January 1931

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20c pec copg

Flight” Daily’s Tackle Gets Distance acific Northwest Record — 409 yards 2 feet nv • k Recent Practice Shoot - 418 yards. *

Distance relied"

pointed a^d‘nocked!'a0t

“SF New line of ™ 70 ‘to0 85 pound «»; arrows, 3 for $5.00. ”y 0W” m0<181’ h“,i tun,ed'

L. L. “Flight” Daily, Monmouth, Oregon 1

ULLRICH YEWWOOD

Not merely good, but the BEST BOWWOOD to be obtained.

Performance at a National Tournament in competition with other bowwoods, might be called a criterion, by which tackle may be judged.

High altitude, air seasoned, winter cut staves and billets, largest stock in the country. Prices reasonable, satisfaction guaranteed.

Port Orford Cedar Arrow squares, $.05 each in small lots, $.04 each in quantity. White turkey feathers at $1.50 per pound.

Yewwood (E. L.) Ullrich Roseburg, Oregon

204 Commercial Avenue

Some Facts About Wood and Bows (1.) Graphs and tables from government bulletins show that scientifical­ ly seasoned wood is stronger, tougher and more elastic than any air dried wood.

(2.) The common belief that yew-wood needs years of seasoning io harden the gums and rosins is a myth.

(3.) The cast in a yew-bow is inversely proportional to the moisture content of the wood. (4.) ir dried wood cannot safely be used much below 10%. (5.) kiln seasone wood, because of automatically controlled, even shrinkage, which protects the cell walls from strain and rupture, retains its toughness down to b or 7%.

My ad in the last issue describes a kiln in which 200 fine seasoned and which is now running with another . , wejg.ht this wood was shown to several expert archers who guessed its we g at 50 pounds to 60 pounds. The first about for two months lost no weight whatever and 5 year % inch. The tillering of these bows seemedI 50 easiei han mj y air dried wood. The low '’^d ““ LlL«s.»i»g. necessary to cany a 5 to 7 years stocK 01 w ; sphcing Seasoning Service—Seasoning of green bille , $> • PDecP 15 (5 weeks and roughing out, $1.00. Next charge goes 1 £ ]adies target bows, required.) Men’s target bows, $20.00 to ?50.0U, $15.00 to $35.00; spliced billets, $5.00 to $15.0U.

W. H. (Wally) Burr 8202 14th N. E., Seattle, Washington

January, 1931.

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YE SYLVAN ARCHER

Arrows Self, $1.00, $1.25; Footed, $1.50, $2.25; Bows, $15.00 up; Linen Strings, $1.00, state length and weight; The Blodgett Feathering Clamp, $3.00; Becker’s Doweling Machine, $10.00, without motor.

The Barbless Broadhead, $3.00 per dozen, 25c per sample.

YE GOLDEN ARROW SHOP 434 East Washington

Portland, Oregon

RAW MATERIALS FOR EXPERT CRAFTSMEN Lemonwood Staves — 6 foot tapered, each $3.00; 6 foot square, each $2.25. Genuine imported Norwegian Pine shafts—per dozen, % inch round, $1.00; same tested for spine and weight, dozen, $2.50; footed and nocked, dozen, $5.00. (Wings not removed. State length.) Buffalo Horn Nocks, dozen 75c, per hundred, $5.00. Stamped Parallel Points, dozen 50c. Feathers, turkey pointers—assorted colors, dozen, 35c; 3 dozen $1.00; gross, $3.50. Cordovan Shooting Tabs (2 sizes, men’s or ladies), each 50c. Imported Flemish Bowstrings (2 sizes, 5% and 6 foot), each $1.00. Broadhead Hunting Points, dozen, $1.50. Send for price list.

ROUNSEVELLE-ROHM, Hazel Crest, III. “ARCHERY”

By ROBERT P. ELMER, M. D. The most thorough and exhaustive book on Archery. half-tones, many line drawings ..............................................

456 pages, 30 ... Price $5.00.

“BOWS AND ARROWS”

By JAMES DUFF Every archer should have Jimmie Duff’s book—No kidding.

Price $2.00.

Send orders to

Ye Sylvan Archer, Box 156, Corvallis, Oregon

WHO

Does not thrill to the feel of a good yew bow?

For the Best Results Use

McKinney brothers

„ STAVES and BILLETS $8.50 Green staves — No. 1........ $5.00; No. 2 . $2.50 Green billets — No. 1........$4.00; No. 2 .

McKinney Brothers . . Albany, Oregon

YE SYLVAN ARCHER VOL. IV., NO. 5.

CORVALLIS, ORE.

Entered as second-class matter November 5, 1927, at the post office at Corvallis, Oregon, under the Act of March 3. 1879.

Published bi-monthly by Ye Sylvan Archer Publishing Co. 1210 N. 33rd Street, Corvallis, Oregon.

J. E. DAVIS ............................................. Editor B. G. THOMPSON Business Manager Subscription Price $1.00 Per Year Foreign Subscriptions $1.25 Per Year Single Copies 20 Cents Advertising rates on application.

Copyright, 1931, Ye Sylvan Archer Publishing Co.

Table of Contents What Price Technique?

By Pbillip Rounscvelle

3

Gauging the Spine of Arrows

By Frank R. Morrissey ...

5

Olympic Bowmen’s League

8

Wolf Moccasin’s Demonstration

By F. M. Harsbbcrgcr ....... ..

.9

More on Summer Cut Yew

By Vidor Burke __

10

This and That ....

12

Restoring the Kankakee Marshes

By A. E. Andrews _ ....

13

Los Angeles Association

.14

"Limberin’ Up”

By H. Orin Beebe

14

January, 1931.

YE SYLVAN ARCHER

8

What Price Technique?

