Category Archives: Archery

Making Bows in the Bitterroots

Matthew: You’re not even 50, yet you’ve been making bows for nearly three decades. How did that begin?

Jim: I was born and raised here in Montana, and the Bitterroots have always been home. Like most kids in their early teens, I whittled little sapling bows and arrows, and became fascinated by watching an arrow in flight. It’s mesmerizing — like staring at a campfire.

By the time I was 19, I was researching how to build real hunting-weight bows and started out with selfbows. I still dabble in those, but I soon moved into laminated longbows. Along the way, I had some great mentors: Gordy Mickens of Selway Archery, Darryl Forslund who taught me limb lamination, and many Montana bowyers who inspired me. Howard Hill Archery was once based here, Neil Jacobson of Bear Paw Bows worked up near Flathead Lake, the late Dale Dye made fine recurves, and Dwayne Jessup of Thunder Horn Archery is practically a neighbor. Even Dick Robertson hailed from this area.

Figure 02: Jim Neaves working on an osage stave with an antique draw knife. I am not sure if the hoochie daddy shorts are part of his daily uniform, but they do not seem OSHA approved.

Matthew: It sounds like Montana has been a hotbed of bowyers.

Jim: Absolutely. If you sat down with all of us, it’d be an encyclopedia’s worth of stories. I’d probably do as much listening as talking — most of those guys are older, and they’ve all been great sounding boards over the years.

Matthew: How did you land on the name Centaur Archery?

Jim: It comes from my astrological sign, Sagittarius — the centaur with a bow. It’s always been a meaningful symbol to me. In 2000 I decided to make it official, and Centaur Archery has been my full-time work ever since.

Matthew: Your bows have a very distinct aesthetic. I’ve seen only a handful in person, but they’re instantly recognizable. Where did that style come from?

Jim: The profile actually traces back to one of my very first designs. Over time I’ve refined it, but the silhouette was inspired by a manta ray. Picture one swimming away with its wings rising on the upstroke — that’s the shape you’ll see in my bows.

For me, bowmaking has always been an artistic outlet as much as a craft. I loved art as a kid, and this work lets me bring beauty and function together in every piece.

Figure 03: Right handed 58” 40# @ 28” one piece, glass model longbow. The handle is royal Jacaranda Dymalux with a thumb rest, small stippling, engraved cross and elk antler fingerboard.

Matthew: I’ve thought about making bows full time, but I’m afraid it would lose its joy and feel like just a job. How do you keep it balanced?

Jim: There’s definitely pressure. I have a family to provide for, and production is always on my mind. But the work remains therapeutic because no two bows are identical. Each one feeds the creative side of my brain.

When I approach it as art — a chance to create beauty and function — it stops feeling like a hustle. The shop becomes a place where I disconnect from stress and reconnect with the values that first drew me to archery.

Figure 04: Left-handed 58“ 32# @ 24” one piece, Super Curve. The carbon fiber limbs are backed with a diamondback rattlesnake.

Matthew: Spoken like a true artist and craftsman. What bow are you hunting with this year?

Jim: My personal bow is a 58-inch Super Curve, a 49-pound takedown model with a dark matter rise with lime green accents. This particular formula provides phenomenal performance for my shorter, 25-inch draw length. Its a fairly compact, super fast, and quiet bow that is just fun to shoot.

Matthew: I wish you the best of luck chasing deer and elk this fall in the Bitterroots and river bottoms. How should folks contact you to order a Centaur Archery bow?

Jim: All of our order forms and contact information can be found at www.centaurarchery.com, and most of our photos dwell on our Facebook page under the same name. I want to provide customer experience, rather than just customer service. Give me a call so that we can discuss exactly what you’re looking for in a bow – both in design and application. We’ll ensure you come away with the right tool for the job.

