Primitive Archer Magazine 04-2012

Apr.
/May 2012
Passing It On Since 1992
In This Issue:
Take A Veteran Out Hunting...Page 10 Building Selfbows and Flintknapping at the Tennessee Classic...Page 56 Bullstik Journey...Page 62
plus:
Steps In Making A New Bow String...Page 30 Hand-Crafted Shooting Glove...Page 38
Volume 20 Issue 2
$7.99US&CAN
04
09128 46220
Display until May 28, 2012
Apr./May 2012 Volume 20 Issue 2
Primitive Archer Magazine
Inside This Issue

F E A T U R E S
10 16
Take A Veteran Out Hunting

By ROBERT D. SMITH
Sinew-Backed Yellow Birch Recurve

By MARC ST. LOUIS
24 30
Mulefat Shafts
By LARRY CLEMONS
Steps In Making A New Bow String

By DUANE SPANGLER
38 42
Hand-Crafted Shooting Glove

By JIM DAHLBERG
For the Love of Yew

By JOHN WETZEL
50
Cane or Bamboo Shaft with a Nock

By KAY KOPPEDRAYER
56
Building Selfbows and Flintknapping at the Tennessee Classic

By STIM WILCOX
62
Bullstik Journey
By RUSSELL THORNBERRY
On the Cover
All-Time High by Stacey Huston Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2 1
D E P A R T M E N T S
Hunting Column
6 Ramblings of an Antique
By TONY KINTON
A Closer Look
8 Product Reviews
By TONY KINTON
Primitive Archer Magazine

A Wholly Owned Division of Bigger Than That Productions-LLC
Ask PA
28 Hickory Warbow
By MARC ST. LOUIS
Bows of the Month

34 From www.primitivearcher.com
By CIPRIANO RIVERA
PUBLISHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Monroe M. Luther PRESIDENT & CEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Michael M. Moore MANAGING EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ed Ingold TECHNICAL EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Marc St. Louis HUNTING EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tony Kinton EVENTS EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Marie Luther EDITOR EMERITUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gene Langston COPY EDITORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amy Staehr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Marie Luther ASSOCIATE EDITORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bill Campbell, Ty Cunningham, Jim Hamm, Kay Koppedrayer & Mickey Lotz
Medicine Man
46 White Pine
By STEVE PARKER
WEB SITE MODERATORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mark Baggett, Cipriano Rivera, Pat Brennan, Keenan Howard, Ryan OSullivan, Eddie Parker, Steve Parker, Justin Snyder, Marc St. Louis, James Parker, Marie Luther and Paul Wolfe
Primitive Chef
66
SOCIAL MEDIA MODERATOR . . .Nickki Wetzel & Marie Luther DESIGN & LAYOUT . . . .Aaron Bergman/Bergman Graphics
PRIMITIVE ARCHER MAGAZINE strives for accuracy and honesty in its advertisements and articles but assumes no responsibility for content. 2011 by PRIMITIVE ARCHER MAGAZINE. No part of the contents of this magazine may be reproduced by any means without the express written permission of PRIMITIVE ARCHER MAGAZINE. PRIMITIVE ARCHER is published six times a year. Printed in the U.S.A.
Venison Meatballs with a Sherry and Sour Cream Glaze over Spaetzle
By BILL CAMPBELL
Poets Corner
80 Miss Bowhunting
By RANDY STIVER
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Backtrails
80 Where Lies the Magic in Traditional Bowhunting?
By MICHAEL T. HUFF
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71 72 78
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Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2
irst, I want to thank everyone who took the time and made the effort to send me a note. As a result, we have material for our Letters to Editor Column for the next issue or two. It is so nice to hear from our readers, and I hope its of enough interest to others as to whats on their minds to make it worthwhile. I encourage you to send a note for the LTE column if you have an issue about the contents of the magazine, or anything that you think others would be interested in knowing. Often, there are questions asked whose answer I suspect many readers would be interested in knowing. Sometimes the questions are directed to a particular article that appeared in the magazine, other times they are a general question to our readers. We try very hard to provide the answers; if the question relates to a certain article, often the author will respond. Other times we post the questions hoping a reader will have an answer and respond with a letter that we can post in the following issue. If you have a computer and internet capabilities, its very easy to drop us a note. Just send an e-mail to editor@primitivearcher.com and please list your given name and, if youre comfortable with it, your home town. We make every effort to respect the privacy of those who write in. That being said, if you specifically request a response we will post an e-mail address. We will not post phone numbers or mailing addresses. If you want to send a written letter, thats easy also, just mail it to: Editor, Primitive Archer Magazine, P Box .O. 79306, Houston, TX 77040. As always, we hope we have put together an issue that merits your interest. If so, we encourage you to share it with others who may have an interest. The world of primitive archery is expanding rapidly, from raw beginners to those that are ready to make the next step and reach beyond the compound bow. Please let them know about us. And there may be others who would like to see what they can do with their own two hands, or in some way learn about making their own archery equipment. You may know people who, regardless of how they hunt or what equipment they use, might be interested learning about native cultures, ancient historical events determined by the use of archery, or things such as the World Archery Festival in Korea or horse archery around the world. There is a myriad of archery-related events and happenings, organizations and rendezvous, that take place throughout this country and overseas that may be of interest. I know of several people who are not archers of any sort but nevertheless enjoy the contents of our magazine. I can think of unlimited reasons a gift subscription to Primitive Archer Magazine for a friend or relative might be very much appreciated. If you know of some young person who might benefit from getting involved in working with his or her hands, or just
From the
Editor
getting involved in archery as a sport, a gift subscription might be just the thing. You can even gift a subscription to a club, boy scout troop, or business that sets out magazines for their clients to peruse while waiting. I am sure all would appreciate the gesture and the gift. Be sure and look for our 20th anniversary specials in the magazine throughout this year. Again, Thanks for the notes and letters. Hope you enjoy this issue and keep in touch. Please let us know how were doing. We really do want to hear from you. Ed Ingold
To:EDITOR
Deployment Download
Dear Editor, I have been in the Navy since 1995 and have been a subscriber to your magazine since the late 90s. I havent missed an issue (except for a short time while on deployment in Japan) since then. I cant begin to tell you how excited I am when I receive an issue in the mail or how many issues my wife has sent to me while I was out to sea, because she knows how much I love this magazine! Im like a kid at Christmas when I come home and I see that magazine sitting on the counter! I didnt have a chance to build my first bow until I was stationed here in Kings Bay, GA, and have built a few more since then. I have kept just about every issue and usually go back through them once a year. You all have done an outstanding job and I appreciate everything that you do! I only wish all the magazines were available for download so I could take them all with me on my submarine during deployment!! Keep up the great work! David Holt HMC(SS/SW) Submarine Independent Duty Corpsman USS GEORGIA SSGN 729 (BLUE) David, Have you looked into an e-mag subscription? It sounds to me it may be exactly what youre looking for as far as a magazine you can download. Drop Mike Moore at our Houston office a note (Mike@primitivearcher.com) or Marie Luther (calendargirl@primitivearcher.com) and Ill bet either of them can fix you up with what you need. Ed Ingold
Count Me In
Dear Editor, I just received my new issue of PA Magazine. I cant wait to read Kays article on bamboo arrows. I also enjoyed the article on the 1st Annual Primitive Archer Bow Trade (2011). I dont want to miss out on the 2nd Annual. Please make sure the postings are LOUD and CLEAR! Sign me up! By the way Nice trade bow, Lee! Matt Wirwicki Perry, MI
new things. I only make them during the summer, so that means Im busy when Im making them. Im sure the next 100 will be different and better. I have some different bows planned now for 2012. I have one wish for the New Year, and thats for the Primitive Archer to be monthly. But, I know what they say about spreading your butter too thin. Or if it isnt broken, dont fix it. I know 2012 will be a good year for reading. Yours truly up here in Ontario, Canada, Eugene Raymo Canuck Archer Eugene, Thanks for your e-mailI do get lonely when I dont hear from our readers. Thats quite a Christmas list, but well do our best to fill it this coming year. Youve chosen a couple of very accomplished mentors and it sounds like they served you well. There are no stupid questions when it comes to bow building and Im sure many others benefited from your requests. Ill bet if you ask either Marc or Denny, theyll tell you that they learn something every time they answer a bow-building question. Ive found the best way to learn something is by trying to teach it to someone else. Ed Ingold
A Few Requests
Hi Ed, I got an email that suggested that you are lonely and that I should send you an email. So here it is. I live in Ontario, Canada, and subscribed to your magazine when I developed an interest in primitive archery. But once I read an issue, I got hooked on trying to build a bow, one as pretty as the ones in the magazine. I did my internet research also, and learned quite a bit. But it all seemed so hard, like all first time things that you do. I eventually ran across two established bowyers who answered a ton of my newbie questions, can I name the two gentlemen? Marc St. Louis, whom you know well from his association with your magazine, and a top notch Ontario, Canada, bowyer. The second fellow, with whom I developed a lasting friendship, is Denny Mears of Pennsylvania. I think both men have been making bows for over 20 years. And, both were always there to help me. I know now that I asked a lot of questions that seem stupid to me now, but at the time, bow making was mysterious. My first bows were little more than linen backed branches. I do not live in an area with other primitive archers, let alone anyone who builds their own bows. I have had to develop my own methods, which work for me. In future articles, I would love to see starting bowyers doing articles to show how they are doing, the learning curve that they face, the help that they receive, etc. I would love to see photos of unusual bows. I made a bow out of an old wooden waterski. That is a pretty neat bow. Anyone else ever make one from a waterski? Id like to see some survival topics, and an in-depth article on different methods for making Flemish strings, and how to survive in the woods the way the old Indians used to do it. Maybe to you, these topics are old hat, maybe they were in previous issues, but you always have a group of bowyers coming into the hobby. Id also like to see interviews of some established bowyers, like Marc and Denny. And theres Clark Dennil of British Columbia who makes yew bows. Maybe how about Bowyer of the Month? Id like to know how we can get more traditional/primitive archers and bowyers. Maybe we can put Primitive Archer Magazine in some of the local bow shops? Im sure once people start to read about traditional bows, primitive bows, they might be hooked just as I am. Ive made about 100 bows so far since last year, and each has taught me
Made with Cane

Dear Editor, I am new to your mag and enjoy reading it. I would like to see more on building arrows made from cane. When I was a kid my uncles used to make them and they looked very longabout three feet without fletching with a homemade barbed point. Does anyone still make them? I would like to read more on them. I still remember seeing the shafts after being cut hanging on a string with a weight on them to keep them straight and as the shafts turned yellow, making the points for them from nails or whatever. If possible, could you write more on this subject? David Poole David, Youll be pleased to know we have a cane arrow article in this issue. Since youre new to the magazine, you may want to get a copy of our April/May 2009 issue (17-2) that has an excellent article by Billy Berger on making cane arrows. You can find this issue and all other back issues under the Back Issue Order section of our website at www.primitivearcher.com, or call the office at 713.467.8202. Ed Ingold
Learning Lots
Ed, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family. I enjoy your magazine and the articles about hunting with primitive equipment. I am interested in articles that share techniques/tips on building primitive gear, bows, backings, bow strings, quivers, arrows, broadheads, etc. Keep up the good work! Warm Regards, John P. Caster Product Manager Bufloc/Specialties Group Buckman USA
Cheers to Many More

Dear Editor, I would like to thank you for the many great years of reading and education Primitive Archer has provided me. I cant say enough great things about the whole crew. I hope you have many more years as good as the first twenty. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Anniversary. Keep up the great work. Jesse Smith.
Goood Reading
Dear Editor, I have been a subscriber to the magazine since the first issue and still have them all. It just gets better with every issue. My wife bought me a copy of The Ravens Gift because of the review in PA. It has been one of the best reads I have in my library and have recommended it to many friends. Jim Dahlberg Hot Springs, SD
Jim, Thanks for your noteIm glad you liked it. For me, the book inspired some very profound thinking as to where we, in this modern age, fit in the overall scheme of things when it comes to harmonizing with the natural world. I suspect our ancestors accepted this much better than we do today. I loved the fact that a PhD research chemist/ science textbook author was exposed to forces beyond what his academic and very scientific brain would easily accept. I also like that there are still some mysteries that we cant readily comprehend. Ed Ingold
matrix within, which when dry can be painted with colored acrylic paints with Native American Indian design motifs. I hope this helps. John Hoare
In Memory of Winston
(The following came as a reply to an e-mail I sent Winston about a question I had regarding one of his articles.) Dear Editor, Good Morning. I have some bad news. Winston passed away in November, suddenly and unexpectedly. It was a real shock. But, he had been out in the morning with his bow and arrow hunting in the forest. Linda MacDonald (Wife) Linda, We are sorry to hear of your loss. Thank you for letting us know. We will miss his involvement with Primitive Archer Magazine. I know how much he enjoyed his time spent with primitive archery and his enthusiasm in sharing it with us. Ed Ingold Note: Winston MacDonalds most recent article was published in Primitive Archer Magazine 20.1 entitled, Black Bear Gets a Haircut.
Arrows in the Making

