Nice work Johnny,  did you make the static recurve for one of your boys?  My 12yr old grew out of his 23" awhile back....bugging me for something new. 


Oh, and is it starting to snow a little down your way?......


(lol)  no room to talk really....

Yeah......the snow reference was actually directed at the snow on your roof.  lol......I'm gettin peppered myself!

Do you find 23" sufficient for decent range/penetration?  
I have never tried such a method.


I may be making the transition in spring.  I have yet to secure certain intellectual property rights which would make the move a better proposition.  The Patent office is backed up to the rafters lately (to put it mildly).  I ran the numbers recently and found, curiously, that the state of Idaho had more patents issued per million residents last year by a margin of at least 2 to 1 over it's nearest competitors.  An invention happy bunch...sounds like my kind of environment!

That is interesting!  I knew they shot at close range but I never really investigated the draw length to which they were accustomed.  I myself prefer snap shooting but use a 28" draw which is servicable out to 40yrds.  You must be a true stalk hunter!  You would appreciate a VHS movie I have called:  Art Young-Bow hunting legend.   It contains a movie made by Art Young and an associate back in the twenties......the first 'bow hunting' expose' ever made.   True devotion to mastery of the traditional archery style is quite evident as Art makes a great shot on a Dahls sheep and a 40 yarder on a Kodiak bear standing in tall grass which weighed in at 1200lbs.   

I certainly miss Idaho......the Sawtooth are thick with arrow heads and other Native American artifacts.

I like the plains bow a lot.  I've never been keen on large recurves, but they do look pretty.  I'm curious, where did you get your sinew from, for the backing on the plains bow?
  Btw, if the bow bends in the handle, that usually isn't a problem.  If the handle bends as much as the rest of the bow, then you might have a problem, because, due to your hand being there, that is where a compression failure will occur, and then, of course, a break on the back of the bow.  That doesn't look like it will happen with the recurve, but if it does start to crysal on the back, then do something about it, sharpish.
  Anyway, lovely stuff, as per usual.
  If you're interested in western Indian bows, you might like "Making Indian Bows and Arrows: the old way", by Douglas Spotted Eagle.  Contains lots of information, and is well laid out.  Personally, I like long flatbows, with at least 26" draw, rather than shorter bows.  Not much opportunity for horseback buffalo running at the moment.

yea but how do you tell how many pounds it is?

Johnny, what are your thoughts on a take down recurve?  Have you ever considered tackling construction?  I cannot get over the amazing power and speed in such a small package.   A zebra twist fast flight string and carbon arrows.....Fssssst.   I am trying NAP's new quikspin vanes and am impressed with performance....(not with price).   NAP is really coming along in exploiting the physics of arrow flight.  

I really like Hoyt's new Gamemaster recurve in black and maple......it holds 62lbs at 28" and you don't even know it's in your backpack during the hike in.  

I really wish I had the time to get my hands dirty with some real down to earth traditional bow craft.   I am a diehard believer in Asbell's 'Become the arrow' philosophy.....when one really grasps the concept.....even a quickly strung, camp fire cured stick bow can work wonders!   Johnny, as you probably can attest, once one 'becomes the arrow'.....one can pick up virtually any bow in a broad range of styles and draw weights and lengths and cast a good arrow in no time!    It shouldn't be much longer and I will have something interesting to share with you regarding my aforementioned work...  

I just sold my CatquiverIII on ebay to a guy in hawaii who owns a large tract of land and hunts boar.  I have a modified little beauty now that really allows for a quick and silent arrow release.  I have a good collection of NdFeB magnets and have managed to rubber coat them and apply them to an old favorite hip quiver.  Those Neo's really hold on great to broadhead/field point tips with zero snags when it comes time for those rare moments that one needs to get another one out fast.