[richard roop]

in reply to: Keeping it simple and lightweight while ground hunting #170365

The binos that I use are Vortex 6.5×32.  Low enough power to hand hold steady but still strong enough for what I need.  The big plus is that they are the only ones I’ve found with a good field of view with my glasses on.  Mounted on a tri-pod I can glass steady without eyestrain.  I like them enough that I bought a back-up pair.  As I recall, they were pretty reasonably priced, too.

I have a couple of rangefinders. I carry the Bushnel most of the time.  For ranging big game, not so much but for confirming guest-a-ments  after a roving shot is good practice. Roving shots can be anything from 5 yards to 125 yards.  Often, I’ll look at a rock or a tree, estimate the yardage and then check it with the rangefinder.  Useful tool.  Useful practice. I have it on my bino strap so I always have them both with me.

[richard roop]

in reply to: 2025 is Here. Whatcha Got Going? #170364

Pretty much the same story over this way in Az.

Send rain.

[richard roop]

in reply to: Keeping it simple and lightweight while ground hunting #170242

I see that we have a couple of new voices here. Greetings and salutations from S.E. Arizona !!!!

What I carry (usually too much) depends on what I’m doing & when. A morning walk-about calling coyotes, I’ll take a shoulder bag with calls, tracking tape, knife, pruning shears, license / tags, some para-cord, some cheese & crackers and a bottle or two of sweet tea.  Also always have binoculars and rangefinder on a strap. I wear knee pads for a bit of comfort while tucked back into a cubby in a bush via the pruning shears.  Gloves & a beanie over a camo baseball cap for the early cold.  I carry a powder bottle for wind detection in a pocket.

For longer all day treks or sits I took a folding dove stool WITH A BACK REST, threw away the bag under the seat and sewed a day pack onto it  I then sewed a hip belt onto the day pack. I now have a pack that I can carry far more junk than I need and at the end of each season I go thru everything and ask myself “What were you thinking ??” I usually have a paperback book to read (or start a fire with) more munchies, and much more fluids. I have a GPS gizmo, and all of the stuff I would have in the shoulder bag.  My bow quiver always has two or three expendable blunts for roving shots.  On the warmer days or while scouting I carry one of those insulated lunch bags with a frozen water bottle and a couple of zip-loc baggies. If I get lucky and pop a rabbit or two I can clean it and keep the meat cool or at least have a cool drink of tea.

Edit to add; I like to carry stuff that has multiple uses. Paperback / firestarter. Kleenix / trail markers, chapstick / string wax & firestarter etc.

• This reply was modified 6 months, 1 week ago by richard roop.

[richard roop]

in reply to: Whatcha Got Going 2024? #170203

Just for yucks & giggles;

I have one of those pitch counters on my quiver to keep track of how many shots I’ve taken during a practice session. Thought that it might be enlightening to keep a running tally for the year on a calendar.  How many shots do we take in a year ???

[richard roop]

in reply to: Whatcha Got Going 2024? #170196

Happy New Year !!!!

I thought that it would be kind of cool to stand on the 100 yard line and launch one at 11:59 & 58 seconds 2024 and have it hit just into 2025 but it’s cold and dark out there and there may be jackrabbits lurking that hold a grudge for me shooting at their ears when they eat my decorative cactus.

[richard roop]

in reply to: Whatcha Got Going 2024? #170132

Well, Mele Kalikimaka y’all right back to ya !!!!

Hope that everyone stays safe and happy for whatever Holiday they celebrate.

[richard roop]

in reply to: Deer season !!!! #170061

The large DeadHead is like a flying meat cleaver.  Awesome head.

Pearson made bows from entry level to top of the line. I have a Mercury Marauder @ 60# that’s pretty sweet to shoot and another one that’s 55# that was given to me by George Wright and I believe it’s the actual bow in one of the old ads.

Seen one nice buck so far but too far for a stalk. Going back up Fri. to try an ambush.

[richard roop]

in reply to: Worse archery book ever !!! #169809

Aeronut;

A couple that you might like are;

Crow Killer by Thorp / Bunker. The saga of liver eating Johnson. A good read and surprisingly,  Hollywood didn’t bastardize it too bad with the movie.

And the one I’m reading now, Ride ‘Em As They Come by Rusty Tulk. Cowboys in the days of the Wild West Shows. Makes me glad I drive a pick-up truck instead of riding a horse.

[richard roop]

in reply to: Whatcha Got Going 2024? #169594

What is this ‘rain’ of which you speak ????

Question; Satellite goes over. Totally cool. So ………. How long does it take for it to come around again ?????

[richard roop]

in reply to: Whatcha Got Going 2024? #169440

Between our long term drought and the Rabbit Hemrogatic (sp?) Fever that went thru here the numbers of prey and predator are all down over this way.

Noticed last week that my target arrows were starting to look pretty ratty. Took an old set of really ratty ones and did the rebuild routine. Stripped, cleaned, straightened, graded, wrapped, crested and refletched with spliced feathers. Burnt to shape and detailed the leading edges.  Now they look great and shoot great. Something about a fresh set of arrows just makes you shoot better.

[richard roop]

in reply to: Whatcha Got Going 2024? #169434

Well, deer season was fun but no deer.  Back to calling coyotes.  Had one come in at a trot this morning and got a shot at about 35 yards.  Running shots at anything are not my strong suit and big revelation………. need to lead a LOT MORE with my recurve than with my shotgun.  Clean miss, no hit, no foul.

And just to make the morning really cool, the Goodyear Blimp flew over. Haven’t seen it since I lived in Calif.

[richard roop]

in reply to: Timberwolf bow company #169258

I wandered around eBay for a bit but came up with nothing.

I would go with that part about ‘shoots great’ and shoot great with it !!!

[richard roop]

in reply to: Whatcha Got Going 2024? #169151

Got out yesterday calling in the junipers.  Saw no deer but called in four coyotes. Got a standing 33 yard shot at one of them but it was looking right at me & jumped the string.  I still consider a shot at a called coyote, even if it misses to be a win.  Actually harvesting one and it’s the ‘Happy Snoopy Dance’ all the way back to the truck.

[richard roop]

in reply to: Whatcha Got Going 2024? #169111

Right now, the area that I’m hunting has Mule Deer. Not a great spot but I seem to have it all to myself. Later this week I’m going to go higher and see about getting into some Coues Deer. After the Holiday, if the unit is still open I may got up on The Rim for whatever comes in.  It’ll be a circus up there over the Holiday and I’m hearing rumors that tree huggers are buying tags and then calling in a ‘kill’ to fill the harvest quota and close the unit.  We’ll see ……….

[richard roop]

in reply to: Whatcha Got Going 2024? #169108

Deer season is open out here. (Buck only) Able to hunt from sunrise to about 9:a.m. when the temps start to push 100*.  Been out twice. So far, only called in four coyotes and five does. Not a horn to be seen and believe me, I looked hard. Couldn’t get a shot at any of the coyotes but I still consider calling one into recurve range a win.

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