Traditional Bows for Upcoming Season

Ecestu · Jul 9, 2020

According to the proposed hunting regs for the 2020-2021 hunting season, the following is recommended:
"Proposed Action: Create a statewide primitive-weapon deer hunting season. Legal hunting
devices for this proposed new season will include: long bows, recurve bows... "

I've been researching long and recurve bows on both YouTube and other forums. I've seen both bows offered on Amazon for under $100 with great reviews. I am looking at the reflex/deflex longbow and the takedown recurve. I may get both anyway, but I added a poll to see what you are mostly using.

What say the hive? What brand/type of bow have you killed with? And what suggestions for a newbie to traditional? On a side note, I do have a compound bow and a crossbow that have both taken deer. Thanks!

Doco Overboard · Jul 9, 2020

Ive hunted and killed deer wit a 50# Stemmler, PSE Blackhawk take down 55# and Bear Supermag 48

Look at the bow for a high brace height, Combined overall length and if you plan to hunt with it, how your going to attach a quiver, whether on the bow, hip or over the shoulder. If your packing a climber the second two may not be the best choice.
The bear and PSE are drilled and tapped with inserts for mounting the quiver on the bow. The Stemmler I used Kwikee limb mounted brackets, made of rubber and nothing over the broad heads to protect yourself from them except a ragged piece cut from an old pair of welding leathers with a drawstring.
I still have the Kwikee brackets somewhere along with a couple of (2)vintage bear quivers. You had to make them work.I have a cat quiver somewhere too that doubles as a small accessory/gear bag.

Ecestu · Jul 9, 2020

Doco Overboard said:
Ive hunted and killed deer wit a 50# Stemmler, PSE Blackhawk take down 55# and Bear Supermag 48

Look at the bow for a high brace height, Combined overall length and if you plan to hunt with it, how your going to attach a quiver, whether on the bow, hip or over the shoulder. If your packing a climber the second two may not be the best choice.
The bear and PSE are drilled and tapped with inserts for mounting the quiver on the bow. The Stemmler I used Kwikee limb mounted brackets, made of rubber and nothing over the broad heads to protect yourself from them except a ragged piece cut from an old pair of welding leathers with a drawstring.
I still have the Kwikee brackets somewhere along with a couple of (2)vintage bear quivers. You had to make them work.I have a cat quiver somewhere too that doubles as a small accessory/gear bag.

Thanks for the response. Do you rotate through the three, or do you have a go to that gets used more than the others?

Doco Overboard · Jul 9, 2020

I still have the PSE and only use the Bear very seldom any more. The Stemmler is from when I could drag a deer until it didn't have any hair left on it with a belt.
I gave that bow to a guys son that I used to go goose hunting with in Galena.

Archeryrob · Jul 10, 2020

I am pretty sure that "Primitive season" will in February and only three days. Because it would allow flintlock and percussion bang sticks, and then all archers went nuts about having it before the Sept. bow opener.

Now, My opinion is, it is all in what you like to shoot and what lights your fire. Traditional laminated recurves and longbows are pretty much the same thing, just shaped different. A samik and a Black Widow will kill deer just the same, you just might love the Black Widow and like the Samik. I assume the Samik Sage is the one you are looking at. My buddy bought one and slings arrows just fine to get you started.

I have killed with a Bear Black Bear 45#, and a Selfbow 55. I have been hunting with a crossbow lately, after a long break from bowhunting, as the deer at the place we hunt don't present normally inside the 20 yard range I wish to stay in with the selfbow. I've got the itch to practice and d it again, but so many things to get done right now that the crossbow might stay on point for a while.

If you do this you need to read up on bare shaft testing and be able to change point weights and fletching. Some shops don't know much about traditional and amazon you're not getting any help. You can really tell a lot about your arrow spine and flight from a bare shaft shot at 10 yards.

Ecestu · Jul 10, 2020

Archeryrob said:
I am pretty sure that "Primitive season" will in February and only three days. Because it would allow flintlock and percussion bang sticks, and then all archers went nuts about having it before the Sept. bow opener.

Now, My opinion is, it is all in what you like to shoot and what lights your fire. Traditional laminated recurves and longbows are pretty much the same thing, just shaped different. A samik and a Black Widow will kill deer just the same, you just might love the Black Widow and like the Samik.

I have killed with a Bear Black Bear 45#, and a Selfbow 55. I have been hunting with a crossbow lately, after a long break from bowhunting, as the deer at the place we hunt don't present normally inside the 20 yard range I wish to stay in with the selfbow. I've got the itch to practice and d it again, but so many things to get done right now tha the crossbow might stay on point for a while.

I'm with you on the crossbow. I start practicing with the compound bow a couple months before the season starts, then wind up using the crossbow because I could give a shit about sporting. I'm all about what's the easiest way to fill my freezer. But I also like options, and three extra days of hunting is good enough reason to buy a couple more bows!

Raineman · Jul 10, 2020

My regular hunting bow is a Black Widow TFB recurve, 53#. However this year will be exclusively hunting with my '64 Bear Kodiak 50# and some vintage cedars with Bear Razorheads. I don't need a special season, I think its stupid.

I have pics somewhere on the home computer I'll try to remember to post.

