Is it me or do you see the tide is shifting from wood bows to more a reliance on metal riser bows. Not bashing either choice but it seems to me that the number of bowyers that I used to be able to find are not as available as years past. Is it due to a deeper focus on ILF or are old school bowyers just not as common anymore. It would be shame if that were true because one of the attractions for myself in traditional archery and bowhunting is admiring the skill level of making a truly working piece of art that is both beautiful to behold and use.

Different strokes for different folks.

There are "several sponsors" on here that make beautiful bows without metal risers.

Check out the sponsors list at the top of this page and also the ads up top.

Over in the bowyers bench section there are many guys making beautiful all wood and glass bows.

I think the sport in general is growing and more people are trying traditional. I think traditional wood bows are still popular, but more people getting into the sport and enjoying the ability to change limbs and risers out with the ilf.

I agree that metal risers are really gaining in popularity, but I doubt that they will ever replace wood handled bows as "the standard". Many of us prefer wood simply because, in our minds, it is more beautiful from an aesthetic perspective. Both styles make fine bows, so both will remain popular.

Some folks have more faith in something that appears mechanical. One of those stopped by last year, arrow porpoising issues. I let him try a target bow, wood handle with a bow sight, he was surprised how nice it felt to shoot split finger. He spotted my left hand Groves Spitfire and wanted to try it. He was also surprised, with considerable coaching, that he could shoot left handed split finger. The local hardware store had some stuff on sale, super cheap, he left with a new bow sight on his metal riser ILF, it bolted right on to existing tapped holes, but he had been bitten by the one piece all wood riser bug, remarking, "How cool would it be if I could shoot like Fred Bear. What do you think of those fancy Kodiak recurves? They sure look sweet."

I see a lot of people talking about the ILF rigs and the metal handle bows. While they're probably great shooting I have zero interest in seeing or shooting one. Give me a pretty wood handled bow any day.

Oh yes, my answer for what do i think of Bear Super Kodiaks, 'one of the best balanced, predictable and accurate hunting bows ever made.'

When it comes to bows I use my wife a judge. When I showed her my new ILF rig, I don't think she even glanced at it and just rumbled "How much did that cost you?", When I showed her my new to me Blacktail Elite, she said one word "WOW"

Personally I love both bows, wood or metal, but would hate to see the availability of wood bows to diminish because of less professional bowyers are making them. I have looked at the sponsor list and there are a good number who are no longer listed and not nearly the number I remember even from 10 years ago

I highly doubt that wooden bows will ever go away forever:)

In the classifieds section here, there about 500 for sale right now.

You need to be a member of the classifieds to view them though, below is a link for that if you are interested.

https://www.tradgang.com/sponsors/cm.html

Quote from: Larry Dean on February 01, 2022, 01:34:28 PM
...Bear Super Kodiaks, 'one of the best balanced, predictable and accurate hunting bows ever made.'

For standard draw length archers that is, if factory limbs. They stack much beyond 28". Custom limbs would change that limitation most likely.  I owned one, and two sets of factory limbs. Very nice platform though and I really liked the metal riser design on the Super K.
Just sayin.

Thank you Roy but I'm very content with my Blacktail Elite and don't have a need for any more. My posting was really to reflect on the number of bowyers you don't hear about anymore, if they closed shop or moved on. The Metal riser bows have their place but in my opinion don't have the same attraction as a one of a kind hand made wood bow.

Exactly:)
I also have a metal riser ILF and many wooden bows.

Make my own BBO bows too.

 Tides always ebb and flow, there is room and plenty of it for both.The wood bows are not going away and will always be a factor in the sport.

jhg, I called him and he did buy a Super Kodiak, he said that he put the foreign made ILF away, once figured out how to shoot with his bow canted like Fred Bear.  I have heard of that the stacking issue for those with 30" draws before, perhaps that is why they offered the 64" for a time. Not a problem for him or myself with our less than 28" draws.

Quote from: Blacktail42 on February 01, 2022, 09:37:02 AM
Is it me or do you see the tide is shifting from wood bows to more a reliance on metal riser bows.

My short answer is "no".

Blacktail 42 it's not just you. I do think there will always be groups of people shooting wood bows and arrows. I have definitely noticed a trend heading towards higher tec equipment being accepted in the traditional community. I have recently seen a thread on another form talking about lighted nock and was shocked by the number of "traditional bowhunters" use them. Just look at carbon arrows and the number of guys using them now. 25 years ago that was not a thing. I'm not judging just saying things have slowly moved higher tech on everything not just traditional bows.

might be some folk don't want to wait 6 to 12 months or longer for a custom made bow, me wood has soul 

There is a lot of truth to that regarding waiting times, our younger generation is adapted to quick results and it is far easier to have a metal bow in your hands sooner than a custom wood bow. Great point

Maybe it just took a while for lots of folks to accept a metal riser Trad bow. Kinda my case. I used to be that way , wanted nothing to do with them . I recently picked up a Samick Discovery mainly because I was wanting to drop down in weight. I'm loving the thing , maybe it's that the new hasn't worn off yet but I don't think so. I'm a retired machinist/ toolmaker so I see this machined riser as a thing of beauty. Weird , but I don't think I'd like a cast riser as much. Still love nice wood and there are some good looking wood ILF risers being made these days.

Metal risers lack soul.  They lack grace and beauty.   But like the difference between a beautiful wood rifle stock and a black composite stock the consistency of a metal riser is incomparable to a wood riser.
Still, even after owning a Black Widow, Tall Tines and a few other bows, when I walked in with my Primal Tech recurve my wife immediately looked at it, stopped me so she could look it over and commented on the artistry.