I'm thinking of a new takedown recurve with a Wisconsin flare. Although I have been flirting with the idea of a longbow lately as well.
I would like the bow to be made from woods native to Wisconsin and made by a Wisconsin bowyer. So far I am thinking Black Walnut and Hickory for the riser, and Eastern Red Cedar(actually a juniper species) limb laminations, but I haven't come up with a limb core wood. The bow would be 50-55# in pull. There are so many quality Bowyers in Wisconsin that that decision might be the hardest.
So what Wisconsin woods would you choose for the riser, limbs, or limb laminations?
I am hoping that I can pull a Wisconsin black bear tag in the next year or two and take a black bear with this bow. Then take this bow out west for Mulies or Elk.
Jerry
Elm for the core and Veneers..maybe?
I love this idea, good luck with your quest.
I like the idea as well, my daughter was born in Kenosha and Im about to order a bow from Maddog for her and this gave me an idea...
Maple limb core....good as any!
I had a bow made with old growth wood from Lake Superior. Birch, Elm, and Maple. It was made by a bowyer in Ashland. You can also give Kevin at RER or Mike at Bruin Bows a call, either one will gladly help you out.
You could always go with the phenolic cheese riser. Louis Armbruster had a bunch of iron wood risers and even iron wood lams that he cut not far from his home in SW Wisconsin.
RER is the way to go. Can't do much better than Kevin in any state.
Maple core, it is our state tree.
Plenty of Hickory, Cherry too. Elm and Maple would be part of my decision.
I was thinking of a similar bow with native woods. Whichever wood or Bowyer you choose, make sure you share with the rest of us and good luck.
Black walnut makes a great core, as does hard maple. Locust or Iorn wood is about as tough as it gets and can look awesome ... tons of it around Wisconsin. Like others hickory, cedar, elm, ash ... lots to choose from.
Could you wood burn the shape of the state in a limb? Perhaps a deer head or turkey feather as well?
Bob.
I had Mike @ bruin bows make me one this summer with black walnut limbs. Very nice bow. Nate
Maple limbs with walnut veneers. Walnut riser with a maple arch. It would either be one of Dave Dwyer's longbows, or Kevin Termaat's RER take-down longbows the LX. I'm currently shooting one of Dwyer's Defiant longbows and I love this bow more and more everyday. I have one of his endeavor models on order and I'm anxious to compare the two. If you prefer more of a recurve riser then the RER LX has the performance and looks to boot. Just my opinion. Good luck.
There are a great bunch of bowyers in Wisconsin. I've owned or shot most of them, met most of the bowyers and there are a lot of great choices. It depends on the style of bow you like. My personal choice is the Whippen Stick bows by Ken Rohloff out of Krakow, WI. Awesome bows and built by a guy that goes the extra mile to make your experience great.
I'd go with maple or hickory as a corewood. Both a proven and tough woods.
Elm is often overlooked, but it is one heck of a core wood and if cut to expose the edge grain makes beautiful laminations as well.
I have a bow with a laminated birch riser and maple core. Although it isn't my fastest bow it is very quiet and consistent.
I would look at Whippenstick bows Hellfire recurve.Ken builds an awesome bow.RERs are very sweet shooters ofcourse as well.
NBK is spot on with some of his suggestions. Dave Dwyer is a great guy to talk with and makes a super bow. The Defiant is his bread and butter ... super bow. However he has others and can make them out just about anything a guy wants ... might take 7 - 9 months to get one however. A Dwyer bow is a superb bow and realatively inexpensive for a custom one.
Bob.
I have shot:
Big River
RER
Dwyer
I would be happy to own any of them as they all performed beautifully for me.
ps one of them is my go to bow, the other two my buddy owns. I would love to try a whippen stick but haven't had the opportunity yet.
Longbow: Big RIver by John McDonald
Recurve: Bruin by Mike Steliga
Either can build them with native woods from WI.
After reading your post again and your plans for a bear hunt then for sure go with a "Bruin" Huntmaster like this one made with a Maple riser and Maple limb cores.
(http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc333/jcj138265/3n13me3le1f91251g18cu827d1f405deb1c.jpg)
If this is a hunting bow, I am kind of fancied to the darker woods - walnut, iron wood. RER good bows and just down the road from me.
then theres chris hartwig of New Wood longbows
(http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz92/wwbtrad/004-2.jpg)
and Bruin from mike steliga second one up from the bottum
(http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz92/wwbtrad/208.jpg)
Maple and RER.
Elm makes a great core wood. I had a bow with cherry veneers and a tiger striped maple riser. One of the purtiest bows I have ever seen. My next custom will have all North American woods in it. Does Osage grow up there as well. Osage and Walnut makes a nice looking riser.
