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I'm currently reading about the Lewis and Clarke expedition (archery related)

Posted on 7/11/18 at 7:28 am
Posted by celltech1981
Member since Jul 2014
8139 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 7:28 am
Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose. Lewis, Clarke, and company wintered with the Mandan Indians on the Great Plains in central North Dakota. They were invited to participate in a buffalo hunt. It was reported in their journals that the Mandan bows were so powerful that they would often pass an arrow straight through a buffalo.

Do y'all think that this is an exaggeration/embellishment? I filmed my cousin shoot a doe with a 60 lb recurve with a muzzy recurve broad head. The arrow stuck about 6 inches. It killed it but it wasn't even close to passing through at around 10 yards.

How heavy do y'all reckon the draw weight would need to be to push a wood arrow with a stone tip through a buffalo? I remember reading somewhere that the mongol archers would pull close to 200 lbs on their bows at a full gallop, timing their release so that it was when all 4 feet of the horse would be off the ground.

If the Mandans were really passing arrows through a buffalo it's impressive as all get out. Compound bow hunters need to quit giving crossbow hunters shite and vice versa because we are all a bunch of pansies in comparison.
Posted by jorconalx
alexandria
Member since Aug 2011
8608 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 7:41 am to
What reason would they have to lie about it?
Posted by The Last Coco
On the water
Member since Mar 2009
6840 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 7:43 am to
quote:

60 lb recurve with a muzzy recurve broad head.

This setup should be able to easily have a full pass through on a deer at 50 yards with proper shot placement, much less 10 yards.

They were probably shooting heavy draw weights, but complete pass-throughs are way more about shot placement than they are anything else.
Posted by celltech1981
Member since Jul 2014
8139 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 7:44 am to
quote:

What reason would they have to lie about it?



They don't really have any reason. I just find it incredible to have a full pass through on a buffalo with the equipment they were using
Posted by celltech1981
Member since Jul 2014
8139 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 7:44 am to
quote:

This setup should be able to easily have a full pass through on a deer at 50 yards with proper shot placement, much less 10 yards.


I wouldn't take a recurve shot at anything further than 15 yards lol
Posted by auggie
Opelika, Alabama
Member since Aug 2013
27969 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 8:01 am to
Air is thinner on the High Plains. Arrows fly faster.


I need to read that book.
You know that was a heck of an adventure.
This post was edited on 7/11/18 at 8:09 am
Posted by FelicianaTigerfan
Comanche County
Member since Aug 2009
26059 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 8:07 am to
I don't know much about shooting a recurve / longbow but just an idea. Im thinking maybe it wasn't a full draw like we suspect. Pulling, say, 200#, would be a lot easier only having to pull half way. Hands closer together gives way more strength. I also imagine pulling a longbow to full draw on a running horse would be pretty damn difficult. A very hard half draw would give you a shorter release and quicker on target time.

I may be way off.
Posted by celltech1981
Member since Jul 2014
8139 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 8:13 am to
they were short bows. It would have to be a really high draw weight. I have a really short draw length and if I have to pull at least 70 lbs on my compound to get a decent arrow velocity
Posted by celltech1981
Member since Jul 2014
8139 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 8:16 am to
quote:

I need to read that book.
You know that was a heck of an adventure.



The first few chapters of the book were boring. It covered Lewis/Clarke family history and preparations for the trip. It's been getting pretty fascinating now, though. The Indians would let the men from the expedition bang all of their wives hoping it would give them good medicine but really they just got STDs. They had a big black man named York on the trip and the Indians thought he was really powerful medicine. One brace would guard his tent while he was doing his wife and then would try to make sure York wouldn't do anybody elses wife. I got a good laugh out of that one.
Posted by auggie
Opelika, Alabama
Member since Aug 2013
27969 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 8:28 am to
I use to deliver a lot of Lead blocks to the CCI Ammo factory in Lewiston, ID., The factory is located right on the Snake River, a few hundred yards from where Lewis and Clarke supposedly made their crossing. Clarkeston, Wa.,is right across the bridge. Some cool tribute sculptures there on both sides.

As you head west towards Walla Walla, there is a rest area on a high hill, and Sacajawea is buried close by there.
Posted by speckledawg
Somewhere Salty
Member since Nov 2016
3918 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 8:34 am to
quote:

cousin shoot a doe with a 60 lb recurve with a muzzy recurve broad head. The arrow stuck about 6 inches


Sounds like poor shot placement.

As said though, they were shooting some heavy weights back then. Also, likely some stout fellas shooting them. They weren't sitting at a computer desk all week and then dragging arse out to a stand every other weekend with a bow.
Posted by kook
Berrytown
Member since Sep 2013
1896 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 8:35 am to
with the right tune on the arrow, it's very possible. Buddy of mine had a pass through on an elk with a 47# recurve from 20 yards.
Posted by Ron Cheramie
The Cajun Hedgehog
Member since Aug 2016
5143 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 8:37 am to
I think it was that book where they ran across some turkeys and they had heard turkeys were good eating so they got excited when they killed one did it stink like hell and could barely stomach it they now think it was a vulture they were eating
Posted by tenfoe
Member since Jun 2011
6847 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 8:39 am to
Buffalo were dumb. Most of the shots were probably at 5 feet from a horse.
Posted by celltech1981
Member since Jul 2014
8139 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 8:54 am to
quote:

Buffalo were dumb. Most of the shots were probably at 5 feet from a horse.



eh. they weren't dumb. they just evolved to handle predation differently and haven't yet figured out indians on horseback.
Posted by celltech1981
Member since Jul 2014
8139 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 8:55 am to
quote:

Sounds like poor shot placement.


he hit a lung. busted a rib. ran about 60 yards
Posted by LSUfan20005
Member since Sep 2012
8817 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 8:56 am to
I actually recommend reading the actual journals instead, then following up with Undaunted Courage if you want interpretation after each segment of the journey.

The most haunting image I was left with is - at one point, the party shoots a deer somewhere west of the Rockies, and the Indians they were with sprint to the kill, outrunning the trotting horses. They immediately begin ripping out the intestines and eating them - that's how hungry the Indians were.
Posted by auggie
Opelika, Alabama
Member since Aug 2013
27969 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 9:00 am to
quote:

Buffalo were dumb. Most of the shots were probably at 5 feet from a horse.


I don't know about dumb. I don't think they can see very well.
Posted by celltech1981
Member since Jul 2014
8139 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 9:00 am to
quote:

I actually recommend reading the actual journals instead, then following up with Undaunted Courage if you want interpretation after each segment of the journey.


Damn, i have both. I decided to read Undaunted Courage first for some reason.
Posted by auggie
Opelika, Alabama
Member since Aug 2013
27969 posts
Posted on 7/11/18 at 9:06 am to
quote:

I actually recommend reading the actual journals instead, then following up with Undaunted Courage if you want interpretation after each segment of the journey.


Yeah, reading things written back in those days can be hard to understand.
It's the same language, but damn they used it differently.
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