[Homer]

in reply to: HUNTING PARTNERS #60876

Yes sir, good hunting partners are a blessing. But even then, for me, they’re actually travel and camping parters as when the hunt begins, I go out alone. It only takes one bad actor to spoil a camp or trip, and that clown usually appears as a friend of a friend, whom you’ve not before met. Never go hunting with a blind date, that’s my motto.

[Homer]

in reply to: Favorite turkey slate call? #59909

Capncookie — that’s an idea I’ll bet a lot among us, myself included, would be game for. Question is, for those of us who don’t live near a demolished military academy building (or re-roofed or whatever), where do we get the slate? And how do you cut it into a circle without chipping or splitting? Will a fine-toothed bandsaw do it? Thanks, dp

[Homer]

in reply to: Instructional Vid/Quivers #58488

Have you surfed youtube? Seems they have dozens of short videos on just about any topic you can imagine. Google should point you to any dvd’s available. Sounds like a fun hobby. H

[Homer]

in reply to: Building up to heavy draw weight #58484

I’ll start the bidding and hope other will add more and better. First, does the Martin stack? Lots of factory bows do, including my last one, years ago, which was a Martin. 62 pound with a smooth bow is a whole nuther ballgame from 62 with a stacker. If it stacks, let it go.

Second, why do you want up go up from 55? With the right Ashby-informed arrow setup you can shoot through pretty much any animal in N. America with #55.

Those issues aside, it’s a fact in all physical training that to be most effective your training should be use-specific. In other words, pulling a bow or one of the divices made to imitate pulling a bow is your best bet. You can user one of the lighter bows for this exercise until it gets too easy, then move to the 62. Trick to doing it without injury is do it in short sets, then rest a good long while and do it again, off and on all day. If you get sore to tired, skip a day or two. Pull-ups and push-ups will help you gain upper body strength in a general way, but pulling the bow, holding a couple of second, and letting down slowly is your focus exercise. While I was a trainer in an iron gym when young, it was a long time ago, but I think this is solid advice. Homer

[Homer]

in reply to: New bowhunter born today! #56097

Mr. Downing, a photo of your new hunting buddy would be in order. Congrats. Homer

[Homer]

in reply to: The Carbon Conundrum #55276

Bullcalf — what type of “difficulty” are you having? You didn’t say, unless you mean the emotional difficulty of choosing to leave wood in favor of carbon. Many of us reside in that gray area. My solution is to shoot both, depending on mood and game. A good cheap carbon shaft for your weight bow is the CE 250. I’ve never had one split or break and they exhibit a very wide range of spine tolerance which is good when you’re experimenting for max FOC, which is my own primary reason for going to carbons over wood. That and the handiness of screw-in heads. If you have a local bow shop you should be able to buy single shafts and try a few different brands. Good luck, Homer

[Homer]

in reply to: Ashby Study update 7 posted — good one! #52079

Man you’re right about this being a great and useful update. I’m surprised that nobody seems to have read it and discussing here. Something old, something new, all very interesting stuff. IMHO. Ho-ho-homer

[Homer]

in reply to: Backyard Wildlife #50873

On my short turkey hunt today I saw only two coyotes. One of them was the most stocky, beautiful coy dog I’ve ever seen. Don’t know what he’s eating but from where the pair were patrolling I’d say ground squirrels are the main fare. We too have been short on rabbits for a few years now but the biologists say they’re on an 8-year cycle and we’re at the bottom end of it. Prey population controls predator population and there could be a connection insofar as when the prey drops, so to the predators, and vice versa, with predator pops always chasing prey pops. I’m thinking the pair could be the reason there don’t seem to be any turkey hens nesting in that area this year. I was hoping the dogs would come back and attack my decoy, which was dancing nicely in the breeze. I had my camera ready but no such luck. It’s great we’re all seeing critters, in the yard or beyond. Spring is so full of wild life. I enjoy it all, and the exercise expended getting out to see it, while painful, helps make amends for another slothful snowed-in winter.

[Homer]

in reply to: Hunting & Spirituality #48602

Pothunter — I too have always separated religion and spirituality as overlapping but distinct terms. It’s entirely possible, as some of our non-religious posters here have noted eloquently, not only for the two be the same for some people, but also to have one withut the other, in both directions. When it comes to wildlife, the wild places these “others” inhabit and enliven, and the inner wildness, or “animal nature” that being an active player in it all brings out in me, I’m a deeply spiritual man. I don’t see any insult in your remarks at all, but merely clarification. If there’s a more direct connection to heaven than nature, I’ve not found it. Homer

[Homer]

in reply to: New bow wait has started #48597

No surprise, David. And you’re a lefty too! I’ve never understood why, but when we do rarely see a used Shrew for sale, it’s often a lefty. Almost makes me want to switch. 😀
Ho-ho-Homer

[Homer]

in reply to: Hunting & Spirituality #47727

What Sapcut says ’bout what Tdowning says, and tracker10 too and most everyone else here. Seems we agree there ain’t no spirituality in the “Whack ’em and stack ’em” mentality, quite the opposite. No matter your religion or lack of, how you feel about hunting and the hunted makes me proud to be among you guys. Homer

[Homer]

in reply to: My ATV. #42788

Ah George, Bounty Hunter stole my joke with his serious question. I was going to ask, “But where’s the moose ride?” 😛 I am skinny and my butt never fit a bicycle seat well, and my legs don’t pump nearly as good as they walk. I’ll smile and wave as you pass me on the trail.

[Homer]

in reply to: Kinetic Pulse #42688

Polar Bear says: “I have only been hunting with bows since 1971 and the only theory I stand by is, Practice.”

With all due respect, Bear, practice isn’t a theory and accuracy is an entirely different topic than the physics of arrow penetration. It’s apples and oranges and both are important and worthy of detailed discussion. IMHO Homer

[Homer]

in reply to: Tapered Sitka Spruce Shafts #42500

Beautiful work, Derek! Where did you find those wild yellow-red-barred feathers? Looks as if they’d glow in the dark. Why don’t you share your source for shafts here? I recently found the same high level of quality and performance with Surewood shafts from Archery Past. Where would the world be without good wood? 😀

[Homer]

in reply to: Turkey season starts this saturday #37855

Atta way to get ’em, Fubar! Now you have to eat that big old bird! 😛 Seriously, congratulations as I know that it ain’t easy. Homer

[Author]

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