We are pleased to announce these gentlemen to be the next round of inductees into the Traditional Bowhunters Hall of Fame. Please join us in Indianapolis, IN March 13, 2026 to celebrate their accomplishments.
HERE THEY ARE! Here are the names that some of you have been asking about. This group represents the first class of inductees into the Traditional Bowhunters Hall of Fame that will be officially enshrined at the Compton Big Game Classic in Denver, CO in March of 2025.
Remember too, that the TBHOF will also be doing a formal presentation at the Traditional Expo in Kalamazoo at the end of January of that same year. If you can make it and want to know more about future plans, please stop by for a visit. Most, if not all of the Board of Directors will be on hand to answer any questions that you might have.
The following people will automatically be inducted into the Traditional Bowhunters Hall of Fame. We would not be where we are today, with archery seasons, innovations in equipment, or perpetuation of the sport without these gentlemen.
As an Individual ($30), Bronze ($250), Silver ($500), Gold ($1,000), or Platinum (over $1,000) level sponsor, you will be helping the Traditional Bowhunters Hall of Fame to recognize outstanding individuals who have worked to perpetuate the sport we all love.
All donations are used to further the cause of TBHOF. Donation funds will help with the award purchases, presentations, museum displays, and other event costs. We hope to put together a traveling museum soon, to showcase the history of traditional bowhunting and recognize the people who have been inducted into the hall of fame. There are some administrative costs that we work to keep very low, but all board members are volunteers, and no one receives a salary.
Your donation may be tax deductible, since TBHOF is a non-profit, 501(c)3 entity, however you should consult your own tax advisor as to the amount you can deduct.
Merchandise and auction items are deductible at the net value of the items. Again, please consult your tax advisor as to the amount you can deduct. You will receive a receipt for all purchases and donations.
Donate online at https://tradbowhuntershof.org/shop/, by phone at 208-823-6500, or mail a check to:
Traditional Bowhunters Hall of Fame, Inc.
75 S. Pronghorn Rd.
Boise, ID 83716
Guidelines for Nominating an Individual for Induction into the Traditional Bowhunters Hall of Fame
The nominating person must be a past or current official of a recognized archery organization (Pope and Young Club (P&Y), PBS, CTB, or a local, state, or national bowhunting organization). The goal is to honor individuals who have demonstrated long-term dedication and success in the field using traditional bowhunting equipment, established themselves as persons of outstanding character, and made significant contributions to the sport over their lifetime. Each nominee requires a letter of recommendation from the nominating person as noted above, as well as a detailed resume written by the person or group nominating or by the nominee himself/herself. Nominations must be received by the TBHOF Secretary/Treasurer by June 1st. (Send the complete nomination package to: Traditional Bowhunters Hall of Fame, Inc., 75 S. Pronghorn Rd., Boise, ID 83716)
An outline for the nominee’s resume is provided in the form of a questionnaire below. Because the nominee’s background may be unknown to the pool of electors, it is essential that all questions are answered. The nominator should also include the nominee’s mailing address, phone number, and email address, or if the nominee is deceased, their representative.
Voting for Acceptance and Passage by Board to Electors
Once received, the TBHOF Secretary/Treasurer shall forward nominee packets (electronic and/or US mail) to all board members as soon after they are received as practical. The Board may request more information from the nominator or nominee if needed. After review, all board members, except for the President (who will vote only to break a tie), shall cast a vote to accept, table, or reject each nomination. Nominations can be accepted to move on to a vote of the entire pool of TBHOF electors, tabled, (in which case the nominee is eligible for renomination in two (2) years), or rejected. A rejected nominee is not eligible for renomination.
Voting for Induction by Pool of Electors
TBHOF electors consist of the individuals below:
The TBHOF Secretary/Treasurer will send out ballots to the Electors on September 1st of each calendar year, and the electors will have twenty (20) days to review each nominee’s portfolio and submit their votes. The Secretary/Treasurer will send out a fifteen (15) day reminder email to all electors who still need to submit their votes. The ballots, which will be electronic or by U.S. mail and anonymous, will require a simple yea or nay, to approve or disapprove each nominee. Any ballot received after the twenty (20) day voting period will be considered a non-vote. Ballots will be received and tabulated by the TBHOF Secretary/Treasurer. One other Board member or elector, appointed by the TBHOF President, will verify the results. To qualify for induction into the TBHOF, the nominee must garner a minimum of fifty-one percent (51%) yea votes of those returned ballots. Inductees will be announced on October 1st.
From time to time, there may be circumstances when Electors are unable to fulfill their appointed privilege to vote. (i.e. health, travel, etc.). It should be noted that Electors serve at the discretion of the TBHOF Board, and therefore the Board reserves the right to appoint or remove Electors at any time.
Requirements for Nomination
Other than exceptional circumstances, the nominee should have at least thirty (30) years of experience bowhunting with a selfbow, longbow, or recurve bow. The questionnaire below must be answered as it will aid our electors in better knowing the nominee and his/her influence to our lifestyle. There is also a subjective component, so the more information, pictures, and letters of support for the nominee, the better. More details are best so please include, for example, if a nominee has donated a hunt to mentor youth every year since 1999, or made and donated dozens of bows to traditional bowhunting organizations. Do not use yes/no answers and assume the Board knows your nominee’s accomplishments. This nomination is for the Traditional Bowhunters Hall of Fame—take the time to submit an inclusive application.
