OT - Anyone here into traditional archery?

Triggernosis · Post by **Triggernosis** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:33 pm

If so, this forum reminds me of another of my favorite forums - TradGang.
Good ole folk sharing ideas and helping others...a good place.

sore shoulder · Post by **sore shoulder** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:54 pm

I have a piece of Osage in a corner of my woodshop that I gaze at longingly sometimes, waiting until I have the opportunity to give it the proper attention. I need to practice on a piece of whitewood first. I also have some Brazilian redwood scavenged from a deck job that I think is a very forgiving wood with a lot of spring to it. In fact, I cannot break a 1"x1" x 7 foot long piece. It will bend as far as I can physically bend it with 2 hands without breaking. The grain is very straight and extremely dense, denser than any hardwood I have encountered in almost 30 years of woodworking and around 20 as a proffesional carpenter. It is also more impervious to rot than treated lumber. I suspect it is much like yew wood, in that any piece you can bend and put a string on will fling an arrow pretty well.

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:00 pm

I shoot two longbows made out of bamboo, made by wes Wallace. I have shot a bow, almost every day since 6th grade. I still shoot in my basement about 3-4 dozen arrows a night. Hunt only traditional bows, no compounds for me. I shoot all summer at carp, snapping turtles, frogs and occasional rays and such. I hunt the fall archery seasons for deer, small game, pheasants on the wing, and ducks and geese (jump shot along the creeks). It is one of my passions I hope to have all my life. Recently, when I was getting rid of excess, I sold my target recurves and just kept the longbows.

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:07 pm

Three recurves & 1 compound here,
have kept & shot a bow since I was a kid
I think it is an essential piece of equipment

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:22 pm

I got my son started on archery when he was only four, Later he tried a compound bow but went back to recurves I'm glad to say!

dr walker · Post by **dr walker** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:22 pm

I shoot an older Bear recurve most often. I just started to play with a short and very stiff stick bow. It is very sensitive. The pull must be near 80#s.

AndyM · Post by **AndyM** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:39 pm

I have a Martin Mamba recurve and love it. I killed one doe with it a few years back. Before Kids - I could shoot very regular and became quite good. Since my children came along - my time is much more limited - I have only hunted with my Hoyt compound the last few years - some day will shoot the recure again. ALTHOUGH - the recurve still gets used yearly - bowfishing for carp in some of the local lakes and the Susquehanna river.

ScottT · Post by **ScottT** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:05 pm

I used to shoot a Howard Hill longbow, a Big Five if I recall correctly. It pulls 90lbs at my draw length and it is just a little too much bow for me now. I quit shooting it when I had to move into an apartment for law school and I need to start up again now that I own a home with a big back yard.

Maybe if I work up to it I can use it again. When I was shooting it regularly, I had no trouble with any sort of game. Cedar arrows for me, I need a good long shaft and aluminum just never felt right.

Post by **Hobie** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:16 pm

Yep, but I can't find the time to actually set up and start making my own bows. Too many distractions. I do NOT like the modern pully bows.

jazman · Post by **jazman** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:21 pm

I have a 55# Damon/Howett recurve that I found used a lot of years ago camo painted. I stripped off the camo and found a beautiful wood bow underneath. I need to get back to shooting it more, hard to find time.

bigbore442001 · Post by **bigbore442001** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:42 pm

I have a Martin Rebel recurve at the house. Forty pound pull at 28 inches. I have it set up for bowfishing. My hunting bow is a Bowtech Guardian compound.

Jeff Pitts · Post by **Jeff Pitts** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:03 pm

I still have the 44# Browning 'Nomad Stalker' I saved my money for and bought when I was 12 years old!

Kilt 1 cow elk and 2 blacktail bucks with it years and years ago. I have been thinking more and more seriously about getting into traditional archery soon. I've gotten a couple publications, Traditional Archer and Primitive Bows (or something like that?) over the years.

Jeff

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:11 pm

I have a 60lb Martin Hatfield Takedown recurve, which I have had and hunted for several years. I bow hunt only with it, and sometimes go modern with a Horton Crossbow. I have a Dick Palmer Longbow, but I have never been able to shoot it very good, compared to the Martin recurve.

