I'm 100% satisfied with the bows I'm shooting-I could care less about "limiting myself".

Thanks for making me remember Shawn.I also own a Caribow Wolverine. It is a very hard shooter and a beautiful bow. Abe is a fine bowyer and he also takes care of his customers. I can vouch for that with experience. Canada is included in what I consider buying at "home".

I cannot offer any advise on ILF but I will throw out another vote of confidence in Black Widow performance and customer service.

I think everyone has seen Abe and Tina at our shows.  Jack Kempt also, they are great people that should be patronized.  No problems here with our neighbors to the north.

To each their own.   I have owned a couple ILF systems.  Mike and son at Dryad do a great job. If you like to tinker, play around with an adjustable bow, the ILF system may be your ticket.   Give the Dryad guys a call - Mike will take care of you!   I have owned maybe 40 different brands and styles of traditional bows.   I still have 9 different brands of bows on the rack - including a Dryad Orian.  But for me, I hunt with Widows - made here in Missouri by a great company.   I am a hunter, not a 3D shooter or tinker.   I want my limbs to bolt down solid, be bullet proof. My Widow PCHX with a SBD string (10 strand) and AD arrows just works for me.  To each their own, but enjoy the journey.

Mike and Shawn, please accept my humble apology. While I do know quite a bit about Black Widows my knowledge of what else is out there is woefully poor. I've been with Widow since 1984 and while trying other high end bows, I always come back to to the Widow. I'm very passionate about the bows I shoot and USA made, that won't change. However the way I came across in this case does. I feel I was disrespectful of the guys that know alot more about other bows. In this case I should have clammed up and let the FACTS speak for themselves. Denny

Black Widows are legendary and fine shooting tough bows. No one's denying that. But comparing a premium ILF limb to a bolt down take down is like comparing apples to oranges. Besides if you want buy yourself a Black Widow AND a nice ILF riser and BF Extremes. Best of both worlds and there is no law against owning or hunting with more than one bow. I can attest to that.

I've never shot a BW but I had the change to shoot the BF extremes on the pinnacle riser in 45# and 50#. Both were very nice.

Honestly though, I probably wouldn't spend the money for either the BFs or the BW, but thats just one man's opinion ... and a stingy scrugelike man at that.

Frankly I'd rather draw an extra 2# of draw weight and put the extra money in the bank ... I'm drawing 25" so I'm not breaking any speed records no matter what I shoot.

I first heard of Black Widows when I started to read everything I could about a man named Myles Keller.  That was some 20 plus years ago.  I've never owned one...... yet.  I think we all need to remember the term traditional archery.  The reason I shoot a longbow is because I fell in love with the romance of the longbow legend.... from a time long passed.  To me, the reason why I will (at least I hope so one day) own a black widow has nothing to do with performance.... rather it has everything to do with the tradition, the legend, and memories of times gone by.  Same reason I love the feel of an old side by side I occassionally pull out for pheasants.  Its old as dirt, has several "scars" from previous hunts, but there is some kind of strange mystical connection I have with that gun...... that is eactly how I feel about traditional bows.  Heck I don't shoot an old hill bow all that well but it sure does make me feel good and somehow connected to the "lure" and "witchery" of archery.  In the end, perhaps the reason why widow shooters continue to shoot them, and pretty dang successfully, is because the bows just make them feel good and enjoy the hunt that much more..... its all good.

Nice post Dave. After 18 years of shooting compounds I didn't come to trad for speed.