Trad Gang

Wow, I never thought choosing a bow would be so hard! A month ago I had decided to order an  RER Arroyo after the holidays. Then I seen the Black Mountain Sheepeater with the straight rattan grip and its calling to me. I find myself searching this site for any info I might have missed on these bows, I think this might be addictive.  :bigsmyl:             Ollie

I'm going to order a sheepeater,but I want the recurve grip.   :campfire:

I would go with, I mean went with, the Sheepeater.  I am sure the Arroyo is a good bow but haven't had the opportunity to shoot one.  I shot Brent's personal bow before he started selling them and knew I had to have one.  The turkey (Brent) made me go over to his place and build my own. Me working with fiberglass, now that is a sight.     :scared:

Both are fine bows but I own a Sheepeater Obsidian with the medium grip myself. I own an ACS-CX and Black Swan Hybrid and this little 48" bow shoots right with them. It is very light in the hand to boot.

(http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f311/vermonster13/BlackMountain.jpg)

Here is a sampling of the grips that Brent provides....rattan grip, low wrist, medium wrist and high wrist.I have the one, second from the left in stock...53#.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v197/manyletters/Sheepeaterrisers3-1.jpg)

Sheepeater for Sure!! I have one with the traditional handle, So it can be shot righty or lefty. I've been shooting selfbows for years and the traditional handle is basically what I've been shooting. You'll love Brent's bows.

Never shot an Arroyo but I know you can't go wrong with the Sheepeater. And Brent aint too bad a guy either even if he did make Walt build his own bow  ;)

I just ordered mine on the phone. Brent is a good guy. Buy the sheepeater.

The Sheepeater was the best shooting bow BY FAR that I shot at the Idaho trad expo last year. This bow is light, sure in the hand, and shoots with real authority.

And besides, Walt WANTED to build his bow!


Then the fiberglass started flying
:eek:

He remembered why he liked osage!
 ;)  

Done a great job too.

Sorry, never shot a sheep eater but will o against the grain here. I own an Arroyo and I have read the performance reviews on the SE and the Arroyo is the better performer and mine is very quiet and the best bow for me. I am sure the SE is a great bow, but the Arroyo is all of that. Shawn

ttt

Hi-I won the Sheepeater Spirit at the St.Judes auction last Spring--Brent built it---51@26 my draw length--with a very high wrist grip like I am used to.This bow and I have been in some absolute hxll holes and tangles and thick bush--works perfect for me--its short length is super for the thick and dirty stuff and its  light weight makes carrying a dream.I use a side quiver and have nothing attached to the bow except me.I use aluminum arrows and 2016 @27 5/8---with a 145 2 bladed head.It will be perfect in a blind.Do I like mine?-------YOU BETCHA !!!!-----ELF.

Do you guys all work for Brent?    ;)  

I have been thinking about a Sheepeater for awhile, and I am going to stop by his place and see what all you guys are talking about.

You're in for some fun Tom. Brent is one of the nicest and funniest guys you'll ever meet. Just make sure the Obsidian that says "Vermonster 13" on it is still there when you leave.    :saywhat:

I never saw mine----exept in pictures till it arrived at my door in Canada.I always wanted a static recurve----and now I have a super shorty.ELF.

Does anybody have photos showing a straight away side profile of the grips. With the angled photos, it's difficult to tell the difference of angle in the heel. I'm interested in seeing the difference between a low and medium grip. What is delivery time (ballpark est.) running at right now? Sure would like to have one by April, but I don't think that will happen.

exept should be-----except.-----ELF.

I think Brent told me he had an Obsidian almost ready to go, he just had to change the name on it.    :D    :thumbsup:

QuoteOriginally posted by Shawn Leonard:
Sorry, never shot a sheep eater but will o against the grain here. I own an Arroyo and I have read the performance reviews on the SE and the Arroyo is the better performer and mine is very quiet and the best bow for me. I am sure the SE is a great bow, but the Arroyo is all of that. Shawn

You never shot one,but the arroyo is the best? Me thinks that's a bit of a biased opinion..      :rolleyes:     Blasphemy says I !!! GET A ROPE....       :eek:          :campfire:

QuoteOriginally posted by tomh:
Do you guys all work for Brent?     ;)    

For the next 90 days I will be...   :readit:    :campfire:

Pinelander,

Turn around time is running about 90 days. Figure that in, carry the one..........if I do my guzintas right, real close.

V'ster, let me get this right, you want me to cut your Obsidian in half and send it back to you?

Brent that is exactly what you are doing after you make an addition and a subtraction that is.    ;)

Never shot the sheepeater, but hard to imagine a better shooting bow than the arroyo.  Regardless of other people's opinions, you shoot shoot both and decide for yourself.

The last portion of the last sentence should read "should shoot both and decide for yourself".

