It arrived a few weeks ago! And it is beautiful!
There are so many talented bowyers out there, that it is hard to figure out which one to trust with your money. And if you are open to purchasing a factory bow, the options are even more staggering. Major manufacturers such as Hoyt (http://hoyt.com/) make traditional bows (with modern materials) that have proven their worth in the field. Often they use the ILF system to attach limbs to the riser, meaning that you can use other manufacturers’ limbs that use the same system if you wanted to. Usually you can add gimmicks and gadgets that help in tuning and bow performance. To me, they just did not have the allure of a custom bow, made of wood and veneers and, yes, modern materials too.
I don’t recall when I first heard of Stalker Stickbows (www.stalkerstickbows.com). I rather liked the lines of his bows, and started checking out the various forums to see if I could find out more about them. The most important finding was the absence of one: no negative reports. I subsequently won one of South Cox’ DVDs (South is the craftsman behind Stalker Stickbows) in a draw which included a section on how the bows are made, and that sealed the deal.
True to my obsessive nature I fretted about every detail, but finally just picked up the phone and placed the order. I decided on Claro Walnut on the back and belly of the riser and Calro Walnut veneers on the back of the limbs. Myrtle constitutes the core of the riser and the belly of the limbs. Since I didn’t like the white spacers that South often uses in his standard offering (he’s got much better looking ones for an added cost) I opted for blood wood, which I think is both fitting (for a hunting bow) and beautiful.
Stay tuned for more on how this beauty and I get along.
