Re: Early Shrew? - found bow with "Ron LaClair" on one limb and "Hawk" on the other

[JJB2]

Bow is 56", 58# @ 28" and looks like a shrew.  Also has "Holmes" written with the bow specs on the riser and a small hand drawn anchor or cross.  Looks like an all hickory bow.  Any ideas as to the origin of the bow?  I didn't buy it yet so no pics...

[owlbait]

Is it from the early 90's? Did Holmes make a bow called the Brown Bear about the same time? Seems like Teresa Asbell carried a bow made by a Holmes back in those days.

[JJB2]

Ok, I see on Shrew's website that Gary Holmes was the original bowyer, so must be a very early shrew.  Anybody know value or why Ron's name is written in marker on the belly of one limb and "hawk" on the other?  Is that what the bow was called early on?

[Tree Rat]

Before the Shrews Ron had a Redhawk and I believe a Blackhawk. I had a Redhawk for a while. I can't remember the bowyer now. McCulloh?

[JJB2]

Any ideas on date or value?

[Tree Rat]

Hey the memory started working again....
It was Redhawk and Raven. I bought mine about 1990.

[JJB2]

Thanks Tree Rat, appreciate it.

[Dave Worden]

I hate to state the obvious, but why not PM Ron?

[Bill Turner]

I've never known Ron not to take the time to answer a question such as this. Get in touch with him and share the info with us. Sounds like you've found a very interesting bow.

[highnoonhunter]

Gary Holmes drew a squiggly looking crooked arrow on his bows, usually right under the specs...  

Later I never knew him to identify himself on the bows as the bowyer when the Shrews came along...... unless it was something he was experimenting with, or a shrew that didn't make the grade, but usually he would remove the identity of it being a Shrew or a LaClair bow.

I've had a bunch of Gary's bows, and some early experimental Shrews and loved them all. I still have one of his reverse handle longbows.... my first custom order bow.