Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting what happened to archery..

I went the route from traditional archery here in Iowa back in the late sixties to compounds and back to recurves again, two of which I have now. I'm not quite a "purist", making my own cedar arrows, my bows, arrowheads, etc. but I'm definitely enamored of beautiful woods, a reusable steel head, and turkey feathers, wool clothes, and the experience of the hunt. My latest fun hunt is turkeys with a recurve out of a blind.

Without intending to offend anyone, I feel that "the industry" has led us down the road to Mr. Gadgets house in bowhunting to bring more people in with the promise of quicker success. There is no argument that some of the equipment is of high quality and works but also much is gimmickry and has been marketed like we'd bait a critter; there's the sometimes unspoken but often the blatant promise that "this" will make you a better, more "successful" bowhunter. The emphasis has been I feel heavily weighted toward defining success as killing game with perhaps the least investment in time and practice and without noticeable regard to the other aspects of the hunt.

So again, no offense to all you pulley-'n-cable-guys but another element is how I look on a beautiful recurve or long bow much as the art that is beautiful walnut mated with functional steel making a fine rifle. You must admit there's no way you'd call a compound beautiful, functional maybe but not beautiful.

And as Jim mentioned, being able to put a bunch of arrows in a coffee cup sized area at 25 yards - or further - is quite an accomplishment that requires admittedly more time but that contributes to extreme satisfaction in a one shot kill on game when it comes. This is not to mention the complex tuning, possible breakage of parts, jolted or bent pins, the need for a range finder, and the need for deliberate aiming with the "bow" in always in a vertical attitude that comes with a compound.

Well, to each his own and again this is not intended to inflame but is only my journey and present perspective.

I do aree completely! A compound bow does not have the romance,tradition, and most of all the "Soul"of a finely crafted recurve or longbow! If I'm able I will continue to shoot my traditional bows but as of now it looks like my compound will keep me hunting! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> John

I began with traditional in the 60's, went to a compound briefly, but returned to traditional in the mid 70's. A disc went haywire (disc replaced, but still numbness in triceps) and ended archery for me. I hope that some point in the future I can at least get comfortable enough to draw a lightweight bow for small game. I can't force myself to use a compound or crossbow. Just have too much love for the romance of archery. I sold my last two bows a couple of years ago, boy do I miss them....

Have read many a post and heard of many an archer who due to some injury, quit shooting the bow, or went to lighter weight or compound archery so as to keep shooting..

I'm getting old..:) Old enough to be Dad to many of you..
Six years back, due to an injury, I had two cervical vertabra discs removed.
By the time I told the drug peddlers at the HMO that drugs weren't working, I'd lost 70% of the muscle mass on my left-bow arm and shoulder.

I couldn't lift and hold a coffee cup...
After the few weeks of recovery, I couldn't do a single push-up. let alone draw any of my 70# plus hunting longbows or recurves.

Well..that sucked and I refused to just die and quit.

Worked out with pieces of rubber band and in the interim, built myself a new hunting static recurve based on the Nels Grumley-Bear Deerslayer model of the 50's.
77#@29"..
52 pieces of material went into the bow..Glass laminate.

I named it 'Molon Labe' which is the english rendition of the Greek words spoken by the Spartan King who was defending Thermopayle against the invading Persian army who outnumbered the Greek defenders 100:1.

After a few days where the Spartans piled the corpses of the invaders in the pass the invading King sent emissaries to the Spartans and told them they would be spared IF they threw down their weapons and surrendered.

Molon Labe was the Spartan King's simple reply to the emissary..which loosely translated says:

"Come and take them.."

And so I am now still shooting my heaviest hunting bows as well or better than ever, refusing to become crippled..

Learn to shoot the line.This involves strength, stability,concentration and properly matched-tuned bow & shaft.

Once achieved, then it is just a matter of bringing the bow up and allowing mind and eye to properly judge the distance and make the loose well with proper elevation.

If the archer cannot eliminate the lateral deviations of his arrow flight in his shooting and shoot the vertical line to the mark, he'll struggle as archer and hunter always...

This is not impossible nor difficult but it is a first requisite for good archery..jim

I hunted with one of Paul's bow for 12 years. He built a great bow and was a fine bowhunter. I was very sad to learn of his death some years back.

Jim, we might know each other, as we both have similar archery tastes. I'm Gene Langston, former editor of Primitive Archer, and make a lot of my own stuff. In fact, I just a few weeks ago finished a true English yew longbow, using yew from Oregon, or perhaps Washington. It's a beaut.

