Everything Hunting

Longbow Recurve Bow

The Backyard Bowyer: The Beginner’s Guide to Building Bows $15.14 With over 300 step-by-step pictures, the Backyard Bowyer is geared for the beginning bowyer, backyard hobbyist, and anyone who has ever pondered building a wooden bow. Easy to read and follow steps go down to even the smallest detail in the design and construction of basic archery bows. Learn to craft fine wooden bows without huge investment in equipment and materials, and without being bound by …

The Traditional Bowyer’s Bible, Volume 3 $13.03 Many archers and bowhunters will be surprised to learn that a wooden bow, whose ancestry dates back thousands of years, will shoot an arrow as fast and as effectively as the most modern fiberglass-laminated bows. Never before have such detailed instructions been available for the home craftsman, with information on how to make fine bows and arrows from natural materials. The authors thoroughly exp…

Have Bow, Will Travel: Around the world adventure with longbow and recurve $14.54 The latest collection from one the country’s most highly regarded outdoor writers takes readers bowhunting around the United States and the world. Don Thomas’ rich prose brings alive not just the adventure of the hunts, but also the people, places, and natural history he encounters along his travels. A semi-retired physician and active Alaska hunting guide, Thomas writes about fly-fishing, win…

Foam Strike Compound Bow $24.99 This Camouflage Toy Compound Bow X2 is the most powerful toy bow and arrow on the block! No neighborhood rival (or stationary target) can hide from the awesome might of this double-strung compound bow that can fire foam arrows over 100 feet. Modern design includes a guide wire for swift and accurate aiming. Plus the camouflage will help you sneak up on your quarry. I mean target. Set includes bow,…

Bear Archery Firebird Bow, 60-Inch $42.63 The Bear Archery Firebird Youth Bow is a great way to help your young archery enthusiast build or strengthen his or her shooting skills. This sturdy bow features composite limbs for durability and performance. Designed for children ages 12 and up, the Firebird bow is not a childs toy; it is intended to build archery skills for sporting purposes….

Spectre Compact Take-down Survival Bow and Arrow Set $79.95 Most regular bows are not compact for survival and are very costly. Trying to make one in the wild takes a great deal of skill and know-how that most don’t have. The compact take-down Spectre survival bow and arrow set will be ideal for any survival hunting needs at an affordable price. Its slip in / detachable fiberglass/resin filled limbs and the PVC riser with arrow rest break down to fit co…

Bear Archery Titan Bow $39.97 The Bear Archery Titan Youth Bow is perfect for building strength and confidence in your young archer. The Titan features durable composite limbs for superior performance and long life. It is recommended for children ages 12 and up, and it can be used by right or left-handed shooters. The Titan is not a toy; it is intended to build archery skills for sporting purposes….

Surefire Compound Bow, Like Nerf, SHOOTS 100FT + 2 times the power, 2 times the fun Soft foam arrows fly over 100 feet Dual power cords for maximum distance Guide wire provides easy and accurate aiming Set includes 1 bow, 3 arrows and 1 arrow holder Color may vary…

Traditional Bows – Informational Guide

Archery, as we all know, dates way back to the 1800’s. Bowhunting can be traced through many regions around the world, including Asia, Europe, and North America. The true skilled archery men were believed to be the Native Americans. The bows of the Native Americans were very simple and basic. It was their exceptional ability to stalk within very close range of their prey, that helped them overcome their lack of equipment and be successful. It’s that ability to get close to our prey that remains the essence of all bow hunting today.

Since the 1800’s archery bows in general have come a long way. The bows used in the early days are now considered traditional bows. We have since moved into a more mechanical sense of bow hunting with the invention of the Compound Bow and the Crossbow. Between the three bows, the compound bow is by far the most popular bow today for hunting and target

shooting.

In this article, I’d like to stay traditional, and drill in on the aspects of the bow that has gotten us to where we are today.

There are two types of traditional bows on the market, the longbow and the recurve bow, both are considered traditional with very specific difference that set them apart. Let’s take them one at a time.

The Longbow:

The longbow has long, nearly straight limbs that form an arch when the bow is strung. The length of a longbow is usually equal to the height of the user,

although, there are some that like them longer. This type of bow is not intended to support equipment of any kind, such as a bow sight or release, this in turn keeps the bow light weight and easy to carry. One thing to keep in mind, a long bow doesn’t have a lot of shooting power, which will require the archer to be closer to his or her target. Hence the Native Americans were so good at stalking their prey.

The longbow is an excellent choice for those wanting to stay traditional with limited, or no equipment.

The Recurve Bow:

The recurve bow is also considered traditional, but with a few of today’s modern upgrades. This type of bow has shorter limbs then the longbow, and they curve back away from the belly of the bow, when the bow is strung, thus causing it to have more shooting power.

The Recurve Bow features a more modern touch with a ‘pistol style grip’, which adapts well for use with a bow sight or arrow rest. The Recurve is a much smoother, quieter and faster shooting bow then the longbow, which makes it a popular choice among many.

For an archer choosing to shoot traditional bows, he or she is also choosing simplicity when it comes to equipment. There is very little one can add to a traditional bow to help aid in accuracy and precision, because of this lack of equipment, shooting a traditional bow will require a great deal of dedication and practice to master.

While these challenges may be too great for some, many find that they add to the pleasure of hunting. Bow hunting is a unique emotional experience because you are so close to the game you are hunting.

Getting back to basics, helps us to appreciate where we have been and to appreciate as well, how far this industry has come.

About the Author

Sally Rutten and her husband run the popular website
http://TheBowBarn.com/
We invite you to come in and browse our selection of traditional bows and archery accessories. And join the many others that have already taken advantage of the great pricing and down home friendly service.

homemade Bow plans?

is there a good site that has homemade hunting bows plans or kits longbow or recurve

You can get all the info you need from this site. The site has member articles, walkthroughs, links to builders and supplies that you might need. It is a valuable reference for anyone wanting to make a self bow.
The second site is a great supplier of traditional bows, equipment and supplies, even the how-to videos and books.

Hope this helps.

Making a Traditional Longbow & Recurve Bow Part 1 Stave & Layout