By Phillip Rounsevelle, Hazel Crest, Ill. As a manufacturer of artillery (The original meaning of this word is "Bows and Arrows”), I have often pondered upon our late lamented gold­ en age of archery, the Maurice-Will Thompson era, and have wondered why it passed so quickly, and if the same thing is to happen again. Will archery always come and go in cycles and if so, why? Yes and No. I am of the opinion that I know what caused the decline and fall of the bow in the early eighties, when for a while every little town had it’s archery club, and tackle makers had their hands full and more. No, not poor tackle, although plenty of it was poor, if the samples that come down to us are any criterion. Not the ad­ vent of the bicycle, nor yet lawn ten­ nis. Archery can hold it’s own against all of these. It’s deadly foe is: Poor technique, poor shooting.

Look at the scores that won some of these early tournaments.

Clark in 1886 with a double york of 158-718 and Will Thompson back in ’84 with 174-760. If these were the best what were all the others doing ? Isn’t that the answer? That’s why I didn’t shoot at the last National here in Chi­ cago. I wanted to see and to learn.

What is going to happen to archery?

Forward or back? Why? It is squarely up to this generation of archers as to what will happen in the sport, and the answer, I think, will be, “Technique”. We need, and soon must have, capable, trained coaches, expert instructors; just as golf has it’s professionals. Look at golf, or tennis, or any other sport; even arch­ ery. Who gets the fun? Who does

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the winning? Expert faultless techni­ cians, consistant ,trained, skilled in their every movement. Of course there is always the exception, the shooting star, who by sheer physical force and will breaks into the lead for a season and then drops back out of sight again. But don’t judge by a season, nor by two or three. Take ten or fif­ teen seasons and look at the leaders; then watch these same leaders shoot.

They aren’t always winners but they are always to be reckoned with, al­ ways well towards the top—and al­ ways getting the most fun out of the game.

But this class of shooters is all too small. It is sad to admit it but by far the great majority of archers at any shoot you please, are showing anything but smooth, even technique.

They lack that symmetry and grace, that evenness of action that distin­ guishes the leaders from the rest. In­ stead of one Elmer, one Roberts, one Dorothy Cummings, one Audrey Grubbs, we should have dozens, all up in the same class. Why don’t we?

Why can you count off twenty or so and have them all, east and west?

Again Technique!

What’s the answer? The way Bil­ lie Rounsevelle teaches?

Chester Seay’s method? Doc Elmer’s? I think not. It isn’t the method. Any modern method is good, and if fol­ lowed will make leaders.

It’s not methods; it’s teachers we need.

Teachers who have patience, skill; teachers who know their stuff. Why I have seen an archer of renown take a capable 'woman athlete and sports-

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wvtunu nml lot her hru'w her elbow and forearm black and blue, saying, "Oh. let her do that, for a while, it will teach her uomel.hitig.” It did.

It taught Iter to flinch, to hate the bow. and when the week was over if she hit the target it was an accident yet this woman was a leader in her crowd. She had a well-to-do follow­ ing looking for some sport where archery would have been the answer.

She had all the qualifications except a teacher who could show her how to shoot a 250 Columbia in a week. If it were in my power to control abso­ lutely every archery club in the coun­ try for the next two -weeks this is what. I should have each club do: Establish a good indoor range (ex­ cept in Sunny California or the south).

It is easiest to teach inside with very light bows. Then pick out the best teacher in the club, not usually the best shot, but the most observant, and the most patient, give him authority to teach and help each member’s shooting. Eliminate all contests for scores and strive for close grouping and perfect form. Stop this rushing to shoot as many arrows as possible and strive instead to see how well each one can shoot a few arrows.

Above all have patience — unlimited patience with everyone, and especially those who have hard work to break old faults. Not only have one head coach, but pair off all archers by twos and let them help each other.

At the end of two weeks I’m sure that the entire club average would be boosted at least 20%, and the founda­ tion laid for even better results. For many clubs this is now done in ef­ fect, but not as a definite planned program. But it should be planned, and it should be definite. There should be a club instructor, not only for beginners but for veterans as well.

January, 1931.

That, I believe, is the answer. Arch­ ery will never hold it’s rightful place in the sun permanently until we make that place for it. The future of the sport depends upon the way we teach it, because good form, good shooting and keen interest are one.

Rev. Andrew A. Burkhardt of Col­ lege Point, N. Y., comments as fol­ lows: “Glad to read Dr. Hickman’s arti­ cle. A few years ago, at his home, he showed me the results of some ex­ periments he had made and they were intensely interesting and valuable. Dr. Hickman is a scientist of true cali­ bre, and his experiments are conduct­ ed in the frank, open-minded manner of true scientific investigation. Re­ sults which he may publish are the consensus of several years of research and accurate scientic method. Please publish anything he gives you for I am positive it will be in the interest of archery and intensely interesting to those of us who like to know the “whys and wherefores” but haven’t the technical training necessary to find out. I, personally, shall read these articles with great interest be­ cause I know that they will be free of any personal bias. More power to him.”

The Robin Hood Indoor Archery Range of Dickinson, North Dakota offered a year’s subscription to Ye Sylvan Archer as a prize for the best score, week ending December 6th. The prize was won by Clement Rose and the subscription duly entered.

We acknowledge receipt of a scien­ tific and interesting bulletin on “The Exterior Ballistics of the Arrow,” by F. L. English.

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YE SYLVAN ARCHER

January, 1931.

Gauging the Spine of an Arrow

By Frank R. Morrissey, Oakland, Cal. Dr. Rawling’s proposal for a uni­ form system of testing arrows for spine is a step in the right direction, but it is only a step. His method of testing them is not accurate enough.

You would not think of weighing your arrows on a junk dealers scale.

Neither should you attempt to match arrows with a scale that permits such possible variance as Dr. Rawliy’s must.

