All posts by 3Rivers Archery

Musk Ox String Silencers

The experts at 3Rivers Archery show you how to install musk ox string silencers.

No-Glove Finger Savers

Dale Karch of 3Rivers Archery demonstrates how to install No-Gloves on your bowstring. (No-Gloves are rubber finger protectors.)

Pocket Grain Scale

The experts at 3Rivers Archery show you how to use the Pocket Grain Scale.

Right or Left-Handed Bow

The experts at 3Rivers Archery show you how to tell if you have a right-handed or left-handed bow.

Riser Inserts

Dale Karch of 3Rivers Archery describes installing Riser Inserts.

Screw-On Reel

Dale Karch of 3Rivers Archery demonstrates installation of the Screw-on Reel.

Cat Quiver

The experts at 3Rivers Archery show you how to use a Cat Quiver.

Shur-Grip Bow Grip

The experts at 3Rivers Archery show you how to install The Shur-Grip Bow Grip for your bow.

Weight Tubes for Carbon Arrows

The experts at 3Rivers Archery show you how to install Weight Tubes to bump up the weight of your carbon arrows.

Mounting Woodsman Broadheads

The experts at 3Rivers Archery show you how to mount Glue-On Woodsman Broadheads on adapters.

Dixon’s Broadhead Aligner

The experts at 3Rivers Archery show you how to use Dixon’s Broadhead Aligner to align your broadheads and nocks.

Feather Choppers

The arrow experts at 3Rivers Archery show you how to use feather choppers to cut full-length feathers for your arrows.

Flemish Splice

The experts at 3Rivers Archery show you how to make the Flemish splice when crafting your bow string.

Fletching Jigs

The arrow experts at 3Rivers Archery show you how to glue on Trueflight Feathers using fletching jigs like the Bitzenburger.

Fletching Tape

Dale Karch of 3Rivers Archery demonstrates how to use fletching tape, an easy, convenient, and useful way to attach feathers to your arrow shaft.

Fur String Silencers

The experts at 3Rivers Archery show you how to install fur string silencers on your bow.

Great Northern Feather Grinder

The folks at Great Northern Bowhunting Company show you how to use their feather grinding system. Their feather grinding system (complete with helpful instructional DVD) is available at 3Rivers Archery.

The Hidden Hunter Blind

Made in the USA! The Hidden Hunter blind is one of the most convenient, easy to assemble hunting blinds we’ve ever seen! In less than 30 seconds, you’ll have a full 6 foot by 6 foot blind assembled and ready for hunting. No cumbersome poles or annoying hubs. And taking the blind down is just as easy. Comes in special D.A.T. digital camo or traditional Woodland camo.

Traditional Side Strap

Dale Karch of 3Rivers Archery shows you how to install and use the Traditional Side Strap for your back quivers. Dale also demostrates how to use your back quiver while holding your bow. Products featured include the Traditional Side Strap (item #6110), Royal Back Quiver (item #6107X), “TA” Traditional Archers Back Quiver (item #6099X), and the Rover Back Quiver (item #610005X).

Using Shaft Straightening Tools

Dale Karch of 3Rivers Archery demonstrates how to use the Shaft Tamer and Ace Roll-R-Straight shaft straighteners to straighten your shafts. These shaft straighteners can be used on raw shafts prior to the arrow building process, or they can be used on completed shafts. Items used include the Ace Roll-R-Straight (item #5901).

Tru Center Taper Tool

Dale Karch of 3Rivers Archery demonstrates how to use the Tru Center Taper Tool. This video covers how to assemble and adjust the tool as well.

Woodchuck Taper Plane

Dale Karch of 3Rivers Archery shows you how to set up and use the Woodchuck Taper Plane.

Sharpening 2-Blade Broadheads

Dale Karch of 3Rivers Archery shows you how to sharpen 2 blade broadheads using the Grobet Broadhead File (Item #6314X) and the Stubby JewelStik Diamond Hone (Item #7252).

True Angle File Set

Dale Karch of 3Rivers Archery shows you how to use the True Angle File Set (Item #4240) for sharpening 2 blade broadheads. Also used is the Stubby JewelStik Diamond Hone (Item #7252).

New Woodsman Elite Broadheads Demo

*WARNING – Please do not attempt this at home. This test was performed by professionals under controlled conditions. Attempting this test yourself may result in injury or death.
We’ve shot the Woodsman® Elite Broadhead into animals, through metal safes, and even into solid cinder blocks… and the Woodsman® Elite Broadhead took it all! Watch this video and see for yourself how the Woodsman® Elite Broadhead pummels this cinder block, penetrating and sticking in shot after shot after shot!