I used to beat the drum for a return to recurves, longbows, and even self-bows, but it ain't gonna happen. I have never, and never will, shoot a carbon arrow from any bow I own. That's my line, and I dont' mind if others shoot whatever.

My buddy has killed a truckload of animals using longbows and recurves, wooden hickory bows, wood arrows, and now he's gone to those carbon arrows. Why? I dont' know, considering his success with wood arrows.

My other buddy killed a cow elk with a 55 pound hickory bow he'd made himself and a wood arrow, got penetration up to the fletching, on a self-guided hunt. A good sized cow. Took him a couple of days to pack out the meat.

It's proven over and over than archery hunting should be close.

Gene, I think we have at least crossed cyber-trails when I used to post on Stickbow forums a few years back.

Nothing quite like a well made wood bow and well matched wood arrows both for aesthetic qualities an for the hunting..

There's still quite a few folks who appreciate such 'anachrinistic' things, but most of the merchandising and slick mags promote more hi tech complicated archery..even tho the actual hunting efficacy is not much enhanced IF a fellow likes to shoot and is diligent in his archery..jim

Shoulder problems and a lack of time to build a all-natural recurve bow now have me shooting a Jack Howard recurve.

The bow I finished is about 65 pounds, and while I can shoot it a little, my rotator cuff won't take too much.

Jim,

My son is shooting some Keasey kids arrows that a friend gave to me. All he said was that he had to shoot them and use them. I couldn't save them or sell them.

I think they came from Vern Struble to my friend, and where Vern got them I don't know.

I am fairly new at this archery thing. Started in 1985 with a compound. I got disenchanted with all the gadgets in 1994 and went traditional. I currently own self bows, longbow, 50's style recurves, recurves. I currently have cane, wood, fiberglass, aluminum, and carbon arrows in my shop.
I have tip weights from 75 to 250gr. I have B-50 and fast flite string material. I have commercial feathers, and feathers that I ground myself from turkey wings.

I have made my own archery equipment. Everything from bows and arrows to accessories.

I want to be hunting. I prefer bowhunting, but I love hunting.
I still haven't lost the amazement that comes with killing a animal with traditional archery equipment or with any weapon for that matter.

So, to the original question of what has happened to archery?
1. Greed
2. Time constraints
3. Trophy hunting
4. Lack of patience (I want it all, and I want it NOW!) Instant bowhunterfication.

I taught bowhunter education for almost 10 years to over 1000 people. What I experienced is what made me give it up.
The new "bowhunter's" already know it all from magazines, videos and pro-shops. Those three all have $$$ first and foremost on their agenda's.

I served on my State's Bowhunting organization board for 10 years. I'll be honest, the politics ruined my enjoyment. Just the last couple of years have I been able to purely enjoy bowhunting.

I was even involved in one of the national Traditional organizations that started up a few years back. Something didn't feel right, so I never really got too involved. I don't regret that one bit.

I still get a kick out of intoducing archery to kids, the smiles are priceless. They haven't been ruined yet. They just love to see the arrow fly. They could care less what bow or arrow they are shooting.

CRS, I knew Vern Struble and spent many an enjoyable day with Gilman Keasey down at his home in Corvallis before he passed away.

I still have a few of Gilman's kid's arrows, which were perfectly made and matched..and still fly well.Few know that Gilman also was a supplier of some very fine black walnut gunstock blanks to custom crafters over the years..and also that he was an ardent grower of Daffodils down on the Alsea..

Visited Chet Stevenson and Earl Ullrich back in the 70's and got a bow given me by Chet's wife after he died..
Earl taught me much about the selection and cutting of great pacific yew for longbows..

Glad to see that there are still a few archers out there who appreciate some of the old timers and their contributions to the sport..and craft-art of traditional bows and achery in simplest-effective form.

Stay with it, you and Gene L.
There's a whole generation of archers and youngsters who need to have your input and help..jim

I think that the reason the compound bow is so popular is because most people believe it is more accurate than a longbow or recurve. That may be true on the target range but for hunting, a traditional bow with it's simplicity is superior in my opinion. You can make shots with a traditional bow that you can't with a compound. Here's an example of shooting at moving targets and from unorthodox positions with a longbow.

http://www.tradgang.com/videos/ronlaclair/ronl-4.wmv

http://www.tradgang.com/videos/ronlaclair/ronl-2.wmv

Ron, Great vid clips!
I have often demonstrated shooting when laying down on my back where many would have the arrow just fall off the bow..:)
Now I don't take any hunting shots from such a position, but the goal was to teach that with proper form and a deep hook of hand on string, the string is 'rolled' with the draw and will keep the arrow on the bow ever when inverted..

