SAXTON TEMPLE POPE, M.D.

1875-1926


Surgeon, educator, author, archer, hunter. Born Sept. 4, 1875 in Fort Stockton, Texas. Son of an army surgeon, graduated with honors in medicine from the University of California. Became a practicing surgeon in Watsonville, California, Later an instructor in surgery at the University of California. It was at the University of California in 1912 that he became interested in Ishi, a Yana Indian, who had been captured near Oroville, California.

During this period Saxton became acquainted with Art Young who used the university archery range to practice his archery.

The two men learned much from Ishi on field trips actually hunting with bow and arrow. Pope and Young continued hunting after Ishi's death in 1916. They took: deer, black bear, grizzly in Yellowstone, polar bear in Alaska, African lions, plus many other game. Besides writing journals for medicine and surgery, Saxton wrote many articles and books on archery. He was one of the first to publish techniques for making your own equipment. Most notable of his published archery books were, "Hunting with Bow and Arrow" and "The Adventurous Bowman."

While bowhunting in Africa, Pope contracted pneumonia and died in
1926.

Although neither Saxton Pope or Art Young organized the Pope and Young Big Game Club, it is in the spirit of their hunts, it was created and through their names it lives.