Dear Editor, Do you happen to have any arrow/shaftbuilding articles in the archives that could be used or republished? I would love to see a few more articles on arrow/shaft building. Chris Koenigsknecht Perrinton, MI Chris, We strive to publish arrow-making articles quite regularly. Our Aug./Sept. (19-4) issue had an article on small game blunt arrow making by Marc St. Louis and our Dec./Jan. issue (19-6) had an article on making bamboo arrows by Kay Koppedrayer. There will be arrow-making articles in this issue also. I think if you look back through some of our back issues youll find quite a few to suit your needs. I have listed a few of the great selection we have below: PA Vol. 4.4, Finishing the Poor Mans Arrow by Peter Cool and Straightening Cane by Randal Jones PA Vol. 5.2, Arrows for the Rain by Jim Williams PA Vol. 5.3, Sorta Primitive Arrows the Easy Way by Larry J. Meyer and Cane Insert by Ron L. Simons PA Vol. 7.1, Weigh Matching your Arrows the Old Fashioned Way by David Murray PA Vol. 7.3, Tying off Your Arrows by Kay Koppedreyer PA Vol. 11.2, So Lets Make an Arrow by Keven Statwick PA Vol. 13.4, Consistency-Matching for Wood Shafts by John R. Edgerton PA Vol. 14.1, How to Make your Own Laminated Arrows by Marc St. Louis PA Vol. 14.4, Making Arrows Naturally by Mickey Lotz and How to Make a Primitive Arrow by John McPherson PA Vol. 17.2, The Art of Making Arrows by Billy Berger and Rose City Archery by Dave Cheney Ed Ingold
Picking Supplies
Dear Editor, I have a question on one of your articles in the Dec./Jan. issue (19-6) and Im not sure who to send it to. On page 55 of My Pickaxe Handle Bow by John Hoare. What is unbleached raw linen cloth or natural silk, and where can I find this material? Thank you, Tim Boshart Glenfield, NY Tim, Unbleached linen is the same cloth which is used in the window cleaning industry as a final polish to the glass. In England it is called a scrimcloth and can be bought by the yard or meter. You should be able to buy it from any haberdashery shop where new fabrics are sold by the yard in bolts. The same with natural silk in wide ribbon form on reels, which can be more expensive. The shop owner should be able to order it or sell it to you. I use it in three layers, which I put on one layer at a time as a safety net in case the bow is tillered wrong and in danger of breaking when drawn into stack. These fabrics do take some tension if they are glued on when the bow is held in reflex, as shown in the drawing in the article; it can be shaped as the 100% waterproof PVA glue dries; it is smoothed or burnished with a pebble or small round glass bottle to expel the air bubbles. I dont think anything will compete with natural sinew. I have never tried synthetic sinew though, which could be another option. Where I am in Europe, natural sinew is hard to obtain, whereas in America it is much easier. My pickax handle bows I have had for years. The backing, when properly applied, should have the appearance of rough Bakelite but still show the fabric cloth
Reaching a PA Milestone
Hi Ed, My life has had some major changes lately (a little for the better with a move to western Kentucky). I have not been doing a lot of archery reading, but I want to congratulate you and the PA team on attaining this 20th anniversary. I know from the early and intermediate history of PA that it was no certainty this milestone would be seen. It took diligence and intense labor to make it happen. Best wishes for continued and expanded success, Jim Davis Jim, Thanks for your note, good to hear from you again. Thanks to you and your efforts early- on for helping Primitive Archer Magazine become what it is today. You helped out when things were a little unsure and without your early involvement we might not be celebrating our 20th anniversary. Again, thanks, Ed Ingold
WR I T E T H E E D I T O R
EMAIL: editor@primitivearcher.com POSTED MAIL: The Editor, Primitive Archer 883 Taft Court Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
HuntingCOLUMN
Rambling
B y To n y K i n t o n
all me an antique. To that designation I nod in deference and plead guilty. For I am an antiqueboth in practice and sentiment. My bows are bamboo and osage; my arrows cedar. My muzzleloader is a Lancaster-style flintlock. My modern center fire is an 1874 Sharps, its thumb-sized brass cases stuffed with black powder and topped with lead slugs. And to add credence to this reference of antiquity, I began regular treks into the hunting woods in the late 1950s. Seems everything I am and know and possess and use is old. But save age, over which I have no control, all other ingredients that relate to practice, and to sentiment I suppose, are a matter of choice. There is pure magic in the feel and cast of a wooden bow. There is a euphoric aroma that rises toward heaven during the processing of a cedar shaft. There is romance in the clack, whoosh, boom of a flintlock. There is nostalgic mystique in the rumble of a black-powder cartridge. No other contrivances of humanity, with which I am acquainted, have so completely locked me into their unyielding spell as have those just mentioned. As a result, I practice the old. Always will. That practice often generates comment when I am in new company. Questions are common, all of which I am more than happy to answer if I possibly can. And there is often a quiet hint of interest that emerges, giving promise that another individual has
allowed an embryo of intrigue to enter some deep spot inside. It may grow to maturity in the future. But seldom during any of these interactions is there one who takes offense to my mode of operation. That is as long as I keep my proclivity for strong sentiment under control. It is this element that is most likely to put me in opposition to some of the more modern among the hunting fraternity. Sentiment causes me to struggle with many terms and behaviors now common in the hunting world. For instance, I wrestle with the nomenclature cull buck. I do support wildlife management and fully understand the concept of removing specific animals from a herd, but cull, at least in my aging mind, carries the connotation of insignificance. There is no buck, no animal in fact, that is insignificant. All are important, of value. I have difficulty with high fives and fist bumping and similar displays of gleeful abandon at the taking of an animal. There is joy and a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment to be sure, but there is also an ample supply of sobering sadness, enough in fact to rein in rambunctious frivolity in favor of quiet reverence. An animal, any animal, deserves nothing less. Then there is the bad-boy, tough-guy, going-to-war approach. My dads generation faced battle in World War II. My generation faced battle in Vietnam. Many others have faced battle since in other venues, and there will be more in the future. These did and will indeed go to war. But, it was not and will not be that outing in the deer woods. Much thought and great care should also figure into the equation before hunting is viewed as a form of competition. Ill placed, it seems, is the thought of always having to win, whether with the animal or fellow hunters. It is natural and productive to have a deer or other game animal slip away, the beneficiary of keen senses and instinct. And the drive to always take the biggest or most seems a sinister demon that can rob a hunter of the true essence afforded by the experience. I say none of this to take away for those with a different persuasion. There is room for difference. But for me, I will keep mine on a level at which I find the reward I seek, and that is to use tools of the past and relish in the simple pleasures of a grand and glorious creation, a creation I have celebrated now for more years than it seems possible. These are just my leanings when I consider the situation. So please, feel free to call me an antique!
of an Antique
CloserLOOK
B y To n y K i n t o n
Product
Reviews
Bushnell
Introduced with the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD binocular product line in 2011 is a customer satisfaction guaranteea norisk, money-back, no-questions-asked policy. The Bulletproof Guarantee assures that the company will buy the product back for up to one year from the original purchase date. That policy has now been expanded to cover a great many more items from Bushnell. For 2012, Bushnell has expanded the Bulletproof Guarantee to cover the Elite, Excursion EX, Legacy WP Legend Ultra HD, and Trophy XLT families of binoculars, as well as the Elite, Legend Ultra , HD, and Trophy XLT families of riflescopes and spotting scopes, and all hunting laser rangefinders. For more information on the complete line of Bushnell products, go to www.bushnell.com or call 1-800-423-3537.
Strattec Security Corporation

Need to lock something securely around camp? If so, check out the BOLT Cable Locks from Strattec. The BOLT features a 6-foot cable of pin and loop design to provide flexible length options. The BOLT Cable Locks are made from inch coiled cable with a 1/16-inch black vinyl coating and are coil sprung for compact storage. They feature Breakthrough One-Key Lock Technology, which permanently programs the lock to the owners vehicle ignition key. The first time the key is inserted into the lock and rotated, the cylinder is coded to that specific key. The BOLT Cable Lock features an automotive-grade lock shutter to keep out weather and debris and a six-plate tumbler sidebar that prevents picking and bumping. For more information go to www.boltlock.com.
GOJO Industries, Inc.

GOJO, well known as a powerful hand cleaner for truly tough jobs, is now offering GOJO Scrubbing Wipes in a convenient package that is easily carried for complete clean up anywhere needed. Made of durable, dual-textured material that has been pre-moistened with a powerful cleaning solution, the GOJO Scrubbing Wipes have an extra-large towel. The scrubbing side removes the toughest grime and the smooth side absorbs dirt. Skin conditioners in the towel help prevent dryness and irritation. The wipes are available in a 170-count bucket, a 72-count canister, and a 25-count canister. For more information go to www.gojo.com/automotive or call 800-321-9647.
Drink-N-Plate
If you are headed out for a day in the field and want to take along a prepared meal in a convenient package, consider the DrinkN-Plate. This is a durable, reusable, dishwasher-safe combo plate and drink holder that fits perfectly in outdoor settings. And it can be held with one hand. It is offered in a Family Pack of eight and a Party Pack of 24. For more information and to view of video of this product in use, go to www.drinkandplate.com.
Apache pilot, Chris Smith, discusses ambush location with wounded warrior, Gil Magallanes, Jr., for an evening hunt.
Take a Veteran Out
Hunting
B y R o b e r t D. S m i t h
e moved quietly into the forest in single file, late in the afternoon, expecting activity again as the sun sank behind the mountain. There were six hunting with longbows or recurves, dressed in muted shades of camo and stepping carefully to avoid making noise in the dry woods. Of the six traditional bow hunters, three were combat veterans from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Two of them had been badly wounded in combat and needed some assistance on the hunt. Two experienced hunters would be bugling and cow calling. Several other combat veterans were hunting in other areas of the forest. For three years, we had been raising money and we had raised enough to provide combat veterans with a free elk hunt, including transportation, nonresident licenses, comfortable lodging in the state forest, and gourmet meals. They were our honored guests, and we intended to get them into elk. This was the third year of our Colorado 10
Traditional Bowhunting Camp. My son, Chris, and I came up with the idea at the end of an enjoyable, albeit meatless, bow hunt at the Colorado State Forest in September 2007, not long after his return from Iraq. Therapy for the soul is what he calls bow hunting, and I agree. From a different war I had found that the simple act of walking quietly in the forest with bow in hand, enjoying the beauty of nature in a peaceful setting was an opportunity to rebuild good memories. Almost like a balance sheet, the memories of good experiences need to outweigh the bad in order for us to have a healthy life. Unfortunately, for recent combat veterans, the bad memories can too easily outweigh the good, and the pain inside is a dangerous enemy to health. As a society we welcome our veterans back, thank them, and give them a bit of a rest before we expect them to get back to normal, but normal isnt normal anymore for a combat vet. Normal is over there, in a much different place
where the very worst things happen, and our veterans usually dont have anyone to talk with at home about those memories. Family and friends who havent been there cant understand, and the veteran is frustrated by that while the bad memories are still fresh and strong. Traditional archery and bow hunting have been the answer for my son and me. It was also a wonderful way for us to participate in a sport together while he was growing up. I wasnt just watching and cheering from the sidelines, I was shooting and hunting alongside him. At the end of that hunt in 2007, Chris and I decided to organize an informal hunting camp for fellow archers who enjoy the simplicity of two sticks and a string. We reasoned that a lot of guys had dreamed of hunting elk in the Rockies but did not have the big bucks to hire a guide or outfitter, nor did they know where to go on their own or what it would cost. We put pencil to paper and figured that if we all pooled our money and rented yurts and cabins in the state forest, chipped in for food and carpooled from different parts of the country, even with the high cost of nonresident licenses a guy could go bow hunting for elk for about a thousand bucks. Granted, the likelihood of success with a guide is greater, but the plain fact is that most bow hunters just cant afford five to ten thousand dollars for a guided hunt and this would give them an entry level hunt to get them started. We also reasoned that if a hunter came out with us and got the elk hunting bug after hearing the big boys bugle, then they might want to find a way to hire a guide. Chris and I are certainly not guides, we are not outfitters, and we dont make any money from this. Were just a couple of guys who have benefited from this great sport and want to give something back to it. The first camp was in September of 2008, the week following the muzzleloading season. We thought we
would be hunting during the rut, but as any hunter knows, you never really know when the elk will be moving. Our plans were for about a dozen hunters, including a couple of veterans that we could raise money for and provide them with a free hunt, but when the word got out on a traditional bow hunting website, the interest built to the point that 32 hunters came out, including six combat veterans that we were able to pay for. The first to volunteer his services was Don Marston of Greeley, Colorado, a fine traditional archer who had hunted with the bow for many years. Mr. Grumpy, as he was known on the website, volunteered to be camp chef along with his little dog. He set up his trailer on the shore of the Upper Michigan Reservoir, pitched a screened-in cooking tent, and went to work feeding a lot of hungry guys. Along with the feeding went the stories and the fishing tackle and the tips for new hunters in the elk woods, all adding good memories to the balance sheet. Don passed away in 2009 after a long illness that hurt his body but not his spirit. The following year, we planned the hunt for the first week of the archery season, believing there would be less hunting pressure at the start of the season. In a very tough economy, 22 hunters attended, including six more combat veterans. We raised money through donations and by raffling off archery tackle that had been donated. The pine beetle kill had hit the forest pretty hard and the cabins on the reservoir were left out in the open after most of the trees had been cut down for safety reasons, so we reserved yurts for all of the hunters instead. The yurts are
Low ceiling in the Medicine Bow Range.
large round tents built on platforms and they contain comfortable beds with mattresses, wood stoves with plenty of firewood, large propane cooking stove with pots and pans and dishes and silverware, and a clean outhouse nearby. They are spread out in different locations in the forest and at different elevations ranging from 8,500 feet near the reservoir to 10,000 feet approaching the Continental Divide. There is also a fine KOA campground in
Gould with cabins and sites for tents and trailers. I need to tell you about some of the veterans that we invited. Casey Capaz is a platoon sergeant in the Army who had just returned from his third deployment to Iraq one week before our hunt. Casey is a field soldier and was deployed for more than a year each time, fighting in some of the most difficult battles in the war. Sean Mathers is a squad leader who just returned from Iraq
One of the rented yurts in Colorado State Forest.
Don Marston, aka Mr. Grumpy, who immediately volunteered to cook for the first camp in 2008. May he rest in peace.
Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2 11
The graybeard author with son, Chris, far right, and six veteran guests in 2009.
with Casey one week before our hunt. They had been following the progress of our hunt plans all year when they had a chance to get on a computer and they looked forward to joining us. When they returned, the Army brass wanted them to go through some decompression training, so we had to jump through hoops and get a generals approval for them to attend the hunt. They showed up with their war faces on. They were still over there in the bad places. Several days into the hunt, they came by after hunting all morning and I cooked them some lunch. While eating out on the deck of the yurt, I noticed Casey smiling from ear to ear. Casey, what the heck are you grinning at? I asked.
Home cooked dinner is served.

12
I havent smiled this much or felt this good for over a year, he replied. Nothing could be better for us right now than to walk quietly in these mountains. The Colorado Traditional Bowhunting Camp 2010 hosted five more combat veterans and twelve hunters who paid their own way. Two more combat veterans had planned to come out, but they had to cancel about a week before the hunt because of job changes. A great time was had by all who managed to attend. My sweet wife, Rita, worked for weeks preparing homemade meals and freezing them for the hunt. She did it in such a way that all I needed to do was warm up the freezer bags in hot water and serve her good cooking along with salad, veggies, cookies, and other good fare. Her good friend, Pamela, baked hundreds of cookies and brownies for the boys and prepared special gift boxes of goodies for each veteran. The previous year, ladies from several of the local post offices got together and prepared many hundreds of cookies so many that I had to put baggies of cookies in their hands each time they came to dinner. Such a simple pleasure it is to sit under a tree on a hillside, glassing for elk, and munching on cookies that have been prepared by a lady who cares. Rita visited the camp one afternoon, and the guys presented her with a custom
made knife for cooking as a token of their appreciation. What did she make for them? Well, the menu included thick pork chili, beef bourguignon, chicken gumbo, pulled pork, chicken stew, spaghetti and meatballs, meatloaf, and steaks. The boys ate very well indeed, and Rita is already planning her menu for the next hunt. Some amazing things have happened in these hunting camps in addition to the generosity of so many bow hunters around the country who have donated money and tackle for our fundraising raffles. At our first hunt in 2008, Mark Schade, a custom bowyer in Pennsylvania, donated a beautiful bow for the raffle, which we held at the camp. The lucky winner happened to be one of the hunters, Jabe Jacquart, a police officer in Kansas. He went over to the table, picked up the bow and admired it for a moment, then told us he had noticed one of the veterans admiring the bow earlier. He walked over to a young Marine named Josh Coale and gave it to him. Folks, there were a lot of tough guys in that room but not a dry eye amongst them. This past year we needed more funds for hosting the veterans at the 2010 camp. I received a generous contribution from the Fort Collins Archery Association and several other clubs, along with private donations of money and tackle to raffle off. Some of the raffle winners told me to give their prizes to the veterans at the hunt, and some guys bought raffle tickets for the vets. First day of the hunt, after a huge dinner of chili and rice and black beans and maybe a little beer, I put out all the prizes to be distributed to the veterans, and then I had them draw a number to set the order in which they could pick a prize. We had quite a few things, so they could go around several times. One of the donated items was a Howard Hill longbow, generously donated by another Marine, Sean Murphy, who joined the hunt from South Carolina. The first veteran to pick a prize was Andy Graves of Alabama, who had been badly injured in Iraq. He walked over and picked up a hunting knife, leaving the Howard Hill bow for Gil Magallanes, a Green Beret who had been severely wounded in Afghanistan. Andy knew that Gil had wanted a Howard Hill longbow for some time so he left it for him. You might say that brothers dont
necessarily have the same parents. Gil is a story himself. He served as a Green Beret for twenty years, all that time in the 5th Special Forces Group Airborne, doing what Hollywood tries to portray but never gets right. Soon after 9/11, his A Team was deployed into Afghanistan. In one terrible encounter, Mag, as his teammates called him was terribly wounded. His strength and determination and the bravery of the other Green Berets and the rescue mission sent into a battleground far from civilization was what saved him. When he woke up stateside at the Walter Reed Army Hospital, he realized that two fingers of his bow hand were missing. He told the nurse to hold out his arm. Gil grabbed his wrist and said Thank God, I can still hold a longbow. He recuperated for a year and a half in hospitals and Gil still has serious physical problems today, but he bravely treats them as challenges. He actively works with other wounded warriors to help them achieve what they can with their own challenges. Not long after our hunt, Gil participated in a triathlon. A few days into the hunt, sharing a drink after dinner, Gil told me that he had always liked patrolling while he was a Green Beret and that day he had gone on his first patrol since he had been wounded nine years earlier. He told me that he had taken out his old compass, set an azimuth, and slowly followed it up the side of a mountain. When he went as far as he had planned, he reset his compass to another
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Authors wife, Rita, cooked meals for several weeks before the hunt and visited one day for lunch.
At our first hunt in 2008, this marine veteran was presented a custom bow by Mark Schade and a dozen custom arrows by Wayne Lemoreux.
crazy by it, addicted by the memories of elk calling in the clear mountain air. Those who have developed that addiction will somehow find their way back to the mountains year after year to hunt elk in the early fall. To them, the rest of the year is only preparation time. The bull elk can make a lot of noise that carries for miles in the clear dry mountain air, but he can also slip through the woods in near silence. Chris sensed an animal behind and to his side. Carefully, so very carefully and slow, he turned and saw a big bull elk near him but on his off-bow side. When he had almost managed to get around into position for a shot with his homemade Osage orange selfbow, the elk spooked a bit and moved off. Then he must have caught scent because he put his head down with antlers back and ran through the trees and brush, passing just behind Gil and too far from me for a shot with my Welchman longbow. This was a big wapiti, a big elk with powerful strides as he ran with head down through the woods in the gathering dusk, adding yet another good memory to the balance sheet.
azimuth that took him across the mountainside. Taking his time, moving slow and quiet, he then stopped at his next planned location and reset his compass to take him back down at an angle to his starting point. I went on my first patrol in many years, and carried my new bow, he told me with a grin. This made another positive addition to the balance sheet. Did I tell you about the elk? Four of us spread out along a hillside that evening while Mike Fields and Dave Puhl would be calling and hunting further up the hillside behind us. Mike is an old, no I better say experienced, Huey pilot from Virginia who flies medevac for hospitals and has saved many, many lives, and Dave Puhl is a hardworking farmer and Packers fan who brings us fresh corn and homemade maple syrup from his farm in Wisconsin. Theyve come out for each of these hunts and have given great support for our veterans. We wanted our veterans to get up close and personal with elk, and these two would work as a team to make that happen.
As the sun was sinking behind a mountain to the west, a wonderful symphony of bugling elk began. The highpitched calls of challenge and answer from five or six bull elk sounded through the woods while we waited in our brushy hides, hoping for a close encounter with wapiti. For those who have not heard the call of an elk, it is a sound that continues in your mind. Some have even been driven
Green Beret, Gil Magallanes, Jr., chooses a Howard Hill bow in a raffle for the veteran guests. Bow donated by Marine, Sean Murphy.
14 Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2
Oh, there are plenty more stories that can be told, like the story of Ron Little bugling in not one, but two bull elk within twenty minutes of each other. Late in the morning when he was about ready to head back down to camp, when most hunters are already back in camp, the first bull appeared and came to a spot only twelve yards away but did not present a clean shot before moving away in the trees. Ron is an experienced deer hunter, but never having been close to an elk before, he sat there shaking and thinking about what he had just experienced when a second bull, even bigger, came to the same spot! With adrenalin flowing and hands shaking, Ron had an opportunity to shoot when the elk turned broadside and looked away for a moment. Now, youve got to understand that Ron is a good shot so it is understandable that he watched with amazement from just twelve yards as his arrow flew straight and smooth over the back of that elk.
Ron Little of California drove home in exasperation.
No regrets, he told me, it was a wonderful experience. I think Ron and some of the others will be back in the mountains again and again when the elk are bugling and more stories
are being made. You can be part of those good stories if you wish. Help us with the camp if you can or just reach out in your community and Take A Veteran Out Hunting.
15
Sinew backed yellow birch at full draw.
Sinew-Backed Yellow
By Marc St . Louis
sinew-backed reflexed recurve gives nothing up to a modern laminated glass bow. With the proper design, they are a powerhouse, launching arrows at an impressive speed. Though they are more work to make, they can in fact be fun to build, and you get a great deal of satisfaction in building something that puts most modern laminated bows to shame. This is how I built my Speed Demon. Materials and Tools I chose to use yellow birch for a wood to back with sinew. It is a strong and flexible wood that is much underrated. The project also required some sinew. I had a quantity of moose sinew on handone large back-strap and some leg tendons, plus a bit of deer leg tendons. For glue, I decided to be lazy and went out and bought some unflavored gelatinessentially hide glue. The gelatin I 16
Birch Draw Full