With your- permission I shall de­ scribe a spine testing machine de­ signed by Dr. W. H. Dolman, now of

Santa Barbara but until recently dean of the Greenwood Archers of Oakland.

Dr. Dolman, with this device, matched a set of birch dowel arrows with which he shot American round scores above 500 after the loss of his right eye compelled him to learn to shoot left-handed, and I have made footed arrows with its aid which will fly con­ sistently within a 12 inch circle at 60 yards when shot by hand or in a shooting machine.

The device utilizes the principle which is used by the bureau of stand-

FIG. 1

rA

B■D

(A)

(A)

PIG.

pig.

a PIG. 4

MG. 5

a

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YE SYLVAN ARCHER

ards in its machine for testing rigid­ ity of steel bars. The bureau’s device is so sensitive it will show the deflec­ tion in a six inch steel shaft caused by the weight of a woman’s glove.

The spine-testing device consists of a board 30 inches long and from eight to ten inches wide. This is supported on edge by legs or other means sc that its wide surface is perpendicular to the table. At the upper left cor­ ner is a U-shaped hook, immovable.

At the upper right corner is another U-shaped hook which is adjustable up and down by means of a thumb-nut These hooks are 26 inches apart, for men’s arrows. For women’s arrows they may be placed closer- together.

Between the two hooks are two slotted pegs, one vertically above the other, in which a steel hacksaw blade, with teeth ground off, may move eas­ ily up and down. To retain the blade in place the open ends of the slots are plugged. Below these slotted pegs and 1% inches to the right is pivoted a pointer arm 15 inches from pivot to point on the right hand end and six inches long to the left of the pivot.

A short bit of steel is inset on the short end of this arm at the point where the hack saw blade makes con­ tact, this merely to reduce friction. At the pointer end of the arm the board supports a scale made by paring very thin a wooden rule marked in milimeters and bending it to the proper arc by heating it and tacking or glu­ ing in place.

For testing the spine of an arrow a weight is used. For one’s personal use this weight may be whatever may suit. To standardize the device it should be exactly two pounds, just as all the measurements of the arm, etc., should be adhered to. This weight may be made in two parts, joined by arched wires to straddle the hack saw

January, 1931.

blade part of the device, and may be hung upon the arrow shaft when test­ ing; or it may be made in a single piece and work in a slide built above the saw blade part of the device, be­ ing allowed to rest on the arrow shaft.

This latter method is much handier to operate, although a bit more dif­ ficult to build.

To operate, an arrow shaft is placed in the two hooks, resting at its center upon the upper end of the sliding blade, the blade in turn resting upon the short end of the pivoted pointer.

By adjusting the right hand hook up or down the pointer is made to regis­ ter at zero. The weight is hung upon, or- rested upon, the arrow shaft, caus­ ing the pointer to move upward at its right hand end. The scale reading is noted and another arrow shaft is put in place and tested. Since a millimeter is about l-40th of an inch and the ratio between the point of contact of the saw blade and the pivot and the pointer end of the arm and the pivot is as 1 to 10, a movement of one de­ gree on the scale is equivalent to l-400th of an inch.

Arrows should be matched for spine to within not more than 3-400ths of an inch variation by this scale.

Such close comparison of the spine of arrows is not possible by Dr. Rawling’s method, since l-400th of an inch is less than the thickness of thin tis­ sue paper, and not perceptible to the naked eye, especially when underneath a round arrow shaft. In other words, it is possible by Dr. Rawling’s method to have a variation of more than 3400ths of an inch, due to the shaft not making contact with the anvil to which it is being depressed by the lever, or by being depressed to a too full seating through the weight being applied too carelessly.

To match arrow shafts with this

January, 1931.

YE SYLVAN ARCHER

device, bring all the shafts to the same spine. If there is a difference in weight, cut the weight by sanding the shafts on the ends, barrelling them in effect, which will not cut down the spine. If the shafts match nearly in weight, but are varied in spine, sand them in the middle, which will reduce the spine but not the weight.

A word of caution! In sanding shafts to reduce the spine be very careful not to cut away too much material. Two strokes of the sand paper may reduce the spine one point on the scale. Don’t sand the shafts until they are warm and then test for spine, for the heat will soften the pitch in the shafts and weaken the spine. Test the shafts when they are cool.

The best way to make arrows is to take shafts of equal size, square or round, and test them in the device for spine before footing. Matched shafts in the rough will finish to a much closer match than others taken at haphazard and you will save much work and many throwouts.

With six arrows matched for spine in this device the man who has been shooting American rounds of 300 ought to be able to shoot 500 within two weeks. If not, he never will.

LEGEND Fig. 1 (Complete assembly.)

A—board, 36" by 10" B—fixed hook C—movable hook D-—blade, moves vertically in slots, actuating pointer.

E—pointer, 15" long from pivot to point of needle set in end, 6" long from pivot to other end, to which should be fixed sliding weight (wire solder rolled about stick will do) with which to compen­ sate weight of longer end. Point­

7

er should be tapered. Set bit of wire on pointer where blade touches.

F—test weight, should be exactly two pounds G—arrow shaft in place upon two hooks and touching upper end of blade, which in turn contacts movable pointer.

I —scale, curved to arc made by ra­ dius of pointer Fig. 2 (detail of fixed hook) Fig 3 (detail of blade assembly) G—arrow shaft in cross section D—blade—may be made from old hacksaw blade.

J —slotted pins in which blade moves.

These are stove-bolts passed through the board (A) and with nuts turned down tight to board to hold them in place. A saw slot is cut in each, the outer end of the slot being plugged to retain the blade.