Bowhunting
Has the nominee hunted for a minimum of thirty (30) years with a selfbow, longbow, or recurve bow? If not, please explain.
Please list each big game species hunted with a traditional bow under fair-chase conditions.
Please list and name the number of states and countries the nominee has hunted with a traditional bow.
Please list and name the number of big game species (turkeys and hogs included) the nominee has taken with a traditional bow.
Please list the total (approximate) number of big game animals the nominee has taken under fair chase conditions with a traditional bow. Estimates are acceptable—this is not a body count but a validation of experience and dedication.
Bowhunting Education
Please list the nominee’s role in educating other bowhunters if appropriate. Examples are below:
Service
Please list each office the nominee has held in a local, state, or national bowhunting organization. Include unelected but formal positions such as editor or tournament director.
Please list any committee work the nominee has done for a local, state, or national bowhunting organization.
Please list any service awards the nominee has received from a local, state or national bowhunting organization. (i.e. PBS Glenn St. Charles, state Bowhunter Hall of Fame award, etc.)
Has the nominee been involved in forming any local, state, or national bowhunting organization?
Has the nominee testified before any legislative body on behalf of bowhunting? Please detail.
Has the nominee worked recruiting members for any local, state, or national bowhunting group at a general or bowhunting-oriented event? How many?
Traditional Bowhunting Craftsmanship
Has the nominee crafted his/her bows, self-bows, wood arrows, or other traditional-oriented equipment for sale or donation?
Has the nominee taught individuals or courses on craftsmanship, such as self-bow making, flint knapping, etc.
Please provide details, especially if the nominee regularly makes items for donation in support of traditional bowhunting.
Media
Has the nominee written articles for a published bowhunting magazine, and if so, is it more than five? More than 20?
Has the nominee published a book related to bowhunting? If so, how many?
Has the nominee hosted a traditional bowhunting-related television or radio show or podcast? Provide details.
Has the nominee formally published a video that has promoted traditional bowhunting?
Has the nominee appeared in any media above as a guest and promoted traditional bowhunting?
Sportsmanship
Please provide brief details of any effort, including published writing, video, podcast, testimony, or other opportunities in which the nominee promoted or provided an example or supported ethical behavior in the field through word or deed.
To that end, if the nominee has ever been charged with any hunting/game law violations, please provide all relevant details and an explanation of events.
Achievements and Influence
What else should the TBHOF Board know about this nominee and his or her influence on the traditional bowhunting lifestyle? What are the intangibles that make this nominee qualified for induction into the Traditional Bowhunters Hall of Fame? This is your opportunity to share with the Board other achievements and influences that may not have been covered in the previous sections. Be thorough.
T.J. Conrads had been thinking of a hall of fame for traditional bowhunters for many, many years. As the Editor/Founder of Traditional Bowhunter® Magazine, he has met hundreds bowhunters who have dedicated their lives to the pastime that has become our lives. Those men and women have served on numerous boards and spent countless hours mentoring others in the love and heritage of traditional bowhunting. But it didn’t come to fruition until he and his long-time friend Jim Akenson spent an evening at Jim’s cabin during a spring turkey hunt in May 2024. After much thought that evening, T.J. mentioned the idea of such an organization to honor these men and women to Jim as they sat around the wood stove late into the night.
To say Jim took the idea and ran with it would be an understatement. Not sleeping the first night after they talked about this idea, Jim had several pages of ideas to discuss with T.J. the following morning over coffee. Both men agreed that there were several other men who could help make this idea a reality. The two men ideated how a Board composed of well-established traditional bowhunters from across the entire United States could be put together. The wheels were rolling….
The first two gentlemen to be contacted that morning were Kevin Bahr of Illinois and Russell Lantier of Louisiana, both of whom have spent much of their lives involved with traditional bowhunting at the local, state, and national levels. They both jumped at the opportunity to see TBHOF take flight. These four Founding Members then looked to assemble a Board that represented all corners of the country, as well as a deep depth of bowhunting leadership and experience. After much discussion, they contacted Jim Eeckhout of Michigan, Matt Schuster of Georgia, and Tom Weaver of New York, all of whom jumped at the idea and agreed it was well past time for such an organization. Robin Conrads was asked to help with some of the administrative work. By the end of that day, the first Board of the Traditional Bowhunters Hall of Fame, Inc. had been assembled.
This volunteer board worked for months to develop bylaws to govern the organization now and into the future. The business was organized as a non-profit corporation, then applied and received tax-exempt 501(c)3 status so that donations would be tax-deductible. Many hours of work went into developing the criteria for induction that would recognize those who have excelled in promoting traditional bowhunting.
TBHOF partnered with Traditional Bowhunter® Magazine (TBM), the Professional Bowhunters Society (PBS) and Compton Traditional Bowhunters (CTB) to promote, support, and host annual Induction Ceremonies at CTB’s Big Game Classics and the PBS Gatherings, respectively, beginning March, 2025 at the Compton Big Game Classic in Golden, Colorado.
Once all these details were in place, TBHOF was announced to the public in October 2024.
This is just the beginning of great things for the Traditional Bowhunters Hall of Fame. Watch for upcoming announcements for the future of the organization.
