[Bert]

in reply to: Most Admired Predators #47256

Though a bit late on this topic, I’ll throw in my 2 cents. I surmise we’re all interested in the predator/prey relationship because we wish to remain in the former category instead of the latter! If I lived in Africa, it would be the lion, leopard, wild dogs; India-tiger;Latin and South America-jaguar and here in North America we have all manner of predatory water, air and landbased life, some of it even lives outside of Washington D.C. with honesty and dignity. Not discounting any of your choices, and in the interest of posting this before being erased, I’ll propose a predator that most of us see every spring, summer, and fall as a beautiful, magnificant and useful predator- of course I’m talking about the ubiquitous dragonfly- what colors, acrobatics and grace. Their hum means summer has arrived and I never tire of delighting in their spontaneous dance. When we say goodbye in the late fall,we know winter is close. Besides they don’t sting or bite humans and have the main attribute of hunting and eating those damn mosquitoes that render our outdoor adventures a slapping hell. So I nominate an insect as my most admired predator- long live the noble dragonfly!

[Bert]

in reply to: Archery display #46581

Send the pig skull to KingWouldBe to make room for the cougar skull you’re going to get this year- post us as to how the meat tastes! Nice work!

[Bert]

in reply to: Leaving you with regret….. #46354

Steve Sr.-I’ve always enjoyed your intelligent-and long!- posts. I, myself, have been absent for a while, wrapped up in my situation and our country’s tribulations now, and for those to come in the near future. Do what you have to do, stuff is just stuff in the end, keep your spirit strong and persevere in the face of adversity for evil times are upon us. But we are Americans with our unique founding documents, many of us are Christians with our Bible and the eternal hope promised by God within, so never, never, never, never give up. My prayers to the Good Lord are for you and yours, trad bowbrother and hunter.

[Bert]

in reply to: Last Year's Black Bear Skull #46328

Nice skull, Ray- got a story behind it you wish to share? Always great to see a creature that has better teeth, and more, than myself!

[Bert]

in reply to: Question about switching lefty… #46322

The easiest way to test your new switch to shooting left handed, or ‘sinister’, is to make up some arrow fletchings of both. There should be no difference, but if you’re getting your bow holding first digit ‘zipped’ by a feather try the other fletch. Try a shorter 4-fletch also- all it takes is more shafts, more feathers and jigs, and more time and experimentation! Have fun!

[Bert]

in reply to: String Placement On Fingers #46317

There’s a website of a fellow in Alaska who uses an Asian-type thumbring on his 70# longbow. He ties a nylon loop under the nock and claims that his hand position and release are much stronger and precise than our regular release, more like the mechanical release on a compound. The loop allows, right-handed, him to shoot arrows off the same side of the shelf unlike the Asian style of shooting off the left hand side of the bow. Anybody ever hear of this or tried it? Sounds like it might be an interesting variation as it is more like flipping a quarter with your thumb and first digit than trying to coordinate three fingers in a clean release.

[Bert]

in reply to: Ever find yourself not watching the bowhunting shows? #46296

Very interesting topic as it gets to the essence of what we do and aspire to. If what we do is essentially sacred i.e. one man, one animal and the death involved then any video portrayal of that most intimate relationship is basically pornography. It does not matter whether the hunt is ‘ethical’ or not, nor who or what the shooter is or what equipment is used, it basically is a snuff show along the lines of Nazis filming the killing of Jews at Auswitz. I don’t aim to be holier than thou here. but I really don’t want to see you and your wife making love on YouTube, or anybody else as I am more of a participant than a spectator. There are some actions that should remain completely private. All pornography kills the spirit, demeans both participants in a universal drama that is unique to only themselves at that particular moment in time and cannot and should not be broadcast especially by TV, video, or film. All this does not mean that you shouldn’t write about your experiences or take your ‘hero’ shot. The worst ‘hunting’ video I saw was a ‘bubba’ nailing what looked to be a fawn, from a treestand with his compound bow with a corn feeding station below and then proudly displaying said dead animal with a Congressman like grin like he was a mighty hunter. We live in a 24/7/365 century of exposure and callousness unprecedented in all recorded history and I, for one, refuse and choose to take the other path- that of reverence, respect and essential privacy in killing fellow beings, animals, on this earth. There are some magnificant caves in France that attest to this- we should be wise enough to try to emulate them in our thoughts and actions.

[Bert]

in reply to: Instinctive Shooting: Practice Distances #45645

Looks like most of us limit to 20-25yds for actual hunting. If you really want to have fun, go find an empty, shorn field with nobody and their dogs running around, pull ‘er back at a 40-45 degree angle and let ‘er rip. It’s called clout shooting and you’ll see your arrow flight- 180-200+ yds away! How do you think the longbowmen nailed the French?- and it was the law they had to practice every Sunday. Anybody remember when they had archery golf? Now that would be a hoot!

[Bert]

in reply to: Bummed out – a friend is giving up Stickbows #45636

Good posts and thoughtful- take your friend to see ‘Robinhood’ with Russell Crowe, ask him if he could shoot that fast in actual combat( 10 arrows per minute was minimum-up to 20 for the experts- aimed) and then throw those nasty recurves away!

