Traditional Archery Resources

[DeltaEchoVictor]

Here are some traditional archery resources that I utilize.  They are geared toward the recurve/longbow shooter because that's what I primarily hunt with.  I've not shot a compound in a long time, but for those that do, please feel free to add your own resources & links.

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi
Trad Gang is pretty much one stop shopping for all the information you could possibly want.  It's a very active community & they love helping out new traditional archers, never be hesitant to ask a question on this board.  Someone will come along & point you in the right direction.

http://leatherwall.bowsite.com/TF/lw/THREADSx2.CFM
Think of the Leatherwall as the local trad archery coffee shop.  It's also a very active community but it's loosely moderated & there's a lot of general discussion about a bit of everything there.

http://thefaintertrails.freeforums.org/index.php
The Fainter Trails is another good forum, but it's one I haven't gotten to spend as much time on as the others.  More good people who talk about everything hunting related.  For you lovers of the blackpowder smoke pole it might be a good place to start.

http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/
Paleoplanet isn't archery specific but it is all things "the old way".  If you want to start learning about primitive skills, paleoplanet is a good start.

[Tactical Badger]

A couple more...

http://www.raptorarchery.com/

http://www.3riversarchery.com/

http://www.stickbow.com/

And of course... The Traditional Bowyers Bibles  Volumes 1 through 4 are great references to everything traditional archery.

[Debo]

Check out John McPherson's books.  He goes into both the "survival bow" for field expedience and actually making one one that will last.  All around good stuff especially making baskets and containers.  Very down to earth folks that also teach the US Army SERE school instructors.

http://www.amazon.com/Primitive-Wilderness-Living-Survival-Skills/dp/0967877776/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230311568&sr=1-3


Hope this helps,
D.

[The Wilderness]

Does anyone know of a good archery store in Southern California? We can find a ones that have a lot of compound gear but we are looking for recurves and beginners lessons.  We have been trying to find a good one. Not only are they hard to find but the ones that have found have not been very complete as far as gear goes. Also one place was so rude that we just walked out.

[DeltaEchoVictor]

Does anyone know of a good archery store in Southern California? We can find a ones that have a lot of compound gear but we are looking for recurves and beginners lessons.  We have been trying to find a good one. Not only are they hard to find but the ones that have found have not been very complete as far as gear goes. Also one place was so rude that we just walked out.

No & I'm afraid that's going to be pretty common.  There just isn't a lot of money in traditional archery for most shops, so trad archery tends to be an after thought. 

Sorry those folks were rude to y'all, that's a shame.  I don't know how much I can help from afar, but I'd be glad to help as much as I can.

[Tactical Badger]

You might want to try and locate a traditional archery club in your area.  I'm sure it's members could help you with lessons and locating equipment.

[Sister Wolf]

We found a place!!    TW & I ran over to Riverside Archery today, and we had an awesome experience.  We had a conversation with Travis (who is either one of the owners, or just works there for his parents) about traditional archery, as well as modern archery (with compound bows).  Before we talked to Travis, I was really leaning toward wanting a recurve.  I shot a 50 lb. longbow about 7 or 8 years ago in the backyard of a friend, and have been drooling over bows ever since.  I have tried avoiding compound equipment, wanting that experience over, and over again.  However... I want to hunt.  I want a bow that I can hunt with.  And I want to have fun.  So, I'm going to go with the compound, I think.

After doing a little bit of research, I think I'm going to start with a Diamond.  Either a Razor Edge, or a Rock.  I want to talk to the archery guy at the store again before I make my final decision, but either way, we LOVED the way they treated us in there.  They acted like they actually cared where we would end up spending our money. 

[Tactical Badger]

Excellent!  Do they have a small range where you can try out the bows before you buy them?

I've found that the traditional archery shops are pretty much all like that.  They sell traditional equipment because they LOVE traditional equipment.  And, are usually very helpful about getting people started in traditional archery. 

Nobody shoots traditional because it's easier.  They do it because they love it.

[Sister Wolf]

Actually, they have a really nice, big indoor range.  Biggest one we've seen yet (including the one at Bass Pro Shop, which is sort of pathetic compared to this one).   

[archer]

Here's a link to an interesting bow shop online. You can get DIY traditional bows that you can finish yourself. I like their composite horse bows myself (not compound).
http://www.bowstick.com/storefront/

[Sister Wolf]

Thank you, Archer.  This is a neat site!

[archer]

Yes it is, I like the idea of finishing my own bow. Now I just need $ for it.

[Doug]

My cousin makes longbows:
http://predatorlongbows.com/index.html

[DeltaEchoVictor]

My cousin makes longbows:
http://predatorlongbows.com/index.html

I've heard of them.  Sweet lookin' sticks too.

[Doug]

Yeah, Bobby does a nice job on his bows. Bobby, myself, and our two brothers grew up spending every weekend (weeks at a time during the summer) bow hunting the creeks and tembers through our farms. We got pretty good. My family had more money then his so bobby made some of his bows. I still own the Ben Person recurve BP-H52 (got it right here) that I got for Christmas 1968. I guess in 10 years it'll be an antique.

The farm house (the "home place") where we stayed was where his dad and my mom grew up during the depression. I would've loved to have this place today since it was a perfect survivalist homestead. We were survivalists then and didn't know it.

The only real heat in the house was a woodstove and propane heater in the kitchen. At night the propane was truned off and the wood would burn down. The only heat we had to sleep with was electric blankets. the house had no water heater. There wasn't even a bathroom until 1970. I helped plumb it when I was a freshman in highschool. Water came from a windmill. If you wanted to take a bath the tub was in the "rockhouse" (a cement-block building) next to the windmill. You had to boil water on the kitchen stove and carry it out to the tub. Milk came from a milk cow and eggs from chickens. Because butter was homemade we all got to churn it. There was a large garden and Bobby's dad made sure there was always a veriety of fruit trees. My mom and aunt would pick wild grapes and plumbs to make jelly. They got into cooking polk salad too for awhile. 

Whatever we shot, like a snapping turtle, and brought home Bobby's dad or our uncle who lived there would fry it up for supper.

As kids we were addicted to watching Saturday morning cartoons on the black and with TV. Our uncle chewed us out a few times because he thought us kids used too much electricity watching and leaving lights on. He was pissed because his electric bill was $20. Granted that was the late 1960's though. Today, my cusin lives on the old home place and I live on our families farm 1/2 mile away.

I think I'm going to enjoy reading this forum.

[DeltaEchoVictor]

That's cool Doug.  I can almost smell the wood smoke.