Sinew Backed Bows and Using Sinew to Haft Arrow Points

[blindarcher]

I am a resident of Indiana and attended the Traditional Bow Hunters Expo in Kalamazoo MI this past month.  While there, I  spoke to a couple of bowyers and fletchers about sinew backed bows and hafting arrow points with sinew.  I have made several sinew backed bows myself and routinely haft arrow points with sinew.  However, these experts suggested that I may have broken the law by doing so.  If not,it is  likely that I cannot sell sinew backed bows or arrows with points hafted with sinew.  I guess this is the case in Michigan according to these experts.  I was wondering if this was  the  case in Indiana.  I find it interesting that some well known archery businesses in Indiana sell sinew for backing bows and hafting arrow points. 

[aznboi3644]

I live in southern Indiana and have never heard of such things.

[Pat B]

In most places it is illegal to sell any part of a white tail deer. I don't think that it's sinew that is illegal to sell but the type of sinew. There are other animal sinews that would be fine to use like cow, emu, ostrich, goat and many others.

[Eric Garza]

The legalities of possessing and selling sinew from wild game animals varies from state to state. I grew up in Indiana and spent my first 5 years learning to make bows there, including several sinew-backed bows that I ended up selling. I left the state in 2007, and as far as I know at that time it was not illegal to possess or sell sinew harvested from white tail deer. Laws can change of course. If you want to know for certain, your best bet would be to call your local warden and ask. If Indiana is the same today as it was when I grew up there, the DNR is so strapped for resources that it is unlikely the warden would try to track you down to check to see if you are using or selling sinew. They have bigger issues to deal with.

[aznboi3644]

I agree.  I fish out in a large wild life reserve area quite often and in that one large area we have one maybe two wardens patrolling.  I would call the state DNR office and ask for more clarity.  I wouldn’t worry about it though.  I know people that sell deer meat publicly.

[blindarcher]

Thanks for all your replies.