used has a brand name of Davis and is a very high quality product with a nice golden color. Here is a list of the major components and tools that I used to complete this project. 1: Yellow birch stave 2: Sinew 3: Hide glue 4: Liquid plastic urethane (for a finish) 5: Birch bark (decorative finish) 6: Epoxy glue 7: Drawknife 8: Wood rasp 9: Scraper 10: Spokeshave 11: Sandpaper 12: Hotplate 13: Pot (with water) 14: Wood vise 15: Tillering string 16: Tillering stick To Begin The first part of this project required that I prepare some sinew. I got out my wooden mallet and a piece of hardwood to pound the sinew on. I went to work softening the sinew so that I could take it apart. Moose sinew is very tough, and by the end of an hour my fingertips were beginning to protest from the effort. With perseverance, eight hours later I had enough sinew to back my bow plus a bit extra. I sorted the sinew in bundles according to length and then stored it between the pages of some magazines, ready for use. Next on the list was the bow itself. I had a yellow birch stave that had been harvested the year before. This came from an 8" tree that had been growing on the side of a hill, and the stave was clean and straight with fine grained wood. I had removed part of the bark and it had been
Wet sinew ready to be applied.

in one of my sheds since last year so it was well seasoned. The design that I chose was a stiff handle bow with static recurves. Since it was a white-wood, I didnt want to put undo stress on it so I opted for a length of 62" and width of 1 7/8" at the fades (the place where the handle of a stiff handled bow feathers into the working part of the limb). I got my draw-knife out and started to work it down to rough bow shape. Because its a sinew-backed bow, I left the profile rough as I would clean it up after the sinew dried. I then worked the limbs down in thickness and made a preliminary check to make sure they were bending just about the same; I dont like stressing the limbs very much before applying the sinew. The last step in preparation was bending recurves in using my bow blank. I like steam for bending the recurves and I use a simple setup for this: a hot plate, a pot of water, and a wood vise to clamp the tip. In the vise, I screwed in a short piece of 2x4 lumber that is rounded in the shape of the bend I planned to make. For bending, I left the wood a bit thicker and somewhat wider than I needed. I followed one growth ring for the length of the bend and also sanded the edges round; I find this reduces splinters. I steamed the tip for half an hour, belly down, and covered it with foil with a cloth over top of that. I then swiftly clamped the tip in the vise, bent it around my support and let it cool for about 30 minutes; yellow birch bends very well with the use of steam. I did one limb this way, then the other. The Sinew After letting the wood dry for a couple of days, I started to get ready to apply the sinew. I cleaned the back of the bow, making sure no bits of bark or cambium were left. I then sanded the back with coarse sandpaper and scraped some shallow grooves into the wood; this was to ensure the glue would grab the wood. The next step was to put some reflex into the bow blank by stringing it backwards. To reverse-brace the bow, I cut shallow nocks in the belly of the tips. I cut them in the reverse direction than how they are normally done and looped a fairly strong twine around them. I used a strong twine so that it would stand up to the stress of cranking in more reflex. I cinched the string up tourniquet-style giving the bow about 7" of initial reflex and tied it off. I then sized (brushed on some hot glue) the back and let the glue dry for an hour. I apply my sinew wet and use slightly thicker glue when doing so. I, therefore, proceeded to wet a quantity of sinew and make up about two cups of glue; I find that two cups is about the right amount for the amount of sinew that I prefer. Some may want to make a bit more than this to be safe. My intention was to put down four courses, or layers, of sinew on the back of the bow. The tips, being static, did not need four layers, as this would only weigh them down and slow the bow, so they got one course. Also the grip was an area that was not going to be under any stress as this was a stiff handled design, so it got one course as well. For the limbs, the center of the back is where most of the tension work is being done so that is where most of the sinew was going to go. A section about one inch wide down to the base of recurves would get four courses of sinew. Next to that would be three courses and the edges of the limbs would only get two. I then started to apply my sinew by saturating the now limp bundles in glue, lightly squeezing out the excess, and then laying them out down the center of the back, making sure I got a bit of overlap from bundle to bundle. The next course on both sides of the first was done the same way but also with staggered joints from the course down the middle. I applied most of the sinew that I had wet down before, then took time to wet some more. I also took the opportunity to clean my fingers with warm water at the same time. It took me about two hours to lay all the sinew as described. The wet sinew looked like a big lumpy gelatinous mass on the back of the bow at 17
Sinew applied to bow.

this point, but I knew it would dry to a hard, smooth surface with a golden color. Over the next few hours, the moisture from the glue and sinew soaked into the wood making it more flexible, and I used this opportunity to introduce more reflex. By twisting the string tourniquet-style, I introduced a full 11" of reflex into the bow. I let the sinew dry for a couple of days in a cool, low-humidity area that had a lot of air movement until I could see the sinew starting to form a dry skin. I then moved the bow to a warm, very low-humidity area for another two days, followed by five days by my woodstove. The temperature near my woodstove was around 30 C with relative humidity of 20% and high air movement. After five days, the sinew was quite dry.
Tillering I then put the bow aside for a week or so to season. Once the sinew had seasoned enough that I felt it was safe to start working on the bow, I started cleaning up the sides with a spoke-shave and a scraper in preparation for tillering (training the limbs to bend properly). My preference is to leave the profile of the bow unfinished until much of the tillering is done so only a minimum of work was done to the edges of the limbs at this point. A little bit of extra care must be taken when you tiller such a bow out. The problem is that tip angle is steep and, with that much reflex, a great deal of energy is required to just get them moving. Also, having the tips so far ahead of the back of the bow makes the bow quite unstable until they have moved up to about brace-height. The only way I was able to hold the bow down to check the tiller was by clamping it sideways at the handle in my wood vise with the back facing out; its advisable to protect the back of the bow
Bow backed with sinew and reflexed.
18
from the steel while doing this. This way I was able to work each limb separately by hand and take off small amounts of wood with my scraper where they were too stiff. Working the limbs like this also made the bow lose a bit of the reflex. I did this slowly and cautiously at first to give the sinew more time to season. After about a week of removing small amounts of wood and working the limbs a bit, I got the strength down and the limbs to begin to bend properly. Once I had the limbs flexing to where the tips came up to the handle, I then cut shallow temporary nocks in the tips and switched to a long tillering string and my tillering stick, but I still had to use the vise to hold the bow down. I went to work on the limbs balancing them up to brace height, losing about an inch of reflex in the process. Tillering was time-consuming and the high reflex made the bow much more sensitive to small amounts of wood being taken off; much more sensitive than a
regular flat-bow. I had decided before hand on a draw-weight of around 50# for this bow. Once I had tillered it to above braceheight, I did away with my tillering string and made a string for the bow. Bracing the bow for the first time was quite an experience. I could not use the push-pull method because of the tip angle, and the step-through method is unacceptable to me. I had to make a stringer for it; I used thick pieces of wet moose rawhide formed to fit over the tips. This I let dry overnight, then tied a strong rope between the two piecesessentially a primitive stringer. To brace the bow, I hooked the rawhide on the tips, stepped on the rope, then pulled up at the handle; a firm grip on the handle was a must. Once the bow was braced, I resumed tillering using my scraper, checking the emerging shape and the draw-weight often. Initially, I kept the draw-weight fairly high until I was well along with the tillering, but as I approached my draw-
Sinew dried and seasoned.
19
length, I started to bring the draw-weight down to my target weight. At night I would leave the bow by my wood stove to dry where the RH would hover around 30% and the temperature stayed around 30 C. By the end of three weeks, the sinew was starting to season quite well. As I approached final tiller at my draw-length of 28", I finished up the shape of the limbs out to the recurves. By this time, the bow had lost 3" of reflex, but there was still more than enough reflex left to make bracing it an exercise. From past experience, I knew this extra reflex would give the bow some good arrow speed. Draw-weight was now 52# of pull at my full draw of 28", close enough to what I was looking for. From the time I sinew-backed the bow and finished tillering, the process took a bit more than four weeks. Tips and Grips I like to leave the tips and the handle unfinished while tillering, preferring to do this at the end. That way, I can make some adjustments if they are needed. As I came to the end of tillering, I sighted down the string to see how the tips lined up with the handle. I made some small adjustments to the string until everything looked pretty good. I then made a line on the handle indicating where the string lay and a line on the recurves to indicate where the string was. I proceeded to shave the tips down with my drawknife, then I switched to a scraper,
and I used sandpaper to finish. For narrowtipped static recurves I like to leave an extra growth ring or two at the apex of the recurve to make sure they do not pull out and gradually taper them in thickness. The tips were too narrow for conventional nocks, so I wrapped some sinew soaked in hide glue around the tips and let that dry for a couple of days. While that was drying, I started working on the handle. I like a narrow deep handle. In addition, I rasp in an arrow pass to get a more center-shot bow. The dimensions at the arrow pass are in the neighborhood of 5/8" wide by 1" in depth. I also like the fades to be a short 1" to 1" to get more of the limb working. I then drew out the handle shape that I wanted with a pencil and rough cut the handle out. Next, I took my half round wood rasp out and went to work shaping the handle to get a good fit in my hand; I find that a wood-rasp is a great tool for removing wood in and around the curved areas of the handle and fades. Once I had the shape roughed out with my rasp, I switched to a scraper to get the tool marks out and, finally, to sandpaper of different grades to finish it. By this time, the sinew at the tips had dried out and was ready to be worked down to shape, which I did using a Dremel tool and sandpaper. With this particular bow, I wanted to try out bridges, or brush nocks. The bridges
would serve multiple purposes in my mind. First, they would allow me to lower the brace-height slightly, taking stress off the limbs, and allow more stored energy to be used. Second, by carefully shaping them, they would make the bow easier to carry through dirty bush; the bridges would allow the branches to slide out without getting pinched. Anyone who has carried a braced recurve through dirty brush knows how annoying branches are. Last of all, the string groove shaped into the bridges would ensure that the string wouldnt slip off the narrow recurved tips. I had some black cherry heartwood kicking around and thought it would set off the white wood of the birch. I shaped these with a sanding drum on my Dremel tool and then I glued them down. It was now time for a bit of sanding. I started out with 100-grit sandpaper on the whole bow, excluding the sinew back. I then sanded the belly, the handle, and the edges of the limbs with finer grit paper, finishing up with 220-grit paper. The Finish I was finally ready to finish her up. I had, along the way, decided I wanted something different for the back. I had used paper birch bark as a decorative backing for bows before, and it made for an attractive finish. Paper birch has nice-looking bark, and I had plenty of large trees growing around nearby. I figured this would look
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Recurved tip with sinewed nocks and bridges glued down.

