Lukas and Baker-

As promised, I want to pass along some shooting impressions of my newly received Ibex bow.

The Ibex Bow

I do not expect any one bow design to answer all the questions an archer may ask of it, but I do require several attributes in a good hunting and shooting bow. It must be light, quiet, accurate, not too picky on arrows, and it should shoot heavy arrows with authority in my weight range (55 lbs.). I am not a bow junkie and do not need every new design that comes along in my stable. I shoot one bow at a time extensively, and have merely owned several good custom bows, rather than dozens. A good bow should also be a real pleasure to hold and look at and admire and bond with when sitting at the end of a long day of climbing mountains after those elk that are always JUST over the next ridge.

The Ibex is the bow that best embodies those characteristics for me. It is astoundingly fast, it throws my 630 grain ash arrows with serious intent, it is the quietest bow with wood arrows I have ever shot, it has graceful lines, it is as light as a wild turkey feather, it displays exquisite craftsmanship, and best of all, it makes me a more confident and accurate shooter. I suspect it is the result of the well designed and executed grip, but I find that my bow hand placement and resulting arrow groups are very consistent from shot to shot with this bow. Two inch groups at 75 yards are common now……ok, maybe I made that part up; however, the generous arrow shelf and riser design seem to help me put 'em where I look, which is the opposite of my normal shooting technique, often called "look for where I put 'em" ............the subtle finger groove and palm swell promote consistent hand placement, and keep me from shifting my bow hand. I am sure that my bow hand and arm are now steady enough to place glasses of whiskey upon without wastage (a killing offense in the West).

This bow is fast. It is faster than any bow I have shot, and yet it is very stable and consistent. I think the consistency is the most important attribute for me; however, tossing slivers with real alacrity is never to be frowned upon. It throws heavy ash arrows faster than my 56 lb. Morrison Dakota, which is a high compliment.

I am an amateur knifemaker and leatherworker, and I work with wood and handtools quite a lot. I have a critical eye for craftmanship, which is why I don't make my own bows...........The work on the Saluki Ibex is top quality. Every seam and lam and overlay is perfectly joined, and all the lines and edges of the bow are even and well finished. To my eye the look of the riser and the way the limbs taper is very graceful, although it is a somewhat unusual design compared with more traditional longbows and some may not agree. If you like sweeping, curved flowing lines and fine tapers then we will agree on women and the design qualities of the Ibex. I suspect the Mongols and Magyars would approve.

Finally, I feel that all really fine handmade bows have a special quality that is a combination of how they feel in the hand, how they look and how they shoot. It is a quality that says "I am art, I am a tool, I am a weapon, and I am your friend". You can feel a little of the bowyer in bows with this quality, and it makes them a pleasure to carry and shoot. You can call it karma, or archery feng shui, or witchery, but my Ibex has it and it is quite a beautiful weapon. I gave you all my money, but I consider it a good trade.

If I miss an elk this year I guess I will have to think up a new excuse; I don't think I will get away with blaming my bow. We all know that in reality any number of decent bows on the market will make one better armed than bowhunters of thousands of years ago, but that does not mean we cannot take advantage of modern thought and technique and blend it with real craftsmanship and fine design to arrive at a superior weapon from which we can derive years of shooting pleasure. That is what you have done without removing the soul of the bow. I thank you for it.

(Of course, the foregoing does not apply to those of you who call yourselves "bow whores" and will shoot anything with a string………..and probably well, too. The rest of us need all the help we can get.)

I'll let you know if any large, luckless animals inadvertently wander into the path of one of my arrows………………although this year my hunting time will be more limited due to work stuff. I have enjoyed talking with both of you, someday I am sure we will meet.

Kind regards,

Andy Mills