Big River Longbows

[Sherwood Poacher]

Would appreciate any info on Big River longbows...
Am unable to find any threads on their longbows, any help is fine.

[ChuckC]

Big River Longbows are made by an older gent, John McDonald of central Wisconsin.  He has been building longbows and recurves for a while.  He does a really fine job and has a small, but faithful following.  Small, I believe, because he doesn't advertise, doesn't have a web site, isn't famous etc.  He sells some things at trad shoots and the rest via word of mouth.

I own three of his 66" longbows.  They're pretty heavily R/D and they throw an arrow pretty nicely with no perceptable hand shock.  He makes bows relatively quickly because he is not big and he can do a lot of fancies or none at all.

I think his prices are very reasonable.

Only problem I see is he is not really young anymore..

although you would never guess that listening to him and watching him jump up and down while calling you names when you decide to call the shot on the 3d course and it includes laying flat on the path.... hehehe

John is a good guy.  I don't have his number right handy but ask and ye shall receive on this site.

Nearly all of the above is... of course... my opinion.
ChuckC

[JCJ]

I've had a R/D one for about a month. It's an exceptional shooting bow. Mine is 66" and 53# @ 28". Yew and phenolic riser, bamboo limb cores, yew veneers. I draw it 30" and shoot 31" BOP 75lb, spine cedars.  It's my first longbow and is smoother and quieter than any of the recurves I've owned. And when braced properly, absolutely no hand shock. It's also very fast and flat shooting. In fact the only recurve I've owned of similar draw weight that was faster was a Robertson Vision Falcon.

[ChuckC]

OK JCJ.. let's not over do it here.... if everybody orders a bow he will never be able to make me another one....    
ChuckC

[DeerSpotter]

I had a John McDonald bow, it was when I first started out with a longbow, I over bowed myself, it was 53# @ 29", like I said I was just starting out or getting back into it again, it was too much bow, it went to Texas.

Now I wish that it was just low-rent poundage, it was probably the quietest, smoothest bow that I have had so far in the longbow category.

Now John is in his late 70's you boys better hurry if you're going to order, I heard he was going to quit making bows.

Brian refinished that bow for me, did a real good job.  He lives down by John, he is a member on this board.  Sometimes you can find some of his bows at the "Footed Shaft" there in Rochester Minnesota.  I did have John McDonald's phone number, I looked for it again to give to you, but I must a deleted it.

Pastor Carl

[Ned]

sherwood Poacher- I sent you a email with John's number and address. Great bows great guy.

Ned

[Sherwood Poacher]

To all who have replied, thanks I really appreciate your efforts. And yes, I received his name and address from you Ned.....many thanks.

All the best,

Sherwood Poacher