My Traditional Self-Bows

[Marty1]

I thought I’d show off couple of my self-bows.   They are made by a hunting friend of mine in PA who is a Master Bowyer.  I use these early-on in the season before the cold weather stiffens-up my snap shooting.

The lengths are 60”, 63 “ and 72”. 

Here’s the 72” longbow’s handle
 

with elk horn tips

The 63” has a unique feature

and is special in that it has recurve limbs

Here are my signature hunting arrows.

 

[exMember]

That knot hole is awesome! Unique is an under statement! Very neat thing to have on a bow.

What kind of wood is used for those bows?

 

[Muley Hunter]

Those are sweet Marty.

Me like!

 

[Whokalouie]

Very nice and fine craftsmanship. I don't see many left wing helical fletched arrows anymore, good job.

 

[Marty1]

All self bows are made of Osage Orange,  The 72" longbow was stained, but the other two have darkened naturally by exposure to sunlight.  The bows are setup for me as a lefty, and pull about 50 pounds at 28" draw.

Here is the bowyers trade signature logo on the longbow

My arrow shafts are made of port orford cedar, spine tested to within 3 lbs, with three 5" left wing helicals.  Broadheads are 125 grain, two-bladed MAGNUS.

 

[Whokalouie]

At first I thought the broadheads were the old Black Diamonds from way back when they were top shelf, I still have a few of them.

 

[PapaDiego]

Nice Bows. I'll have take a picture of my long bow to post. I've only got one though lol.



  Papa Diego

 

[Marty1]

Nice Bows. I'll have take a picture of my long bow to post. I've only got one though lol.



  Papa Diego

Thanks Papa'. Those who still hunt with Long Bows seem few and far between today.  I usually end-up restricting any self bow hunts to the warmer month of October...then I'll switch to the compound thereafter.

I was lucky enough to have gone through several of the bowyer's masterpieces before settling on these three.  I once had a 8) self which the bowyer inscribed the name " Elmash " on the bow.  I asked why the odd name????  He replied that he had joined two different woods(Elm and Ash) at the handle on that bow.  Quite the art to tiller two different woods into a shooting stick.

 

[PapaDiego]

I picked up my long bow at a second hand place. The maker is a local guy, that has just grown to old to make them anymore. The wood is Osage from around here. That was one of the things I like about it. You really feel a connection when you hunt with a bow made from a tree in the same woods you're sitting in.


    Papa Diego

 

[Huntin_Dawg1215]

Nice looking bows Marty. I enjoy the traditional bows more than the compounds.

 

[Marty1]

Thanks 'Dawg.   I've hunted already this season with both compound bow and once with traditional. My rigged compound weighs in at a whopping 6 pounds!   My traditional weighs-in at around 20 ounces which makes it a pleasure to carry in the field.  

 

[Muley Hunter]

That's what turned me off of compounds. Might as well use a rifle. Plus, they're ugly.

My longbow weighs 1lb 1oz. That's an old man weight.  irat: