question about Sheepeater recurve

[adkmountainken]

does anyone still make the Sheepeater recurve? i thought Dryad once did or Black mountain bows??? always like that recurve.

[Bvas]

I don’t think anyone makes it as a production bow. But I know some guys have made reproductions. If ya post on the bench I’m sure you’ll get some replies.

[Hawkeye]

Hey, Ken.

No one is making the Sheepeater commercially any more, but I know at the a little of the history because they seriously caught my interest in their early days.

Brent Rudolph and Mark Baker worked together to develop the first design of the light, short, static tipped recurve.  Brent eventually took over all production under his Black Mountain Bow company, and introduced the more sculpted, shaped riser and the black Obisidian version.

When Brent's life situation changed, he enlisted Dryad Bows to build the Sheepeater under his auspice.  I don't recall what year Dryad ceased production, but it has been quite a while.

They are great little bows for tight spaces and blinds, and are as rare as hen's teeth these days.  I had to set mine "on the bench" as health problems forced me to drop significantly in draw weight, but I was/am very fond of that little bow.

As the bow was first being announced, Pete Ward did a nice review of it on his site.  A number of small refinements followed, but the basics remained true to Brent's (and Mark's) design. 

http://peteward.com/2007%20new%20pages/test.sheepeater.html

[PrimitivePete]

I loved that bow when I first saw it and I loved the original grip. With the static tips it reminded me of the 1957 Bear Grizzly.

[nineworlds9]

You ought to contact Mike Westvang (recent former Dryad owner) to find out what happened to the forms. He sold Dryad to South Cox (Stalker) recently so maybe he passed on the forms to South? Maybe contact South also?

Either way, if you can't find a Sheepeater another very similar bow in concept is the Texas Recurve. Used ones pop up from time to time and the son in-law of the original bowyer has been making them over the years. His are just as nice as the originals. His phone number can be found if you do a search of more recent Texas Recurve threads over on ***********.

[BAK]

They were great little bows.  For some reason I sold mine and wish I hadn't.  Took my first turkey from a ground blind with one. 

[Walt Francis]

Mike (Dryad) produced the Sheepeater for Brent for a few years then the demand fell off.  They are no longer made.  I believe Brent has the forms now.  MadMax over on the bowyers bench is currently making a few replicas of the Sheepeater.

[Terry Green]

I had one for a while, good little brush bow for sure.

[flntknp17]

I just found a used one yesterday and couldn't pass it up.  I have wanted one for a while.  It is about 61@27 and it'll be a heck of a fun bow to use in a blind next year.  All bamboo limbs under clear glass and bocote handle.

Matt

[fujimo]

i built a form and a replica, i worked with Mark daniels on improving the tips.
the extra layers of glass usually used  in the tips , added to make it static, added a lot of weight, and still the "static" tips opened up a bit.
 so i modified the tips , not in shape, but only in layup.
 i put a few thin lams of high grade , old growth , tight ringed Sitka spruce in there.
 it made for a much lighter and much stiffer tip.
it was a great improvement.

The bulls was very complex, but I loved the build and have built quite a few bows on the form.
lately i have been working on a 50" or 51" version, to accommodate my personal 31.5"draw.

i really want to build a 2 piece version  as well!