Nothing like a stickbow for fluid and continuous shooting...It'll also teach any archer to put his body in the bow, rather than just draw with the arms as many compound shooters do..
Attached is a photo of me and Gilman Keasey about ten years back just prior to his death in his cluttered shop down in Corvallis.
I saw his two Dallin medals for winning the National archery champinship shoots..He built his own bows and arrows for those tournaments.
The man was a great archer and crafter..
When asked once about his choice of arrow plates on his yew target bows being mother of pearl and wasn't they 'noisy', he said...no, not if your arrows are right and your loose is good..:)
So much about archery has been forgotten that once was known.. jim

and an older picture of Gilman Keasey back when he was in his prime...

The arrows and bows of his I have and have seen all had his mark on them:
a hand drawn skeleton KEY with a Z in black india ink...Jim

I've got a book Gilman Keasy co-authored with somone from the University of Oregon on archery. I also have a book by him, I think, in soft cover...it's short, more of a pamphlet, as I recall.

I've got several old archery books, most of them target archery. They're interesting to read, but they each and all restrict the woods used for bows to yew an osage. But that's becaues they were using English or American-English bows.

Hickory, in a flat bow, is at least the equal of Osage. You just have to dry it out more, and probably make it wider. Hickory is a fine bow wood, as is ash, black locust, and most hard, dense woods. Yew and osage are efficient at a higher moisture rate than these "white woods," and you have to dry them out with a heat box.

I prefer working with Osage and Yew, as that's what I've worked with most. But I've seen hickory bows as short as 62" and at 55-60 pounds that exhibited zero string-follow due to careful drying and very careful tillering.

Stick bow archers.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
Get some wheels, some fiberglass and take that shot!!
Technology is the answer!! More more more!! I need some carbon fiber light optical whisker twangers for my 3 pound Bowtech..(really) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

By the way, I'm CWG on ArcheryTalk.com, Great site for archers...even those stick and catgut twingers! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
A guy I hunt with is a stick bow guy, hell, some of my best friends are stickbow guys..I just wouldn't want one marrying into the family, thats all!

Claude,
Enjoyed your website...You are seemingly as anachronistic-stubborn and dedicated to properly selected-seasoned-crafted wood as some of the 'stickbow' builders I've known..:)
Some very nice work, BTW..

BTW, never like the term 'stickbow'..as a great WOODEN OR WOOD-COMPOSITE hunting bow is light years from a 'stick'..

Always called them "bows" and the sport "archery"..:) jim

Claude,
That's funny, I kind of feel the same way about training wheels. They are ok to play with, but you don't want your friends seeing you with one. Real bowhunters don't need no stinkin wheels.

Bottom line is the fact that traditional bowhunting takes a tremendous amount of work/time to build all of your own equipment and become proficient in it's use.

I say it's the person behind the bow more than anything. There are "modern" bowhunters that I prefer to hunt with over some "Traditional" bowhunters.

I have no idea what happened to archery, but I'm following you fellas. In fact, I have been for years, I just now know that it's y'all that I'm following.

I gave up wheels, cams, pulleys, cables, sights, crap... in favor of a stick (two, actually - two old '70s vintage Bear recurves) and arrows (Easton Classics right now; until I graduate to wood), cut-on-contact points (Zwickeys, of course), and...

I LOVE IT!

I cannot, will not, shall not go back.

Archery is about getting close... and about much more... if we let it be.

Thanks, y'all, and it IS being passed on.

Now, to get wildswalker (Roy) over here... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

For a pure adrenyline (SP?) rush nothing beats the THWACK of a shaft hittin' the sweet spot. No rifle or handgun made can replace that for me.

I dread the day I can't pull back a bow......

I've come full circle on Bow Hunting, having hunted my heart out with several wheel bows, and having started with a $5 recurve that didn't fit me nor could I figure it out at the time. My latest wheel bow is one of those expensive Mathews with all the built in technology this ol' mountain boy can stomache. It drives a hunting shaft at 295 fps and I have been able to hit a snuff can at 45 yards with it. Practice.....

I hunted last season with it thrice IIRC...just plain losing interest in technology...I've felt myself slipping away from where I wanted to be in the first place...which was close.

I want to FEEL bow season again...not just shoot a deer or a black bear with a bow...

I'm thinkin' a self made Howard Hill style in about 55 lbs at 29 inches...some premium cedar and a few Zewicky's outta do the trick......

If'n you weren't a lefty, I'd already have ya hooked up...

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />