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Welcome to the 3Rivers Archer's Den

Archer's Den

Welcome to the Archer's Den. Here you will find a gathering of traditional archery stories, tips and techniques, trophy animals taken with traditional bows, and plenty more. Stay a while and learn something. We hope you enjoy and even submit a trophy of your own, or leave a comment on a post.

Tag Archives: archery

Reviewing the Martin Independence Recurve

2326XI recently had the opportunity to pick-up the new Martin Independence Recurve. Speaking with the Martin representative over the phone, he told me that the Independence Recurve’s light weight, small size, and stabilizer bushing made it perfect for bowfishing. I was intrigued, and being that bowfishing season will quickly be upon us, I decided to open one up and share my findings. That being said, this is very much an opinion piece and is far from comprehensive. If you have something you’d like to add, or if you feel I missed something please leave a comment and let me know.

The sight bushing blends right in, you might miss it if you weren't looking for it
The sight bushing blends right in, you might miss it if you weren’t looking for it

My first thought when pulling the Martin Independence Recurve out of its box was, “Wow, this thing really is small.” However, that’s to be expected from a bow with a 52” AMO. I was happy to see the stabilizer bushing looked clean – like it was born there. I did notice that there are no sight bushings, I expected this, but it does mean that if you want to use side mounted reels, such as the extreamly popular AMS Retriever® Pro Bowfishing Reel or the AMS Retriever® TNT reel, you’d either have to install sight bushings or buy the AMS Bowfishing Traditional Mount Adapter. If I were going to use it strictly as a bowfishing rig I’d likely install sight bushings, but the AMS adapter works great if you want to just try out a side mounted bowfishing reel without having to drill holes in your bow.

Big-Shot Elk Archery Shooting Glove
Big-Shot Elk Archery Shooting Glove
Vintage Leather Stiff Back Armguard
Vintage Leather Stiff Back Armguard

Before going any further, I’m going to tell you a little about me (so you have a baseline of where I’m coming from). I’m a bigger guy, 6’ 2” and 225 pounds. I shoot with either an X-large Big-Shot Elk Archery Shooting Glove or a large Safari Tuff 3-Under Finger Tab. Don’t ask me when I shoot with which one, because I really do enjoy shooting with both – just depends on how I feel that day if I’m going to shoot with a tab or glove. Also, because I’m a bigger guy, I have a long 31” draw, which means I have long forearms, so I use the 8 ½” Vintage Leather Stiff Back Armguard. I’m right eye dominant and a right handed shooter. I shoot 3-under, string walk when I’m shooting with a tab, and shoot purely instinctive with a glove.

Martin Independence Recurve next to a Predator™ Takedown Recurve
The Martin Independence Recurve next to a Predator™ Takedown Recurve for comparison.
Independence next to a Tomahawk Bows® SS Longbow
I wanted to show you that the Martin Independence Recurve’s handle is even smaller than some longbow handles. This is the Independence next to a Tomahawk Bows® SS Longbow for comparison.

Moving on, the handle on this bow is tiny. I mean it’s very small; smaller than some longbow handles. That said, my hand does fit comfortably, but I could see my pinky either getting squeezed after a while of shooting or opting to shoot using an open grip. Someone with smaller hands would probably not have this problem. However, most bowfishing is done very quickly – there’s a lot going on and a lot of moving parts, which means the smaller handle probably won’t bother you even if you do have big hands.

Holding this bow it occurs to me that it is light as a feather. I weighed it and it comes in at a little more than a pound and a half. I could hold this thing for a while without worrying about fatigue, which means I could likely be out on the water with this bow all day.

Damon Howatt logo
This image shows what I was talking about when I said the bow is not “stamped” with the standard Damon Howatt logo, instead it looks like it was drawn on by hand.

While inspecting the limbs I noticed that the bow is not “stamped” with the standard Damon Howatt logo, instead it looks like it was drawn on by hand. This kind of gives it a nice custom vibe – they might not all come this way, but the one I’m playing with did and I like it.

Martin Independence Bow Fishing Recurve
I really like the look of the Martin Independence Bow Fishing Recurve

I really like the cornucopia of colors featured in the riser of this bow, they make it stand out and it makes the bow feel more like a custom bow than a mass produced bow. That said, colors are really a taste thing, and the laminated look might not be for you.

Included bow stringer
Included bow stringer
Included Bowstring
Included Bowstring
Included strike plate and arrow rest
Included strike plate and arrow rest

Included in the box are instructions, a bow string, an arrow rest, a strike plate, and a bow stringer. There’s nothing wrong with the included strike plate and arrow rest, but I’d certainly put something on it that is more my taste – something a bit less generic.

Leather Arrow Rest
Leather Arrow Rest
1959 Leather Strike Plate
1959 Leather Strike Plate

Personally, I shoot the Leather Arrow Rest and the 1959 Leather Strike Plate because they are super quiet, smooth, and I like the way they look because, let’s face it, that’s important too.

I'd probably upgrade to a Fast Flight Plus™ Flemish Twist Bow String if I were going to shoot the bow for any substantial amount of time
I’d probably upgrade to a Fast Flight Plus™ Flemish Twist Bow String if I were going to shoot the bow for any substantial amount of time

The string could benefit from an upgrade. I don’t care for the included 14 strand Dacron bowstring and would probably upgrade to a Fast Flight Plus™ Flemish Twist Bow String if I were going to use it as my personal bow. I don’t care for the Dacron because it seems to give the bow a very low brace height and is a bit more “twangy” when shot.

Personally, I use the Limbsaver Recurve Bow Stringer, it's probably one of the best stringers I've used.
Personally, I use the Limbsaver Recurve Bow Stringer, it’s probably one of the best stringers I’ve used.

The included bow stringer is adequate, but there are better ones out there (I use the Limbsaver). It’s pretty much what I’d expect from a free stringer. It was, however, a little bit snug to fit the bottom tip into, but I’m sure that would change with use.

Sorry for the poor image quality, but this shows you what the "out-of-the-box" brace height was.
Sorry for the poor image quality, but this shows you what the “out-of-the-box” brace height was.

Upon stringing the bow I wasn’t surprised to find that the brace height immediately feels very low (like I said, that can happen with a Dacron string right out of the box), so the string will need to be twisted quite a bit. Out of the box the brace height is 5-1/2” and the manufacturer recommended brace height is between 6-3/4” and 7-3/4”. This just reaffirms that if I were to get the bow for personal use I’d put on a Fast Flight Plus ™ string.

Martin Independence Recurve Bowfishing bow tip
Martin Independence Recurve Bowfishing bow tip
Alternate view of the Martin Independence Recurve Bowfishing bow tip
Alternate view of the Martin Independence Recurve Bowfishing bow tip

The bow is certainly snappy when shot; it’s a very quick little bow. It’s really easy to get on target quickly, the sight window is just right. That’s important when bow fishing, you don’t want to struggle to get on target. The string has a lot of twang to it, but it quiets down quick. If I were going to use this as my personal bow I’d probably put on felt pads, which would likely fix it right up, but if it didn’t I’m certain that some string silencers would do the trick.

There is quite a bit of stacking, it’s very noticeable. That’s probably because I have a longer draw, but it’s uncomfortable for me to get the bow to anchor. I’m finding myself unconsciously bending my left elbow to reverse the stacking affect. I expect some stacking from bowfishing bows (because they are generally smaller bows), but it would keep me from using the bow for anything other than bowfishing.

I decided to try on a couple of different reels with the bow; one for the seasoned bowfisher and one for the not-so-seasoned bowfisher.

The RPM Vise Bowfishing Reel Seat, RPM Synery TI-20 Bowfishing Reel, and RPM Breakout Power Rod on the Martin Independence.
The RPM Vise Bowfishing Reel Seat, RPM Synery TI-20 Bowfishing Reel, and RPM Breakout Power Rod on the Martin Independence.

The first setup I tried was what I called the RPM rig, which consisted of an RPM Vise Bowfishing Reel Seat, RPM Synery TI-20 Bowfishing Reel, and RPM Breakout Power Rod.