[Bert]

in reply to: When The Compound Was Born… #45630

The compound is an amazing American invention from the 1960’s that simplifies some things-holding- and complicates the hell out of everything else. After starting out with a Bear 45# recurve and then a 70#+ Ben Pearson longbow(donated to Dr. Ed Ashby recently) last century, my interest turned towards contained explosion projectile weapons. A few years ago I discovered an old Bear Whitetail compound in the garage, neglected and dusty- and started my love affair with archery once again for the last time. It has adjustable weight limbs so you can vary the amount you pull and hold, weighs a ton, and it’s my remedial bow, essentially a ‘portable nautilus machine’. I removed the rest and shoot it instinctively off the shelf with no release or sights. I currently shoot a 50# 68″ longbow but occasionally the old Bear gets a workout- it’s always strung and ready to go at a moments notice. I just pray the cables never break!

[Bert]

in reply to: A few things I've learned #45599

Sorry guys, ‘puter heated up- got to the low 80’s here in the PNW- time to sleep in the bathtub wrapped in in a wet sheet with a fan turned on high. Back to our topic- besides the usual; attempt to get some of the honey-do lists things done before hunting season i.e. Yes Dear!(say it like you mean it) the burning query on this thread seems to be Hiram’s ‘What’s the best daypack?’ The easy answer is the one you have but I’ve come to prefer the fleece two-piece- belt and shoulder you can zip together or separate at your choice. Why have a daypack at all when you can wear a pair of military combat pants with commodious leg pockets in the hue you prefer- along with the many models of ‘combat’ vests with a gazillion pockets including a hydration pocket for a Camelback or equivalent and you’re good to go. Besides it’ll be useful when the Shumer hits the Bloomberg i.e. the SHTF, TEOTWAWKI and other lovely scenarios rapidly approaching. Actually, somewhere on this site is a photo of our own inestimable David Petersen with his version of a ‘lightweight’ pack- it’s the size of a small house and he’s smiling because he’s stopped- and it’s five feet to the campsite at 10,000 feet somewhere in the Rockies! One other suggestion if you hunt the huge Elk as David does- hire a pack of porters-Sherpas are wonderful I hear.

[Bert]

in reply to: A few things I've learned #45559

Hiram wrote: http://www.wikihow.com/Find-True-North-Without-a-Compass

http://www.athropolis.com/arctic-facts/fact-navigate.htm

Gee, it’s July already! Things I’ve learned in the boonies- it’s ok to take a nap in the afternoon, just realize whatever you’re hunting will sneak by you. Walk in the woods, not through it- take a field guide and learn. Make up your own Altoid survival tin and carry it religiously. Practice your survival skills and work on the weak ones. Haven’t been hungry enough for the dog food yet but lifeboat rations, candy or power bars but real pemmican-50%meat+50%fat+berries can’t be beat. SS mug so you can heat up some instant coffee(Starbucks Viva best so far) or tea, boullion cubes, cocoa- your choice. Most of all, try not to do stupid things that get you written up in the local paper esp. the obit section,where many of the dumbass hikers end posthumously. You really don’t want to start walking, with the load you’re carrying, in new boots the first day of hunting!

[Bert]

in reply to: Robin Hood #45529

talon wrote: [quote=Bert]Just saw ‘Robin Hood’ yesterday- should be subtitled ‘When England Had A Pair’! :?hi all speaking from england and i cant agree more with that title (i wish we had a pair still lol) fantastic site by the way its just a shame we cant hunt with bows in blighty so i get to live out my dreams of hunting by reading all the exploits of you guys 🙄 ive got to move my arse over to the usa

Talon-welcome to the site where we were all born in the wrong century! By all means get your ‘arse’ out of England and get over here to the USA, where there are still shrinking pockets of freedom- oh, and bring a job! You might want to seriously consider Canada, you can bowhunt, there are still jobs, just stay out of the Toronto region- it’s infested with Libs. Tallyho, Bert

[Bert]

in reply to: Robin Hood #52773

Just saw ‘Robin Hood’ yesterday- should be subtitled ‘When England Had A Pair’! Sort of mix of Robin Hood and Gladiator with some Braveheart throw in- it’s actually the story of what led up to our favorite outlaw. Good movie for the not squeamish- wife didn’t want to go- perfect for a rainy matinee. Agree it could have used more longbow scenes but the shot at the end of the lethal rain of arrows on the receiving end-ouch!- and nothing like a good, fast steed with Russell Crowe wielding a war hammer bonking French in their helmeted heads to get the blood up! Well acted bad guy in Godfrey, Friar Tuck is a hoot and Maid Marian actually looks English. If this is Max von Sydows(sic) last movie, he goes out like a warrior. Go see it in a theater( theatre for Pothunter) and answer the riddle, what has eighteen legs and goes nowhere?

[Bert]

in reply to: The ugliest moccasins ever! #43307

Chris- If you go to www. hollowtop.com/sandals. htm there are some cool tire sandals that a fellow designed to fit over his mocs for wear and water resistance. Just don’t use steel-belted radials! Then you could take them off for the final part of the stalk and get blood on ’em as KWB suggests.
Keep your tootsies dry and warm! Bert

[Author]

Posts