Blacktail Bow Company, LLC
  • About Us
  • Shop
  • Bows
    • Classic Series Production Bow
    • Elite VL Series
    • Sitka Series
    • Longbow Take-down
    • Longbow One-piece
    • T2 Special Edition
  • Pricing
  • Custom Orders
  • Lifestyle
  • FAQ
  • Black Tales
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impeccable DESIGN
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rock solid PERFORMANCE


Bows
 Overview

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Take-down Bows 

Most beautiful recurve bows Blacktail traditional archery bows
Our most popular bows, the take-down configuration offers the convenience of a compact design with top-shelf performance. This is the perfect bow for packing into the high country or stuffing into a float plane.  

Who says a fine hunting bow can't be beautiful? 

Blacktail bows have taken practically every big game animal on the planet, yet never fail to impress even the most discriminating fine bow collector. With a global reputation as precision shooting instruments and formidable hunting weapons, Blacktail field performance is as good as it gets.

Our take-down bows are custom made-to-order:
  • Available in recurve lengths of 62", 64" or 66" (in the 18" Elite VL Series riser configuration)
  • Also available in shorter recurve lengths of 56", 58", 60" and 62" (in the 16" Sitka Series riser configuration).
  • Our longbow model is available in lengths of 60", 62", 64", and 66" (in the 14" Columbian Series riser configuration) 



Blacktail's Distinctive Riser

Most beautiful recurve bows Blacktail traditional archery bows
Macassar Ebony/Trout Hide Footing
Blacktail elegantly refined risers are extensively sculpted to eliminate blockiness. This serves to open up the beauty in the wood while trimming excessive weight.  

All risers are then backed with 2 layers of fiberglass. The outer layer being clear over a veneer matching your chosen limb core. 

Every riser incorporates an internal structural laminate buried within the back portion that not only acts as a stiffener but also prevents cracking around the throat area of the grip.  
This is an especially important design feature given the use of today's higher performing string materials. 

All footed Blacktail risers are guaranteed for the life of the bow!

The comfortable Blacktail grip design is ergonomically sculpted to fit your hand with a slight palm swell. The lines of the thumb and forefinger groove blend integrally with the arrow shelf .  This allows the arrow to ride no more than 1/8" from your hand for optimal instinctive form. The angles and curves of the grip surfaces have been carefully designed to enable proper and consistent hand placement.  

Sight windows are cut 3/16" past center on our recurves and 1/8" past center on our longbows. Sight windows are 5" in height (Elite), 4" (Sitka) and 3.5" (Columbian Longbow).  Both the shelf and sight window are radiused for maximum clearance. The height of the radiuses both meet directly above the throat of the grip. Throat circumferences are generally 4 7/8" to 5 1/8" depending on the size of your hand. As you draw the bow, most of the pressure is naturally applied in the throat of the grip and the web of your hand. This encourages optimal shooting form and eliminates bow torque. 

Grip Profile Options
Grip configurations are available in either 'medium' or 'high' wrist profile specifications. See graphic animation below.


Grip Surface Options
Grip surface options are available in either 'smooth' (standard) or 'stippled' (optional).  
Most beautiful recurve bows Blacktail traditional archery bows

The 'Footed' Riser

Most beautiful recurve bows Blacktail traditional archery bows
Cocobolo/Quilted Maple
Since it's introduction in 2001 Blacktail's proprietary 'footed' riser quickly became our most requested option and is now standard on all Blacktail bow models, excluding our Classic Series ​risers.

It features a combination of a primary body wood selection (front and back sides) and a central "footing" that flairs at each end of the riser. The combination of contrasting colors and sweeping curves create a stunning and functional combination. 

Inlayed accenting (between the mated surfaces) has become a signature trademark to Blacktail Bows. 


This delicate treatment accentuates the organic lines of the distinctive Blacktail riser. Creating the footed riser is an extremely time consuming and labor intensive endeavor.  However, the end results are magnificent.

The take-down system utilizes a single 5/16" allen head bolt and 3/16" brass alignment pin for each limb. Limb bolts are long enough to use with a bolt- on quiver system. The riser bolt inserts are made of brass or high-strength aluminum alloy and have a head just like a nail so they cannot be pulled thru or loosened. Unlike many other makes of bows where these heads are left exposed, all Blacktail TD risers are covered with decorative overlays so that there is no part exposed.