It took a little adjusting to get it set correctly on the bow (and by little I mean very, very little), but it’s certainly nothing an adjustable wrench couldn’t make short work of. The first thing I notice about this rig is the weight. The RPM equipment alone weighs nearly 2 pounds, which is more than the bow. However, it feels SOLID and well-made. This rig would be good for quick shots (most bowfishing shots are quick shots), but would wear on you quickly. If your left arm (or right arm if you’re a left handed shooter) isn’t used to holding the weight I could see stamina becoming a real issue with this setup.

The bow is well made, so it can take a little abuse – let’s be honest, if you’re bowfishing with friends on a small boat going after big Carp your bow is probably going to take a couple of hits. The reel is ready to use out of the box, which is nice. It comes pre-spooled with 125 feet of 200 pound Monkey Wire, an abrasion resistant string made from the same material that goes into creating bulletproof vests.

This rig would be PERFECT for quick shots on big fish in small boats.

The Cajun Screw-On Bowfishing Reel on the Martin Independence Recurve
The Cajun Screw-On Bowfishing Reel on the Martin Independence Recurve
The Cajun Screw-On Bowfishing Reel on the Martin Independence Recurve
The Cajun Screw-On Bowfishing Reel on the Martin Independence Recurve

The second setup I tried consisted of the Cajun Screw-On Bowfishing Reel and nothing else.

My first thought in looking at the Cajun was, “is this thing going to get in the way?” And the answer was a resounding, “Nope.” It’s much cheaper than the RPM rig, coming in at $24.99 plus shipping compared to more than a $100 for all three pieces of RPM gear.

The next thing I noticed about the Cajun was the weight – or the lack thereof. I weighed it and it came to roughly 6 ounces, which makes the whole bow weigh a little less than 2 pounds (which is less than the RPM rig by itself). However, there is a trade off, it looks and feels much cheaper than the RPM rig. This probably has something to do with the fact that it’s plastic instead of titanium.

Bottom line: if you’re a bowfisher with a standard draw length and you love (NEED) quality this is the bowfishing recurve for you. If you’re looking for a small, accurate, quality bow (one that you know isn’t going to blow-up on you) that gets on target quick and doesn’t look like every other run of the mill bow, then look no further than the Martin Independence Recurve.

If you’re after the big fish and you’re addicted the having the highest quality, best gear then you want the Martin Independence with the RPM rig.

If already you know you know you want the Martin Independence Recurve, but maybe you’re on the fence about bowfishing (or on a budget) then the Cajun is the rig for you.

Kingfisher™ Bowfishing Recurve Bow Kit
Kingfisher™ Bowfishing Recurve Bow Kit
3Rivers Recurve Bowfishing Kit
3Rivers Recurve Bowfishing  Kit

Finally, 3Rivers Archery offers a couple of pre-setup bowfishing bows (all they need is the fish), which might be the best option for the budget conscious (or just plain curious) bowfisher. The Kingfisher™ Bowfishing Recurve Bow Kit and the 3Rivers Recurve Bowfishing Kit, both are good bows at a reasonable price.

Archery, Getting Started

Are you thinking about trying archery, but you’re still not quite sure where to start? Olympic silver medalist Jake Kaminski is here to help.

In this useful video, Kaminski covers what the different parts of the bow are called, basic bow set-up, eye dominance, proper bow size, draw length, arrow selection, form, grip, release, and aiming.

Although this is not the end-all-be-all guide, it’s a good place for new shooters to start.

If you’d like to learn more about accessories, the difference between wood, aluminum, carbon, and fiberglass arrows; general arrow selection, or how to string and unstring a bow, visit our website for additional resources.

Fred Bear and the History of Modern Archery

By Jason D. Mills

Fred Bear bowfishing

Today is March 5, which also happens to be Fred Bear’s birthday.

Born in Waynesboro, Penn. on March 5, 1902, Bear was an American author, video host, bow maker, and traditional bow hunter. Bear left his home, a small farm, when he was only 21 years old to pursue opportunities in Detroit’s growing auto industry.

Although Bear grew up in a hunting family, he did not start bow hunting until 1929. In fact, Bear said that after hunting with a rifle he was not all that interested in the sport – as there was not enough challenge in it.

“I grew up a gun hunter, my dad was a hunter,” Bear explained in a 1985 interview with Mike Avery. “I shot a deer in 1933 up in the Upper Peninsula [in Michigan] that dressed 285 pounds, the biggest deer I ever saw. And it was so easy. That opening morning I walked up the draw and there he was looking at me and I was looking at him and I shot him and went down and that’s when the work began. So, I thought this [traditional bow hunting] would be a little bit better.”

Bear first had his interest in traditional archery piqued in 1927, when he visited the Adams Theatre in Detroit, where he watched “Alaskan Adventure,” a film featuring a Californian bowhunter named Arthur Young. In that same year, 1927, Bear met Young and he soon began craft his own bows, arrows, and bow strings under the tutelage of Young himself. If Bear had never watched Young’s film or if he had not met Young it could easily be said that archery, as it is known today, would have never existed.

However, Bear did not begin hunting with a bow until 1929, when he ventured into the woods with a bow carved from an $8 Osage orange stave. It took Bear six years before he finally connected with his first whitetail deer with a bow.

Bear Products Company, which made advertising materials for the automotive industry, was founded in 1933 by Fred Bear and Charles Piper after the plant where the men were working burnt down. The business was started with a $600 loan from Piper’s mother and used $600 in Bear’s personal equipment to function.

“I was running a plant for a fellow in Detroit, during the depression, terrible depress of ’29-33 and [the plant owner] wasn’t doing so well and the place caught fire, the insurance company owned it and I was out of a job,” Bear explained. “So, he had a nephew in there, been there about a year. Fresh out of Dartmouth, who came in with the selling capacity and he made friends with Chrysler. We were doing automotive work, in the beginning no one could live off the archery thing. We were making advertising materials, the same business where I was running the plant. So, I got ahold of him and I said, ‘Chuck, you can get the orders for this stuff and I know how to make it, why don’t we form a partnership and get back in business.’ And that was in ’33. Well, he didn’t have any money, and I didn’t either, really; we took inventory of the equipment I had in my basement and it came to $600, and he borrowed $600 from his mother and that was the beginning of this whole thing.”

It was only during his off hours that Bear crafted archery equipment, usually only for his circle of friends. However, the demand for Bear’s products steadily grew and in 1937 he patented his first bow glove and hired Nels Grumley, a master bowyer, to begin making bows under the name “Bear Products by Grumley” fulltime.

In 1939 the side business of archery demanded so much of Bear’s time, he decided to devote himself to it; and in 1940 Bear Products split into two companies, where Piper retained control of the automotive business and Bear retained the archery business. This is when the Bear Archery Company was officially born.

This was no accident, and Bear’s business didn’t grow organically. Bear tenaciously promoted the sport of archery.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF6PEw5_yRI

“I had to not only make a product, but create a market for it,” he said. “So, I got into the promotional business and I soon found that the newspapers weren’t interested in the scores of the tournament, but if you could run down there with a deer or a bear you shot with a bow, you might make the front page.”

Further, Bear’s clout as a target archery champion helped him champion Michigan’s first bowhunting season in 1937, which prompted many other states to do the same. This, likely, was no small part to Bears success in the archery business.

“In 1937, four years later, we had our first archery season with 193 hunters; 193 bow hunting licenses were sold,” he said. “And it got to a point where I could some days; maybe eat three meals a day. And then I kept on promoting and as the business grew we did better and I found myself in the position where I could go hunting anyplace in the world, I could, you know, take some pictures, write a story, or make a film and I could expense it out tax wise and I could pay myself for doing it. Well, I’ve been doing that for 30-something years now and having a ball. So, I’ve shot a lot of animals and had a great time. I’m still having a great time.”

Fred Bear 50th Anniversary Takedown Recurve Bows

Shortly thereafter, in 1942, Bear produced his first hunting movie as a move to further promote the sport of archery. The next year Bear began experimenting with what would later become his favorite and most popular bow model – the take-down.