I have hurt my elbow on my drawing hand, and seem to have a problem with my other elbow on my bow hand, with my current weight of 60lbs. I hate it but think I may need to go down it weight to a 45 or 50lb in the future.

bsaride · Post by **bsaride** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:18 pm

Right after I spend this year shootin my leverguns I will
pick up my bows again. One Hoyt Easton Huntmaster
(takedown) from the early 80s with 50 & 65 Lb limbs.
Last year I bought a few Ben Pearson takedowns from
the 50s. 25, 30, 35, 40 LB longbows (302 series), two
45 Lb, 50, 55, 60, 65 Lbs (304 series recurves), looks
like 10 total for BP.

I picked up these to use at this years men's retreat but
the event was cancelled this year. Since my back isn't
what it used to be I can use these to work up to the
heavier hunting bows. I still need to make up a bunch
of strings and arrows. I have several bow fishing reels
that one of the bows will get mounted up and can get
serious on the carp again.

Used to hunt with partner drawing 88 LB longbow, If I
had been doin my part with my 65 Lb limbs I had no
problem with it (you don't hold them at full draw ya know).

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:37 pm

I have several bows - a traditional longbow, a recurve, a compound - even a crossbow. Like them all. Like others, I just don't have the time to shoot them as much as I'd like...

Bigahh · Post by **Bigahh** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:17 pm

I have a Black Widow 62#

bj94 · Post by **bj94** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:26 pm

I shot on the archery team in college, so my idea of archery is a recurve, and pulling the string with your fingers. But OTOH my bow had a metal riser, we used aluminum arrows, the bow had lots of stabilizers and stuff too.

I like compounds also, and mechanical releases, but I compete better with fingers.

I found archery to be a very fun and satisfying hobby, but it took a lot of time. If I didn't practice, then I didn't do well, and then it wasn't fun. With a job and family and other hobbies, I eventually got away from archery.

Henry McCann · Post by **Henry McCann** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:41 pm

Tradgang, Leatherwall, Leverguns, and MarlinOwners take up 90% of my time on the internet.

I have a Wing recurve I bought for my birthday in 1970, a dozen different makes and models of recurves and have made 6 longbows and a takedown recurve.

Love traditional archery and will soon be back making bows again after an 8 year lay off.

donw · Post by **donw** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:53 pm

i've been an avid archery/archery hunter since the late seventies.

i currently have, shoot and hunt with, nine recurves and one longbow.

i've made only one longbow. it didn't turn out to my satisfaction so i may try again soon to do better.

Triggernosis · Post by **Triggernosis** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:06 pm

Henry McCann wrote:Tradgang, Leatherwall, Leverguns, and MarlinOwners take up 90% of my time on the internet.

Well thank goodness - I thought I had some sort of sickness - glad to see I'm not alone.
BTW, I post on TradGang as "NativeCraft" - I recently posted a message about "Brooke".

I'm not into Primitive archery...just longbows and recurves made by someone else that knows how.

20cows · Post by **20cows** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:52 pm

Yep, but I can't find the time to actually set up and start making my own bows. Too many distractions. I do NOT like the modern pully bows.

Hobie, I hear you!

I have built three or four laminated longbows and attempted one osage selfbow. I have the wood for two more laminates (one all yew and the other all osage), but like Hobie said, lot's of distractions.

Jarhead · Post by **Jarhead** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:05 pm

One Browning Compound
One Bear Recurve

Comal Forge · Post by **Comal Forge** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:33 pm

I have a 65# Damon/Howett recurve that I bought almost 30 years ago and a couple stick bows from bois d'arc that I made in the past few years, which pull in the high 40's, low 50's. My grandfather taught me how to make bows and arrows as a kid so I had several decent ones. He used whitewood shoots for arrows and bois d'arc or hickory for the bow. We also killed enough turkeys during the year that I could fletch many arrows, which was good because I lost a bunch shooting at squirrels and rabbits. Grandpa showed me the .38 Special case trick of making blunts. These were cross drilled and two finish nails put in to make a crude judo point. I also tried a few flint points but always broke them so gave that up for broadheads I cut with tinsnips from old steel paint cans (they didn't work much better but beggars can't be choosers

).

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:06 pm

I shot old longbows growing up, and bought a Browing Nomad 46# recurve in 1972 then gathered up more recurves and longbows later. Several years ago I built a shaving horse and started making bows. I have a lot of good bow wood split and stacked in a stall of my no longer used horse barn, I just need to sharpen the draw knives and spoke shaves and start again.I enjoy trying to make one look and shoot good.