nice on this bow. I went out and got some bark, but it was quite thick and would have added too much mass to the limbs as it was, so I began separating the bark into layers, which is how it grows. Birch bark is white on the outside but the color turns a nice creamy brown inside. I got the bark down to about 1/32 of an inch of thickness and the pieces were long enough to do one whole limb with a splice at the handle. I knew, from past experience, that birch bark was quite waterproof so I ruled out any glue that had a water base as I did not want the moisture from the glue sitting under the bark for the length of time it would take to dry. I decided to use a slowsetting epoxy. I cut each strip of bark to the shape of the limbs, mixed up a couple of tablespoons of glue per limb, and laid the bark down, pressing out any air bubbles as I went along. To hold the bark down, I used strips of wax paper tied on the belly side. Once the epoxy set up, I removed the wax paper and trimmed the excess bark and any epoxy that had been squeezed out using a sharp knife. I then gave the edges of the limbs a final sanding. It was now time for me to apply a sealant to the bow. I used a plastic urethane finish because it makes for a very waterproof sealant. I sprayed on several coats using a small paint sprayer. 22
Birch bark glued down and trimmed up.
Grip all finished and ready for testing.
The last bit of work to do was making a shelf and finishing up the handle. I like soft leather for my hand, and I also used leather for the shelf. I made a built-up leather shelf using heavy tooling leather glued down to the bow with a waterproof glue. I then cut a long strip of soft leather about one inch wide and wrapped this around. I also glued it down with waterproof glue. After this was dry, it was then ready for the last step. Shooting the Bow A bow is never really completed until it has been tested, and this one was no different. The first few shots I take are usually at a close-range target to see how the bow behaves in the hand and how well it launches an arrow. This bow shot very well, and even with a stretchy dacron string, was launching arrows at incredible speed with a very clean arrow flight. Being almost center-shot, this bow shoots a variety of arrows well. None of the arrows I shot fish-tailed and even the heavy spined arrows shot in the direction I was looking. My next test was a distance shot for performance, and I used a long field for this. I used a 520-grain POC arrow with 5" straight fletch shooting at about a 40degree angle. The bow shot arrows well over 200 yards with some shots reaching
230 yards. A 630-grain arrow with the same fletching style landed just under 200 yards. The flight of the arrows was very clean and there was no detectable handshock. My older brother has a 20-year-old 50# compound bow and he shot some arrows to see how it would compare to my sinew-backed wood bow. My bow would consistently launch arrows 10 to 15 yards farther than his old wheel-bow using comparable weight arrows. My curiosity was piqued as to what kind of speed I was getting with this bow, so I decided to try shooting arrows through my chronograph. The 520-grain arrow would shoot at an average of 185 fps with highs of just under 190 fps, and the 630-grain arrow clocked at over 160 fps. Not to bad for a 52# wood bow and a dacron string. Many years ago I used to own a 65# Browning fiberglass laminated recurve and all this bow could muster was 185 fps with 500 grain POC arrows. Even so, this type of bow is not for everyone. They take almost twice the time to make and stringing them is quite an undertaking, but if you like speed and you have the time and patience, then you should try this design. The satisfaction you get from making a bow that gives nothing up to a modern bow makes it a worthwhile effort.
Bow braced and ready to shoot.
Initial test flight from 20 feet
Mulefat
Shafts
By Larry Clemons
ulefat or Baccharis salicifolia is a locally found shrub here in the Southern California coastal area. Its area extends from Baja to Central California and out to the deserts up to elevations of 3500 feet. It can be found along stream banks and in dry streambeds along with coastal sage scrub and chaparral. It gets its name from the days of the old gold rush period when the miners would tie up their mules and allow them to graze through the day while they were busy mining or in pursuit of their daily activities. I have always had an interest in the flight characteristics of wood shafts but have predominantly used cedar due to its consistency. 11/32 parallel shafts, 11/32 taper to 9/16 nock, and barreled 23/64 with 11/32 tip, and 5/16 taper to nock have all been played with. I have found a tapered shaft to be more forgiving, especially when dealing with paradox. I like my arrows to be several inches longer then my draw. I seem
Finished arrows and raw shafts
Mid-point of arrows
Field point end of arrows
to get my best flight when they are spined and group weighed and matched up with correct point and fletch. Throughout the years of attending local traditional shoots, I have had the pleasure of meeting some great people in the area who have proven to be very talented self-bowyers and arrow smiths. Several of these individuals are from the Pasadena Roving Archers and are very active on the website Paleo Planet. Conversations always prove thought-provoking so it was just natural for me to start looking for alternatives to cedar that I could shoot with a self-bow. The nice natural taper of the mulefat branch makes for a great arrow. I normally make my initial shaft in the 40" range. This allows me to select the best and most consistent part in spine and weight. I try to select and cut during the winter, looking for the straightest and least amount of branches. After cutting, I inspect and begin hand straightening by sighting down the shaft and tweaking where necessary. The wood, at this time, is moist and easy to work. I make my decision on whether to leave the bark on or to remove it. If I decide to take the bark off,
Fletching of arrows
Finished arrows with test flight Osage bow
I do so at this point by using a somewhat dull knife in a scraping peeling motion. Removing the bark makes an approximately 80 grain difference. I let the shaft dry for several months all the while tweaking and straightening. Once I feel I have reached the point where they are getting close to dry and straight, I place them on my spine tester. This is the nice part of the natural taper, in that I can now rotate the shaft and slide it back and forth and get close to dialing in the spine Im looking for. I try to have a selection of shafts to work with so that I can bunch in a consistent group with my goal being at least a half dozen. As I rotate and slide the shaft back and forth looking for the correct spine, Im taking into consideration the length I want to achieve which for me is 32". After my selection and cutting to length, I begin sanding. From the web site Paleo Planet, I picked up a great way of making a sanding board, which helps me to remove a lot of the high points on the shaft and aid in straightness. Using two pieces of plywood approximately 8" by 11", I hinge them together with duct tape and then apply a spray-on adhesive, placing a sheet of medium grit sandpaper across both sections. After the adhesive is set up, I begin sliding the shaft back and forth through the folded plywood, working off the high points and smoothing the overall shaft. I continue to hand straighten while in this process until Im satisfied with the end result.
Sanding board folded for use

