Hi gang,
I have been looking around for some time now to find a new hunting bow. I currently shoot a Mongolian horse bow made by Toth Istvan that is 45# at 28". I'm thinking of switching over to longbow, but I have yet to find one that feels right.
What's most important to me is that the bow be made here in America by a bowyer, not a factory.
Next most important is design. I'm looking for a reflex-deflex longbow with a decent sized riser and not much handshock. I have a short draw length, 26.5", so the bow must be tillered for that. I don't want to get a bow made for tall people that won't give me all the potential energy it can generate. Length of bow I would prefer to be as short as possible for easy use in brushy terrain, but I leave that up to the bowyer.
Next up is materials. I want American woods. The best bow I've ever had was made by a fellow named Hank Pruitt, and it was a hickory selfbow. Extra points for those willing to work with hickory. I like Osage and walnut too. I also want antler tips.
Another important thing is handgrip fit. As you might guess from my handle, I'm a lady bowhunter. I have large hands for a woman, but they're still smaller than nearly all men. That means I need a scaled down grip. Sadly I don't have any preferred dimensions to give you. I just know that some bows I've handled are fine, and others are too big (for example the Diamond Woodland Hunter by Tomahawk).
As for the draw weight, I'd like to move up a bit from what I currently have. I once measured my bow and I pull about 38#. I'd like to get up to at least 45#, perhaps 50#. I can pull bows rated up to 60# at 28" with relative ease.
Basically, I need good speed and power for hunting. I primarily hunt eastern whitetail. I plan to hunt elk, turkey and wild boar. Maybe some other birds if I get hungry. I use wooden arrows that I make myself, and have no plans to switch to aluminum or carbon.
If all this sounds pretty specific, it's because I'm just like most of you on this forum. I've been shooting all my life and I know what I like in a bow.
If you're a bowyer, or you know of one that makes what I'm looking for, please reply with your thoughts. I'd appreciate any input!
Check out Mike at Maddog archery bows he is a sponsor and makes some nice bows at great prices.
OOF!! There are so many here that can easily handle your requirements.
You should have no problem. Trouble is, a lot of top notch bowyers who are sponsers here barely have time to read and post.
Each trad person here has their own favorites, so you might end up with a LOT of choices!
Just curious, what made you consider changing from the horsebow? I've never shot one.
Jan, Go to ETAR in July and shoot hundreds of bows if you want then pick a LEON STEWART Slammer. Great guy, great bows... just what you described above.
Centaur
That sounds like a fun project to me. I love building something for a customer who knows exactly what they want.
i build an assortment of different long bow design from a 52" hybrid to a 66-68". all of my bows i take pride in the craftsmanship and performance, I will custom fit the grip to your exact specs.
I have Osage, hickory, and walnut in stock. Please contact me if i can be of service to you.
Kirk.
The ebony bow here was built for a lady bowhunter in Colorado. She named this bow "Godess of the hunt"
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/Big%20Foot%20Obsidian/600widthbows.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Splinter%20Kat/CIMG0718.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Splinter%20Kat/CIMG0719.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Splinter%20Kat/CIMG0715.jpg)
Kirk that is some STUNNING ebony. Another incredible bow.
QuoteOriginally posted by YORNOC:
OOF!! There are so many here that can easily handle your requirements.
You should have no problem. Trouble is, a lot of top notch bowyers who are sponsers here barely have time to read and post.
Each trad person here has their own favorites, so you might end up with a LOT of choices!
Just curious, what made you consider changing from the horsebow? I've never shot one.
Hi David, I know, there are tons of bowyers around. But I felt like my research was stalled, so the more the merrier!
Hmm, why do I want to switch? Well, mainly because my horsebow has a twisted limb. It's still shooting ok for now, but I'm trying to put a successor in place.
But also, I had a longbow once and loved it. Unfortunately, it broke. I've shot many that belong to friends and think I would enjoy the challenge of hunting with one.
You may want to check out Mike Ballenger of 7 Lakes Bows in Pinehurst, NC. That way you can feel the bow and shoot one before deciding if he's the one.
As already mentioned you wont find any problem with good bowyer sponsors here.check us all out,im sure one of us could build your the longbow of your dreams.if I can answer any questions feel free to contact me.Good hunting! Mike
(http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz67/legendsbows/007.jpg)
Check out Striker Bows, one of the sponsors here. The bows that Rick makes seem like they'd be right up your alley. Very smooth, light bows. Rick is easy to talk to, check him out!
A Great Northern Bushbow would definitly be worth a look. They won't break.
