[David Petersen]

in reply to: Oh Yeah #39856

If you’re starting with clear water, the litre-sized filter bottles that have been around for years, for about $10, are the most sensible water purifying source I’ve yet found. I’ve used them from Alaska to Arizona and lots of in-betweens. Since we all carry a water bottle of some sort anyhow, there’s no extra gear. In area where natural water is plentiful I just dip the bottle in, screw the lid back on and drink my fill, then dump what’s left. It’s also handy when traveling to places where the city water stinks. Sure beats iodine and my first bottle is many years old and has filtered untold gallons of water and is still going strong. It has totally eliminated my carrying a pump filter when backpacking. Just one more possibility.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: New DVD #38487

Ireland — I didn’t get around to it but hope to today. Spent much of yesterday shooting a new Java Man bow a friend bought. Since he’s new to trad archery I am tuning the bow and matching arrows for him. Got stuck last night watching a competing dvd — how to use my new hearing aids. 😥 Since the magazine does not review videos/dvd’s (a policy all would agree with if you saw some of the tons of crap that comes in), I’ll review it here on tradbow asap.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Whole deer vs. boning #37665

Steve G — Yes, your “tone” really rips my nickers! 😛 Seriously: not. Re-reading my original post that started this thread, I’d say I definitely have an edgy “tone” there myself, but all I meant to ask and project was pure curiosity, to wit” “This seems logically illogical, so why is it still required in many states?” That is, if you are not legally require to drag a deer out whole, but choose to, you still can. But … etc. The responses so far seem to make it plainly an East vs. West situation, as several eastern brothers and sisters (that OK, KD? I’m reminded of the Twain line, spoken by a souther evangelist, “Beloved brethern and sistern …” :P) have said, in effect, “Well it’s so close to the road that it’s easiest for me to drag it out and do a proper butchering job at home.” Vs. Kingwouldbee, who graphically illustrates my point, that in the West it just ain’t hardly mostly possible and tough enough just to bone and pack out. So we’re seeing a “regional preference” based largely on “what’s possible.” ??? But what I think I meant to ask was not our personal preferences and traditions as hunters, but why some states still require this when others don’t? I guess the answer to that is “Who knows?” Shifting to a related point, there seems a tradition in the East to hang your deer for “aging” and that you can do a cleaner job of taking the meat off the bone with a hung deer … while in the West either inexperienced hunters get the meat out as best they can and turn it over to a pro butcher, or we have figured out that we can do a first-rate boning job right where the animal fell, and don’t put so much credence on aging as we do “get it off the bone and cooled down asap.”

Again, no real preference here, as I’ve lived both east and west and was raised in between, and used both methods with good results, yum! My downfall is endless curiosity.

And back to Steve G — indeed, “uncharacteristic” for me to be even semi-silent here … it’s a battle I fight constantly and generally lose, esp. like now at happy hour. As a bowhunter, I want to take an active part in the coversations just like other frequent posters here. As a moderator, I fear constantly being perceived as overbearing or “my way or the hiway” as some have said. A good moderator should be mostly invisible. I trust you see my fix. But that doesn’t mean I’ll ever forgive you, Steve, for your horrible “tone.” :P:twisted::lol: xo, ol dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: New DVD #36230

Thanks, Ireland. I just got my copy in the mail today and look forward to watching it tonight. Even the wife enjoyed the original PD, and MM of course is the genuine article. I might add that in general I detest hunting videos and rarely, almost never, was one. PD is in a class by itself in that regard and I expect no less with this redux. dp

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Found a point and killed a hog…. #35942

For us “spiritual weirdo hunters” it can’t get any better than that. A friend I was turkey hunting with, walking right behind me, found a lovely little quartz bird point a few years ago. I had seen the glint on the ground but it didn’t register with me. But nothing was killed that day. I doubt I’ll ever be as lucky as you were. Thanks for sharing, dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: screw-in adapters for woodies #35934

Interesting topic. Bender, I have tried the alum sleeve approach and “it works.” Kingwouldbee has long used this technique, I think to reinforce carbons with alum, and he is one killing machine, esp. if you’re a giant hog. Yet it just didn’t “feel right” to me having a metal 3″ collar up front that bumps a bit when I draw. And you can only get aluminum threaded inserts for aluminum shafts, which works hard against EFOC and also presents a potential weak point, as Ashby’s studies showed early on. Of course, to avoid the same “bump” or worse, any adapter collar, steel or aluminum, would have to be very thin where it slips over the wood shaft, and maybe that’s one reason nobody has come up with one that is popular. But I too would like to see some inventive folks really working on this worthwhile challenge. The guy who gets it right and it catches on, is in position to make some money. Anyhow I’m reminded to go up in the attack and pull out those aluminum-collared woodies and give them another shot. dp

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Oklahoma Selfbow Jamboree March 17-20 #35922

“I am the Santa looking individual.”