Find Centaur Archery at:

www.centaurarchery.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CentaurArchery

Instagram: @centaurarchery

Author’s Note: I was lucky enough to shoot a Centaur Super Curve at this year’s Eastern Traditional Archery Rendezvous (ETAR) – that I saw hanging on a pal’s vendor wall. After I put about ten arrows through that bow I knew I needed one. I’ve since put down my deposit on a Centaur Archery Super Curve (takedown) and hope to put it to use in Spring 2025 chasing bears.

About the Author: Matthew Morris is a long-time hunter, aspiring bowyer, and family man. He is the host of the Bowyer Podcast, where he chats with masters of their craft to uncover the deeper “why” behind reviving the old ways in a modern world.

The Archery Artisan: Correy Hawk and the Organic Archery Bowmaking School

The Bowyer’s Bench

In a fast-moving digital world, ancient crafts are often left behind. Yet, one man—Correy Hawk, better known as The Organic Archer—has not only revived the time-honored art of bow making but also built a thriving community around it. Through his renowned Organic Archery Bowmaking School, Correy welcomes newcomers and seasoned bowyers alike to slow down, shape wood with their hands, and rediscover an ancient connection between nature, craftsmanship, and self.

Figure 1: Correy harvested a dandy whitetail doe with self-made bow and arrows.

Origin Story

Correy’s story begins in the American heartland, where hunting and traditional archery were woven into his upbringing. But it wasn’t until after his service in the United States Marine Corps that bow making became a refuge—and ultimately, a calling.

Seeking solace and creativity after military life, Correy began by crafting wooden arrows. He soon transitioned to bows, building dozens by hand, gifting many to friends, and only selling them when he felt the work had truly earned the value of another’s hard-earned money. Through late nights, trial, error, and endless research, and a call to entrepreneurship Organic Archery was born.

Figure 02: Osage selfbow, arrows, and quiver made by hand.

So You Want to be a Bowyer?

Figure 04: Correy outlines the fine detail of limb design with students of the Bowmaking 101 Course.

In 2018, Correy made a bold leap—leaving full-time work to focus solely on his bow-making passion. He opened the Organic Archery Bowmaking School with a mission to share knowledge, foster connection, and preserve tradition.

The school offers workshops for all levels—from complete novices to skilled craftspeople. Each class is filled with warmth, purpose, and personal instruction, reflecting Correy’s deep love for the craft.

“I like nothing more than teaching this to other people,” says Correy. “Bringing in people from all walks of life—from across the country and even other countries—and showing them this ancient art of bow making.”

In 2024, he introduced an advanced course, giving students the opportunity to design and build more complex bows from Osage orange wood. While the introductory workshop is a three-day experience using whitewood—ideal for first-timers—the advanced course allows for more customization, from short Native American horse bows to tall English war bows. The only requirement? A passion to learn.

Author’s Note: I personally attended the Bowmaking 101 workshop, walking in with zero experience and walking out with a hunting-weight hackberry longbow. The experience put my life on a different path—one that values simplicity, mindfulness, and the ancient pursuit of wild game with a stick and a string. This October, I’ll return to build a heavy-draw, Comanche-inspired shortbow in the advanced course.

Reverence for History

Beyond teaching, Correy immerses himself in the history of archery, recreating historical bows from cultures around the globe. His specialty lies in authentic, smooth shooting, wooden bows, each crafted in the spirit of ancient traditions. Correy is a lifelong learner, and has spent over a decade diving into the literature of ancient bowyers, artisans, and warriors.

Figure 05: Eastern Woodlands inspired replica.

Work-Life Balance on the Homestead

Despite his growing success, Correy remains deeply grounded. A family man and homesteader, his days are structured with balance in mind: mornings and evenings are for family and farm work, while the midday hours are reserved for deep focus in the workshop.

He credits much of his well-being to this intentional rhythm, support from his wonderful wife, Holly, and emphasizes that adaptability—especially for entrepreneurs—is essential.

Parting Thoughts

Whether you dream of building your own bow, hunting your own food, or simply stepping away from the noise, Correy’s journey is a powerful reminder that ancient crafts can still shape modern lives.

