By Fletcher Scott
I can still remember my first hunting bow. It was a recurved Bear Kodiak Magnum. The bow was 52 inches long and had a draw weight of 45 pounds. This bow was made of beautifully laminated fiberglass glued onto African bubinga, a tropical wood.
kAmxE 925 E@ 36 DECF?8 367@C6 6G6CJ 9F?E 3J DE6AA:?8 E9C@F89 E96 3@H H:E9 E96 =67E =68[ E96? 3C24:?8 E96 =@H6C 6?5 @7 E96 3@H 282:?DE E96 C:89E 2?<=6 2?5 36?5:?8 E96 3@H 7@CH2C5 24C@DD E96 324< @7 >J E9:89] x 4@F=5 E96? D=:56 E96 DEC:?8 FA :?E@ :ED ?@E49 @? E96 6?5 @7 E96 3@H]k^Am
kAm%96 2CC@HD x FD65 H6C6 >256 @7 4652C 2?5 7=6E4965 H:E9 762E96CD] x 42?’E C642== 2== E96 DBF:CC6=D[ 49:A>F?<D 2?5 A@DDF>D x D9@E H:E9 E9:D 3@H]k^Am
kAm|J 62C=J :?7=F6?46D H6C6 C625:?8 23@FE E96 6IA=@:ED @7 8C62E 2C496CD =:<6 uC65 q62C 2?5 w@H2C5 w:==]k^Am
kAm&D:?8 2? 2?4:6?E D<:== DF49 2D 3@H 9F?E:?8 E@ >2E49 H:ED H:E9 82>6 2?:>2=D C6BF:C6D DE2=<:?8 E@ H:E9:? G6CJ 4=@D6 C2?86 E@ >2<6 E96 D9@E[ @C 36:?8 DFAC6>6=J A2E:6?E H9:=6 H2:E:?8 :? 2 EC66 DE2?5]k^Am
kAmq@H 9F?E6CD 92G6 E@ F?56CDE2?5 E96:C =:>:E2E:@?D 2?5 42C67F==J =6E E96 D9@E 56G6=@A] %96 E2D< :D FA 4=@D6 2?5 A6CD@?2=] |2?J E:>6D[ 566C 2C6 D66?[ 3FE E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ 7@C 2 4=62? D9@E :D ?6G6C AC6D6?E65]k^Am
kAm~? E96 @E96C 92?5[ 8F? 9F?E6CD 42? @7E6? >2<6 2 D9@E 2D D@@? 2D E96J D66 E96:C BF2CCJ] x =:<6 E@ 36=:6G6 >@DE 3@H 9F?E6CD <?@H E96 ?2EFC2= 923:ED 2?5 3692G:@CD @7 E96 82>6 E96J 9F?E >F49 36EE6C E92? @E96C EJA6D @7 9F?E6CD]k^Am
kAm%96 H9:E6\E2:=65 566C :D 46CE2:?=J E96 >@DE D@F89E 27E6C 3:8 82>6 2?:>2= 9F?E65 H:E9 8F? @C 3@H :? p=232>2] %2<:?8 2 566C H:E9 2 3@H :D >256 >@C6 5:77:4F=E 3J E96 724E E92E 566C :? E9:D DE2E6 2C6 AFCDF65 3J 9F?E6CD 2=>@DE 7@FC >@?E9D 2 J62C] %9:D >2<6D 2 G6CJ 4F??:?8 82>6 2?:>2= 6G6? >@C6 5:77:4F=E E@ <:==]k^Am
kAm(:E9 DF49 2 =@?8 D62D@?[ x 32D:42==J 5:G:56 :E :?E@ EH@ A2CEDi 3@H D62D@? 2?5 CFE]k^Am
