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in reply to: Dressing Warm #58515
I have been using some old (very, very old) wool pants from from someone’s military, polypro leggings, and my primaloft jacket under a fleece sweater. I was worried about noise, but it seems pretty quiet, and an arm guard keeps the ‘puff’ down on my bow arm. I too have found the advantages of the glove/mitten for my shooting hand. Usually I wear a liner glove as well. For my feet, I found the down ‘camp booties’ you see at camping stores worked really well until there is a lot of snow. You will not be running or climbing a steep hill in them, but they are basically a very well-insulated moccasin.
And lots of hot pockets- wrists, ankles, and I now love the ones that stick to the bottom of your shoe!.
in reply to: My hunting outfit – opinions please #51745Yes, I hunt from the ground. I will probably get a new bow before I get a stand, and that decision is not happening any time soon.
It is as I thought- no gear can replace skill. This year was better than last year, so I hope to get under 15 yards next year. And then get that shot off! I had a pheasant within 10 yards, and regularly watch squirrels and birds closer than that, so I know I can stay still. But in the ‘right’ spot? There I need to learn more!!
I thought about sewing the sides together, adding patterning to it, etc. But that is _work_ 🙂 I may yet do it this winter, but there are books to read and naps to take and diapers to change.
Thanks for the feedback guys!
in reply to: Good news from the Doc! #18687Very good news! Thanks Dave.
Keep getting better Dr. Ashby!
in reply to: Archery in Western MA? #60331Thanks Eidsvolling, I will send that info on to him.
A big hindrance is that I live in Minnesota; our time together is limited and phone calls only let me push him so much. I think he may have inherited my allergy to idiots, and it has taken me many years to learn to keep that under control 🙂
The last update from him was that he was going to study on his own and take the test. If he passes, good. If not, back to the next class. Meanwhile, I will be practicing and learning to help both of us hunt in December when he comes out for a visit.
in reply to: Appropriate discussion? #60263The (sadly) funny thing is all the strange looks I get when I go to the range with my ‘full’ hunting setup!
Great advice Ireland.
Me too Tom. Maybe this year!
in reply to: Appropriate discussion? #54966Speaking from the other end of the learning curve, how else is one supposed to learn? You talk about what happened, you think about what happened vs. what you wanted to happen, and you learn from it.
Thanks for bringing this topic up. I for one am certainly looking and learning!
in reply to: Can I shoot this? #53902I can tell you my experience and from it, my opinion. At a yard sale 15 years ago I saw an old recurve. The family said $20, I said $10, we agreed on $15. I just thought it looked cool and would be a nice bit of decoration (this was during the 10 break from archery and the rest of life I took, another story).
It sat in various closets, basements and corners until two years ago. I strung it (wrong way), and found the limbs were twisted. I learned how to fix that, got a new string and have been shooting better and better since then. It shoots smooth and fast as told to me by other, more experienced archers (what do I know, it is my first and only recurve). My bow? A Browning Safari I. As far I can tell, it was last made sometime in the early 70’s.Look it over for cracks or splits, get a new string, and have fun with it. Have a bowyer who knows longbows check it out if you do not feel comfortable with your own safety check.
in reply to: Archery in Western MA? #22795hehe
Duncan, those were my words to him. Well, I think mine were “suck it and get the paper, you’re not there to make friends.” But I fear he has inherited my allergy to idiots, and it took me a lot longer than 15 years to overcome it!in reply to: The trees are on fire… #21524Wow! Still green down here in the cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul). Amazing what just a few hundred miles does. Some yellow here and there, but today is grey. Rain, rain, rain. And guess which day is my first day to get out? 🙂
Straight shooting up there Grouch!
in reply to: Caught him crossing this morning… #19218I usually remember the camera is sitting on the bookcase at a moment like that 🙂
NICE yard!
in reply to: Tree saddle anyone? #63336Yeah, climbing harnesses have gotten _lots_ better in the last few years. The first one I used was just webbing tied into a harness. That ‘encouraged’ one to not rest in the harness and keep climbing. If I had taken a fall in it, I would be a soprano now!
Harnesses marketed for aid climbing are super padded. You can forget you have it on.
Good luck with the saddle. Post and let us know what you think after you try it out.
in reply to: Tree saddle anyone? #62337Find a climbing store, and ask to try on some climbing harnesses. You can find them much cheaper, they have loops to hold gear at your waist, and they are much lighter in weight. There are even some that have chest pieces to prevent a roll-over (or you can make your own). But that is not as necessary as you might think.
Also, for a safety line, definitely go with some DYNAMIC line, not STATIC. Even 3′ of dynamic will absorb some energy; you can really mess your back up falling on 3′ of static.
in reply to: Stalk in these? #51194Camo or not, you get strange looks wearing them around town. Part of a review I read about them was, “Do not wear these on a first date.” 😆
Back from a weekend of camping, bushwacking and stump shooting in mine. Here’s the info, and my opinions
Location: Sand Dunes State Forest, MN
Temp: high 80’s to low 60’s, no rain
Terrain: rolling hills (old sand dunes), mixed forest and open areas.The first thing we noticed, like 3 steps off the parking lot, was that 5Fingers offer NO protection from sand burrs. The fabric uppers are simply too thin. The soles were fine over everything, but the tops of your feet really are ‘bare’. They are very quiet, since I could feel everything underfoot, it was easy to place my feet off of twigs that would snap and make noise. There was _lots_ of poison ivy off trail, and these only cover your foot- nothing above the ankle is covered. That exposure also let mosquitoes feast on your ankles. We stayed on trail for most all of our day out. My wife felt that the terrain was not friendly to wearing them and commented that N. Wisconsin had not been so painful (no sand burrs). We went swimming in a lake to cool off in the middle of the day; we kept our shoes on until bed time when I washed them with soap to remove sand and dirt. The night was dry and windy, so they were dry in the morning. They still stank. The smell is almost all gone after washing in the washer at home.
I will be using my sneakers or light boots this year. 5Fingers are great for running on trails and hanging out at the water’s edge, but the lack of protection from thorns, bugs, etc. detracts from their all-terrain capabilities. In the right country they would be fine, but I do not want different pairs of outdoors shoes. Finally, the smell factor. If you cannot get them to a washing machine for two (or three) cycles every evening, your scent management is done for. I will be looking for mocs that will wrap above my ankle if I want something other than sneakers/boots.
There, just opinion.
In good news, I will be using them to test scent-stopper sprays 😀
in reply to: ARE LONG SHOTS PUZZLING TO ALL?? #51179I heard of this idea of ‘10,000 hours’. Supposedly, it takes about 10,000 hours to get really good at anything. If you do the math (1hour a day, every day), that comes out to 27+ years of practice. Or, all day for much less time (3.4 years at 8 hours a day). So I see the benefit of ‘boot camps’ or any other intensive study/practice.
Of course, it helps to have a good starting point. I spent all winter practicing (100+ hours), could not hit well consistently at any distance. I sat in on part of a presentation Rod Jenkins gave, used the little I picked up, and vastly improved my grouping and aim (50 hours- too hot his summer!). I wonder what a weekend of instruction would do for me.
in reply to: Interview with Dave Peterson #43349Thanks! I just read it, and Dave, you are a very thoughtful, well-spoken person. You elucidated many thoughts and feelings I have about hunting and our place in the world.
And yeah, I am a ‘liberal intellectual’ 🙂 At least to some, to others…not so much. 😆
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