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:12 pm

I flech my own arrows, either wood or aluminum, mainly because I can't get any of the sportshops to flech them like I want, so they will fly good out of my traditional bows. They just want to cater to the high tech compound boys.

Sometimes I make arrows out of 3/8 inch wood dowels from the hardware store. But you need to be careful when choosing your dowels, because they can split or splinter. I use these for my more expendable arrows.

I also prefer the old two bladed Bear Razzorhead, without the bleeder insert. I think they penetrate eaiser, and I have found if bone is hit as in a shoulder or leg bone, they will slide and cut and zip on around the bone and still penetrate well, and they really do a fine job of bleading out a deer. However, on a crossbow or regular compounds when I used to use those, I like the old wasp 3 blade broadhead, and I still do.

Boomer45 · Post by **Boomer45** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:20 pm

Started out shooting compound bows about 17 years ago. Migrated to the recurve 10 years ago and haven't looked back. Currently have 2 recurves and my original compound.

sore shoulder · Post by **sore shoulder** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:50 am

JerryB wrote:I shot old longbows growing up, and bought a Browing Nomad 46# recurve in 1972 then gathered up more recurves and longbows later. Several years ago I built a shaving horse and started making bows. I have a lot of good bow wood split and stacked in a stall of my no longer used horse barn, I just need to sharpen the draw knives and spoke shaves and start again.I enjoy trying to make one look and shoot good.

Jerry, any chance of a pic of that shaving horse? I'm thinking one of those might be the impetus I need to start one of my projects.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:49 am

We've always had bows. I used to let Jr. have the run of the place with no worries at all as long as he had his Bear fiberglass longbow.
I bought a Bear Montana as my first,since I growed up. I used that a year or two then Jr. wanted it so he bought me a 60# Martin Vision. I shot it till I found a 50# Vision that I like even better so the 60 just sits in the corner.

I was on Tradgang for a while. I just ran out of time and couldn't keep up any more.

Bluehawk · Post by **Bluehawk** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:43 am

YUP IM a traditional archer . Fro 25 years my license plate on my vehicle was LNG BOW For ten years my famous quote was " Everything I hunt with has feathers on it !" Since ALL my hunting in those years was with my Hawks for small game and arrows for big game .
I worked in a "GUn " store for 18 years and did allthe arrow work made custom arrows and stoore arrows Still make custom cedar and birch arrows on request .
4 years ago I injured my left shoulder and after aomost 9 months of re hab IM OK now I could not shoot a bow until last fall and it was very light and only a few times . My sholder seems fine and no damage done bt shooting so I will be back to shooting regularly in a few weeks and HOPEFULLY back to hunting with the bow in the fall
I have Long bows made of Bamboo, Osage Orange, Yew, Black Locust and of course the normal walntu and action wood Osage is my first choice hand shock but good veocity and EXTREMELY STRONG . Yew is my next choice, with bamboo after that .
I NEED to get back into it .

ScottT · Post by **ScottT** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:49 am

There is just something special about loosing a wooden arrow from a traditional bow and watching its flight into the target.

You guys are making it hard for me not to get the old equipment out!

86er · Post by **86er** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:01 am

For the past year I have been shooting a Bear Tigercat. It was made in 1969 and my Uncle purchased it new and gave it to me about 25 years ago. I never used it until last year when I put a new string on it. I shoot about 50 arrows a day from it at 20 and 30 yards. I am planning to use it for whitetail this year from a tree stand or elevated blind. I may also try it on some small exotics at the ranch. It is sometimes frustating that I am inconsistent with it, but that created an obsession to practice and get it right.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:04 am

I still have to get a target bag put together.

I used to do Stick, but right now I have an "antique" 2-wheel Martin Speed Flite Cougar.