Fig. 3% (top view of pin (J) showing slot in which blade moves) Fig. 4 (detail of movable hook) K—cold rolled steel rod, 1" by bored with two holes to receive hook (C) and fastened to board (A) with short stove-bolt (L) M—thumb nut threaded onto hook (C) with which latter is adjusted up and down. Threads on (C) should permit movement of about one inch) Fig. 5 (detail of pointer assembly) N-N—stove bolts passed through board (A) and fastened in place with nuts like (J) O—metal ring, soldered to N-N, to make bearing for pointer pivot.

P—needle or other hard wire, passes through pointer (E)—cross sec­ tion—and through holes bored through two sides of ring (O).

Small glass beads should be strung on this wire, like washers,

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YE SYLVAN ARCHER

on each sides of (E) to keep pointer centered in ring (0).

Fig 6 (detail of weight and slides in which it moves) R—slides, made of galvanized iron, bent in shape shown and tacked to board (A) as shown in Fig. 1.

S—End view of weight, showing slots (T) into which slides (R) are inserted. These slots may be cut in the weight with a saw, or may be moulded in. At top of weight is a ring for cord to raise and lower weight. At bottom a thin blade is set to contact on arrow shaft as shown in Fig. 1.

OLYMPIC BOWMEN’S LEAGUE Ye Sylvan Archer: The Olympic Bowmen’s League mail matches offer an opportunity of in­ terest to any group of four or more archers, and to all clubs having 30 yard indoor ranges for- winter use.

The Olympic Round is 90 arrows at 48 inch targets, at 30 yards, and is contested by teams of four. Reports mailed by postcard are summarized and returned to club bulletin boards each week, showing team scores, team standings in the series of ten matches, individual averages and individual totals for most golds and most 54’s or “perfects.”

The League finishes its third year in January, 1931, and will begin a fourth series of ten weekly matches the week of February 9, 1931. The Portland club furnishes four teams, three ladies dividing honors with the men in this membership. Olympia supports two clubs, Oregon City, one; Seattle, four organizations, some hav­ ing three teams each. All these clubs have a healthy number of beginners who still aspire to reach 600, and all have experts who have occasionally broken 700. Tacoma, Bremerton and

January, 1931.

Eugene have registered for the 1931 series with new clubs.

As the keeper of the notched stick and general errand boy of this “league,” I would welcome the entry of more teams. For one thing there has been a three-year race between a couple of school men, Lester Landahi and Joseph Kerchen, who slap 60 golds into a target each week to keep Becker of Portland from being high man—though he is at the moment of writing, and more power to him.

Somewhere on the West Coast must be someone who can do something about this prolonged leadership.

For another thing, this indoor shooting permits careful work on the details of form, brings about a general improvement (in spite of the chorus of ha-ha’s from those I promised to beat!) and extends acquaintance and fellowship among bowmen. Since this is a non-profit matter, the funds be­ ing entirely spent on expenses plus awards, perhaps you will permit the word that the registration is modest, $1 per man per series.

Clark E. Schurman.

609 Ranke Bldg., Seattle, Wash.

We acknowledge receipt of a valua­ ble little contribution to archery liter­ ature, “Bows and Arrows for Boys,”

by George C. Decker. It contains about 50 pages, is printed on excellent paper, and is well illustrated. This should be an excellent little book for Boy Scouts.

We are very appreciative of the kindness of those archers who help to advertise Ye Sylvan Archer- among their friends. On the inside back cover you will find a list of premiums given for securing subscriptions.

Ye Sylvan Archer, $1 per year.

January, 1931.

YE SYLVAN ARCHER

9

Wolf Moccasin’s Demonstration

By Frank Merritt Harshberger, Captain of Cavalry, U. S. A.

This summer (August, 1930) I had the good fortune of meeting Mr. F. G. Burnett, a retired Fort Washakie, Wyoming, Indian agent, who, as both foe and friend of the American In­ dian, has been closely associated with Indian affairs since April 1, 1865, when, as a youth of twenty-five, he was stationed at old Fort C. F. Smith which was located about forty miles south of Custer battlefield. Mr. Bur­ nett vividly described many events that occurred in his early Wyoming and Montana experience.

buffalo down in ten or fifteen min­ utes.

In 1866 Mr. Burnett made the ac­ quaintance of Wolf Moccasin, a Crow Indian, whose bow was so strong that only he and his chief, Chief Bigfoot, could draw it. Being interested in knowing whether or not it was true that an arrow could be shot entirely through a large buffalo, Mr. Burnett arranged for a demonstration by Wolf Moccasin, who, like most Indians, took delight in showing his ability.

One morning Wolf Moccasin asked Mr. Burnett to accompany him on horseback to a near- by water hole I wish to give in my own way Mr. where a small herd of buffalo were Burnett’s statements regarding the grazing. On nearing the water hole effectiveness of the bow and arrow as Wolf Moccasin singled out a large used by the Indian in killing buffalo, bull buffalo, gave chase and was soon and also a few remarks regarding alongside. their tackle.

Then he loosed five arrows in such The Indian arrows used at this time close succession that to Mr. Burnett (1865 and later) in big game shoot­ it seemed as though a stream of ar­ ing were almost exclusively tipped rows were pouring into the fleeing with a 1lance shaped iron head having animal. The first two arrows passed no barbs. These heads were about entirely through the animal’s flank two and a half _____ „ .„.. fe w..u inches long and slight­ with such force that the points were ly more than an inch wide. The shafts well embedded in the ground. The were about two feet long, while the other three arrows were fired into the bows, made usually of ash, oak or hop thoracaic cavity, after which the buf­ horn beam, were seldom five feet falo ran about two hundred yards long. A few Indians of the Crow then stopped to face his antagonist tribe had bows made of horn. who had followed.