“On a trip I made to Alaska with a conventional longbow that I had to check as baggage along with my other gear; I took a flight nonstop, Chicago to Anchorage, and I got off the plane, but my archery equipment didn’t,” Bear said. “The stop in Anchorage was for fuel, and my hunt was a fly-in hunt and I’m being left handed, there were no other left handers in the party and I found those moose pretty hard to kill with rocks. So, I determined that I would make a bow that could be taken apart and put in a small enough case to go under my seat in the airplane.”

It took Bear years of trial and error before finally perfecting the design to his takedown bow in 1970, but his efforts were not in vain. It is not only a bow style that is still sold today, but Bear said “this is the bow that is the ultimate … this is my personal hunting bow. I’ve been hunting with this bow since 1965; I still shoot this bow.”

Four years later, in 1946, Bear patented the first bow quiver and the next year he moved the Bear Archery company from Detroit to Grayling, MI.

However, this growth did not sit well with Grumley, the bowyer Bear hired in 1937. Grumley knew that this move would mean mass producing bows by machines instead of individually crafting every bow by hand and, despite Bear’s attempt at retaining him, Grumley left Bear in 1948. After Grumley’s departure, Bear began using the famous “Running Bear” decal.

The next year, in 1949, Bear began mass producing the Polar, Grizzly, and Kodiak bows. It was also in 1949 that Bear championed the use of fiberglass in bows.

“A salesman for Corning Glass Company … dropped in – he was an archer, bowhunter – dropped into our shop in the very early ‘40s,” Bear explained. “And he had a piece of fiberglass cloth and I had never seen or heard of it and I was very surprised that glass would be flexible like it was … but I had not any great interest in it until he mentioned that it was elastic. He said that it was elastic and very strong and it would stretch or compress and unlike any other material it would always return to its original position until it was overstressed and then it would break. Well, that interested me because if it’s elastic maybe it’s a material we needed for the back of our bows.”

At the same time, Bear was doing some work with Chrysler and he knew their head chemist. Bear knew that Chrysler had developed a glue for bonding rubber to metal, which was called cycle-weld cement. So, Bear took the fiberglass cloth to the chemist at Chrysler and asked if he would put three or four layers of it on the back and belly of one of his bows with the cycle-weld cement. He found that the fiberglass, currently in a crisscross pattern, worked great on the back of the bow, but did not work well on the belly. This prompted Bear to begin manufacturing bows with fiberglass laminated backs and aluminum bellies. Interestingly, the aluminum was scrapped from B-17 bomber airplanes of WWII.

However, Bear found that the aluminum caused too much handshock when shot and there were also a large number of bows returned because of delaminating, which was caused by the large amount of shock. This warranty problem caused a substantial strain on the company’s finances; nonetheless, Bear insisted that all bows be replaced if returned broken.

This prompted Bear to begin developing a unidirectional fiberglass and, in 1951, the aluminum belly bows were discontinued entirely.

Two years later, in 1953, Bear patented the working recurve limb, which is the design that almost all modern recurves use today. The next year Bear began marketing their new fiberglass working recurve – the Kodiak II (see all Kodiak models still in production). Then, in 1965, Bear began marketing his, now famous, Bear Razorhead broadhead for the first time.

Despite his successes, Bear sold his company to Victor Comptometer in 1968 in an effort to grow the company even more. After the sale, Bear stayed on as President and remained active in the design and promotion of products, even after Kidde Corporation took over Victor Comptometer in 1977.

Shortly thereafter, in 1978, a strike at the Grayling plant forced the new owners to move operations to Gainesville, Fla., where the company remains today.

Notwithstanding the turbulence, Bear was an active part of his company until his death on April 27, 1988, at the age of 86.

Beginner’s Guide to Building a Hickory Longbow

Beginner’s guide to building a hickory longbow
Beginner’s guide to building a hickory longbow

There is something enchanting about the idea of crafting something from scratch with one’s own hands – looking at a piece of dead wood and seeing something more and then breathing life into it again in the shape of a bow.

Hundreds of thousands of people have made their own bow from wood, and they all started somewhere. Whether you’re looking for a deeper connection to the sport of archery, trying to find your roots in hunting or you’re looking for your next challenge in woodworking; today, you can start here.

This build-along shows you how to craft a laminated flat-board longbow.

For this build-along we will be aiming at constructing a 45# at 28” hickory longbow.

Pro-Tip: Don’t be upset if your bow ends up pulling #20 at 28” – it happens more than you’d think. Being a bowyer takes practice and patience.

What you’ll need

  1. One 1-1/2″x1”x72” piece of hickory
  2. Optional Osage riser blank
  3. Hickory backing
  4. Optional phenolic tip overlays
  5. Unibond Wood Glue
  6. Clamps
  7. Sandpaper (from 60 grit on up to 300)
  8. Farrier’s Rasp
  9. Draw knife
  10. Band saw (optional, and can be completed without it, but this will make your life a whole lot easier)
  11. A round file
  12. Epoxy
  13. Tillering stick (sometimes called a tillering tree)

For this build-along we’ll be making a hickory longbow; although you might be more interested in making a recurve bow, that’s not a great place for a beginner to start. Hickory is not the only bow wood you can use; in fact you will find countless videos and tutorials online showing you how to make a self-bow from red oak, a cheap, brittle wood that is easy to come by and easy to break. However, hickory is, perhaps, the best wood for a beginner to start with because it can handle compression and tension better than red oak. Further, hickory has very good performance and speed and it will be a little easier for a beginner to tiller because the wood is a little softer than red oak.

Pro-Tip: Hickory is also great because it can be backed by its own wood. You can take a 1/8” strip of lumber off with a table saw and flip it end for end and reverse it, then glue this piece back on and you are good to go.

There are no specific schematics or a plan to print, but I’ll try my best to provide as detailed instructions as possible. However,  you can learn more from our  books   and DVDs.

Making the Rough out Marks

Every piece of wood is different – for that reason, every bow is different, so there is no perfect guide or set of measurements, but hopefully these will help you along.

Find the middle of your bow stave (i.e. 36” would be the middle of a 72” bow).

Mark the middle. Center of the bow

Mark 6” on either side of the middle – this will eventually become your handle. 6 inch mark

Mark 1” on the limb side of your 6” marks – these lines indicate where you will start your taper. 1 inch mark

To mark the center of your bow, measure up 3/4″ from the edge of the bow and put another mark perpendicularly on your middle mark. Now, you should have a + in the middle of your bow. DSCN8953

Take a string that is longer than your bow and run it across your bow. Attach a weight on either end; you might find it easiest to use squeeze claps. String on bow

Move either end of the string on the tips of the bow until the string is resting as close to the middle of the ends of the bow as you possibly can, while ensuring the string is running straight through the center + of the bow. String center

Make a mark on either end of the bow directly under the string. Connect the marks on each tip, running through the center + on your bow.

At either tip of the bow, mark 1/4″ on both sides of your center mark. String end

Connect each mark to their corresponding 1” mark.

This should make a taper from your handle to the end of your bow.Shape

Next, starting from your 1” mark, draw a line to 3/8” above the tip of the bow (this will shape the belly of your bow). Back Belly

Let’s Get Cutting

  • Wear safety glasses while cutting
  • Never touch the blade while it is moving

Although a band saw is the best tool for the job, there are a number of hand tools that will also work such as your draw knife.

Remove the marked sections. Back Belly Shape

Pro-Tip: A bow building vise, c-clamps, work bench or stave press all start to come in handy at this point.

Congratulations, you have the belly and the sides roughed out.

Rounding Out the Rough Edges

Make a mark on the side of both tips 1/4″ above the back of the bow. Quarter inch mark

Draw a line connecting the points.

Using your rasp, round out the edge of the belly of your bow.

Pro-Tip: You may want to clamp down the bow, so you can use both hands during this process.

You will want to round the edges from the belly to the 1/4″ line that you drew earlier.

not shapedShaped

The goal is to make your bow go from the top image to the bottom image (looking down the bow).

OPTIONAL – Attaching the Riser

Although your hickory bow doesn’t necessarily need a riser, it can still be desirable to have. The riser (your handle) acts as a stop for each limb, which stops the flex from traveling through the middle of your bow. It is that travel, which will sometimes cause the phenomenon of a riser popping off of the bow. This is why there is a 1” buffer on either side of the riser and this is also why you add the riser before you start the tillering process. If you start the tiller before you add the riser the wood will “remember” flexing through the handle, which could cause your riser to pop off.

