LionHead
WKR
Hello all
Was not sure where to post this so GENERAL seamed the place to go. As a preface this is not a declaration but hopefully a discussion, as I have recently aquired a bow to add to my arsenal for hunt/hobby/enthusiasm/passion/obsession/art.
Having been a practiced BJJ/Boxing/Muay Thai artists for over the last decade and a practiced firearms enthusiast/instructor I find that I cannot "get into" something at the edge. I fall deep, deep into the rabbit whole of every profession/hobby/sport that tickles my fancy at the time. Although I never lose my prior identities when obtaining new interests I feel my split personalities constantly fighting to be my supreme interest of the era.
I have recently (as in today) become the proud owner of my first compound bow. Having not shot a bow since the simple recurves in CUB (not BOY) scouts. Never a boy scout as girls/paintball dominated that ERA of this man's youth. I know I have much much learning and meditation to do on my new ...let's call it platform of obsession.
I'll preface this with another kicker, I am a G.D.A.M sucker for kryptek camo, I have half their line up and I hate "fake-tree camo" ...and though my entire being told me to buy that Kryptek bow I resisted (Giant Kudos LionHead) to stick with the plan....
So here's the skinny. I live in the musty dank town of Modesto, CA...once Lauded as the Car Theft Capital of ...THE WORLD!! (yessiryeee) and also ranked in some such interwebery news cast at 100% the worst place to live in Ammeriker... Aaaaand honestly eeh, I'm OK with that. Buuuut we also have NO, ZERO, NONE, NADA bow shops withing a 1.5hr drive radius.
Buuuut it's ok because my job deemed it necessary to send me to Concord,CA for training and stick me in a Hotel with a company car, and left me to my own devices for a whole week. My hotel is 12 minutes and $6 (bridge toll) from Fat Shafts Archery in Benicia, CA.
Fat Shafts is buried in the industrial area of the Bay Area next to the ocean and some scenic views of an oil refanary, refynary, ......refinary ? And while literally knowing nothing about bows ....and still probably knowing nothing about bows I feel like I have the concept, of an idea that maybe knows something about something about bows.
I met with Proud father and Son team Carl and Jacob and what I thought was a range member but now I believe to be an employee Tyler (F#$k bro if they aren't paying you now, they should be paying you) who literally took me from neophyte to extreme novice in the matter of 3 days.
They didn't even let me touch a compound bow day one. Instructor Anthony had me shooting a rental recurve bow day1 to have me get the feel for the art. Day two Jacob had set 1/2 his inventory to my draw length and let me shoot Errrrrythang ! I was lusting hard after those $12-1500 base bows for their smooth draws and positive releases. But I had to keep the mission on track. I set a budget of $5-800 as an entry level bow (with accoutrements). With the full thought out plan of gifting it to my 100# girlfriend when I am ready for a Big boy bow. This ment the 60#-70# bows were out, not just because of budget but also the plan. I am fully capable of drawing 65-70# bow. but not because I'm a strong archer it's just because I'm a cave Troll, I can muscle it. My BJJ experience tells me that doesn't matter. It's about the form, the discipline, the technique. Learn the form at 40# then move up. The technique is all that matters .
So even when I half shit the bed/popped wood from the PSE stealth carbon in Kryptek Highlander. Carl/Jacob/Tyler calmed my titts and kept me on track. "It's your 1st bow Lion, you need to try the sights, the releases, the stabilizers, the quivers etc. You can get the pretty camo that won't help you one bit later when you know what a $1500 bow can do Vs a $500 bow". Right now you need the basics.
SUPER SIDE NOTE
1/3 the way into a bottle of Jameson.
NARRATIVE CONTINUED:
Carl jigged me up some arrows at my draw length, suggesting a dozen (which I said I'll take half...then 3hrs later, near closing time I said "you know what ? 12 does sound about right") sorry guys it's the frugal jerk in me. Carl nice as ever cut me 6 more arrows without a complaint knowing full well this jerk-tard was gonna take a dozen from the get go.
Jacob set me up from top to bottom. And I know I got "just the kit," but for all I know it was a space ship since all my shooting has been from stuff that goes bang!...
but Tyler....man.. Tyler if they don't pay you, I owe you a beer or 6 dude. Tyler showed the patience of a cathedral nun walking me through releases, even the ones he didn't like, techniques, mental ques to activate muscles to keep my support shoulder down, to Pinching my ring finger to the release thumb to activate the release not on command but on posture. This trio did a hellova job. After probably 10 hours over the course of three days of patience and knowledge gifting they walked away with a measly $890 from yours truely.
Yeah, it's just a PSE stinger with the combo kit, a tarantula case, an arrow protector, a dozen carbon storm 350's and a wise choice release. I feel like they made me a better (albeit new a S@#$ archer) for practically nothing on their end.
I know not everyone outside of CA can appreciate this. But coming from a state that loves to bash guns/hunting/self-sufficiency to know people like this are alive and well in the den of the beast (Bay area) is heart warming.
Now this many (pinchy fingers) deep into the Jameson I'm not really sure where this was all going to go except to use up some free time before bed. All I can say is I've found something new to be passionate about, to wake up early and devote late nights to getting better at.
If your an experience archer and remember your first bow and how rock hard you got about just the thought of practicing with your new killing machine please share some war stories/advice/pitfalls/general knowledge and shower this newbie with some enlightenment.
And for those of you within a 2 hr drive of Benicia, CA give Fat Shafts a call. I know I'll drop a few tanks of gas to visit them in the future.
