Sexy bow or Fully functional

[Otto]

Longstick64

Your thread is based on the premise that the 2 are mutually exclusive.

They're not.

[LongStick64]

Otto,

Not really, more of since my Ghost performs at a level I'm completely satisfied with, would spending twice as much for a Morrison make much sense. As luck will have, I acquired two Dale Dye recurves, both have impressed me with the looks as well as the shooting characteristics. In fact it's how these bow feel like when I draw them.

[Don Stokes]

Quillian used to speak disparagingly about "cabinet-maker bows", from bowyers that were more concerned with looks than function. His bows were basic where looks were concerned, but they all performed like a good bow should. AND they were reasonably priced.

Not dissing pretty bows that work, but be careful that looks aren't deceiving. Personally I have little use for the pretty ones if it raises the price, because a bow for me is a tool, and I'm too rough on them anyhow. My prettiest one now has a coat of camouflage paint.

[jonsimoneau]

It's kind of like picking a wife.  If you are lucky, you can get one that performs well AND looks good.  But I'll take the sweetheart that can cook over the drama queen running up my credit card anyday!

[Scott S.]

I think there is a happy medium.  If I had a $1000 bow, I would not take it into the field. My arrows are shooters (no cresting or splicing) and not works of art. The exception at the other end of the scale for me is bowfishing, where I only want a $100 bow to drop into the lake.

[Sixby]

There is absloutely no reason in the world you cannot have both. The best bow builders build sexy bows that shoot awsome. The two, both take good workmanship, knowledge , experience, and artistic ability. If you are talking about materials , most good bowyers also build a lesser priced bow with same quality workmanship and shootability with lower priced woods. Good bowbuilder do not sell bows just because they are works of art. They have to shoot and they have to shoot noticibly better than any bow the buyer has ever shot or they just refuse to pay the price. Most of us cannot build a business on one shot sales. We want repeat over and over customers.

[Bob Morrison]

Sixby is right on....$500 or $1500 with a customer bowyers, it pretty much up to you what you spend.The lower end from a bowyer pretty much has the same preformance as the high end. The only exception I have seen is in the cores, not alway speed, but positives and backing can make some difference. The base bow is a real good way to go.

[LongStick64]

Thanks Bob, that's what pretty much what I was thinking. Always good when you hear it from the master.

[hayslope]

Peter,

I could not imagine NOT hunting with any bow that I would own.  You originally mentioned Dale Dye bows.  I have three and I would venture to guess that Dale never builds a bow that isn't intended to be out in the woods.  Sure some are definitely easy on the eyes, but they are all shooters.

Of course, if I had one of Norm Johnson's Blacktail Snakebit bows, it might get displayed somewhere conspicuous so it could be eyeballed quite often, but I would no doubt give serious thought to flinging an arrow or three with it.  At some point, it is a tool (albeit a fine looking tool) that needs to fulfill its intended purpose.

Shoot and hunt with those Dale Dyes.....you'll appreciate them even more.

[Otto]

I have a couple of bows I won't hunt with.  I'm not enamored with clanging a either of my Copperhead Widows against a couple of screw in steps while dragging them up a tree in the dark or slipping in the crick and smashing them against the rocks.  I have plane jane Widdows I use for that.

[Sixby]

Otto, then what good are the copperheads? I got a Morrison recurve with copperheads and for two years it went into the elk woods with me, I didn't throw it over any fences or out of any blinds. I didn't use it for a walking stick and when I fell down Bob will be glad to hear that the bow always came out on top. However When I shot my Sentman with black glass limbs I treated it the same way. I heal up. funny but Iregress to caveman or indian when I get in the woods. The bow is my life lol. I protect it because I depend on it. Funny but self analyzing that is the truth. Same with the fancy bows, Bows do not get fancier than the bows I build. Hoever every one of them is first a killing machine , a weapon,. meant to hunt with,. Then it is beautiful. in that order. I know from haveing owned Morrisons that the same concept is there. I also believe in building a lesser priced bow with same shooting qualities and workmanship. Again a funny thing. I never sell any of them. Its like we get pidgon holed into a certain bracket by archers. Either real expensive or the other. I bet Morrison sells more fancy bows than standard models too.

[Otto]

Sixby

What good are copperheads on any bow?  They are strictly for adornment, even on a hunting bow.  Some guys take pride in taking a $1500 bow and dragging it through the woods.  I'm not that guy.  I don't haul dead deer in the trunk of the BMW.  I have a truck for that.  Likewise with over and under shotguns.  I own a couple that cost more than some folks make in a year.  I don't drag those through the briars rabbit huntin either.

Just because a weapon doesn't go hunting doesn't make it useless nor does it mean it doesn't get used at all.  The Copperhead bows get the daylights shot out of em year round.  The over and unders bust clays like nobody's business, and the BMW hauls ass and handles like all good sports cars should.  But when it comes to huntin, they all stay home.

[Jim Wright]

Not trying to be ugly but this thread seems to be based on the premise that beautifully made bows tend to be poor shooters, which is ridiculous. I have a number of custom bows from the same bowyer and every one of them look great and shoot better than I can! They were made to my specs. of woods that I chose and that is how I expected them to shoot.

[Sixby]

Otto, My point is only this. Taking any bow into the woods does not mean its going to get all scratched up. Thats all. I Elk and deer hunted the Morrison with copperhead skins and In all kinds of Northwest weather for two years. Not a couple of days but full 40 days plus a year. When I sold the bow I got more than I origonally paid for it. Not a scratch you could find anywhere. Granted I guess I could have fallen into some rocks or something but I'm pretty careful in the woods cause I'm out there where if I got hurt bad no one would ever likely find me.
I agree certainly that not all bows are hunting bows. I like to shoot targets too. When I take any bow into the woods its not pride , no matter the cost. I do like to look at a pretty bow though. Even in the woods.
Hey, If being pretty kept someone out of the woods my daughter in law would not have called me and told me she just killed a 5 point bull a couple of hours ago. (Grin)

Jim: you hit the nail right square on the head.

[shakeyslim]

i only keep thngs that work / but beautiful things can work  better than poorly finished things / my fav is a beautiful piece