D bows & BOM

[Hillbilly]

Halfeye, if you're miffed over my "three-hour bow sawed out of a board with rasp marks still on it" comment, that definitely wasn't aimed at you. Don't take a comment out of context and assume that it is a generality. You, sir, are a craftsman. Every bow I have seen you post so far has been impressive. You yourself are one of the people I am referring to who takes the time and has the pride to make each bow as good as it can be made. Well-made replicas of Native American bows are probably my favorite style out of all of them, and you make nice'uns. If your bows were entered, I'm sure you would get my vote sooner or later, because you make quality bows that are also plesing to the eye. Pretty is nice, but a pretty bow with a bad tiller is less of a bow than an ugly, functional one. I don't understand your comment about people on here not helping people out or answering questions, either. That is directly the opposite of what I have seen over the many years I have been here. I have had the opportunity to see many newcomers arrive here with questions, and years later, they are now the "old timers" who are answering questions. I know many of the people on this board personally, and I can honestly say that I have never met a more friendly, helpful group of people anywhere. The only way you will find people here to be unfriendly is if you arrive with a hostile, argumentative attitude. And for people who complain that there are the same people entering and winning every month, then won't enter their bows out of some misplaced martyr complex, well, duh-that's how you wind up with the same people's bows every month-you can't see and vote for what isn't entered. What people assume isn't always what happens. I voted for two people this month that I don't know at all, even though some of my "buddies" have bows posted. I vote for what catches my eye and seems to be a functional, quality bow regardless of who made it. Some months I don't even vote-I just don't see it as a big deal. The main asset of the BOM contest to me is that we get to look at everyone's work and learn how to build better bows.

[half eye]

Hillbilly,
     You are a moderator, so it presupposes a temperate personality. I said it before, I'm not PO'd about anything, and feel free to politely chide folks (including me) about entering the BOM, but that certainly should be a personal choice of the guy who made the bow. I argued with old bow a lot about not putting mine in when I first got here....and they got put in anyway,( because I didn't know you could put the not for bom thing in the title) I still hear about all those bows to this day.  Then when I started putting not for bom in the titles I got cracks about that as well (all-be-it that one "dissapeared" before I got a chance to say anything). This why I don't think much about the whole deal. Damned if ya do & damned if ya don't.
     The only difference between bow of the month and a regular post is the magazine appearance. The pictures are the same, the stats are the same, and the explanation is the same. So I believe that the bom is designed as a competition deal only because the "learning experience" is in the original post allready. By the way, I've willingly helped as many people on this site as have asked for it, to pass on any info I might have had that would help.
      If ya check on what I've written all I said was if a guy wants in (BOM) fine, if he doesn't then that ought to be fine as well. My heartburn with the whole bom is amply demonstrated by all the hell-a-baloo that's going on. A "contest" is not required to pass along knowlege and information. Not everybody needs to compete, I like my bows for what they are and the fun of making them, and do not need a competition to validate it for me, the fun comes from sharing the info and photos in a regular old post, that members can look at (or not) as they see fit. Having said that I say more power to anybody that does like competition and wants in and good for you, but please consider that not everyone likes the same things.
Rich Rousseau
half eye

[Hillbilly]

Well-said, and I agree with most of what you say. Nobody has to enter BOM (I often don't post my own stuff either,) nor should they have to if they don't want to. I was only commenting that sometimes people complain about the limited selection of bows in the contest, then don't enter their own. The only way there can be a wider selection is for more people to enter.

[dragonman]

Whats all the fuss about BOM, iit isnt so serious is it,???, there isnt even a prize , whats the problem if your bow get put into the BOM and we all vote whose is best, its only pictures on a screen, you cant really judge a bow like this anyway, its just a bit of fun . And why cant we handle a bit of criticism?? are we kids or mature adults , (This definately isnt aimed at anyone in particular, I dont want to annoy anyone, I like you all .) A sense of humour would be a good thing dont ya all think?

Hope your you're still gonna send my wood now  Rich???

[half eye]

Hey dragonman,
       Only way you won't get it is if you no longer want it. 
Rich

[dragonman]

I sure do.