The Indian, after getting close Then for some time the Indian would ride his pony toward the buf­ enough to the buffalo so he could shoot from his pony, usually rode to falo, veering away in time to avoid his the right side and sightly in the rear short charges. Later, when the buffalo of the game, from which position he was very weak but still on his feet, usually loosed three arrows into the Wolf Moccasin dismounted, ran up and animal’s flank so that they ranged withdrew the three arrows that he forward and down into the thoracic had purposely not shot with the same cavity. Three well placed arrows force as the first two. Mr. Burnett were usually sufficient to bring the laughed in telling this part of the

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YE SYLVAN ARCHER

story and remarked that Wolf Mocca­ sin was still showing off.

In ten minutes after the first ar­ row had hit its mark the lord of the herd was down and gasping his last.

The Indian now cut his throat so he would bleed more freely.

Mr. Burnett believes that Wolf Moc­ casin, drawing his arrows from ovei his right shoulder, loosed all five in less than thirty seconds.

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II

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Statue of an archer modelled by Dr. Geo. H. Noble, Jr., Atlanta, Georgia.

This figure is about sixteen inches in height, made of Georgia Terra Cotta, and has been baked, so is fairly un­ breakable. The bow and arrow are made of wood.

January, 1931.

MORE ON SUMMER CUT YEW Editor, Ye Sylvan Archer, Corvallis, Oregon, Dear sir: There seems to be some difference of opinion concerning the merits of winter cut and summer cut wood for bow making. The prevailing opinion, at least, that appearing in print, is that winter cut wood is su­ perior, though Duff’s opinion, as ex­ pressed in his book, “Bows and Ar­ rows,” is that summer cut wood is equally good.

The inferiority of summer cut wood is stated as consisting of an inferior cast and greater tendency to fracture.

The lack of cast in summer cut wood has been ascribed to the greater amount of sap present. Pope it was, I think, who described a process of washing this sap out by placing the wood in flowing water for 30 days.

This process was said to improve sum­ mer cut yew. It may have improved the wood but not by washing out the sap. To the plant physiologist this is a scientific absurdity. Sap is water containing traces of hemi-cellulose and pectins, the latter being closely re­ lated to vegetable gums. Placing the wood in running water would have no washing out effect on these sub­ stances.

Moreover, there is more sap in trees in winter than in summer. This ap­ plies mainly to the outer layers, i.e., the white wood and bark. The nearer the bark the more moisture there is in the wood. There is little if any difference in the amount of water or sap in the heart or red wood between winter and summer. The larger the tree the less chance for a difference.

It is the red wood that constitutes most of the bow. This condition of maximum sap content extends over several months, from fall to spring.

Associated with this increase of sap

January, 1931.

YE SYLVAN ARCHER

in the fall is the storage of calcium pectate, hemi-cellulose, etc. These are utilized by the tree in the spring. The hemi-cellulose is stored in the cell walls so that these are thicker in the fall. This applies mainly, if not whol­ ly, to the wood cells reached by the inflow of sap, i.e., the outer layer of wood.

Another difference exists — air spaces are more evident in summer cut wood, This applies to uncured wood. In cured wood a difference in air spaces is not noticeable. Probably this factor does not affect the com­ parative value of wood Now, do these scientifically estab­ lished facts offer a satisfactory ex­ planation of the superiority of winter cut wood, or of the red wood over the white wood of a yew tree? They do not offer any support to the theory that winter cut wood has a better cast.

They do offer a possible explanation why winter cut wood is less likely to fracture.

It is obvious that since a tree has more sap in winter the inferiority of summer cut wood, if such inferiority exists, cannot be attributed to the in­ crease in sap. If sap reduces the value of the wood then winter cut wood must be inferior to summer cut wood.

It is possible that the increase in pectin and other substances with the increase in sap content in winter might cause the cells in the dried wood to adhere together more firm­ ly and thus reduce the tendency to fracture under tension. If it did not at the same time reduce cast then winter cut wood would be superior.

This superiority would be restricted to that part of the wood in which an increase in sap content occurs and might not occur in the heart wood.

The white wood in comparison with the red wood is supposed at any sea-

11

son of the year to have an inferior cast and be less subject to fracture.

I do not know that thia is true. The white wood has more sap. If this in­ creased sap content accounts for the reduced cast and increased toughness of the white wood, if such exists, we should expect it to have the same ef­ fect on the red wood. And if it has the same effect on red wood we should expect the winter cut wood which has more sap to be tougher and have less cast than summer cut wood. However, since the main difference in sap con­ tent is in the white wood we should expect the main difference to lie in the white wood. This suggests that the greater tendency of summer cut wood to fracture may be overcome by leaving a thicker layer of white wood.

It also suggests that there should be less difference in cast between the white wood and red wood in summer than in winter because there is less difference in sap content at this time.

Much remains to be determined be­ fore we can accept the statement that summer cut wood cannot be made into just as good bows as winter’ cut wood.

If summer cut wood is inferior we have still to prove that there is no way of overcoming this inferiorty. To overcome such an inferiority it is first desirable to determine to what factor the inferiority is due.

If an archer wishes to cut his bow wood in the summer, and has plenty of time and inclination to make his own bows, I see no reason why he should not do so. The cast should be as good as that of winter cut wood.

The greater tendency to fracture might be overcome by leaving a thick­ er backing of white wood. Summer cut wood requires greater care in curing due to the drier atmosphere.

If it dries too rapidly there is greater checking and liability of fracture. The

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YE SYLVAN ARCHER

cut surfaces should be painted or cov­ ered with oil. I use engine oil.

Very truly yours, VICTOR BURKE. THIS AND THAT My Dear Archer Friends: Herewith is one buck for next year.

Am glad to hear that you will issue once a month from now on. Also sin­ cerely hope that your subscriptions grow by leaps and bounds as ’twere.

Youse guys deserve lots of credit, an’ no mistake, for your fine little book.

