I was looking through the forum this morning and came across an entry written by Larry McAfee, our Editor. You can read it here. Larry has announced that he will be resigning as the editor for BHA. After reading it I decided to write a few words about Larry.
The first time that I ever heard the name “Bowhunters of Alabama” I was standing in Yates Archery Center on 1st Ave North in Birmingham AL. The year was 1992 and I had just purchased my 3rd compound bow. A Ben Pearson Spoiler with a 29” draw length and 80-pound draw weight. It was a glorious time in the archery world.
Several bow companies had new models out and a new manufacturer named Mathews Archery had just introduced an innovative design in cams. They just used one to get the job done. This bow was lightweight and a bit slow compared to the other competition-bows at the time. It would be 2 more years and 4 bows later before I had one of my own.
During this time Clarence Yates had introduced me and many others to the world of archery competition and a statewide organization known as BHA. BHA members encouraged all shooters to join a local archery club and become a member of BHA. My local archery club was called “Vulcan Archery.” It was the oldest NFAA club in the United States. Field archery was still a thing, but 3-D archery was on the rise. We were still shooting some 2-D targets made of *Ethafoam but that would be just a memory by the next year.
I joined BHA and ASA in 1993. I can remember receiving the BHA newsletter in the mail. I would open it with a great deal of anticipation. The latest tournament schedule was included along with all the bowhunting happenings across the state. The very first name that I saw and continued to see for the next 28 years was that of the editor, Larry McAfee. Although the newsletter progressed to a small magazine and then eventually morphed into a website, Larry’s name was always there.
I met Larry at a BHA State Championship in 1994 or 1995. (It’s been a while and I can’t recall the exact year) A brief introduction by a friend and then the trophy presentation was underway where he spoke about the benefits of increasing the membership and fellowship of BHA. His professionalism and courteous manner left a positive impression on me. This man seemed just as comfortable wearing a quiver as he did wearing a sports coat. He was articulate, compassionate, resourceful, and ambitious and one heck of a nice guy.
I’ve had the pleasure of shooting with Larry a few times since then and he continues to offer encouragement to everyone that he encounters on the range. He has worked tirelessly as a spokesperson and editor for BHA. He has been an archery enthusiast and competitor since the ’60s. Larry is the top poster at 757 posts on this website and is a BHA Life Member, #32.
Thanks for your time and smiles over the years,
Shane Bates
BHA Vice-President
*Ethafoam is the brand name of polyethylene foam. It is a durable, flexible, closed-cell foam with an excellent memory. It is watertight and impervious to most chemicals.