[ken75]

this should all be take care of in the near future , if i understand the new way of doing it you have to email a link to have your bow intered. as for the rest of my two pennies i dont mind being in the contest although i know my bows wont win, hell neither would i in a purty contest ,  i've posted bout 12 or so in the last 5 months im just tickled their not breaking anymore ,thats prize enough for me ! thanks to all who have helped , looked, commented and corrected !!

[AncientArcher76]

Wow I am at work and nearly took half an hour to read all the hub bub...I can see and understand your point Rich as I too will not enter in BOM.  I make bows and give them away and very rarely even post one.  It is ok for the handful of guys who partake in the "contest" it gives them something to be proud of or some just might like to compete to see how many times they can win and for some it is a motivator in wanting to strive to be a better bowyer. To each there own.  I am all about gaining knowledge, experience, and teaching people the skills I have to carry on an age old tradition. If I had the subscription to the magazine maybe then I would think about it.  I have met and become friends with a lot of people on here.  I talk to some on a weekly basis even and I look forward to seeing each of their work and progression.  There may be 3384 member on here but only 50 people post on a daily basis, and only 20 keep on doing the BOM.  We are all like a family related in the way of primitive culture.  We will all have faults or be guilty of something.  There also may be cracks or fine lines between terms and definitions. We all have thoughts and opinions.  This is what makes us human. 

Thank you Primitive Archer,

AncientArcher/Russell

[Pappy]

WOW,this always comes up every few months, Glad it is staying civil. By the way there are more than 20 in the selfbow class most months and more than 50 that usually vote.Most people that are on here are like I use to be,they are hear and learning ,just don't speak up much,Just look at the name at the top of the page most days then look at the comment's. I personally like BOM and will someday enter ,just haven't taken the time to shoot some pictures,as far as beauty and firend contest,That may be true to some extent but   the bows I voted for this month had nothing to do with that.I look at the bows first and have decided before I even notice who built them. I have won a few over the years and are proud of them but sure don't feel like it puts me up on anyone,I learn all the time and love the new ideas I get from people that are trying to build the best and most beautiful bow they can. Al tho yall all know I like skins and stuff I don't do it for bom,I do it for the same reason some of you don't,cause I like it.  I also won't apologize cause I have access to
horn and skin or wood for that matter, I work hard to get that kind of stuff and happen to live in an area that is abundant with natural resources. I feel very blessed to be here. Yall have a good day
and again Thanks for keeping it civil.  By the way congrats to the winners this month, Great bows  and the hats are very nice.   
   Pappy

[Dane]

I agree with Pappy, it is staying civil, and disagreeing and arguing is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as it doesnt get personal. Diasagreeing is a way to learn, and think, and consider new ideas or better ways of doing something.

All that said, all this may be academic if you don't have many bowyers entering. You have to actively solicit your bow in the Bow of the Month Club, before I think Don entered the new bows, and if not enough folks do that, I think that the contest will eventually whiter away from lack of participation.

A copyeditor named Penny is in charge now, and I find it odd that she hasn’t reached out and introduced herself, or explained how she plans to administer the contest. It wasn’t even well advertised to the general membership of the boards, and I just came across the announcement accidentally in an area I don’t normally go to. I don’t have a lot of faith in the new contest guru if she hasn’t at least said hello, introduced herself, or even taken the time to contribute to this contest topic.

Dane

[Dane]

Sorry, the name is Gina, and she is a proofer, not a copy editor. Same comments apply, though.

Dane

[dragonman]

It would be a pity to lose' bow of the month'  If you have to make a special effort to be included I cant see many people bothering!!  Whats wrong with the old system??

[Dane]

Friend, Don, the originator and organizer, has retired to mess about with boats. Maybe you can volunteer to run the contest? You make fantastic bows, so you are well qualified, I'd say.

Dane

[Josh]

I was going to go through and bookmark all the bows posted each month and then Email the links to Gina in one mass email each month...  I personally would love to run the contest and I would keep it exactly as Don had it.    I am on here everyday anyway...     So far I have 2 selfbows and one BBI marked.  The month is still young though.

[zenmonkeyman]

Thanks for doiing that Josh, and I hope nobody objects.  I too like the "entered by default" system, and I'm sure lots of people and bows are entered who might feel silly or vain to go out of their way to enter.  I'm pretty convinced the contest will die if people have to nominate their own work for consideration.  That would be a tragic outcome.