Wisconsin is still backward in ac­ cepting the noble pastime as an insti­ tution, but we have hopes. Possibly by this time you have heard that Roy Case got his deer and all the circum­ stances thereto. If not, it is indeed likely that you will get the dope with picture, a copy of which I now have before me. Also I am pleased to re­ port that another- friend of mine by the name of Joe Sandusky got his also, of which incident I also have pictorial evidence.

I was talking to a deer hunter last evening that still uses the old 30-30.

I have him interested to beat h—1 on using the bow for the sport hereafter, and as is unusual in a case like this, I got him to admit that it was a much better sporting proposition. So grad­ ually one after the other will fall.

Was glad to have had the oppor­ tunity of meeting some of your west­ erners at the National and especially good old “Flight” Daily, who is a reg­ ular guy even if he is a sky pilot.

Learned lots from him and the les­ sons should prove up by next summer.

Of course I am interested mostly in flight shooting and seem to be equip­ ped for this angle of the sport. Tar­ gets are out for me, as my eyes don’t track properly, which doesn’t make a particle of difference in just punch­ ing holes in the air. I make and shoot

January, 1931.

my own stuff, getting just as much of a kick out of making as shooting.

And I try to influence every archer to try making it. I have a little shop at home that is open to anyone that cares to make use of it and will show him anything that I have discovered or learned in the past six years.

Well, anyhow, good luck for the coming year, and maybe I will have the opportunity of meeting you boys at the National next year.

Walter Fahsel.

Send us the stories of your hunts.

■KF

I

I

In our July-August, 1930, issue, we published an article by C. R. Passehl describing the making and operating of a fletching jig. The above is an illustration of the finished jig. This may be of considerable help to some in interpreting the text and diagrams previously published.

January, 1931.

YE SYLVAN ARCHER

13

Restoring the Kankakee Marshes

By A. E. Andrews, Huntington, Indiana Sportsmen are beginning to think of archers. The Izaak Walton League of Indiana is doing some thinking in terms of broadheads. There is even some possibility that Indiana eventu­ ally will be known as a state that off­ ers special inducements to the men who have an ambition to kill game after the manner of centuries ago.

Specifically, this talk centers about the possibility of restoring- the Kanka­ kee marshes of Indiana to their ori­ ginal form or- something like what they were when Maurice Thompson made his noted record on flying ducks.

Until 25 or 30 years ago, the Kan­ kakee marshes attracted some of the great men of the nation and even princes from Europe. Grover Cleve­ land shot ducks there, but what in­ terests archers more is the fact that Maurice and Will Thompson knew this world-famous hunting ground and something of its beauty crept into the pages of the Thompson masterpiece, “The Witchery of Archery.” The marshes, however, were dredged. They yielded farm lands, some of which were well worth the farming, others of which were worthless after a few years. Today there is an increasing demand for restoring them to their fonner former condition, or something approaching it.

The Izaak Walton League of In­ diana held its annual convention at Gary in October, 1929, and the Waltonians, having disposed of their bus­ iness by electing Col. Everett L. Gard­ ner of Monticello, Indiana, for presi­ dent, made a trip down the Tippe­ canoe river in motor boats and saw some of the old marsh lands. The result was a renewed demand that the

untilled land or that known as “mar­ ginal” (not producing crops enough to pay the owner) be returned to their original condition.

This would mean the acquiring of a large acreage, which would be turned to woodlands and marsh. This, very naturally, suggested deer. Deer sug­ gested hunting and the methods that might be permitted.

At this point in the theory of things, the archer entered. It was proposed that if the Kankakee is restored (as now seems probable), if the day comes when Indiana will have deer, then, when an open season is first declared, it should be only for archers. If the deer increases in succeeding years un­ til firearms can be permitted, the sea­ son should be divided into two parts, the archers receiving the exclusive privilege for the first open days; fire­ arms being permitted for the last half of the open season.

How far the projected restoration will be carried, whether deer will be planted, and whether’ archers will re­ ceive special consideration, remains to be seen. But Indiana, after years of waiting, during which it has taken a leading place in fish culture, may at last turn its attention more seriously to hunting. There are deer in Michi­ gan, some few deer in Illinois, prob­ ably some deer in Kentucky, and none in Ohio; but Ohio leads Indiana by far when it comes to pheasants.

Indiana citizens believe that restor­ ing some of the Kankakee would prove an enterprise of economic value to the state, and that, if archers could visit the same marshes that attracted Maurice Thompson, thej' would come from all states in the Union, especial-

14

YE SYLVAN ARCHER

ly if they could have the exclusive privilege on deer. It may come to pass. Indiana’s interest in game is in­ creasing.

i

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1

I i 111

LOS ANGELES ASSOCIATION Ye Sylvan Archer, Corvallis, Oregon, My dear Mr. Davis: Inclosed please find one dollar ($1.00) for Ye Sylvan Archer for one year. Kindly start subscription from September.

I imagine that you will be interest­ ed to know that the former Los An­ geles Archery club reorganized about a month ago under the name of Los Angeles Municipal Archery Associa­ tion. Mr. Frank X. Goulet was elect­ ed president and I was elected secre­ tary-treasurer. The Municipal Sports department was able to secure for our use a piece of ground 100 by 100 feet on the Poinsetta Playground.

December 7th we had oui' first monthly shoot to establish handicaps.

We are having two divisions in hand­ icap shoots—class A and class B for both men and wimen. Men shooting 400 in the York or 500 in the Ameri­ can are in the first class, those shoot­ ing below this score are in class B. The dividing line for women is 275 in the National and 375 in the Colum­ bia.

In spite of the fact that it was to the members’ advantage to shoot low scores some good ones were made as follows: York Amer.

Mr. Jay Plow............. .. 572 633 Mr. Frank X. Goulet .. 493 630 Mr. L. Mould ... .. 502 612 Ntl. Clmbia.