Feel free to play around with different kinds of wood for the riser (adding different colors and species of wood can really give your bow a custom, beautiful look). However for this build-along we’ll be using a 3/4″ x 1-1/2″ x 14″ Osage bow handle blank.

Make a mark indicating the middle of your bow on the side of your handle. DSCN8960

Make a mark on the side of your riser indicating the middle of the riser. DSCN8961

Align the two marks.

Glue your riser to the handle (on the belly side) of your bow.

Be sure to use plenty of wood glue (I recommend using EA-40 because it has more longevity than regular wood glue) – making sure to glue both surfaces, this will ensure you don’t have any dry surfaces.

Pro-Tip: You might want to put a piece of wax paper under your work area to avoid making a big mess.

Clamp the riser down with c-clamps.

Pro-Tip: Put a cloth or another piece of scrap wood between the back of your bow and the c-clamp to avoid scarring the wood.

Glue will ooze out everywhere, but that’s why we put wax paper down. This whole process can prove to be a little bit tricky, as the riser will try and move while you’re attempting to clamp it down. This will lead to a kind of twist-and-correct action on your part, but it’s not impossible.

Pro-Tip: This would be a great time for a second pair of hands.

After gluing on your riser, take the phenolic tip overlays (you also have the option of using wood of differing thicknesses, and using different species of wood to give your bow a nicer look) and epoxy them to the tips (making sure to apply epoxy to both surfaces) – on the back of your bow. DSCN8969

Pro-Tip: For  a  more  traditional look, you can always use horn nocks.

Just like the riser, clamp down the tips with c-clamps.

After you’ve glued and clamped everything down it’s time to walk away.

After you’ve waited for at least 24 hours, remove the clamps and prepare to remove the excess wood on the riser and at the tips of the bow.

Be sure to avoid cutting into the belly of the bow when cutting the riser

Mark roughly 2-1/2″ back on either end of your risertwo and a half inch mark

On the side of your riser, from the mark you just made draw a line in a crescent shape to the belly of the bow. crescent shape

Remove the marked section, blending the riser into the limb of your bow. 

You can use a band saw to remove this section, but it would be safer to use a rasp file.

Pro-Tip: If you’re going to use a file, clamp the bow down. By clamping the bow, you will be able to use both hands to remove excess wood.

We’re going to leave the sides of the riser squared off for now, so it will sit flat in the tillering stick later.

Backing the Bow

Although there are a number of different materials that can be used to back a bow, for our purposes, we will be backing the bow with hickory and EA-40.

Although there are many materials you can choose to back your self-bow (such as fiberglass, snake skin, bamboo, rawhide, sinew, and even cotton) for this bow hickory will give you the most longevity and protection from breaking.

Pro-Tip: You might be thinking that you don’t need to back your bow, and you might be right, but you’re probably wrong. Think of a toothpick. What happens when you bend a toothpick? One side, the back, will splinter and break. Your bow is like a giant toothpick, the backing will help to prevent your bow from splintering and cracking, which is why you back your bow before you tiller your bow.

Again, it might be a good idea to put some wax paper down to keep your workspace clean.

Apply a thin layer of EA-40 Bow Glue onto the back of the bow.

Apply a strip of hickory on the back of the bow that runs the length of the bow.

Clamp the backing to the bow with c-clamps.

Let the Smooth-On EA-40 Bow Glue dry for at least 24 hours.

After 24 hours, gently sand the hickory to knock off any burrs or excess Smooth-On EA-40 Bow Glue.

Use your draw knife or a band saw to remove any excess hickory that might be hanging off the sides of your bow.

Be sure not to cut your bow, just the excess backing.

Use sandpaper to smooth out the sides of the bow.

Adding the Rough Nocks

Draw a line 1” from the tip – making the bow 70” from nock to nock.

Using your file, cut a notch where the line is marked on the back of the bow (where you glued the tip overlay earlier). rough nock

Next, using your file cut another notch on the side of the bow at about a 45 degree angle. rough nock side profile

Work the file so that you don’t have any sharp edges and that both sides match each other.

Don’t cut the nock so deep that you can’t make adjustments later, but be sure to cut it deep enough that it will hold onto the string securely.

Time to Tiller the Bow

Successfully tillering a bow takes time and is difficult to teach, even in person, so there is only so much that you can learn from reading without just going and doing it. That said, be prepared to break a few bows.

Perfect tiller
Perfect tiller
Hinged Tiller
Hinged Tiller
Flat Spot
Flat Spot

Pro-tip: Never pull the bow past your desired weight. This means that if, after you first string the bow, you pull 45# at the first notch on the tiller stick then you need to stop and achieve a good tiller. After you’ve gotten a good tiller, repeat the process, if you are still pulling to the same notch, then cautiously remove some more material from the bow. Once you can successfully pull the bow to another notch at 45#, re-tiller the bow. Continue this process until you’ve achieved your ideal draw length.

https://www.3riversarchery.com/Tillering+Stick+Bow+building+tool_i8499_baseitem.html

For this bit, you will need to either construct or buy a tillering stick and a tillering ropeTillering Cord

The tillering stick allows you to draw the bow to different lengths, stand back and examine the limbs to see how you need to work the bow.

Pro-tip: Your tillering rope needs to be long enough that you can put it on the bow and still have plenty of slack.

Pro-tip: If you don’t have a bow scale (and if you’re following along with this build-along, I’m guessing you don’t) it’s a smart idea to put a bathroom scale under your tillering stick. This way, when you pull down on the string you can see what poundage the bow is pulling. Just remember to either zero out your scale with the tillering stick on it, or subtract the weight of the tillering stick from the weight you’re pulling to get the actual weight of the draw.

You’ll start the tillering process by pulling down just a few inches

Longbows generally are never braced lower than six inches and many modern longbows like to be braced at or around seven inches. Your brace height is the distance between the string and the belly of the bow. Brace height is determined from the deepest portion of the grip. However, you can measure your brace height from whatever point on the bow you wish, back to the string. Some folks measure from the middle of the sight window, some from the belly side of the arrow shelf, and some from the deepest portion of the grip. If you’re discussing brace height with someone, make sure you’re both on the same page. Regardless of where you measure from, brace height is a critical measurement for tuning your longbow or recurve. For measuring brace height, nothing beats a T-Square.

Some things to remember when tillering:

  • When tillering, you will want to avoid the hinges and remove wood from stiff areas, so the bow bends equally
  • Whenever you remove wood from one place on a limb remember to blend it with the rest of the limb
  • After you’ve worked one limb be sure to equally work the entire other limb, so that both limbs are even
  • Move slowly – one inch down the tillering stick at a time
  • More flaws will show up the farther you bend the bow, so if you pull the bow and see a flaw, stop and fix it
  • Your standard tiller process will look something like this:
    • Brace the bow on the tillering stick; you should not go to full brace starting off, keep it low, 2-3”
    • Exercise the limb 30-50 times by pulling the bow to where it is currently braced and then relaxing it
    • Place the string on the desired notch and level the bow
    • Step back and evaluate the limbs for areas that need to be worked
    • Mark the area that needs to be worked with a pencil and unbrace the bow
    • Bring the bow to your work area and clamp it down
    • Use a block sander or a scrapper to remove stock from the wood
    • Remember to remove only a little wood at a time, as even removing a small amount can make a big difference
    • Repeat until you have your desired tiller
  • Whenever you remove any wood from the belly, you should exercise the limbs at least 30-50 times

Pro-tip: Count your strokes and mirror the number on the other side – especially when you’re simply reducing the weight of the bow and not fixing any flaws.

Pro-tip: At times, you might want to flip your bow around. This will help give you a fresh perspective on the project.

Remember, we’re shooting for a 45# at 28” bow, which means you should never pull the bow beyond that 45# threshold – you don’t want to put unnecessary stress on the bow.

You should set several milestones for yourself during the tillering process. Remembering that tillering is more of an art than an exact science, the first of those milestones should be something like 30# at 20.”

