Sweet haul of vintage stuff

[Nantahala Nut]

I went back to PA to visit with family and found some awesome stuff. The first is a Red Wing Hunter that my father bought when he was young. It looks to be safe to shoot. Its 58" and marked at 38 pounds. It has his old bear spring arm still attached. The second is a set of cedar arrows with bear greenies that my grandpa made. I am not sure if they are safe to shoot. All this stuff is from about 1966.

[Nantahala Nut]

Anyone know what draw length red wings were marked at? I really want to hunt this bow but 40 pounds is my cutoff for deer. Also illegal to hunt big game in most states with less than 40.

[Deno]

Too much sentimental value. Hang it in a prominent spot with the arrows. Maybe with Dads picture from 1966. Great family heirloom to pass down.  Just my opinion.

Deno

[Nantahala Nut]

I'm gonna be hunting south Carolina for turkey and deer. Its a legal bow down there so I'm thinking of taking it after the thunder chickens.

[Duncan]

If you draw more than 28" it will probably be 40ish pounds.

[reddogge]

I just read the SC regulations and it did say all bows must be   40# at 28" OR PEAK DRAW WEIGHT   So I guess if you draw 29" or 30" you would be OK but you'd have to hope your game warden understands recurve bows. I always felt safer if the marked weight at 28" was at or over the minimum.

[Jon Stewart]

Made in 60's ain't old, shoot it and make your dad and grandpa proud wherever they are..

My wife killed a deer with a 34# long bow.  All you have to do is hit it right.

If the feathers are good and the arrows are straight with no cracks just change the nocks.

I buy and strip old wood arrows, re finish and fletch all the time.

[TOEJAMMER]

Re. the legality of the bow being marked 38# with a 40 pound draw weight specified in the regs. requirement beware.  Most game officers will look at the 38# marked on the bow and use that as the legal weight.  Never met one that carried around a scale to measure the draw weight and a tape to measure the archer at full draw.  Might be best to check with the fish and game department on the question and get what they say in writing signed by the official and carry it with you if they say it is the weight at your draw length and not the specified weight on the bow.

[Nantahala Nut]

Reddoge, where did you see that? I just checked the regs on the dnr site and the section on archery on the first page said no restrictions on bows. I want to make sure I am legal. Can you point me to where you saw that info?

[59Alaskan]

Just looked at SC regs again.  It specifically reads:
"There are no restrictions on draw weight...".

 http://www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/pdf/hunting.pdf

If you want to shoot the arrows I would replace the nocks.  

Red wing hunters are great bows!   Great sentimental find.  Do what you want - display or use.  Killing a deer with family equipment would be very cool.

[Jon Stewart]

Has anyone  on here ever been stopped by the DNR when going out, hunting or coming back from a hunt and have them ask, lets see your bow, I want to make sure it is heavy enough to hunt with.

In the 55 years that I have been bow hunting I have never been stopped and ask that nor have I every heard of anyone else that has been stopped and ask that.  I am not saying it hasn't happened but those officers have far more better things to do than to worry about a hunter hunting with a 38# bow in a 40# restricted area.