anything on the way?

[Ian johnson]

well, our original trip was to drive to montana to learn to make bows with Brent Rudolf, but we got our dates mixed up and he wont be there, so we will have some time to kill, my dad, my best friend and me are all still going to yellowstone to go fly fishing and see the sites but we were wondering if there were any trad shops, shoots, or bowyers along the way, along I-25, or anythng in the yellowstone area, we will spend our first night in Amirillo so anything around there as well

thanks
Ian

[Dave2old]

Ian -- even though you're not going at the best time of year, Yellowstone is SO special, and so rarely visited by most of us, that I for one would temporarily forget about archery and just focus absolutely on that Place. Lamar Valley is the wildest, and the Roosevelt Lodge, though crowded this time of year, has the best food and best atmosphere. Strangely, through all the years I was self-employed and flat broke, my wife and I always managed, for 15 years or so in a row, a couple of weeks of camping and grizzly watching in Yellowstone and/or Glacier. Since I've gotten a "real" job, I haven't "had time" for such life's great pleasures. How I long for the Pleistocene! And Lamar Valley, at the right time of year and the right day, is as close as I've felt to that most human of times ever ... except out on the AK tundra. Sorry I didn't answer your question. d

[WESTBROOK]

Isnt Herb Meland, Pronghorn bows, in the Casper Wy. area?

Eric

[alligatordond]

Great tips Dave. Will be there, family in tow, or being towed by the family, in two weeks. I am hoping to see my first bear, black or otherwise(would love to see a griz). Though Florida has many, my particular neck of the woods, though wild, has few. There will be no archery shop visits to distract though an opportunity to cast a fly hopefully will arise.

[centaur]

Herb is in Casper. If you visit him, you might want to have a down payment ready; he makes a great bow. Casper also has a good archery range on the mountain if you have time.
The Yellowstone comments are right on. It is crowded this time of year, but is an awesome place to view wildlife, and if you like to fly fish, it has some of the best in the lower 48. If you are going through Cody, be sure to stop at the Buffalo Bill Museum. It is truly one of, if not THE, best museum of the west. Also, Trail Town in Cody is very well done.
Bring a jacket; it was 45 degrees at my house this morning, and we live at 5000'. A bunch of our high country lakes in the Bighorns are still frozen.

[Orion]

If you want to go a little north, there are several bow makers in the Hamilton, Montana, area.  Check out the ads in a Trad Bowhunter mag for addresses.