Founding Members and History of the Bowhunters of Utah
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Founding Members and History of the Bowhunters of Utah |
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Contact BOU:
Treasurer: Membership: Project Management: Bowhuneter Education Bowhunters of Utah is a
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History- Fellow bowhunters, Utah has a proud historical bow hunting heritage. The first "official" bow hunt in Utah was held in 1941. According to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, 61 archers participated in that first-ever hunt. During the 70s and 80s, the two-buck season brought numerous people to the bowhunt. Later, the 'choose your weapon' season decreased the amount of participants in the bowhunt. Now, there are 16,000 general archery season deer hunters, 158 limited entry archery season deer hunters, 9,000 general archery season elk hunters, 386 limited entry archery season elk hunters and 95 limited entry archery season antelope hunters. These gains sound very impressive; however, the limited entry archery permits (639 total permits) total less than 17% of the total limited entry and once-in-a-lifetime permits (3791 total permits). Montana, Idaho, and Colorado each formed a state organization where bowhunting preservation and advancement as a conservation tool was their number one priority. We feel that bowhunting in this great state is good for wildlife. Several years ago, archers lost the AR301 because in some sportsmen's minds, it was "not fair" for bowhunters to be able to get premium limited entry tags without having a waiting period. During this same time, as the Regional Advisory Councils for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources took away the AR301 (that any sporstman using archery tackle could attempt to draw), they continued to increase both conservation and added convention tag numbers. These tags allow hunters to bypass the draw and hunt every year without a waiting period. The time has come for bowhunters to promote bowhunting in Utah! Bowhunters of Utah (BOU) is dedicated to promoting bowhunting opportunities throughout this great state. Furthermore, Bowhunters of Utah believes that bowhunters are underutilized as a tool in sound biological management. Bowhunting can and should play a more important role in the overall big game and once in-a-lifetime hunt management. Through education, service projects, and involvement in our Regional Advisory Councils, Bowhunters of Utah will work to help educate decision makers to this end.
Chad Doyle I began bowhunting as soon as I could pick up my miniature recurve and have never looked back. I began hunting rabbits and squirrels and have graduated to mule deer, antelope, and the majestic elk. I have often said that I would give up the pursuit of other species to hunt elk if I had to. I am fairly new to "organized" lobbying. I have attended a few RAC meetings and even sat in on the Elk Committee once or twice. I am a new Bowhunter Education instructor. I have Bowhunted in Utah, Idaho and New Mexico. I have a very deep passion for bowhunting and can think of NO other place I would rather be than in the Mountains with my family chasing the elusive elk! John Wester
When I started to look to college, my only prerequisite was that the school had to be in the Rocky Mountains. That is how I landed at the University of Utah. Once I finished school, there was nothing to stop me from a life-long passion with bowhunting. My obsession with bowhunting elk hunting stems from a very close encounter with an aggressive bull elk (less than five feet). I have never been nearly as rattled since then. It was then and there I decided there was nothing as fun as hunting bull elk with a bow and arrow. I am involved with Bowhunters of Utah because I believe bowhunting has been overlooked in Utah. I have long felt there is a need for a group to promote a more bowhunter-friendly agenda within our state’s wildlife agency. I believe Utah Division of Wildlife Resources needs to use a biologically sound management plan for our big game and once-in-a-lifetime hunts that includes (as a major portion) bowhunting.
Damon Stone I was born and raised in a hunting family; hunting was an integral part of my childhood. However I wasn’t introduced to bow hunting until I was seventeen. My mother’s boyfriend talked me into buying a license, handed me a Fred Bear Super Kodiak then let me loose in the woods without a clue of what to do. That’s all it took, I’ve been hunting with a bow for 21 years now and I’ve never looked back. I have a beautiful wife and two incredible (future bow hunting) sons, a nine-year old and a newly adopted 11 month old. My passion for hunting has directed my career as well. I am a wildlife artist and I also have a production company, Moment of Truth Productions, which I run with my partner. We focus our attention on filming the everyday hunter and produce DVD’s of these hunts. We make this our focus because we know that the everyday My commitment to Bow Hunters of Utah comes from my love of the sport and my desire to increase opportunities for bow hunters in this beautiful state. I believe through BOU all bowhunters will have the chance to get involved with decisions that affect our hunting opportunities. My love and passion for bow hunting grows more with every passing year and hopefully, with BOU, so will bow hunting. Gordy Bell I am Gordy Bell. I have been married for 14 years to one heck of a woman ( she puts up with me ). I have three awesome children Kaila 17, As a family we try to enjoy all that life in Utah has to offer, from Jazz games to whitewater raft trips in Moab. I have in the past served as a committee member for two national conservation organizations as well as serving for a short time as the Vice Chairman for the International Bowhunter Education Program / National Bowhunter Education I really believe that in Utah we as bowhunters have some awesome opportunities and with a large amount of work Travis Sparks • Bowhunted 26 years I believe that bowhunting is the future for allowing maximum opportunity in game management. The sport allows a controlled harvest with maximum participation. In Utah, the bowhunters and bowhunting opportunity have long been misunderstood. I believe that Utah has a significant number of bowhunters who deserve to have a loud and united voice. As an initiator of the first efforts which resulted in the AR-301 hunt, I hope to help support and educate BOU to the methods and means necessary to increase opportunity; to create a working relationship with the DWR; to help coordinate efforts and provide the documentation necessary to present proposals at public meetings including the Guy Perkins While both my parents hunted, neither were bowhunters. I was fortunate enough to be mentored as a young man by the local bowhunting icon in