I love it! If you were to shave your beard and head, would you then be the Buddha looking individual? 😛

Nothing like a good chuckle to start a good day. Welcome, dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: atv riding #34704

Hiram — Indeed, Missionary Ridge is my backyard and I too have been run out by illegal ATVs in the backcountry there. I don’t fully understand the link between black powder hunters and heavy ATV use (and nonstop bugling, often without even getting off the machine), but it absolutely exists. Per capita, there seem to be more ATVs out there for black powder season than even the rifle seasons, which are bad enough. Worst of all, the 9-day bp season is in mid-Sept., smack in the middle of archery season and what would be the best bugling week of the month. The bp boys come riding in and before opening weekend is done, all daytime real bugling has stopped. Somebody at DOW was sleeping when they let that small user group get that prime season.

Anyhow, all I meant to say is Thank You! for reporting it. If every hunter and forest user who had his own access limited or denied because of ATV abuse and overuse would report and complain, maybe we could make more progress in restraining them. CO BHA is currently talking with DOW about posting a reward, through the DOW’s “Catch a Thief” hotline, for info leading to conviction of ATV outlaws. It works well in MT but DOW his, under current leadership, has little stomach to become further involved in the problem. Most game wardens I know would love to get more aggressive; the weakness is in Denver. Anyhow, we’re working hard to restore quality to the hunt. Thanks for your help. Take away the motors and Missionary Ridge would be among the best elk holes in the country. It used to be. dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Oklahoma Selfbow Jamboree March 17-20 #34691

Thanks for the link, Derek. Sounds like a great event. Where in OK is Perkins? dp

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Grizzly heads #33578

I checked with someone who knows, and it’s nothing but a rumor. dp

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Spring Has Sprung #31719

Memories of growing up in OK. One tornadoe took out every building along several blocks of the south side of an east-west street, while nothing on the north side was even touched. Those spring blows, usually in April, kept me in good-paying summer work as a kid, re-roofing damaged houses. Once our garage was covered with salt, which was said to have been blown all the way up from the TX gulf coast. Glad you’re OK, dp

[David Petersen]

in reply to: first elk hunt! #30413

Hi Ron — Since you have this identical post in two forums I’ve deleted the one in Campfire, to prevent confusion and repetition. No Biggie.

Congrats on your elk draw. While I have never attempted purposely to call in a cow or calf, I have inadvertently done so many times. Most “cow talk” is between cows and calves, esp. when a herd is moving through cover and they lose sight of one another. That’s why biologists use the term “coalescence” calls … they’re intended to keep elk together. If you listen closely it won’t take long to distinguish between cow and calf, as the latter is more bleating, higher-pitched and just “more calf-life” in every way. A calf that’s been separated from it’s mother and/or the herd is quite easy to call in with cow calls. Likewise and more productive is to make rather urgent calf calls to call in cows, since any elk cow that hears it is inclinded to come check, even if she has her calf with her. If I were going to use this tactic I’d wait until I hear some cow talk, move in as close as possible, then set up and do some persistent (but not panicked) calf calling. At this time of year the calfs are weaned and bigger than big deer, so no worries about killing either calves or “orphaning” them by killing Mom. I went through a “trophy calf” hunting stage but decided I don’t like the meat as much, and of course there is less of it, so now my meat elk of choice is a yearling cow. On the down side is that late in Sept., when you’ll be hunting, most elk are in big herds, meaning you’ll most likely either call in nothing or really have your hands full. An evening ambush over remote water is an excellent way to kill elk, esp. if you’re willing to sit it out until full dark and risk tracking and field dressing by flashlight. I killed most of my elk in early years this way, but have since quite hunting about half an hour before dark to lessen the risk of losing a wounded animal. Elk cannot go overnight without field dressing and not lose meat to souring, starting around the ball joint in the down-side ham; prime meat. I prefer not to call when sitting in ambush on water. Be very careful about shot placement and vertical shooting angle when shooting at elk from a tree. It’s hard enough to get an arrow past the shoulder and between the ribs and through both lungs and preferably into the heart even with a perfect broadside shot when you’re on the ground. A steep shot down at elk greatly increases odds of a one-lung hit and the consequences can be nasty indeed. It is done successfully, but you have to be a lot more selective than with deer, using imaginary X-ray vision to concentrate on where you want the arrow to emerge from the far side when you aim. Place you stand as low as possible. Hope some of this helps. dp

[David Petersen]

in reply to: woodarrows #29072

8pointer — wood shafts are spined in 5-pound increments and the old rule of thumb is to spine “one step above” your draw weight. Thus, 50-55. However, as Bruce said, it’s not always that simple. The old guideline is based on cedar shafts and a 28″ draw. But it’s a starting point. Check T.J.’s book, for sure. dp

[David Petersen]

in reply to: The Mentor's Art #27057

Ron — for more of Don’s hunting stories that are about a lot more than just hunting and killing, check out his new book Have Bow Will Travel. dp

[David Petersen]

in reply to: New to Traditional Shooting #27055

Hiya and welcome here! For target shooting, I’d stick with what you are using now if they shoot well. For big-big game hunting, like elk and moose, carbon provides the best platform for attaining EFOC. And wood, well it’s organic and traditional and those are special qualities. If you have the money and like to tinker, experiment with all three. Dave p

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