Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: Carson (CMB) on October 27, 2012, 02:04:48 pm
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An old professor of mine who taught ecology and required Sand County Almanac to be read by all of his students shared this article with me. I knew Aldo Leopold hunted with the bow and arrow and made his own arrows, but I had no idea he also dabbled in bowyery The link shares a letter he wrote to a friend describing a yew bow he had just made for him. What a great writer!
bowhunting.net/artman/publish/Dr_Dave_Samuel/Aldo_Leopold_the_Bowhunter.shtml
Moderators: if this direct link is not allowable, can you please delete only the link?
The letter can be found by copying and pasting this excerpt into your search engine:
Does a yew tree glory in fashioning from mere soil and sunlight a wood whose shavings curl in ecstasy at the prospect of becoming a bow? These are questions meant for an archer to ask, but for no man to answer.
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Well written.
The letter can still be easily accessed with the modification I made to the link
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Thanks Marc!
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That was a great article. It's difficult to put words to why we enjoy what we do. This article does a good job explaining some of it. Thanks for posting it.
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cool article, thanks Carson! We should get together this winter! Comin" out to the coast?
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Wow, what a great writer! Thanks for sharing that.
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I am glad you guys enjoyed it, as I have. it looks like there is a couple different versions floating around online, and it appears the one I linked to left out a little here and there. Hope it is authentic.
Aaron, that would be great. I haven't worked on my knapping skills much since last winter. Would be good to make it up there again. I would like to time it with the tides and go claming!
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I know this is old, but this letter from Aldo Leopold is really worth a read. What a fine piece of writing, from one of the founding fathers of conservation!
http://bowhunting.net/artman/publish/Dr_Dave_Samuel/Aldo_Leopold_the_Bowhunter.shtml
Gabe
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Gabe, glad you brought it back up. I found it is also published in the book, Billets to Bows, Glenn St Charles. In the form of a copy of the original letter. The link posted in this thread shows an article that is somewhat abbreviated. The actual letter goes into more detail on the geographic center of the bow.
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I too was required to read it in college as part of a wildlife management class. Best required assignment I ever had. Most don't think of him as a bowyer but he was very knowledgeable to the craft. Seems like he makes some subtle references in "Sand County Almanac" to bow making and archery. Going to have to read it again.
I was going to suggest " Billets to Bows" as well because I just read all the old letters in the back of the book last week.
I urge anyone that is into hunting or ecology to get a copy and read it.
Tracy
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A Sand County Almanac was mandatory reading while I was in the Fish and Wildlife program at South Dakota State University. I re-read my favorite chapters almost yearly.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/bluegill68/Aldo_Leopold_cliff_zps357e758a.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bluegill68/media/Aldo_Leopold_cliff_zps357e758a.jpg.html)
The father of Conservation on a bow hunt.
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Cool! Thanks.
Wasn't Teddy considered the Father of conservation? ;)
Wayne
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Stickbender maybe I should go back to SDSU, you are correct.
Leopold is the Father of Wildlife Management.
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Aldo still deserves more attention and accolades than he receives. ;)
Wayne
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hey i have been looking for some books in this time area...storys about hunting with self made gear...i all ready have chestors..looking for more...john
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I know this is old, but this letter from Aldo Leopold is really worth a read. What a fine piece of writing, from one of the founding fathers of conservation!
http://bowhunting.net/artman/publish/Dr_Dave_Samuel/Aldo_Leopold_the_Bowhunter.shtml
Gabe
I really enjoyed that letter.
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Was he from Missouri?--a prof at MU? If so he was more that an outdoorsman, more than a conservationist though he is revered justifiably in both those areas. If my memory serves me correctly he was also a treasure to the ag dept. at Mizzouri. The guy I'm thinking of did original work showing that the size of deer racks is directly related to the nutrients in the soil. That, it turn, had implications for domestic animal agriculture in general.
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Great writing, but I especially like that last quote:
" ...if the bow breaks, with or without provocation, pray waste no words or thoughts in vain regret. There are more staves in the woods than have yet sped an arrow, all longing to realize their manifest destiny.”
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Got my spring brake reading, great post.