Home › Forums › Campfire Forum › Lost Season, Maybe Worse
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I’ve been dealing with a rotator cuff problem all year, doing my best to manage it conservatively and do all the right things. Last week, while doing nothing the least bit strenuous, a loud pop in my shoulder was immediately followed by severe pain. I obviously completed a partial tear in a rotator cuff tendon. Now I can’t shift gears in my truck or raise a glass of beer to my mouth with my right arm, let alone shoot a bow. I’m scheduled for surgery shortly, but it seems clear that my 2014 season is over. The thought of November with no bow is killing me, especially since we’ve got some good bucks running around our place, but the thought that my bowhunting career may be over is even worse. At some point I’ll use my medical background to write an article about the problem for the magazine, since it affects so many bowhunters my age. For now, I’m just going to go drink a beer–with my left hand! Don
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I literally feel your pain here, Don. I destroyed my rotator cuff in a fall off a scaffold 5 years ago. It took a very very very long time but eventually, I regained full strength and range of motion in the cuff. Be patient, you CAN recover from this! Best of luck to you with surgery. I hope all goes well!
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Ugh…so sorry to hear that, Don. I wish you a speedy and full recovery.
I’ve had some recurring shoulder pain in my right arm for the last couple weeks, and it’s got me a little worried. Been shooting my lower poundage bows exclusively lately, and doing various shoulder strengthening exercises with stretch bands, but its still lingering. I need to be careful and not push it, but it’s so hard to see my bow sitting there and not want to shoot it…:cry:
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Thanks, guys. As noted, I’ll produce a detailed piece on the medical aspects of this problem soon, but the first step in prevention is to drop your bow weight, as you are doing. We don’t need #75 to shoot deer. Or elk. Or moose. Fred Bear proved that decades ago. I know I’m paying the price for years of shooting more bow than I needed. Don
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On this subject, I was chatting with Dick R. recently, as I wanted to get his opinion on an old #59 @ 28″ “Purist” model in really good condition that I was thinking about picking up, and Dick’s first question was,
“How old are you?”
“I’m 46, Dick.”
“Get something in a lower poundage if you want to keep shooting long-term. In fact, I’m thinking of building one for myself right now in the mid-#40’s.”
Good advice.
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Don, sorry to hear about your rotator cuff. Thought I would share with you my father’s experience with the injury. He tore his cuff in his early 60’s and couldn’t pull his right handed bow at all. He had surgery, went through the required PT and he still couldn’t pull the bow back for months. His solution? He picked up a left handed recurve right at 50#. He had to work on getting his left shoulder muscles into shape and he had to adjust for the changes with shooting without using the dominant eye. But he got good. His accuracy was impressive within 18 yards. He hunted with that set up for two seasons and then suddenly, he was able to pull back 50#+ right handed bows once again. Perhaps this is an option for you so you can continue bowhunting. Its worth a look. T
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Don, I feel your pain brother. September bow season in Colorado and I was sick with something similar to the flu for 10 days. 9 of those days I had vacation scheduled at work. A big bummer. Then rifle season rolled around and I was down with a severe bout of sinus infection. Now I started a late doe deer tag, but the weather has been in the high 80’s. The heat takes my hunting motivation away. At least the tag goes to end of January. Hopefully some hunting time before then.
May God bless you with a full recovery ~<
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sorry to hear that , Don. I wish you a full and speedy recovery!
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Best of luck with the surgery and rehab Don. Maybe it’ll be a season when an eager young relative or family friend gets to have an experienced mentor?
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Thanks to you all for the goodwill. Bruce, I had exactly the same conversation with Dick earlier this year. Unfortunately, I did not listen to his advice. As usual, he was spot on. Yes, Jim, I plan to do some mentoring. I’m also spending even more time than usual with my two terrific young dogs, one wirehair and one Lab. Don
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Good luck with your surgery and hope you have a speedy recovery, Don!