A Word on Our VLimbs

beautiful handcrafted traditional recurve bow Blacktail Snakebit
Shown with Footed VLimb
When designing our limbs, we established critical requirements: 
  • SMOOTHNESS 
  • STABILITY
  • PERFORMANCE (especially with heavy arrows) 
  • ULTRA QUIET
  • ACCURACY
  • DURABILITY 
Over the course of two decades of development (through engineering and customer input), we have achieved our targeted design requirements and then some. Limbs are constructed with your choice of veneers bonded to our fine 'moso' bamboo tapered cores, and then backed with clear glass. They are 1 3/4" at the widest point tapering to 7/16" at the tip. 

They feature a gradual sweeping curve with just the right amount of preload. They are designed to facilitate a very low brace height (7-l/2" for a 62" bow length) to give them extreme smoothness and performance especially with heavy hunting arrows. Limbs incorporate long gradual fadeouts or wedges to eliminate high stress areas and promote longevity.

Tip overlays are applied to both the back and belly of the limb. Back overlays are applied over accenting reinforcing bi-directional fiberglass and can be built with accent striping matching your riser or constructed plain with no striping. We consider belly overlays to be a vital part of a properly functioning limb. 

We've incorporated a long shouldered groove allowing the string to consistently lay centered on the belly of the limb. This helps to prevent limb twist but also aids in the bows' accuracy by creating a consistent place for the string to fall after each shot. Nothing finishes a custom bow better than beautiful and detailed tip work.

Blacktail was the first to introduce 'footed' limbs to the industry in 2004. This aesthetic enhancement compliments the footed riser by allowing the use of two different wood selections in the limb veneers. The footed limb does not impact the bow's performance, yet greatly enhances appearance, taking the bow to a whole new level aesthetically.

High quality, mountain grown, (5.5 year old) 'moso' bamboo is the only bamboo Blacktail uses for our premium limb cores. This fine old-growth bamboo has optimum hardness and excellent cast characteristics. Our bamboo is harvested by hand and each culm is carried out of the forest on foot to maintain the delicate root systems of the forest floor.


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Blacktail Warranty

All footed Blacktail bow risers are warranted against breakage or cracks for the life of the bow (for the original owner). The limbs are warranted for 3 years against any material or workmanship failures. The finish is warranted for 1 year against any material or application failures whatsoever. When we build you a bow, we truly intend for it to quite possibly outlast you. If a problem arises with the bow after a warranty period expires and there is no sign of abuse or neglect, we have no problem in making the necessary repairs or replacement free of charge. These cases are left to the sole discretion of Blacktail Bow Company. Failures directly related to owner accident or abuses are not covered. Any modifications to the bow will void warranty. Customer is responsible for shipping bow back to Blacktail Bow Company; we will cover cost of shipping repaired bow back to customer. The Blacktail Warranty requires the use of arrows at least 8 grains per pound of draw weight. A minimum of 9-10 grains per pound of draw weight (at your draw length) is recommended for arrow selection.

Failures have been almost nonexistent. However, in the rare event that a problem does arise, it is usually very minor. We have always made it a strict policy to get the bow repairs made and returned as quickly as possible.

Bow Offerings

When considering which Blacktail bow is right for you, it is helpful to understand how our bows are offered.
  • select from either a Longbow or Recurve bow
  • select from either a one-piece longbow or take-down bow configuration
  • select from a 14" riser length (Columbian Series longbow) a 18" riser length (Elite VL Series) or 16" riser length (Sitka Series) - available in take-down recurve bows
Elite Vl
Sitka
Columbian
T2 Special Edition 
series
NABG
series
ABG
​Series
Legacy 
series
heirloom craftsmanship
inspired by nature
​since 1991
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Call or Text us at
​812-345-6769

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Contact Us

Blacktail Bow Company, LLC

Bloomington, Indiana
  • About Us
  • Shop
  • Bows
    • Classic Series Production Bow
    • Elite VL Series
    • Sitka Series
    • Longbow Take-down
    • Longbow One-piece
    • T2 Special Edition
  • Pricing
  • Custom Orders
  • Lifestyle
  • FAQ
  • Black Tales