QuoteOriginally posted by Kirkll:
That sounds like a fun project to me. I love building something for a customer who knows exactly what they want.
i build an assortment of different long bow design from a 52" hybrid to a 66-68". all of my bows i take pride in the craftsmanship and performance, I will custom fit the grip to your exact specs.
I have Osage, hickory, and walnut in stock. Please contact me if i can be of service to you.
Kirk.
Those are beautiful bows, Kirk! I'll reply to you privately, but this reminded me that I didn't mention that I'm looking for a one piece longbow.
Beautiful bows Kirk.Love that ebony
You should give Ben and Linda a call at Hummingbird Bows Thay can set you up, and thay are great folk to deal with, Thay are in Mt. Pleasant NC. you could stop by and shoot some bows, It helps that Linda is a World Champ. so thay know a little about female shooters. :bigsmyl: Gary
One of the bowyers you need to talk to is Nate Steel at Bama Bows. I'm sure he would like to make you a bow exactly to your specks. Like most of the bow builders, he is really a good guy and will want to make the perfect bow for you.
my hunter bow is a greaet shooter, very nice.
my economical archery bow is also great, extremely fast at my 26" dl and very accurate. also price is great
Check out the new Signature bow at Raptor Achery, it is very close to what you described. I have shot it and it is smooth and fast and also has smaller grip.
Did you say one piece? Well... i didn't notice that...
I built this one for my wife. She's another Mac Ebony fan....and this was a rare piece at that.
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/Splinter%20Kat/SANY0001-3.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/Splinter%20Kat/SANY0004-2.jpg)
here's another one that i actually have in stock.
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/Splinter%20Kat/SANY0011-2.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/Splinter%20Kat/SANY0008-3.jpg)
Lost creek Life ender!
I can build you a 56" longbow r&d with forward handle
I would recommend any of Kirk's work along with Big Jim's thunder child. I have not shot either of these bows but would not hesitate to buy one based on the reviews here. I love all of the different Tomahawk series bows especially the diamond SS and I will be ordering a new legacy 3 piece in a couple of weeks. However you said that the grip was to large for your taste on these bows. I know that if you like the way a T-hawk shoots that a Black widow Pl shoots almost identically to me and they offer a custom grip option.
Give us a call our bows cover everything you are looking for. I love building bows for other lady hunters.
Here are some pictures of some of our bows
http://stjoeriverbows.com/inspirational.htm
I am also a short draw length archer who wants all the benefits of longer draw length bows...speed, power, stability, accuracy and etc.. That is why I went with a Dan Toelke longbow. Dan builds bows that can meet your requirements with the speed, power, accuracy you need. He will build you a bow per your specifications and send it to you to 'ring it out'. If it does not meet your likes, then all you have to do is send it back to him...no commitment to purchase. However, he builds such good bows that you will probably not send it back.
Lee Hoots is another excellant bowyer, which happens to be in NC. Lee just like Dan Toelke will ensure your satisfaction is the utmost priority. Lee makes some of the best looking bows with the best (IMO) grips you can find anywhere. They are short bows, but packed with all the features that you would be looking for. So, if I would have to choose between a Lee Hoots or a Dan Toelke bow then it would be both...that is what I did.
my wife shoots a St Joe River Bow made by Tracey Balowski and David. She has a short draw about 24"-25" I had a 56" longbow made for her and it is a beautiful bow with lots of power for her to shoot.
(http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u190/robslifts/DonnasRedElmTeakEmblem.jpg)
(http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u190/robslifts/DonnasRedElmTeakstrung.jpg)
(http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u190/robslifts/DonnasRedElmTeakshelf.jpg)
(http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u190/robslifts/DonnasRedElmTeaklimb.jpg)
(http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u190/robslifts/DonnasRedElmTeaktattoo.jpg)
this one is 40@28" i believe and it is a great bow to shoot and to look at also.
Mike Treadway is in north Carolina. I think you would be pleased with one of his black swamp bows. Search this site for old threads on mike and his bows.
Huntress--
Whew I've been through a boatload of custom bows trying to find one that's "just right" for my female hands at my preferred draw weight of 44-45#. My draw length is a bit more than yours @ 28". At this point in time I have found 2 that I think are as close to perfect as I'm likely to get. One is a Pronghorn TD , made by Herb Meland in Wyoming. The second is an ILF made by Bob Morrison in Ohio. Both are fast and smooth, offer the convenience of a takedown for travel. The Pronghorn has a lower grip than the Morrison, and is more "traditional". The Morrison has more possibilities, inherent in the ILF format. Both are 58" AMO, which I think is the perfect length to accomodate blinds, treestands and stalking. Both balance well with one of the smaller 4-arrow strap on quivers. Otherwise, you wouldn't go wrong with either of them.
