Free Classic Archery Books. (read only)

[Swamp Pygmy]

I hope this is the right spot. Some of you may or may not know about google books and a few other sites. They offer free full books to read. Some are of interest to us. These are some of the better ones I've found.

If we all look together, maybe we can make a pretty big list for new-comers to the sport. The first 3 titles are Must Reads IMHO.

But to those that don't know. As always take everything you read with a grain of salt. While most of this information is valuable, others have given way to new techniques or were just part of the times; bare in mind most of these are at least a century old. In other words please don't disregard "The Witchery of Archery" for racial reasons. Or others for outdated archery lessons. Just please bare in mind the times they were written and "PC" wasn't an understood issue then, nor was archery as refined then.  


Hunting with the Bow and Arrow. Saxton Pope. 1923. A great informative read of the famous Ishi. Last Yahi indian.
    http://www.archerylibrary.com/books/pope/    

Witchery of Archery. Maurice Thompson. 1879. The famous archery book detailing bowhunting florida and many other adventures.
    http://www.archerylibrary.com/books/witchery/    
 

Those are from the archery library. They have more here.
    http://www.archerylibrary.com/books/    

Badminton Library: Archery. Various authors. 1901 very good book. Especially considering the time it was written. Full of valuable cultural information.
    http://books.google.com/books?id=yvRAAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=archery&lr=&as_brr=1#PPP1,M1    

North American bows, arrows, and quivers. Otis Tufton 1894. Tons of info on what the title suggests.

    http://books.google.com/books?id=ajkTAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA677&dq=native+american+bows+arrows&lr=&as_brr=1#PPA678,M1    

The Book of Archery. Complete History and practice of the art. George Hansard. 1841
    http://books.google.com/books?id=vkwQAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=archery&lr=&as_brr=1#PPP1,M1    

An Essay on Archery. Walter Moseley. 1792
    http://books.google.com/books?id=Tk0QAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=archery&lr=&as_brr=1#PPP1,M1

[Kingwouldbe]

Swamp, This is cool thanks

[Texas Tinman]

Awesome, I have a few of those book but there's a lot there that I don't have.

Thanks.

[SCATTERSHOT]

Great stuff! Thanks for the links!

[Swamp Pygmy]

sure. I'm just glad you guys like them.

I was looking for Hill's book. Hunting the Hard Way. It's supposedly the third book of "the trinity" of archery. Along with saxton pope's and maurice thompsons. I think it still sells too much to end up free on google though.

But I was really impressed with the one just titled "archery". I read that book for a long time. Gave me a headache staring at the monitor that long. But so much good info about primitive archery.

[Swamp Pygmy]

this is short but still pretty neat.

about the veddah tribe of sri lanka.

 http://www.atarn.org/india/sri_lanka.htm

[BRITTMAN]

TTT , now this is great reading .

[GingivitisKahn]

Way cool - thanks for posting!

[Swamp Pygmy]

North American Indians vol 2. George Caitlin. This is the book often referenced to in earlier archery books. Caitlin spent 8 yrs traveling with the indians between 1832 and 1839. This book is not necessarily trad archery related but retells many indian hunting forays, as well as Caitlin being a pretty decent artist giving representations of the indians, many of whom proudly hold different styles of bows. Better for the historically inclined archer than the modern one.

a very interesting book for history nerds and I managed to find both volumes.

  http://books.google.com/books?id=EmdKxlHo2McC&printsec=frontcover&dq=editions:ISBN1582182744&sig=ACfU3U1vKutioeaZq7XMPK-j67HDPvCnQA#PPP1,M1  

  http://books.google.com/books?id=vG1e-75ijA8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=native+american&lr=&as_brr=1&sig=ACfU3U1viahiAKhbS94kRohcmIhBOn9L-Q#PPR1,M1  

This is easily one of my favorite hunting videos. The precursor to all modern hunting. Oldest people on the earth. The "san" hunting.

 

[Onehair]

Swamp, I'm in Folsom. How far North of the toilet are you?

[Swamp Pygmy]

I'm in Madisonville mostly. It's between Hammond and Slidell. Next to Mandeville. But I'm in New Orleans a good bit too.

I hunt right outside new orleans though. I think my brother hunts right near liberty though. I forgot the name of the town but that sounds pretty familiar.

[Swamp Pygmy]

Found a free online copy

La Relacion. Cabeza de Vaca

 accounts of being in the first group to sail to Florida, where they claimed it for Spain, but suffered many casualties, only to try to sail back to Cuba and be ship wrecked near Galveston Texas. They then hiked over land to Mexico City and back into Spanish territory. Working his way through all of the native land. A true story, but written by one man so take it with a grain of salt.    

 http://alkek.library.txstate.edu/swwc/cdv/book/1.html

[Swamp Pygmy]

Found another G Caitlin.

Last Rambles. California, Rocky Mountains, Andes

 http://books.google.com/books?id=JqCigo7F-IgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=george+caitlin+Rambles&lr=#PPP7,M1

[Swamp Pygmy]

This was mentioned somewhere (at least I had it written down)along with "The Witchery Of Archery" as being one of Saxton T. Popes favorite books.

"Two Little Savages". Ernest Seton. 1903. Story of two young boys who live as Indians.

 http://books.google.com/books?id=T4E3AAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=two+little+savages#PPR9,M1