Can A Rookie Build His Own Archery Gear By Opening Day And Take a deer .

[bowhunterksb32]

I've wanted to build my own self bow and take a deer while still hunting for a few years now and just kep putting it off.

After meeting Osagetree[joe] and reading his 2006-2007 homegrown gear thread i've been inspired to try this year. This really isn't a build-along but a thread incase anybody else has thought of trying this but was afraid it wouldn't work out.

Joe gave me 3 Osage staves, and cane shafts and  turkey feathers. This site is awsome .He's answered a ton of ?'s both in person and through pm's and am very thankful for that. My 6 yearold son easton says he wants to teach joe to shoot as good as he does.lol

My goal since meeting joe and reading his thread has somewhat changed.

I want to make my own self bow, arrows  and I got to have me one of those cattail basket quivers.lol  I hope to use it all to take a deer this season while still hunting with a flint head. I welcome all advice  and will post pics as i go.I've got a start and pics to follow in a few minutes.

[Bowspirit]

If you have Joe there to help you along the way, I bet you'll be hunting with all homemade gear come hunting season...

[bowhunterksb32]

Here is a couple pics of one of the staves joe gave me. He told me to use it to learn how to chase a ring. In person it looks very intimidationg to me but the pics make it look better.lol


 


 


 


Some of the cane and a pine board that i was going to try to make arrows out of if the cane doesn't work out. I'm having alot of trouble getting thecane straight.pics on that to come when i get started tommorrow.


 


Pic of basket quiver i made easton. while it served its purpose it's ugly and i'mg going to make him a bigger better one beofre i make mine. I learned alot in making it which will make the other go smoother i hope


 


Willow shoots waiting for use in nextquiver. I learned my lesson the last time and have been straightening these so that when i put them on the form they won't be a twisted mess like the first quiver was.


 


I would like to stain the willow but with natural walnut stain but can't get it to take,any ideas? I read in primitive archer or traditional bowhunter along time ago about making your own walnut stain but can't remeber how. On the dowells i used to make easton's arrows the stain went right on and looke good by just cutting a green walnut and wiping it on. I smashed some walnuts today and put them in a bucket with a little water covered in alumunim foil I think thats what the article said but i ca't remeber if this is right.

[ChuckC]

Quick answer....yes.   Now...WILL you do it...that part is up to you, the time you devote and your natural ability.   Don't race, but go after it.  

Note also.  Many have a self imposed cut off...such as..if you cannot put 9 of ten arrows in some area at some distance etc....  I am a believer that you should go either way.  If you cannot shoot accurately past 5 yards, only take 5 yard shots.  You will get better and you will extend your range.  but go out there and see what it is all about.   Finally...don't get too caught up in the kill part.  It will happen aventually, but don't let yourself get caught up in the competition to get to a certain point by a certain date.
Good shootin
ChuckC

[Osagetree]

Green wood will be hard to stain. Let the willows dry out and try again. But, I found coloring the willow frame of the quiver did not matter much. Once you weave in the cattails you can hardly see the frame any longer.

Boy, those were some of my worst osage staves and you need to just treat them like fire wood. Just learn the feel of a drawknife and chasing a ring. You may change your mind just after you get the whitewood off. It is work!

Tell Easton to take off that cowboy hat. He shoots more like an Indian Brave than an ole cowboy!


ChuckC gives good advice as pressure is like paranoia to some and can ruin a fellow. Though after meeting and getting to know Scott, I would like everyone to know.... I think Scott is a man that knows his abilities and ethicly will stay within them. And also, a man that judges his hunts in measure's of satisfaction and not #'s of kills or harvests. Scott is not new to traditional bows or bowhunting. He is an experienced bowhunter with many deer under his belt.

Looks to me as though Scott has challanged himself with a question "Can I?". And to share his trials and tribulations with the us, takes courage and is a great honor for us.

Sorry, I just felt compelled to elaborate. I know ChuckC has the best intentions with his statements and I appreciate your/his efforts to protect tadtional bowhunting ethics and reputations. But, trust me "bowhunterksb32" is no rookie to bowhunting, just a rookie at building his own archery equipment.

Thank you ChuckC and thank you Scott!


Keep the pictures coming brother!

[ChuckC]

Yep Osage, only the best of intentions.  Sounds to me like Scott is well on his way.  Guess I didn't realize Scott was already shooting for a while and just trying another facet of our fun times.  

Shoot straight and keep us up on how you do !
ChuckC

[John Scifres]

If you want to do it from scratch, go out and cut a hickory sapling about 3" dia.  Strip the bark in 1/2" wide pieces to use for a quiver, keep it wet.  Shape your quiver frame from the smaller limbs and then weave the green strips through the frame.  You can even make cordage from the bark.

Cut the smaller limbs, about the thickness of your pinky, to arrow length and tie together to dry.  Straight is good but clean is better.

Cut the bow to shape except leave the limbs full width.  Thin it to 5/8" or so.  Put it in the warmest, dryest place you can find for 10 days and then start bending it.  If it doesn't spring back, dry it for 10 more days.  Then tiller it out.

One tree, all you need, except broadheads.  

