Draw. Aim. Release!

Ever had the desire to return to a simpler time in archery where the smell of wood oil and the creation of wood shavings impacted your archery experience?  Where taking a mere piece of wood and coaxing it to bend just so creates a powerful and useful hunting weapon?  If so, this is the class for you.  Over three days, you will learn principals of traditional archery, become familiar with the tools of carving and gain the expertise to transform wood into bows.  Learn the skills and feel the joys of creating your own bow. 

Course Details:

Friday (convene at 4pm)

• Introductions
• Review of bow technology
• Introduction to tools
• Getting each person’s work station set-up
• Do some preliminary carving
• Finish @ 7pm

Saturday (convene at 9am)

• Continue carving bow limbs
• Group gathers for seminar on what to look for as the limbs began to bend
• Continue slowly shaping the limbs.
• Break for Lunch 12 to 1 pm
• Group gathers for seminar on shaping the handle
• Continue to carve and shape handle and limbs
• Finish handle, including:
• Creating an arrow rest, wrapping with fish line, and back filling
• Carve and shape nocks
• Finish @ 6pm
  

Sunday (convene at 9 am)

• Seminar on creating the string
• Make the string
• Continue to carefully and slowly carve limbs
• Once desired bend is achieved, string bow
• Make adjustments including:
• Tillering and finding the correct Lb weight
• Break for Lunch 12 to 1 pm
• Continue to make minor adjustments to the limbs
• Finish leather portion of handle
• Stain bow wood
• Seal bow wood
• Serve string and create arrow nock
• Finish @ 6pm

Cost: $400

Includes all supplies, bow wood, string, brain-tanned leather, use of all necessary tools and stands.

Instructor: Peter Bugoni

Peter Bugoni taught primitive skills in the deserts of Idaho and Utah for 6 years and spent several years working for Boulder Outdoor School of Survival.  Over this time of gathering water, providing clothing, creating fire, trapping, tracking, and hunting food, he kept extensive journals about the processes used to survive in the “wilderness.”  He has interned with famed bow makers John Strunk and Tim Baker, and learned brain-tanning hides with Jim Riggs, famed author of “Blue Mountain Buckskin.”   He can often be found at primitive skills gatherings like Rabbit Stick and Winter Count, playing with smelly hides and flinging arrows