kAmq@H D62D@? EJA:42==J 368:?D @? ~4E] `d @7 6249 J62C] %9:D :D E96 62C=:6DE 52E6 2 566C 42? 36 E2<6?] %96 3:8 25G2?E286 7@C 3@H 9F?E6CD :D E92E E96J 2C6 23=6 E@ AFCDF6 82>6 E92E 92D ?@E 366? AC6DDFC65 3J AC6G:@FD 9F?E6CD] %9:D FDF2==J >62?D 566C 2C6 >F49 >@C6 42=> 2?5 >@C6 42DF2= H:E9 E96:C >@G6>6?ED[ H9:49 >2<6D E96> >@C6 AC65:4E23=6]k^Am
kAmx =:<6 E@ 9F?E 7@@5 D@FC46D[ 6DA64:2==J H9:E6 @2< 24@C?D] (96? E9:D 4C@A :D 5C@AA:?8 7C@> EC66D[ 566C H:== 232?5@? >@DE @E96C 7@@5D 7@C E96 492?46 E@ 72EE6? FA @? E96D6 24@C?D] %96C6 2C6 >2?J @E96C EJA6D @7 @2< EC66D E92E AC@5F46 2 4C@A[ DF49 2D C65 @2<D[ H2E6C @2<D[ A@DE @2<D[ DH2>A 496DE?FE @2<D 2?5 496DE?FE @2<D] s66C H:== 62E 2?J @7 E96D6 24@C?D 3FE H:== FDF2==J D66< @FE E96 H9:E6 @2< 24@C?D 7:CDE]k^Am
kAmx? E96 %2==2A@@D2 r@F?EJ 2C62[ H9:E6 @2<D H:== FDF2==J 368:? 5C@AA:?8 2D 62C=J 2D =2E6 ~4E@36C 2?5 2D =2E6 2D >:5\}@G6>36C] |@DE J62CD[ E96 EC66D H:== 36 EFC?:?8 E96 24@C?D =@@D6 E96 7:CDE EH@ H66<D :? }@G6>36C]k^Am
kAm%9:D :D E96 E:>6 x FDF2==J D=:A :?E@ >J 2C3@C62= =:76DEJ=6] x 42C67F==J D6=64E 2 DE2?5 EC66 2AAC@I:>2E6=J `d E@ a_ J2C5D 2H2J 7C@> H96C6 x E9:?< E96 566C H:== 36 7665:?8] s66C 42? 36 7@F?5 62E:?8 24@C?D 2?J E:>6 @7 52J[ 3FE 62C=J :? E96 9F?E:?8 D62D@? E96J 2C6 DE:== >@G:?8 =:<6 E96 4C6AFD4F=2C W52H? 2?5 5FD<X 2?:>2=D E96J 2C6] tG6? E9@F89 x’G6 <:==65 566C 2E 2== 9@FCD @7 E96 52J[ 36:?8 :? 2 EC66 2E E96D6 E:>6D FDF2==J A2JD @77]k^Am
kAmp=6I2?56C r:EJ 92D =@?8 925 2 4@C6 8C@FA @7 2C496CD H9@ 3@H 9F?E H:E9 2 A2DD:@? 7@C E96 DA@CE] p 4@FA=6 @7 E96D6 8FJD 2C6 4@FD:?D[ s2??J 2?5 t55:6 !6AA6CD] %96 !6AA6CD 92G6 366? DF446DD7F==J E2<:?8 566C :? p=232>2 7@C J62CD 3FE C646?E=J 564:565 E@ E2<6 E96:C E2=6?E E@ r@=@C25@ 2?5 9F?E E96 #@4<J |@F?E2:? (6DE :? AFCDF:E @7 6=<]k^Am
kAm{2DE J62C[ s2??J !6AA6CD E@@< 2 ?:46 3F== 6=< We×eX :? E96 #:@ vC2?56 }2E:@?2= u@C6DE[ 2?5 E9:D J62C[ t55:6 2=D@ <:==65 2? 6=< Wd×dX :? E96 D2>6 2C62]k^Am