When you first string the bow with your tiller rope you will have a lot of excess. Pull down on that excess and see how far down it is when the limbs just start to bend. What ever the distance and weight, double it and that will be your first target milestone.

By taking a slower, more conservative approach to the tillering process you’re giving your bow the best chance of avoiding a break.

After you reach your first milestone you will want to string your bow at half-brace.

Now, you will want to pull the bow to 30# again and check how far you’re pulling , since you’re half braced you can expect it to be less than 20.”

At this point you might want to use a 2x4x4 and slide it along your bow to find stiff spots you couldn’t normally catch with the naked eye. block

There will be a gap between the block and the curve of the bow. On a perfectly tillered bow, as you slide the block down the limb the gap will stay the same. If, however, the gap gets bigger and then smaller it means that you have found yourself a hinge. If the gap does the opposite, gets smaller and then bigger, you’ve found a flat spot.

At this point you will want to creep your way to about 40#, remembering to move one inch at a time and to take out any flaws as soon as you see them.

Don’t forget to exercise the limbs.

After you’ve achieved your second target, it’s time to move your bow to full brace.

At full brace check for flaws and correct them if necessary.

It’s also a good idea to check string alignment when you first enter full brace.

Again, moving slowly, one inch at a time, bring your bow to your desired weight and draw – for our purposes that would be 45# at 28.”

Pro-tip: You might want to leave the bow a little heavy (a pound or two) as the bow will weaken slightly as it breaks in.

After you’ve achieved your desired draw weight and length it’s time to check if you have a positive tiller. A positive tiller is when one limb bends more than the other limb. The limb that bends more is normally chosen to be the top limb.

To check for a positive tiller, measure from the end of the fade near where the riser and limb meet to the string on both sides.

If you’re top limb has a gap 1/8” bigger than the bottom limb, then you have a 1/8” positive tiller. Don’t feel bad if your positive tiller is closer to 1/4″ or even 1/2.”

Pro-tip: A positive tiller is not a requirement though, a zero tiller is good too, just not a negative tiller.

Time to cut the arrow rest

Draw a line on the handle (belly side) in the center, both horizontally and vertically (you should end up with an +). H V CenterDraw a line 1” up the bow from the center (vertical | ) mark (toward the top of your bow). 1 inch mark handlePro-Tip: You are not doing a cut-to center shelf, as this would be too much for a self-bow. It should be at least 1/8” away from the center of the bow. In fact, you could avoid cutting the shelf altogether and simply shoot off the knuckle.

Make a mark 1/4″ down from the horizontal (-) center line. Quarter inch mark handleConnect those points to make a box. BoxThe corner of that box indicates the inside corner of your arrow rest. Corner of restDraw a slopped line from the corner of the box to the corner of the handle. Slopped lineCut out the marked section. Remove shelfPro-Tip: These images are for a right handed shooter; flip the images for a left handed shooter.

Using a rasp, round file and sandpaper, round off the arrow rest.

Currently your arrow rest should look something like this. square shelfYou want to round off the arrow rest until it looks something like this. Rounded shelfThis will make it so the arrow will only rest in the middle of the ledge, which will cause less resistance and save some arrow fletchings.

square inside cornerrounded inside corner

You will also want to use your round file to round out the inside corner of your arrow rest; currently it should look like the top image, you want it to look like the bottom image.

You might want to round-out and blend-in the remainder of your arrow rest, but that is purely up to you.

Shaping the Handle

Using your rasp start shaping the handle to look more like a pistol grip.

Pro-Tip: An easy way to do this is to simply hold the bow and see what feels like it should be shaved off; making sure it fits your grip.

Make the grip asymmetrical – that is, both sides should mirror each other (this is purely optional, but it helps give it that nice pistol grip shape) .

You don’t want to take too much off while shaping the handle.

After you’ve gotten the handle to feel right in your hand, use some sandpaper to take off the rough edges.

Start with a 60 grit and move up to a 220 grit – this will make your grip a delight to hold.

Rounding out the Nocks

Use your rasp and sandpaper to shape the nock into an inverted teardrop shape.

This is where the tip overlays we added start to come in useful; if you added different woods, your tips will really pop.

By making the tips of your bow a bit smaller it will speed up the bow and will also reduce hand shock.

There is no exact science to shaping the nocks, but you will want to be sure to maintain your good string edge.

Try and look online to see what others did.

Final sanding

The final sanding will smooth out the whole bow and take out any tooling marks that might still be around. It takes out any squared edges that are still visible and makes the whole bow smooth.

Be sure to sand the full belly of the bow to ensure consistency.

Don’t remove wood from the bow – you want to avoid tillering the bow at this point.

People start at different grits at this stage, but the higher the better – a 220 grit is a good idea to start with, but sanding with a 100 grit and then moving to a 220 grit is okay too.

The higher grit you go, the smoother your bow will be – consider working your way up to a 400 or 600 grit.

Finishing the bow

Clean the dust off with mineral oil

You have the option of staining the bow at this point, the color and kind of stain you get is all personal preference. You also have the option of simply clear coating your bow.

Many people also choose to paint the back of their bow:

  • This process is simple and cheap
  • Lay out some wax paper
  • Use painter’s tape to cover the areas you don’t want painted, and spray paint the back of your bow whatever color you want
  • After the paint has dried remove the painter’s tape

After you’ve stained and painted your bow, you will want to coat it (at least the belly) in polyurethane.

After the stain is dry, clean your bow with mineral oil

Lay out some wax paper and spray coat your bow in the polyurethane.

Wait 24 hours, gently sand the bow with 220 grit sandpaper and coat again.

Pro-Tip: You don’t have to wait the full 24 hours, but it’s a good idea if you’re going to give it that final sanding.

The final sanding is optional, but it will knock off any burrs that might have gotten stuck in the first coat of polyurethane.

Apply at least one more coat of polyurethane (some choose to coat their bow as many as five times).

Sign the bow with your name, date, draw length and weight.

Pro-Tip: You might want to sign your bow before your final coat of polyurethane to protect your markings.

Congratulations! You’ve built your first of many bows; feel free to customize your bow with a leather grip, arrow rest and plate, and whatever else you might fancy.

If you’re looking for something a little different with all of the tedious work already done, you should try one of our bow building kits.

By Jason D. Mills

How to Clean, Whiten, and Mount a Whitetail Deer Skull

Skull Hooker
From the field to the wall; you’ll love bleaching and mounting your own trophy.

 

By Jason D. Mills and Art Myers

During hunting season, there are three great days for every successful hunter: the day you get your tag, the day you fill your tag, and the day you hang your new trophy. However, shoulder mounts are expensive, costing anywhere from $400-500, and aren’t necessarily suited for every deer. This DIY should take between 1-3 hours of labor throughout the course of 1-2 days.

If you can’t begin the cleaning and whitening process immediately, you’ll want to store the head in a freezer – this will stop any staining. Take the head out of the freezer about 24-hours before starting the cleaning and whitening process to give the meat plenty of time to thaw.

You’ll need

  1. A sharp knife
  2. A high-pressure garden hose with adjustable nozzle
  3. Outdoor propane cooker (with a regulator)
  4. A large pot
  5. Needle-nose pliers
  6. Turkey baster with a bulb
  7. Large container to place to skull in
  8. Rubber gloves
  9. Eye protection
  10. Apron to wear while washing
  11. Bottle of 40 volume peroxide
  12. Oxiclean
  13. Borax (used in removing smaller, more stubborn pieces of meat that’s stuck to the skull)
    (You also have the option of using our Skull Bleaching Kit

Pro-Tip: Never use bleach when whitening a skull as it could cause serious, irreversible damage to your trophy

Fill a large pot of water; it should be big enough to completely submerge the deer’s skull

Pro-Tip: Don’t get to much water covering the antlers because it may discolor them

Add one scoop of Oxiclean into the water, this will act as a degreaser

De-flesh the skull; you want to clean off the head as best as possible, removing all excess meat

Pro-Tip: Once the water has started to boil turn the burner down just enough so that it does not overflow

Once you’ve cleaned the skull as best as you can, place it into your pot of boiling water. Ensure the water covers all the meat on the back of the skull. The water should be about 1/2″ above the base of the antlers.