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donthomas wrote: …the first step in prevention is to drop your bow weight, as you are doing. We don’t need #75 to shoot deer. Or elk. Or moose…. Don
Spot On. I like shooting about 60lbs. I shoot it more accurately than lower weight’s. I’m a firm believer that heavier bows are easier to shoot accurately (assuming you can pull them without shaking like a leaf). But I have seen way too many people in your condition. I limit myself to 55lbs, and lust for more.
I damaged the tendons in my string hand (and then both elbows) a few years back and didn’t shoot a bow for over a year. It took about 3 years before I was back to “normal”. It was hard I can tell you. But as a doctor, you know that if you feed your body good food, treat it with respect, and make it work, it can heal itself from most any injury. Even for an old coot like you 😯
But in the mean time, if you want to go ahead and tell me where the deer are hanging out in your honey holes, I’ll make sure they don’t get lonely 8)
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Been there done that. Rotator cup surgery was 14 months ago, and I will be on a deer stand this afternoon. Actually I would say I was fully recovered last spring. It’s not perfect, in fact I think one of the tendons didn’t hold. I have occasional pain over there, but at my age pain is normal. What matters is that it works. Been shooting a #45 pound at my 22″ draw since spring, and more accurate than ever. Although fly fishing and archery were a bust last year, both ate fine now. And, yeah, I’m 65.
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Don, sorry to learn of your injury. I do hope your surgery and recovery go smoothly and quickly. Maybe just my own selfishness, but there could be a benefit to your many readers in that we might get an extra article in TB to read, or with the down time you might produce another book. Love all your stuff. Keep up the good work, and in your recovery listen to your doctor.
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donthomas wrote: Thanks, guys. As noted, I’ll produce a detailed piece on the medical aspects of this problem soon, but the first step in prevention is to drop your bow weight, as you are doing. We don’t need #75 to shoot deer. Or elk. Or moose. Fred Bear proved that decades ago. I know I’m paying the price for years of shooting more bow than I needed. Don
Best wishes on a speedy recovery. November is no time to be out of the hunt, but losing one season now is better than losing the rest of them down the road. I concur with your advice on draw weight, and hopefully more people will take it to heart.
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Listen to my doctor? Ah, they’re all idiots. But don’t worry–I’ve already learned how to drink beer with my left hand. Don
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Don,
Sounds like you got the problem well in hand. Sucks about this bow season but that leaves more time for the left handed beer drinking practice sessions. Enjoy the beer…abd maybe the gun season?
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donthomas wrote: Listen to my doctor? Ah, they’re all idiots. But don’t worry–I’ve already learned how to drink beer with my left hand. Don
Thought you would get that. You know what they say about lawyers who have themselves for clients. I know from first hand experience that it works that way for engineers. But engineers could find a way to drink beer with no hands.
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I’ve heard that noise and waited more than a decade to get it fixed. It took years and a lot of slow steady work but that shoulder is sound. Now,it’s the other one giving me grief. So, don’t bend that good one too many times in the doo daa room. Ya don’t want to tip over and hurt that sore one. Good luck with the surgery.
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Berniebac wrote: [quote=donthomas]Listen to my doctor? Ah, they’re all idiots. But don’t worry–I’ve already learned how to drink beer with my left hand. Don
Thought you would get that. You know what they say about lawyers who have themselves for clients. I know from first hand experience that it works that way for engineers. But engineers could find a way to drink beer with no hands.
So it was an engineer that invented the straw uh? Always wondered. :):)
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I was thinking beer helmet. Now there’s a no-hands invention to be proud of…
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donthomas wrote: Listen to my doctor? Ah, they’re all idiots. But don’t worry–I’ve already learned how to drink beer with my left hand. Don
😆 😆
That’s why I just glean all my medical information from the Internet, much more reliable, and you can’t beat the price.
