[Killdeer]

in reply to: Eagles' Flight Quivers #59838

I have a Totem, very solid, no noise, hardly any weight. This is a very high quality product.

Killdeer

[Killdeer]

in reply to: in need of council #28318

Well, Ariel, it seems for now that you are in the perfect spot to practice and get your equipment ready for when you will be able to travel to where you can hunt. What seems a hardship or setback is really a blessing, if you look at it through the right lens.

First is to see what your bow draws. This need not cost a cent. You must find out what your draw length is. To do this, get a really long arrow, and a friend. Put the arrow on the string, and draw it back to where you usually draw it and anchor. No stretching!! You do not get extra points for a longer draw length!

Have your friend mark the arrow at the back of the bow with a felt marker. Do this several times for a fair reading. Now we know how far to draw the string to measure the draw weight.

I will put in some pics here of a crude homemade draw weight checker. It involves a bathroom scale and a long stick. Use a sturdy stick, maybe an old broom handle or the like. Put a notch at one end to hold the bowstring. Measuring from the bottom of the notch, mark the distance at your draw length. If you might use this for other draw lengths, mark them as well.

Put the other end of the stick on the bathroom scale. If you are really picky, tare the scale with the weight of the stick on it. Put the bowstring in the notch and pull until the bow is drawn to your draw length. What does the scale read? And there you have it.

Verrrry crude! Hopefully, this is the crudest picture ever posted on this site!:lol:

And the graduations, and the scale…

So, this will get you in the ballpark so that you can get a starting point on properly spined arrows. I am surprised that you are shooting stone points. They are expensive and somewhat difficult to get, and most folks work “up” to shooting them here. I am assuming that your selfbow will take shafts somewhat weaker spined than the draw weight would suggest, as it is not cut to center, forcing the arrows to bend more as they pass by the riser. What kind of shafts are you using now?

Killdeer

[Killdeer]

in reply to: in need of council #27243

Welcome, Ariel!
I am curious about your bows, and how you are practicing in Israel. How heavy are your bows (draw weight)? What kind of target(s) do you shoot?

My next questions are; What can you hunt in your country? Are there any bow seasons there?

People do team up to go hunting. While I have hunted a few times with other people, I am primarily a solo hunter. I enjoy being alone with the wild, and dealing with conditions and wildlife one-on-one. It is a spiritual quest for me. Others are more pragmatic, I guess, or they enjoy the camaraderie and working together more. Hunting has many facets, and people are all different, and gravitate toward the aspects that they enjoy most.

I look forward to your teaching me something about what it is like to be an archer in your country, and helping you with what I know about hunting. I admire the skill and determination that led you to create your own bows.

Killdeer

[Killdeer]

in reply to: First Long Bow #10092

Ditto.
What I like in a bow and grip type may be a hundred and eighty degrees out from what your preferences are, and may evolve to be.

The best way to make a smart purchase is to try a bunch of bows. Warm weather is here, and the archery rendezvous are going to take place all over the country. They can be found listed in TBM or on other traditional archery websites. Attend them, they are filled with enthusiastic people and vendors selling the wares that you want to try… and they will let you try them! A nicer bunch of folks are hard to find.

Don’t be intimidated by a lack of experience or not knowing exactly what to look for or ask about. Jump in with open eyes and mind. I truly enjoy helping new folks out at a shoot, and most folks love to introduce someone to their favorite bow.

It would be a shame for you to drop 750 to 1300 dollars on a bow, based on our say-so, when your true love may be a 200 dollar “sleeper” on someone’s used bow rack. Personally, having grown up with recurves, when I shoot a longbow I like a higher grip such as that found on a Centaur or ACS. You, however, may enjoy the simple elegance of a true Hill style longbow.
To each his own.
Happy searching!

Killdeer:D

[Killdeer]

in reply to: New Centaur on the way #53253

You darn well BETTER post pics!:D
I am expecting mine in May. Been waiting since last March. What are the specs on your new baby?

Killdeer

[Killdeer]

in reply to: Horse Bows #51116

Horsebows, because of their short length and light mass weight, present a challenge to the archer. If you are just starting out, I would not advise this as your first bow. If you already have a good foundation in consistent shooting form, and your accuracy is something you are happy with, and you just want to try something new, then have at it!

The design is aesthetically pleasing, as light to carry as a thought, and maneuverable in tight spaces. They just don’t forgive release errors or settle down on target like a longer limbed, medium mass weight bow.

Killdeer

[Killdeer]

in reply to: Have you ever considered a longbow ?? #46547

And that is why there are so many on my wall. They are all different, and each is to be savored for what it is. I try not to compare, just enjoy each for how it does what it does.

Killdeer

[Killdeer]

in reply to: Traditional Bowhunting Interest? #27864

I didn’t reply to the poll because none of the answers applied to my situation. I come from a family of nonhunters.:oops:

My early years were spent exploring creeks and waste places in the many places we lived. The one constant I had, besides any junk that I might be able to keep, was the outdoors and its ways. I was fortunate that the norm back then was for kids to come home from school, and spend the remaining daylight hours outside playing. No soccer-mom, no T-ball, nor after-school programs.

So, I would be down at the creek catching anything I could find, and if I couldn’t catch it I would watch it. For some reason, my mom got me a bow when I was eight. I think she knew me pretty well. Bows were the only weapons I could have, and aside from my dad’s sword, they were the only weapons in the house. I had to teach myself to hunt, and as soon as I moved away from home, I bought a pellet gun, then a rifle, and then I got seriously into hunting. It wasn’t until the mid 1990s that I began to seriously hunt with a bow. My kills are exceedingly few. Oh well. I still hunt with whatever I can, but the bow is an old friend that goes way back. It, like photography. makes me a kid again, discovering and marveling, which is what I think the Creator wants us to do.

Killdeer
I know you are wondering…I was eight in 1964.:P

[Killdeer]

in reply to: Which bow? #26695

Ah, life is just one problem after the next.
Burning a hole in your pocket, is it?
Are you planning on going to shoots and rendezvous this summer? Just think of all those bows out there, idly waiting to be tried!

So go try them!:D
Nobody can tell you what will make you ecstatic for the rest of your life. Some things ya just have to do for yourself. If you just follow the popular buzz, you will be buying a new bow every three months. If you can afford that, well, more power to you, (and PM me before they hit the classifieds)!

This is advice from an old lady with a wall full of bows.:oops:
Killdeer

[Killdeer]

in reply to: Have you ever considered a longbow ?? #26640

So, Patrick…wanna buy a recurve?:lol:
I got plenty!
Killdeer:P

[Killdeer]

in reply to: fiberglass bow #26631

Check it for cracks and splits. String it and flex it, looking for more splits. I still use a Bear “Green Fox” to teach kids how to shoot…nearly indestructible bows!

Killdeer-8)

[Killdeer]

in reply to: Have you ever considered a longbow ?? #25838

Oh my…my first double-post!
😀

[Killdeer]

in reply to: Have you ever considered a longbow ?? #25835

Naw…longbows are for girls.:roll:
Oops…the question was addressed to “MEN”.
Sorry.
Killdeer:oops:

[Author]

Posts