Elm is a great core wood, Maple is too. I don't know to much about other WI woods though.
Good "Ole Hard Rock Maple" Too Many Bowyers to Suggest ... Good Luck ...
I couldn't take all this talk about bows so I made the four hour drive each way after work yesterday to Mike Steliga's shop and picked up one of his in stock Bruins. He is offering $100 off any in-stock bow so I got a great bow and a great deal with no wait!
If you want spectacular performance and a great guy with a fantastic work ethic check out Whippenstick bows. Ken Rolloff. I would go with maple core curley maple riser with walnut or ironwood foot or stripe. God Bless you and have a great day. Steve
Well it's only taken 2 1/2 years, but I put a deposit on a bow this weekend with a Wisconsin bowyer. Since it's been only 2 1/2 years you guys will just have to wait to find out who's making it. :bigsmyl:
I will tell you though that it will have 6 wood species native to Wisconsin in it and I will be calling the bow
"WWW" " Wisconsin Woods + Waters"
QuoteOriginally posted by smoke1953:
Maple core, it is our state tree.
X2.. Neat idea you have there :thumbsup:
Chris Hartwig makes some a sweet bows. But then So does Kevin at RER and ole John of Big river.I would say any on of these would make ya happy.There are others also.<><
A little maple syrup on that bow would finish it off nicely.
as long as this came back around i drew my wisconsin bear tag !!!!!!!!!!!!
Contact Chris at New Wood bows in the classifieds. He had a "Wisconsin bow" at the Banquet this weekend that looked great. It had curly birch and possibly walnut. I was impressed.
I would go Elm core for the limbs, black walnut and cherry for the riser!!
My 3 favorite wood working woods!!
I cannot wait to see what you decided on. My father is getting some wood cut at our farm and taking it over to John McDonald.
I still like the idea of having either MIke Steliga because of his historic connection with Bill Pyle of Staghorn bows or John McDonald of Big River build the bows simply because of their length of tenure as bowyers and ambassadors of the sport. In addition to their being great bowyers.
WWW
Have you seen the arrow?
The Phoenix from Whippenstick would be my choice for a takedown-recurve. Best bow I ever shot, period! As a matter of fact, it shot that good I own one now... Ken makes fantastic products and his service is second to none. His craftmanship is unbelievable. He lives in Krakov, WI. You won't be dissapointed.
And I like your idea!
QuoteOriginally posted by Steelhead:
I would look at Whippenstick bows Hellfire recurve.Ken builds an awesome bow.RERs are very sweet shooters ofcourse as well.
10 X on Ken's bows brutha. :thumbsup: .. he builds a very nice RC and long bow both. He's north west of Green Bay a couple hours.
Whippenstick gives a whole new meaning to the term cheese-head bow..... :biglaugh: Kirk
Well I went with a New Wood Longbow.
62" Stealth model 50-52# @28".
The riser will be Red Oak, Black Walnut, and Black Ash. The limbs will be maple cores, with Black Cherry veneers on the back and Easter Redcedar on the belly.
Can't wait to get that baby into the woods
RER
having shot 4 of the bows by mentioned bowyers, i would go with a whippenstick hands down.
There are a lot of great bowyers in Wisconsin. And a whole lot of woods. John McDonald makes great bows, so does RER, and Dwayer, and New wood. But I do know a knife maker that makes some really nice shooting take down recuves. Hopeing one day to learn how to kill with the bow I hve before I buy a Dave Ricke take down.
Being a Wisconsin native myself I have made some all-wood laminated longbows. Of course I only used species common to the area and they are: Hickory (back), Black Walnut (core) and Black Cherry (belly). It's a great wood combination! There are a lot of really fine full-time bowyers in Wisconsin, how did you choose?
Use osage with holes in it.
A Wisconsin bow ???? I would think that would be a green and yellow bow with static tips that look like Hockey stick blades and a riser that looks like a beer stein handle .... :goldtooth:
Go Pack! Go Bucky!
X2 what NBK (Mike Reilley) said. Before I got down to his post, I was thinking exactly the same combinations of woods (great minds think alike).
I like your quest for a Wisconsin "indigenous woods" bow...an outstanding concept! I have done similar in the past. Neither of the two bowyers Mike mentioned will do you wrong. Steve Welte of Deathwish would be another good choice for a longbow.
Good Luck
Kris
As Charlie stated earlier in this thread, I have been thinking of this for some time. I plan on cutting some different variteties on the farm in two weeks and going to see John at Big River. He builds a great bow and is great to spend some time with him.
Great idea.