A few years later while eating lunch, high on a ridge above the timbered
elk, he charged me to teach others what he had taught me. That charge
and my bumping into the National Bowhunter Education program (NBEF)
during my first year in college, set me in motion. My attempts to bring
bowhunter education into the hunting main stream in Utah has been met
with mixed results over the past 20 years. Often, I've felt that I failed the
bowhunters of Utah. I am saddened to consider that others may not ever
get to experience what the program had contributed to my bowhunting
success. Try as I might, I just couldn't get the value of this program understood
by the DWR. Nor could I find a permanent support home in our own
state archery organization. Many other sincere people have also tried to The principles of this program will help you better enjoy bowhunting. It will help you speak intelligently about the conservation tool bowhunting can be as it pertains to our moral obligation as humans to the resource. Because of their involvement with the bowhunter education program; some in this new group have risen to become our bowhunting leadership.
Times have changed – and are changing. Bowhunting and its initial intentions
need to be looked after 24/7. I am honored to be asked to act at an
advisory level for Bowhunters of Utah.
Many of us are sportsman who also participate in other outdoor activities
and various hunting adventures. Time and time again, only a few ever Pride or some fictitious, perceived threat often keeps non-bowhunting hunters and game agencys from looking at the value of bowhunting. For those of you who have made out the ticks on the nose of a feeding deer, or know the "glunks" of a rutting bull elk, you understand some of the personal values of the sport.
I often query in thought why the non-hunters often seem to know bowhunting better than our hunting brethren? It may be that bowhunting is the tool of tolerance for them if hunting has any distaste at all. Many times in my travels Taylor West I have been hunting in Utah since I was 14 years old and bowhunting since I was 16.
Nobody in my family bow hunted I
immediately became addicted to
bugling bulls and have dedicated
my free time to finding bugling
bulls ever since. With the estimated number of bowhunters over 16,000, I am concerned that there has not been a unified group that represents the values of bowhunting to the common hunter. My passion is bowhunting and I intend to campaign passionately when it comes to insuring its future. I am looking forward to doing what I can to help make sure my kids can join me in the quakies, bow in hand, calling in big bulls. Shaun Graves My name is Shaun Graves. I have an awesome wife and four children (three boys and one daughter). We camp, hunt, fish, play little-league, do I have one enormous passion – and I have had it since I was about 10 years old: I love to hunt. I got into bowhunting in the early 90’s after my LDS mission and haven’t picked up a rifle since. I started teaching Bowhunter Educatio in 2000 and have had a wonderful experience sharing with other bowhunters over the years. I served as the National Bowhunters Education Program Vice chair for a year and a half and have recently been involved in bringing a bowhunting voice to the RAC meetings. My passion for bowhunting has led me to get involved and work towards creating a strong voice for sportsmen who choose the traditional values instilled in hunting with a bow and arrow. I really have enjoyed my association with my fellow bowhunters. I firmly believe that by working together we can achieve more for both wildlife and the wonderful sport of bowhunting. Tim Roberts I've been flippin arrows for more than fourteen years. I was one of the lucky bowhunters who had success early. I've often wondered why? When I took the NBEF course a few years later things began to really fall in place. I was able to clearly see how "lucky" I was being able to take animals with such limited knowledge. Some of those hunting experiences didn't come without heart ache. I vowed to help others bi- pass the bad and be able to enjoy more of the good that comes with bowhunting. That is why for the past several years I have been working to help the DWR install a bowhunter education program that can bennifit wildlife, bowhunter and the non-hunting public of the state.
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My name is John Wester and I have two great passions in my life. One is my beautiful wife and the other is bowhunting (specifically elk). I started hunting with my dad and my grandfather when I was eight. We had an annual rifle elk hunt that was the highlight of my life. I started bowhunting (much to the dismay of my dad and grandfather I am sure) when I was fourteen and have loved it from day one.
Sean 12 and Carlee 10.
SE Idaho where I was raised.
church, music lessons, gymnastics and try to enjoy one another’s interests.
You can say we are your average juggling family. I have taught school for
going on 14 years, teaching mostly Spanish and a few math classes as
well at both the Jr. High and High School levels. I have also coached high
school basketball for 10 years. I am currently employed at Fremont High
School in Plain City, Utah.