Curiosity Question-What do you do with your bows.

[Marks]

I just starting but I plan on primarily Hunting with mine. I also plan to make some for a few family members and maybe friends. I doubt I will ever sell any and certainly don't plan on competing. I just want the satisfaction of building something with my hands and taking game with it. I'm not really into History when it comes to events and people but I think its fun to try to learn how things were done back then. Making Maple Syrup has also been a recent challange I've taken on. 

Why do you build them and what do you do with them?

[ionicmuffin]

if im not satifyed with the bow in terms of weight i give it away. or ill make em for others.

[Jodocus]

I make 'em just for the heck of it.

[osage outlaw]

I make them because after I made my first one, I couldn't stop.  I hunt with them (unsuccessfully  ) and target shoot with them.

[turtle]

I hunt with mine. After i killed my first deer with a self bow i made i never picked up another fiberglass and dont think i ever will.

[Stringman]

I shoot with em, hunt with em, sell them, give them away, and burn them, usually after i break em. After almost 10 years of building, it's fun to compare the difference between my most recent and my first attempts.

Not really into the competition thing either, but I have been known to enter into the BOM a few times. The rivalry that goes on here is a lot easier to stomache than in most venues. Feels more like brothers having fun, and I enjoy that.

Scott

[Will H]

I started making bows in 2004 because I couldn't afford to buy a good fiberglass bow on a starving musician budget I make bows to hunt with mostly but being part of twin oaks I've been getting into 3D shoots more as well. I've givin most of my bows away to friends and family but I hang on to a few that are special to me. I've taken deer, rabbits and hogs with my bows and stone points. Nothin like it in the world

[bubby]

I hunt and just go out stumping, and give them away, if I didn't give them away i'd run out of room, like Will I started making because my bow broke and I didn't have the money to buy a bow, plus i'm a southpaw, I keep a few of my own but most the bows I keep are ones that were made by the people on here

[Bryce]

hunting, sometimes i give them away to friends or acquaintances, whether or not they appreciate the work isnt that big of a deal i like the smiles i have sold a few to help pay for school.
my bows are precious to me, but i wont hesitate to beat down some bushes or use them as a digging stick

-Pinecone

[Badly Bent]

I hunt with mine every chance I have, shoot em' when I can't hunt, just hold them and think about hunting when I can't hunt or shoot.    Have given many away, never sold a one and I keep the ones that I don't shoot around so if someone shows up interested
in shooting I'll have a bow that fits them. If they are sincerely taken by the sport, ( and I like them enough), they may go home with the gift of their own bow.
Greg

ps: I like Osage Outlaws comment: "I made my first and couldn't stop" Kind of sums it up for a lot of us don't it?

[autologus]

I make them for no other reason than to make them.  I enjoy using my hands and crafting something useful, I love shooting and while I have deer hunted some with them I have not killed anything with them yet.  Making bows is my Prozac.

Grady

[ionicmuffin]

i agree badly, ive caught the disease pretty bad, and ive been infecting others as well  so far i have one majorly hooked, another is pretty hooked, and two others that just wanted to make one for the sake of making one. Man do i have it bad too. if you find yourself examining all the trees you pass while trying to drive then you know your in over you head 

[kevinsmith5]

My great grandfather made Osage bows to hunt his way through the Great Depression ....I live on the east coast so I have to use other materials, but I'm keeping on the family tradition as best I can.

[Marks]

My great grandfather made Osage bows to hunt his way through the Great Depression ....I live on the east coast so I have to use other materials, but I'm keeping on the family tradition as best I can.

My favorite answer so far.

[randman]

Now that you're addicted Marks, you'll end up making some for you and giving a lot of them away because if you don't, you'll soon run out of room in your house for all the bows (and staves and boards you'll start hoarding for materials).