The first bowhunting movie ever made, the silent documentary “Alaskan Adventure” showcases the skill of Art Young. Young was a gifted athlete who learned his archery skills from Will Compton. Compton also later introduced him to Dr. Saxton Pope and Ishi. Young used his exceptional abilities with the bow and arrow to quiet skeptics who doubted the efficiency of the archer’s tools. According to Cassius Styles, Art Young was the best shot of the group, “He was one of the very few men I have seen who was really master of an 80 pound hunting bow. This was not because he was gifted with enormous strength; he commanded that bow because he was not too lazy to practice with simple persistence. He was a violinist with enough real talent to give finished recitals with the same hand that gripped his heavy shooting gear. His shooting was as artistic as a recital, and almost as thrilling.” Among other species, Young harvested deer, moose, Dall’s sheep, brown bear, grizzly bear and African lion. Young also wrote articles for Sports Afield. This film Alaskan Adventure was shot in 1922 and 1923. It was at that time that Young traveled to Alaska accompanied by cameraman Jack Robertson. Neither carried a firearm, relying solely upon Young’s osage longbow for protection. Young took mountain sheep, mountain goat, moose and an Alaskan brown bear on Kodiak Island. The film was released around 1926.

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