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Jamie

Senior Member
5,691
177
Ohio
Something seriously wrong with you people... Do you guys wake up and purposely fall down the stairs?
you have never done anything that requires dedication and effort just to see if you can do it? never tested yourself outside of you comfort zone? "that which is sought with difficulty is discovered with pleasure."

make no mistake, taking game with classical archery equipment is completely doable if you are willing to let go of the notion of shooting deer at 30 yards or more. most deer hunters today simply are not willing to do that. some are not capable of getting closer, but most just plain don't want to limit themselves in this fashion. I'm living proof that you do not have to be a world class shooter to take game with a stick and string. you just have to get close and understand what you can and cannot do when you are within 40 feet of deer. shooting well and with confidence is important and required, but is secondary to being in position for shots at close range.

the lack of interest in classical archery today is saddening. it has been in decline for the entirety of my hunting life. swept under the rug by a modern archery industry that has no reverence for, nor any way to make money off of it. it is very hard to sell something that requires a greater investment of the self and less of the "stuff" that the hunting industry wants to sell you.

no luck involved here. just a bunch of hard work, dedication, discipline, and patience. still, a rewarding and delightful pursuit if you have passion and desire enough to stay with it long term. very few do.
 
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giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
you have never done anything that requires dedication and effort just to see if you can do it? never tested yourself outside of you comfort zone? "that which is sought with difficulty is discovered with pleasure."

make no mistake, taking game with classical archery equipment is completely doable if you are willing to let go of the notion of shooting deer at 30 yards or more. most deer hunters today simply are not willing to do that. some are not capable of getting closer, but most just plain don't want to limit themselves in this fashion. I'm living proof that you do not have to be a world class shooter to take game with a stick and string. you just have to get close and understand what you can and cannot do when you are within 40 feet of deer. shooting well and with confidence is important and required, but is secondary to being in position for shots at close range.

the lack of interest in classical archery today is saddening. it has been in decline for the entirety of my hunting life. swept under the rug by a modern archery industry that has no reverence for, nor any way to make money off of it. it is very hard to sell something that requires a greater investment of the self and less of the "stuff" that the hunting industry wants to sell you.

no luck involved here. just a bunch of hard work, dedication, discipline, and patience. still, a rewarding and delightful pursuit if you have passion and desire enough to stay with it long term. very few do.
I kid about it. I love watching the dedication you guys have and the true passion it takes. Lots of ups and downs to shooting traditional. With my disorder, limiting those failures help me live a better life. So it’s just not for me. Maybe at some point in my life I’ll be calm enough to be able to truly have the satisfaction that comes with shooting something with a traditional bow. Hell, I’ve had a chunk of tree picked out since I bought this house. But until then, I’ll take the slow way down the steps.
 

Bowkills

Well-Known Member
2,577
85
Nw oh
Hit my goal today, I think. I jumped into bowmaking this winter. I wanted to buy a trad bow right after Christmas when the bank account is in the worst shape every year from santa. My wife made the point, "Do you really need to buy another bow?" Well, no dear......but I'll try to make one! So on to youtube I go. Watched a few videos read through jamies threads and bought a draw knife and jumped in. After making my garage look like a family of beavers moved in, I received two how to start books for my bday. Which I was at a stand still question anyway... what the hell am I doing? I've read both books and hacked away. I've learned a lot and have the most respect for bowyers now as I had zero idea of what goes into a bow. I've cut sealed and stored osage staves for future years. I've been fighting green or buggy wood just to try learning as the books say work with what you have. The whole purpose is buy as little as possible so undesirable material will work for now. So I'm getting closer to getting something that looks like a bow....my goal year 1 was to get something to shoot farther than I could throw an arrow. So today after tying a Flemish string to length that I doubt is right but seems solid, let an arrow kinda fly from a maple sapling that is no doubt awful and will unquestioningly break. Enough force to take a cottontail. So goal met. My 1st stick that could actually be dangerous besides to user....
20190404_154521.jpg
fear is the worst part of this. Putting hours into something and having it bust is heartbreaking. Never shooting or even holding a wood bow in my life I'm struggling with a initial floor or bench tiller or how of much pressure goes into this. The sapling above served it's purpose. I've been trying to make a flatbow. Hopefully i get one to shoot shoot before to long.....its addictive....!
20190404_161319.jpg
 

