Selfbow! And what got you into it. Tell us your story. I figured this would be a good thread on a cold Winters day;)

Long story short. 18yr old sitting on a piece of plywood 8’ up in an Oak heard a noise looked down n a doe was straight down was able to stand up and take the shot

Always had a desire to build one, so finally attempted it in the spring of 2010. Shot it most of that summer at 3d events and decided to hunt with it that fall. Killed a nice buck with it that fall, about 100 yards from where I had cut the tree down. Have been 100% selfbows ever since. Hunted successfully with that 1st bow for 10 years, before retiring it, and giving several others a chance.

Apparently I don’t read very well this was my 1st traditional harvest opps

Don’t sweat it Nick. I enjoyed your post. Congrats on your first deer. You’ll never forget it! Well done.

I'm a real failure as a bowyer. I've had several tries and fails over the last couple decades. I put in hours shaping and scrapping to have them last for a few shots. A few years back I cut an ash sapling and put it up in my barn to cure for a year. Expecting another fail I did minimal work on it even left some bark on the back. Now I've got an ugly 68" stick that pulls in the upper 30s at 26" but at least it will lob an arrow . I guess I can count that as a success ?

I wanted more bows than I could afford to buy. Building messy glass bows wasn't an option. 250'ish self bows later you asked this question.

I’m an odd ball. I never bow hunted or even shot bows.

My cousin got me started knapping. He didn’t stay with it but I could put it down. I had no idea what I was doing, but I watched hours and hours of YouTube. I turned every piece of knappable stone I had into gravel. Eventually I turned some of the gravel into decent arrowheads.

Naturally I had to make an arrow. Again I knew nothing about making an arrow so I again went to you tube and made several really crude arrows.

Next I needed to shoot my arrow so again I went to YouTube. I knew nothing about bows. Never even heard of a Selfbow. It didn’t seem that difficult. I made a poorly tillered ash Selfbow.

I notched my crude stone point arrow on my poorly tillered ash Selfbow. I drew to my anchor and let my B-55 string loose. I was changed forever as I watched my crude stone point arrow somehow spiral it’s way to my 4’x4’ foam target. I was totally hooked.

I was so proud of my bow that I took it to my neighbors shop one Saturday morning. A bunch of old timers gathered there for coffee and a good does of BS

They already thought I had a screw loose with my knapping. I was going to show them.

I drew back my bow to my anchor and they seemed impressed. Just to drive it home I drew to my ear. Craaack and uncontrolled laughter. I laughed right with them but inside I was heartbroken. I made up my mind right there I would never be without a Selfbow again.

I got serious about all of my equipment and meet a bunch of other bowyers. They are a good bunch and I learned so much.

I made a HHB Selfbow and that fall I hunted with a bow for the first time in my life. I took a small four point from the ground. I was standing thirty feet from where I cut the Hop Hornbeam tree I made my bow from. I just can’t describe the feeling other than to say as soon as I let go of the string I wanted to do it again.

If I can do it anybody can. I’m not a great hunter. I have taken two bucks with my Selfbows but I’m not a dedicated hunter like so many on here.

My first passion is farming.

My second is definitely my primitive journey

Brogg

Brogg, Thats true dedication and I enjoyed the story. Glad you didn't give up.

1984...newly married and too poor to buy good equipment. I hacked out a couple of bows from the local oaks that held together and shot well enough to kill some deer. I was kinda off and running at that point.

My father being mostly Cherokee with some Chickasaw got my interest stirred up pretty good in spite of him not embracing it at all for years. I was always for the Indians in the shows and movies and then Robin Hood really perked me up. Was making crude bows and arrows as a kid until I got my first solid fiberglass bow, sure it was a Pearson. I shot just about everything, just love to shoot it all but first love was always simple Longbow or a selfbow. Always was intrigued by the selfbow but never knew anything about them until late in life. If I had known what I know now, I probably would have never bought a laminated bow. I also would have learned how to knap an arrowhead. I made a few spears over the years but never truly hunted with them. loved bowfishing as well and also loved spear fishing and free diving. Now I am about trying to share some of my knowledge with new people to this wonderful sport.

Rick good to see your still around.

I’m guessing you got a few pointers from Jim too Rick along your selfbow journey. I heard Dire Wolf built a pretty, darn good bow. Especially at a high elevation Yew;)

In the old days, I think this thread would’ve had more responses too

Aah, seems like just a couple or 3 years ago, because it was ;)

Besides the poplar sapling bows I made as a kid around my Grampa's cabin, I didn't try making a real bow until fairly recently even though I always thought about it. Finally figured I'd read and watched enough videos to give it a try once I'd acquired a few tools.

It was a naturally reflexed Osage stave I got from Tim Cosgrove at Elm Hall shortly after he started selling Shrew bows. Lots of natural character and some I personally inflicted. Surprisingly, it kept most of the reflex and is still a great shooter even though it only finished out at 34#. My fiance' enjoys shooting it over the one I made specifically for her and every time I string it up I gotta fling a couple myself.

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