Brent---it was very nice of you to send me that obsidian to shoot-----It has a funny name on it, but I can sand it off.

Heck Jeff, send it to me and i will sand the name off and write yours on it for you.

I spoke with Brent a while back on moving up in his neck of the woods.  And I can tell you this you wont find a nicer guy.  He will bend over backwards for you!!!!!!!

Quit eggin' him on, guys...he's got my bow on the workbench; Lord knows where she'll end up

He only got it yesterday so I know that one isn't mine. lol

All right I have shot the Arroyo but not a Sheepeater. so I think someone should send me one with the recurve grip and I'll see whats what!LOL I am sure they are great shooters. Shoot both and decide.<><

Thank you all very much for all the replies.  I would like to shoot them both but that probably won't happen for a while. I read that the Arroyo is a verry good performer and would really like to have one, but what drew me to the Sheepeater was that its design seems similar to the Arroyo but with a self bow type grip. Please keep the information coming, I love to hear all about these bows, and how they shoot.            Ollie

Another vote for the Arroyo. They are VERY hard to beat. Take a chance, and you will not be sorry. Also, Kevin and Sue are a pleasure to deal with. They will keep me coming back for sure.

I love my Sheepeater!  It's one of the coolest, most unique bows around. Very nice shooting manners all the way around.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/IMG_0568.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/IMG_0512.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/Ranman/IMG_0571.jpg)

That is one pretty bow Randy!

I've owned both, the Arroyo is faster, both are very quiet, the Sheepeater may (read may) have the edge in quietness. Sheepeater is probably more fun to carry around. both are good bows but two different animals IMO

Larry has got it, as the Arroyo is a forward handle bow lik ethe Widow PTF and the Sheepeater origianlly was more like a Self-bow on steroids, than they came up with the one with the recurve grip, I have to try one of them. Shawn

Randy, that is a beautiful bow but my wife wants a full size photo of the flowere bed.  I've got to learn to lock the door!

Pinelander...here is a some pics of the obsidian with the medium wrist grip taken at a straight angle...my son scooped my digi and is in Mexico but when he returns, I can get pics of the low wrist as well.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v197/manyletters/Riser.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v197/manyletters/ObsidianProfile.jpg)

I own an Arroyo but have never shot a Sheepeater.  I really like the looks of it but have about a 31" draw and need to shoot one before I believe it would handle that draw length.  The Arroyo is the fastest bow RER makes, and is also very quiet, smooth and forgiving.  They will have one with a 50's style grip this year.  Looking at Pete Ward's test of the Sheepeater it looks to start stacking between 29-30" draw as it gains 5lbs in that last inch, so the Arroyo probably offers some options if you have a longer draw.  Pete Wards test of the Sheepeater at 10 gr/lb showed a speed of 173 AMO; my Arroyo shoots about 190 AMO at 10 but is 18 lbs heavier, so maybe the Arroyo is slightly faster.  That said, Brent's Sheepeater is a design milestone just as significant as Adcock's ACS IMO, as no one's ever made a bow with that kind of performance in that small of a package (except maybe the first Sheepeaters).

Dave

Hey Dave, yeah 31" is a little long for this 47" bow.  First time I have ever felt sorry for a long draw length guy.  Is it wrong to feel just a little better about myself now.   :goldtooth:

Is Randys bow darker toward the end of the limbs or is it just the lighting? That is a very nice looking bow.  How does the straight grip with no shelf cutout on the sheepeater shoot? Is it as accurate/forgiving as the ones with the cutout?

Thanks for the photos Dennis, looks like the medium grip is the one I would prefer without even seeing the low grip. Has that Kingwood riser made it up there on the dogsled yet? LOL

Thanks for the reply on delivery times Brent, guess I would have to get an order in right away to make it in time for late April/early May turkey season.  

A bit off subject, but since I'm looking for a short bow for the turkey blind this year... the Chek-Mate Raven (52") comes to mind also. I had one quite a few years ago, real deflexed in the handle and that little bow sure did shoot fast, although I never chronographed it. I don't like most of the grips on the Chek-Mate bows (too fat), although the Raven didn't seem to be as bulky as the take-down models.

Anybody have comparison comments (likes/dislikes) about that bow compared to the RER or Sheepeater?

Also, what is the grip valley circumference on the Arroyo and the Sheepeater with 'curve-style grip? anybody?

Nice bow Randy

I ordered a sheepeater the other day after talking to Brent. I sent him the riser from my trails end takedown,so he can see what grip I am used too,and he said he can get really close to what my grip is.

Dave,he might be able to make you a 31" draw bow,why don't you give him a call.It doesn't hurt to ask.

The grip circumference on the Sheepeater Obsidian is 4 3/8"...1/8' bigger than my ACS CX.