Is he still around and making bows? Just curious.
No he has not made bows in years. To bad, he made nice ones.
My Dad and uncle shot his bows for many years. He really did make some nice ones.
No longer around. He sold the business to a fellow who moved the operation to PA. He didn't last long in the business.
I owed the Heritage recurve and later Rocky sent me his "new" Predator T/D. Loved his bows, they shot great.
Thanks, guys. I ran across an article about him in an old Field and Stream. Very impressed.
I've been looking for a Heritage recurve for years. They are rare as hen's teeth for sale. I think RM quit making bows somewhere around 1993-94. I think he lives in the southwest now.
Traditional archery society. He's a sponsor on that site.
See story in Traditional Bowyers of America, by Dan Bertalan. 1st or 2nd Ed. (1989 & 2007), one of many in the well documented books.
I had a couple of his bows, a recurve and a longbow. His shop was in a basement of a building along Main St in Bozeman. Shot a few critters with those bows, but they got too heavy for me, and they found new homes.
QuoteOriginally posted by joe skipp:
No longer around. He sold the business to a fellow who moved the operation to PA. He didn't last long in the business.
Duane worked with Rocky for a while and then bought the biz and moved back to PA as you say. I thought he was around for several years... on a more personal note, as I see it noteworthy, Duane's parents took in foster kids and often adopted them. Duane and his new wife followed in those footsteps and several of their adoptees required special medical attention.
Duane was a trained machinist and didn't feel he could get sufficient return on bows to support his family, so he ventured out into doing gunsmithing again and sold off his holdings of inventory, etc.
I picked up one of his heritage bows, a RC that he had left and it was a fine, sweet shooter!
Duane was a fine bowyer in his own right and it was sad that his obligations precluded him staying in the business.
QuoteOriginally posted by Sacred mt:
Traditional archery society. He's a sponsor on that site.
Rocky is not a sponsor on TAS.
David , you are right. I have mistaken Herb Meland(Pronghorn Custom Bows) for Rocky. My apology. Senior Moment:(
Sacred mt
LOL, no apology needed......I have those moments all the time any more. And did I mention that I have those moments all the time any more? :D
Here is a photo of the Heritage. I need to find 2 photos I took when my buddy and I chronographed a few bows back in 1986. My Heritage was 57# at 27"
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/003_zps1e11e40d.jpg) (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/sf1oak/media/003_zps1e11e40d.jpg.html)
Here is Rocky's Predator...
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/002_zps42b54b8e.jpg) (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/sf1oak/media/002_zps42b54b8e.jpg.html)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/008_zps0bee6674.jpg) (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/sf1oak/media/008_zps0bee6674.jpg.html)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/003_zpse193e995.jpg) (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/sf1oak/media/003_zpse193e995.jpg.html)
Rocky moved to New Mexico and became a fishing guide the last I heard. Mark Baker knew him fairly well and may stop in and give an update if he sees this thread. I have had one of his Bridger Mountain longbows for over twenty years, used it to take a black bear and several deer one year. I picked up one of his recurves on CraigsList in decent condition last summer for $150, but the previous owner had sanded the writing off when he refinished the riser. Still haven't had a chance to shoot it.