The Way the Indians did it.
09-25-2008, 10:26 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 3,882
The Way the Indians did it.
JMbuckhunters finds were astonoshing, to me. I am amazed be the shear talent, skill, and dedication that this "elite" group of hunters displayed. To take everything with their own two hands and construct a piece of equipment capable of bringing down something as large as a buffalo, Is just purely mind blowing. Respect.
Is there anybody that has attempted this? From Scratch, to take the correct wood, stones, tendens, and construct a bow and arrows and actually get out and harvest game with it? Forget ethics, this was the way it was done, the way they lived. Charles Acuna is one that I know of, but anybody on here ever done it?
Truley Amazing.
Is there anybody that has attempted this? From Scratch, to take the correct wood, stones, tendens, and construct a bow and arrows and actually get out and harvest game with it? Forget ethics, this was the way it was done, the way they lived. Charles Acuna is one that I know of, but anybody on here ever done it?
Truley Amazing.
09-25-2008, 10:38 PM
#3
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Eureka, MO
Posts: 1,519
RE: The Way the Indians did it.
My uncle used to hunt this way. He started out using a compound many years ago and then moved on to a new challenge. He started making his own bows, arrows which consisted of picking out the wood and making his own arrowheads out of flint and using deer tendons to tie them on the shaft. He also made his own moccasins and would stalk deer. He was very successful using this method, but after a few years of hunting this way he gave up archery altogether. Thankfully, this year he decided to get back into archery and is going to go out with our group a few time this season. If i was at home(I'm at college) I would show you a bow he gave me as well as some knives that he made using an arrowhead tied on with tendons to an antler. It is really cool that he was successful this way.
09-25-2008, 10:42 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 3,882
RE: The Way the Indians did it.
You know I just read an article stating, that arrow heads were used on Atlatls, Not bows as depicted....??
Arrowheads were attached to arrow shafts and "thrown" with an Atl-Atl (which is like a spear thrower) and were never formally used on modern bows as sometimes depicted.
09-25-2008, 10:45 PM
#5
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Jefferson County, Missouri
Posts: 7,684
RE: The Way the Indians did it.
My dad said something about one of his buddies doing it. Could you imagine the sense of pride and accomplishment if you pulled it off?!
I know I can't!
I know I can't!
09-25-2008, 11:38 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Gleason, TN
Posts: 1,327
RE: The Way the Indians did it.
I used to be really into flintknapping, but never made anything that was really beautiful like some of the artifacts that you can find in a plowed field. I could never "thin" my points down without breaking them. I made a nice looking hickory selfbow one time, but it broke after just 100 shots or so. I suspect I messed up the back of the bow when I was tillering it.
I tried my hand at making arrows too. I found steam bending wood very hard and I never mastered making hide glue. My pine pitch glue was good, but hard to work with. My turkey feather fletching was effective, but inconsistant.
I've tried many primitive skills but always came up short of something fully functional. About the only ones I continue to practice is tanning hides and other leather work (those actually turn out good for me). I will be saving the sinew and hides of the deer I get this year. Maybe for a winter project I'll try to make another bow if I can find some seasoned wood.
I tried my hand at making arrows too. I found steam bending wood very hard and I never mastered making hide glue. My pine pitch glue was good, but hard to work with. My turkey feather fletching was effective, but inconsistant.
I've tried many primitive skills but always came up short of something fully functional. About the only ones I continue to practice is tanning hides and other leather work (those actually turn out good for me). I will be saving the sinew and hides of the deer I get this year. Maybe for a winter project I'll try to make another bow if I can find some seasoned wood.
09-25-2008, 11:40 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 3,882
RE: The Way the Indians did it.
ORIGINAL: Wiggy
I used to be really into flintknapping, but never made anything that was really beautiful like some of the artifacts that you can find in a plowed field. I could never "thin" my points down without breaking them. I made a nice looking hickory selfbow one time, but it broke after just 100 shots or so. I suspect I messed up the back of the bow when I was tillering it.
I tried my hand at making arrows too. I found steam bending wood very hard and I never mastered making hide glue. My pine pitch glue was good, but hard to work with. My turkey feather fletching was effective, but inconsistant.
I've tried many primitive skills but always came up short of something fully functional. About the only ones I continue to practice is tanning hides and other leather work (those actually turn out good for me). I will be saving the sinew and hides of the deer I get this year. Maybe for a winter project I'll try to make another bow if I can find some seasoned wood.
I used to be really into flintknapping, but never made anything that was really beautiful like some of the artifacts that you can find in a plowed field. I could never "thin" my points down without breaking them. I made a nice looking hickory selfbow one time, but it broke after just 100 shots or so. I suspect I messed up the back of the bow when I was tillering it.
I tried my hand at making arrows too. I found steam bending wood very hard and I never mastered making hide glue. My pine pitch glue was good, but hard to work with. My turkey feather fletching was effective, but inconsistant.
I've tried many primitive skills but always came up short of something fully functional. About the only ones I continue to practice is tanning hides and other leather work (those actually turn out good for me). I will be saving the sinew and hides of the deer I get this year. Maybe for a winter project I'll try to make another bow if I can find some seasoned wood.
09-26-2008, 12:13 AM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Painesville, ohio
Posts: 486
RE: The Way the Indians did it.
i am going to try to take some pictures of my arrowheads, spear heads, and tools tomarrow.
Atlatls were used to throw spears. its amazing how small actual arrowheads are. MAYBE as large as a 50 cent piece long, if, and no bigger than a quarter wide.
we have a few hundred I think
Atlatls were used to throw spears. its amazing how small actual arrowheads are. MAYBE as large as a 50 cent piece long, if, and no bigger than a quarter wide.
we have a few hundred I think
09-26-2008, 12:25 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Gleason, TN
Posts: 1,327
RE: The Way the Indians did it.
Here are some of my hides. The squirrel I got a few weeks ago and is missing some hair due to how it died (shotgun), the other hide is a possum, and the hide under them is my first deer hide.The two arrow heads on the squirrel hide are ones that I found. The flint one was found in NC and the quarts one was found in GA. The knife with the antler handle is one that I made from an old file. The other one I made the handle (hickory) and the sheath, but the blade is a blank made by Green river and holds a great edge. That's all I can find to take a pic of tonight, sorry about the picture quality lol, that camera has been through alot.
09-26-2008, 12:44 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Gleason, TN
Posts: 1,327
RE: The Way the Indians did it.
And if anyone wants to see it, this is a piebald buck hide. My stepdad shot this buck (he had a 14" spike antler on one side, and a 3" spike on the other side) with his bow on opening day of the 2001 season in GA. The hide is not tanned yet, just salted which is why it's so stiff and hard to pose for a picture.