Sanding board open
Author standing in front of a mulefat bush
Raw shaft on spine tester
Prior to doing my tapers, I use a Yankee drill and remove the soft core or pith down to about a one-inch-depth in the shaft. I then use either round toothpicks or bamboo BBQ skewers with tight bond glue to fill in the ends of the shaft where I removed the soft core. After drying, I do my point and nock taper using a Wood Chuck Taper Grinder. For consistency, I find with the natural taper of the shaft I end up using 23/64 point with a 5/16 nock. Upon completion of my tapering I coat the shafts with numerous coats of oil-based polyurethane until Im happy with the result. I bring the spine tester back for my final nock placement. I re-spine all shafts rotating in the tester looking for overall consistency and taking note of nock to string alignment. From here its a matter of gluing the nocks, fletching, and hot melt placement of the points. The overall weight with a 125 grain field tip with the bark on was in the 700 grain range and without bark in the lower 600s. Im very pleased with the end result and find them to be a very nice flying consistent group of arrows with nice eye appeal!
Wood Chuck Taper Grinder and Yankee drill
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AskPA
Randy Peak from Virginia asks:
: Ive been itching to make myself a warbow from a hickory stave I have but have been hesitant because Im not really sure where to begin. I was wondering what approximate dimensions you begin with for starting width and depth at the handle, where you start your taper toward the tips, how you taper thickness from the handle to the tips to begin with? Id like the bow to be 120#@32" and I was thinking it would be cool to go as short as 74" if it would work but I could go longer. My best guess is to go 1.5" wide by 1" thick at the handle and keep the width to mid-limb then taper to 1/2" nocks. Then for thickness, keep the middle foot at 1" and then taper to 1/2" at the tips. What is your opinion on the matter?
Hickory
By Marc St . Louis
Warbow
is it better use just heartwood and back it with proper backing strip (bamboo, hickory...) or sinew? I apologize for so many questions as its my first letter to you. : It is quite easy to follow a ring with black locust, and the piece you have is more than thick enough to work the back down to heartwood. BL sapwood is susceptible to rot and bug infestation, so to be safe, I would take the sapwood off; this is what I have done with all the black locust bows I have made. If the stave has nice, thick growth rings, theres no need to back the bow unless you really want to. If the wood has very fine growth rings, quite possible with BL, and following one proves to be to difficult, then you could back it with a backing of your choice for insurance. BL is very strong in tension and generally does not need a backing.
: Ive never made a warbow out of hickory but I have made several out of HHB and it is close to hickory in density. The dimensions for a HHB warbow should work well for a hickory bow. The 1" width is good for a bow of the draw-weight at draw-length you are looking for, but I would go with 1" thick instead of the 1" to start off with. I would also go a bit longer than 74" though, maybe 76" instead. Hickory is not as elastic as HHB, so the extra length wouldnt hurt. You would want to keep the same width at the handle, or a very slight taper, for maybe 12" on each side, then start tapering a bit more aggressively for the next 12" to 18". After that, its almost a straight width taper to the tips, leaving those about " wide. For the thickness, leaving the middle 12" the same thickness is good, but again it would be 1" thick rather than the 1" thick. From that point on, you would to have close to a straight taper to " thick tips instead of 1/2" thick. These are starting dimensions, and you would tiller your bow from there.
Wayne from Halifax, Nova Scotia, asks:
Petr Skarouplka from South Dakota asks:
: I admire your work and years of experience in the field as a bowyer. A friend traded to me a black locust (robinia pseudoacacia). Its 56" long, about 3" wide, 3" thick and split in a triangular shape. It is about five years old and still got a bark. I have had experience with ash, Osage, and other woods, more or less, but black locust is a new experience for me. I have always made bows in Great Plains styleshort with gently recurve ears, sinew backed, covered with raw hide or snake skin, or just a plain bow. But I dont know how black locust works as a bow wood. And here, I would like to ask you for your help. Do I have to remove sapwood or can I leave it with heartwood and how much? Or
: I came across your article in the Primitive Archer, Oct./Nov. issue concerning High Performance Deflex Recurves. I then came across your web page and am very interested in building my own simple composite longbow. You said that your favourite wood is HHB (ironwood); would this wood be good for my longbow project? I would like this longbow to be no more than 62" long and was wondering if you could give me dimensions for width and thickness to achieve this. At this point, I have two reflex deflex longbows, both at 62", made by a local bowyer. Could I simply use the dimensions of these bows or does the fact that they are made up of several laminations change the game? Here are the specs I would be looking for: 62" or shorter. 50# @ 26". I have an ironwood stave that has been sitting around for about six months and would really like to try a simple two-wood laminate bow. I dont have a lot of experience in building bows; this would be my first attempt. I was going to try and build a board bow for my first
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project. I thought it might be a good idea to add a backing to the board in order to make it strongerwhat do you think? After a bunch of googling, this is what Ive come up with from Board bow composite 101. 1 piece of hickory (backing) 64" long by 1 3/4" wide by 3/16" thick 1 piece of red elm (belly) 64" long by 1 3/4" wide by 1/2" thick Take 3/8" off the end on each side of the bow (nocks) and make a straight line to the riser; that should be the taper of the limb. Glue these two pieces of wood together with Titebond II using clamps. To add reflex place 2-4" blocks off the riser and clamp at the centre of the handle (belly facing down), gently tighten. Riser is 8", handle is 4 ". I would like to make a modern longbow R/D type but dont have the knowledge or equipment. Adding reflex, will that increase hand shock? Are there any advantages in adding reflex? For all I know, these specs are completely out of whack and you are rolling on the floor laughing. If this is the case, please dont hesitate to tell me that I should keep on googling this project (haha). This project was to make a 50# bow @ 26" draw. As far as wood working tools, I have a table saw, band saw, draw knife, files, sanders (belt, palm), and thats it. How do the dimensions sound of the bow I described to you? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks for your time and hope to hear from you soon.
Send your questions to: Marc St. Louis P Box 1132 Mattawa, .O. ON Canada P0H1V0 Or email: Marc@IronwoodBowyer.com You can also contact me at
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php
down. Your best bet is just to use a thinner backing (1/8" thick) with a thicker core (belly wood). The other problem is that the thickness of wood you are using will leave you with a weak handle area that will flex when drawn, especially at the fades. The consequence of this is that the handle will want to pop off the coreperhaps not right away, but it will at some point. The easiest solution is to use a thicker core; there are other solutions, but they are more labour-intensive. The length and width is fine and the taper to the nocks will work also. Instead of a 1/2" thick core, use one that is at least 5/8" thick, a bit thicker wouldnt hurt. From your description, it sounds like you are planning on trying to glue this with the backing facing down. This is fine if you are gluing it straight with no reflex. Trying to add reflex to your bow, the way you describe it, will present you with some problems, such as a weak glue line. You would have to find a way of supporting the entire bow down each limb so that the backing gets adequate pressure against the core, perhaps small blocks of descending thickness along the limb. Another option is to go to a building store and look for a 2x4 that has a nice uniform warp in it; you could clamp the bow to this. Adding reflex will not add hand-shock, poor tillering and poor tiller shape will do this along with a few other things. Adding reflex can give the bow a good boost in performance. The Primitive Archer message board is a good resource with a lot of good and knowledgeable people. You can get on the PA message board here: http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php but you will have to register an account before you can post or ask any questions.
: If you are starting on a flatbow, using a board is a good idea; it will give you some good experience. Modern RD bows can be a handful to the novice, and its best you leave that for a future project. I would make some changes to those dimensions; plus, you will have other issues making a bow like that. First of all, 3/16" thick for the backing is way too much. That thickness would be all right at the handle but by the time you get to mid-limb, the core would be about the same thickness as the backing. It would be fine if the backing is quarter-sawn (edge grain) because you can use a scraper to thin the backing down after it is glued up. If the backing is plain-sawn, then you would have to find a way of thinning it on the side that is being glued
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Twelve to fifteen inches are needed for all the shortening that occurs when Flemish twisting the loops. A good solid pinch is necessary to hold the twist.
By Duane Spangler
In Making A New
Steps
Bow String
3
efore you begin to make a bowstring, the first thing you need to know is the breaking strength of your string material. I use a spring scale for this test. Your bow-string has to be four times stronger than your bow. If you have a 50 lb bow and your string material snaps at
2 The thumb just rolls the twisted string over the index finger.
It is important to keep the twist tight and closely packed to make a good loop.
4 Twelve twists will make a 2-inch string loop.
30 lbs, you will need seven strands. To be on the safe side, I would use eight strands (= 240 lbs). You need this strength to resist the vibrations that occur when the string is drawn, released and suddenly stops at brace height. This is also why a minimum of stretch is desirable in string material. To get the right length for your bowstring, measure the length of the bow and add 30 inches. The extra 30 inches make up for the length used in Flemish twisting. I use two different colors of waxed string, which helps keep the strands separated. Lets say you have four green and four pink strands laid down next each other. Measure down fifteen inches from the end and start twisting. Follow the photos. This will be the start of your first loop. Note that these directions are written for a right-handed person. If you are left-handed, reverse my directions so that the right hand instructions are done with your left hand. At fifteen inches, squeeze the eight strands between the thumb and the index finger of your left hand. With the thumb and index finger of your right hand, give the green group a strong twist with your
5 In some cases, you may not want this large a loop. It really depends on the nock size. 6
7 While finishing the long leg of the loop, its doubly important to keep the twist pinched tight and close.
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When you continue twisting the long leg of the loop, you have to twist a short and long group of pink and do the same with the green groups. Twist the same way you did while making the loop.
thumb and roll it over your index finger. Hold this twist with your left thumb and finger. Grab the pink strands and do the same. Always use your left thumb and finger to firmly hold the twist. Keep these twists as close and tight as possible. Keep twisting and holding to make this twisted length about two inches long. This is the approximate length of the loop that will fit over your first bow nock. Hold this loop as shown in the photo. Now you have two short and two long groups of string. Where
these four groups meet, pinch them very tightly with your left thumb and finger. With your right hand thumb and finger, grab one of the short and long strands. It does not make any difference which colors groups you select, just make sure one is short and one is long. Twist these just like you did while making the loop, making sure you hold the twist tightly with your left thumb and finger. Continue twisting until you reach the end of the short group. Because you are twisting the loop one way, you are also twisting the entire bow
string the opposite way, so you will need to untwist that part of the string until it is straight and separated. You may want to continue twisting the two long groups for five or more twist. It looks better this way. These twists have been locked together unless you allow them to be untwisted. You have now finished the Flemish string on one end. Put it on one of the bow nocks. Pull the string tight (making sure you dont untwist the finished loop) down to the other nock. Pinch the string about one inch below the nock. This is where you will start the other loop. You should have about fifteen inches of string to make the next loop. Flemish twist this loop just like you did on the first loop. When you have finished but before you
8 This long leg is twisted down to the short group and another five or so twists to finish it off. 9
10 This is now the finished string minus the serving. Notice the twist in the entire string. This prevents the string from unraveling. The more twist you put in the string, the shorter the string will get.
Put the loop in one of the nocks and pull the string to the end of the bow. Grab the string about one inch from the nock. This is where you will start twisting your next loop.
If you need the brace higher, just twist the string.
11
Serving protects the area of the string that is most subject to wear and tear.
12
string the bow, twist the whole string about ten twists. This will lock the two loops so they will not become untwisted. You may have to twist it more times if some reverse twist is still in the string. Make sure you are twisting in the same direction as your loops were twisted. If you twist the wrong way, you will untwist the loops.
Now string your bow. If the string is not at the desired brace height, you must continue twisting the string to shorten it and raise its brace height. The last thing you should do is to serve the string where you handle the string and the arrow is nocked. The serving prevents wear to this part of the string. When the serving gets
worn, its easier to wind on a new serving then to make a new bow-string. You really need to learn how to make your own string in the field. You never know when a friend will need a string because his broke or he lost it.
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November
By Cipriano Rivera
BOW OF THE MONTH
he November Self BOM contest was an interesting, revolutionary, and awe-inspiring one. A proud father entered his five-year-old-sons self bow named Proud Daddy in the contest. As fortune and not luck would have it, Caedmon Anderson won. His father, Mark Anderson, is a proud father, but I know I speak for all PA forum members when I say that we are all very proud of Caedmon Anderson for his monumental accomplishment.
From Mark Anderson: Well, Im posting this for my son Caedmon; he just turned five. Ill give a bit of back story. About two months ago, my wife had to go visit her sister for a few days and took our four-month-old with her, and I kept our oldest two with me at home. We were shopping one day and I saw in the bargain bin at Wal-Mart, Robin Hood with Errol Flynn. It was $5 so I bought it and we went home and made some popcorn and watched. Caedmon was in awe of the bows in the movie and said, Daddy, I know what I want to be for Halloween. So the Robin Hood adventure began. This is what Caedmon wanted me to tell you guys in his own words: Hi guys. I want to show you my new English Longbow. I made most of it. Daddy helped me on some of it. I want to be Robin
Hood for Halloween, so I had to make a bow. I really like all your bows and the magazine and maybe you could show me more of them. My daddy makes bows too. I had to do a lot of tilling and lots and lots and a lot of sanding. It has horn nocks and deer leather on the handle, and a skunk (Strunk) wrap. I wanted it to look like the bow on the bow book. I love all you guys. Love Caedmon. Those are his words, and he did do most of the work. All I did was the band saw work and the horn nocks and handle. He did all the tillering and sanding, and I might add I am mighty proud! Many bowyers had much to say about Caedmons bow. Here are just a few of their comments: Cool bow Caedmon, you da man. bubby Sweet! Ya did good buddy! I felt the same way about Robin Hood when I was your age. Awesome job. Ifrit617 Well now, that my friend is how its done! Great job on the bow Caedmon, and great job Commadore on passing the love along! Talk about a lucky boy and a proud pappy! Stixman Great, thats put a smile on my face. Del the cat That is so cool. what a great kidand a lucky one to have a papa like you! sadiejane BRAVO!!! This post just made my day. Parnell Excellent job! The photo of Caedmon tillering, where he is pointing out or marking the stiff spot, is priceless! As my wife, who is a kindergarten teacher, always says, Kids learn more by doing than by filling out worksheets. Two thumbs up!! Matt S. Very cool!!! Good work Caedmon. Your bow looks great and it is well tillered. Your Dad has good right to be proud of you! Pat B
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ovember was another excellent month for our BOM contest. All the bows were fine examples of craftsmanship and bowyerism, and it was difficult to vote for just one. Congratulations to Michael Weinberger from Las Vegas, Nevada, for winning November Backed Bow of the Month Contest with his Breakthrough BBI!
From Michael Weinberger: This is a milestone bow for me as I finally was able to break the 170fps arrow speed (with my heavy arrows) that had been eluding me. I know this may not be much of a feat for many of the people on this forum, but for me it was a big deal! The bow is a 64" (62"n2n) bamboo backed ipe 67#@28". I tried to keep the limbs as narrow as possible throughout the length of the bow and made the tips into knife edges on both the belly and back. The idea was to have the minimal tips slice through the air and the narrow limbs assist in doing the same. I ended up shooting my 515g arrow (total weight including 150g field tip) @ 174fps. Huzzah!!! If I do manage to take a hog with her, I WILL change my PA handle from Almostpighunter. Our PA forum members had a lot to say about Michaels BBI and here are some of their comments: Nice job on that bow, dont let the chrono speeds get to you. Release and drawing techniques probably have more to do with it than the bow. The bow you are shooting there could likely hit over 200 fps with an active release drawn fully to 28. Badger Congratulations! That is a great looking bow. Tiller looks right on, and I always love the contrast with BBI bows. That is an impressive speed with that weight arrow. Well done. Keenan
Good looking bow. Justin Snyder Well done with your achievement, its very satisfying to set a goal and achieve it when you use nothing but your skill. Make some 4-strand fastflight strings still strong enough for a 65lber mind they sing a bit. mikekeswick Nice Bow! At that speed Im sure its delivering the message with authority, dbb You just cant beat ipe and boo. mullet Super job, that is one slick shooter and I would not want to be in front of that arrow. coaster500
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december
By Cipriano Rivera
BOW OF THE MONTH
ongratulations to Will Harrison from Joelton, Tennessee, for winning December Self Bow of the Month. Will, as a young chap, sure has proven himself as an artist with his mediums being wood, hundred-year-old Osage fence post, rocks of various kinds, and snake skins. Will is having the time of his life at Twin Oaks and enjoying hunting, knapping, building bows and, most of all, the great company. There is really not much that I can add to the pictures of this fine work in wood, finishes, snake skins, and determination all coming together to create a great bow.
Here are some of the comments from forum members: WOW! What a beautiful bow. Everything about it is perfect. Well done. osage outlaw Thats a nice one, Will. Well done! Cameroo Oh WOW, what a beauty!!! and she will look even better at age, when the wood takes the basic color of the copperheads; I know because that happened to mine. medicinewheel Wow!!! That is absolutely amazing! I love this bow! Riounis Looks like a live snake in the grass there, Will, or leaves I should say. Beautiful piece of work there! You TN guys can do no wrong. I dont care if you were transplanted from Arkansas. cowboy
Heres what Will had to say about Miss November: Ive had this bow finished for a few weeks now, shot it, and hunted with it A LOT before I got her all slicked up. I finally got around to taking a few pictures today while hunting and a few after when I made it down to the cabin. This is the first bow Ive had a chance to make at the Twin Oaks bow shop. Working with the advice from Pappy and a few others around the shop, I have to say this is one of the best bows Ive made yet! Thanks again you guys! She turned out 66", 58#@27, 1" at the fades tapering to 3/8" tips. 1" reflex after standing with Pappy-style flipped tips. I used brain-tanned buckskin I made from my first stone point killed buck for the handle and went with an eight-strand D97 string for extra performance. I used elk leg sinew to trim out the skins just for looks, and the tips are whitetail antler. As for the finish, I decided to try helmsman spar urathane in high gloss. I did seven coats sanding with 600 grit between coats to get the skins glassy smooth, then finished with a coat of satin in the spray can. The wood was a gift/trade from Pappy and Shannon, the beautifully matched copperhead skins I received from Shannon as well. I cant thank you guys enough for all your help and overwhelming generosity! Yall are really something. Anyway, heres Miss November, my new sweetheart. Thanks for lookin. Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2
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Here are some of the comments from forum members: As usual great craftsmanship and detail, those skins do look nice, I did some bowfishing and those carp sure are ugly when sittin in the muddy water. Amazing they can look that good on a bows back! Always enjoy seeing your work. Hammertime Wonderful bow! Design, tiller, finishall top shelf. Tipi as background for full draw is a great touch. I believe I could pick out a bow you made from a pile maybe even with my eyes closed. Thanks for sharing. Shaun Outstanding craftsmanship, Keenan. Skins, tips, finish work, and tiller all gorgeous. ErictheViking Keenan that is one sharp looking bow. The horn nicks, finish, skins, handle and tiller are all top notch. Now I understand why Patrick likes juniper so much. Cipriano This is one purrrrty bow. Heck, all of your bows are fantastic. You can see the craftsmanship in the attention to detail, from the finish to the tips. I am in awe of your work. Lemos
ongratulations to Keenan Howard from Bend, Oregon, for winning December Backed Bow of the Month. Keenan is not new to bow making or to the PA forum, but his BOM wining bow is new in all respects. With this bow, Keenan demonstrates his abilities as a bowyer and as a man with great attention to detail. Everything about this bow is beautiful and adds to the functionality and durability of the bow.
Heres what Keenan had to say about his bow: Here is my latest. She is a 58" NTN sinew/carp skin backed juniper bow. She is right at 60 lbs @ my 25" draw and has goat horn tips. This was the topside of a large juniper limb with two light courses of sinew and then the carp skins. Though I have used many different types of fish skins, this was the first with carp. I am very impressed with it and love the pattern. The skin was fairly thick, so I sanded it down on the belt sander to the feel of snakeskin. I wanted the sinew for the benefits, and the skins for decoration without adding too much mass. There are 28 small pin knots in total. I am very pleased with this one.
All of these winners, as well as winners from the past, can be viewed online on our message boards. Go to www.primitivearcher.com and along the left-hand side, halfway down is a section called Community. Under that section is a button that says message boards. Click on that button. From there, you can find the section titled Bow of the Month. That is where the winners are and the voting takes place. Join the fun. The contest is run by Cipriano Rivera (criveraville) with the help of George Stoneberg (gstonberg).
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1 2
By Jim Dahlberg
38
Hand-Crafted Shooting
Glove
ost of us as primitive archers would prefer to use handmade equipment. Whether that equipment has been fabricated by us or by someone else usually doesnt matter, though when we make it ourselves, it seems to feel more right and more personal. There is no better sense of satisfaction than to have used a homemade bow or a handcrafted arrow or a hunting point that we have designed to bring down an animal of our choosing. That same satisfaction carries over when we begin to expand our horizons and craft other parts of our equipment such as quivers, armguards, clothing, head gear, and even foot wear. Often we forget that even the small things can be handcrafted if we only take the time to think about how to do it. Several years ago, I realized that my favorite shooting glove was probably going to be discontinued by the manufacturer so I purchased several, thinking they would probably last for years and years. Unfortunately, they didnt. I was faced with finding a new style of glove, most of which did not have the features that I liked. Being a tinkerer, I began to consider the possibility of making my own shooting glove. To piece together such an intricate item with such small parts seemed dauntingbesides, wouldnt I have to have special equipment to accomplish this goal? After trying out several new glove styles that did not meet my expectations, I decided to tackle the prospect of crafting my own. First, I needed a pattern. Using one of my worn-out favorites, I carefully removed all of the stitching holding it together and used the parts to draw outlines of each piece on stiff card stock. I am a two-finger shooter so I make a two-finger glove. My pattern can be flipped over to make a threefingered glove. (Photo 1) Next, I needed materials. Several local outlets including Tandys and Ben Franklin stores carried leather that I perused through until I found the right thickness, finish, and consistency. Upholstery leather remnants seemed to be the best for my taste. The wrist band buckles I decided to use were also purchased at these stores. (Photo 2) I have since discovered that some of the
best leather available can be found at thrift shops in the form of leather purses and billfolds. These objects can often be purchased very inexpensively compared to buying raw leather at the outlet stores. One brand name I always look for is Fossil. Leather recovered from these products is some of the finest and will last longer than any other I have used to date. When it was time to put it all together, I laid out the patterns on the leather, traced around them, and then cut out the needed parts with scissors. (Photos 3 & 4) Next came the stitching. I used my plain old regular sewing machine with a denim needlea leather needle can also be purchasedand proceeded to put the pieces together with quality cotton mercerized thread. Sew the end of the finger stall onto the back of the glove first. (Photo 5) Then sew the edges of the finger stall to the edges of the glove. (Photo 6) Be sure to backstitch the beginning and ending of each stitching to assure the thread wont unravel with use. I like to use the finished side of the leather against my skin with the unfinished side of the leather out. Less sweat seems to be absorbed into the leather this way. However, the finished side of the leather needs to be on the outside of the finger stalls for a smooth sliding surface to release the arrow. Since the wristband seems to always be the first thing to disintegrate on my shooting gloves, I decided to use nylon strapping. This can be purchased at most
6
fabric stores or at some of the outlets previously mentioned. I determined the length needed to wrap around my wrist and then added 2". The extra is needed to sew in the buckle. Be sure to singe the ends after cutting to keep the strapping from unraveling. Burn a slot in the strapping for the buckle tongue. (Photo 7) Place a small nail in a pair of pliers and heat the nail red hot over a flame. Poke the nail through the strapping and slide up and down to form the slot. Be careful with this process as you can create a larger opening than you need quite easily. Sew in the buckle. (Photo 8) I find it easier to hand sew this part since it is too tight to use the sewing machine. Wrap the strap around your wrist and determine where the holes for the buckle tongue should be to hold the glove firmly in place and burn holes. (Photo 9) Determine where you would prefer to have the buckle when placed on your wrist; I prefer just above the palm of my hand. Sew the strap onto the glove back with the leather on top of the wrist strap. Make sure the buckle tongue is facing the right direction to latch properly. (I learned this the hard way and had to cut out the buckle and re-sew it!) (Photo 10) Note that in the photo, the strap is sewn on for a left-hand shooter so the buckle comes down over the top of the wrist. Reverse for right hand shooter. I have used the glove on my hand in the picture for more than two years, shooting many hundreds of arrows with no sign of glove wear or string grooves developing in the finger stalls. (Photos 11 & 12) You now have a handcrafted piece of equipment you can use and replace whenever needed. You can custom fit each piece to best fit your hand. Better yet, the cost is minimal, about $3 for each glove if all purchased materials are new, less if using recycled leather! The time involved, start to finish, is about one hour. By making your own glove, you can determine the quality of the materials, what size and style works best for you, and have the satisfaction of knowing you created it yourself.
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10
11
12
41
For the
W
hen I walk into the Oregon woods with its moist, moss-covered trees, I feel as though I am home. Even as the fog eerily floats through the trees, I feel comforted. I also get a sense of going back to the days of the late 1800s or early 1900s when it was just you, your bow, and some arrows. It wasnt corrupted by technology. As I walk through looking for the perfect yew, I hear the squirrels chattering in the background. I see tall Oregon pines and Douglas fir and smell the crisp, clean frangrance they give off. My mind wonders, hoping to see a glimpse of the beautiful 42
of Love
B y J o h n We t z e l
Yew
Beautiful Oregon blacktail deer.

