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in reply to: Grunting 101 #44299
I’ve had good succes with doe bleats during the rut.
The first time I tried it was walking back to my cabin on a forest road in the dark. It was rut and I heard a deer walking nearby so figured I’d see if I could get a response from this new deer call. No intent to shoot in the dark, just testing the call. The buck came charging in darn close, grunting and thrashing some brush. I decided to use it just in the daytime after that.in reply to: Too old to hunt? #44287I’m just around the corner from 64 and feel pretty darn good. I can hike miles a day in rough country and enjoy it, but do go slower uphill and pack weight is down. Not a pound over weight, eat healthy/homemade, cut and split 8-10 cords of wood every year. I live in the mountains so my daily routine is active. 50s is young, I think 40s and 50s are the age when men are at their peak. Several of my friends agree, they are all outdoorsmen in the West and spend a lot of time hiking, scouting, hunting, etc.
I’ve dropped bow weight gradually over the years and hunted with 55# last year. I miss the 70+ # bows I used to shoot. I have friends in their 70s that likely could out hike half the 25 years olds these days, and they still take game too.
Regardless of your age, I say do it now and maximize whatever time we have.
in reply to: recovering animals #44175I always carry a compass. I also have a small one, likely the “pin on” referred to above, that is built in to my armguard. I use it a lot because it is so convenient. Just lift my arm and check it. NW Montana is thick and easy to get turned around for a day or two.
in reply to: Glue for Broadheads #36917In the early 70s I bought a big chunk of FerrLTite from Anderson Archery, think it was 5#. Still using some of the same stuff, works great.
in reply to: yew or osage #32086Boogie,
Osage is often referred to as Hedge Apple or just Hedge in much of its range. It is still sold locally for fence posts in some areas.You are very fortunate to have so much good bow wood in your area.
Have fun.
in reply to: most challenging animal to hunt? #27779The answer will vary with perspectives and personal experience. From the answers posted it is obvious that “method” changes the difficulty factor.
From my experience I would say stalking antelope or Coues deer get my vote.
When I first hunted antelope I was determined to do it spot and stalk. It took 4 years but was an enjoyable challenge in some beautiful prarie country in 3 states.
As for the Coues, somewhere in a wonderfully remote canyon in Arizona there is a buck that I will slip up on and complete that goal in the near future.
When you think you are a good stalker, try stalking a coyote.
in reply to: yew or osage #27764TBB1 is one of my most used books, for more than bows. Paul Comstock wrote a very short but very useful and informative booklet. It is inexpensive and talks about alternative (to Osage & Yew) bow woods.
I would not recommend Yew for a beginner unless you have access to it for not cost, not likely in AZ. Bow wood in AZ could be a challenge to find. Juniper can make a very good bow but finding a piece long and straight enough might require some effort. I’m just speculating here but the oaks in S.AZ might work. Can’t remember if AZ has Mountain Maple but that will make a bow. Ironwood maybe?
A beginners Osage stave from an experienced dealer is a good start. Have fun!
in reply to: Let's build a selfbow #27737Well, I’m a bit late on this one. I’ve been playing in the woods and in my shop making stuff.
IMO, Osage is very special bow wood, toughness and performance is the best. But, there are a lot of other bow woods that will work, especially for a learning process.
NW Montana is an ok place but not known for quality bow wood. However, good bows can be made from ServiceBerry (June Berry), Choke Cherry, Mountain Maple and our local Yew. There are a few pockets of bow quality Yew scattered around NW Montana but will be as hard to find as a big bull elk. All of these woods will make a good bow but will be a challenge for a beginning bowyer. Fruit trees can make bows, I am currently working on a bow using a stave from a plum tree I cut last summer. It is full of knots with a couple of twists but holds promise.
If you have wood working experience and can communicate with wood and see and hear what it is telling you then the wood itself will guide you to a bow, if there is a bow in there. Obviously you will not reach that level without some experience.
