Indians For Guns

Well the archery season for deer starts in about a week so I'm starting to get my skills and equipment ready. My bow is an older compound model, I guess it is about 15 years old now but still shoots the same so there is no real reason to change, other than something newer...

Do many of you ever shoot bows?

I'm having camera troubles right now (daughter dropped it so it needs to go back to the factory) but I'll post pics when possible

Mark,

This is one of the things I would really love to learn and do. A couple of years ago when I expressed interest in the subject on AR, Capt. Jack went out of his way in guiding me on the subject.

I bought an Indian made bamboo take down long bow (not recurve) but the arrows that came with it were pretty pathetic - this being the opinion of a friend who is the V.P. of the State Archery Association.

What I would really like to do is traditional instinctive shooting. Those cams and ables on a compound don't quite ring my bell.

A friend does have an old Barnet compound which he would sell to me. Let me get the model name/number and price and then you could advice me on whether to shoot it or not.

Have a very enjoyable season!

Mack The Knife

P.S.: Could any IFG member from the North East get me a decent bamboo bow and arrows? Not the touristy stuff please.

In a few weeks I will be teaching a class in primitive technology and will be making a bow as part of it, I'll have some pictures taken and post them here so you can see how to make a traditional bow. I won't be doing it for the class but I can also show you sometime how to make arrows, though if you can purchase those it is a lot less trouble but it is still good to know how to make them.

Also, I should add that if you are not interested in compound bows don't bother purchasing one. What the pulleys do is change the leverage so that instead of getting harder to draw back the further back it goes, the easier it becomes because of the leverage provided by the wheels or cams turning over. The only advantage I have found to this is in hunting where it is much easier to hold the bow back at full draw while waiting to get a better shot at an animal. Either way you start getting shaky but with a compound it is a lot easier on you IMHO.

Mark,

I am genuinely interested in learning how to make a bow and arrows. Pics and explanations would be gratefully accepted.

If the price is right, I would still like to have that Barnet, to try out for a while if nothing else.

Forunately, the Indian archery squad practices bang opposite the rifle range, so there is a safe environment to play with the bow.

Mack The Knife

Well let me know if/when you do. It is interesting because compound bows need to be tuned (adjusted is more accurate) to the individual shooter to work the best. It is not difficult and I can post some pics on how to do it. Once you do it you shouldn't need to do it any more, I haven't monkeyed with mine for quite a few years but I can pick it up and be shooting quite accurately in less than an hour.

Thanks, Mark. Will let you know.

Mack The Knife

I have never shot one before, but the last time I went into the woods looking for Coyote, I came across a hunter who had killed a deer the night before from a tree stand (NH bow season has been open for a month now), and was back in the morning to track it.

He found it within a 100 yards of where he had shot it, he showed me the heart, which was sliced by the arrow.

-Naren

Mark,

If the course is over could you please post the pics and notes on how to make a primitive bow and arrow?

Thanks.

Mack The Knife

How about this link Mack The Knife?

http://www.thewoodenbow.com/longbow_onetree.html

Nice but no notes.

What do you chaps use in Mizoram?

Mack The Knife

Hmmm.. Traditional Mizo Bow is made of bamboo and funnily we never used arrows with it. Its a funny contraption that uses marble sized 'pellets' instead of arrows. But skilled hunters could easily down a deer or sambar with it!
Will post pics.
Jonah

How about these Mack The Knife?

http://www.thebeckoning.com/medieval/lo ... anual.html

http://www.vintageprojects.com/archery/bow-plans.html

Have fun!

Jonah,

I would definitely like to see pics of this bow-sling combination.

Never heard of anything like it before.

Mack The Knife

Thanks Jonah, some useful information there.

Mack The Knife