kAm“x D2H E96 6=< 23@FE a >:=6D 2H2J @? E96 52J 367@C6 H6 3682? 9F?E:?8] %96 ?6IE >@C?:?8 x D2H E96 6=< DE2?5:?8 @? 2 9:==D:56 23@FE ed J2C5D 2H2J] %92E :D 2 =@?8 H2J 7@C 2? 2CC@H[ 3FE D:?46 x 925 AC24E:465 E2<:?8 =@?8 D9@ED[ x 564:565 E@ D9@@E] %96 2CC@H 9:E E96 6=< ;FDE 369:?5 E96 =2DE C:3[ 3FE x E9@F89E x 925 >:DD65] pD x <?@4<65 2?@E96C 2CC@H[ E96 3F== E@@< 23@FE `_ DE6AD 2?5 76== 5625[” s2??J D2:5]k^Am
kAmw6 4@?4=F565[ “%96 36DE A2CE H2D x 925 @?=J 366? 9F?E:?8 7@C a_ >:?FE6DP”k^Am
kAmt55:6’D 25G6?EFC6 7C@> 9:D C646?E 9F?E H2D ;FDE 2D 5C2>2E:4]k^Am
kAm“x 925 366? 9F?E:?8 2== 52J 2?5 2D 5FD< H2D 4=@D:?8 :?[ x 564:565 E@ 42== :E 2 52J] x 925 ;FDE 6?@F89 =:89E E@ >2<6 :E 324< E@ E96 ECF4<] x E@@< >J 2CC@H @77 E96 DEC:?8 2?5 A=2465 :E :? >J BF:G6C[ E96? E@@< >J C6=62D6 @77 2?5 3F4<=65 :E E@ >J 3@H 2?5 DE2CE65 H2=<:?8 @FE] x H6?E 5@H? 2 9:==D:56[ 4C@DD65 2 4C66< 2?5 H2=<65 FA 2?5 5@H? 2 D64@?5 9:==] yFDE 2D x 4C@DD65 >J =2DE 4C66<[ x =@@<65 FA 2?5 D2H 2? 6=< H2=<:?8 E@H2C5 >6]k^Am
kAm“x DE6AA65 369:?5 2 EC66 2?5 ?6CG@FD=J AFE >J C6=62D6 324< @? 2?5 <?@4<65 2? 2CC@H] %96 6=< DE2CE65 7665:?8 C:89E 2=@?8 E96 4C66< 23@FE cd J2C5D 2H2J] x E@@< E96 D9@E 2?5 >256 2 8@@5 9:E[ 3FE 96 C2? @77] $:?46 :E H2D 86EE:?8 =2E6[ H6 564:565 ?@E E@ AFCDF6 E96 6=< E92E ?:89E] x7 H6 7@F?5 9:> H6 H@F=5 36 FA 2== ?:89E ECJ:?8 E@ 86E 9:> @FE[ D@ H6 H2:E65 F?E:= E96 ?6IE >@C?:?8] (6 =@42E65 9:> 23@FE ad_ J2C5D 2H2J] xE E@@< FD 2 H9:=6 E@ 86E 9:> @FE] x H2D 8=25 H6 5:5?’E ECJ E@ 5@ :E :? E96 52C<[” t55:6 D2:5]k^Am
kAmx H@F=5 =:<6 E@ A@:?E @FE E92E 3@E9 @7 E96 !6AA6CD >256 E96:C 6=< <:==D @? AF3=:4 =2?5Pk^Am
kAmp?@E96C =@?8\E:>6 2C496C :D #2?5J (:?D=6EE] (:?D=6EE :D @C:8:?2==J 7C@> v@@5H2E6C[ p=232>2[ 2?5 :D 4FCC6?E=J E96 2C496CJ DA64:2=:DE 2E $A@CED>2?’D ~FEA@DE :? (2G6C=J]k^Am
kAm(:?D=6EE 3682? 3@H 9F?E:?8 H96? 96 H2D `e J62CD @=5] x E2=<65 E@ 9:> @? 9:D d_E9 3:CE952J[ D@ 96 92D 366? 2E :E 7@C bc J62CD] p? 2== D62D@? 3@H 9F?E6C[ (:?D=6EE 92D <:==65 9:D 72:C D92C6 @7 566C[ EFC<6J[ 9@8D 2?5 D>2== 82>6] x 2D<65 9:> H92E 25G:46 96 H@F=5 8:G6 2? 2DA:C:?8 J@F?8 9F?E6C 23@FE 3@H 9F?E:?8]k^Am