For the first bow or two,depending on financial considerations, I would recommend purchasing a good stave from someone that offers quality Osage staves. That will up your odds of success.
in reply to: Tips fpr a Beginning Bowyer #27722Howdy DiGi,
I’ve been bowhunting for a long time, built my first selfbow about 10 years ago and lament the fact that I did not do it sooner. I thought about it, read books, etc but hesitated too long. Circumstances provided an opportunity when an experienced selfbowyer offered to help me build one with his guidance. That experience changed my life and I have changed a few lives since by helping others get started with selfbows. Like bowhunting it is not for everyone but for some of us it adds joy to our lives in many ways.So my number one piece of advise is “Just do it”. There is a wealth of information these days. You may very well live near someone that would be willing to help you get started. DVDs can be very good learning tools, you can watch them over and over. Some dealers offer started staves that are roughed out upping your chances of success.
Although it requires some patientce and attention to detail it is not rocket science. Once you have masters the basics it is great fun and will heighten you anticipation of the hunt.
BTW, I shared the experience of my first selfbow in a TBM piece a few years ago. It is “Procrastination and Priorities”, don’t remember the issue.
in reply to: Boots For The Bold #35238Hi Frank, how ya doin?
I too am interested in the outcome of the wax ring experiment.
Darn cold here in NW Montana also.
in reply to: pop-up ground blinds #35234If you can get by with a DB T2 they are much lighter and easier to deal with. Of course they are smaller and you have a personal height problem so a T2 might be a bit short. You can set up over a hole or depression to gain height. You can also set the blind on rocks or logs to increase effective height and then put a strip of camo cloth around the base to fill the open space from blind to ground. IMO that is a better plan than lugging a heavier blind very far.
The AZ backcountry begs you to cover ground, walk for miles and see what’s over the next hill so go as light as possible I say.
Have fun
in reply to: pop-up ground blinds #33979Dave,
Look at the Apache Blind. It is wing shaped and you hide behind or in front. It is small, weighs a couple of pounds and fits in a day pack. I’ve got a couple with light weight rods I made to replace the heavy rods it comes with.Something as simple as a piece of camo cloth with support rods or clothes pins or clips to attach to brush can work.
I have 3 DBs and they work but I find them too awkward to carry for miles and too confining to sit in for my taste. I prefer to be out in the air with full vision and hearing capability.
in reply to: Arrow shaft making #12882I’ve made shafts using the Lee Valley Veritas Dowel Maker, the one with two cutters. Using a 1/2″ square blank it does a rough cut and then a finish cut using a drill to spin the shaft through the cutters. It has micro adjustments and does a good job. The harder woods can be a challenge. Fir is a medium wood and makes a nice shaft.
Also used a Strunk plane setup, it is much like the method on the ozbow site. It is a 2×4 with a groove in the center, a stop on one end and the cutter blade on the plane has a radius. The groove depth determines the shaft diameter. This is a inexpensive way to make shafts and very satisfying. As far as it being work I would call it pleasant work I guess.
Have fun.
in reply to: Need info for WV deer hunt #12852Hey Elkheart,
Lots of good advice above. Google Earth, low saddles on ridges, those internal edges, fence corners. WTs like to travel the easy routes if not pressured but will be in thick stuff if they are being pressured. WTs tend to be nocturnal and the big bucks more so IMO. You should be able to find a scrape, check the end of ridges where it drops off or thick brushy areas to sit, both bucks and does visit scrapes. Scrapes on open edges could be nocturnal, try to find a scrape in heavy cover with multiple trails to it. Generally, in hilly terrain deer move down in the evening and up in the morning.Find a scrape like that with fresh sign and stay there as long as you can. Remember midday hunting can be good during a full moon, especially during the rut.
Have fun.
in reply to: Waterproofing feathers?? #12839I’ve hunted in a lot of wet weather, a drizzly light rain day is great hunting weather. These days I hunt with a selfbow most of the time and use a side quiver that protects the fletching. If I’m in head high drippy brush or a heavier rain I cover the top of the quiver with a camo nylon bag with drawstring. If I use a bow quiver I cover the fletch with the same bag. It also covers bright fletch when using a bow quiver.
Agreed that natural feathers have more oil content and are more waterproof. Commercial feathers go through washing and processing.
On the subject of feathers, is everyone aware that steaming will renew your matted feathers. Often feathers that have been messed up bad can recover with a steaming.
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