Regards
Lion Head
Was not sure where to post this so GENERAL seamed the place to go. As a preface this is not a declaration but hopefully a discussion, as I have recently aquired a bow to add to my arsenal for hunt/hobby/enthusiasm/passion/obsession/art.
Having been a practiced BJJ/Boxing/Muay Thai artists for over the last decade and a practiced firearms enthusiast/instructor I find that I cannot "get into" something at the edge. I fall deep, deep into the rabbit whole of every profession/hobby/sport that tickles my fancy at the time. Although I never lose my prior identities when obtaining new interests I feel my split personalities constantly fighting to be my supreme interest of the era.
I have recently (as in today) become the proud owner of my first compound bow. Having not shot a bow since the simple recurves in CUB (not BOY) scouts. Never a boy scout as girls/paintball dominated that ERA of this man's youth. I know I have much much learning and meditation to do on my new ...let's call it platform of obsession.
I'll preface this with another kicker, I am a G.D.A.M sucker for kryptek camo, I have half their line up and I hate "fake-tree camo" ...and though my entire being told me to buy that Kryptek bow I resisted (Giant Kudos LionHead) to stick with the plan....
So here's the skinny. I live in the musty dank town of Modesto, CA...once Lauded as the Car Theft Capital of ...THE WORLD!! (yessiryeee) and also ranked in some such interwebery news cast at 100% the worst place to live in Ammeriker... Aaaaand honestly eeh, I'm OK with that. Buuuut we also have NO, ZERO, NONE, NADA bow shops withing a 1.5hr drive radius.
Buuuut it's ok because my job deemed it necessary to send me to Concord,CA for training and stick me in a Hotel with a company car, and left me to my own devices for a whole week. My hotel is 12 minutes and $6 (bridge toll) from Fat Shafts Archery in Benicia, CA.
Fat Shafts is buried in the industrial area of the Bay Area next to the ocean and some scenic views of an oil refanary, refynary, ......refinary ? And while literally knowing nothing about bows ....and still probably knowing nothing about bows I feel like I have the concept, of an idea that maybe knows something about something about bows.
I met with Proud father and Son team Carl and Jacob and what I thought was a range member but now I believe to be an employee Tyler (F#$k bro if they aren't paying you now, they should be paying you) who literally took me from neophyte to extreme novice in the matter of 3 days.
They didn't even let me touch a compound bow day one. Instructor Anthony had me shooting a rental recurve bow day1 to have me get the feel for the art. Day two Jacob had set 1/2 his inventory to my draw length and let me shoot Errrrrythang ! I was lusting hard after those $12-1500 base bows for their smooth draws and positive releases. But I had to keep the mission on track. I set a budget of $5-800 as an entry level bow (with accoutrements). With the full thought out plan of gifting it to my 100# girlfriend when I am ready for a Big boy bow. This ment the 60#-70# bows were out, not just because of budget but also the plan. I am fully capable of drawing 65-70# bow. but not because I'm a strong archer it's just because I'm a cave Troll, I can muscle it. My BJJ experience tells me that doesn't matter. It's about the form, the discipline, the technique. Learn the form at 40# then move up. The technique is all that matters .
So even when I half shit the bed/popped wood from the PSE stealth carbon in Kryptek Highlander. Carl/Jacob/Tyler calmed my titts and kept me on track. "It's your 1st bow Lion, you need to try the sights, the releases, the stabilizers, the quivers etc. You can get the pretty camo that won't help you one bit later when you know what a $1500 bow can do Vs a $500 bow". Right now you need the basics.
SUPER SIDE NOTE
1/3 the way into a bottle of Jameson.
NARRATIVE CONTINUED:
Carl jigged me up some arrows at my draw length, suggesting a dozen (which I said I'll take half...then 3hrs later, near closing time I said "you know what ? 12 does sound about right") sorry guys it's the frugal jerk in me. Carl nice as ever cut me 6 more arrows without a complaint knowing full well this jerk-tard was gonna take a dozen from the get go.
Jacob set me up from top to bottom. And I know I got "just the kit," but for all I know it was a space ship since all my shooting has been from stuff that goes bang!...
but Tyler....man.. Tyler if they don't pay you, I owe you a beer or 6 dude. Tyler showed the patience of a cathedral nun walking me through releases, even the ones he didn't like, techniques, mental ques to activate muscles to keep my support shoulder down, to Pinching my ring finger to the release thumb to activate the release not on command but on posture. This trio did a hellova job. After probably 10 hours over the course of three days of patience and knowledge gifting they walked away with a measly $890 from yours truely.
Yeah, it's just a PSE stinger with the combo kit, a tarantula case, an arrow protector, a dozen carbon storm 350's and a wise choice release. I feel like they made me a better (albeit new a S@#$ archer) for practically nothing on their end.
I know not everyone outside of CA can appreciate this. But coming from a state that loves to bash guns/hunting/self-sufficiency to know people like this are alive and well in the den of the beast (Bay area) is heart warming.
Now this many (pinchy fingers) deep into the Jameson I'm not really sure where this was all going to go except to use up some free time before bed. All I can say is I've found something new to be passionate about, to wake up early and devote late nights to getting better at.
If your an experience archer and remember your first bow and how rock hard you got about just the thought of practicing with your new killing machine please share some war stories/advice/pitfalls/general knowledge and shower this newbie with some enlightenment.
And for those of you within a 2 hr drive of Benicia, CA give Fat Shafts a call. I know I'll drop a few tanks of gas to visit them in the future.
Regards
Lion Head
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