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REBUILDING
By K.F. "Andy" Anderson

Well, like many of us, I was shooting a bow around eight, nine years old, thru high school, and even during my six years in the Marine Corp. After being discharged, I got a job as an archery instructor in Southern CA for the new indoor archery ranges that had automatic targets, 10 yards back to 40 yards. At the Grand opening, Howard Hill showed his skill with the longbow. After the show, I got the instructors together with Howard Hill for a little Jam session, Howard said, enough talk, lets shoot. We shot wooden disks most of the night. I even have a dime he shot out of the air.

Moved back to Spokane in 1963, got married, had two spunky girls- shot bow off and on-mostly off-divorced then married again in “82”.

Getting more into the longbow, making my own arrows, dipping, cresting, and making a few quivers, holsters and belts. My work (Safe & Lock tech) sent me to Montana, so I made my last stop at “Howard Hill Archery” pick up my fir bow and two dozen arrows on our Visa. (I did get into a little trouble for that.)

In “85” moved to Nine Mile Falls on 13 acres with a log home, pine trees all around, it was heaven. We built a 40’ x 40’ garage, wood shop with upstairs to be my archery shop and leather shop.

Well, Oct “91” Spokane County had 96 different fires. Firestorm was going strong, winds at 65 mph – I was on the road doing service work, when I heard about the fire. I got home no trees, no log home, and no shop/garage-no nothing. It was tough.

So Tami (second wife) and I decided to rebuild-one step, one project at a time. I can say without the help of family and friends, we wouldn’t be where we are today. My loving wife-the driving force behind me.

I retired several years ago, and put a little more time in making leather projects for family and friends and for archery shoots. I’m not very good at it, but what money I make I just buy more leather, and of course trying to improve my shooting the longbow. I have three Howard Hill Longbows that I am very proud of.

Shoot Straight,

Andy