Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: half eye on February 22, 2013, 08:57:09 pm
-
This is the latest bow from the demented elf ::) Before the particulars, I'm goin native for 2013. I'm shootin their bows, their way and hope I can do 'em justice. This is the first in a series I'm gonna make to see what I shoot the best/ accurately.
The bow is Red Elm (slippery elm) 1-3/8" grip, 7/8" tips. 42" ntn and 47# @ 22" (50@23). 7/16" at the grip and 5/16 at the tips. I measured several Ojibwa arrows for drawable shaft length and they went from 19.5" to 21.5" so I'm gonna be shooting 22" (draw to the head). See what ya think. Allmost forgot, it has 1/2" of set, and pitch&grease for the finish
Also would be interested in hearing from anyone also interested in hunting with NA eastern woodland short bows. Maybe compare notes, ideas, techniques etc. Hope I aint the only crazy one on the site.
rich
-
Sweet bend on a sweet bow! Nice one!
-
That's really cool that you are going to hunt with such a bow. How do you find your accuracy compared with using a longer draw/anchor?
-
Awesome bend in that little bow Rich. Looks like a meat making bow to me.
-
Our little red phase eastern screech owl weighed 178 grams this morning, exactly the same as your bow. They hunt silently, they are almost invisible with their camo-patterned feathers, and they are fast, deadly hunters, swift enough to pluck bats from the air in flight!
I think there are some similarities with the bow in your hand. Silent, swift, deadly, and just the cutest little thing! :laugh:
(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo100/JW_Halverson/Hendrix/misc%20BOP/0110131039_zps6200f86f.jpg)
-
Our little red phase eastern screech owl weighed 178 grams this morning, exactly the same as your bow. They hunt silently, they are almost invisible with their camo-patterned feathers, and they are fast, deadly hunters, swift enough to pluck bats from the air in flight!
I think there are some similarities with the bow in your hand. Silent, swift, deadly, and just the cutest little thing! :laugh:
(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo100/JW_Halverson/Hendrix/misc%20BOP/0110131039_zps6200f86f.jpg)
Ha, ;D. Those things scare the crap out of me when I am alone in the woods at night, ;D. Very nice bow Rich. Did that come from one of your staves that you quarter sawed yourself from a raw log?
-
JW, thanks, all my commissioned money from my wildlife wood carvings went to the Raptor rehabilitation center down by Midland. The screech owls and saw-whetts were my favorites. Even when ya was doin 'em a favor they'd look right clean through ya.
Gordon, pretty accurate, but can be better. I have trouble with the secondary grip and palm-up stance. shootin 3 fingers and palm down I got real good at 15 yards and under. But looser with the secondary. Plan on working on that all this summer with different bows/weights/and trying to perfect the secondary. If that doesn't come around I'll shoot with the hand down and 3 fingers. I really want to do the NA thing but owe the deer the most accurate. I dont shoot at circular targets but cut out deer shapes from carboard. I believe that it would be fair to say oranges at 15 yards. Dont shoot any farther than that.
thanks Howard / cbd
rich
-
Sweet bow
-
That's gorgeous Rich. Rest assured your not the only crazy guy on this sight cause that is my favorite bow type too. As simple and primitive as they come yet deadly. I too have been honing my shooting a 22" draw and hope to hunt with a similiar bow this fall. Working on practicing my knapping to do stone points and I'll be pure primitive.
Jon
-
Half eye that is a nice little bow, I bet they shoot fast.
-
Doncha love the way wheelie boys see these little bows and say what cute kids bows they are! Then you invite them to pull 'em....hehehe! The people that depended on these bows for a living didn't carry them because they were "cute"! They judged them by how effective they were.
-
That's a cool challenge Rich. I'm looking at trying something like that as well. I'm going for 24" and see how that works for me. I have been using a two finger pull for about a year now and I may try that palm up thing too.
-
I'm with you Rich. I did a couple NA bows last year and really love em. Are you going to add any backing?
-
Rich:
First things first... What a terrific bow! As you know, I'm partial to the shorties.
Sounds like a good challenge. I've been talking to myself about hunting from the ground as much as I can in the 2013 season. With cover and on a good run, I think it's exactly the place for the shorties. I'm respectable at the 15 yard distance with my 24" draw bows. I'll have to work on a 22-incher. Mine will likely be of osage and sinew. Not all that correct for Eastern NA bows but 22 nonetheless. Good on ya!
