First bow...69" Osage flatbow "memories of the hunt"

[cougarbob]

Hello I am new to Primitive Archer and would like to introduce myself and also share with you pictures of my first self bow.   My name is Bob and I am 50 years old. Let me first start by giving you some of my background.  I started archery at a very young age.  My first bow was a recurve which my brothers and I would shoot after school each day. As time passed, I became old enough to hunt and just enjoyed being in the woods with my bow any chance I could get. Missing my share of game only intensified my interest in this great sport and made me strive to overcome the challenges it had to offer. Being lucky enough to have a great hunting partner to share these experiences with made me a very content man. This partner is my son Rob with whom I’ve shared countless memories in the woods with whether it being hunting, trapping, fishing, etc. Recently Rob enlisted in the Navy and has left our Pennsylvania woods to serve our nation.  This has left me with emptiness, which lead me to my interest in building my first bow. With the guidance of my good friend Jon (straightarrow) I started on the mission to build my first bow. Jon skipped some steps and dove me head first into an Osage flatbow. We started with a stave that’s been drying since 1994. I was a little bewildered at first because I did not know the basic steps to achieving my goal. Soon all the pieces of the puzzle would fall into place. First I did a belly split on the stave in which I plan to make a second bow for my son Rob. It wasn’t long before the stave was soon looking like a bow. This process was therapeutic to me missing my son. Sanding, filing, and using the drawknife gave me lots of time to reflect on memories that Rob and I had made together hunting in the October woods.  This is why I picked the name of the bow to be “Memories of the Hunt”.  I thank you for taking the time to look at something that is so dear to me.

Thank You
Bob
Fombell, PA

Here are some stats about the bow
69”
57#@28”
Skins are western diamond back
Beaver tail grip
Brazilian rosewood and antler tips
B-50 string with beaver ball silencers
151 fps 8.9gr per pound

[cougarbob]

Here is a few more

[sadiejane]

sweeeet!

[mikekeswick]

Very nice bow for your first effort. Excellent.
Bow making can certainly be very absorbing.

[vinemaplebows]

Very nice bow...welcome to the board..

[Pat B]

Very cool bow. Well done! 

[osage outlaw]

Beautiful bow and scenery.  Welcome to the best bowmaking community in the world.

[Weylin]

You, sir, have created a problem for yourself... you're going to want to build more bows but how are you gonna top that one? 

[blackhawk]

i heard that bow turned out sweet,and by golly it is. i also heard your a good student nice pics down at mconnels mill in the slippery rock gorge ..id recognize those rocks anywhere ...good job bob

[Badger]

  Very impressive for a first bow, either you are very talented or you had a good mentor. Likely both I would imagine. I like your bottom limb on the full draw shot better than the top limb, looks to be bending a bit too much close to the fades and a touch stiff mid limb but still an outstanding job. Steve

[Dazv]

What a great bow i can't wait to see your next make sure you post it.

[coaster500]

Looks like you pored your heart into that bow....  very well done and even better for your first one!!!

[Del the cat]

Great tiller on that beaut'
Del

[Lee Lobbestael]

Bob if my twentieth or fiftieth bow looked as good as that I would be a happy man! Great lookin bow man!

[Keenan]

Bob, Welcome to PA. That is a very swett bow. Congratulations. I look forward to seeing more of your work