[Etter1]

in reply to: Any Georgia Bear Hunters Here? #41822

tailfeather wrote: I may be able to head up soon after lunch. Please have a fire kindled and an adult beverage ready for me. Thanks, compadre.:P

I’m bringin beer, wine, and scotch. I know you hate scotch, so I’ll have a nice dewar’s poured for you

[Etter1]

in reply to: Any Georgia Bear Hunters Here? #41496

Heading up tomorrow. Good luck to everybody who’s hitting the woods this weekend.

[Etter1]

in reply to: Who has killed a mtn lion with trad gear? #40458

dquidort wrote: I’ve ran cats a little bit myself. Don’s right. Without tracking collars, motorized vehicles, and by using your own or your friend’s dogs, you will be in for a very challenging and exciting hunt. There is no guarantee on a real hunt. Expect hard going and try to be ready for anything. You may find it to be the hunt of your life! Oh, I might add that it can be addicting.

This will all be done the hard way. I’m just now praying that we have good snow conditions. Last year, most of the hunts had to be cancelled due to lack of it.

[Etter1]

in reply to: Who has killed a mtn lion with trad gear? #40457

donthomas wrote: Hmm… I don’t know which opinion about Walker’s you’re taking exception to. The worst hound I ever had was a Walker. So was the best one. I think I’ve expressed both sides of that argument before. Yes, get in shape! The physical demands of the hunt vary with the circumstances. If you do it the way we do–no snow machines, no tracking collars–it can be as tough as anything you’ll ever do in the outdoors. Most guides aren’t that mean to their clients, for better or worse. I have yet to figure out a reasonable way to practice shooting up. I tried prior to a leopard hunt years ago. Chances are the lion will tree on a steep slope, in which case a cautious approach from the uphill side will help the angle considerably. What you can practice is shooting through branches, which is really the hard part. Drag a big pine branch in front of your practice target and get used to picking tiny shooting lanes through the obstructions. Final thought–it’s my experience that animals hunted with bow and “backup” rifle usually don’t wind up getting killed with an arrow Only you can decide what to do about that. Don

:DI was mostly messing with you. I read in one of your essays that you dreaded inheriting a pair of walkers from a friend of yours who had recently passed away. I believe by the end of the first few hunts, you were impressed with both of them.

Again, thanks for all of the advice. I can’t wait. It’s been several years in the making and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it. I am going to do everything in my power to get it done with my bow, and my shooting sessions will increase tenfold in the months prior to the hunt. It is entirely likely that this will be the only time I will ever get to chase cats as I live in GA and guided hunt prices are quite salty.

I’ll make sure to post a lot of pictures and stories when I get back in February.

By the way, we are going with Korell Outfitters if anybody has heard of them.

[Etter1]

in reply to: Who has killed a mtn lion with trad gear? #39223

handirifle wrote: [quote=Etter1]Also been hitting the gym even harder than usual. I usually run three miles and do 100 stories on the stair climber 3-4 times per week.

And Don, I am concerned about the shooting. I have a self imposed limit of 15 yards or so. Our guides will have a rifle along in case the cat is too high or too covered up to kill with my recurve, but I would really hate for it to happen that way. What’s the average height that you’ve seen them climb to?

Time for me to start practicing those upward shots.

How the heck do you practice like that? Flu flu’s? Otherwise arrow retreival could take a long time. Remember to bend at the waist , not with just arms. G Fred said it applies either up or down.

What would you shoot AT? Pine cones, maybe?

North Ga is pretty steep. I plan to just head up to my hunting club and find the steepest hill I can find and stump shoot as usual from below. Will probably be walking in a creek and shooting up the cut banks

[Etter1]

in reply to: Who has killed a mtn lion with trad gear? #39142

Also been hitting the gym even harder than usual. I usually run three miles and do 100 stories on the stair climber 3-4 times per week.

And Don, I am concerned about the shooting. I have a self imposed limit of 15 yards or so. Our guides will have a rifle along in case the cat is too high or too covered up to kill with my recurve, but I would really hate for it to happen that way. What’s the average height that you’ve seen them climb to?

Time for me to start practicing those upward shots.

[Etter1]

in reply to: Who has killed a mtn lion with trad gear? #39121

donthomas wrote: I’ve had a bit of experience with the subject. Your tackle sounds just fine. Despite what you might think, prepare yourself for some challenging archery. Most people who think shooting a cat out of a tree is the proverbial fish in a barrel have never done it. I’e seen some very good bowhunters de-quiver at the tree, and more than once I’ve had to climb down the mountain looking for arrows so they could get the job done. Don

I was hoping you would chime in. I own all of your books except for ” the double helix”. Lately I’ve been rereading your essays on lion hunts. Can’t wait! I do take issue with your opinion on walker dogs but I guess everybody can’t be perfect.

