Vine Maple Bow pics

[Gordon]

Here are some pictures of a bow that I helped a friend of mine, Greg Zimmerman build. Greg harvested the vine maple stave from a forest near his home in Olympia Washington. I helped him rough out and tiller the bow. Greg did the rest himself including applying the skins and finishing the bow. The tiller was a little tricky as the limbs had several undulations along their length, but I think we got everything bending pretty evenly.

The bow is 64” ntn, 1 ˝” wide mid-limb tapering to ˝” at the tips and 55# @ 27”. The skins are diamond back rattler.

Greg was so taken with primitive archery that he sold all of his glass bows and now only shoots self-bows. And I can tell you that he shoots them as good as well as anyone I have ever seen shoot a bow.  The pictures were taken on a recent hunting trip that we took into the Eagle Cap wilderness in Oregon.

[tradrick]

Absolutly beautiful bow,and some awesome scenery.I'm very jealous.Thanks for shareing tradrick

[welch2]

Wow, do you ever make anything that ain't just plumb pretty ?

Ralph

[Gordon]

Ralph, thanks for the compliment, but I just helped Greg layout and tiller the bow. Greg did most of the heavy lifting and deserves the credit for this bow.

[medicinewheel]

hey greg and gordon! - nice bow!
some more details would be great...
frank

[makete]

You make me home sick for the cascade mountians. Beautiful bow.

[OldBow]

Good job, Gordon, for helping out a friend.  Beautiful bow. That elk "rub" pretty validates that you have got some elk around somewhere. Must be bugeling, too.
Check out the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation here in Missoula, if you haven't already.
http://www.rmef.org/

Their brand new visitor center is pretty impressive.
Got Greg's bow set up for Sept Self BOM, of course.

[Gordon]

Oh yea, Don, there was lot's of bugling going on. Just to whet your appetite a bit, here's a pic of a little "watering hole" that some of the elk in the area seemed to fancy. You gotta love elk, they live in some of the prettiest country anywhere.

[Ghost Dog]

Boy oh boy, Gordon, great pictures and a really fine looking bow. I need to spend more time here on PA!

[George Tsoukalas]

Bow is beautiful as is the scenery. Jawge

[Pat B]

Gordon, That looks like an elk killing bow you helped Greg make and some elk killing country ya'll are hunting. My wife and I looked it up on our atlas today and the eastern portions of Oregon, near the Snake River is an area we haven't been to but it is on our short list. Increadable looking country!!!
   Pat

[Gordon]

Pat,

It is God’s country for sure, but steep as h*ll. But after you crawl and scratch your way to the top there is often the most incredible bowl waiting for you. It’s like you’ve been suddenly thrust into a dream with the most beautiful park you can imagine with lush green grass, abundant spring water, tall handsome trees, and, if you’re lucky, a bugling bull elk.

There is something about this country that just grabs you…

Gordon

[dragonfly]

wow ! looks great !!!

[Woodland Roamer]

Breathtaking country and hunting elk with a beautiful bow, doesn't get any better than that.

Alan

[a finnish native]

I can see why the people of that land protected it till the very end.