Pro-Tip: Keep an eye on the skull through the whole boiling process to make sure it stays submerged. If not any meat on top will be very difficult to remove later on

Leave the skull in the boiling water for about 30 minutes

Pro-Tip: Do not get antlers to hot. Most antlers will rest on the edge of the pot, which can scorch them

Pro-Tip: You’ll know it’s the perfect time to pull the head out of your boiling water when the flesh on the skull cap just begins to split

Remove skull and begin spraying it with a high-pressure garden hose .If the tissue can be easily removed you can start pulling it off with pliers. Once the skull starts to cool down the tissue and fat will start Harding up. If this happens place it back in the water and wait half an hour before removing more.

Pro-Tip: Anytime you will be handling the skull after it has been in the pot wear gloves. Bone can be very hot and holds heat well

Be sure not to get to close to the nasal cavity, as high pressure water can blow right through it.

Once all tissue is easily coming off you can remove the lower jaw bone. The lower jaw is typically easily removed by spreading the mouth open as long as the tissue and mussel have had plenty of time to soak.

Pro-Tip: Although there is some debate on whether or not to remove the nasal cartilage, it’s near impossible to completely clean the skull with it in tact. That said, before beginning the washing process you will want to use a pair of needle-nose pliers or forceps to remove the nasal cartilage.

After you’ve removed 70-80% of the meat from the skull re-submerge it into your boiling water and leave it for another 20-30 minutes

Pro-Tip: On deer there will be two nasal covers that will need to come off while boiling so you can clean all membrane from the nasal cavity. If any teeth or any other bones fall off during the cleaning process do not get worried. All pieces will need to be cleaned and can be glued back on later. Also a lot of times the lower jaw will split in two half’s which can be glued back together if it is to be used with the finished skull.

Pro-Tip: Do no rush the removal of the lower jaw. If it does not want to dislocate soak it longer.

One the jaw has been removed now it is time to remove the brain matter. I prefer to take a piece of copper wire about 10 to 12 inches long and make a J hook on the end I will be inserting into the skull. The J hook will help grab on to brain mater and pull it out.

Pro-Tip: The Borax will aid in tedious tissue removal. Sometimes the tissue is greasy and neither pliers nor your bare fingers can grab it. Add a little Borax and you will be able to grab right on to it.

Wash off the remaining meat (including any meat you might have missed in the nasal cavities and brain)

Repeat all processes until you are sure that all tissue has been removed. If it has, you now can dry all pieces off and wait about a day to glue any teeth or bones back on. Make sure that you have removed all tissue from the skull. The last thing you will want is to find out that you missed some after it has been hanging in the house.

Allow the skull to dry completely

Pro-Tip: Although you don’t have to, it’s not a bad idea to wait a full 24-hours

Put on your gloves and eye protection, you’re about to start working with the 40 volume peroxide – you do not want to get this stuff on your skin. It will burn you. In fact, it’s a good idea to keep your apron on as well as a long sleeve shirt, just in case.

Set the skull into your plastic container

Pro-Tip: Shrink wrap the base of the antlers to protect them during the bleaching process. Silicone tape works well too; just avoid any tape with adhesive

Pour about 1/2 a cup of the 40 volume peroxide into your plastic cup

Draw the peroxide into the baster

Pro-Tip: Do not get any of the peroxide onto the antlers, as it will turn them white as well

Using the baster, completely coat the skull in peroxide

You can apply as many as four applications, but you will probably only need two

Pro-Tip: Use the baster to draw up the peroxide that drips into your plastic container and reuse the peroxide – this will save you some money

Allow time for the skull to completely dry

Pro-Tip: Putting your skull in the sun will not only help it dry, it will also assist in the bleaching process

To hang your European skull mount

Skull Hooker's Little Hooker
Skull Hooker’s Little Hooker

Take your Little Hooker out of its box

Pro-Tip: When it comes to European skull mounts, Skull Hooker’s Big and Little Hookers are really some of the best products out there. They’re cheap, require no drilling into the skull, hang securely, have full adjustability, and are exceedingly easy to install.

Locate a stud in the wall where you want to hang your new mount

Hang the plate vertically on the stud

Assemble the arm with the prong attachment

Put the arm onto the wall plate

Slide the resting arm into the back main, natural opening in the skull (the spinal cord cavity)

Straighten or angle your new European wall mount to your liking

 

Skull Hooker's Skull Cap in Use
Skull Hooker’s Skull Cap in Use with the Bone Bracket

If you only whitened the trimmings, instead of using the Little Hooker, you’ll want to use the Bone Bracket with Skull Hooker’s Skull Cap.

Who Are The Best Bowhunters in the Country?

By Dr. Dave Samuel

Dr. Dave” spent 30 years as a professor of wildlife management at West Virginia University. He is now in his 43rd year as the Conservation Editor of Bowhunter Magazine, where his KnowHunting column still appears. Much of his teaching and writing has centered on white-tailed deer.

This article has been re-published here with permission of Dr. Dave.

Sometime in the 1960’s I joined the Professional Bowhunters Society.  And sometime in the 1970’s, via that organizations publications, I was exposed to Gene and Barry Wensel.  Identical twins who shot recurve bows and took monster bucks in Montana.

In 1981, Gene Wensel published “Bowhunting Rutting Whitetails,” and I learned more about hunting big bucks in two nights reading than the previous twenty years bowhunting. I just pulled my ragged, well-worn copy from the shelf and inside the front cover, it reads, “Good hunting Dave—Hope to meet you someday soon. Gene Wensel, 10/10/81.” I’m not sure when we finally did meet, but over the 33 years since that time, I’ve become friends with Gene and Barry.

In my opinion, these two fine bowhunters are the sharpest minds in bowhunting. Although they’ve hunted other species, and done quite well, the Wensels are whitetail bowhunters extraordinaire. When I read “Bowhunting Rutting Whitetails,” I realized that Gene and Barry think about whitetails at an entirely higher level than most of us. There is a level of knowledge that allows one to take younger bucks often. Then there is a level of knowledge that allows a bowhunter to take mature 2-4 year-old bucks fairly often. Then there is a level of knowledge that allows a bowhunter to take Boone and Crockett bucks once in a while. Then there is the Wensels. They are out there all the time, studying, scouting, learning about the biggest of all bucks. They commonly pass up bucks that most of us would call bucks-of-a-lifetime. Like I said, Gene and Barry think about whitetails at a level far beyond what most of us can even imagine.

In that first book Gene talked about scrapes, pointing out things that wildlife researchers didn’t learn for another twenty years.  Six years later Gene wrote another classic titled “One Man’s Whitetails,” and by then all bowhunters knew that these brothers were way ahead of their time.  Yes, it was a long time ago, but the Wensels were learning things that deer biologists would not confirm with real data for many years. As a wildlife professor who knew a little about deer, every time I walked away from a discussion with Barry or Gene, I just shook my head in amazement. We all walk through deer woods, but when these guys do, they observe a lot more than the rest of us. A lot more.

Six years later Gene wrote another classic titled “One Man’s Whitetails,” and by then all bowhunters knew that these brothers were way ahead of their time. As their website Brothers of the Bow states, when Gene wrote this book, “There were no videos, DVDs or television shows about deer hunting in those days. Specialty magazines were non-existent. One could count on one hand the number of hunting magazines on newsstands. Many books were so old they offered little more than ancient history and market hunting techniques. No one raised deer in those days. A live Boone & Crockett whitetail had never been photographed. Camo was mostly military. Things like food plot seeds, compound bows, carbon gear and trail cameras were unavailable.”

The Wensels had knowledge, shot recurves as if they were born with them in their hands, set ethical standards that many emulated (and a few fools ignored), and passed on that knowledge to thousands of us. Yes, and they did it with a great, sometimes a bit weird, sense of humor that carries on to today. An example of that humor can be seen on the inside front cover of one of Genes later books, “Come November.” My copy was loaned to a friend (and I don’t know who that was) and I never got it back, but I remember the inscription inside the front cover. “To my good friend Dr. Dave. The only guy I know who has a twin brother uglier than mine.” (Yes, I have a twin brother. There’s a scary thought for you). And while we are on books, Barry came out with a wonderful book in 2009 entitled “Once Upon A Tine.”   It too is a gem.