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Dang Don,
That’s terrible… I have been nursing one along for years myself. Certain movements bring a stab but drawing the bow has yet to be an issue.
Sometimes there are snap-crackle-pops inside my bow arm elbow, but the pain that comes from that is not very severe.
I will be thinking of you and hope that you post updates. I am looking forward to the day you share that you’re shooting again.
PS I do have some light bows you can borrow.
Todd Smith
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Hi Don.
I had severe shoulder pain for 10 years following a high dive mistake. The number one cause of pain after that was simply raising my arm overhead. I was told I had a small tear and also ‘impingement syndrome’…which turns out to be a very common cause of shoulder pain. At the same time I was getting into tennis and would practice hitting tennis balls inside a handball court during the winter. After 3 weeks of swinging the racket without overhand shots, I have had no further pain. That was 5 years ago! It seems the centrifugal force of swinging the racket had given some stretch to my ligaments which corrected my impingement syndrome. Just an FYI and a good routine for people with minor tear along with pain from impingement.
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That’s interesting, Forrester. Impingement syndrome usually results when arthritic spurs or congenital variations in anatomy of the acromion (the part of the shoulder blade that overrides the joint) pinch the rotator cuff tendons on the way through. Exercises that work to expand that space can help a lot, as you found out in a unique way. Surgery next week. After that I’ll either be a bowhunter again or a left-handed beer drinker for the rest of my life. Thank you all for your encouragement and support. Don
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Good luck Don, I’m voting for bowhunter and right hand beer drinker!
Buddy
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Sorry to here about the injury Don. Hope the surgery goes well or went well for you. I’ve had multiple joint injuries and broken bones. I tell every one that I much rather break a bone than injure a joint. A injured joint never heals 100%. FYI I flying out tonight to Montana for 10 days, if you need someone to harass those pesky whitetails let me know. 🙂
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Great to hear from you, Olin. What’s going to happen to Rosey with neither of us around up North to look after him? Stop by if you’re around. And you’re right about bones versus joints. When my surgeon got into my shoulder he found things even worse than we expected. I’m going to be out for a long time and lucky to shoot a bow again. I wish I’d just broken the damn thing. Don
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You can’t believe everything a doctor tells you. I shattered my ankle in a tree stand fall 20 years ago next week the Doc told me it would get arthritic and I would be walking with a cane in 10 years due to damage I did on the joint surface. Well I still do not use a cane and no arthritis yet. Oh oh I better find some wood to knock on.:shock: Good Luck Don just keep telling yourself “What do them dam Doctors Know anyway” 😉
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Dang Don! Bummer news for sure. Its funny you brought up Rosey. He amazes me. That guy falls down more than anyone I know but he keeps getting up. Even though he is a medical train wreck he always had a positive attitude towards life. You’ll shoot again. I know because a person like you has great determination. If you didn’t you wouldn’t be a bow hunter or a Doctor.
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Don, that sucks pretty bad about the shoulder. I hope it all works out and does heal up right for you.
I have heard to many of these stories and this is the final straw. I’m calling dick and having them make me 2 new longbows in the 50 pound range. I have been shooting 60-75# bows for way to long and not only practice a ton but also shoot between 400-700 arrows a week from April Thru august between practice and bow fishing.
So even though this is a major bummer for you right now. Your situation is the turning point for me and new bows will be ordered Monday. I appreciate you posting this and sharing. Hopefully it will save others from the same problems later. I’m in my 40s and always thought “I have lotsnof time to worry about dropping bow weight”. Nowni realize the damage is being done now.
Thanks again for posting and I wish you the best recovery there can be.
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Don – very sorry to hear the latest news. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for you, and trusting there is still some hope of a good and full recovery. Keep us updated and don’t give up.
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Don, i wish you all the best with surgery and recovery. Your strength going in is on your side. Best. Dwc
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Don,
Have you ever considered making your own crossbow?