Ecestu · Jul 10, 2020

Raineman said:
My regular hunting bow is a Black Widow TFB recurve, 53#. However this year will be exclusively hunting with my '64 Bear Kodiak 50# and some vintage cedars with Bear Razorheads. I don't need a special season, I think its stupid.

I have pics somewhere on the home computer I'll try to remember to post.

Rgr.

Archeryrob · Jul 10, 2020

I have shot deer with these.

Top - Bear Black bear, way back and I still remember the first one with Aluminum arrows. That doe was 12 yards, quartering away and I drew that arrow across that fake seal skin rest. Never in my life have I heard the sound of the arrow sliding across the rest in all my practice and she heard it too. I snap released and she ran 40 yards.

Middle - Osage Selfbow made 55# and killed deer with it and it has a buck skin handle and glued on deer leg hair on rawhide on the shelf. The bow had a slight hinge from a knot when I made it that slowly cracked the back until it failed. I about cried when it happened. Lots of stress on a wood bow leaving it strung all the time during hunting. I had buddies that strung their bows as they saw deer coming. I didn't feel comfortable doing that, in a tree.

Bottom - 47" tip to tip Osage D bow. It was copied off dimension of a Blackfoot bow in a museum book. It was going to be a 22" draw bow like plains bows. When it came down heating it to be bent, I thought how reflexed tips and deflexed center would be awesome. So I boiled the tips and bent them with my foot/shoes. The heated the center and bent it over my knee with a towel. The reflexed tips prevent the string from slipping off and the deflexed center leaves it with 5# of brace weight the entire time hunting. I have yet to shoot one with this one, but I can draw it almost 26" and anchor the back of my thumb knuckle to my corner of my mouth. I would like to make another that is longer for a longer draw but I need more Osage and a lot more time. I used to take this one to shoots and they would say "Nice kids bow." I would say "Here shoot it." They would be shocked expecting a 20# draw and getting the full weight surprised them

Ecestu · Jul 10, 2020

Archeryrob said:
I have shot deer with these.

Top - Bear Black bear, way back and I still remember the first one with Aluminum arrows. That doe was 12 yards, quartering away and I drew that arrow across that fake seal skin rest. Never in my life have I heard the sound of the arrow sliding across the rest in all my practice and she heard it too. I snap released and she ran 40 yards.

Middle - Osage Selfbow made 55# and killed deer with it and it has a buck skin handle and glued on deer leg hair on rawhide on the shelf. The bow had a slight hinge from a knot when I made it that slowly cracked the back until it failed. I about cried when it happened. Lots of stress on a wood bow leaving it strung all the time during hunting. I had buddies that strung their bows as they saw deer coming. I didn't feel comfortable doing that, in a tree.

Bottom - 47" tip to tip Osage D bow. It was copied off dimension of a Blackfoot bow in a museum book. It was going to be a 22" draw bow like plains bows. When it came down heating it to be bent, I thought how reflexed tips and deflexed center would be awesome. So I boiled the tips and bent them with my foot/shoes. The heated the center and bent it over my knee with a towel. The reflexed tips prevent the string from slipping off and the deflexed center leaves it with 5# of brace weight the entire time hunting. I have yet to shoot one with this one, but I can draw it almost 26" and anchor the back of my thumb knuckle to my corner of my mouth. I would like to make another that is longer for a longer draw but I need more Osage and a lot more time. I used to take this one to shoots and they would say "Nice kids bow." I would say "Here shoot it." They would be shocked expecting a 20# draw and getting the full weight surprised them

Do you hunt traditional anymore?

Archeryrob · Jul 11, 2020

I have not been because the farm we hunt they kind of meander around and don't always stick to the same trails. I am getting the itch to get back to it. Here is a link to my post on making arrows and sometimes I enjoy making them as much as using them.

I just have to many other things going on. I've been helping the daughter with her chickens and teaching her how to line breed them. Plus I am a tinkerer at heart and like building things. Now I am making an Ohio brooder for her that contains the heat in a small area and have a sensor to turn the heat on and off at preset levels.

vipor5 · Jul 11, 2020

I pulled the old BEAR 55# out of the dusty old rack the other day to throw a few of my old wood arrows through as I also saw this new unique opportunity. I also though about seeing what this old flint-lock over the fireplace might do.

I have always wanted to make a long bow, might just have a reason now!

vipor5 · Jul 11, 2020

nice arrows.

Ecestu · Jul 11, 2020

vipor5 said:
I pulled the old BEAR 55# out of the dusty old rack the other day to throw a few of my old wood arrows through as I also saw this new unique opportunity. I also though about seeing what this old flint-lock over the fireplace might do.

I have always wanted to make a long bow, might just have a reason now!

It's tempting, especially after watching the YouTube videos, but I don't have the thousands of dollars in woodworking tools...

Archeryrob · Jul 12, 2020

You want a project, make a board bow.

Not much money to make, but lots of sweat equity.

Ecestu · Jul 12, 2020

Archeryrob said:
You want a project, make a board bow.

Not much money to make, but lots of sweat equity.

I just found my new traditional weapon! Thanks for posting this. Now I need to run to Home Depot...

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