-
Do you short draw that far below your eye? I'm still learning Rich, be patient.
-
Great bend on that one Rich, cant wait to see your "going native" kill, got faith in ya getting it done, Bub
-
I love the look of those edge grain re shorty's ya got there ...going for turkeys with my osage shorty and prim arraz this spring...best o luck to ya!!!
-
Nice job on that shortie, Rich. I love the way your trad finish makes the grain pop on that elm....and, of course, sweet bend, as usual. ;)
-
Johnston, Rich may be drawing the bow that way as a way to show the bend and may have a different style of holding the bow. I hold mine below my head and at an angle using the instinctive style to shoot.
-
Thanks for the kind words fellas,
Matt, I'm sure some of the nations were big enough to darw 24". Has to do with the size of the individual.
Hrothgar, No none of them will be backed, just self bows. either edge grained boards or staves, but the red elm and the ironwood seem to not mind the bend at all (no creeping set/ fretts etc at all)
Lane, dont shoot the bow anywheres near how the picture is (thats for the PA Monie shot) usually the bow is nearly flat, and the string fingers come back low (below the face) so your kinda lookin down the arrow like a pool stick. The bow hand is either palm up or palm down depending on which string grip I use. Works good for me.
Jon, you gonna need telephone poles for arras to fit a bow you like to pull 8)
rich
-
nice bow rich. Good to see that elm can take that kind of bend without sinew. Best wishes on your hunts this fall.
-
Another insane bend Rich, really nice...
-
Very nice bend in that one,sweet little bow. :)
Pappy
-
Rich, that bend is a beautiful thing to behold! That's the arc that always attempt and seldom achieve. That bow ought to be near perfect in your foxhole blinds. Josh
-
nice bend on that little bow. Congrats!
-
bub,gar,donald, pappy, gun doc, twisted thanks for the comments, we'll see what happens on the huntin end of things. Gonna make several more and see which ones fit the best first.
rich
-
Hey Rich, you make 'em any shorter they'll dissapear altogether.
Del
(I'll be pickin' you brains later in the year when I try for an Osage shortie :) .. gotta pluck up courage to try abelly split first....)
@ JW that's one cute litte critter :)
-
Another good looking little short bow Rich.
I sure like them. ;D
I'm going to give the NA way of shooting a try like we talked about. See how it works for me.
-
wow that is short, nice bow. its amazing that something so small could take large game.
-
I will probably hunt this year with my little wheel barrow handle bow, of course compared to what you make 57" would be considered a long bow. I will shoot 3D tournaments with it as well. If I had the skill to make a bow as short as you I would use them but until I do the wheel barrow handle will have to do. I have tried the palm up method and I struggled with it, it would take lots of practice to perfect the technique. It just felt awkward.
Grady
-
del, dont believe I could tell you anything about tillering, eh? ya make some mighty fine bows. But if there's anything I could help, be happy to do it.
Don, With havin pretty much the same mind set, think you'll catch on to real well, probably better than me with that secondary grip and palm up.
Auto, Believe anybody can make the short bows, ya just go about it a little different is all.
danny, Most all native americans that I've checked into made hunting shots close, 20 yards and less....usually a lot less. Once ya break yourself of the pull to your ear mentality to get the power. Ya got to pull to full draw (to the head) it's only a matter to get yer alignment. It is really suprising how much power and accuracy they do have. Getting over the up-right rigid and long draw we were brought up on, the Native way feels a lot more natural too. I'm still struggling with that part of it.
thanks again for the comments fellas, much appreciated
rich
-
I'm still struggling with that part of it.
Here's hoping your only future struggle with this bow is dragging da big ol' buck outa da woods!
-
Sweet lil bow! Rich, Would you snap shoot at that length? I know we shoot alot of fish down here and never come to full draw on a "normal" length bow. Im inspired by you as usual, I may have to try one.
-
i love those shorties they are awesome. im working on a short one right now, ok its not that short but it is my shortest 52" ttt. for turkey hunting this year. how do you tiller those short ones to look sooo good?
-
Love all your bows half eye, no exception here. Sweet bend. I will be watchin these with interest. Love the simple NA bows.
-
Thanks again fellas, aint nothing special just trying to duplicate people I got a lot of respect for. I went and dug up some pics of NA's drawing bows (not just Ishi) so really short bows are well within what they need to do.....they are not good for upright, classic English archery stances. Just mostly different strokes sort of thing.
rich