I'm back on the wagon (or is it off the wagon…)

[Ptaylor]

#131644

I can’t remember which way it goes, but anyway… I’m shooting wood arrows again! I took a hiatus from self bows and wood arrows and have been shooting a laminate longbow and carbon shafts the past 4 years because I had to confront some target panic and accuracy issues. Now that I feel like I have that under control I’m moving back to woods. I am trying out the Douglas fir shafts from Surewood Shafts in Oregon. Having attempted to make some wood arrows, I am very impressed with the quality of these fir shafts. Aside from the nostalgia of wood (it has been more fun to stain, fletch, etc.. these woods than any other carbon i’ve ever worked on), I had forgotten my favorite aspect of wood arrows…. They are so quiet!!

I’m still shooting a laminate longbow. It’s a used Whisperstix, hybrid longbow; 55#@28 and I draw 29″ so probably about 57#; center cut. And I’ve found the 65-70# spine, 32″ shaft, with a 9.5″ back taper and 200 grain points with 3-5″ feathers flies really well out of my bow.

Anyways, hopefully I can kill some animals with wood arrows this year.

-Preston

[Robin Conrads]

#131648

Hi Preston. Nice to see you here again. I really enjoyed your bear article in the Apr/May issue.

[Stephen Graf]

#131659

I wonder if you’ve seen this website with some tips on wood arrows: http://www.arrowskp.com/Kelly_s_Tips.html  When I was switching over from carbon, I found it helpful.

My current favorite shaft is the norway spruce shafts available from several sources including Kustom King.  They are the lightest shafts you can get and many of the old timers swear norway spruce gives the best flight.  I wouldn’t know about that since I am not the best shot (rolling eyes emoji)  But they sure are the cheapest.  That’s the part I like.  They have quite a bit of grain run out too, but it doesn’t seem to be a problem.  They are harvested from managed forests which adds to their value to me.  I hate the idea of old growth trees being cut down for something as trivial as an arrow.

[Raymond Coffman]

#131668

You guys got me going now —

Need some more wood arrows again, so I think I will try to make my own. I “make” my own carbons ( and aluminium in the past) so have the basic idea and armed with Mr Conrads handbook and hopefully advice from Mr Preston and Mr Graf and any other of the good folks here on the forum – they will fly true*. I see a lot of folks, like the fir from Shorewood shafts and Steve likes  Norway spruce – is one easier to build with than the other?

*as long as my form is good that day – haha

Ditto webmom’s remark – nice bear hunting article Mr Taylor.

In the early 70s I hunted in CA. Mostly the southern half – specifically FT Hunter Liggett. Good bowhunt for blacktails – though a bit warm. Got an x hunt once also.

Scout

[David Coulter]

#131676

Funny to read this thread. I dug out a box of 3rivers wood hunters that I bought when I first started several years ago. I pulled out a couple already cut to length and with 125 gr points. They shot about 15 inches to the left. I switch to a 225 gr point and it flew pretty much the same.  I have a few full length arrows so I’ll start with them again and see if I can get them to tune. I got pretty spoiled shooting carbons. I bare shafted those and they’ve been on the mark since. Dwc

[Ptaylor]

#131679

Thanks for the nice remarks about the article!

Yeah carbons do spoil you, but it’s like Steve says- they have no soul! Really I just enjoy working with wood and carbons are so sterile. I hold my fir shafts and look down their length eying the grain. I just love the feel of them. It’s probably like holding a wooden riser if you’ve only shot metal bows (whether recurve or compound). I also really like the idea that if I needed to I could make it.

[Ralph]

#131696

Hey Preston……………..Glad you’re back on the ‘woody wagon’………A quiver full of ‘soul food’……………A longbow…….. a day of stumping… Not a bad deal at all……………Then comes the fall of the year and the hunt…………

 

 

 

[grumpy]

#131715

Nice to see you back

Just to let you know…  We got over an inch of snow last night.

Been sick. Seems I have encenphalitus (sp?).  Spinal tap set for May 5.  Went out stumping/scouting yest but only for an hour.

Have made great strides building bows, sold a few (word of mouth). Ready to turn it into a business soon as I am better.  Have lots to share with you guys tools/techniques etc soon as I can concentrate enough to write.

Grumpy

[Ralph]

#131716

Hey Grumpy… Hurry and get well.

Glad your bow making working for ya……

An inch of snow eh?  That would be so welcome here.

The weather gurus are all excited about some t-storms tomorrow maybe. Man that would be so great.  We’ve only have had .25″ of moisture here since Oct 13th of last year.

We’re so dry, wildfires a common place.

I haven’t chased turkeys this year for fear of fires. T’aint no birds worth chancing gettin’ caught in a range fire.

Prayin’ for your health………………get well soon……….

 

[David Coulter]

#131728

Grumpy, get well soon! Good natured grumpiness is good, grumpiness due to poor health- not so good.

R2, the only thing similar to a range fire I ever got caught up in were Prairie Fires, tequila and tobasco…

[Ralph]

#131734

No habaneros ???

Those’ll get the fire started….

[Ptaylor]

#131749

Grumps- Best of luck with the spinal tap, and I hope you recover quickly and smoothly. I’ve been hearing about the weather from family…crazy. I’m looking forward to seeing some photos of your bows.

Ralph- .25″ since last Oct!!! Our winter finally quit the other day and it Spring in full force.

Yesterday I was out looking for bears. We cut a fresh trail; turns out the bear was circling behind us to get our wind. We didn’t even know he was there, it is so thick and he was quiet. Never saw him.

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