Product Demos/How-To Videos from 3Rivers Archery

Montana Decoys Eichler Elk

Our friends at Montana Decoy show you how to fold the Fred Eichler Elk decoy into a compact size. An extremely convenient and effective decoy, with design input from Fred himself!

Montana Decoys Whitetail Buck

The folks at Montana Decoys show you how to fold their Whitetail Buck decoy for easy transport and storage.

Easton Carbon ION™ Pink Fletched Arrows

Johnathan Karch of 3Rivers Archery discusses our new Easton Carbon ION™ Pink Fletched Arrows. These arrows offer Easton’s quality Ion carbon shaft 3-fletched with 4″ left wing parabolic cut feathers (white cock feather pink hens) on an Easton factory crest wrap for visibility and easy re-fletching. Pink H-nocks, inserts, and 125 grain field points installed. A great shaft for lady hunters and archers, or anyone who likes the visibility and easy recovery of pink fletchings.

Gold Tip Lightning Youth Arrow

Johnathan Karch of 3Rivers Archery introduces you to the Gold Tip Lightning Youth Arrow. This high quality, durable carbon arrow will build your young archer’s accuracy. Covered in a black matte finish, the Lightning Youth Arrow is fletched with three White 4″ Left Wing Shield Feathers. The shafts are cut to 28″ (valley of nock to back of point) with Gold Tip Nocks and 50 Grain Glue-In Field Points installed.

Trail Blazer Back Quiver

Johnathan Karch of 3Rivers Archery introduces you to the Trail Blazer Back Quiver! The Trail Blazer Back Quiver offers comfort, great style, and flexibility. Perfect for long treks in the woods, hours on the range, or some relaxing backyard target shooting. Made of top grain leather the Trail Blazer Back Quiver is great looking, very functional, and features high caliber craftsmanship.

Tomahawk Bows® Thunderstorm II

Johnathan Karch of 3Rivers Archery introduces the new Tomahawk Bows® Thunderstorm II! The Thunderstorm II embodies a maelstrom of speed, power, and performance that only comes from a carbon/foam combination! With surprising smoothness, the Thunderstorm II is like lightning in your hands! Available in the elite Diamond Series, this bow combines brilliant design with flawless workmanship to bring you a bow that is truly the “Best of the Best.™” Experience the beauty, and pure predatory power of a Diamond Series Thunderstorm II from Tomahawk Bows®.

Tomahawk Bows® Autumn Harvest

Johnathan Karch of 3Rivers Archery introduces you to the Tomahawk Bow Autumn Harvest!

When Autumn comes, will you be ready? If you have the Tomahawk Bows® Autumn Harvest Diamond Series Longbow in your hands, you will definitely be ready… ready to take that shot of a lifetime! This classy, top-shelf performing longbow was born to hunt! Available in the elite Diamond Series, this bow combines brilliant design with flawless workmanship to bring you a bow that is truly the “Best of the Best.™” Experience the beauty, and pure predatory power of a Diamond Series Autumn Harvest from Tomahawk Bows®.

Bohning Dip Kit

Johnathan Karch of 3Rivers Archery demonstrates the Bohning Dip Kit, an easy, no fuss way to crown dip your arrows. This kit is designed primarily for carbon and aluminum, but can easily be used for wood arrows as well. The Bohning Dip Kit comes complete with a glass dip tube, arrow hanger, four Dip’N Plug Rings, two pints of white Acry-Lac Paint, and two pints of clear Acry-Lac Paint. This kit has everything you need to give your custom arrows a professional look!

Bohning Cresting Jig

In this video, Johathan Karch of 3Rivers Archery demonstrates the Bohning Crester, an outstanding cresting jig that allows you to produce professional quality crests on your arrow shafts.

Tim’s Taper Tool – Nocks and Points with a Sander

Tim’s Taper Tool allows you to create tapers using a table saw or sander. This video shows you step-by-step how to use the tool with your sander.

Tim’s Taper Tool – Nocks and Points with a Table Saw

Tim’s Taper Tool allows you to make nock and point tapers using your table saw. Watch this video for step-by-step instructions for using your Taper Tool.

Atlatl Fever DVD Trailer

Bob Berg from Thunderbird Atlatl shows you how to gather materials and make your very own Atlatl using primitive Stone Age tools. Bob also shows you how to cast the Atlatl, teaching beginning and advanced techniques to increase accuracy and hunting success. This is your chance to learn and be inspired by an Atlatl expert who has been designing, building, and using this amazing primitive tool for over 20 years!

Atlatl Dart Assembly

Bob Berg of Thunderbird Atlatl shows you how to assemble an Atlatl Dart. The Atlatl predates the bow and arrow by thousands of years. Learning how to build and use this amazing primitive weapon is both a challenge and a thrill.

