El Cheapo the longbow makes meat!

[SOS]

Many of you joined me in my build-along as I made "El Cheapo", my inexpensive TD longbow this summer based loosely off the Bingham's Pronounced longbow plans.  You "felt my pain" when a nock slipped off the string and I dry fired it, shattering the original riser and then watched it come back to life as I rebuilt it to look like this:

 

Well, as of yesterday morning, it's a killer!       In our part of Georgia, the pre-rut is beginning to pick up and I rattled in a young 7 point.  He came in to about 13 yards but turned and walked away. I hit full draw as he hit an opening and when I bleated at him, he stopped and turned for a nice 17 yard quartering away shot. Like magic, the arrow was gone. Good penetration, entering the back of the ribs and angling down with the head coming out the off-side brisket in front of the shoulder. Started stumbling in less than 20 yards and was down for good in less than 40 in sight of the tree.      

 

This buck was a lot of firsts; first with a bow I made, first with a long bow, actually first shot of the season, first with wood arrows and first using wild turkey fletching I split and ground.  Bet you can't tell I was tickled with this deer!

 

What a thrill!  I've always been excited at any deer kill, often a little shakey, but when this boy fell within sight, my hands felt numb - that was a first.  I sat down until I felt steady enough to climb out of the tree.  Only to look behind me as my foot hit the forest floor to see a small 6 point looking at me from about 50 yards away.  Nothing like the first chilly weekend of the year and the pre-rut!  

Good hunting to all!       Steve

[BigRonHuntAlot]

Gotta Love It.  :D   Congrats on your trophy.

[vermonster13]

Good deal!

[Arrowslinger]

Good shooting Steve.  Glade to see you bring that bow back.    

[ishiwannabe]

Nice job on the bow and the deer!

[SOS]

And to give credit where credit is due, Arrowslinger made the FF string on the bow.  I only had Dacron and he made me up a string and mailed it to me so I could do some comparisons.  With FF, it picked up about 4 fps with the heavier POC arrow - about 167 at 560 grains.

[sticshooter]

OUTSTANDING! LOTS OF US HAVE BEEN WITH YA ON THAT BUILD ALONG. AND WHAT A FITTING WAY TO END A STORY! CONGRATS        ><>

[kennym]

Good deal Steve!! Hope ya get many more!      

[overbo]

Has to be very rewarding

[Bonebuster]

Must have felt like magic. Making it, and then making it happen!

WOW!

[4runr]

Very well done!

[bbassi]

Well Done! Man there's a lot of deer falling to us "primitives" here isn't there?

[Bodork]

Great job Steve! You didn't mention it, but I'll bet that your first helle blade knife was with you as well.  Congratulations! Mike

[BamBooBender]

Well done!  Way to keep at it!    

[Wulomac]

Very nice indeed!

[Jason Lester]

Very Cool!

Congrats!

[Duckbutt]

Super duper deal there!

[Randy Morin]

Way to go.  Thats awesome right there.  I too have taken a deer with a Bingham related long-bow I made off their limb plans about 5 years ago. Now I'm hunting with one I designed myself and the first deer I take this season will be it's first also. Hopefully I'll be as fortunate as you...Congrats on all your firsts!    

[Blackhat]

Good Job there.

[woodchucker]

CONGRATULATIONS My Friend!!!!!!!!!!