Philosophical pondering and such...

[Bowspirit]

Forgive me, guys. Been down South with family and had some time to ponder here and there. Now, this is in no way a "this vs. that" thread. It's not a bashing of them, either; heck, it's not anything, really. Just the product of a cool breeze and some sweet tea, brought to light and meant to be enjoyed by men and women who share my same passions.
 I've been shooting traditional tackle for 8 or 9 years, now. A blink of an eye compared to some of you. But it's given me a change to step back and smile at the evolution of my tackle and tactics.
 My arrows, for example, came to mind. In learning the ins and outs (still am) of shooting basics, I've gone through a few. I started with aluminum, and soon came to think you couldn't beat a white-fletched 2317 when it came to the perfect arrow.
 Slowly but surely, I began to peer over the edge in the direction of "demon" carbons. Beats me why I felt that way about them; I guess I thought them to be too light and better suited to targets. The first AXIS I bounced off a rock, unscathed by the act, soon changed my thoughts on that subject.
 So it was that the next few years became the carbon years. Aluminum was, after all, better suited for cans   :rolleyes:   . No, a heavy Rebel carbon shaft was all I'd ever need. 5 years into the sport and I'd discovered the best arrow around. Others could only hope to be so lucky. Again...   :rolleyes:  
 It comes as no surprise then, that I found myself bound and determined to produce my own wood arrows. Woods beauty and soulful character called to me with a siren's song. It just couldn't be ignored. And so it was that I closed my eyes, and took the plunge two years prior. Full-time woods. No sythetic materials to think of; just good old hickory, cedar, spruce, and doug fir. I'd be a wood shooter from now till they put me in the ground...

More in a bit...

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Bowspirit:
... And so it was that I closed my eyes, and took the plunge two years prior. Full-time woods. No sythetic materials to think of; just good old hickory, cedar, spruce, and doug fir. ...

and your bow is made from .... ?  and your string?         :D

[Ground Hunter]

I can tell you as one who has "Philosophy" tagging along in their professional title.  Don't over think it.  Its suppose to be fun.  H

[Jeremy]

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
and your bow is made from .... ?  and your string?           :D  

Let's give the guy a break - in two years he'll be shooting a sinew backed bow with a gut or linen string      

Save the pondering of Life's mysteries for the ground blind Chris!  
 

[Bowspirit]

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
   

Originally posted by Bowspirit:
... And so it was that I closed my eyes, and took the plunge two years prior. Full-time woods. No sythetic materials to think of; just good old hickory, cedar, spruce, and doug fir. ...

and your bow is made from .... ?  and your string?                     :D     [/b]

Hehe...exactly Rob. Like I said, I'm not condemning anything...there's more to all this than meets the eye. Just have to get back to finishing this...

[lpcjon2]

Its all about what you feel is right with you.I like wood and that feels right for me.I think Socrates shot wood to.  

[Bowspirit]

I have to say, I was pretty happy being a woodie shooter. Why wouldn't I be? But, as some time passed, I found something missing. Some nagging feeling that wouldn't leave well enough alone. Every time I'd fletch up a wood shaft, or watched a wood arrow drill my target, it'd rear it's ugly head. Try as I might, I just couldn't seem to shake it.
 That is, until I came across a stash of carbons. I shyed away from them for a bit, but eventually, they made their way back to my fletching jig. And there it was...I'd been missing those same carbons. In reality, they were no different from my woods, or my aluminums. Like any other shaft, they shot the same when properly tuned. I'd just had enough adventures with them that I couldn't just lay them to the side.
 The point? I'm a bowhunter. I shoot bows and arrows, and I strive to put those arrows in the right place, everytime. Short of that, everything else is up to my own likes. My own style. It's alot freer and less complicated (read as 'more fun') now that my quiver carries a mix of wood, carbon, and soon-to-once-again-be aluminum. This applies to everything to; clothes, bows, boots, broadheads. If it works, I'm going to use it, and no longer be so small-minded.
 Alot of guys have always seemed to know this on this site. Others have already long dicovered the futility behind "this is the best, that is the best". I guess it took me a while to realise that an arrow is just an arrow, a bow is just a bow, a broadhead is...well, you get the picture. Keeping thing's simple is just too good for the soul...

[adkmountainken]

do what feels right bro BUT PLEASE continue to make ME those neautifull arras that you make!!

[vermonster13]

Well said Chris. Now what you bringing up here to chase birds with and are you coming up before season for a tune-up?    

[Bowspirit]

You bet, Dave...haven't just been philosophising during the off season; I've been practicing, too, don't worry...

[jacobsladder]

Bowspirit...thanks for the read...... I agree ..shoot whatever you enjoy.. and you feel most confident with.... 75 years from now...the easton axis will be considered traditional and aluminums will be primitive..lol... The beauty of it all is that they all work and kill the same.... Choosing arrows to me is like choosing music.... some days I'm in the mood for some slow easy going woodies...they shoot so quiet and forgiving... the next day i may want to jazz it up some with some xx75's.... where do you find a more precise spine with weight to go with it... aluminums equal easy tuning........ If i want to rock and roll i break out the carbons...not as quiet as the woodies, not as precise in spine as the aluminums, but durable , fast ,fun, and penetrating......its all good !!!!!!!!      

[walkabout]

very good points, everyone finds what works best for them and they stick with it. i still fling carbon out of my bows first before i finish them, then i usually build  wood arrows that are tuned for that specific bow. its all about what you prefer, what may be good for the goose may not be for the gander.

[Killdeer]

I love your ramblings, Chris.
I have the same attitude as my dog when it comes to arras and bows. I'll chase anything in the woods that will run from me!

Killdeer  

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Chris, Glad you're back from the south.  Now lets go break some arrows!  

[George Tsoukalas]

bowspirit, nice post. We are products of the new millennia. I am glad you are enjoying your wooden arrows. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

To continue, I make selfbows and self arrows. I even make or gather my own shafts. Yet, I put dacron B 50 strings on my bows. One of these days, I'll use  a natural string. LOL. May be.    Jawge

[Liquid Amber]

The beauty of today's traditional archery is the choices we have....none are wrong, only preference.  I started with wood, moved to aluminum, back heavy into wood and 10 years or so, back to aluminum.  

Currently, there is sufficient aluminum shafting in my shop to last a life time.  There happens to also be, a number of hand weighed and matched wood shafting to satisfy any impulse I may get in my old age to make quite a number of woodies.  

Recently, I made the decision to plan a trip to attend the Sterling Harrell Memorial shoot the first weekend in May, a shoot I've not attended in many years.  The late Sterling Harrell was my neighbor and friend.  It just didn't seem right to load old Sterling's back quiver which I acquired after his death....with aluminum.    

So, I rummaged around in the buckets of arrows in my shop and found 7 new, matched wood, left overs from a past hunting season.  Out the door and a few test shots, and low and behold, they shot wonderfully.  Now, with back quiver properly loaded, along with some flu-flus, I'm ready to attend Sterling's Memorial Shoot.

[James Wrenn]

Well I have never been an either/or kind of guy.I enjoy shooting all types of bows and arrows as well.No difference in me wheter I am useing a selfbow or one of my metal risered bows.They are all just bows to me and this stuff is just a hobby that is all in fun.  :D

[ron w]

Recurve,longbow,selfbow-aluminum,carbon,wood,as long as your have'n fun, Seeing things in nature, and spending time with folks you have things in common with or care about ....it don't matter. Think about that deer you shot while in the Medicine stand......do you think it made a difference what arrow you had with you?

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Of course it did Ron!  If he would have only shot carbons....     Thank you for helping me build them.  Now you have to help me place them