scour. To find a yew suitable for bow making, you need to look for a sapling tree that is as straight and as knot-free as possible. You want the bark to grow straight up and down, not twisted around the tree. Personally, when I am looking for a good piece of yew, I look for the diameter to be no greater than seven inches. I prefer two inches to seven as the growth rings tend to be tighter which makes for a better bow. Another factor I include in my selection is elevation. The best yew grows at elevations of 4,000 to 4,500 feet. Now, I am not saying that you cant get decent yew at lower elevations, but you get better quality at higher elevations. The yew at lower elevations will not have as tight of growth rings and limb thickness can vary considerably. As soon as you find your perfect yew, you must do one of two things, either G.P .S. your tree location or flag your way from the
blacktail deer when I see the yew. And as I see the yew, I fall in love again. In Oregon, the first step for harvesting Pacific yew is that you need to go to your local Forest Service Office and inquire about a Pacific Yew Tree Permit. It will vary between Forest Services, as some places say they do not allow harvesting because they are trying to protect the yew, but they do have permits. Other offices will get you one right off with no hassle. Just make sure to do your research first and know what to ask. Once you have inquired about the yew, the Forest Service will give you an area to
tree out. This way, the Forest Service will go back out and make sure that the tree is approved for cutting. Make sure to give them good directions so they can find it quickly in the hopes they will approve it quickly. Once they approve your selections, they will issue you a permit. Once you get their okay, you can go harvest your yew. I recommend going in the fall or winter. The hotter the day, the more cracking and twisting you will get. When I go to cut the tree, I dont cut it at the very bottom, I try to cut it two to three inches above to leave a little bit of a stump. The reason for this, in the high mountains of Oregon, is that you get a lot of wind storms that blow the trees back and forth which causes shake in the grains of the tree. That will usually be in the base of the tree and you dont want that in a bow stave. I try to get as much length as I can as far as cutting the top part. When you get the tree home, you want to look at the end of your tree to find the heart-wood. What youre looking for in the heart-wood is to see if it lies to one side or another. If it does, the closer side will be your best quality for bow wood. As for splitting your tree, I prefer to saw as opposed to hand splitting because sawing elevates heat cracks in the wood and stress. You will also have the capability of cutting out the heart, which is what dries out first in the tree and causes the cracking and checking. There is nothing wrong with hand splitting. Many people have done it for hundreds of years, but hand splitting causes more of tearing, cracking, and checking. Also, you wont gain as much wood as when sawing. A lot of people choose hand splitting, because they feel the grain follows the contour of the wood. You can still follow the grains in sawing. It is just up to you how you choose to cut your piece of yew. On a personal note, a few bows I made by hand splitting have had problems because of tearing of the wood. It dictated the bow weight outcome. I find that sawing gives you more girth in the wood to work with ensuring better results. As soon as you split your yew, you need to glue the ends. You can use pretty much any type of glue or polyurethane, I prefer Elmers Wood Glue. It is cheap and it
Markings show where to cut to remove a bow stave.
Good quality yewnotice the tightness of the growth rings.
Author sawing yew in Keenans shop.
Author sawing yew.
usually just takes one coat. Once it is glued, you will need to find an area that is cool and does not get hot. Your staves, or half of a tree, should be laid down flat on the ground or in a rack. The first three months of storage are the most critical because that is when it loses the most moisture at the fastest rate. I will let a stave sit from six months to a year before I touch it again. Once it is dried, you are ready to begin to make your own yew bow. Yes, it requires
patience to let it sit so long, but it is well worth the wait. Once it forms into a bow, you will fall in love all over again with that tree you saw in the woods. When youre making your bow, and even when it is complete, you will get to endure the memories of the Pacific Northwest, of Chester Stevenson, and all of those who came before us doing the same thing we just did. It is a feeling that you will never forget.
As your first bow unfolds, I am positive you will gain a desire to continue with yew and also develop a love for this kind of wood. My hope is that as you grow in your knowledge, you will share with someone as well. I am thankful to the man who taught me and educated me about yew. Keenan, you are one incredible friend and your knowledge amazes me!
Grading quality yew on the right: it is straight and the bark runs straight up and down.
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Two bows and one stave cut from a four-inch tree.
Author grading a yew tree to make sure it will be good quality.
45
MedicineMAN
he young hunter struggled with his firesticks. His cold-numbed hands didnt want to function properly, but he knew that a fire literally meant the difference between life and death for him. He took a deep breath, willing his mind to concentrate on the task at hand while ignoring the searing pain in his leg. He twirled the horseweed spindle in the depression of the hearth board, trying to pace himself until smoke began to appear; then he spun the spindle with all the speed he could muster. As he bore down with the last of his remaining strength, the spindle slipped from his hands and fell to the ground, but a thin curl of smoke still rose from the notch in the hearth board. He carefully transferred the precious coal to the middle of the tinder bundle that he had prepared from a dry wood rat nest he had found in the back of the rock shelter. He folded the tinder around the coal, held it over his head, and blew gently until thick smoke and then flames came forth. He dropped the burning tinder bundle to the floor and carefully fed it with dry, dead twigs that he had broken from the trunk of an evergreen tree outside the overhang. He added bigger sticks as the flames grew stronger, and, soon, the fire was blazing brightly, building a bed of coals. The heat reflecting from the rock walls gradually drove the chill from his body. He managed to roll a large section of dead log onto the fire, then collapsed in exhaustion and slept while cold wind howled through the woods outside and snow swirled down through the treetops. As he slumbered fitfully, scenes from the last few days replayed in his dreams. He had started out alone a hand of days earlier on an extended winter hunting trip
against the advice of his uncle, the Medicine Man. The hunter was young, but he had proven himself in both the hunt and in war, so he was an adult warrior in the eyes of the People and therefore free to follow his own path as he wished. Unlike most of the People, who generally preferred the company of others to solitude, the young hunter was something of a loner and often set out by himself into the woods for long periods of time. He had spent the last few days hunting and exploring, gradually working his way higher into the mountains. Earlier that day, he had been forced to seek shelter as a fierce winter storm had swept across the ridge. Almost blinded by flying snow and half-frozen by the cold wind, he had worked his way up the hillside toward a large rock cliff, hoping to find protection from the elements. He discovered a cave-like opening at the base of the cliff and crawled inside. But no sooner had he offered up a prayer of thanks for finding shelter from the storm, he realized that he wasnt alone in the rock shelter. A bear was sleeping in the back of the small cave and roused itself at the entrance of the hunter. Hearing a growl from the cornered animal, the young man barely had time to pull his deer legbone stiletto from his belt before the angry beast was upon him. As the bear bit down on his left leg and shook him like a childs doll, the young hunter repeatedly plunged the dagger into the beasts ribs. Adrenaline coursing, he fought back in desperation. Finally, his knife found the bears heart, and the animal rolled off him and uttered a loud death moan. The bear crawled toward the entrance of the cave and fell dead just outside. In shock, the hunter applied pressure to his torn leg and fought to keep from passing out. The pain was almost overwhelming. He lay on the floor of the rock shelter, drifting in and out of consciousness, until he finally became aware
White Pine
By Steve Parker
of the intense cold that gripped his body. He realized that if he didnt act quickly while he was still able to, he would not survive. He forced himself up from the ground, fumbled in his pack for his firesticks, and started looking for usable tinder. The young hunter awoke to throbbing pain as daylight crept under the overhanging rock. The fire had burned down to scattered coals, and he pushed them together and added small sticks until it was blazing again. Forcing himself to ignore the pain in his leg, he looked around and took stock of his situation. The people of his village were used to him staying out in the mountains for long periods of time and wouldnt expect him back any time soon, so he could expect no help from anyone else. Besides, the fresh snow had covered any tracks that might lead someone to him, so he knew that he had to survive by his own wits and resources. The rock shelter was small but kept him out of the weather. He had fire, and just outside the entrance to the rock shelter was a tangle of dead trees that had fallen from the top of the cliff over the years, so he had plenty of fuel within easy reach. He had a bow and arrows, his deer-bone dagger, a small polished stone axe, and a sharp flint knife. The buckskin bag of parched corn he had carried for trail food was exhausted, but the dead bear lying outside would provide him with food, and the cold weather would ensure the meat didnt spoil. Looking around the small cave, there wasnt much to see. The opening in the rock had served as a den for various animals over the years, and a few old bones and a bleached box turtle shell were scattered around the floor. He picked up the turtle shell and set it aside, then steeled his resolve and examined his injured leg. It didnt look good. The leg was tender and swollen, so he cut his buckskin leggings back from the wound. The bears teeth had made
46
several deep puncture wounds in his thigh and calf. Also, as the bear had shaken him, flesh had been ripped and lacerated. The flesh around the wounds was already feverishit was red, puffy, and inflamed. The pain was growing worse as the day went on. He knew that he had to find a way to keep the wounds from festering if he was to survive. Fortunately, the hunter had always had an interest in healing plants, and in years past, he had spent much time observing and questioning his uncle, the Medicine Man, so he had a basic knowledge of medicine and healing. With his injured leg, though, he realized he wouldnt be able to go out into the woods to collect any healing plants that he might recognize, plus it was midwinter, when most plants were dormant or leafless and hard to identify. Suddenly, he remembered that just outside the entrance to his shelter was a young evergreen tree that he had broken the dead lower limbs from to start his fire.
Searching his memory for what he knew about this tree, he gradually realized that he had a good chance of surviving his predicament. The hunter filled the bleached turtle shell with snow and carefully melted it over the coals of his fire. When the water began to boil, he pulled it back from the heat and let it simmer. Meanwhile, he peeled the skin from the bears haunch with his flint knife. The bear had a thick layer of fat under the skin, and he cut off a large chunk of the half-frozen tallow and set it aside. The he hobbled to the young evergreen tree. Several thumb-sized branches grew within his reach. These were brittle and easily broken off. He carried the branches back into his shelter. He cleaned his wounds as well as he could with the hot water and a piece of clean buckskin that he cut from the empty pouch that had carried his parched corn. He put a chunk of bear fat into the turtle shell and set it over the coals to render. As the
fat melted, he scraped the outer bark from a branch of the evergreen tree. He stripped off the inner bark and pounded it to a fine, pasty consistency with a smooth stone. He mixed the pounded bark substance with the rendered bear fat to make a salve and applied it to his wounds. Exhausted, he laid back and slept. Many days later, the young hunter was finally ready to leave the rock shelter. The bear carcass was by now little more than bones, and his supply of firewood was almost exhausted. But his leg was mostly healed. Though still tender and slightly painful, it was no longer swollen and inflamed, and it would bear his weight as long as he was mindful to not overload it. The healing mixture from the evergreen tree and the bear fat had worked to mend his wounds. He had also supplemented his diet of bear meat with a healing and nourishing tea made from the needles of the evergreen tree. As he left the cave and carefully made his way down the
47
mountainside, he stopped once to look back at the place that had sheltered him for the last several days and the tree that had saved his life. The hunter smiled as he fingered his new bear claw necklace. Thanks to the healing tree, he would return to the village of the People and he would certainly have an incredible story to tell when he arrived. He tucked his bearskin robe around him and slowly made his way down the mountain toward home. The healing tree used by the hunter was the eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). The white pine grows in cool upland forests throughout eastern North America from Quebec south to northern Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina; and west to Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, and Manitoba. It is a very large, straighttrunked tree, commonly reaching over a hundred feet tall in good growing conditions. The tallest known tree in the eastern United States is a white pine known as the Boogerman Pine growing in Cataloochee Valley in western North Carolina. It was measured at 207 feet in height before a large chunk of the top was broken out during Hurricane Opal in 1995. It is currently just shy of 189 feet tall99 feet to the first limband still growing. The white pines long, flexible needles are arranged in bundles of five. Unlike most pines, the leaves have a bluish color when viewed from a distance. The branches grow in whorls around the trunk, a new whorl of limbs being formed with each years growth. The female cones are long and slender, and the seeds are a favorite food of red squirrels and many birds.
been used to cure scurvy. Teas or infusions made of the bark, needles, and twigs have also been used to treat colds, coughs, sore throats, and inflammation, as well as respiratory, kidney, and digestive disorders. The inner bark was once a common ingredient in cough syrups. The bark has been used as a chest poultice to relieve congestion, and the needles have been steamed and the vapors inhaled for the same purpose. Bark tea is emetic in large doses.
Food
Pine trees are not commonly thought of as a source of food, but the white pine has several edible parts. The inner bark, while not extremely palatable, is very nutritious and serves as an emergency food. It can be boiled or dried and ground into flour. The young pollen-bearing male cones are edible and nutritious. A pleasant beverage tea can be made from the chopped needles. The seeds, like those of most pines, are edible. But unlike some western pine species that bear large pine nuts, the seeds of the white pine are too small to be a very viable source of food.
cedar. It burns hot but fast and is excellent kindling. The dead dry branches and twigs that are persistent on the trunks of younger trees are a reliable source of fire-building materials in the woods even during wet weather, and the resinous cones are also excellent fire starters. The resinous pitch of the white pine has long been used for many things. Native Americans used it as a caulking, sealant, and waterproofing agent for bark canoes. The pitch, often mixed with other ingredients such as beeswax and powdered charcoal, is useful as a mastic for hafting arrowheads, attaching arrow fletchings, and waterproofing sinew bindings. Leafy white pine branches have been used to thatch the roofs of shelters and to make comfortable temporary beds. The bark of young trees can be peeled off during the growing season and made into buckets, boxes, and containers. The roots are flexible and can be split and used for rough sewing, stitching, lashing, and binding.
Horticultural Uses
The white pine is a valuable ornamental tree and is commonly grown in nurseries across the country. It is shallow-rooted, easily transplanted, and grows well in almost any well-drained soil. White pines are often planted as shade and specimen trees, windbreaks, and screens. The trees are fairly tolerant of heavy pruning, and young trees can be kept sheared and trained as hedges. Sheared white pines are also commonly sold as Christmas trees. White pine needles make excellent mulch for flower beds and shrubs. Our ancestors lived intimately with the land and, over time, accumulated much knowledge of which plants to use for different purposes. Before industrial civilization, this knowledge was widespread and necessary for survival. Now, much knowledge has been lost. It is our duty and in our best interests to preserve useful plant knowledge and incorporate it into our lives as well as to preserve our environment and the wild plants that in the future may once again become our very means of survival.
Utilitarian Uses
The white pine historically has been one of the most valuable timber trees of North America. The straight-trunked growth habit, strong but lightweight wood, and large size made it one of the first targets of early loggers. In many areas, the white pines were the only trees harvested in the first wave of logging, and the search for virgin white pine timber fueled the exploration of many parts of eastern North America. The tall, straight white pine trunks were especially prized for masts of sailing ships. The straight-grained wood has been used commercially for practically everything from dimensional lumber to fine furniture to toothpicks. Like other pines, white pines were exploited heavily for the production of pitch, tar, turpentine, creosote, and other chemical compounds. The production of these naval stores was a major industry in earlier times. Other than commercial uses, the wood of the white pine makes high quality, lightweight arrow shafts, comparable to
Medicinal Uses
The white pine has a long history of medicinal usage. The resin and inner bark contain powerful natural antiseptics and were much used by Native Americans to heal wounds, sores, burns, boils, inflammation, and other maladies. White pine has a reputation as being one of the most effective natural antiseptics and has even been credited for healing gangrenous wounds. The needles are rich in vitamins A and C, and a tea made from pine needles has
48
CaneBamboo Shaft or
with a
Nock
By K ay Koppedrayer
magine that youre out walking somewhere in the American south, and youve just come across a bonanza for a primitive archer. Youve stumbled upon a stand of nice-looking river cane with lots of mature shoots ready for harvesting. Or maybe, it is a stand of naturalized yadake, a type of arrow bamboo that was introduced from Asia decades ago. You take one look and know that you can fit yourself up with arrows for the next while. So you get to work harvesting. Dutifully, you cut nice shafts, you dry them by letting them stand where air can circulate around your bundles of arrows. Then, after theyve nicely aged, you get to work at straightening them. Its hard going, but you dont begrudge your time because youre hungering to try out your found bounty. Finally you get to where good is good enough, straight is straight enough. Youre ready to get cracking and get an arrow finished off. You really want to shoot one of these little sweethearts. But then, it hits you. You wonder how 50 Primitive Archer Magazine
in the world youre going to nock and tip these hollow tubes. You cant taper the ends and glue on a plastic nock. That wouldnt look nice and, besides, it probably wouldnt work. So what to do? You can either cut in a self-nock or insert a nock made from something like bone, horn, or even hard wood. Neither process is all that difficult, but knowing a few tricks helps. Heres how to fit a nock in place. Inserting a bone, horn, or hard wood nock
Step 1: You want to obtain a supply of nocks that have a tang. The tang is needed to hold the nock in place. You can either make the nocks or pick them up from one or another archery supplier. Because bamboo is a natural material, there can be some variation in both the inner and outer diameters of shafts. Youll find that youll want enough nocks so you can sort them out to get a good match. Also, you might have to shave or grind a little off the nock so it will sit flush with the shaft when youre all done.
Step 2: Square off the end of the bamboo shafting. Use a sharp knife to get the edge of the shaft perfectly square so the seat of the nock sits flush in the shaft.
Step 3: Take a tiny edge off the inside of the shaft. This helps when you insert the nock.
Step 4: Wrap the end of the shaft with cord or thread. It doesnt matter what you use, just something that you can wrap tight. Bring that wrapping up close to the edge of the shaft and make sure it is tight. This binding will keep the bamboo from splitting when you insert the nock. Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2 51
Step 5: Take the nock and put it in place at the edge of the shaft. Do not press yet.
Step 6: Take the blunt end of your knife and use it to work the nock into the shaft. Wiggle it back and forth while applying downward pressure. The cordage or thread prevents the shaft from splitting while youre doing this. The bamboo fibers on the inside of the shaft compress allowing for a tight fit. Step 7: Notice that we havent said anything about glue yet. Youre first getting a good fit in the shaft. Now its time to apply glue. Gorilla glue works well here. Put some on the inside of the shaft.
Step 8: While youre doing this, hold the nock between your lips to moisten it. The glue needs some moisture to create a bond. 52 Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2
Step 9: As youre fitting the nock in place, make sure that youre aligning its slit with the last node on the shaft that is closest to the nock. The node should be facing up and in direct alignment with the slit. Arrows aligned this way are able to withstand more vibration when they hit a target.
Step 10: Remove the cordage. If necessary, use a sharp knife to make the end of the shafting flush with the nock end. You can also use sandpaper to even it off. Make sure the joint area is nice and smooth, with no rough edges.
Step 11: You are now preparing to wrap the nock end off. Use a pen to make a line a little distance down the shaft. This line marks the end of the wrapping. When youre making a set of arrows, youll want them all to have the same length of wrapping. Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2 53
Step 12: Start wrapping from the line upwards towards the nock. By working your way up to the nock, you get a more even finish and a tighter wrap. Use whatever cordage you want. Flat silk works really well.
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Step 13: When you get to the end, cut your thread and use a typical white glue to hold it in place. Work the glue really well into the thread.
Step 14: After the glue has dried, cover the wrapping with urethane.
Step 15: Sit back and admire your work. Now youve only got eleven more shafts to go.
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Pappy, in the orange shirt, a bowyer and the organizer of the event.
Pappys workshop
at the Tennessee Classic

