Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: George D. Stout on August 25, 2021, 05:48:17 pm
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Ol' Buck, for those who don't know, came to me in a trade in 1989. It's a 1940's lemonwood longbow, 68", 48#, backed with a Fortisan-like material...perhaps even clarified calfskin. The bow itself is pretty amazing on several levels; mainly because it's still shooting to this day, even with a few incidental fractures and subsequent wrappings, but also due to the mystery of where it came from and it's history before I got it.
I hunted with it first time in 1992 and took a nice seven point whitetail buck on the first morning of the hunt. Since then, it has traveled for six years from 2006 to 2012 all over the contiguous US and survived that as well as took some wild hogs and a doe or two along the way.
Anyway, this is my 30th year of hunting with it and it still shoots just fine, although it's lost a few pounds from 52# to 48# over those years. I take it out at least once or twice a year, sometimes more often for deer and small game and it, like the proverbial Timex, takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Here's a photo of my old friend and partner.
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Best of luck to you and Ol' Buck, George. Looking forward to harvest pics. 8) :OK
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Great story, its amazing how well these sticks hold up
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He's a good one, George. Treat him well. Jawge
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I hope you are holding up as well as the bow! Good luck on this year's hunt! Any idea of the history?
Hawkdancer
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Best wishes for Old Buck and yourself to have many more good hunts George.
Bjrogg
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Great story and great bow. Good luck this fall.
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Congrats, she's a good one!
Those bows are more than only weapons.
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I wish I knew more of the history of the bow but I don't. The guy who traded it to me just threw it in with some other bows at the time as he found it at a local sale and it was just given to him since no one even bid on it. That was back in the 80's when he acquired it. Everyone told me back then that lemonwood would fracture once it got old and I was a little gun shy at even pulling it back for awhile. Needless to say, it's actually pretty durable but it's history before me will remain elusive.
I do know the bow was made by York Archery, Independence, Missouri, and they just listed these as 'fiber backing' which is indicated I suppose by the FB-56 on it. It also has a 45 under that which I figured was 45#...but it's at 26" not 28" as is the AMO standard today. On my scale when I got it it was 52# at 28" and I never pulled it past 28", actually my draw is 27" to the back of the bow.
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Nice story and picture. I like the classic things you placed with the bow. Hope you and Ol' Buck have many more good days.
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Love the story George, I have a few of them old bows that are like old friends also. Good luck with it this season. :)
Pappy
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Nice story and here's hoping for many more shots for you and Ol Buck :)