Totally Rossi Unrelated

[Moon Tree]

Thanks AK and Jay. It's a fun hobby. When rifle deer season ends here in a couple weeks, I look forward to getting back in the shop and bending some sticks.

[rman]

Wow those look nice Moon Tree! I'm not very good with traditional bows, but I'm a great admirer of the craftsmanship. My older brother had a 60# lemonwood long bow from a company named Stemmler when we were teenagers. He WAS good with his! I guess Stemmler is long gone from the archery scene. It's nice to know there are still craftsmen around that build and appreciate these beautiful traditional bows.

[Ranch Dog]

I was a recurve hunter most of my life. Killed my last buck with a bow in '99, stopping because I lost some control of my shooting after shoulder surgery.

I hunted with two bows the last decade or so prior; a custom Bear Kodiak TD and a custom Wing Thunderbird that I bought from Glenn St. Charles.

Both where "black" bows that were gorgeous! Bear actually used black ink under the glass to get the finish as deep as it looked. The Thunderbird was a 52" bow, not the usual length Wing offered, that Mr. St. Charles used on many of his hunts.

I killed a State record pronghorn with the Bear T/D, and Mr. Bear wanted to meet me at the Shotshow. That was quite a moment for me as his American Sportsman series really influenced who I am. It was really cool to just sit with him and talk hunting.

[jdb]

I bow and make primitive bows. Well, I used to. Learning to shoot my iron sighted Rossi 92 and reloading to feed it has taken up most of my time since Feb. haha

LOL, I hear ya Moon. Too many hobbies and too little time.

BEAUTIFUL work brother! Not a hinge in sight!

I bet the draw on that little black bow is about as linear as anything you've ever done. That curve is just spectacular. I'd guess that to be one extremely quick and quiet little bow. Bet he loved it!

Rman and Moose. Yep, I haven't been in a tree in YEARS. I hunt off the ground exclusively any more. I'm like you guys. ANY day in the woods is a good day, so I do my homework before and during season and pattern the deer so I can get set up on the ground and get up close and personal.

And Moose, keep at it brother. I will happen on the ground. Ain't nothing like hearing your own heart pounding in your ears as that doe walks by so close you could poke her with your bow and you KNOW the buck will be followin' her.

Two years ago, I had a doe walk by so close that I actually had to close my eyes when she turned my way so she wouldn't recognize me as a predator. I just KNEW she could hear my heart beating. I dang sure could! LOL

And she may have. She looked my way a couple times and I could hear her stomping to try and get me to move or open my eyes. MAN that is fun. She was so close that I could literally have touched her with my old Bear bow.

But I was just setting with my back against a big ol' red oak and some underbrush here and there around me. No blind, nothing. Just still hunting on a travel way with the wind in my favor. That's what I do anymore since I don't heal like I use to and trees are tall. ;~)

[rman]

I had no idea when I started this thread that we have plenty of archers aboard. Sounds like all of you are more accomplished than me. I haven't shot a long bow or a recurve for about 45 years. I took one deer with a recurve and probably somewhere around 10 or 12, years later with a compound. Most I've harvested with a rifle - .243, 30-06 and my favorite, a 7mm-08. I'm thinking I need a recurve to play with in the yard.

[Moon Tree]

jdb, thanks some much for your comments on my tillering of the bows. Yeah, that black bow seem pretty fast. The guy I made if for is about 6'5" and wanted a turkey blind bow and not to heavy--under #50. Has draw length is 29". If memory serves it's a 63" nock to nock at #48. At 29" it begins to bit slightly in the handle. You can feel it more so than see it bend.

Wow RD, what an honor to hang out with Mr. Bear. And, Mr. St. Charles is no slouch in the bowyer world either. And then there's that little thing of a state record pronghorn. Way to go.

[jdb]

jdb, thanks some much for your comments on my tillering of the bows. Yeah, that black bow seem pretty fast. The guy I made if for is about 6'5" and wanted a turkey blind bow and not to heavy--under #50. Has draw length is 29". If memory serves it's a 63" nock to nock at #48. At 29" it begins to bit slightly in the handle. You can feel it more so than see it bend.

LOL...well, the perfectionist in you may not have been happy with the spine you put in the handle, but the tillery on the limbs of that bow is a work of art. ;~)

I had no idea when I started this thread that we have plenty of archers aboard. Sounds like all of you are more accomplished than me. I haven't shot a long bow or a recurve for about 45 years. I took one deer with a recurve and probably somewhere around 10 or 12, years later with a compound. Most I've harvested with a rifle - .243, 30-06 and my favorite, a 7mm-08. I'm thinking I need a recurve to play with in the yard.

You know what Rman, I think that the same kind of instincts that draws us to lever guns is the same kind of thing that draws a lot of us toward the bow as well. Both are just a more primal or mechanical way of shooting and that may be the appeal to us. I think you'll find that the majority of lever gun owners also own or have owned black powder of some description as well.

We are a breed apart...the brotherhood of the lever. LOL

I was a recurve hunter most of my life. Killed my last buck with a bow in '99, stopping because I lost some control of my shooting after shoulder surgery...

...I killed a State record pronghorn with the Bear T/D, and Mr. Bear wanted to meet me at the Shotshow. That was quite a moment for me as his American Sportsman series really influenced who I am. It was really cool to just sit with him and talk hunting.

I feel for ya RD. I messed up an elbow and now I have to use a release or I can't draw my heavy bow at all, little own hold it. I really miss putting on my dang old shooting glove. GRRRR!!!! ;~)

And me too brother. One of the most iconic images of all time for me is Fred Bear standing nose to nose with a big old brown bear and him with his Kodiak. I think I first saw the picture in American Sportsman Magazine and then saw the footage on the show, but I thought that was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. Fred Bear influenced a lot of us for sure RD.

Hey, you guys want to watch some cool old footage? Check this out. Fred Bear at his finest. ;~)