Homemade vs. Commercial

[BillJ]

It seems that the Gang consists of less people shooting homemade gear than it used to.  Or maybe the ones who used to post so much about making their own gear are just too busy making gear to post!

Just wondering, then, about the percentage of TradGangers who will be hunting with homemade equipment this year.

SO - Are you hunting with a homemade bow or a commercially purchased bow?

[madness522]

Doesn't commercially imply that the bow was mass produced in a factory?  

How about another option of custom made.

[Pat B]

Madness, Did you buy it or make it?  
All of mine I made myself except for the stone heads.     Pat

[Tom Leemans]

I think it may have seemed that there are more of "us" using the commercially made stuff because there are so many newer members talking about their gear. The poll is showing otherwise. They just haven't gotten into making all of their own stuff yet. Oh, but they will...  

[BillJ]

Madness - I was, indeed, thinking like Pat B when I created the poll - bought or made.  Sorry I didn't state it more clearly.

And Tom, your theory is pretty much the same as mine - lots of new folks on tradgang these days.

[rascal]

As much as I would like to have my yew long bow finished in time for season and have time to practice with it Im seriously doubting it is gonna happen.  Ill hunt with my recurve this year and hope to be ready with some homemade gear for next.  Really I want to try some arrows with barred turkey feather fletch and possibly trade tips or flint as well so Im not feeling like Im missing much and my confidence would take a real hit if I tried to switch this close to season anyhow.

[Holm-Made]

Holm-Made for me.  Chad Holm

[Aeronut]

Mostly home made.  Bows, Arrows, quivers, tree stands, ground blinds, feather grinders, etc.  The only thing I didn't make when I took this buck was the broadhead.  I'm really an ultimate scrounger for materials.

 

Dennis

[30coupe]

Both! My arrows are home made, but my bow is a custom - boughten. So far, my attempts at building a longbow have been educational    if you know what I mean.

I do have a laminated recurve I made when I was a freshman in high school forty years ago, but it doesn't quite have the speed I'd like, even though it draws 44 pounds.

[Dave Coalter]

My bow was custom made for me by a good friend of mine, rosewood riser, bamboo lims. a real sweetheart. I make my own arrows.

[Shakes.602]

Only Because I havent Made My First Bow Yet. I will hang My Head in Shame.  YEAH, RIGHT!!    

[hickry]

Commercial this year... next year it'll all be for sale.  I'm gonna be huntin' homemade or not at all...

[**DONOTDELETE**]

still trying to make a shooter bow

[SOS]

Hunting for the first time with my first homemade TD Longbow.  Can't wait to drop the string on a deer.  A coyote was within about 2 inches of full draw away from getting ventilated opening morning before he couldn't find the source of the mouse squeek and walked off.

[R.W.]

I have a board bow that I made. Not good enough to hunt with, cause of the mistakes I made making it.

Hope to have another one that is as good as Mr Touskalas and others build. But this takes time, and experience that is gained by building bows, so I ain't rushing things along.

Hunting with a bowyer built longbow this year. Also have a Hwa Rang (luk) built by Spitfire Horse Bows that should be here by the end of the month. And the story of the ring begins! (As I have never shot with a ring before.)

[Bow Nut]

Home made is the way I'm goin'. I get a real kick out of makin' my own bow, arrows, heads, etc. It seems more gratifying to achieve success with gear I made myself and if I don't I'm a little less likely to blame it on the manufacturer (lol). As Mark Baker put it... some of you will understand.            Dave