Susan
QuoteOriginally posted by Brently:
Check out the new Signature bow at Raptor Achery, it is very close to what you described. I have shot it and it is smooth and fast and also has smaller grip.
x2 I have an older one, and it shoots great. The newer ones are laminated osage and/or yew, so it's all made in the USA.
I would recommend going to some trad shoots and trying out some bows. You'll meet a lot of great people and you'll be able to narrow your research. What works for me may not work for you...
Have fun trying to choose. Alot of great bowyers out there.
The St. Joe River bow are the best I know you an buy!! Not only do you get the woods you want it made from (my long bow is made from all woods found here in Michigan) they are great at building a bow to your exact specs as in draw weight but will figure the best limb and riser length to get the best performance for your indiviguale draw length (mine is 30" pretty long for a trad shooter) and they hand form every grip so it is made to exactly what fits you. I've shot trade bows for over 25 years now and they are one of the few true custom bows made out there and one of the best most accurate for me I've ever shot!
Since I didn't see anyone else throw this one in, Jim Neaves of Centaur Archery!!! Great craftsmanship, great performance, I love mine!! I too have smaller hands and that is one thing that drew me to the Centaurs, cannot explain how well it fits. Many fine bowers out there, put Jim on the list with the others listed here and I'm sure you cannot go wrong. Good luck with your search!!!
QuoteOriginally posted by justracey:
Give us a call our bows cover everything you are looking for. I love building bows for other lady hunters.
:thumbsup:
Tracey and dave build SWEET bows!!!
NICE LONGBOW KIRK,YOUR WIFE MUST LOVE IT.
Along with all the others, you might want to contact Sandra and Jim Belcher. He worked with Jeff Massie and designed the Longhorn which Jim builds today. They are great folks and Jim will build the bow to your liking.
Before you do anything though, try shooting a lot of different makes to be certain as to what you really like and want.
Danny
Consider talking to Bill and Tracy Dunn with Zipper bows. They have a one-piece longbow zipstick in the works, check out this link. (http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=112935#000000) Sounds like exactly what you are looking for. I'll be surprised if I don't have one eventually as well!
Bill and Tracy have made two bows for me of all native hardwoods off of the family farm. Bill enjoys projects like this and they are super to work with. Consider adding persimmon to your list. It is the only north american member of the ebony family and has a density on par with osage.
Check out my website.
God bless you, Steve
This post is from someone who just recently attended his first trad bow expo. You put that many top quality bow makers in one (ok, two) room(s) and it was an incredible experience. You can pick up and reject bows because all the grips feel the same and none feel right. You find booths with many different grips and the bowyer obviously could make any grip you want, but the style, fit, feel of the bow just isn't right. Then you find one that just reaches out and grabs you. Maybe you want different woods, or some other changes, but you feel like this is the bowyer you want to order a bow from.
I'm looking forward to attending a large trad shoot for the same reason. I've never had anyone tell me "no, I'd rather not let you shoot my bow". I'll bet it's the opposite - "Try mine - please!"
A much better question would be:
How much green is in my budget? Your bow thoughts sound like a basic bow for most bow builders when it comes to woods.
What are the best warranties in the industries and what is the base bow price?
How much experience does the bowyer have? How long is he in business? Does he build full time or part time? One piece, 2-piece ,3 piece?
Mild RD, medium RD or radical RD?
Is it important to me, wether I can string the bow safely only with a bowstringer or not? Or does this not matter to me?
Riser length/working limb length on different bow models. What length does the bowyer recommend?
Then you can start to sort and weed bows out...
Don't overlook Stalker bows. I am a recurve shooter but won one of South's 3 piece take down longbows. It has a recurve riser and shoots lights out. At hunting distances it stands right up to my DAS ILF with border limbs. Very fast, stable, quiet and accurate. It is also beautiful to look at.
(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Arrowworks/Stalkerriser1.jpg)
(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Arrowworks/Stalkerprofile.jpg)
QuoteOriginally posted by Hootsbow:
I can build you a 56" longbow r&d with forward handle
i highly recomend trying 1 of lees bows
kevin
Check out DWYER LONGBOWS, they have an Endeavor that is awesome. 58" I had a Defiant Longbow I wish I had not sold. Great people to work with.
I'd be very interested in building you a bow or a blank you can finish yourself. I notice you live not too far up the road. I'm close to Pinehurst in the little community of 7 Lakes.
You are welcome to look over my bows at www.7lakeslongbow.com (http://www.7lakeslongbow.com)