Miami Valley, Ohio Indian Bow Designs

ChristopherO · October 01, 2008, 11:21:00 AM

About a year ago I met a man with a rawhide backed hickory bow that he had patterned from bows found in these parts when the different indian tribes lived in SW Ohio and Eastern Indiana. Last night I had the opportunity to see a small display of the former and present life of the Miami Indians formally of this area.
One old bow was nearly idenical to the replica I saw last year. It was about 5'5" tall, hickory, nearly 2" wide just about the whole lenght with no pronounced handle. The nocks were very wide and thick. And it showed no sign of set.
The other appeared to be hickory, also, but was maybe just a bit over 4' in length. It did have a small handle build up but was for sure a bend in the handle bow. I bet the set in the limbs were in excess of 2" for such a little bow. Very interesting for my uneducated eyes to witness.
My first thought was that the limbtips were far too heavy for good cast. But then it dawned on me: For a bow to be knocked around on a daily basis and still have a long life it had to be hefty. I suppose they weren't too concerned about 200 fps arrow flight. :D

Roy Steele · February 03, 2009, 12:52:00 AM

CHRISTOPHERO you right better to hunt with your bow tomerorow. Then setting around the camp fire today.
DEAD IS DEAD NO MATTER HOW FAST YOUR ARROW GOT THERE.AS LONG AS IT GETS THERE.

Roy Steele · February 03, 2009, 12:55:00 AM

CHRISTOPHERO you right better to hunt with your bow tomerorow. Then setting around the camp fire today.
DEAD IS DEAD NO MATTER HOW FAST YOUR ARROW GOT THERE.AS LONG AS IT GETS THERE.

NightHawk · February 04, 2009, 09:43:00 AM

I think most native american bows were bendy handle bows, but I could be wrong

Roy Steele · February 12, 2009, 10:55:00 PM

As far as I know or have read there were only a couple eastern tribes that had stiff handled bows.Don't remember names it's been 15 plus years ago.

ChristopherO · February 13, 2009, 09:18:00 AM

As an update to this thread:
I went back to that exhibit on the last day of the display. Photographing the bows was out of the question due to museum policy but I was able to take measurements of the long flatbow through the plexiglass. Some day in the not too distant future I hope to recreate this bow if for nothing else personal enjoyment and a wall display. When I get around to this I will plan on posting it for you.
Christopher

NightHawk · February 14, 2009, 01:23:00 PM

looking forward to seeing it always enjoy seeing functional works of art

Pat B · February 14, 2009, 03:01:00 PM

Will you share the dimensions and wood type?

ChristopherO · February 14, 2009, 04:22:00 PM

The the best of my ability these is the dimensions:
I am pretty confident it is Hickory,
5'6" tip to tip,
1 1/2" wide at mid point which is 33",
Approximately 1/2"-5/8" thick at mid point with the crown on the back,
Very little limb thickness taper from mid section out towards tips, the last 7"-8" the thinnest portion of the limbs,
Limb 5/16"-3/8" thick at bottom nock,
At limb is at least an 1" if not 1 1/8" wide where it meets the nock,
Nock width is 3/8" or possibly 1/2",
The tips above and below the nocks extend about 1" beyond and flare out and back in a partial diamond shape. On this particular bow the bottom tip was more rounded on the end and the top tip more flattend.
I hope this helps give you the basic idea. I don't have access to a scanner to download the rough drawing I made to go with the measurements.
It looks very much like the drawing of a bow found in one of the TTBB's.
Christopher

Pat B · February 14, 2009, 04:46:00 PM

Thanks Christopher. Did it have double string nocks on each end or single side nocks?
Sounds like it was probably made from a sapling with the crowned back. I guess the belly was pretty flat?

Billy · February 15, 2009, 12:24:00 AM

Sounds a lot like a - Ferret Board Bow.
Or really close anyway.

ChristopherO · February 15, 2009, 07:37:00 PM

Double String nocks, that helped with the diamond shape to the tips. It wasn't a high crown but there was a crown none the less.
It didn't look like the Ferret board bow I saw on his site, unless I missed this style.

canid song · February 16, 2009, 02:02:00 AM

ChristopherO: yeah, there's something to be said for durability. i finally thinned down the tips on my favorite bow, but they're still static for 4" and 3/4" wide by 3/4" thisk at the nocks i don't have to be so careful with it while i'm out.