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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Oregon Bill on September 20, 2007, 03:32:00 PM

Title: Plains quiver details
Post by: Oregon Bill on September 20, 2007, 03:32:00 PM
Thinking of making one of these out of an old mule deer hide I had tanned hair-on many years ago. I was planning to make the quiver hair-in, and with the grain of the hair flowing toward the bottom to help keep arrows in. Then I chanced to check the brief chapter on quivers in Reginald Laubin's "American Indian Archery." He mentions the use of a rawhide cup attached to the end of a stick that many Indians used in their quivers, into which the arrows fitted head first. If the shooter wished to choose a particular arrow, he would pull the cup toward the mouth of the quiver, lifting all the arrows with it. Seems this might be awkward with a simple quiver that is tear-drop in cross section and with hair side in. Anyone out there use this cup on a stick? It seems very practical with the proper quiver. It is illustrated on Page 131 of Laubin's wonderful book (the University of Oklahoma Press paperback edition).
Title: Re: Plains quiver details
Post by: Killdeer on September 20, 2007, 08:50:00 PM
How about that...it's on the same page in the hardcover edition, too!   :eek:  

I haven't tried a hair-on-the-inside quiver before, but it sounds as though the arrow cup would be a pain to use in such a case. I would be apt to doscern the differences in my arrows (blunt or broadhead) by different cap dips or fletching, etc. Just grab the back ends of the whole sheaf if the quiver covers the nocks, and pull them up into view. When roving with a plains quiver, I just pull the mouth of the quiver toward my eyeballs and pluck the nock I want.

If you are hunting deer, and wish to remain stealthy while sneaking an arrow out, I would suggest that all the arrows in your quiver should be as alike as possible. You wouldn't want to be fooling with an arrow cup at that time anyway.

Just some armchair ramblings, and pulling this up for perusal by the late crowd.

Killdeer  :wavey:
Title: Re: Plains quiver details
Post by: Marvin M. on September 21, 2007, 08:09:00 AM
I agree with Killie on marking arrows.  Use different caps/nocks to tell the difference in your arrows.

As far as the cup goes, I don't think it would work very well with hair inside.  An alternative would be to put your broadheads in "booties" before you slide them in.  That would protect the quiver and help keep the broadheads sharp.  In addition, if you tie them together (the booties, that is) they would hold each other in the quiver.  All you have to do then is just pull an arrow out and put it on the string.  Putting one back in would be a little more difficult, but that is another story.
Title: Re: Plains quiver details
Post by: sticshooter on September 21, 2007, 10:25:00 AM
Shell(my wife) has made them with hair in. They work very well for keeping things quiet. She has made them from elk and whitetail hides. Broadheads will cutb the hair so botties on them would be great.<><
Title: Re: Plains quiver details
Post by: Oregon Bill on September 21, 2007, 10:42:00 AM
I think you are right about adding booties to the broadheads. Question: Do you attach a string to the booties that would allow you to fish an empty one out of the bottom of the quiver without pulling everything out?
Title: Re: Plains quiver details
Post by: Marvin M. on September 21, 2007, 01:02:00 PM
That is one way to do it.  

Another would be to tie all of the booties together.  Put them all in with the arrows together, and the weight of the others will keep the bootie from pulling out when you extract the arrow.