Registration for Correy’s upcoming workshops is now open, including both foundational and advanced courses. Visit Organic Archery’s website to learn more, reserve your spot, or explore his custom bows and educational resources.

About the Author: Matthew Morris is a long-time hunter, aspiring bowyer, and family man. He is the host of the Bowyer Podcast, where he chats with masters of their craft to uncover the deeper “why” behind reviving the old ways in a modern world.

Shooting Your Bow in Summer has Proven to Increase Your Odds of Success During Hunting Season

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By Will Bowen | PUBLISHED June 29th, 2023

Every summer I start my practice sessions off the same way, shaky arms and loose groups. Am I terrible on the first session of the year? Not really, I’ve shot a bow for over two decades, so there is some inherit form there, but for my preferred hunting standards, yes…it’s pretty rough. I’d say the same goes for most bow hunters. As soon as hunting season ends, we all tend to put the bow on the hanger for a couple months. Some of us leave it up longer than that. A small offseason break is good but you don’t want to wait too long to break the bow back out and start shooting.

I like to follow a basic practice routine and schedule during the summers. I start somewhere in late June or early July. This will give me about two and a half to three months of solid practice before the season starts. My personal progression is pretty simple and an easy one for novice archers to follow. The progression is as follows: perfect your form, hone your skills, and then harden your nerves. Pretty basic right? Let’s take a look at each step and break them down into the most important aspects.

How to Practice

Before we dive into each step we need to briefly discuss how to practice. Your shooting sessions should be brief. There is no need to shoot 500 arrows a day, this could possibly accentuate bad habits. Instead stick to 15-20 well thought out shots. Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. Keeping your practice sessions short will force you to focus and make every arrow count. It also keeps weakness and shakiness from becoming an issue, therefore cutting down on the possibility that you develop bad habits. Want something else to fill your time? Do some archery specific exercises like theraband rows or shoulder blade retractions. It’s not shooting directly but it is beneficial to your archery success.

Perfect Your Form

This is how I like to start my shooting in the summer. I like to take the first two to three weeks perfecting my form. When you haven’t shot in a few months you can get pretty rusty. I like to start with a typical dotted bag or block target at 20 yards. Instead of focusing on stacking arrows on top of each other, really focus on your form. Proper back tension, proper riser grip, and proper trigger squeeze all need to be achieved on a consistent basis over the course of this period. Once you feel that you have achieved good, repeatable form, then we can start working on honing your archery skills.

Hone Your Skills

Now we can focus on stacking arrows. Your form has been built and you’re ready to start mixing it up. The next three to four weeks will be spent shooting varied shots. Start changing up your distances and angles. If your max shooting distance during the season is 40 yards, practice at 50 and 60. It’ll make 40 feel like 25. And imagine what it’ll make 20 feel like! Also practice your in-between yardages (27, 34, etc.). This is a great opportunity to learn how your sight pins perform at variable distances. This is the core of your summer practice. Change it up, we are building skill now, not form.

Harden Your Nerves

Finally in the last month or so before the season, it is time to start hardening your skill and your nerves. There is no better way to put ice in your veins than to shoot under pressure. First and foremost, shoot while people are watching. The added pressure of extra eyes scrutinizing your form is beneficial. It makes you focus and talk yourself through the pressure. Another way to pressurize the situation, while also adding a ton of fun, is to shoot in 3D competitions or shoot for dough in the yard. Get your buddies together on a weeknight and have an impromptu competition for $5 a guy. Nobody will put pressure on you like a buddy trying to win your money. The point in all this goofiness is to shoot at 3D targets, learn anatomy, and put pressure on yourself, that way when the actual pressure comes you’ll be prepared.

This is how I plan to tackle my summer this year. The key is to have a plan and stick to it. Remember perfect practice makes perfect and consistency is the goal. Go into this fall being a better archer than you were last year. Let’s get shooting!

Remember, Don’t Forget Your Release!

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