The Amateur Archer - bows, equipment and related gear

Big Jim Mountain Monarch 60" AMO 48# @ 28" 2-piece takedown review Big Jim's Bow Company based out of Albany, Georgia has a history of crafting beautiful, one-of-a-kind custom bows that shoot as well as they look.  If you read my review of Big Jim's Thunder Child, you know I like his work.  Without much fanfare, Big Jim recently released a new recurve called the Mountain Monarch.  I only just learned of this new model while browsing the classifieds listings of the ArcheryTalk forums and came across someone selling a mint condition Monarch.  Apparently, he purchased it directly from Big Jim himself at a local shoot and found it to be a tad heavy in draw weight.  Even better is the fact that this bow is a 2-piece takedown - you all know how much I like takedown bows.  A few messages later, the Monarch was on its way to me. **** 09/04/17 Update **** I had sent the bow back to Big Jim for grip modifications.  Check the end of the post for more details. -

Toelke Troll Review 52" AMO 45# @ 28" 2-piece takedown I like short bows.  I like how their compactness makes it easy to maneuver in the field, to use inside a blind, or to shoot from a variety of positions without smacking a limb tip into a ceiling or the floor.  Perhaps it's nerdy of me, but there is a certain "cuteness" to a small bow.  While looking at short bows, I came across the Toelke Kestrel - a short 52" recurve.  Owners of this little bow raved about its compact size, yet smooth draw.  I thought about it and the idea of a tiny recurve that could break down into a smaller travel package would be a really neat bow. I gave Dan Toelke a call to inquire further about the Kestrel and that was when I learned that model had been retired and replaced with the Troll.  According to Dan, he had redesigned the Kestrel for improved performance and the new design was different enough to warrant a completely new bow, so the Troll came into being.  After