kAm“u:CDE[ x H@F=5 C64@>>6?5 E96J 86E AC@A6C=J 6BF:AA65 H:E9 2 3@H E92E 7:ED E96> 2E 2 =@42= D9@A] !6@A=6 92G6 5:776C6?E 5C2H =6?8E9D[ A66A D:89E A=246>6?E 2?5 3@5J 7@C>] xE :D 6DA64:2==J :>A@CE2?E 7@C E96D6 724E@CD E@ 36 4@?D:56C65 7@C 6G6CJ 2C496C] %9:D H:== :?4C62D6 J@FC 492?46D @7 56G6=@A:?8 8@@5 923:ED H:E9 2 >:?:>F> @7 25;FDE>6?ED[” (:?D=6EE ?@E65]k^Am
kAm“x 2=D@ E9:?< 2 J@F?8 3@H 9F?E6C D9@F=5 8@ 27:6=5 H:E9 D@>6@?6 E92E 42? D9@H E96> E96 923:ED @7 E96 2?:>2=D E96J H2?E E@ 9F?E] {62C?:?8 23@FE J@FC BF2CCJ :D 92=7 E96 7F? @7 3@H 9F?E:?8[” 96 25565]k^Am
kAmx 2=D@ 2D<65 (:?D=6EE H92E 96 E9:?<D 23@FE 3@H 9F?E:?8 2?5 E@FC?2>6?E D9@@E:?8]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< 3@H 9F?E:?8 :? 86?6C2= 92D :?4C62D65[ 3FE E@FC?2>6?E D9@@E:?8 92D 564C62D65] %9:D 4@F=5 36 A2CE=J 5F6 E@ H@C<=@25D 2?5 E96 64@?@>J] xE E2<6D E:>6 E@ AC24E:46 6G6CJ52J 2?5 EC2G6= E@ 2 E@FC?2>6?E[” (:?D=6EE D2:5] “w@H6G6C[ x 5@ 36=:6G6 E96 }2E:@?2= pC496CJ :? $49@@=D AC@8C2> 92D 366? 2 3:8 96=A :? 86EE:?8 J@F?8 7@=<D :?E6C6DE65 :? 2C496CJ]”k^Am
kAmu:?2==J[ x A2:5 2 G:D:E E@ 2 J@F?8 >2? H9@ FD65 E@ 36 2 ?6:893@C @7 >:?6[ y2D@? {@4<6] {@4<6’D :?E6C6DE :? 3@H 9F?E:?8 H2D E9C@F89 2 7C:6?5[ #2?5J r92??6=] {@4<6 92D 366? 3@H 9F?E:?8 7@C E96 A2DE a_ J62CD] w6 92D E2<6? 566C H9:=6 D:EE:?8 @? E96 8C@F?5[ DE2?5:?8 369:?5 2 EC66[ FA :? 2 EC66 2?5 :? 2 3=:?5] w6 <?@HD 9@H E@ 36 A2E:6?E 2?5 H2:E F?E:= 2 D9@E 56G6=@AD]k^Am
kAmx 2D<65 {@4<6 H96C6 96 =:<6D E@ A=246 9:D DE2?5D]k^Am
kAm“x FDF2==J =:<6 E@ 7:?5 H9:E6 @2< 24@C?D E92E 92G6 ;FDE 72==6?] x H:== A=246 >J DE2?5 2E =62DE a_ J2C5D 2H2J] x E9:?< 2 =@E @7 9F?E6CD AFE E96:C DE2?5D E@@ 4=@D6 E@ E96 7665:?8 2C62] %9:D 42FD6D EH@ AC@3=6>D] %96 566C 42? 62D:=J D>6== @C D66 J@F[ 2?5 E96 D9@E 364@>6D E@@ G6CE:42=] %96 566C 2C6 AC24E:42==J F?56C J@FC DE2?5] %9:D >62?D E96 <:== K@?6 :D >F49 D>2==6C[ 2?5 J@F 92G6 E@ 2:> G6CJ =@H] p=D@[ E96 DE2?5 :ED6=7 42? :?E6C76C6 H:E9 J@FC 3@H =:>3D] p== @7 E9:D 42? 36 6=:>:?2E65 3J A=24:?8 J@FC DE2?5 72CE96C 2H2J 7C@> H96C6 J@F E9:?< E96 566C H:== 36 7665:?8[” {@4<6 6IA=2:?65]k^Am