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:43 am

BlueHawk,

would love to hear more about hunting with hawks. I want to do this and am researching to find someone to apprentice under as required. I have the pen ready, just can't find anyone local . Are you still active in this activity? PM me so as not to steal this thread. thanks

win38-55 · Post by **win38-55** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:27 pm

I have been into Traditional/Non traditional Archery since the age of 12.
I currently have a 1968 Shakespeare Wonderbow Ocala Model x- 17 ,55 #.
A 1961 Bear Ranger. This was my first bow. It was given to me buy a
good friend that worked at Bear Archery in Grayling Michigan. He personally
knew the Grand Master of Bow Hunting- Fred Bear Himself. I Also have a Bear Montana Longbow that shoots awesome very fast with no hand shock.I also shoot compounds. A PSE Carerra that has killed 4 deer in the past 3 years.

Nath · Post by **Nath** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:37 pm

I have an italian made flat bow about 50lb at my draw. I bought a few years ago because it didn't stack when drawn and is very good to shoot.
I did a little field archery and really enjoyed it except the people were to PC for me and slightly snobby so now I just go and break the law by hunting with it

I also have a Mongolian bow at 60lb and with leather clad limbs, pretty fast.
Getting broad heads over here is tough.
This crumby country banned bow hunting in the early 80s I think.

Nath.

getitdone1 · Post by **getitdone1** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:48 pm

I've never done much with bow and arrow. Find it interesting. One thing I like about it is--with enough motivation--a guy can make both and not be running to the store for ammo or gun repairs. The self-sufficiency of it, I guess.

I can't stand the compounds. I will agree if I had to hunt with a bow in order to stay alive I might love them.

Still torn between the long bow and the recurve. How would some of you describe the differences of these two types? I know very little about bows and arrows and hunting with same.

Don McCullough

cas · Post by **cas** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:48 pm

I've always wanted a Japanese bow... but since I'm a good two feet taller than your average Japanese archer, I'd need arrows that are like six feet long.

getitdone1 · Post by **getitdone1** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:51 pm

cas wrote:I've always wanted a Japanese bow... but since I'm a good two feet taller than your average Japanese archer, I'd need arrows that are like six feet long.

A collection of bows made throughout the world and during different time periods would be really interesting to see. Wonder if some museum has such a collection?

Don McCullough

shawn_c992001 · Post by **shawn_c992001** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:53 pm

I've been into archery ever since I could walk I started with a plastic recurve and rubber stopper arrows. I shot a compound for years and year before last I started shooting traditional. I haven't had any luck with any big game yet but a rabbit did fall to a Zwicky tipped cedar arrow last fall, talk about a big silly grin!

Nath · Post by **Nath** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:58 pm

I know what you mean by big silly grin shawn

I no expert but to me a long/flat bow is quite forgiving over a recurve.
Nath.

deerwhacker444 · Post by **deerwhacker444** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:03 pm

.

Not traditional, but I worked very very hard for this doe last fall. She's the only deer I've taken to date with archery equipment after years of trying.

Shooting this bow is like shooting a firearm. I have to admit, it's pretty easy to hit stuff with inside of 50 yards.

You guys with the simple stick and string,...You guys are STUDS and I take my hat off to you. Maybe someday when the compound gets to easy and loses it's fun, I'll switch over to instinctive.

IMO any deer taken with a bow is a trophy. Even more so with traditional archery.

Comal Forge · Post by **Comal Forge** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:08 pm

getitdone1 wrote:I've never done much with bow and arrow. Find it interesting. Still torn between the long bow and the recurve. How would some of you describe the differences of these two types? I know very little about bows and arrows and hunting with same.

Don McCullough

The longbow typically shoots a little smoother than a recurve but can have a tendency to stack more (gets harder to pull at the end of the draw). I have both types and like each one for different reasons. The great archer, Howard Hill, could do amazing feats with his longbow.

This is a pretty good link on Hill and archery in general:

http://www.stickbow.com/FEATURES/HISTORY/Hill.CFM

Coldfingers · Post by **Coldfingers** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 9:12 am

What was it that Gepetto said?

"Carve a little wood, pull a few strings, and sometimes the magic happens"...or something to that effect anyways.

There is nothing like the sight of a big ol bannana fletch dissapearing into the side of a large critter. Nothing.

Have taken moose, black bear, caribou and lots of stewpot sized critters with simple sticks and string over the last 40 years. Every event was most satisfying.

Meat served on a stick, the way it should be.

There is always a bow and a "quiver full of possibilities" pretty close to hand, 5 3-D targets spaced about the property and plenty of kids bows on the porch to entertain the little guests when they show up.