By Stim Wilcox
Selfbows Flintnapping and
Building
hen you arrive at the Tennessee Classic, near Clarksville, Tennessee, you drive down into a beautiful wooded valley with ample camping space, three sets of 3-D targets, vendors with archery equipment, and a rather amazing central core of workshops. For myself, the extensive workshop area for making bows and flintknapping was the main reason I came to the event.
Gary Davis, in overalls, instructing

I had never been to an archery event where the primary focus was building selfbows, laminated natural-wood bows, and flintknapping. Generally, bow building and flintknapping have been relatively small components of events Ive attended. Thats fairly common. At the Tennessee Classic, though, bow building and flintknapping were primary features, in addition to the tournament for traditional-primitive archers. While I was quite impressed at seeing so many participants making bows and flintknapping, I was even more impressed at the quality and number of bowyers willing to share and pass on their knowledge. In fact, I was, as the saying goes, blown away. The friendly atmosphere and people meant no one felt like a stranger for long. Allow me to share the history of this event and how all this began. The Bowyers Pappy, a.k.a. Mark Baggett, loved making and shooting selfbows, and he built a workshop on his farm near Clarksville. He ended up spending most of his weekends
Gary with Al Gosnell, a Canadian friend and bowyer, taught by Gary many years ago; the bow in Als hand was built 16 years ago; the bow in Garys hand was started from a tree growing 16 days before the event.
there. His workshop attracted local bowyers and flintknappers, who also began using the workshop. You could show up ready to work on bows and usually others were there doing the same. Meanwhile, Gary Davis from Michigan, had developed a method of introducing students to later stages of bow making, meaning that they started with a previouslydeveloped bow blank made with a caul and went through the tillering stages in a workshop. Gary has been presenting classes like that at a number of events. He and Pappy met in Cloverdale, Indiana, became fast friends, and Pappy invited Gary to join the Tennessee Classic as another instructor. The rest is history. During any year now at the Tennessee Classic, there are approximately eight instructors: Pappy and the local bowyers as well as bowyers from all over the United States.
David Knight demonstrating tillering in his class on making bamboo-laminated natural wood bows.
Facing us, at left Keenan Howard, from Oregon and a bow teacher, on the right Dave Reed, from New York, a prior student of Gary Davis and now a teacher, show students how to set up a bow stave with a curved caul, clamps, and a heat gun.
Students working on bows
Students on right beginning to tiller the curve of a bow.
The Event When I saw the scene for the first time in Tennessee, it looked like cooperative bedlam. The scene resolved into an interaction between students and instructors, one of questions and answers, demonstrations, and bow building. It was a beautiful interaction of giving and sharing, a companionship among a large number of students and a large number of instructorsa sense of enjoyable peace focused into a concerted effort in a family atmosphere. And the workshop was busy from dawn to long after dusk, each day. At the end of the event, students could take their new bows and compete for scores on the excellent 3-D targets set up in the surrounding hills. It was a remarkable bow making and shooting event. The Boy/Girl Scout Students Before the event, Pappy was dealt a difficult situation: the only time a group of boy/girl scouts could participate was on the Saturday of the event, a time when the
Al Gosnell, left, and Dave Reed, right, check the tiller, above and below the handle, on a bow.
Pat Brennan (with beard), of North Carolina, checking the final tiller of a bow made by the student.
Boy and girl scouts working on bows.
Greg Bagwell, of Clarkesville, TN, showing tillering technique.
Pat Brennan, of North Carolina, and scout with finished bow.
normally registered students were still there. But the instructors handled it. All the scouts made bows, in a whirlwind, in one day. As the saying goes, the system worked. Breaking RockThe Flintknappers Another major scene of the event was the flintknappers. There were several of
them making beautiful objects from flint, obsidian, and other materials, with students working alongside. I understand that the flintknappers tend to wander from event to event, helping others. At the Tennessee Classic, the flintknappers had a major presence, with people coming and 59
Jesse Wright showing one of his beautiful blades.
Brad Harrison, Jesse Wright, his dad Drew Wright, and Patrick Blank.
Stim Wilcox (your erstwhile writer). I began by showing how if you are in a survival situation, you dont actually have to make a bow per se as long as you have a bowstring (like your shoelaces). A cured, but unworked, serviceberry branch shot an arrow quite well. Then I used a hatchet on a cured hickory branch, ending up with a 45 lb bow at 28", and shot it. The Sponsors Primitive Archer Magazine was a major sponsor for the Tennessee Classic. The General Scene There were excellent 3D targets in the hills by the camp and good food, showers, etc., available. On Saturday evening, there was a potluck dinner, with excellent attendance, plus some pickin and grinnin after the delicious meal. A number of vendors and instructors were at the event including bowyers, blacksmiths, and those selling woodworking devices, wood, and a variety of general archery equipment. Again, the scene was of cooperation and enjoyment and learning, an unusual event in our world. The 2012 Tennessee Classic will
going throughout the day. Again, the scene was of quiet concentration, with help always available. A Hatchet Bow Demonstration A demonstration of how to make a bow using a hatchet in a half hour, was given by
Brad Harrison instructing students.

Patrick Blank and students practicing flint knapping.
Participants lined up for the Saturday evening Bar-B-Q

be held May 46, 2012. You can contact the organizers on the internet at www.TwinOaksBowhunters.com (see ad on page 57). About the Author: Stim Wilcox sells selfbows and teaches classes in making them in his workshop on the coast of Maine. He is the author of the book The Art Of Making Selfbows and has a website at www.wilcoxbows.com (see ad on page 64).
Author demonstrating making a bow using only a hatchet and then shooting it.
On the left, Primitive Archer publisher, Monroe Luther; and on the right, Mike Moore, the president and CEO, holding a bow he made at the event. In between is Gary Davis on the left and Dave Reed a good friend and fellow bowyer.
The authors first shot at a big game animal with his self-made, sinew-backed Osage longbow produced a wonderful trophy and a bowhunting memory to match.
ouve undoubtedly heard the old adage: Getting there is half the fun. In this particular journey, it certainly proved to be true, even if painfully slow and challenging. It has been about four years since I got the bug to try to make my own Osage self-bow. With the help of a couple of books, YouTube, and some sage and generous telephone advice from experts Mike Yancey and Gary Davis, I took the plunge and quickly learned that I was in way over my head. I even remember asking one of the experts how long it should take to make an Osage self-bow from start to finish. His reply said it all, If youre counting hours, youre not going to like making Osage bows. Understatement! I have come to understand that making Osage self-bows is all about the journey. Making the bow is as challenging and fulfilling as the hunt for which it is intended. That first bow showed me how little I knew, but it was one time that being bullheaded was an advantage. Three bows later I finally had one that I believed I could hunt with. I added rattlesnake-skin backing and was pretty proud of the finished product. I managed to take a javelina, a whitetail doe, and a pretty nice buck with it that year. From then on, I was gut-hooked. My bow-building learning curve was at 62
the point (and still is) where each bow I make tells me what I want to do differently and, hopefully, better next time. And so the journey continues. Two years ago I bought an excellent Osage stave from Mike Yancey of Pine Hollow Longbows in Arkansas with the intent of backing the finished product with sinew (another study altogether). Because I was retiring after my 24-year stint as editor in chief of Buckmasters Whitetail Magazine and moving from Alabama to Alberta, my bow project was put on hold for the better part of a year. I promised myself I would have the sinew on the bow no later than July of 2011, in time for elk hunting, and I did. Then there was the matter of shooting and shooting and shooting until I was confident enough to hunt with it. My only concern was that the bow pulled only 46 pounds at 28 inches, and I really wanted to hunt elk with it. I questioned whether it was enough bow for the task. Fortunately, I had done some extensive broadhead penetration studies years ago,
Bullstik
By Russell Thornberry
Journey
which were enlightening. To sum up my study, I found that a two-blade cut-to-thetip broadhead would penetrate the hide between the ribs of a 200-pound freshly killed wild boar with an average of 1 pounds of pressure. Conversely, it took from 52 to 86 pounds of pressure to accomplish the same task with other multi-blade, non-cut-to-the-tip commercial designs available at that time. Yes, you read that right! My conclusion was that a razor sharp, 2-blade, cut-on-contact broadhead burned up so little energy slicing into an animal that a 46-pound bow would probably be pretty deadlyeven on an elk. I should also mention that the bow measured 46 pounds in the warm days of July but pulled 52-54 pounds in the cooler fall days. The colder the strongerthats what sinew does. I chose to tip my cedar shafts with 175-grain, Bowyer, single bevel, glue-on broadheads. My scouting efforts resulted in a jewel of a discovery: a time-worn elk trail on a narrow timbered ridge that ran through the
Making the bow is as challenging and fulfilling as the hunt for which it is intended, says Thornberry.
Thornberry used both moose leg sinew (left) and leg sinew from white-tailed deer to back his Osage bow.
elk. Better that it should walk under and past me rendering a close going-away shot. I craned my neck to the right and watched the bull walk casually up the trail until he was no more than two steps behind my tree, where he stopped abruptly in his tracks. He sensed something wasnt right, but he couldnt figure out what. It was a deja vu of countless whitetail hunts where I had watched wary bucks do the same thing. The question was whether this bull would calm down and walk on or blow up and hightail it into the surrounding timber. After a tense and breathless pause, the bull backed up a step, turned away from me, and walked eastward through the thick willow shroud along the lakeshore. Eventually, he disappeared into the aspens and my heart sank. It was soooooooooo close! An hour elapsed as I strained to hear another footfall behind me, but there was none. Shooting light was fading fast, and I had already resigned myself to tomorrows evening shift when I saw something move 63
middle of a small lake. It was obvious that elk were crossing on this trail rather than walking all the way around the lake. At the north end of the ridge where the trail empties back into the boreal forest, there stood a large cottonwood tree begging for a treestand. It was obvious to me that if I put my time in in that cottonwood, an elk would eventually walk right under me. Utilizing classic whitetail tactics saved me the folly of trying to stalk close enough for a shot in dense, noisy timber. This would be an afternoon set-up since getting to that location in the dark would be counter-productive. On the first afternoon of my hunt the wind was out of the west, blowing my scent out over the lake, which was perfect. The problem I faced was that the only place I could hang my treestand was much higher than I would have liked, probably ten feet higher than elevations from which I had practiced.
Ill be the first to admit that a longbow in a treestand is a little ungainly and one has to think through their potential shot directions and angles so as not to get trapped in an impossible position. I took a few practice shots just to get the feel of the steep downward angle. I asked my buddy to toss his cap on the ground for a target and, amazingly, I hit it twice in a row. After that my confidence was back. By 4 p.m. I was in my stand, prepared to sit it out until dark. All was quiet and still as the sun sank slowly toward the treetops, and it appeared that the day would be chalked up to another nice day of viewing the world from a tree. It was 7:15 when I heard the solid footfall of a heavy animal behind me. Its show time, I whispered to myself. I had arranged my treestand so that my back was toward the ridge trail. It would not serve me well to be facing an oncoming
in the timber to my right. A quick study through my binocs revealed new hope. It was the same bull coming back my way on another trail that passed directly in front of my stand, perpendicular to the trail he had been on originally. If he maintained his heading, he would walk broadside right in front of me at less than fifteen yards. Suddenly, I was grateful for my additional elevation, without which I would have been within hand shaking distance of this elk. He was twenty-five yards away and still on a perfect heading as I rehearsed my shot routine in my mind: gripanchor pointreleasefollow through. This would be my first shot at an animal with this new bow, and I knew from my practice session that if I let my adrenalin override my attention to detail, this elk would be as safe as a day in jail. As his head passed me by, offering me a quartering away shot, I drew the arrow back under my right eye and touched my cheek with my fingertips. Even though my
arrow left my string at the paltry speed of 160 feet-per-second, it seemed to reach the bull with lightning speed, burying itself into his rib cage. Instantly, I knew he was a goner. He made one bound upon impact and stumbled forward another five or six steps and collapsed within thirty yards of me. My arrow clipped a rib on its way in, passed through both lungs and the top of his heart. My reaction was one of amazement and relief. Who gets a ten-yard, quartering away shot at a bull elk from a treestand? I saidaudibly I think. All question of whether or not my bow was enough medicine for an elk were answered forever. In fact, as I review my bowhunting shots at elk, which have all been with compound bows from 70 to 80 pounds, no bull has fallen faster to my arrow than this one on the ground before me. It was one of those glowing highlights in my hunting career, which now exceeds 55 years. I still love it when a plan comes together!
A razor-sharp, 2-blade, cut-oncontact broadhead burns up so little energy slicing into an animal that a 46-pound bow is plenty deadlyeven on an animal as large as an elk.
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64
PrimitiveCHEF
ello fellow archers, its time to share a couple of recipe ideas with you. In this batch, I put a different spin on the humble meatball. Just about every culture on the planet lays claim to some form of meatball or fritter. Part of the fun of cooking today is the cross over blends of cultures you can use to create interesting and flavorful dishes. The rice blend I use emulates Middle Eastern and Moroccan dishes with the addition of fruit and nuts and incorporates the European touch of serving game meat with fruit sauces. Finally, the sherry sauce is creamed with sour cream which results in a flavor similar to the Swedish style and the starch of the dish is the German noodle. The spaetzle, which I cook in broth, can be served hot out of the broth or sauted in butter, which is my favorite. I use ground venison and pork sausage with the addition of finely minced almonds, golden raisins, dried cherries, and dried currants in a rice blend. This all adds flavor and moisture. I make the rice blend first, then cool it before mixing it with the meat. Once mixed, I form the balls, roll the balls in coarse bread crumbs, and then bake them twice, once from raw and then in the sauce to glaze them well.
Venison Meatballs with a Sherry and Sour Cream Glaze over Spaetzle
66
RICE 1 cup rice 2 cups chicken broth cup each finely diced celery, carrot, and onion cup toasted almonds, chopped fine 1/3 cup each finely chopped golden raisins, dried cherries, and dried currants stick butter 1 teaspoon salt teaspoon white pepper Combine the above ingredients and simmer covered until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool. MEATBALLS (yield: 16-24 depending on size of scoop) 2 pounds ground venison 8 ounces pork sausage 2 eggs 2 tablespoons fresh parsley cup breadcrumbs cup half and half 3-4 cups rice from recipe above Blend the above ingredients, then form into uniformly sized balls (I used a small ice cream scoop with trigger to help with this step). Finally, roll the balls in coarse breadcrumbs, place on an oiled baking sheet, and bake in a moderate oven for 30-40 minutes.
SOUR CREAM SHERRY SAUCE 3 cups good quality beef broth cup sherry wine 1 tablespoon chopped garlic Simmer the above ingredients for ten minutes. In a bowl, mix one cup sour cream with a half cup flour. Drizzle the hot broth mixture into the sour cream/flour mixture and then put the combination back in the pot and simmer on low heat until it is thick. Salt and pepper to taste. GLAZING THE MEATBALLS Place the meatballs in a casserole dish, cover them with sauce, and bake about 20 minutes, turning them once to make sure they are well glazed. Sprinkle with dried currants. SPAETZLE Spaetzle is found in most grocery stores these days. Check the ethnic food aisle. Bring six cups of salted water or broth to a boil, add spaetzle. Simmer until tender, about 12-15 minutes. Drain and serve hot or brown in butter and then serve. I hope you find time to give this batch of recipes a try with friends and loved ones. The meatballs without sauce will freeze well for another day. Have fun, experiment, and make the recipe your own. Until next time, eat well and shoot straight. Chef William E. Campbell
67
continued from page 80

