Hunting with the bow, in the modern sense, can be said tohave started with one Maurice Thompson just after the CivilWar. He and his brother, Will, were southern soldiers belong-ing to a Georgia regiment. Near the end of the war Mauricewas severely wounded. After the surrender they made theirway back home only to find that Sherman had passed that wayleaving the old home in ashes and ruin. Maurice's woundhealed but his doctor advised a period of living in the open.He had no money, he was denied the use of firearms. He couldthink of no way to secure food other than with the bow; he
must have had some previous experience. In his book, "TheWitchery of Archery," written in poetic prose, Thompsondescribes his experiences at Lake Okechobee where he livedfor sometime, armed only with the bow. In those days this waswild country, there were no white settlements. He madefriends with at least one Seminole Indian, in his wanderingsin Florida, who taught him much native lore firsthand.
