Yep, I believe that Mr. Asbel founded Big Horne archery if I'm not mistaken. They produced a real fine bow from what I've heard. Craftsmen have been providing for the people and have been getting compensation for that service for tens of thousands of years. Back before the first Europeans set foot here, the Indian peoples looked to their craftsmen to build their weapons for them and the bowyers were held in very high regard. At least they were by my people. Now, these bowmakers didn't work for free either. Seems they'd take a fine horse, robes, a good pipe, feathers, skins and even a good fat woman to keep them warm at night and the hunters and warriors were more than willing to meet and trade with the bowyer to get the best bow they could. Sure am glad someone invented money. Hate the thought of trading my frying pan carrying, head thumping Choctaw woman for a bow I could just give some paper for. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>Which sort of brings up a point I was trying to make before. Reading about it is one thing but doing it is quite another. It might pay to do more and read less even though I recognize that most guys here probably are urban people and don't get out a lot. But maybe it's even more important to make the effort then since you're not exposed to natural world as much. Then maybe you'll come to feel a part of it instead of an occasional trespasser dependent on the advice of strangers.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

I agree. We all need to spend more time with Nature to become more in tune with the ways of Nature. Myself, I spend more time with MOM than I do in my own home. You are also right that many can't do that. Most people spend half their lives going to work, working and then returning home from work again. They practice when they can, but that isn't enough. It's unfortunate, but the time of the village, where hunters lived in close proximity to each other and were allowed to teach the boys to hunt from an early age are all but gone. It is that lack of experience in our lives, that makes us go into the dark and seek out raw information from strangers who are willing to help. If that help comes in the form of a book, or a message board or an email/phone call, it's better than no information to start off with. Then I think it is understood that the information alone won't get the job done. It has to be put to use and practiced religeously for it to work.

Make em sharp and shoot em straight, or leave em home.