Hickory backed hophornbeam???

[hedgeapple]

Has anyone tried a hickory backed hophornbeam?  I know hophornbeam can stand alone as a self bow.  A friend cut the tree for me.  Not being a bowyer the stave are less than perfect. This same friend plans to get "seriously" into bow hunting for deer next season.  He sees his options as spending 2K for a new complete compound setup, OR maybe going the traditional route with instinctive shooting style that he thinks ( and I agree) would be better suited to his personality.  I'm making him a bow so he can shoot it this summer to decided which direction he wants to go.  I want to make this transition as easy as possible for him.  So, I'm planning to make a center shot bow with arrow rest and sight window.

I can probably splice a couple of the  ironwood staves to make a pretty straight bow. Since it already going to be a spiced center shot bow with an arrow shelf, I thought I might add hickory backing for insurance and possibly add performance.

This is a pretty important project for me.  Brian is a friend of over 30 years.  We hunt and fish together often.  He's also a gifted wood worker.  He's carved beautiful 2 ft. tall rocking horses from a single block of ERC and several trout.  He owns over 250 acre, 150 are wooded.  He has his own sawmill.  I'm not saying this because I'm looking to exploid what he has, because he'll pretty much let me cut any tree I wanted and is happy to fire up the sawmill if I need it.  I just want to SNARE a close friend into the ways of traditional/primitive archery.  I know if he's successful learning to shoot a traditional bow, he'll be building his own within a year and probably knapping his own points, too.

[VenomBOWslinger]

I wouldnt spend 2K for no set up.  I can almost buy the M82 i want for shooting squirrels for that price   This is a primitive forum/traditional!  I have expensive compounds made for me by PSE it costed 1100 by itself.  Guess what I dont use it!  I love the thrill of crafting my own weopon and being able to harvest wildlife with it!  I wont go back to the compound.  Its like a bug you get once you start Im sure some can agree with me.  HHB is good by itself I wouldnt put hickory on ioot but thats your choice.  If you are worried about invading the rings try using sinew or rawhide.

Cheers!

[hedgeapple]

Thank Venom.  I'm with you.  Like I tell my hunting buddies, I'm not after the trophy of a lifetime, I'm after the hunt of a lifetime.  Hunting with self bow offers me the hunt of a lifetime.  I don't see myself ever making a center shot/arrow rest bow for myself.  But, with my friend being new to traditional archery I hope to reduce the crytical factor of arrow splining just a bit for him.

My reasoning for adding the hickory backing would be added support for the splicing and I'll already be glueing on a riser so why not make a laminate bow since I'm already going beyond the bounds of primative archery and moving into a traditional bow?  And anything I can do or add to make this bow easier to shoot and dependable for Brian, I want to do it.

[Parnell]

Sounds like he's already half way there with his interests.  Makes sense to me that if you put a hand crafted bow in his hands and some good arrows that he'll get a taste for it and want to give it a go himself.  Heck, he's already doing work himself.  I hope that things work out for you.  Let us know how it goes.

[Ryano]

I've made both bamboo backed and hickory backed hophornbeam. It will make a nice bow.

[nclonghunter]

I will likely be snubbed here, but I do not understand the mind set of only one bow or the other...I have purchased bows and also made my own and truly enjoy both. Both have a particular need and time to be used....in my opinion. If you are hunting with a modern bow or a self bow you are accepting the greatest challenge to hunting and knowing you limitations is necessary.
I watch shows were some folks are shooting game at 300 yards and it just makes me sick that the animal is not given any more of a chance to use its given senses to survive. That's the beauty of bow hunting to me, is being able to close that gap and take game while defeating their incredible defenses. Never are my senses more acute than within bow range of game, what a great experience. A 300 yard shot is just that, a 300 yard shot that simply tests your breathing and trigger squeeze. When I have taken game with modern archery equipment and then see a successful hunter that has done the same thing with primitive equipment, I do get a bit of envy for that person and want to shake their hand. I have probably said enough and I truly understand the Traditional mind-set that pulls you even further into the vortex of the primitive hunt. What a great place to be when it all comes together and you get your trophy.

I would make your friend a great primitive bow and not berate him for other avenues of bow hunting that may be enjoyed...WE MUST ALL GET ALONG!

2 cent worth...

[sailordad]

i have a PSE wheelie bow
i prefer my selfbows
i do still use my PSE,it can drive nails out to 30 yds,thats the end of my abilities to shoot that accurate not the bows
i use it when i want to show off target shooting.
other wise its sits in the closet,it doesnt even get the privalige of sitting out with the stick bows.
i do that because i dont want the selfbows teasing it and making of of it 

[PatM]

Rather than complicating things take him out to his woodlot and show him what he needs to cut and why. Let him see a bit of the process.

[hedgeapple]

Longhunter, I apologize I sounded anti-wheelie.  The declining number of hunters and the increase number of anti's, I'm happy to see hunters using whatever weapon they are comfortable with shooting.  Just learning to shoot trad/primitive bows, I find it difficult to to switch back in forth between wheelies and self bows.  That's why I hung up my PSE last Oct.

My 2 year goal is to build bows for 7 of my hunting buddies using sacret woods of the Cherokee, ash, beech, maple, locust, oak, birch and hickory.  Since Brian is probably the most likely to actually hunt with one of these bows and he has the most immediate need I thought I would build his bow first.  OK ironwood isn't exactly birch, but it's in the birch family.  Close enough for symbolic purposes.