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t’s not like determining the greatest of anything is an easy task. In the world of hoops, has to be No. 23. Wrestling? Who cares is a good answer, but did you know that Andre the Giant once drank 119 adult beverages in 6 hours? That would be a cool one every 3 minutes. And kids, he is now dead. So take careful note. What about sculpting? Is it Donatello or Michelangelo? Or the best book? To Kill a Mockingbird, maybe? But don’t you really think Capote wrote it?
The most difficult decision in determining the best of anything is deciding what makes up the best. Is it the most kills, Super Slams or Pope & Young records? Nope, at least not here. Having pondered the thought of “best” for months, we’re basing our decision on where the sport, the tradition, of bowhunting would be if these people had never picked up a stick and string. And if you take away these names, well, who knows where the world of archery and bowhunting would be.
Fred Bear-- He’s the epitome of all bowhunters. From his sheer determination (it took him six years to kill his first whitetail with a long bow) to his true love for craftsmanship, Bear is the greatest archer of all time… and not just because he founded Bear Archery or harvested numerous Pope & Young animals with his long bow.
Bear’s legacy is authentic. There were no gimmicks in his game and he didn’t pretend to be somebody he was not. He was as pure a bowhunter as ever lived. And even though he was 25 before Arthur Young’s film, “Alaskan Adventure” influenced him to pick up a bow; he spent the rest of his life dedicated to the art.
Generations know him from those Sunday afternoons watching him peruse around the world stalking big game with his bow on “American Outdoors” and other TV shows. The present generations know of him from the tales they’ve heard about how he shot a Kodiak bear at 5 yards (see video) and the honesty in the hunter’s voice who tells the story. Sure, the awards and honors help seal the deal, but without Fred Bear, the voice and tradition of archery would not be the same.
Howard Hill-- Hunting the Hard Way…if there was ever a title to a book that describes its author with more perfection, then it hasn’t graced the shelves in many bookstores. Howard Hill was a powerhouse of a man. He attended Auburn University where he excelled at baseball, football and basketball. He played semi-pro baseball for seven years and even served as golf pro at Opa Locka Golf Course (Florida) during weekends. Many close friends say he would have played professional golf had it not been for his woeful putting skills, which many can relate to.
His love of archery followed close knit with his passion for sports: He did everything all-out. The Witchery of Archery, Maurice Thompson’s most heralded work, turned Hill on to the world of archery, and from that point on, Hill’s outer skills and personality were reflected in the type of equipment he used — big, strong and fast.
Hill’s preference of stick was a long bow with a draw weight of 85 pounds or better. He named his bows with personal flavor like Grandpa and Grandma, a reflection of the weight they bore when drawn back. But Hill never let weight stand in the way of accomplishing a feat. In 1950, Hill became the first white man to kill and elephant with a bow and arrow. His gear consisted of a long bow with a draw weight of 115 pounds and a 41-inch aluminum arrow tipped with a modified version of his classic broadhead, which weighed 1700 grains. Hill was a man.
Ol’ One Shot, as he was known, won 196 consecutive Field Archery tournaments, drew 35,000 people to an archery demonstration in Chicago, was the hand that let the arrows fly in “The Adventures of Robin Hood,” and was one of the first archers to be elected to the Archery Hall of Fame. He was a man of many talents, and lucky for us he chose to display his archery skills to all who would watch. Oh yeah, he took over 2,000 animals with a bow and arrow. Hill was a bad man.
Chuck Adams-- He’s trademarked by his boyish smile and beanie. He’s killed more big animals than anyone else in the record books of bowhunting. Records alone would put Adams as one of the greatest archers of all time. But this tribute is about more than records…even though being the first archer to complete the Super Slam, bagging more than 120 Pope & Young animals, and holding numerous World Records in the field of archery isn’t a bad resume.
Adams prefers to hunt alone or with a friend. He enjoys finding the animal and killing it himself. Because he doesn’t like outfitters? No. Because there is something to be said for a hunter who finds the animal, puts himself in position to kill the animal, and then makes the shot. He works relentlessly for eight months out of the year so he can be in the field for 100 days or more when hunting season starts. His hunts range from Alaska to Kansas, where he hunts on foot for big whitetails. He’s a hunter who has been deemed controversial because he hasn’t sought the spotlight. It has simply found him because he looks at big horns as artwork, and he’s killed many animals that are a masterpiece.
During those eight months, he writes about his love of hunting. Every archer has read his work in various magazines and respects his knowledge and love of the sport. Life at Full Draw is his autobiography. A close second to Hill’s book on titles that match the author’s personality.
Despite the controversy that Adams has received for being low-key, there is no one who can dispute this man’s dedication to archery. He still shoots fingers and still makes his own tabs. He doesn’t do this to try and be Old School; he simply does it because that is what he is comfortable with. And being comfortable in his own skin is what makes him one of the greatest of all time.
Randy Ulmer-- Indoor. Outdoor. ASA and IBO World Champion. He has all the titles possible. And he’s not just great at shooting foam; he’s pretty dang good in the clutch with massive elk or mule deer too.
Randy Ulmer is known for his ability to kill trophy elk and muleys on public land. He finds them and then hunts them religiously until they are in range. And then he makes the shot count. Like Adams, Ulmer is a well-known columnist and bow educator to the masses. He’s influenced thousands of hunters and educated them on how to hunt the West effectively. It’s what he loves to do — hunt and then talk about it to others who want to listen.
Ulmer has a Doctorate degree from Washington State University and can fly a plane. And can crash them too, and survive, rehab, and then go hunting again. His desire to hunt is insurmountable and is contagious. Many owe him a thanks for their success, but he simply does what he does because he loves it. Which is why he is one of the greatest.
Ishi -- Hunting with Ishi was pure joy. Bow in hand, he seemed to be transformed into a being light as air and as silent as falling snow. From the very first we went on little expeditions into the country where, without appearing to instruct, he was my teacher in the old, old art of the chase. I followed him into a new system of getting game. We shot rabbits, quail, and squirrels with the bow. His methods here were not so well defined as in the approach to larger game, but I was struck from the first by his noiseless step, his slow movements, his use of cover. These little animals are flushed by sound and sight, not scent. Another prominent feature of Ishi’s work in the field was his indefatigable persistence. He never gave up when he knew a rabbit was in a clump of brush. Time meant nothing to him; he simply stayed until he got his game. He would watch a squirrel hole for an hour if necessary, but he always got the squirrel. — Exert from Dr. Saxton Pope’s Hunting with the Bow and Arrow.
Whether Ishi was the last surviving member of the Yahi people in north California is irrelevant. Ishi was a hunter. A true archer who exemplified patience and the willingness to help, even the white man.
We, as archers, owe much of our knowledge on the sport of archery to Ishi. Because of his relationship with Dr. Saxton Pope (Pope treated Ishi for TB until his death in 1916) Pope learned many of the skills and craftsmanship of Native Americans during this period, which influenced all archers from Pope to the modern day archer.