Have fun, take pics.

[bowhunterksb32]

John scifes- That's a great idea,not really ready for that yet though.lol I'mnot that concrened about evrything being homegrown . I just want to make what i can from materials around here. The bow is the important part of this project and if i have to buy materials  to make the other stuff no big deal,just want to make what i can. Even if i have to buy arrows and a quiver I still plan on making the bow and using it to kill a deer while still hunting with a flint tipped arrow. I intend to have arrows and quiver done by first of agust and then start on the bow. If arrows and quiver are not finishe by then i'll work on the side some with them but focus mainly on the bow and if worse comes to worse by arrows and quiver. I'm hoping to make your deer hunt -bowbee this fall.

ChuckC--I've been bowhunting for years and hunting with longbows and recurves off and on for about 6 years. I'm well aware of my limitations and that was one reason why the bouncing back and forth between compound and traditional. I had to let a huge nontypical go a few years back becasue he was out of my effective range with longbow and to be honest that was hard for me to take. I coul'dve easily killed him with my compound and that bothere d me for awhile.After hunting with "traditional gear" the compound just doesn't feel right and i've given it up completly. Like you said if my effective range is 5 yards with my homeade gear theni'll just work harder to get a 5 yard shot.lol


I didn't have a whole lot of time today to work .  I wanted to get the willow shoots on the form for the quiver. I thought this would gosmoothly since i had alreday done this once. I was wrong.lol Pic showing coleman stove and willow shoot


 


Things didn't go smoothly at all and i snapped the first to shoots I tried to bend.


 


 


I had no trouble bending the shoots for the first quiver ,and was shocked when the shoots broke. I'm guessing they were to dry and will let them soak all night and try again in the morning.


I grabbed 3 pices of cane and thought i would work on them for a few minutes.


 


I'm using the ones that i dont think will make arrows first. I have broke 3 allready and don't want to waste the good cane.


 


I din't spend a whole lot of time on them and strightened  all 3 pices between the nodes . I would skip evry other section to keep shaft from getting to hot and worked thru the 3 pieces of cane. More to come tommorrow.

[Ray Hammond]

yep

[Osagetree]

Scott,,, I am still waiting to see how it is going.

[Hood]

I would sure like to try something like this as well. Good Luck!

Robert

[bowhunterksb32]

Update with pics tommorrow.

[Slasher]

Anyone who has the thought, the drive, and dedicates himself to do it... CAN!!!

I don't have the drive and ambition...yet... I may desire to move to the next level of going primitive, buut being a Daddy of 3 lil ones and the husband of a wonderful woman... I need to grease the skids before hunting season shows up, cuz then, I have a date with a nice 10 pt that never came into range last year...

But the easiest thing of being a Marine NCO, was getting things done... The hard part was trying to convince my Marines that I didn't think they could do it...

I have no doubt if you set your mind to do it... you can..

The thing is are you up to it? If so... I wish you all the best and look forward to reading on your progress!!!

[bowhunterksb32]

I got Eastons 2nd quiver made and it looks alot better than the first.


 


 


 


I wasn't able to bend the willow shoots this time even though they soaked over night. I just put them on the pipe and took wet willow bark and wound the all togehter and it turned real nice and durable. However i did froget to make a place to fasten the strap to when i started. I had to make a place up from the bottom but it sill looks alright. Overall i'm very pleased in how it turned out and am going to make mine now.

I'm still playing with the cane,but as of yet haven't had much success with it. Yesterday igot frustrated with the cane so easton and i made a trip to the flea market to look for an old draw knife.I have 2 but let my brother-in law borrow them a year ago and haven't had time to make the 4 hour trip to get them back.lol

I took some of my frustration out on the stave and took off most of the bark and some sapwood. I'm glad the stave isn't a primo pice of osage becasue i think i'm going to have trouble following a ring. Oh well joe said to make firewood out of it and you ahve to listen to the teacher.lol  May have more pics later today.

[Osagetree]

I like the primitive look to the cattail quiver. Sure is looking better.

Keep us posted often!

[bowhunterksb32]

Finished my quiver today,but the camera died again. The top doesn't look that good but it will work.

Will start with the cane again tommorrow.

[Osagetree]

I guess I am just going to have to loan you my camera!

[bowhunterksb32]

I'll try to get some batteries tomorrow. I'm makig pogress on the cane but it sure doesn't look that straight but its as straight as i can get. I hate to waste the stuff you gave me but i'll be shocked if they fly straight.

[Osagetree]

I bet you will be suprised by some. At 15yrds it aint going to make much difference!

[Jason Lester]

Where in Ohio are you?

 Like he said on the cane, 15 yards isn't going to make a difference. Especialy if you leave bigger feathers on them.

Are you attemping the bow by hunting season. If so find someone fairly close and bug them. LOL Most selfbow guys love to help others make a bow. I'm in Blanchester if your anywhere close to me. I know Osagetree would help ya. There are a few of us in the east of Cincinnati area. Plus there are a ton of folks on here post them pictures if you have a question. Don't get in a hurry on the bow. If you hurry you'll regret it.

Good luck and keep us posted.