Hafting Pine Resin Tutorial

Bob Berg of Thunderbird Atlatl demonstrates how to use his all natural hafting pine resin. This is a great product for primitive enthusiasts who like to build their own arrows, atlatl darts, knives, and other primitive tools. It’s all natural, and just as effective as modern adhesives and epoxies.

By: Dean VanderHorst

Let’s face it, if you’re tree stand hunting whitetails in the Midwest you’re most likely just a short hike from your vehicle or house. Most of us are. If you forget a flashlight or heaven forbid your knife it is just a short walk away. I grew up in southern Michigan bowhunting whitetails at an early age just a ten minute walk out my back door to my stand and most of the time I would have only my knife and bow. Every time I trudged back to the house however for a flashlight left an impression on me to be prepared and think ahead.

Every hunt begins with optimism and being armed with a few items in a prepared fanny pack or backpack is a great way to begin any hunt weather you are in the back 40 acres, down the road, or packing your stand into a dark cedar swamp for an evening bow hunt. Having the items prepared a head of time insures that you have all your gear and that you can be focused on your hunt and not be thinking of what you might have forgotten or should have taken. I find myself thinking of heading to a tree stand at every chance through October and November and by having all of my gear in one place ensures confidence that if I take off and climb up my stand I’ll be prepared for the hunt.

First I use a fanny pack primarily for one reason, it is small. Less space forces me to plan smart and keeps my pack lightweight. I’ve seen a lot of guys over the year use large backpacks or monster fanny packs just for tree stand hunting and put more stuff in there than is necessary just because they have the room. I prefer to keep it small, light and simple. My list includes necessities and some items of convenience developed over time so you have to weigh what is important to you and space constraints.

Here is my List:

1. License. Don’t leave home without it.
2. Fanny Pack or small backpack. I like Badlands for their durability, quietness, and comfort.
3. Knife. Your favorite will do. I have had a Kershaw Alaskan blade trader for years. It has a saw blade as well as a knife blade so it is versatile and compact.
4. Compass or GPS. Always good to keep your bearings even when you “know” where you are. The GPS has the advantage of marking way points during tracking also.
5. Headlight. I prefer headlights over flashlights because if you have to track or dress a deer after dark it is much easier to do if you’re not holding a light too.
6. Wind dust. Always know which way the wind is blowing.
7. Knife sharpener. A small 3Rivers CC sharpener is great to have handy.
8. Camo mask or paint. Staying concealed requires head to toe coverage.
9. Bow hook, pull up rope, and 2^nd chance arrow clip. Small items but when you have several stands they can easily be forgotten to be placed ahead of time so it is convenient to have a spare or if you grab your climber tree stand to head to a new spot for a night.
10. Chemical hand warmer and toe warmer. One pack of each. Clearly not a necessity but I put them in my pack early in the season so they will be there so later in the season and often use them on a morning I was not expecting.
11. Camera and camera clip. I never used to carry one but when I started hunting with my kids it has been a must to record the moments. Small is the key. I have a small point and shoot digital camera with a clip mount that will hold anywhere for a great picture to save the memories.
12. Binoculars. A small pocket set of binos for stand hunting are invaluable.
13. Phone. Think that is a given anymore.
14. Small baggy of wet wipes. A one quart freezer bag with a couple wet wipes in it is convenient for clean up after dressing a deer.
15. Armguard and glove/tab. Sounds so simple but I keep them in my fanny pack for a reason; and yes I’ve made it to my tree stand without them before so now I keep them in my pack so not to be forgotten.
16. Hand pruners. Trim those little branches that pop up in lanes, walking into stand sets or trimming out for taking photos.
17. Brunton Inspire™ battery pack. This is not a necessity either but I won’t be caught without one in my pack. They are about the size of your cell phone and can recharge your phone, headlamp, and camera. Very simple and eliminates the need to carry extra batteries.
18. Game calls. Not necessities but if you’re taking them, get them in there.
19. Marking tape. A roll of about 10’ to use when tracking a blood trail. Be sure to take it down after being used.

All of these items kept ready in one spot will help anytime you get time to sneak off to your hunting stand this season. I keep mine in my truck all season with my safety harness so all I have to remember is my bow and quiver and I’m ready to go. Any successful hunt starts with good planning. Stay safe, shoot straight and make some memories in the wood this fall.

3Rivers Haversack Hunting Pack		Ambush Wind Detectors

By: Dale Karch and Todd Smith

Good Game Comes in Small Packages

What is THE most hunted animal in North America? The whitetail deer? The black bear? The elk?

