This is a native American saddle quiver made of tanned deerskin painted with earth colors. The lacing and fringe are also deerskin. It contains a 40" long osage self bow that pulls 46 pounds with a double-twisted elk sinew string. The arrows are made from river cane with turkey feather fletching. This entire rig would have been worn by the native horseman as he went to battle or to hunt. The bow could be extracted quickly and strung when swung around into his lap. Then, he would mount one arrow and carry two in his bow hand. This way he could shoot three arrows fairly rapidly.
Bows
I have been building bows since 1998. Like most archers, I started out using compound bows, but I found traditional archery much more of a challenge. Since I am left-handed, I had difficulty finding bows that suited me, so I began to build bows. I started with fiberglass kits, and I made two or three very nice bows, but I felt that almost anything that I sandwiched between two pieces of fiberglass would shoot well. I wanted to experience the thrill of using actual trees and bamboo and animal sinew and horn to make bows the old fashioned way. I do use modern glues, strings and machines to make these bows, and many of them are perhaps too fancy for mere survival. Nonetheless, they are effective weapons that shoot fast. They are also quiet and easy to shoot. I hope you enjoy looking at them, and if you would like to know more about them, send me an email.
BUY DAN'S BOWS
Dan's bows can now be purchased through the site Primitive Pathways.
Click here to be taken to the Dan Spier collection.