Over the years these brothers gathered a lot of outstanding videos of free ranging deer and other species. Around 2009 (I’m not sure of the exact date, but this is close), the Wensels got together with three other brother/friends, Mike, Mark and David Mitten from Illinoi, guys who also had tons of video, and they produced a video titled “Primal Dreams.” In my mind this is the finest hunting video ever made. Two hours long with breathtaking scenery and incredible footage of animals in their natural habitat. Interesting is the fact that there are no kill shots in the film and few dead animals as well. But this video, more than anything ever produced, lets the non-hunter know what hunting is really about. As their website states, “For those who hunt, it stirs the instinctual primal need we feel to hunt. For non-hunters, after soaking in the experiences, they say, Wow, NOW I get it! Now, I understand why you hunt, and I’m OK with it.”

These two sets of brothers wrote the script, edited the film, narrated the film, put the music together and produced an award-winning video that every hunter, every bowhunter, should watch. It earned three Telly awards for cinematography/video, editing, and use of music. And when you’ve seen it, and your wife and kids have seen it, and your neighbors too, then you need to give it to your kids teachers and then to the local library. It is that good. Actually, it is better than that.

A few years later they came out with a second video, “Essential Encounters.” If you ever wanted to show friends, family, neighbors, why you hunt, these videos do just that, and better than anything that has ever been produced. Yes, give them as Christmas gifts to your hunting and non-hunting friends.

A few years ago I took five of my friends to Barry’s Trophy Whitetail Boot Camp in Iowa.  It was the best 2-1/2 days of learning about deer hunting that I’ve ever spent. Barry walks you into his woods, to his stands, and teaches you exactly why that stand is where it is. I thought I knew how to get to my stand, but I didn’t. I thought I knew how to set a stand relative to wind, but I did not. Barry explains the terrain, the approach, the wind, and a lot of other variables, some of which I’d never thought of. You can watch all the videos and read all the books and watch all the TV shows on deer, but getting in the woods with Barry Wensel will teach you more than all those things put together.

The Wensels live whitetails and in my opinion are the best, most ethical, whitetail bowhunters in the country.  Ethical hunting, the values of hunting, why those things are so important, is in the blood of Barry and Gene Wensel.

Building Your Own Custom Arrows

By Jason D. Mills

Arrow building, like bow building, can be extremely satisfying. Arrow building, however, is much cheaper and easier to get started than bow building. Besides, every archer will need more arrows at some point, and crafting arrows can give the archer one more way to be connected with their beloved sport and enable them to be the master of every facet of their rig.

Not all shafts are created equal. That said, this build-along should help DIY-ers turn most carbon shafts into true-flying arrows.

Choosing your arrow

There are a few things you need to know before starting to build your arrows. First, you must know your draw length and draw weight. These two numbers will tell you what arrow spine you’ll be looking for. An arrow’s spine is how much the arrow flexes during flight. You want your arrow to recover as fast as possible, which means you want the correct spine. Ensuring you have the proper spine is arguably the most important thing to consider when choosing an arrow.

Finding your arrow length

Your draw length is the distance from the back of the bow (the point furthest from the shooter) at your grip to the maximum distance you draw the bow. Find your draw length by measuring your arm-span in inches from tip-to-tip of each middle finger and then divide that number by 2.5.

Pro-Tip: This is your draw length, not your arrow length.

If you have someone around to help, another, arguably more accurate, method you could use to find your draw length is by drawing back an extra-long arrow to full draw and having someone mark the arrow right in back of the handle. Measure the arrow from the mark to the deepest part of the nock groove. The measurement you get is your draw length.

Easton Draw Length Indicator Shaft

Finally, you could simply use the Easton Draw Length Indicator Shaft to check your draw length.

The next thing you need is your bow’s draw weight. If you don’t have hand held bow scale you’ll just have to go with what is written on your bow, which might not be the most accurate information. First, your bow’s draw weight can be as much as two to three pounds different for every inch of draw length. Second, bow manufactures are allowed to be two pounds off of what is printed on your bow, so your 45# bow could actually be 43# or 47#. This will affect your spine.

Using your hand held bow scale, draw the string until you hit your draw length and hold. Observe the weight on the scale. This is your actual bow peak weight.

Once you have determined your draw length and your actual bow peak weight you are ready to find your arrow length. It’s recommended that your arrow length be 1″-2″ longer than your draw length for the safety of keeping the arrow point outside the bow. Arrows that are less than the recommended arrow length can fall from the string, jam or otherwise cause damage to the arrow or the bow, and could even lead to personal injury.

If you had a friend help you mark the bow, simply add an inch or two to your mark and, voila, you’ve got your arrow length. If you used math to find your draw length, I’m afraid you’ll have to use math to find your arrow length too (that is unless you can find someone to help you mark an arrow while you’re at full draw).

Traditional Only Test Kit

Once you have your arrow length and actual bow peak weight, you are ready to select your correct arrow spine. For your benefit, we’ve created a handy chart for just that purpose. The 1/2″ marks over lap on the chart. That said, if you are on two different spines we highly recommend getting a test kit first.

Time to Cut Your Arrow Shafts

  • Wear safety glasses before cutting
  • Never touch the blade while it is moving

Lock your arrow saw in at your desired measurement

 Weston Precise Cut Arrow Saw

Pro-Tip: It’s a good idea to double check your measurement after each arrow, the lock can move

Ensure your nock is pushed flush against the lock at all times. Otherwise, you could end up with different sized arrows

As you cut your arrows, ensure you bring the arrow to the saw rotate it backward until it is cut all the way through

Squaring the arrow

Arrow Squaring DeviceFirst, lets square the arrow. The cutting process sometimes lead to an uneven edge. The blade can cause slight imperfections, which you won’t see until you put your insert into the arrow shaft or even when you go to spin test your arrows.

Pro-Tip: Let 3Rivers do the cut and mount for you when you buy your shafts. We can cut to length and mount inserts.

Place the arrow on your arrow square, putting the cut end flush against end of the square tool. Rotate each arrow for approximately 30 seconds.

Clean out the inside of the shaft to a depth of 1″ with a Q-tip and some clean water or acetone.

Glue the insert into the shaft Brass Point Inserts

  • Read warning and first aid instructions before use
  • Wear safety glasses
  • Do not handle inserts by gluing surfaces, doing so may lead to improper adhesion
  • Disposable gloves are recommended
  • Do not use heat directly on carbon

Bohning Insert IronWhile holding the insert, apply an even amount of glue onto the back half of the insert

Pro-Tip: You apply it to the back half because as you push the insert into the shaft it will push the glue forward onto the rest of the insert

Rotate the insert while pushing it into shaft

Pro-Tip: It helps to finish this process off by pressing the insert tightly against a table or other hard surface

Immediately clean off the excess glue

Installing the arrow wrap

Cap Wraps Arrow EnhancersInstall an arrow wrap for an instant arrow cap dips, but with no paint, no fumes, and no waiting. Arrow Cap wraps not only make your arrows look good, they make it easier to fletch and allow for easy re-fletching.

Peel cap wrap from backing

Place adhesive side up on a soft surface, such as a mouse pad

Align the edge of the cap wrap with the bottom of the nock

Press down and roll all the way through.

Fletching the Arrows

Bitzenburger Dial-O-Fletch Fletching Jig

In your fletching jig, nock down place the arrow firmly into the nock holder, if it’s not in the same place every time, you will end up with arrows with different fletchings

Holding the clamp in one hand, place the feather into the clamp Bohning Feather Fletching Tape– start the arrow about half way back in the clamp, open the clamp slightly and use your index finger to gently push the arrow the rest of the way into the clamp.

Line your fletching tape up with your fletching and cut to length. Apply the tape downward, the entire length of the feather. Use a knife beard trimming scissors to take off the fletching tape’s backing. Install the clamp onto the fletching jig and apply downward pressure. Repeat these steps to apply all of your fletchings.Bohning Fletch-Tite Platinum Fletching Glue

Although you have the option of using glue, fletching tape is cleaner and simpler

Time for the spin test

Large Spin Tester

Place your arrow on the spin tester and rotate the arrow backward. You will want to watch the broadhead end and the fletching end – you should see a perfect spin. If you see any wobble it means that something was off during the arrow building process.