I’ve made my thoughts on crossbows known here before so I don’t think there’ll be any need for the stake and torches but, before anyone tries to lynch me, hear me out.
I’ll briefly restate my position for the sake of clarity: crossbows are not archery equipment, they’re a primitive rifle and, I think, have no place in archery season. I am perfectly fine with the use of crossbows during muzzleloader and other rifle seasons. I also support their use by youth and disabled hunters. (Like everyone else, I hope you recover fully from this.)
You don’t have to go all out with the latest $1000+ bells-and-whistles model offered at your local big box outfitter store. I made a simple medieval style crossbow with hunting characteristics very much akin to traditional bowhunting equipment. That is: single string, no sights (shoot with the gap method, though sights could easily be added), effective hunting range of 20 yards or less. The stock is made of an old osage orange fencepost that I salvaged for its potential as selfbow material. The bolts are made of hickory, fletched with two 5″ turkey feathers, and sport fixed-blade Zwickey broadheads. I made it with the intentions of letting my 8.5 year old son, who is too small to pull a hunting-weight bow, hunt whitetails this year. We haven’t used it though because I’m not satisfied with my trigger design and haven’t gotten around to improving it yet.
If the advantages a crossbow afford you over your prey bother your conscience too much you could always restrict your time afield with it in your own way.
-Ben
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Where there is a will….there is a way. I know Ron LaClair hunted this way one season when he broke his arm:twisted:
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Wow – I hadn’t seen that vid before. Ferguson never ceases to amaze.
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First, I would like to thank you all for your encouragement and support, which means a lot to me. I’m no Byron Ferguson, but I did teach myself to shoot anchoring from my hip after my neck surgery a few years back. I think any pure instinctive shooter can do that pretty easily. I’m a long way from drawing a bow now, but I did take my wirehair down behind the house today and shot a ruffed grouse she pointed one-handed, left-handed with Lori’s 20-gauge. May not sound like much, but it was like killing a 40-inch ram to me! Best and thanks, Don
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Sorry I didn’t make it over Don. I tried but a friend talked me into eating at the 4 aces and about a hour later I was throwing up. I figured it was the greasy food but didn’t want to take the chance of spreading a bug so I just drove back to Musselshell. Good luck on the recovery and if you are ever in Anchorage and have time to spare give me a shout.
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The Four Aces??!! My God, Olin. I’ve seen truckloads of visiting hunters puking in that parking lot. I thought you knew better. If you can survive that, you can survive Rosy’s cooking in bear camp. Cheers, Don
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donthomas wrote: First, I would like to thank you all for your encouragement and support, which means a lot to me. I’m no Byron Ferguson, but I did teach myself to shoot anchoring from my hip after my neck surgery a few years back. I think any pure instinctive shooter can do that pretty easily. I’m a long way from drawing a bow now, but I did take my wirehair down behind the house today and shot a ruffed grouse she pointed one-handed, left-handed with Lori’s 20-gauge. May not sound like much, but it was like killing a 40-inch ram to me! Best and thanks, Don
Very inspirational. So much of life is how we handle and look at the adversities we are all bound to encounter.
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Don,
I’m just now getting back to 100% after an elbow surgery in late February. it seemed like forever but it comes around. I understand your a doc and I also understand they make the worst patients.:shock: Patients…. Sounds like patience wonder why??? 😉
Be a bit of both and do as your told and Like it did for me, it’ll come around.
Left handed and one handed….. Very impressive, and I thought I was doing good left handed using both. 8)
Luck
Troy
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Troy–I’m really glad to hear about your recovery from elbow surgery. Every such tale is a victory for the good guys! Don
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Be thankful we have doctors to help us, lots of people don’t. I remember growing up (in the ’50s) and seeing the slate quarry workers who had broken arms, legs, etc. and “healed” without the benefit of surgery. Pretty strange. They still went back to work and did what they could. I know that even if you do not recover fully, you will find a way. 🙂
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