Making Bows for a living
www.northwoodtraditionalarchery.com
I remember back before I started doing this whole bow making thing, I was just a hungry kid in the woods...
I once had dreams and ambitions to leave society, and denounce modern civilization in lieu of grander majesties of wilderness and pure streams..
It's a long story to tell, about how I acquired my skills and lived in the mountains sheltered under leaf huts, drinking from streams, eating bugs, and mice... But for one thing I couldn't seem to hurdle was finding enough food in the wild. This is because, at the time, I had no hunting weapon. My traps were sub-par, and so I often arranged work-trade with farmers who lived on the fringes of the towns. It was often a long walk and a long day of work once a week.
I was happy, but this kept me from venturing further in.. deeper into the places that no people walk. I tried hap-hazardly to make a bow, make atlatls, and such things, but in those days, they were a far cry from what I needed.
Eventually, (as every time my extended visits would end the same way) winter would begin it's encroachment. I never had enough food stores, and my farm arrangements would dissolve, so I would move back into town and find work, often in construction.
In 2009, I had enough teasing though, and decided once and for all that I must find a teacher.. I chose Errett Callihan, who was across the country in Virginia, and took two weeks of his world renowned courses in experiential archaeology. I stayed up late, working on various projects and draw every thing in my notebook. I bounced around a lot within his curriculum, and probably drove him crazy, but I think he was OK with my enthusiasm anyways.. I couldn't contain my self since I suspected they would be among his last courses (at the time, Errett was in his Seventies) and true to form, I participated in his last two workshops.
If you don't know who Errett is, you may want to look him up. He's one of the forefathers of experiential archaeology, and of the society of primitive technology. He was KNIGHTED (yes, knighted) by the King of Denmark for reconstructing the first authentic neolithic Danish Daggers using only primitive tools... his specialty was, of course, flintknapping, but he was broadly skilled and used to teach primitive pottery, archery, flintknapping, and stone axe making. So naturally, I was stoked. It was like being in Merlin's tower for me.
I didn't complete my first bow until after the course.. I broke one half way through. As an artist and perfectionist, I wasn't satisfied with any of the bows I made until I had made thirty or so... and by then I was starting to take orders.
Four years have gone by since then, and I'm still here... so I guess the hard part is over. I hadn't ever planned on being a craftsman, but I do enjoy it. Although, fair warning to all of you who want to make bows for a living... hunting season is very busy, and if you think about it, you'll see how that's fairly ironic for a guy like me...
Anyways... I'll see ya out there, or not. I guess that's the best thing about wandering around in the wilderness, no one to talk to but the trees and the animals, but take care nonetheless...