P&Y Founder Glenn St. Charles Passes

Pope and Young founder, Glen St. Charles passed away at 98 years old.

It is with sadness that the Pope and Young Club shares the news that our founder, Glenn St. Charles, has passed away. 

Glenn St. Charles, passed away September 19^th at his home in Seattle, Washington, after a short illness. He was 98.

"The Pope & Young Club wishes to extend our deepest sympathy to the St. Charles family. This is also a tremendous loss for the entire bowhunting community. The Pope & Young Club lost a father figure. The bowhunting community, shaped by more than five decades of Glenn's influence, lost a guiding force," said Pope & Young Club President Roger Atwood.

A bowyer from the 1940s when modern-day hunting with the bow and arrow was still in its infancy, St. Charles became a staunch and driven advocate for the sport. His vision for bettering the image of bowhunting and proving the effectiveness of the bow and arrow…the very creation of the Pope and Young Club…was integral in the establishment of bowhunting seasons and the acceptance and popularity that bowhunting has since garnered. His work as Hunting Activities Chairman of the National Field Archery Association in the 1950s led to the development of the bowhunting records program, the subsequent founding of the Pope and Young Club in 1961, and the creation of a bowhunting ethical code and Rules of Fair Chase.   His efforts and devotion to the cause of bowhunting spanned over eight decades. An iconic figure, St. Charles was one of the last true bowhunting pioneers.

M. R. James, President of the Archery Hall of Fame, and Past President of the Pope and Young Club, added, "Glenn St. Charles will be remembered by many as a talented bowyer and founder of the Pope and Young Club. Rightfully so. But for his close friends and family, he will be fondly recalled a man who accomplished much more during a long and active lifetime. Father and father figure; fierce advocate and tireless defender of the sport he loved; pioneer bowhunter and visionary leader; outspoken conservationist; promoter of fair chase hunting; loyal friend and wise mentor; without question, Glenn St. Charles left his indelible mark on archery and bowhunting. He will be missed, but his place in our sport’s rich history is secure."

At this moment, arrangements are pending. Additional information will be provided by the P&Y Club as it becomes available. In the meantime, those wishing to express condolences can do so by sending them to [email protected], which will then be forwarded to the family.

Established in 1961, the Pope and Young Club is a non-profit North American conservation and bowhunting organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of our bowhunting heritage, hunting ethics and wildlife conservation. The Club also maintains the universally recognized repository for the records and statistics on North American big game animals harvested with the bow and arrow.

For information on the Pope and Young Club, please contact: Pope and Young Club, Box 548, Chatfield, MN 55923, (507) 867-4144, [email protected].