Parting with your first custom bow

[buckeye_hunter]

My first trad bow was sold a while back. I didn't know anything about bows or what I liked. I ordered on looks alone. Never took an animal with it anyway. Bad mojo on that bow from the start with the bowyer. I say if you have no attachment, then sell it.

The 2nd one I bought and have now is much better suited to me. I have killed all my firsts with it and will NEVER sell it. Even if it hangs on a wall someday. It will not be leaving me voluntarily. I am attached to that one and no matter how many bows end up in my house over the years it will stay.

[soap creek]

My 1st true custom is a Brackenburry. Had it built in 84. Has my name on it. I had Wes Wallce build me some lighter weight limbs a few yrs back. I've already told my son its will be his some day. Still shooting it today

[longrifle]

Like a few others my first custom was a Bighorn T/D, had it made for me in 1989 as well.I think I killed 5 deer with it the first 6 years I had her,then I went to longbows and started buying other bows as well. It didn't get any "woods time" at all so i sold it,and bought a one piece Bighorn. Sometimes I feel like I cheated an old friend,but then I have to remind myself bows don't have feelings. Plus my only son out of 4 children is left handed I'm a righty so he will not be able to hunt with any of my bows.

[ronp]

My first custom bow was a Shrew I bought about 6 years ago.  I had ordered it a little too heavy, but was a great shooting bow.  I sold it and while packaging it up for shipping I felt almost as bad as I did when I was burying my dog.  I regretted until this fall, when my new Shrew arrived!

[JamesKerr]

My first custom bow was a Christmas present made for me by a very dear friend of mine and it is going nowhere. The only other bows that I would not get rid off is my one piece Tomahawk Diamond series SS which was a high school graduation gift and my early 70's Bear Kodiak magnum.

[BD]

My first custom was a Schafer Silvertip. Killed about 15 deer with that bow, but honestly it just didn't fit me all that well. Sold it, moved on and shoot significantly better now. No regrets.

[buckeyebowhunter]

My first custom broke on me last year while shooting out in the yard, I had it for about 3 years and bought it my senior year in high school. The bowyer that made it no longer makes bows so I had no way of getting new limbs for the bow. I ended up selling the riser for about a 100 bucks. Tough to part with the riser, I actually still have the limbs laying around. The bow cost me about 700 bucks brand new, and I took my first traditional whitetail with it which was also my biggest buck. I also took a few does with it. Still not sure why it decided to blow up on me. Ill probably stick to production bows for a while, I have a few old bears and a 2nd hand black widow right now, they all shoot good so I have no reason to buy another custom until I have some money saved up for something like that which will probably be many moons from now.

[GRINCH]

My first custom was a Fedora  that was a beautiful bow,hated to part with it but the grip didn't fit me so off it went.

[Rob W.]

I don't let many things draw dust.  

[BWD]

I waved bye bye to my first custom bow years ago. Was a fine bow, but it's replacement was a better fit for me.

[ron w]

First was in 1996........Green Mountain longbow, 55# @ 30" 62" long. Still got it ....won't sell it! You never forget your first.....lol!  

[LC]

Well actually my first custom bow parted ways with me. I loved that bow, killed alot of critters with it then a month before a big hunt the top limb came blew apart. I always babied that bow. When I found out just new limbs were going to cost as much as a another custom bow from a local maker I switched. I then fell in love with that bow and killed a bunch of critters. I finally started making my own bows and eventually sold it for more bow making supplies. Actually never regretted it either. Now all my bows are truly custom made!  

[Red Beastmaster]

I traded my too heavy 65# custom Brackenbury to a dealer for a multi-fletcher and a ton of arrow making supplies. It bothered me some, but I got over it.

My new Brack custom recurve isn't going anywhere soon. I was smart enough to get it at 45#. I should be shooting it for a long time.

I've sold off a couple too heavy custom longbows as well. It's not so hard to get rid of a bow you can no longer shoot well.

[Archie]

I have had the good fortune to try out bows and contemplate which one(s) to buy.  I have purchased one custom bow, and received the other as a gift.  Unless I find myself in financial distress someday, I have no intention of ever selling either one.  I like both of them now much more than when I first got them.

[Jerry Russell]

If you are having to think about it even just a little bit, don't sell it. You will regret it one day.

[dnovo]

Over the years I have had probably 10 or 12 custom bow made for me. Most of them are gone now. I like to try new bows and unlike a few years ago when I would buy a new one and keep the old one, finances these days dictate that I have to sell one to get a new one.
Yes some of those bows made some great memories, but I plan on more memories with the new ones. Also the ones I have sold I have quit shooting because I don't shoot that much weight anymore. I figure if I know I won't be able to shoot it anymore, then sell it to someone else who will enjoy it. They can make memories with it.

[Orion]

I had some nice bows in the 60s and 70s -- Bear Super Kodiaks, Wing Thunderbirds and a couple of Browning models that I can't remember the names.  Wish I still had one or two of those.

Like many others, my first custom was a Bighorn in the mid-80s. There weren't many other folks building trad bows then.  Jim Brackenbury and Black Widow were in business then as I remember. Anyway, accumulated as many as four or five Bighorns but have parted with all of them over the years, mostly because as I got older, they became too heavy for me. I still have my eye out for a modest weight one piece Grand Slam.

Have bought, sold and traded a lot of bows since, and have pretty much settled on a dozen or so I like.  Rediscovered the Bear T/D among them.  Don't know how I missed them the first time around in 69-71.  Probably too expensive for this country boy to even think about. Though not customs, I think they'll be on my bow rack for some time to come.

Long story short, I regard bows as tools and don't get too sentimental about them.  When I find one I like, I keep it for a while, but usually don't have trouble parting with it to buy another.  In fact, economic necessity pretty much dictates that I have to sell one or two to buy another.

[joe ashton]

I've got a Big Horn recurve.  If the house catches fire I'll grab it.
Joe.
 PS Oh and my Mohawk, black widow, 21 century, bear skin rug, hunting photo album, Ruger sp101, screaming eagle tree stand, Asbel wool pull over, 'Shooting better than ever' video,  ..jezz I'll probably die in the fire trying to get everything out...

[rick7]

i have bought sold and traded many bows. every time i pick up another i seem to shoot it better. only wish i had kept a couple. but the ones i have now i really love them

[Cyclic-Rivers]

The Time I part with my first custom bow is when I hand it to my child.  I ordered it with my Father next to my side. He liked it very much and ordered one just like it.  

I had John McDonald inscribe "Dad" on the limb.  I took my first archery deer with this bow this year!