Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
in reply to: Anyone ever break their bow hand? #37748
Jarrod,
About 4 years ago, I broke the bone in my hand that my ring finger connects to. I shoot a one-piece bow. A Bear Grizzly, to be exact. I was not able to shoot that bow for a month, at the bare minimum. As it was, I was in the middle of a winter 3-d shooting league. That sucked. I was, however, able to shoot my uncle’s take-down recurve. I don’t know if the vibration was simply stopping at the limb bolts, or if the weight of the riser eliminated the vibration. I do know that the vibration/hand-shock from my Grizzly was entirely unbearable to deal with. I was able to draw the bow, and shoot it, but when the vibration hit my hand, I wanted to scream like a little sissy. LOL. I was trying to shoot my bow right after it happened, and about once a week, I would shoot an arrow to see how my hand handled the vibration. I never actually WORE my cast. Maybe for a week, then I cut it off in such a way that I could slip it on if I had to. Good luck with your healing process. Just remember that bones are continually healing, from the initial time of the break. It just takes time.
Michael
in reply to: To Close One Eye Or Not #30347I shoot my bows with both eyes open. I shoot both my recurve and my compound like this. I had the compound stripped down to a bare bow with no sights or rest, and I shoot fingers. I shoot the same arrows for both bows, and they both seem to give me identical performance.
Michael
in reply to: Ground Hunting Tips #28618I’m not a big fan of elevated blinds of any type…treestands, “tree houses”, etc…Not my thing. I grew up hunting on the ground, and, although I’m not particularly quiet or stealthy, I still prefer it to being up in the air. Falling doesn’t hurt. The sudden STOP at the end does.
Michael.
p.s. King…Nice buck.
in reply to: Number 1!! And Number 83!! #28612johnny2,
Congratulations on your first traditional harvest! You aren’t the first person to make a bad shot, for certain. You’re fortunate to know the ground you were hunting and were able to find your animal in a timely manner. My first deer, also a whitetail doe, was also a paunch shot. Like you, I didn’t concentrate on picking a spot, and my arrow found its way to a place too far back for a good, quick, clean kill. And, it was a long shot to boot. A shot that, at this point in my archery career, I would not take. My height up the body was fine, but for whatever reason, I was too far back. Anyway, long story short, I shot her about 45 minutes before dark, and it was starting to rain. Rather than wait for the next day, we started doing a grid search. My uncle found her bedded down, got me over there, and I circled her to make a second (ineffective) shot. She bolted downhill. We started searching everything from where we were above the road, down to the road, and for 100 yards each side of her path down the hill. We eventually made it to the creek across the road and found her laying up under the brush on the other side of the creek. Certainly not the optimum way to begin a successful traditional hunting career. But, it worked out that we were able to find her before it got dark. I dressed her out in the dark by the light of a Mini-Mag. My second deer with my recurve (also a whitetail doe), was a neat, clean kill at about 23 yards. Complete pass-through, liver, one lung, and a completely severed rib on the exit. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know you’re not alone in the world of poor hits.
Michael.
in reply to: The Good, The Bad, and The Really, REALLY UGLY. #28135Steve,
It pains me to see hunting headed down that road. It’s bad news. I hope you can beat the “system” as it is. Good luck.
Steve Graf,
Here in Montana, we have a leash law that states that dogs must be leashed or contained so they cannot run at large. If people catch dogs running deer here, it’s open season on the dogs. And I know people that have shot dogs that were running at large. I wouldn’t get along down south very well, I don’t think. Anyway, I would suggest at least a 4-5′ fence if you do go to fencing your property. I build fences for a living, and deer can clear 5′ fence fairly easily if they know it’s there. Depending what kind of dogs are used, perhaps you won’t get fence jumpers. Good luck as well.
Michael.
in reply to: Oh so close – yet so far! #28096Clay,
Congratulations on a marvelous bear. You’ve done better so far this year than I have, just by getting out. The little bit I’ve been out probably doesn’t count for much. Hopefully rifle season will turn out better for me.
Michael.
in reply to: New To Traditional-Bow Advice #26858Prewar,
Typically, your draw length for traditional gear will be shorter. I don’t know why that is. I find it interesting that you’re 6’1″ and are coming up with a 27″ draw length. I’m 5’10”, and I draw my bow, like I said, to 29 1/2″. But, then again, each person’s body is different. Maybe I just have monkey arms for my height, and you don’t. If you can find time, go down to a local archery shop that stocks recurves and have them measure you draw length on one of their recurves. They should have an arrow that’s marked in inches to measure draw length. That will tell you your length. Good luck.
Michael.
TJ,
You’ve been keeping your journals as long as I’ve been alive. It’s something that I also need to work on, myself. I just never think to grab a notepad or anything to take with me. I should look for one in town today while we’re out and about. Rifle season is almost here. Would be a good time to get started.
Michael.
in reply to: New To Traditional-Bow Advice #22477prewar70,
If you’re drawing 68 pounds, you should be fine with any bow that draws 50-55# at 28″. Your extra 1 1/2″ of draw length should gain you about 5# of weight over what the manufacturer rates the bow at, if they rate it at 28″. Typically, of every inch of draw over 28″, you gain approximately 3# of draw weight. That is why I draw my 55@28″ Grizzly to 60# at 29 1/2″.
I had one disadvantage when I started shooting. I did not have access to a lighter weight bow to build my form on, and because of that, I’ve spent a fair portion of my archery career fighting bad habits. I now have a good solid form, and I understand all the mechanics of shooting a bow much better than I did when I was 21. Take the advice these guys on here give, and, at the very least, if you buy a Black Widow Bow, have a lighter set of limbs (perhaps 45#) built for it as well, to practice form and overall shooting. Have these limbs built first, so you can get shooting as soon as possible, and have BW work up a heavier set (perhaps 55-60#) a little farther down the road. Good luck shooting and let us know how you progress.
Michael.
in reply to: Mountain lion vs deer #21440I don’t think that’s a photoshopped picture. The way the cat is standing over the buck, and the way the buck is laid out seems to be too real not to be.
Michael.
in reply to: New To Traditional-Bow Advice #21428Prewar70,
I started 7 years ago shooting a 55@28″ Bear Grizzly 58″ one-piece recurve. I’m still shooting the same bow today. I draw the bow to 29 1/2″ and 60#. The thing to keep in mind is that with a compound, you can count on the cams rolling over, giving you a decrease in draw weight at the end of your draw length. With a traditional bow, you don’t have that. You’re pulling the full weight of the bow for the full length of your draw. What was your draw weight on your compound?
Michael
in reply to: Oh so close – yet so far! #21413T.J. I want to congratulate you on a nice Montana mulie buck. He’s a dandy. Where’bouts do you hunt when you come over to Montana? Take care, good luck moose hunting.
We have a week left in our archery season for deer and elk. It ends on the 18th. Rifle season opens the following Sunday and runs until the Sunday after Thanksgiving. And I haven’t been out with my bow but once. It’s been a sad season for me, this year. Work and school have me tied at both ends. Then add in family time, prepping for winter and keeping vehicles in good running condition, well, it doesn’t leave much time for hunting. Hopefully rifle season treats me better…yes, I said it…rifle. Archery season is my hunting season, rifle season is my fill the freezer season.
Michael.
in reply to: Mountain lion vs deer #17647That’s a good sized cat. Be careful.
Michael.
-
AuthorPosts