Nope! It’s the cottontail rabbit! In fact, more hours are logged in the field each year by small game hunters than any other. Let’s face it; small game hunting is in our veins. Sure there are some die-hard big game hunters that don’t have the time to “waste” on small game. But they’re in the minority, and they don’t realize what they’re missing.

Some of the most exciting bowhunting action on the planet is found in hot pursuit of small game. Whose heart doesn’t skip a beat when he hears beagles on the hunt sounding off? Or, perhaps the thought of floating silently down a small river on the lookout for late summer, early fall squirrels is more to your liking?

Have you ever been jolted back to reality by a pheasant busting up at your feet, a flurry of feathers and a cackle that just about made you jump out of your boots? Or how about stalking the tundra and spruce in search of snowshoe hares, or ranging the arid desert for jackrabbits?

Dale and I have shared some great fun chasing the multitude of spruce hens that inhabit the Alaskan far north.

From East to West and North to South, we all have small game to hunt and we love doing it. It’s exciting, challenging, rewarding, and produces tasty rewards to boot. Small game hunting has a lot to offer the traditional bowhunter. Not the least of which is plenty of action!

Those of us who have taught Bowhunter Education are well versed in the discussion of how broadhead tipped arrows kill by hemorrhage resulting in blood loss in contrast to bullets which kill by shock and tissue damage. The small game point is, in bowhunting, the exception to the rule. These heads, like bullets, rely on converting the energy from the weapon into a package that kills by delivering a powerful blow packed with a heavy dose of shock and, at times, tissue damage.

Small game comes in many shapes and sizes, as do the points we use to hunt them. In this article we’ll cover the various small game heads available to the longbow and recurve shooter and describe their various strengths and weaknesses. You’ll also learn the subtle and not so subtle differences between heads, which should make choosing what you need much easier. Certain heads are better suited for particular situations and really, no single head can do it all. A few come close, but we feel it’s best to keep an open (and educated) mind as you consider the wide selection of options out there.

After kicking around the best way to present the different heads, we’ve decided to feature a selection of some of the most popular small game heads and discuss them individually. This way you’ll be able to get a good feel for different styles of small game blunts available.

The Hammer™ Small Game Blunt

Nail’em with the Hammer! Offered in a Screw-in Hammer and a Glue-on Hammer, they are devastating on all small game and sure to be your new favorite stump shooting blunt. The fluted design with scalped cutting edges grab into small game and keep the arrow from becoming stuck in trees or under grass. The recessed ballistic point delivers killing shock to all sized small game. Made from hardened steel to take hard hits and keep shooting. Offered in point weights of 100 up to 250 grains.

The Hammer™ Blunt features Scalped edges and recessed ballistic point for a powerful shock and hemorrhage option.

Zwickey Judo

Jack Zwickey and his dad Cliff designed the amazing Judo. It took real ‘out of the box’ thinking to envision such an amazing arrowhead. They truly are perfect for realistic bowhunting practice. You can shoot into stumps, trees, cut-banks, and even open fields without fear of losing your arrows. The small spring arms that encircle the head prevent deep penetration in the stumps and ground and they grab tall grass and flip your arrows up so you can find them in grassy fields. Judos are the ultimate stump shooting head. Zwickey even calls it, The Unloseable Point. You’d be hard pressed to find a longbow or recurve toting traditional bowhunter who doesn’t have a Judo or two in his or her quiver. For that very reason they are often called to perform as small game heads and have many small game species to their credit. Zwickey Judos are available in several sizes and in both screw-in Judo and glue-on Judo versions. Be sure to check out the Judo’s big brother, the Kondor Screw-in point. We do recommend that you have over 50 pounds of bow force if you intend to use them for small game.

The Zwickey Judo is known as “The Unloseable Point,” thanks to the small spring arms that encircle the head.

Snaro Bird Points

What an attention-getter! This is one popular head, probably because of the four loops of wire on a steel blunt. This head has advantages and disadvantages. They’re heavy (200-300 grains) and wind resistant so they slow down your arrow. This makes hitting moving game, especially at longer distances, more difficult. When you see the big loops you think, “Hey, I’ll still get my animal or bird even if I’m off a little.” But the truth of the matter is, if you miss, this head is not going to get you rabbits and squirrels. You need a lot of power behind this head to take advantage of the wire loops. If you don’t have the power, you may hit your target with the loops but you won’t have enough power to kill them. We think the best use of these is on birds, and then specifically when you’re aiming for the head. In that situation, a near miss will result in a bird in the hand more often than not. When the wires connect on the head or neck of a bird, they’re very effective. Snaro Bird Points come in three wingspans; 2″ (200 grains), 3″ (250 grains), and a 6″ (300 grains). Offered in screw-in only.

