Longbows

[muddydog]

I'm thinking about getting a Bamboo backed Hickory longbow. Does anyone here have any experience with them? I'm curious about the dependability as compared to a fiberglass model. I have a choice between the two, not real sure which one I'll get, but that Bamboo backing looks real good!

[loco cacahuate]

If you take care of them, they'll last. You have to baby them a lot more than bows with fiberglass. Don't leave them strung any longer than necessary, don't store them standing up in a corner, things of that nature.

[Ol Man]

I have a few - and they shoot great are durable and like Peanut said don't leave them strung for any length of time. I string to shoot and hunt, then when I am done I unstring them immediately.

[muddydog]

Thats kinda what I thought, I owned a Howard Hill Big 5 about 10 years ago and switched to a recurve. Ive been thinking about going back to the longbow and wood arrows again. The bows Im looking at are on Ebay. You can get them ready to shoot or in a need to sand and seal state. Either option is very reasonably priced. I just cant decide between the Bamboo or the Fiberglass model. May have to get BOTH! My wife will like that idea.

[Spot N Stalk]

I have a bamboo with Osage backing. Shoots real good.

(I just ran and unstrung it....)

[longbowguru]

Like they said , unstring it when not actually shooting. Look at the old Howard Hill pictures and you'll see his bow unstrung in a lot of them.

[bob sarrels]

+If you are handy with your hands you can get a really good boo backed hickory bow from 3 Rivers. It has been shaped and floor tillered. Probably starts out at about 90 lbs and you take it down from there. I have built a couple and they shoot really good. A little shocky but that is what you get with that type of bow.

[Ol Man]

Another place that has great prices is Rudderbows.com You can buy Boo backed hickory or Boo backed osage for a better bow still.

[JHopson]

Osage Orange Bow Question ...

Anyone know who might make a reasonably priced Osage Orange bow in the North East Texas area?

Does the addition of Bamboo improve the bow's properties?

[loco cacahuate]

Arvin Weaver makes a great osage bow, he's in the Austin area.

Adding backing (bamboo or hickory) does strengthen the bow, but if it's a good stave it's not necessary.

[fletcherfor2]

Tim Lathum (Blue Bottom Bowhunters) outside of Durant, OK makes Osage selfbows.

Here's his contact: timmiel@sbcglobal.net

[bob sarrels]

I would give Arvin a call. He makes a great bow, does it reasonably fast and his prices are fair. If you want to give him a call his # is 512 656 6493. You will be pleased with his work. He also keeps a fair amount of stock bows on hand. Good guy too.

[JHopson]

Thanks For the Osage Advise

I will try to check these folks out and see what they have. I don't think Durant is that far and I am down around Collage Station often so I could make it to both locations.

[HSULongbow]

I had a friend w/ a bamboo backed bow. It was a fast bow--I would have bought one if I hadn't just bought my Martin savannah.

[JHopson]

Osage Bow

I have shot bows for years. Mostly compound the last several years. I was playing around with a friend recurve bows and it was a lot of fun and much less complicated. This I will find an Osage I like and try to practice this year for next season’s hunts.