scrub/gambel oak anasazi bow

[loefflerchuck]

Thanks everybody

[Peacebow_Coos]

Great work Chuck, as usual, looks like it works to me

[Billinthedesert]

Chuck, I found this thread doing a search for Gambel oak. Do you still own and shoot this bow? What is your longer-term perspective on this wood? I ask because there does not seem to be much information on Gambel oak -- and it is not listed in Tim Baker's list of suitable bow woods over at Paleoplanet.  My interest stems from having moved from bow-wood rich Oregon to the Chihuahuan desert of south-central New Mexico. I see Gambel oak identified as bow wood and atlatl wood in archaeological papers about the cultures in this part of the Southwest.

[Hawkdancer]

Real nice set, Chuck!  I would like to find a couple of nice scrub oak staves.  Time to scour the woods! And chat with my rancher friend to see if she has scrub oak, and chokecherry.  I would have to make it slightly heavier, about 35#-36# to be legal for big game here in Colorado.  Would you have to increase bow length to increase the draw weight? 
Hawkdancer

[loefflerchuck]

I had this bow a few years before I passed it along to a new owner. It is oak and all oak makes bows. Just be careful of it getting too dry.

Hawkdancer- I thought 40#was minimum legal weight for Colorado. With a primitive bow design I would want 50#+ for the sake of clean, humane hunting.

[BowEd]

Excellent authentic work as usual Chuck.The arrows too.
This might be interesting and related here.No meaning of robbing highlights of your thread at all.
There was just an article in the local paper here about a long time local artifact hunter 10 miles to the north of me here that has found what he thought at first was a walking stick but to his surprise it is a native american bow.He's very familiar with the local native american campsites he searches in around here.Like others here they find many many numerous arrow heads and axes.He's got to get the bow carbon date tested to authenticate it but has'nt.He says it is a very expensive process and can't afford it.The bow itself is 48" long.

[Hawkdancer]

I had this bow a few years before I passed it along to a new owner. It is oak and all oak makes bows. Just be careful of it getting too dry.

Hawkdancer- I thought 40#was minimum legal weight for Colorado. With a primitive bow design I would want 50#+ for the sake of clean, humane hunting.

Chuck,
 I double checked - it is 35#, arrows have to have at least 2 steel cutting edges.  I would think at 10 - 15 yards, a well placed shot with a super sharp broad head would be enough, but I haven't hunted big game with a bow.  I do remember a training session where the instuctors said you should be able to hit a grapefruit every time at whatever range you shoot!  I have to get my fingers toughened up and practice a bunch!  Don't want to hijack the thread, though!  Looking for some scrub oak staves though!
Hawkdancer

[Morgan]

I sure like that. Bare bones roots of a primitive bow and a beauty at that.

[DC]

A grapefruit would be pretty safe in front of me, at any range

[Springbuck]

  Looks very good, Chuck.   Been tempted to try scrub oak.

[ntvbowyer1969]

Love the bow. looks like a museum piece.