Snaro Bird Points are most effective against birds.

Bludgeon Small Game Blunt

Made of a hard hitting rubber-plastic. Great for stump shooting and small game hunting. The raised tips offer small game killing shock, yet enough to help prevent sliding under the grass. The Bludgeon blunt is 7/8″ wide at the tip and tapers back to 5/16″ at the base of the head. Offered in 125 grains screw-in only.

Hard Hitting Bludgeon Blunt

Flat-Nosed Steel Blunts

These points are still quite popular with bowhunters and they do a very good job at killing small game. The Flat nosed deals the shock and a small chamfer helps to prevent skipping. They are stamped with diameter and grain weight for easy identification. If they have any down side, it’d be that they’re small in diameter so they don’t pack as hard a hit as do the wider blunts and, when used on wood arrows, impacts on the sharp corner of the front flat will often break your arrow. The solution to that is easy though: don’t miss! But, of course, that’s easier said than done! Still, these heads are a great deal, they’ve been around forever, and they’re every bit as good today as they ever were. They’re available in both glue-on blunts and screw-in blunts, so they’ll appeal to any small game hunter.

Steel Blunts are a popular, effective, and affordable small game head.

3Rivers Bunny Buster

The Bunny Buster rubber blunt is so handy it deserves to be included in every bow hunter’s small game repertoire. The basic concept of a hard-hitting rubber blunt has been tested and battle-proven for over 50 years. This one, with its one-of-a-kind parallel-to-tapered internal slot, can be slipped over tapered or non-tapered shafts or even over other points on wood, aluminum, or carbon arrows. There’s no tapering and no glue needed. Wood arrow users can give new life to an arrow that breaks off behind the head by pulling an extra Bunny Buster out of their pocket and slipping it over the broken end of the shaft for an instant small game or stump-shooting arrow. Make sure to always keep a couple handy.

The Bunny Buster offers more that just convenience; it packs a deadly knockout punch on small game, yet bounces off trees and stumps making it an excellent roving or stump shooting arrow as well. This is a distinct advantage over solid steel blunts. Glancing blows with steel blunts often break wooden arrows, the Bunny Busters bounce and reduce the risk of breaking arrows. Rubber blunts like the Bunny Buster have been successfully used on all sorts of small game, including; snowshoe hare, jackrabbits, grouse, pheasant, squirrel, and more. These blunts deliver a tremendous amount of shock to their target with minimal tissue damage. Whether you use the Bunny Buster as your first choice for small game hunting, or as a secondary head for arrow repair, you’ll be pleased with their power and performance.
Bunny Busters are available in sizes to match most arrows on the market and weigh approximately 120 grains.

A versatile small game head, the 3Rivers Bunny Buster, is great for hunting or stump shooting.

3Rivers Tiger Claw Blunt

One of our most popular small game heads is the Tiger Claw Blunt. The Tiger Claw Blunt has a reputation for putting small game down for good. They’ve proven themselves time and time again as hard-hitting, quick-killing heads. They utilize a flat faced leading edge that transfers the shock to the animal followed by a sharp edged “Claw” that tears its way through soft tissue causing many small game animals to drop on the spot. The 3Rivers Tiger Claw is very effective on all small game. Available in a 145 grain glue-on version only.

The Tiger Claw Blunt is a quick-killing small game head.

The Head Saver

Designed for the wood arrow stump shooter. The Head Saver keeps your field point or blunt connected to the arrow after the wood shaft has broken behind the point. Works great for stump shooting and small game hunting. Great money saver!

The Head Saver is a ‘life saver’ for glue-on points

Field Points

We’ve included the field point because some folks just don’t know any better. In a word, DON’T. Don’t use field points for small game hunting. They don’t kill quickly and it’s not fair to the animal.

Broadheads

Broadheads are not intended for small game hunting, but sometimes they are used. Most of the time it’s a big game arrow used to shoot a small game animal when the bowhunter didn’t bring any small game arrows with him. We don’t really recommend broadheads for small game, but we have seen excellent results on game birds like grouse and pheasant. The risk of shooting clear through your animal is high and if using dogs, broadheads are strictly prohibited. Still, sometimes bowhunters will choose to use broadheads. Recommend you take a look at Zwickey Scorpio Broadhead Stoppers as they help limit penetration of broadheads. Good for turkey hunting too!

Like the birds and animals they were designed for, Bunts and Small Game Points are available in many shapes and sizes. From simple flat-faced steel blunt to exotic Snaro Bird Points and everything in between, there’s a head for every use and every bowhunter.

