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I don't know what happened to winter this year. The bottom line is I don't care. Spring just kind of oozed right up on me and like a wiser man once told me,"it can stay this way for a month and then get better". Amen!
Back in the winter I had decided to revisit longbows. I'd had a pretty long run with my recurves, but the longbow mentality is always just below the surface.
As a matter of fact I have to purposely stay away from any books or videos and most discussion about Hill style longbows. Hill style bows are what really turn my crank.
I've shot radical RD longbows as short as 60" and mild RD styles of 64" lengths. They just don't do it for me. At least not like a long limbed, deep cored, straight handled Hill style bow.
My first Hill style bow was a real Howard Hill Archery beauty. A 70", 75#@28", Big Five built by John Shulz. I still have that bow, but it mostly gathers dust these days. It seems to not have aged a wit, while my old muscles have't fared quite as well.
Here she is at work...
Not only am I not able to make those limbs bend like that, I can't make my knees bend like that either.
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There have been many longbows of the Hill style since that Big Five. "Yellow Girl" a solid shooting all Osage bow, "Honey", the sweet shooting Yew bow made with Yew from Earl Ulrich, "Grover" a self Osage shooter, "Dirty Girl", of naturally marked bamboo and Yew and "Crow Wing", the all Bamboo hammer. All of my own crafting.
I could have chosen any of those, but I longed for a new bow. One of special design and material. I placed an order to Howard Hill Archery and purchased a Bamboo backing strip and ground bamboo core strips. Nothing else would do but to work with the preferred materials of the master.
Late in the winter I sprayed the final coats of Fullerplast on the bow I'd named "Blondie". Horn overlays. 68", 58#@28".
-------------------- Colorado Traditional Archers Society Compton Traditional Bowhunters Charter/Life Member PBS Associate Colorado Bowhunters Assn. Big Thompson Bowhunters
TGMM Family of the Bow Posts: 2151 | From: Colorado | Registered: Apr 2005
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Nice bow my friend, love that Hunter's Head broadhead.
-------------------- "When shooting instinctivly,it matters not which eye is dominant"
Jay Kidwell and Glenn St. Charles
TGMM Family Of The Bow NRA Life/Patron member NAHC life member Retired CPO US Navy 1972-1993 Posts: 6595 | From: Guam | Registered: Jul 2003
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Great short story and beautiful long bow, Charlie! I always find your posts interesting.
Posts: 2845 | From: Charleston, WV | Registered: Mar 2003
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I'm the same way you are, except I'm not ready to hang up the recurves. Just something special about an Osage selfbow.
-------------------- Jon Richards
Genesis 27:3 Now then, get your weapons--your quiver and bow--and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me. >>>>------------> Schafer Silvertip 62@28 Schafer Silvertip 71@28 Posts: 1464 | From: Studley, Kansas | Registered: Oct 2010
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-------------------- You really haven't hunted the old fashion way until you've done it from one of these Indian houses.(The Tipi) "Glenn ST. Charles" Posts: 2502 | From: Kansas | Registered: Aug 2005
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Very few professional lifelong bowhunters share their lives with us via picts and stories as our Mr Lamb does. I know I really appreciate your posts Charlie as we all do. Another great benefit to being a TradGanger. Now lets see the demise of this turkey...
-------------------- "Dog on Point" or "Deer on Ground?" Posts: 6453 | From: Kentucky | Registered: Jun 2007
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What makes up that dark stripe between the bamboo back and your Bamboo lams?
I'm looking for to the "Paul Harvey".
Thanks for sharing Charlie!
God bless,Mudd
-------------------- Trying to make a difference Psalm 37:4 God's grace and love! Roy L "Mudd" Williams TGMM- Family Of The Bow Archery isn't something I do, it's who I am! Posts: 9834 | From: Mid-Missouri | Registered: Mar 2003
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