Weigh the arrows

 3Rivers Digital Pocket Grain Scale

Turn on your arrow scale and place an arrow holder onto the scale; zero out the scale to ensure the holder isn’t included in your measurements

Arrow Holder for Digital Scale

Place the middle of the arrow on the arrow holder

Using a permanent marker, write the grain weight on your arrow

Pro-Tip: It makes sense to write the arrow’s grain on one of the fletchings or the wrap, so you can see it easily

Repeat this process for all of your new arrows

Congratulations! You’ve just built your own custom arrows.

2014 Sportsman Choice Awards Announced at SHOT Show

"Fred Bear: Father of Bowhunting," won a sportsman Choice award Jan. 21 for Best Special Program Show.
“Fred Bear: Father of Bowhunting,” won a sportsman Choice award Jan. 21 for Best Special Program Show.

NEW BERLIN, WI (January 22, 2015) – Sportsman Channel revealed its 2014 Sportsman Choice Awards winners at the network’s viewer choice awards event Wed., Jan. 21. The winners were announced during Sportsman Channel’s annual awards presentation at Rain Nightclub in the Palms Hotel Casino Resort during the Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas.

The collective voice of American sportsmen and women from coast to coast was heard as more than 293,000 votes were cast in 11 different categories, setting an all-time record for Sportsman Choice Award viewer voting.

“2014 was a significant year for the network’s growth and its exceptional producers,” said Marc Fein, executive vice president of programming and production. “There was a good mix of first-time and returning winners and that really speaks to the depth of our talent and where the network is heading. All of the winners and finalists should be proud of their accomplishments.”

 The winners are listed with the finalist below each category in alphabetical order:

 

Best Hunting Show – Big Game:

Pigman: The Series – WINNER
Hosted by Brian “Pigman” Quaca, Produced by Track Ten Productions
Midwest Whitetail with Bill Winke, North American Whitetail, Realtree’s Monster Bucks and The Western Hunter

 

Best Hunting Show – Small Game:
Predator Nation – WINNER
Hosted by Fred Eichler, Produced by Blue Roots Productions
Avian-X, Dead Dog Walkin’, Heli-Hunter presented by Fusion and Predator Quest

 

Best Shooting Show:
Guns & Ammo – WINNER
Hosted by Craig Boddington and Kyle Lamb, Produced by IMO Productions
Guns & Gear, Hot Shots, NRANews Cam & Co. and Ruger Inside and Out

 

Best Fishing Show:
In-Fisherman – WINNER
Hosted by Doug Stange, Produced by IMO Production
Addictive Fishing, Alaska’s Fishing Paradise, Extreme Angler TV and Louisiana Outdoor Adventures

 

Best Full Draw Show – Bowhunting:
Relentless Pursuit – WINNER
Hosted by Tim Wells, Produced by World Hunting Group Productions
Bowhunter TV, Easton Bowhunting, Major League Bowhunter and Outback Outdoors

 

Best Educational – Instructional Show:
Midwest Whitetail with Bill Winke – WINNER
Hosted by Bill Winke, Produced by Midwest Whitetail Productions
Bowhunter TV, Conquest 200, Major League Bowhunter and MeatEater

 

Best Special Program Show:
Fred Bear: Father of Bowhunting – WINNER
Produced by Bear Archery and Rusted Rooster
Buck Knives – Edge of a Legend, Hog Dawgs, Iditarod and Murph the Protector

 

Best Variety Show:
MeatEater – WINNER
Hosted by Steven Rinella, Produced by Zero Point Zero Production
Brotherhood Outdoors, Gun It with Benny Spies, Meet the McMillans and The Outfitters Built by Ford F-Series

 

Best New Series:
NRA Life of Duty – WINNER
Produced by Ackerman McQueen
Amazing America with Sarah Palin, Heli-Hunter presented by Fusion, Mathews Dominant Bucks and
Winchester Deadly Passion

 

Shot of the Year:
Larysa Unleashed, Fast Reflex Doe – WINNER
Hosted and Produced by Larysa Switlyk
Brad Farris Game Plan, Long Range Pursuit, Pigman: The Series and Relentless Pursuit

 

Best Overall Host(s):
Brian “Pigman” Quaca – WINNER
Host of Pigman: The Series, Produced by Track Ten Productions
Benny Spies, Bill Winke, Jana Waller and Tim Wells

 

Best Overall Production:
MeatEater – WINNER
Hosted by Steven Rinella, Produced by Zero Point Zero Production
Dropped: Project Alaska 2.0, Into High Country, Saving Private K-9 and YoungWild

 

Best Commercial:
Yeti Coolers – WINNER
Produced by Arctos Collective/Jeff Simpson
Buck Knives, Bushnell – TrophyCam Wireless, Danner and Duluth Trading Company

 

Best Show Intro:
The Western Hunter – WINNER
Hosted by Nate Simmons, Ryan Hatfield and Chris Denham, Produced by Alpha Motion
Gun It with Benny Spies, Hallowed Ground Outdoors, Pigman: The Series and YoungWild

Five Tips for Cold Weather Traditional Bow Hunting

Five Tips for Cold Weather Traditional Bow Hunting
Five Tips for Cold Weather Traditional Bow Hunting

By: Jason D. Mills

It’s January, which, for many archers, means cold-weather hunting. Whether you’re hunting small game such as squirrel or rabbits; or you’re headed out to bag that late season buck, there are many difficulties unique to a cold weather hunt.

Here are five tips to remember before heading out:

1. Practice shooting while wearing all of your gear
All those extra layers can hinder how you aim. Bulky gloves can affect your release and limit your ability to feel your bow’s grip – try our Down Under Wool Gloves instead. A face mask could get in the way of your anchor or disturb the string upon release – our Three-in-One Spandex Facemasks are warm and flexible, so you won’t feel bogged down. An unwieldy jacket could be louder than expected when you attempt to draw and could limit your range of motion. The point is, don’t make any assumptions about your gear.
2. Remember to move
From time to time, it’s a good idea to stand up and move a little while hunting in cold weather. Sitting for long periods of time will lead to tired, cold muscles. Simply alternating from standing to sitting can keep the blood flowing, your muscles limber and your mind focused. It’s also a good idea to draw your bow at least once or twice an hour – this will keep your muscles warm and keep your bow from freezing up and making a lot of noise while drawing back. It’s not a bad idea to pack some hand and toe warmers as well.
3. Hunt the ground
When the temperature drops hunters are often better off hunting ground blinds near a good food source or a natural funnel than in a tree stand. The lack of foliage during an end of season hunt usually means many of your early and mid-season trees lack the cover they had just a few short weeks ago. A ground blind will be much warmer and you will be less exposed than in a tree that has lost all of its leaves. It’s also a good idea to look for swamps or pine thickets covered in snow – both are warmer than the surrounding area and make great bedding cover.
4. Find the food
Thick snowfall forces deer and small game into survival mode. Remember that nut-laden flat or fruit filled orchard you saw early in the season? Now would be the time to be there waiting the first afternoon after a snow storm, because deer will be looking for that food. It doesn’t have to be anything that specific, but you will want to find quality food where deer and small game will feel secure. Many deer will look to flowering plants during the latter part of the year – weeds and wild flowers on a southern facing slope are a great food source for deer in the winter and, in turn, a great place for the late season hunt.
5. Hunt the second rut
A doe that did not get bred earlier in the year will often reenter estrus in early to mid-December. If you find a doe in heat, identified by the droplets of red blood she leaves in the snow when she urinates, follow her. If an estrous doe finds and feeds in the forb you’re hunting it will likely prove to be an irresistible breeding opportunity to any nearby buck.

A successful late season hunt can be cold, but it is often worth the effort. Many archers enjoy the brisk weather and the challenge of cold weather bow hunting. However, cold weather can lead to frost bite and hypothermia if not prepared for correctly. That’s why it’s important to stay warm, stay safe and remember the fundamentals.

We’d love to hear from you; what tips and tricks have you found to be successful in your own cold weather hunt? Let us know in the comments.


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