Keep Hunting
Dale Karch & Todd Smith

For more information contact:

3Rivers Archery
PO Box 517
Ashley IN 46705

260-587-9501

[email protected] or check us out on-line at 3RiversArchery.com

By: Dale Karch and Todd Smith

See Our Gloves & Tabs

Even though there are nearly as many gloves and tabs available to the traditional archer as there are stars in the night sky, you don’t have to be an astronomer to pick out the right one. But you do want to be informed and educated so you get just the right fit for your style and preferences.

When you see someone shooting a longbow and recurve, 99% will be shooting with a glove or tab. It’s no wonder there are so many choices of quality finger protection. But which one is best? The answer is simple: both! Like the age-old “Ford vs. Chevy” debate, there are two schools of thought in traditional circles. “Gloves vs. Tabs.”

We’d never be able to end that debate in this column, and fortunately there’s no need to. Some folks go for the Chevy, and some the Ford, some for gloves, some for tabs. Neither is better than the other, only different. No two archers are exactly alike, so gloves and tabs are available in an almost endless supply of unique designs and varied materials.

We have found, however, that a high percentage of traditional bowhunters use gloves, while most target archers, like serious 3-D, FITA, and Olympic shooters, prefer tabs. Bowhunters do sometimes use tabs though. Dale is one of them. He prefers shooting a tab for everything, and anyone who’s seen him shoot knows he can shoot well in any situation.

Dale Karch shooting with his favorite Cordovan tab.

When shopping for just the right glove or tab for you, pick out a couple that appeal to you and test-drive them. See what feels best and shoots best for you. We also suggest you pick up another one as a spare and that you break them both in by shooting them for a couple of weeks. There’s nothing worse than having your glove or tab all broken in and then losing it when you don’t have a back up. It always seems to happen at the worst time like during a big hunt or just before an important shoot. Having a “ready to shoot spare” is a wise strategy.

When it comes to shooting gloves there are plenty of choices. You’ll see; full palm Damascus, “open end” and “closed end”, nylon tipped, Cordovan tipped and specialty types like the Mesh glove. The choices are many!

Most beginners start with the standard “open-end” or “closed-end” gloves, like the ones from the Wyandotte Leather Company. They’re straightforward, simple affairs, single leather thickness with adjustable wrist straps. They work. They protect your fingers like they’re supposed to, and they’re affordable.

Full palm gloves, most often called a “Damascus” glove come in quite a few popular configurations. The official Damascus glove is one of our top sellers. It’s form fitting, comfortable, and allows a good feel of the string. The Berlin Glove Company has it’s own version of the full-palm glove. It’s supple deerskin with reinforced fingertips. A little thicker than the regular Damascus glove, it offers a bit more finger protection. For that reason it has become a top seller.

Ed at Alaska Bowhunting Supply is always thinking. He took the basic Berlin Glove and improved it by creating the Super Glove. It is a Berlin style glove with Cordovan leather on the face of the fingers rather than a second layer of deerskin, is designed for those shooting medium to heavier bows. Cordovan leather enjoys a reputation of being the best leather anywhere for slick, smooth releases.

James at American Leathers is another of those folks who thinks outside the box. His Big Shot glove with its nylon-faced finger stalls have created quite a stir within traditional circles. The nylon he uses is durable, slick and greatly reduces the amount of friction between glove and bowstring resulting in faster arrow speeds and cleaner releases for most archers. It’s one of those ideas that make so much sense you wonder why it took so long for someone to think of it. His “Big Shot” gloves are available in your choice of top grain elk hide or premium buffalo hide. They’re about as good as it gets in shooting gloves.

What about archery tabs? If you’ve been around bows and arrows long enough, you’ll remember when everyone who was anyone was shooting the good old “can’t pinch” style tabs. If longevity is a measure of success, the “can’t pinch” tab may be the most successful form of finger protection of all time. We still sell literally thousands of them every year. They’re available in both smooth leather, and clipped calf hair.

Clipped calf hair tabs are slick and very affordable.

If you’re new to the “can’t pinch” concept, you may be wondering why they call them a “can’t pinch?” There’s a rubber spacer attached to the tab that’s positioned between the index finger and the next two fingers. This pad allows just enough friction between your fingers and the arrow nock for you to hold it, but it also keeps you from pinching the nock during your draw and release. It’s an excellent shooting aid and helps eliminate much of the archer’s error as far as a clean shot sequence goes. These are the workhorses of the tab world. Wyandotte Leather offers excellent examples of the standard “can’t pinch” tabs. They’re very reasonably priced, they function well, and they’re readily available.

