their Camp in the Upper Ausable Lakes. The deer was a camp "pet" called Suszy" and she loved pancakes, Johnny Bread, and crackers. To put it in context, that was about the time ('72) I retired from the MC. We aren't getting any younger are we, Reg?

2) For those who have visited this site's Traditional Bows Drawn Pages, you've seen my cyber-friend from Hawaii, Manny Padroni, on the cover sheet to that section, crouching on a log round, drawing one of his beautiful Guava self bows. When I first started that section (last Oct.), Manny was out of touch for a little while. Recently when he found he was on the cover , he was flabbergasted by it and my tribute to him and his bows. He in turn blew me away and honored me by informing me he had decided he wanted to make me a bow. He is now in the process of making a gorgeous "Character" Guava bow for me and the following pics show some of the progress. This pic shows the parent wood/tree, a Strawberry Guava. 

3) This shows what "Character" in bow staves means - "Snaky" is another term that applies. Friend Dano put it well when he says that I'm a lucky man, and that bow virtually "slithers". In case you are wondering, yes, a snaky bow still shoots straight, as long as the shooter does their part . Bow looks good against those Lava Rocks too, doesn't it? Do you get the impression that I might just be a little excited???

4), 5), & 6) show more parts of the beautiful, unique bow in progress and sets it against the breathtaking Hawaiian Islands' scenery. Pictures were taken by another (mutual) friend from Hawaii, "Islandlongbow", Jerry. We think the bow's name is very fitting - "Guava Lava". You will be seeing much more of Guava Lava after it's completion - trust me. Bless you, Manny and thank you for the sneak-peek, Jerry.

Row Nine: 1) thru 6) It dawned on me this morning that I never did come back and post pictures of my first self made bow, as I said I would, after I put finish on it. Here is "Ol' HB", my Hickory backed Beefwood. It came out 40# @ 27", 67 1/2", Brazilian Cherrywood riser, and Bloodwood tip overlays, with a cord wrapped handle. It even took second place in Primitive Archer magazine April Backed Bow of The Month, out of a field of fifteen bows. The arrow is a Cane arrow I made with wild Turkey fletching and a Rabbit fur tracer. It shoots nice and smooth, fairly quick, and with authority for a light, all wood bow. I am very proud of it, really like it, and I thank Mike Brooks for his mentoring and guidance. We plan to try an Osage selfbow next - when time permits.

Row Ten: 1) This is local friend (New Bern), Don Batten and his neat grandson, Taylor, who is already nocking arrows and shooting by himself, as long as you make sure he's headed "downrange" - LOL. A good point to remember with all youngsters. They are showing Trophies from a "Batten Sweep" for a GF/GS team at a recent Traditional Archery competition at Great Neck Swamp, NC. Don took first in Traditional Class and Taylor took first in the Pee Wee class.

2) More pics of the texas segment of my extended family, the Sinclair boys. This is Steve, Chuck's Uncle, retired USAF and NASA, and he is presenting Chuck's oldest Son, Cal, with a very special .22 cal Rifle he made for him.

3) Cal immediatly went out with the rifle and shot a Skunk. Good on ya, cal - but was that the "best" choice

4) Uncle Steve, Brother Oak, and Cal and his prize. Also the afghan that Rose made and Chuck bid highest on in last years Annual Tradgang St. Judes Auction is in evidence there.

5) Cal and Oak and a Osage character bow that Chuck put snake skins and finish on for this year's St. Judes Auction. 

6) A picture of the St. Judes bow - beautiful job, Chuck - a real special "Snake In The Grass" that'll raise big bucks for the Kids at St. Judes..