Pass it on Tradition

[86er]

I met a guy today who confronted me about teaching him to shoot a recurve and kill a deer with it. It seems this bow has been handed off many times since the 1950's in a Pass it on tradition. Basically, you give the bow to someone. That person learns to use it from someone knowledgable about traditional archery and then shoots a deer with it. Once a deer is taken, that person passes the bow on to the next person. If you pass the bow on to someone who already knows about traditional archery their role is slightly different. They take a deer with it and then pass it on to someone that they teach to use it also. That person will then shoot a deer and pass it on. This bow has been passed on about 30 something times that are documented. I guess some folks keep it for a couple of years to accomplish the task. Each person puts their name and date on the bow, some in marker, some in what appears to be model paint or similar. I have been solicited to teach him to use it well enough to take a deer and then to take possession of it myself. I will then have to take a deer and pass the bow to someone (who I will probably have to mentor in shooting it - I can't think of someone local that is experiened that I would pass it on to). Anyway the twist of the story is that this started with a Winchester lever action rifle (caliber unknown). In 1900 this tradition started with one man and the rifle was passed along like the bow. At some point the legalities of passing the rifle became restrictive. The last person to have the rifle sold it and bought the bow with the money to continue the pass it on tradition. To me, this was a real cool tradition and something that I am humbled to be part of now.

[brno602]

That's a great tradition!
I happen to shoot a 40 year old Browning recurve All I need is my arrows and a knife, No sights, no mechanical trigger,or fancy arrow rest, just point and shoot lol. I don't care much for modern bow hunting my opinion.
Hope you get your Deer and pass on the fun of shooting a bow the way it was ment to be shot.
P.S I am a hipocrate I hide on a hillside with my ultra powered Magnum Rifle waiting for anything to come within 400yds
But I like to get out and relax and sneek up on game with the old bow.But as to bow hunting I like the recurve.

[kimwcook]

That's really neat. Hope it continues a long time.

[Jacko]

Excellent, over 100 years of an unbroken line. What I like about this, is that it evolved, when a problem presented with handing on the rifle, a bow was substituted

regards Jacko

[JReed]

Way Cool Post pics of your part of the bows journey.

[bsaride]

Barebow recurve - the only way to go as far as I'm concerned, when it comes to bows.

SS851054 sm.jpg

All takedowns from the late 50s (25-65 lbs in 5 lb increments) except for the bottom two.
Plus I have my modern takedown with 50 & 65 lb limbs.

[JerryB]

What a great tradition that is. My old recurves still shoot good enough for me.

[Ysabel Kid]

What an AWESOME tradition! Just wish it could still be done with the lever-action too.

[Hobie]

[20cows]

Cool!

[spaceman spiff]

MOST Excellent.........

[pokey]

good idea, maybe i will start a new west coast tradition, of a similar twist.

[Mokwaw]

A pass on tradition could probably be started using a muzzle loading rifle. Not many regulations on sending them around since they are not considered firearms.

[Paladin]

A pass on tradition could probably be started using a muzzle loading rifle. Not many regulations on sending them around since they are not considered firearms.

Great Idea.