Very well-made and quite well known, the Black Widow tab evolved from the respected Wilson Brothers tabs of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Black Widow tabs are available in either leather or calf hair in regular split-finger or even a 3-fingers under style. These tabs enjoy a loyal target archery following and there are quite a few bowhunters switching to them now as well. They offer an adjustable Velcro finger strap for a custom fit and have unique leather spacer pads included in the design. We highly recommend these tabs for bowhunters and target archers alike.

Top shooters have used Black Widow tabs for years.

Cordovan leather has long been recognized as the most slick, most durable, and most desirable leather for gloves and tabs available anywhere. Tabs made from cordovan leather are available in a split-finger, “can’t pinch” style as well as a 3-fingers under version. Dale has been shooting one of the regular split finger models for about three years now. He switched to these because, as he puts it, “They don’t wear out.” It’s hard to beat cordovan leather for gloves or tabs, not only does it give you great releases, it lasts for years. The EW Bateman Cordovan tabs utilize an elastic band for keeping them where you want them and a “can’t pinch” spacer for even finger pressure on your nocks. Tough and long lasting, Cordovan tabs are becoming the tab of choice for those bowhunters who prefer tabs.

This Cordovan tab is the favorite of Dale Karch.

There’s one in every crowd! They’re called “SAM” tabs or “Super Archery Mitts”. They’re not really a true tab or a glove. SAM tabs are more like a tab than a glove, but your fingers slide through the fingerstalls, allowing them to wrap completely around your fingers. Then, at the shot, they travel with your fingers much like the finger stalls on a glove. They’ve been proven to increase arrow speed and they’re quite comfortable. This has made them very popular with traditional bowhunters. They can even be slipped over thin hunting gloves when out in the field for double protection. Super Archery Mitts are especially popular with bowhunters and the 3-D crowd.

The SAM tab is a hybrid cross.

So which is it? Ford or Chevy? Glove or tab? Regardless of your personal choice, they’re all good. The journey to find the perfect glove or tab is actually quite enjoyable. There’s the test-driving part, and lots of it. That means lots of arrows are flying and after all, that’s the best part of shooting bows isn’t it? If you’ve been stuck with one style for a long time, do yourself a favor; try some of the new ones. You never know when changing something as small as your glove or tab might improve your shooting.

Good Luck and straight shooting!

Keep Hunting
Dale Karch & Todd Smith

For more information contact:

3Rivers Archery
PO Box 517
Ashley IN 46705

1-866-587-9501

[email protected]
or check us out on-line at 3RiversArchery.com

A Place Your Arrows Can Call Home

It’s a simple fact… carrying extra arrows is a necessary element of archery. And the most convenient way to carry those extra arrows is in a quiver.

However, quivers come in as many styles, designs, and categories as bows and arrows do. Bow quivers, hip quivers, back quivers, catquivers, side quivers, and more. For the record, it is our opinion that no one has yet invented the “perfect quiver.” The challenge for any archer is selecting a quiver he can get along with.

For now, let’s focus on bow quivers. Specifically, bow quivers for traditional archers. We’ll discuss the benefits of bow quivers as well as describe the models we recommend.

Fred Bear, founder of Bear Archery, held the first patents on the bow quiver. The first one was a crude hand-held affair that never really caught on. But his unrelenting persistence drove him to continually improve the idea until it was a viable product. He then pioneered its use and through his never-ending marketing and promotion, he almost single handedly caused bow quivers to become the standard quiver of nearly every bowhunter in the country. Good thing he did too. The bow quiver has evolved into the best quiver designed so far for carrying your extra arrows. We owe a debt of gratitude to Fred Bear, for more than just bow quivers. What an incredible bowhunter, inventor, and businessman.

Why use a bow quiver? Longbows and recurve bows are graceful, even beautiful works of art. They’re light and responsive in the hand, and wonderfully balanced. Why then, would anyone want to change all that by attaching a bow quiver full of arrows to their bow? The best answer to that question may very well be, “Why not?”

Everyone appreciates convenience and bowhunters are no exception. With a bow quiver, when you grab your bow your arrows are there. In effect, the bow and the arrows become a single unit, providing you with everything you need to get into the field and hunt. A second arrow can be removed from a bow quiver very quickly, and arrows can be put back into a bow quiver very easily too.

Another convenient feature is easily detachable. Many archers prefer to actually take the quiver off of the bow once they are up in their tree stand. In addition, they prefer a bow quiver that can be removed without un-stringing the bow. Many of today’s bow quivers offer this feature. Bow quivers as a rule are fairly lightweight too. Even though they add weight to the bow, it’s not excessive. In some cases adding a bow quiver to the bow can even improve the shot experience by dampening vibration.

Arrow capacity is always an issue with bow quivers. How many arrows should the quiver hold? We carry quivers that hold anywhere from three to seven arrows at a time. We’ve found that many archers prefer the five arrow model.