Mrs. Helen Little ..... .. 376 474 Miss Alta Armstrong ... 289 417 Miss Betty Gene Hunt .... 226 430 The members of the Municipal Archery club extend to the archers

January, 1931.

of the northwest a hearty invitation to shoot with us when they are travel­ ing in the south. They may reach me at Vermont 6104 or go directly to the grounds at 7314 Willoughby, Holly­ wood.

Sincerely yours, Alta Armstrong.

“LIMBERIN’ UP” H. Orin Beebe

H. Orin Beebe, Fulton, N. Y. I awoke Tuesday morning at 7:30.

The sun was shining in my window. I had the day to myself. As I had not been in my beloved “neck” of woods since last fall I thought it high time to limber up my hunting bow as well as my body.

I slid out of bed, donned my hunting clothes and came downstairs. Motheihad breakfast ready so I sat down to my graham and coffee.

After- I had breakfasted I took down my leather quiver (I had made this out of an old sheep skin vest. I have it decorated with red squirrel tails around the top with an Indian Girl on the side, same taken from an old moc­ casin) put in eight steel roving point­ ed arrows, took down my fifty-pound lemon bow, donned my bracer, made from an old shoe top, drew on my shooting glove and by nine o’clock I was a mile or more from home, among the knolls and old chestnut trees.

To the west lay a maple grove, south a hemlock grove, east, several farms were in view. To the north lay woods, second growth birch, beech, pine, ma­ ple; in fact all the common varieties of wood.

The old chestnut grove was an old haunt of mine; although the trees were dead, game was to be found here.

There are some live beech, butternut and a few wild apple trees.

First thing I saw was a red squir­ rel in a butternut tree. I loosed a

January, 1931.

YE SYLVAN ARCHER

15

crotch, causing him to rise a foot in shaft which hit the tree trunk about the air( must have warmed his seat) a foot below the squirrel, Arrow he caught hold of a branch and up he glanced to the left. went. I looked at the shaft, driven Mr. Squirrel went up about six or snugly in between the limbs. eight feet. I loosed a second shaft Unbracing my bow I sat down on a which went past him through the stump, filled up my pipe and smoked branches and he disappeared. I then for about— well you know how long a proceeded to retrieve my shafts. thoughtful smoke lasts.

Found second one which was in line with tree. The first one I did not lo­ Soon as my pipe was empty I cate at first, but as it was a glancer knocked out the ashes, arose from the I figured it was off to the left. Sure stump, braced my bow and looked for enough, there it was about thirty the squirrel. There he was clinging yards from where the other- one had to the side of the tree in a squatting come to quiver. As I was removing position against a limb. I loosed a it from the ground I heard a hawk shaft which, due to a small branch in scream. I turned about and saw the front of the squirrel, glanced upward hawk sitting in the top of one of the and came down to rest in the top of old chestnut trees. I tried stalking. the tree. I left another shaft up by I could not get within fifty yards of it, trying to shoot it out. him before he flew off. I came up to I then had about an hour’s sport a clump of hemlocks and waited in trying to shoot those two arrows out ambush. Back came the hawk with and finally did succeed in bringing his mate. One came within forty them down. I hit them both at that. yards of me, resting in a chestnut But as yet I cannot hit a live object tree, the other lighted back of me in in a tree, another old chestnut tree.

As I gathered up my shafts I felt a I turned on my heel, took a strain gnawing pain in my stomach. It was on the nocked shaft, elevated the eleven o’clock. I headed homeward, bow, sighted down the shaft and two miles to the suburbs. I had gone loosed. The arrow hit just below the a mile, I should judge, when I saw hawk causing him to jump and fly over on my right, north of the old away along with his mate. I felt a lane, on a knoll, a woodchuck. I thrill but was empty handed. Yet I stopped, braced my bow, nocked a seemed to ache for action. I moved shaft (how I wished it was a broad­ some forty yards to westward. Half­ head but, I was out as you know just way up an old chestnut tree sat a red to limber up) judged about eighty squirrel in a crotch of two small yards and loosed. The shaft landed limbs. I moved to the opposite side of close beside the “chuck”. Luck? Yes, the tree so as to let my shafts fall in I say. Else I just naturally used a clearing. (They traveled a hundred quick judgment. The “chuck” was in yards or more unless they hit a limb his hole as soon as I had knocked an­ and I did not want them to land in other shaft. I proceeded up to the the thick underbrush.) knoll. My shaft had landed about The squirrel seemed to be u —'four feet from the hole. Well, fellow a r part of the tree. I went through the usual archers, if you read this, some of you five major operations, the shaft land­ will feel as I do, satisfied. I turned ed under the squirrel in the small ed on my heel, located the nearest knoll

r 16

November, 1930.

YE SYLVAN ARCHER

and shot all my shafts but one (I have formed the habit of saving the last shaft) at a forty-five degree angle.

Then I went for my shafts which were in a group of about four feet.

I proceeded homeward, arriving at noon, and after getting into “civies,” having cleaned up, I sat down to one of mother’s famous meals.

Yours for Sylvan Archery—H.O.B. Rev. Andrew A. Burkhardt, College Point, N. Y., wishes to know “how many archers took advantage of the New York State Long Bow Bill this year and what they got — if any­ thing?” We suggest that archers who did take advantage of the new law write to Rev. Burkhardt.

Classified Ads RATES — 5c per word; minimum Manufacturer of the finest Archery Targets. Maker for the National, Eastern and Metropolitan tourna­ ments, also for Mr. James Duff of Jersey City. Wholesale and retail.

John Smith, 209 Bowers St., Jersey City, N. J.

