Owen Jeffery Appreciation

[TradBrewSC]

With the recent passing of Owen, I decided to take my old Royal Hunter out for some shooting yesterday for the fist time in a year. This is a bow that Owen and I made together 12 years ago when I was at the ripe old age of 18.

 

 

It amazes me how well I can shoot this bow after letting it sit for so long. I am constantly trying new bows in search of the Grail, but it may have been under my nose the whole time!

Here is my first 4 shot group at 20 yards

 

Although I may not shoot it as often as I should, this bow is still one of my most prized possessions. I killed quite a few cridders with it back in the day with Owen. He taught me everything I know about bow hunting and will be greatly missed. In appreciation and memory's of him this will be my primary hunting bow in the 2016 season.

RIP Old Man, I will always treasure the memories we made together.

[acedoc]

nice gesture and write up !

[nek4me]

Nice looking bow and group. Obviously shoots well for you even with the long layoff.

Although not a fancy bow I never felt their black & white ads did anything for this bow. What other characteristics do you or others like about this model?

As with many of the old contributors to this sport, didn't know much about Owen until he was gone. You were lucky to have known and learned first hand from him.

[TradBrewSC]

Thanks guys!

They are not fancy but shoot and perform similar to a non FF  Silvertip, but I do shoot 10 ring strings will bow hush on mine.

I am going to talk to Tom about starting to do phenolic tips, and making a few other changes. I have some other ideas that I think would strengthen his following.

They are a workhorse Hunter that will not let you down.

[Bruce Martin]

Like many in SC my reintroduction to trad archery was after a stop at Jeffry Archery about 18 years ago. I picked up a Recurve that was on the rack and went crazy then and there with the light weight and great feel. I bought the bow and remember a customer saying to me that I would be getting many other trad bows. I thought he was crazy but he was right. However I took down the Jeffry when I heard of Owens passing and promptly shot a group similar to that posted. Had thought about selling the bow but that ain't happening. Black glass, brown action wood, 50# at 28 inches, Dacron string and all I really need.

[Bruce Martin]

Like many in SC my reintroduction to trad archery was after a stop at Jeffry Archery about 18 years ago. I picked up a Recurve that was on the rack and went crazy then and there with the light weight and great feel. I bought the bow and remember a customer saying to me that I would be getting many other trad bows. I thought he was crazy but he was right. However I took down the Jeffry when I heard of Owens passing and promptly shot a group similar to that posted. Had thought about selling the bow but that ain't happening. Black glass, brown action wood, 50# at 28 inches, Dacron string and all I really need.

[S.C. Hunter]

I loved going up to his shop in Columbia. Shooting outside to test bows. Wasn't a bad drive up from Bamberg. Always worth the trip. Good man.

[TradBrewSC]

 

[TradBrewSC]

[Yohon]

That was a gift to spend time in the woods with Owen. I got to spend a few minutes with him and he was just a fantastic gentleman to talk with....to get to hunt hogs with him would have been a treat!!!

Nice bow too....killed my biggest buck with one of his one piece bows and left handed too    

[mangonboat]

37 years ago my dad ended up sitting next to Tom Jeffery on an airplane, they got talking archery and Tom got off the plane with orders for five Jeffery 44 Magnum compound bows, one for my dad and one for each of his sons. All of us still have those bows but I gave up wheelie bows and went back to what I grew up on. I had a 1992 Royal Hunter, brown on brown laminated riser and flat black limbs, signed by Owen. As much as I wanted to love that bow - even spent a few minutes talking with Owen about it at the shop,  we didn't dance well together and I sold it to a Trad Gang member last fall. But now I'm engrossed in machining that one-piece solid wood 44 Magnum riser to match up with some bolt-on limbs and create a classy Frankenbow. Owen Jeffery's influence is all over the  bows, sights, manufacturing techniques and other innovations of the golden age of trad archery equipment and Tom has had his hands on almost as many.

[TradBrewSC]

Thanks Yohon! It was a blessing to be able to hunt with and work for him through my teenage years. Congrats on the buck as well. Those bows certainly do have some Mojo. My first trad kill was with Owens personal classic 60 at age 15.

 

[TradBrewSC]

Great story Mangonboat! The 44 mag was a great bow. I I can recall correctly his KB model compound was the same riser as the Royal Hunter. I'm sure you could make something work with the 44 mag handle.

[Killdeer]

Mity Mag classic and stone point. Thank you, Mr. Jeffery.
Killdeer

[Warden609]

Great thread!!

[Terry Green]

cool !!!

[nd chickenman]

Great story! Treasure those memories and the equipment, he truly does live on!

[Duckbutt]

I've had about every model Owen made and still have most of them.  The Classic 60 is probably my favorite.  Pulled out his longbow a few years ago and shot this doe. I've got other bows but always pull out Owen's bows from time to time.  He started it all for me.

 

[MikeNova]

I killed my first pig w Owen watching me. Tom is adding phenolic tips now.

[Don Stokes]

Owen and Tom made most of Dan Quillian's bows, to Dan's designs. The only bow I hunt with now besides my several from their shop is a Torges longbow. Dan and Owen were close friends, and I heard some tales... I think they argued incessantly about bow design, and loved every minute of it.