[Etter1]

in reply to: Good Reading #36172

dwcphoto wrote: Hi Guys,

I was able to squeeze in a little reading this week and have to say I really enjoyed a few articles. Dave’s Darwin Hunt was good reading and I always enjoy G. Fred’s insights, still being a newbie that I am. Also Gary VandenLangenberg’s article on body language was interesting. My first year at bowhunting I had the mixed pleasure of missing two deer that I walked up on. The first seemed to bedded near my stand. I had walked my pup about 50 yards by that spot on a woods road a hour earlier. It seemed like when I slowing walked to my stand and peaked around the corner the doe was just waiting for another dog walker. Another doe I missed just let me walk up within range after a few tries. I just kept the normal our for a walk posture and she kept letting me get closer and closer.

I’ve improved my shooting a good bit since then, so I hope to have another good chance as the woods gave me those times.

One month to go here in Pennsylvania. Good luck to all, dwc

The article about body language is definitely true in some circumstances. Happened to me this summer.

I was smallmouth fishing a small creek that forms the boirder of my club on a 100 degree plus day. I was wading upstream and rounded a bend and spotted a big doe standing on a rock feeding on submerged vegetation. She would stick her head under for 20 seconds at a time and then watch me for a few minutes. I slowly fished my way up to her, catching and releasing a bunch of little smallies and redeye bass. She let me get to about 25 yards before she exited to the woods. I assume if I started acting sneaky, she would have immediately bolted for cover.

[Etter1]

in reply to: Any Georgia Bear Hunters Here? #36164

YankeeRedneck wrote: I hear ya I just weed thru that type of crap.

I do enjoy the trad section on there.

But there are a couple of knuckle heads that lurk around.

Good luck this season.

You too! Everybody in the trad forum is great.

[Etter1]

in reply to: Please don’t kick me off the forum… (this is a long one, so grab a beer and happy labor day) #36161

…This should get good…:D

[Etter1]

in reply to: quad tracks behind every locked gate #34136

I hate atv’s! I belong to a 900 acre lease in north ga that has a great road system. I drive my truck in 2 wd all over it with no problem yet 90 percent of the other guys in the club park at the cabin and ride their atvs in. Its so sad to hear one come by you just at daylight. Most of us have working legs. Lets try and use them

[Etter1]

in reply to: Any Georgia Bear Hunters Here? #34130

YankeeRedneck wrote: [quote=Etter1]I’m going to give it a shot for the first time this year. Been up in the mountains three times to scout and finally found some good sign.

I’ve killed several in Canada over the years but have never hunted them this way. Really Pumped!

Fletching my final lucky arrow right now in preparation.

Etter check out Woody’s campfire talk alot of Georgia bear hunters on there.

Also a great trad section lots of info and good people.:lol:

Im actually banned from that site. I cant get along with the type of people on there. Especially the coyote eradicators who actually know nothing about the ecology of the lands they hunt and probably couldnt id ten songbirds if they had to. There are some super people on there, but the average poster makes me fear the future of our lifestyles

[Etter1]

in reply to: Any Georgia Bear Hunters Here? #32015

YankeeRedneck wrote: [quote=Etter1]I’m going to give it a shot for the first time this year. Been up in the mountains three times to scout and finally found some good sign.

I’ve killed several in Canada over the years but have never hunted them this way. Really Pumped!

Fletching my final lucky arrow right now in preparation.

Etter check out Woody’s campfire talk alot of Georgia bear hunters on there.

Also a great trad section lots of info and good people.:lol:

Nah…..Im good

[Etter1]

in reply to: Any Georgia Bear Hunters Here? #21837

I went back up to the area we plan to hunt today. I was bummed to find tracks of another guy scouting on the same trail, but it’s public land so what could I expect?

It had just rained hard so there was only one set of tracks in the trail, but the white oaks that I found acorns in three weeks ago are just starting to get climbed. There were broken branches and claw marks on lots of them. I was coming back down the trail and walking through a 3-5 year old clearcut when I jumped a really large bear from the side of the trail at maybe 10 yards. He or she got out of dodge real fast. I was tired after 7 miles of hiking but that woke me up quick!

I’ve killed a few in Canada, and this one was definitely 200+.

Really pumped for opening day!

[Etter1]

in reply to: Out scouting for 2012 bear hunt #21832

Awesome shots! I did the same thing myself today but was looking in the N GA mtns.

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