Heck, even the tomato stakes have feathers on em....

getitdone1 · Post by **getitdone1** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 5:15 pm

I have just read a very interesting article about the English Longbow at the Wikipedia encyclopedia site.

5'5" to 6'11" perhaps an average of 6'6" in length

Believed to varied from 100-200 lbs pull. Power needed to penetrate body armor.

They have found skeletons of old medevial archers with bone spurs caused by the enormous stress such powerful bows put on their bodies. These guys had to be very strong to be accurate with such powerful bows! It's said there's one modern archer who can be accurate with a 200 lb bow. Suppose there's a few others. Very, very few in number I am sure !

They would "rain" thousands of arrows down on the enemy.

Can a well-made medeviel longbow made of good yew wood be purchased somewhere at this time? If so expect very pricey. Then, where do I find the guy strong enough to use it?

Once at the Wikipedia site type English Longbow in the search box.

Don McCullough

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 5:39 pm

Don for years Bear archery was located in Gainesville, Fl and they had a museum right there at the factory. I've been there three times. Bear ran into problems, I think it was as a result of the K-Mart bankruptcy IIRC. Anyway they sold off the museum items as a whole. It was purchased either by Bass Pro or Cabelas, I forget which.
If you're looking for along bow there are plenty of people out there making them. Personally I don't work out a lot like I used to and my 60# is the limit of what I enjoy shooting. If you read some different sites like tradgang.com or stickbow.com . Stickbow I think has more bowyers hanging out there someone there can point you towards a traditional longbow maker. My Vision is a longbow but is a reflex-deflex design and very advanced. I have shot a cedar arrow from mine at 217FPS. MY 50# is much more enjoyable to shoot. I think there are a lot of people out there today that are overbowed. It's a macho thing.

Nath · Post by **Nath** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 1:26 pm

I'm sorry to rake this old thread up but I have just had one of the most enjoyable meals I have had in a long time, a rabbit jointed and basted in flour mixed with salt,peper and orragano shallow fried in olive oil.
No pics for legal reasons but since this thread started it prompted me to do a bit, but after some thought I got myself a Samick TD recurve #40 (tests show I'm drawing 43lb) and what a joy!
Shooting three fingers under and canting the bow I am pulling good groups at the realistic distance of 15yds.
Next I made some new shafts and some broad heads and got my meal with them

It sure does put the hunt back into hunting. Very addictive

The mild steel broad heads I made are to heavy me thinks @ 150+grn so I have made some from 1mm stainless that come in under 100grn so by the time they are whipped on and glued should be more like it, can't wait.
There is something very primeval about it. You soon realise how a gun makes it very easy.
Any way it's all your faults

I had the best three hours before dark I have had for a longtime.
Nath.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:00 pm

Congratulations on the fried rabbit, sounds tasty. Have you ever used rubber blunts instead of broad heads?

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 5:50 pm

Rusty, for years before Bear moved to Florida they were in Grayling Michigan. We went right by the shop on the way to the Manistee river to deer hunt and trout fish,never did go in wish I had of now.

Nath some .38 spl cases make excellent blunts.

soreshoulder, I will take some pictures and post them tomorrow.

woods-walker · Post by **woods-walker** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:10 pm

I use a Bear Grizzly made at the Grayling Michigan location. Growing up in Michigans Lower Penninsula, the folks always took us for a summer vacation to Lake Huron near Alpena. We would stop at the museum on the way to the cottage, those were the days my friends. BB guns, bow's and arrows and a Mitchell 300 spinning reel and rod. Good times that set goals for a life time.

sore shoulder · Post by **sore shoulder** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:17 am

JerryB wrote:Rusty, for years before Bear moved to Florida they were in Grayling Michigan. We went right by the shop on the way to the Manistee river to deer hunt and trout fish,never did go in wish I had of now.

Nath some .38 spl cases make excellent blunts.

soreshoulder, I will take some pictures and post them tomorrow.

Thanks. I wont see them till Sun night as I have a 3 day drill this weekend, but I'll look forward to it. I was admiring my piece of Osage last week and thinking I need to set up a little spot under a tree where I can work on it a little at a time when taking a break from homework. I just set up a bow target in the dark this morning for the wife and my daughter who will be visiting this weekend. I have a cheap little 25# bow for them to play with.