The Selway Longbow Slide-On Quiver. A great five-arrow bow quiver.

If memory serves, it was 1988 when Gordy Mickens, owner of Selway Archery, introduced the “Stick Quiver”. They were a slide-on quiver that revolutionized bow quivers for traditional archers. The new quiver came in two parts. A hood section that slid down the top limb and a gripper section that slid up the bottom limb. The attachment “arms” were strong rubber that gripped the limb, keeping the quiver parts in place. The hood was tough hand stitched rawhide-leather that offered excellent broadhead protection and had a “natural” look that has always been popular in traditional circles. The bottom rubber gripper piece did a great job holding the arrows securely. The “Stick Quiver” was an instant success and now 17 years later, it remains one of the top selling bow quivers of all time. Of course through the years additional models were developed to fill specific needs. There are now side-mount quivers, bolt-on recurve quivers, and the most exciting development since the first “Stick-Quivers” were introduced, the Detachable Stick Quiver. The detachable quivers have the same look as the original series but utilize a threaded “cap” that screws over a split bracket holding the bracket in place. To remove the quiver, you simply un-screw the cap, spread the bracket “arms” apart and pull them off the bow. It’s a very simple and effective system. To answer the need for less expensive versions of their quivers, Selway developed the Soft-Kote line. The “Soft-Kote” hood is a soft, yet strong rubber, retaining attractiveness and durability.

The Selway Soft-Kote line offers an economical bow quiver with quality construction.

Not too long after the “Stick Quiver” hit the market, Jerry Brumm, and Rick Shepard, owners of the Great Northern Bowhunting Company, introduced an ingenious bow quiver that took the traditional market by storm. The Great Northern Longbow Quiver offered a beautiful hand stitched leather hood, a heavy-duty wire support (with a lifetime guarantee), a quality rubber arrow gripper, and a rubber strap attachment system that was easy to use yet held the quiver to the bow like a vice. The rubber straps allowed the quivers to be used on bows of all sizes resulting in a truly “universal” quiver. In fact, we remember one of their first ads that listed dozens of bows their quivers would fit. They too have come a long way from their first quiver and now have many models to choose from. Their adjustable model is so well designed that it will fit nearly any longbow or recurve ever made. Just try to find a bow it won’t fit. (We don’t think it can be done.) They also offer a screw-in model for bows with side bushings and a Quick-Mount model for three-piece take down longbows and recurve bows that use the standard limb bolt attachment system. All of their quivers allow easy attachment and easy removal, which is a great benefit to traditional bowhunters. When deciding which bow quiver is best for you, give the Great Northern Bowhunting Co. serious consideration. Their quivers are superbly designed, and very popular with traditional archers everywhere.

Some argue that the Great Northern Adjustable Bow Quiver is the best, most universal quiver on the market today.

Another popular entry in the traditional bow quiver market is Thunderhorn. Thunderhorn offers quality bow quivers with interesting innovations.

Thunderhorn’s hood and gripper sections have a look similar to Selway quivers, but differ dramatically in attachment design. Their “Boa” utilizes a simple rubber strap attachment system, similar but shorter, than that of the Great Northern. Their Two-Point is designed for use on three piece take down bows. The attachment brackets are placed under the limb bolts and left on the bow. The quiver components can then be removed or re-installed on the bow without disassembling the bow. By eliminating the use of leather on these two models, Thunderhorn has been able to keep them very reasonably priced as well.

The Thunderhorn Boa Bow Quiver allows you to keep your bow strung during installation and removal.

No discussion about bow quivers would be complete without mentioning the Kwikee Kwiver. They have been selling bow quivers for decades. One of the original models, the Kwikee Clamp-On Kwiver still retails for just a little over $15.00! They also have a compact Kwik-3 (holds three arrows) and the respected standard Kwikee Kompound Kwiver (holds six arrows). Both of these quivers snap into a receiving piece that is mounted to the sight bushings of the bow, whether it’s a recurve, longbow, or compound. Sight mount bushing kits are available and can be installed on most recurves and longbows if desired.

The Kwikee Kwiver not only holds up to six arrows, but also includes an ultra lock bracket system to eliminate any quiver noise.

Traditional archers have many types of quivers to choose from, but the vast majority of them end up with bow quivers. Bow quivers are compact, easy to use, and keep your arrows with your bow at all times. They are popular with all bowhunters and may very well be the best all-round method for carrying your extra arrows.

Keep Hunting
Dale Karch & Todd Smith

For more information contact:

3Rivers Archery
PO Box 517
Ashley IN 46705

1-260-587-9501

[email protected]
or check us out on-line at 3RiversArchery.com