the truth and discounts the realities of the sport including the intimacy. Every deer I ever shot with traditional bowhunting has died within less than a minute. Every deer I have ever hit with my traditional bow and arrow has died, none have been wounded. How lucky would we all be to avoid the suffering and lingering of death in the same way animals do? They die quickly and humanely to the sharp broadhead launched from the wooden bow. Most humans endure the much worse fate of lingering death than the prey of the traditional bowhunter. Killing with traditional archery is not sterile. It is up close and personal. It is not a cocked and locked bolt launched from a trigger 40 or 50 yards from a deer. Nor is it the humane kill from a bullet fired from 200 yards with surgical precision and a bang flop. There is a well-deserved place for rifle hunting in game management, and it has my full support. However, it is traditional bowhunting that gives me the magic of that up close and personal
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intimate encounter that fully involves all of my senses. It is my intent to kill the deer that comes within my effective range and I have no apologies to the deer or anyone. It is the cycle of life and death, of predator and prey, of omnivore and herbivore. It is how I believe God intended. Traditional bowhunting is not for everyone, just the same way that golf or computers are not for everyone. However, traditional bowhunting is magic for me, and my life would be much less complete
without it. I want to be in an intimate encounter with the animal I kill. I want to feel the tension of the string on my fingers and hear the impact of my lethal arrow. I want to own the kill and respect the animal and God who provided it to me. When I sit down and serve venison to my family, I thank God for the animal and for the magical intimate encounter that traditional bowhunting provided. The intimacy of traditional bowhunting is indeed magic for me!
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2012
March
1117 17 1718 1718 Southwestern Regional Rendezvous (Troup, Texas) Indoor Shoot at Jims Pro Shop (Shortsville, New York) Texas Traditional Championship Tournament (Austin, Texas) Muddy Blanket Atlatl Throw & ISAC (Cheyenne, Wyoming) 1718 2nd Annual Dan Quillan Memorial Championship (Washington, Georgia) 2225 Annual Oklahoma Selfbow Jamboree (Perkins, Oklahoma) 28April 2 21st Annual World Atlatl Association Contest and Perstistence Hunters Challenge and Valley of Fire ISACs(Valley of Fire, Nevada) 30April 1 Kentucky TradFest (Harrodsburg, Kentucky)
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20 2526 Appling Archers Bow Festival (Appling Georgia) 2527 Letchworth State Park ISAC and Atlatl (Castile, New York) 2627 Iowa Traditional Bowhunters Society Rendezvous 2012 (Ames, Iowa) Sponsored by Primitive Archer Magazine 2627 Green Blanket Atlatl throw & ISAC (Cheyenne, Wyoming) 31June 3 8th Annual Hill Southeastern Classic (McCalla, Alabama)
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Making Bamboo Arrows

A bamboo arrow is a thing of beauty
This booklet offers you guidance on how to work with bamboo to craft your own arrows. It covers: Arrow Bamboo Harvesting Bamboo Choosing Raw Shafts Straightening the Shafts Shaving, Skinning, and Smoothing the Shafts Inserting Nocks Tying off the Fletching Fletching Using Natural Feathers
by Kay and Jaap Koppedrayer
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The Crooked Stick

-A history of the longbow by Hugh D. H. Soar
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Through a remarkable command of manuscript and printed sources and a judicious use of material evidence, including his own important collection of rare longbows, Hugh Soar establishes the deep connections of this bow to England, Scotland, and Wales. Figures in the past like William Wallace, Edward III, and Henry V appear alongside detailed descriptions of bows, strings, arrows, and arrowheads, while the rise of institutions and craftsmen devoted to the longbow are presented to show how knowledge of this weapon was carried forward across the centuries. Today, those in the sport of archery and military historians will find that The Crooked Stick will enhance their own interests in a weapon of legendary status. In addition to the illustrated text, the book contains appendices detailing the history and design of bracers, tabs and tips, quivers, and arrowheads associated with the longbow.
In you'll follow a dedicated traditional bowhunter through one season across five states as he "Lets Loose" on elk, mule deer, whitetail, antelope, turkey, big horn sheep, javelina, hogs, and small game. Watch the arrow fly to its mark again and again as over 30 animals are harvested under fair chase conditions with a traditional bow. Come experience the heart-pounding intensity as we stalk, hunt, and harvest a variety of North America's wariest game. 2 hours Over 30 hunts Price $17.95 + S & H Harvested animals were used to feed hungry families 25% of DVD profits will go to charities that help disabled and terminally ill children experience the outdoors. To order, call or visit www.horsefeathersranch.com
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FURS & SKINS

SELLING Sinew, snakeskins, hide, glue, furs, buckskins, rawhide, antlers, claws, teeth, skulls, feathers, etc. Over 10,000 items COMPLETE ON-LINE CATALOG www.hideandfur.com BLUE RIDGE BUCKSKIN soft braintan Buckskin braintan Quivers Contact Matt Hunt 3385 Tom's Road, Barboursville, VA. 22923 Call 434-985-1783 okieatheart@juno.com
ARROWS & FLETCHING

ARROW SHAFTS Ash, Laminated Birch, Fir, Hickory Purple Heart Footings and Nocking Inserting Pieces We can run your material Call Toll Free (866) 274-2281 Allegheny Mountain Arrow Woods PO Box 582 Coudersport, PA 16915 www.arrowwoods.com Bamboo Arrow-making Supplies Raw & finished shafts Horn, bone nocks & tips. Damascus reproductions of Japanese arrowheads Bamboo for bow-making Call Yumi (912) 586-2763 yumibows@gmail.com
OUTFITTERS & HUNTS

BOW HUNT ALBERTA Black Bear High Success rate in 2 tag area Call Eric with Silver Fox Outfitters at 1-800-899-5064 or hunting@telusplanet.net QUALITY HUNTING FOR WHITETAIL, MULE DEER AND TURKEYS ON SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA RANCH Traditional/primitive only landowner sponsorships available March 15 deadline Dan at draa@montana.net (406) 328-4195
DISTRIBUTOR LIST
To see a list of distributors, please go online at www.PRIMITIVEARCHER.com/ pages/distributor.html.
78
BOOKS & VIDEOS

Full Circle Primitive Hunting & Skills DVD Whitetail Deer hunting with primitive bow and arrow! Come Full Circle with Thad, from collecting natural materials to producing powerful primitive weapons, used to take Whitetails on DVD Also making cane arrows, sinew backed bow, flint knapping,Braintanning and much more! To order www.BeckumOutdoors.com or send $22.95 total to BeckumOutdoors 609 Halfmoon Rd. Rincon Ga 31326
ARCHERY SUPPLIES
Send for a free catalog of traditional archery supplies We are a full retail dealer of the finest traditional archery supplies available THE FOOTED SHAFT 5510 North Highway 63 Rochester, MN 55906 (507) 288-7581
ADVERTISE ONLINE
You can now advertise on PRIMITIVE ARCHERs very popular web site web ads are now available. Contact us for details (713) 467-8202 or ads@primitivearcher.com Competitive Rates are Available.
RENDEZVOUS & SHOOTS

See our calendar for shoots and special events. Go to www.PRIMITIVEARCHER.com
Closing Dates for Primitive Archer Advertising

Cover Date Feb/Mar Apr/May Jun/Jul Aug/Sep Oct/Nov Dec/Jan Space Closes Oct 22 Dec 22 Feb 24 Apr 23 Jun 25 Aug 27 Materials Due Nov 20 Jan 20 Mar 23 May 21 July 23 Sep 24 On Sale Date Feb 2 Apr 6 Jun 1 Aug 3 Sep 29 Nov 30
C L A S S I F I E D A D P L A C E M E N T I N F O R M AT I O N
RATES: Classified rates are $1.80 per word with a $36 minimum charge. For a complete media kit please visit the advertising section of our web site. Call us or email ads@primitivearcher.com. FREE WEB PLACEMENT: All classified ads are posted in two places on the PRIMITIVE ARCHER web site which receives over 70,000 visitors per month. In addition all e-mail addresses and web sites are hot-linked for ease of use. WHATS NEEDED: When submitting an ad please include payment, company name (if applicable), contact name, address, phone number and e-mail address. Please note ads will not be run without prior payment. RUN LENGTH: Your ad will continue to run until we receive written notice of cancellation. All ad changes and cancellations must be received before the the Advertising Closing dates. 3 WAYS TO SUBMIT YOUR ADS: INTERNET: www.primitivearcher.com MAIL: Send your ad with payment to: Primitive Archer PO Box 79306 Houston, TX 77279-9306 ATTN: Classified Ads PHONE: (713) 467-8202
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BackTRAILS
Magic Where Lies the in Traditional bowhunting

B y M i c h a e l T. H u f f Miss Bowhunting
by Randy Stiver
hat is it that makes us love traditional bowhunting so deeply? Have you ever pondered this question? While daydreaming in the Pennsylvania countryside waiting to see if a whitetail will approach my set up, sooner or later this question consistently enters my mind. I think it is only natural for many of us to ponder this question. After all, there is nothing on this earth quite the equal to many of us as traditional bowhunting. We think about it all year long, ache to do it in the off-season, practice as much as we can, and spend hours planning our hunts and trying our best to figure out our prey. We are indeed a unique breed our loved ones may not understand. I have asked many traditional bow hunters why they love traditional bowhunting so deeply. As you might imagine, I have received many answers. However, ask enough people and you find that most of the reasons repeat themselves into a few core answers. I guess, in the end, each person has to find their own answer. Perhaps there are many out there like me who need years and years to find that one true answer. Most of the reasons many folks who find the magic in traditional archery follow a few core paths. Some love the connection stretching from deep into the past to modern day. This history of the sport stretches from a long lineage, from prehistory through the Ice Man, to Ishi, to Fred Bear, and to our modern day stewards like the Wensel brothers. Other folks find their love of traditional bowhunting in the challenge. Certainly, the greater the challenge, the sweeter the taste of success. After a long dry spell, with animals just out of range or
PoetsCORNER
I miss bowhunting deer, my dear. I miss the quivering arrow near. I miss the archers challenge, that one good shot of featherwhistling broadhead bolt that carves its atmospheric groove oer fields of corn with deer amove. I miss so much bowhunting deer. I miss mostly though my whitetails and my mules, my sitka, blacktail, elk and moose, and long before my yeoman bowings through Im sure Ill miss my caribou. I miss the sundown-shadowed flight of bow bullets launched against descending night. I miss the singing, cedar-scented shaft that slices cleanly morning mist. I must admit that, yes, youre right I fear, Ive mostly missed bowhunting deer.
missed shots, the connection of a wellplaced shot is pure sweetness and joy when it finally happens. Others might find their magic in the distinction of stepping away from the masses and enjoying a passion with a much smaller following compared to other forms of hunting. The small tent instead of the big tent mentality. Certainly, these are all very understandable reasons why so many of us find the magic in traditional archery. However, let me challenge each of these reasons and say that perhaps the magic in traditional archery lies within the realm of intimacy. When humans hear the word intimacy, thoughts naturally turn to sexual intimacy. While sex is certainly intimate, it is not this type of activity to which I am referring unless there exists some connection between traditional bowhunting and sex, which if exists, would probably be fodder for another magazine! No, what I have found that makes traditional bowhunting so magical is the intimacy of the act involved. I mostly hunt whitetail deer with my recurve or longbow. I am limited to fifteen yards to kill my prey. At that distance and oftentimes closer, I am very much up close and personal with the deer. When luck shines down on me and a beautiful whitetail deer enters my killing zone, I observe the deer intently, stare into its eyes, see its muscles working as it takes each step, sometimes even see the breath escaping from its nostrils. As the animal is calm and broadside, the time arrives and I loosen my fingers on the taut string and watch the arrow spinning through the cool autumn air en route to my prey. Then, I listen for that beautiful sound as the mystical flight of the arrow strikes. At the intimate range of fifteen, ten, five yards, I hear the sounds of broadhead breaking bone and slicing through tissue. Finally, I hear and see the dash of the animal and watch as it humanely dies usually mere seconds later. This is the intimate encounter that sets traditional bowhunting apart and makes it so magical to me. To many of the masses, bowhunting whether traditional or otherwise is considered cruel. This false understanding is sad and misguided. This notion evolves from a view of bowhunting that is far from
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continued on page 68
Primitive Archer Magazine Sponsorship Program

The Sponsorship Program is available to advertisers for rendezvous, knap-ins, shoots, atlatl groups, black powder and muzzleloader enthusiasts and wilderness schools. Primitive Archer Magazines Sponsorship Program donation will include all or part, as needed, of the following items: 1. FREE upgrade of your ad to double its size. 2. FREE one year subscription(s) to Primitive Archer Magazine. 3. FREE one year subscription(s) to Primitive Archer eMag. 4. FREE listing on our Calendar of Events highlighted in the magazine and linked on the web site. 5. FREE additional listing and link on our web site as an advertiser. In receipt of this donation, your organization agrees to list us as a sponsor on all your literature, brochures and hand-outs used in the promotion of your event, to link us to your web site as a sponsor, and to run an advertisement for Primitive Archer Magazine for one year in your publication (i.e. newsletter). The ad will be furnished by us in an appropriate format. Advertising Information Available From PRIMITIVE ARCHER ADVERTISING PO Box 79306 Houston, TX 77279-9306 (713) 467-8202 phone (713) 467-4979 fax Email your listings or advertisements to Marie Luther calendargirl@primitivearcher.com
Visit our Web site WWW.PRIMITIVEARCHER.COM

Marie and all the PA bunch, I just wanted to thank you for all you have done to help promote our event, the TN. Classic. I had a great deal of response from our ad, and with PA as a sponsor it added credibility to the event. It has been a pleasure for me to work with P and hope in some small way it has helped the Magazine. I look .A. forward to a long and prosperous relationship between us. Anyone that has a chance should take advantage of what PA has to offer. Mark Baggett aka Pappy

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Apr.

Passing It On Since 1992

Display until May 28, 2012

Apr./May 2012 Volume 20 Issue 2

Primitive Archer Magazine

Inside This Issue

Take A Veteran Out Hunting

Sinew-Backed Yellow Birch Recurve

Steps In Making A New Bow String

Hand-Crafted Shooting Glove

For the Love of Yew

Cane or Bamboo Shaft with a Nock

Building Selfbows and Flintknapping at the Tennessee Classic

Primitive Archer Magazine

Bows of the Month

WEB SITE MODERATORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Calendar of Events Marketplace Classified Ads

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

Made with Cane

Cheers to Many More

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

Arrows in the Making

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

Strattec Security Corporation

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

GOJO Industries, Inc.

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

Take a Veteran Out

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

Low ceiling in the Medicine Bow Range.

One of the rented yurts in Colorado State Forest.

Home cooked dinner is served.

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

Now Available for the First Time!

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Ron Little of California drove home in exasperation.

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

Sinew backed yellow birch at full draw.

Birch Draw Full

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

Wet sinew ready to be applied.

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

Sinew applied to bow.

Bow backed with sinew and reflexed.

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

Sinew dried and seasoned.

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

1-Year $20.00 2-Year $36.00 3-Year $54.00

Visit www.PrimitiveArcher.com for more info and to subscribe

Recurved tip with sinewed nocks and bridges glued down.

Birch bark glued down and trimmed up.

Grip all finished and ready for testing.

Primitive Archer Magazine Volume 20 Issue 2

Bow braced and ready to shoot.

Initial test flight from 20 feet

Finished arrows and raw shafts

Field point end of arrows

Finished arrows with test flight Osage bow