kAm(96? 2D<65 23@FE D46?ED[ {@4<6 D2:5[ “x 92G6 FD65 6G6CJ 4@G6C D46?E E96J >2<6[ 3FE x AC676C E@ FD6 ?@E9:?8] x H:== 328 >J 4=@E96D H:E9 A:?6 ?665=6D 2?5 >2<6 DFC6 x 32E96 H:E9 D46?E=6DD D@2A] &D:?8 2?J <:?5 @7 D46?E H:== FDF2==J 86E E96 566C’D 2EE6?E:@?[ H9:49 >:89E >2<6 E96> 2=6CE[ ;FDE H92E J@F 5@?’E H2?E E@ 92AA6?]”k^Am
kAmu:?2==J[ x >FDE E6== J@F 2 DE@CJ 23@FE @?6 @7 {@4<6’D 62C=J 9F?E:?8 25G6?EFC6D]k^Am
kAmy2D@?’D 525[ {2CCJ {@4<6[ H:E9 H9@> x E2F89E 7@C >2?J J62CD[ H2D 2? 2G:5 82C56?6C 2?5 =@G65 E@ 8C@H E@>2E@6D[ H2E6C>6=@?D 2?5 >FD425:?6D] ~?6 52J[ {2CCJ 42>6 E@ H@C< 2?5 3C28865 23@FE 9@H =2C86 @?6 @7 9:D H2E6C>6=@?D 925 8C@H?] w6 >6?E:@?65 E92E :E D9@F=5 36 2 8@@5 @?6[ 2?5 96 <6AE 2 42C67F= H2E49 @? :E 6249 52J] %96? @?6 52J[ 96 ?@E:465 E96 3:8 >6=@? 925 DE2CE65 567=2E:?8] w6 42C67F==J EFC?65 :E @G6C 2?5 D2H E92E :E H2D 368:??:?8 E@ C@E] p 5:D2AA@:?E65 {2CCJ {@4<6 4FE :E @A6? 2?5 7@F?5 :E 7F== @7 qqD] y2D@? 925 7@F?5 9:D >2C<Pk^Am
kAmq@H 9F?E6CD DA6?5 E96 36DE E:>6 @7 E96 J62C DFCC@F?565 3J 2 <2=6:5@D4@A6 @7 4@=@C7F= =62G6D[ =:DE6?:?8 E@ E96 D@F?5 @7 24@C?D 72==:?8[ 6?5:?8 H:E9 2 E9F5 2D E96J C6249 E96 8C@F?5] !2E:6?E=J[ E96J H2:E 7@C E96 86?E=6 CFDE=:?8 @7 =62G6D 2D 566C ?6CG@FD=J 2AAC@249] (96? E96 2C62 2AA62CD E@ 36 42=>[ E96 566C =@H6C E96:C 9625D 2?5 368:? E@ >F?49 @? E96 24@C?D E96J BF:6E=J D66< @FE] pE E9:D A@:?E[ :7 E96 2C496CD 564:56 ?@E E@ D9@@E[ :? >J @A:?:@? E96J 92G6 2=C625J 925 2 DF446DD7F= 52J @7 3@H 9F?E:?8]k^Am
kAmk6>mO u=6E496C $4@EE :D 2 C6E:C65 E62496C H9@ E2F89E D4:6?46 7@C bg J62CD 2E q6?;2>:? #FDD6== w:89 $49@@=] w6 :D :?E6C6DE65 :? ?2EFC6[ 9F?E:?8[ 7:D9:?8[ A9@E@8C2A9J 2?5 72>:=J]k^6>mk^Am
