The Bowyer
What drives people, especially in the arts to pursue a passion?
From the time my parents put a Tim Meigs Mighty Stick in my hands at age 3 and gave me arrows to launch from its string drove my passion. Growing up with a dad and eventually, a mom who both shot traditional bows was the catalyst to this dream. But growing up with some of the legends of traditional bowhunting really helped forge the passion that runs deep within me.
My heroes are Glenn St. Charles, Fred Bear and Pope & Young. I even got to shake Fred’s hand before he passed, and I spent a couple of days with Glenn and Margaret St. Charles at their home & the Pope and Young museum in Sea-Tac back in ’94. They certainly were a huge influence, but the guys who pushed me and encouraged me, they’re my real heroes, my mentors and influences. T.J. Conrads who is truly like another dad to me. Larry Fischer was another driver for me prior to him passing. Gene and Barry Wensel were there as well and they have watched me grow up from a little kid to who I am today. I probably wouldn’t be able to pick my nose correctly without the expert mentoring of Gene.
Bowyers, there were three who really spent time with me as I was growing up and influenced me a lot, they were Dick Robertson, Bob Morrison, and last but certainly not least Jerry Brumm. If you don’t know who these three guys are, as Uncle Barry would say, you don’t get out much.
Add to the influence of the Professional Bowhunters Society and later on Compton, well it would have been hard for me to not be the person I am today in Bowhunting and in life. The friends of my dad’s and those I have made myself have provided more bowhunting opportunities and friendships than I can begin to count, nor begin to repay.
I am married to the love of my life Katy, she and I have five children, three girls, and two boys. My shop is in the woods North of Kalamazoo near where I grew up. Currently, the job that pays my bills is being a Paramedic and I hope success in KBW will allow me in the future to become a bowyer full time. My customers will dictate that.
I hope you enjoy my bows, my customer service, and my candor. There is much more to come in the future, the current three designs are proving to be fast, stable and accurate. I look forward to bringing out new ideas and designs coming out of my skunkworks in the coming months.
Thank you for visiting my web page.
David Hunter Darling aka the Kilted Bowyer
