This shrubby tree grows all over my area (NW Montana) and frequently the saplings are super straight and largely knot free. While I was out scouting for yew with a Salish friend of mine he offhandedly mentioned that his elders used to use this tree (Acer glabrum) to make bows. Sure enough, Reginald and Gladys Laubin in their classic "American Indian Archery" mention that the Sakanis (British Columbia) used Mountain Maple backed with sinew. And then there are a number of references to its use in archery in the ethnobotanical literature, mainly Nancy Turner who studies Thompson River Salish and other BC peoples. Oldbow has made a few out of this low density wood, at least one nice one he posted but in PMs he wasn't all that keen on the stuff's properties and promise. I decided to give it a whack and came up with this bow, which I am very pleased with. I designed it after the bows mentioned in the references: long at 67" NTN, sinew backed (elk with a snake skin), pulls 55 lbs at my 26" draw length. Total mass 21.5 oz finished with elk raw hide grip. I wanted an elk hunting weapon and I think I got one, although the elk are not necessarily convinced (the season has yet to end). I have shot the bow many thousands of times and it shows no sign of dying, although the two grouse I shot yesterday (while looking for elk) are dead. It irks me when you read these old (biased) accounts of native people's hunting technology and they say it was not so good or even inferior. One of my motivations for making this bow was to prove to myself that authentic materials are a good way to go. Try this wood if you have it in your area. Some of the great things about it- straight, knot free, easy and very pleasant to work, and no matter how fast you dry it, in my hands it absolutely will not check. Tear the bark off and go at it. This is a major plus in my mind.
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