Bowkills

Well-Known Member
2,577
85
Nw oh
Are you using Dean Torges book? I have a copy you can borrow if you would like to read it.
I also have some Osage board stock if you would like to try to build a BBO
I have the one from the author of the bowyers bible, and one from clay hayes. The goal is to get one to shoot and practice. then put the brakes on Building for awhile let more wood dry. I have a chunck of black locust im going to try to chase a ring yet before summer. Im to new at this to take any material from anyone as it will more than likely end up in the wood stove.
 

Creamer

Active Member
1,584
81
Athens
I have the one from the author of the bowyers bible, and one from clay hayes. The goal is to get one to shoot and practice. then put the brakes on Building for awhile let more wood dry. I have a chunck of black locust im going to try to chase a ring yet before summer. Im to new at this to take any material from anyone as it will more than likely end up in the wood stove.

I watched one of Clay's videos (he has many bow making videos on YouTube) where he cut down an eastern cedar for a stave, dried it, and built a bow from it. It was a lot cleaner and straighter looking stave than most of the ones I see him work on.
 

Bowkills

Well-Known Member
2,577
85
Nw oh
We'll I'm getting closer. I broke the maple flat stick in the pick above. Moved on to a piece of hickory. Knots here and there and everywhere u wouldn't want one. I made 2 very bad mistakes on roughing it out with a hachet but I believe it may be my 1st bow I could hunt a whitetail with. I purchased 12 arrows from amazon as arrow making will be a someday... I learned all about string follow and set😡 now. I'm in the works of a shelf. Sanding and a finish soon and hopefully cold shots.
20190424_204348.jpg
 

Jamie

Senior Member
5,691
177
Ohio
congratulations. the ice is broken. the possibilities are now only limited by your desire and ambition.

my first bow was from a piece of shagbark hickory slab wood with just enough meat on it to make a 50lb bow. it was a godawful thing to look at and even worse to shoot, but she held together. the trajectory of my life changed significantly the day I shot the first arrow from that bow. I still have it. it hasn't been braced for over 20 years, but I wouldn't take a million dollars for it. there really is nothing that compares to taking game with a weapon you've made with your own two hands. it is liberating and primal, but impossible to understand unless you've done it.
 

Bowkills

Well-Known Member
2,577
85
Nw oh
congratulations. the ice is broken. the possibilities are now only limited by your desire and ambition.

my first bow was from a piece of shagbark hickory slab wood with just enough meat on it to make a 50lb bow. it was a godawful thing to look at and even worse to shoot, but she held together. the trajectory of my life changed significantly the day I shot the first arrow from that bow. I still have it. it hasn't been braced for over 20 years, but I wouldn't take a million dollars for it. there really is nothing that compares to taking game with a weapon you've made with your own two hands. it is liberating and primal, but impossible to understand unless you've done it.
Thanks. I've never felt much love for my compounds I've owned. Although this whole thing has been somewhat of a nightmare learning curve it's been rewarding....
 

Bowkills

Well-Known Member
2,577
85
Nw oh
I was getting ready to post how great this stuff is!!!!!! So year one goal was to get an arrow flung-achieved, but i want a bow to hunt a whitetail with. So a big ass hickory thing was convinced and still survives but i thought I could get something to shoot nicer without a dicked up grip. So I've spent some time getting something to work. I didn't think this would tiller out or would have been in the shitcan pile but somehow this knotty piece did to just shy my full draw.
20190516_184917.jpg
with my expectations rising a new string was made with my daughter's help.
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after some time of throwing a few arrows just shy of a full draw. I thought just a hair more and we r golden and crack!
20190516_193031.jpg
main limb section of the non knotty limb that I thought would be about the last place this would crack. So back to the drawing board.........the Mathews still is safe from eBay......4now. More hickory for smoking I guess.....
 

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