From some threads on LW (and from some of the responses I got to a question about a bow for my wife), it seems to me Maddog has a near cult following...in a good way.

What, specifically, are the things you like most about his bows (besides the affordability). I don't personally know someone who owns one, so I have not been able to shoot one...

Tell me why they are such great bows, please.

Thanks, Bobby Boaldin

It would also be HELPFUL if you could compare/contrast them to other longbows you have had...

I have the Prairie predator longbow. It is the only traditional bow that I have ever owned so I can't compare it to other bows.

The bow is very well built and comfortable in my hand. It shoots very well.

I'm sorry I can't be much help but I'm sure others will respond.

Well - I own 2, and I don't think you can separate the reasons for the "cult following" from affordability. They aren't better than many other bows - however, they are just as good in terms of performance, and are at a ridiculous price point for the custom options you get.

They are a fast bow - not as smooth as some, but very fast and consistent.

I believe WVMountaineer has a small arsenal's worth.

And I don't think he'd trade one for a barrel full o' Friskies.

I have the full size recurve. It turned out exactly how i described it to mike and it fits me perfectly.

Mountaineer about covered it, i will add Mike is a great guy to deal with.

I can say this Mike is just a great guy. His bows as most any out there will perform within 10 fps of even the best of similar design. He is a man of his word and stands behind his products. Great prices, quality work and very good shooters. Kind of hard to beat. I know at one time on his youth bows he offered a trade in program, when the kid out grew the bow you could send it back and he would send a new one at I believe half the cost. He may no longer do that but that shows how much he cares. Call him and talk with him, see for yourself! Scooby

I've had several and cannot say anymore from above.

PrairieDrifter is pushing 30 of Mikes bows and probably can provide some good info for you.

Yep I have a slew of them . I have another on order as we speak. I have had bows from 4 or five different makers. All are nice. Mike's bows perform with the best of them. Mike will go the extra mile to make his customers happy. He'll build it the way you want without breaking the bank.

Coyote1 he's not making that full size recurve now is he ?

Because Mike builds them

DDave

Because Mike builds what you request. He won't stop until you are thrilled. He stands behind his work. Will fix what stupid that YOU do to one of his works of art. I know that from first hand experience too. And he does so at a price where one can afford a bow.

I here people say that today's bows aren't custom. I don't know why mikes isn't. He wants to know the draw, the grip, the sight window radius, etc to make the bow to you. That's a custom bow. And one of the biggest reasons I think his following is so adamant.

I don't know about performance other than to say they sure fling an arrow. Better than any I've owned. His prairie predator will leave you stunned. His recurve and full size longbows will do it as well. Try him.

God Bless

Mike makes a great bow...

The big plus that Mike has in my book is that he invest in our sport's future. I mean that literally, he gives away a bunch of bows to kids.

I have only purchased kids bows from him but I would not hesitate to shoot his bows. There's a couple threads going now that describes that there is actually very little difference in a well made "budget" bow and the high dollar bows.

Enjoy your new bow my friend.

truly a custom bowyer he's building me one as we speak can't wait to shoot it.

Can't speak for the full size versions but i have a 3rd kids bow ordered right now and I'll say that Mike stands behind his bows and it's obvious that he cares about his work. I'm anxious to have a Prarie Predator for myself one day!

You were looking for a bow that would perform at a short draw. I suggested the Prairie Predator. I gave such a bow to a kid, I expected it to be slower than a recurve of equal weight, it was not. I expected that it would need a lighter spined arrow, it did not. I did not expect it to be so easy to shoot or so quiet. Also, he can build that bow at a length that would work for the draw required and then you would not need to settle for a bow that is not designed for the draw and at a cheaper price than factory bows. He can make them with a nice little grip,, a bow has to be comfortable to hold and manage. Many people do not like to grapple with heavy clunky things that are difficult to hold when not shooting. The Prairie Predator is like a magic wand for handling. I may need to order another one.

Thank you to all who responded...I really appreciate your input...

I have 62" 28 @ 26. It handles great and shoots surprisingly fast.

I have a Maddog longbow, Maddog recurve, and a Border Harrier longbow. Guess which I hunted with this year; the Maddog mountaineer longbow. No it's not as fast as the Border, but it's the bow thats dialed in. Hopefully I'll get the Border to that point, I've got different arrows to try, but for now the Maddog wins!

My daughters PRARIE PREDATOR, is the quietest bow in the family. Standing six feet apart, I can barely hear it upon release, granted it's 28lb and shooting 15/16's and I'm 58 and hear like a 58 year old, but this bow puts the whisper in "whisper quiet", and I am wanting a MOUNTAINEER because of that, and it seems pretty quick also.

My Mountaineer longbow shot well over 190 fps with a 9 gpp arrow. 28 inch draw. 60 pounds. The chrono might have been wrong. Which means on the slow end too. I don't put a lot of stock in the speed of a bow. Just did it for fun with a buddy's chrono. But, I didn't over draw it. It is what it is. So people can say there are faster bows but, I find that hard to believe in any amount that might be perceivable. I'm not saying they don't exist. Just sayin'.... God Bless

I have one, a couple Liberties, a Pronghorn, a couple of Meigs. Mike's bow performs. It is not a work of art as are some of the others, but it does the job effortlessly. We had a couple in the local Archery shop and one sold on Saturday to an enthusiastic new longbowman. He was zinging arrows into the black at 15 yards with 15 minutes. This speaks to the ease and shootability of this bow. I bought mine to help as i recovered from a shoulder issue, and it allowed me to shoot thru the injury.

This:

"Because Mike builds them"

Coyote1 he's not making that full size recurve now is he ?

It is not listed on his site but if you ask Mike he will make you one. 60" 50's style curve. It is one of my favorite bows.

I'll tell you one thing.... you don't see very many in the classifieds .

And on swap & trade, they're more often being sought out than traded off...

I have a Mutt, it is great shoots as well as any I have had.

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