LAYALLOY (aluminum alloy) ar­ rows continue to make “better than average” scores both in tournament and practice. Absolute uniformity —• either two or a thousand. $13.00 fletched—$10.00 unfletched, in dozen or more lots. State length. Nat. Lay, 2801 Big Bend Bl. Maplewood, Mo. ARCHERS! Complete your collec­ tion, adding one of Kindle’s fine Osage Orange, Yew or Lemonwood bows.

Made only from full length staves Retail only. Frank Kindle, 303 Pearl St., Pendleton, Indiana.

— BARNES — Maker of fine archery tackle.

Making bows for expert archers everywhere. Made at BARNES ARCHERY SHOP 601 N. 4th St., Sturgis, Mich.

Tool foi- feathering arrows, $1.50.

This tool has been giving satisfaction for over two years. H. Wayte, 919 Hay’s Park, Kalamazoo, Mich.

GEO. BROMMERS Box 1164—San Pedro, Cal. Raw Materials Exclusively.

— Write for new list of Specials! —

Try a Morgan Special At His Expense!

The Old Archery Shop 4016 N. 27th St., Tacoma, Wash.

OSAGE ORANGE Logs, Staves, Billets Wholesale—Retail Dr. Rawlins Spine Tester Feathering Tools Everything in Archery Tackle & Supplies ARCHERY SALES and SERVICE Co. 510 Van Buren St., Chicago

Dozen

Actual Svz.e.

O

A light weight yet rugged allpurpose hunting point, 25c each.

Satisfaction guaranteed.

Wholesale prices on request.

HUGO BUCKNER 115 W. 8th St., Hanford, Calif.

X

THE SPECIALIST Oregon Yew Bows—Port Orford Cedar Arrows—If you wanted a box of oranges you wouldn’t send to the North Pole to an Eskimo for them—so when you want Archery Tackle why not send to Hobson in Oregon—where Port Orford Cedar, Airplane Spruce and Oregon Yew grows in abundance?

To the secretary of any club I will send samples of the finest Port Orford Cedar arrows, made to order at lowest prices. And the next 60 days I will make any archer a sample set of exact matched spine cedar arrows—any length for $5.00—beautifully fletched, unpainted cedar ar­ row ,three for $1.00. Hunting arrows, specially tapered Port Orford Ce­ dar, hand-made heads, $1.00 each. Oregon linen bow string to match your bow, 75cents. Bullet points, 25 dozen. Parallel points, 40c dozen. 1 dozen full length ground feathers, 40 cents. Sample free—make me an offer for absolutely perfect yew bow stave, mate to one used in $150 yew bow.

This stave is one in a life time and for sale—sent to any responsible archer or to any club secretary on approval—if offer is satisfactory.

We have just completed a feathering clamp that enables any archer to fletch perfectly—price $1.25. Particulars free. Don’t forget, we are always glad to hear from any archers. Send name for big list of specials.

Harry D. Hobson

Lyons, Oregon

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Premiums to Archery Clubs Ye Sylvan Archer offers the following premiums, especially for the consideration of clubs: For 12 subscriptions will be given a bronze plaque mounted on hardwood base, very suitable for presentation for club cha.™P'°^h'Pnp We are so sure these plaques will please you that we wi on approval to any club secretary. icretary. Then, if you are pleas plaque send us the 12 subscriptions, if not return the plaque.

For give a a copy vx of “xxi'-nv.x Archery, -- 10 subscriptions we we will Will give j, ” by Dr.

■bimer.

For 30 subscriptions we will give a good yew bow made by an experienced bowyer.

For 5 subscriptions will be given a copy of Duff’s “Bows and Arrows,” or of c* “The •nnx.i ----- of- Archery. » ’ Witchery ”

Address:

Ye Sylvan Archer Box 156, Corvallis, Oregon

THE OSAGE SPECIALIST Pope, the ORIGINAL Osage Specialist—first to feature Osage in the advertising columns of Ye Sylvan Archer—announces a price reduc­ tion of 40% on his “Supreme” grade Osage Bows. This means that you can now get a Pope Osage of finest quality for $40, other grades in proportion.

All my bows are made from extra selected, straight-grained, SPLIT, absolutely clear staves from trees picked from thousands as they stood—the same ultra quality wood as that furnished by me to Art Young and USED by him in killing his African, Alaskan and Greenland big game.

My bows MUST satisfy their purchasers. I stand squarely behind them. Hundreds of unsolicited letters of commendation from their owners prove beyond doubt that they DO satisfy. My product has advertised itself to the extent that I have found it unnecessary to push its sale to any great extent by this kind of advertising. Wish to say here, however, that the advertising carried for me by Ye Sylvan Archer has produced tremendous returns—more than satisfactory.

Write the OSAGE Specialist who specializes (concentrates all his forces) on OSAGE alone, for literature and new prices.

E. F. POPE

Woodville, Texas

STYLES YEW BOWS Constantly Improved Since 1923 In the last two years I have added 30% to the efficiency and refine­ ment of my bows. Lemonwood bows: tests made of yew and osage bows of the grade ordinarily in use, have shown them to be, nine times out of ten, inferior to lemonwood bows from my shop, especially in the matter of action. Cast and reliability suffer by comparison in every case.

Hugh Moffett and V. A. Sisler have just killed two large bears in Virginia, still hunting with bows. Moffett used a lemonwood bow he bought of me in 1926. Great credit is due these archers, especially to Moffett, for having accomplished anything at all with such a wretched weapon. He used tempered broadheads from my shop.

At the National Tournament in Chicago this summer Dr. Elmer shot a yew bow I made him in April, 1925, and says it is the best bow he has.

Lemonwood bows, $15.00 to $25.00. Yew bows, $35.00 to $150.00.

Matched footed target arrows, $18.00 to $30.00 a dozen. Circular o request.

CASSIUS HAYWARD STYLES 75 Roble Road, Berkeley, California