Is BOM melting down?

[PEARL DRUMS]

Making categories wont make better bowyers. If a fella wants to compete with the best you work your tail off until your work can compete with the best. If a guy is happy with his bows, that's all that matters. You cant fault a guy that pours his heart into every bow and makes them "perfect". Ive been around here a long time and have watched some guys excel from bent yard sticks to amazing works of art. In that same time frame Ive watched guys start with bent yard sticks and still make bent yard sticks to this day. I wont feel sorry for anybody that cant win BOM that is settled on mediocre work, to each their own. I didn't enter my first 50 bows, I knew better. I didn't ask for any special categories or judging, or ridicule those that can make gorgeous bows as elitists. I put my nose down, worked my ass off and got better at making bows! Motivation is easy to find, but its a lot harder to put to use.

[mole]

I was sent the e-mail, so I'll throw in as well.  I voted for the BOM contest loyally for a long time.  I voted for what bow I liked most---it often wasn't the best bow from a technical stand point and it almost never was from one of the "leading horses".  Not a single bow I voted for ever won.  If every single time my chosen bow didn't win, my vote didn't matter.  If my vote didn't matter it wasn't worth my time.  APATHY.  When I would receive the e-mail reminder, I would delete it without looking at it.

It seems to me that limiting candidates to subscription holders only can only hurt things when the contest is having trouble drawing enough interest in the first place.  You need fresh blood, not a small stock of diminishing people.  Talented bowyers holding back their work is also not good.  Winning is much less satisfying when you know the deck is stacked to favor you or when talented competition is withheld.

I was a subscriber for many years, but let my subscription lapse for 2 main reasons. 1)  I didn't have time to read it.  I was working about 70 hours a week and have many unopened copies put away still in their mailing packaging.  2)  I found one particular reoccurring author to be highly annoying.  I don't give a care about someone's expensive, guided elk hunt that he had to travel to another state to do.  That's not hunting in my opinion---that's wanting bragging rights and the desire to kill.  I want to read about the guy who jumps into his pickup, drives for a little while and takes a white tail or grouse or maybe just a rabbit in his backyard.  I enjoyed all the other articles, but that one guy at the beginning left a sour taste for all that followed.  The how to's and build-alongs were the gems.

I can't really comment on how efficiently the BOM was being run since I ignored it, but I do recognize that it takes a lot of effort---much more than most would imagine---to take on such an undertaking.

I just bought a new subscription and promise to at least vote for BOM until it runs out.  The magazine really is much better than all the other popular journals and the BOM contest helped to make it stand out a little more.

[Steve Stanfill]

I have identified the problem.  The verification is to difficult.

[bubbles]

I can't say I ever paid much attention to the BOM contests,  Probably because Im not a subscriber.  I'm going to fix that though. A subscription is a small price to pay for the wealth of Bowyers knowledge contained on this site.
I would like the the contest to include all the best bows, otherwise it's not much of a contest.  Even if they are not subscribers.  I think it would raise interest in the mag if you wernt a subscriber but your bow was featured in it.
  Perhaps there doesn't need to be different categories for backed and self? Would that stream line it a bit?
  As far as hats...
I don't know if there needs to be a hat distributed for winners. A man only needs so many hats.  Maybe just a certificate? Or a promo code for a few dollars off your next subscription? (The same amount as the cost of a hat) 

[Parnell]

I really don't know what to say on this, at this point.  I'm simply getting the feeling this isn't wanted or valued much by the organization.  Cipriano is a great guy and has my respect.
I volunteered to help.  I haven't heard anything.  It'd be great if the event could be salvaged but I'm not chipping in, again.

At this point, it's all rhetoric to me.  Hope something is done.

[wapiti1997]

I'm not a subscriber, I would be if I had "extra" money. I will as things improve in the future.  I do try to contribute as much as I can regarding topics in my area of expertise.

As for BOM, I voted some in the past, but have been sidetracked lately and haven't even looked at BOM.  It is a great feature, event, topic, whatever you want to call it.  I do think not considering "non-subscribers" eligible to participate hurts interest participation and in the end subscriptions.

If interest is increased, subscriptions will also.  If a non subscriber wins, you bet they want to join to see it in print..  Just my 2 cents, that's all I have..

[Drewster]

Making categories wont make better bowyers. If a fella wants to compete with the best you work your tail off until your work can compete with the best.

I agree 100%.......to excel at anything, you have to put your nose to the grindstone and earn it.

[Badger]

       I think we were fortunate that Don had carried it for so many years. A of of work goes into something like this and it would be difficult for anyone person to remain motivated for any length of time. Without a good amount of redundancy in those who can carry the program it will always be at risk of deteriorating. My best suggestion would be to try and build a small committee of guys who can handle it where they can help each other and if need be carry each other over the humps. I  noticed a big change in the participation when subscriptions were required to enter but I don't blame the magazine for asking that. Not really that much to talk about when it comes to wood bows that hasn't already been talked about so just showing off well done bows will always be a strong feature for the magazine.

[soy]

Love bom 

[mullet]

Everytime this comes up it's always a small group that can spend time on the computer and building bows but can't afford $20. Do you smoke, drink a beer? Who do you guys think pays for this site? This magazine makes no money from over the counter sales. And, this group I'm talking about backs up what I'm saying, they buy over the counter, pay more money for it and still will not get a subscription.

I've read through some of the post and the same arguments come up, popularity, bias, I just build plain bows, it's a photography shoot, same old crap and the same old whinning.

Just get a subscription. before they make the site for subscription only. After all, they have to make money.

[bubby]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[Pappy]

You go Eddie.
 Pappy

[Parnell]

Well, I gladly re-upped my subscription for 2 years and I've heard from Cipriano.  I'm going to start helping him putting together the entries and the collages.  I have plenty of free time so I'm glad to be of service.

I'll be working on helping out the timeliness of the event, as best I can, fellas.

Cheers.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I always re-up two years at a time so my refried brain doesn't have one more thing to remember.

Way to step up Steve-O! You're a good man.

[Marc St Louis]

Well said Eddie but I would disagree on the "small group".  It's a small group that support the mag by subscribing.  I remember all the people that vented against the mag when the board went private. 

The original purpose for this message board when it was created was as a support for the magazine, that is to say subscribers could come here and ask questions specifically about the mag