Beaver pelt for snake skins...

[Lee Dogman]

I am looking for some skins to put on my wife's 62" bow and also something to put on a bow that I have on order with a bowyer. Given the length of the bows, each bow will most likely require to 36" skins, which of course must match so upper limb and lower limb appear to be of the same snake even though different.

1. Especially interested in something a bit "flashy" for her like a blue racer, grey banded kingsnake, or a milk snake..., while
2. I myself would be interested in a matched pair of western diamond backs, boa, or maybe some type of banded water snake, but other snake skins would be considered.

I prefer to use a hide the is light weight as to not impede a bows performance any noticable amount. I am also not interested in skins that have holes in the useable sections.

I bought these pelts at an archery shoot a few years ago and I don't know how they were tanned, but I can say they are very soft and supple and still look the same as when I bought them, so apparently they are properly tanned. Although there are 3 pelts in the photo, I will only have 2 available for trade and I am looking for enough snake hide to cover 2 bows, each of which are 62" long.

[NTD]

I am getting 2 boas in a few weeks.  If you still have these available I'll let you know.

[Lee Dogman]

Sounds great. I am not in a hurry, so if you know you will get something I will like I am very willing to hold the pelts for you.

[Lee Dogman]

NTD,

I have never worked with boa skins, but I have put western diamond back on a bow before. I assume that since the scales on a boa are so small that it is just as flat if not flatter than diamond back when applied on the back of a bow. I will be putting them on a glass backed bow, so a "thin hide" is essential. Do you know if a boa hide will finish as thin as a diamond back?

[NTD]

They are quite a bit thicker than a diamondback but I would think they should lay down fine.  Although I've never backed a glass bow.  The scaless aren't keeled like a rattlesnake though so I think they'd be good.

[Lee Dogman]

When I back a glass bow, I remove the scales, so hide thickness is probably more important than "scale type." Do you know if the skin can be thinned on the inside without removing color?

If not, then I would either want YOUNG snakes just barely long enough (say 36" or so) OR...another type of snake. I don't want to put thick snake skin on the back of the bow, as I want to keep performance up. FYI, the skins will be covering a triple carbon limb that is backed with black glass...so performance is hhigh and although I want to put some "natural camo" over the carbon back I don't want to give up the performance the carbon is going to provide me.

Do you think I should stick with western diamond back? (I don't like eastern or prarie rattler). I might would consider sidewinder if one could find a matching pair long enough, but I think they tend to be a bit small.

I am open to your knowledge and input...and again I will gladly reserve the two beaver pelts for you to trade for something you have that you think will work well if you so wish.

Don't ever come across Gaboon Viper do you?

[NTD]

You aren't actually removing the scales.  You are removing the unshed skin.  If ya removed the scales there'd be no pattern left.  When I say thick it's relative to rattlesnakes which are VERY VERY thin.  I really doubt it would rob you any performance.  I mean it's not like rawhide or anything.  They are just not tissue paper thin like diamonbacks.

I don't get 3 ft range boas very often.  Sidewinders are almost never over 2ft.   

Go ahead and leave them up for trade.  Maybe someone will offer you something you'll like.  If not I will get ahold of you again when I get the boas.  Just to let you know I will be posting a boa that I currently have available tomorrow.  Not trying to short you I just have a specific item I am looking to get for that skin.

[Lee Dogman]

I appreciate the information. If you don't mind the questions, what other skins are "very very thin?"

If diamond back offers the lightest weight skin, I am certainly content with a good matched set of westerns. I only ask about what else is very thin because it would be nice to have something else as long as it doesn't add a significant weight to the skin. That said, I am sure none of them are like "rawhide." I did work at the Cincinnati Zoo's reptile house and Komodo Dragon exibit a few decades ago. LOL.

[NTD]

Komodo would sure be like rawhide LOL   I actually skinned out a uromastyx lizard and sent it to DanaM.  That thing was nearly rawhide.

Longnose snakes are quite thin, but I have a long waiting list for those.  Kingsnakes are also thin.  All the rattlesnakes have been thin but I think sidewinders have been the thickest for the rattlers.  Young ball pythons are pretty darn thin Should have a bunch of those in a few weeks as well If I can get up to phoenix.  But those aren't very long.

[Lee Dogman]

Do you ever get bullsnake...something like this? And if so, is it thin or thick compared to say a king snake.

[NTD]

Gopher/bull/pine snakes aren't very thin compared to most snakes at all but they sure do make a nice backing.  And yes I do get them sometimes.  I really don't understand your obsession with the thinness or thickness of the snake skins though.  I'm not an expert but I really don't believe any of these snakes are going to rob you of ANY noticeable performance.  Even if it cost you a FPS and that concerned you maybe you are shooting the wrong kind of bow....

[Lee Dogman]

I shoot traditional bows not because of "tradition" but because of how they are shot without aids such as sights, pullies, releases, and other such items that wear out. The bows I shoot are laminated bows of wood laminants with layers of carbon and glass...produced by bowyers that know how to use much materials in such a manner that they offer optimal performance and stability. I only want the snake skin to "camo" up the black glass on the back for hunting purposes. My choice of equipment is based on the concept of "keep it simple" as well crafted longbows offer all the characteristics I desire in a bow. I am not obsessed with speed, but I don't want a thick hide for such would offset any minimal gain the carbon has to offer the longbow.

It isn't an obsession, but just an educated choice. If diamond back is the best option for light camoed backing, then I certainly am content to stick with it for my bows.

I spoke the the wife more and found SHE likes the "blue racer," "grey banded kingsnake," and any of the various "milk snakes."

I will go back and edit my initial request to include any of these. Thanks for your help.

[NTD]

Okay, I guess I can understand your postion a little better now.  Your bow's performance is due to lots of little tweaks to increase performance.  If a backing untweaks one of those what's the point of having that bow.  Understood, but I still doubt you'd lose any.  Good luck on the grey-banded kingsnakes LOL  I wouldn't imagine those'd be an easy skin to get.  They sure would be pretty though

[Lee Dogman]

I suspect you are probably right. Loosing 1 or 2 fps is expected with a snake skin backing, and i can live with that...no biggie. As mentioned, I don't shoot for speed or I would have a compound bow. I shoot traditional for the simplicity of it. That said, I do want a snake skin to put on the bow, I just want one only for camo reasons and would prefer to keep any loss to a minimum. Very, very thin as you put it for western diamondback rattlers to "somewhat thin" for kingsnakes or something else would all be fine with me. I just want to avoid the thicker skinned snakes. If I was putting the skins on a selfbow, a thicker skin might even be desired by me. On that note, I have considered getting a quality self bow. I had an INCREDIBLE ONE years ago made by Mike Huneke that had about 100 growth rings of yew wood, but I sold it only because it was 70 somthing pounds and I need to stay in the 55# range.

[Pappy]

All you would have had to do was take a little wood off. If you want thin I would suggest trying to get some copper heads,they are about the thinest I have dealt with,kind of hard to find but if you can get them they are for sure thin.
   Pappy