[David Petersen]

in reply to: Growing Antlers? #24067

Tricky topic. Certainly, baiting isn’t hunting. That one’s easy. And I’m uneasy about food plots too, including the hi-punch foods blended esp. to grow bigger antlers. But people who do it ask what’s the difference between planting crops for deer hunting and hunting over ag crops like corn and soybeans? Others ask what’s the difference between growing food plots to attract deer and actively hunting them over those plots, and baiting? Not likely every to reach total agreement on the topic. But since I don’t do any of it, it’s easy to criticize it all. One of my favorite hunting videos (or, more accurately, one of the very few hunting videos I’ve ever seen that’s worth watching again) has lots of footage of giant whitetails in soybeans. Nice bucks, nice photography, but the crops ruin it for me. I was brought up that hunting is our connection to nature and wildness, and still prefer it that way. Dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: What type of broadhead for turkey #15279

Biggest head I can shoot accurately, generally the big Snuffer or Wenzel 3-blades, which I’d never use on elk but penetration is no problem with turkeys and you want as much shock as possible to keep ’em from running or flying. dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Short Longbows? #62807

I draw 28″ and LOVE my 54# Shrew Classic Hunter longbow. Wish I’d gotten a 52″. But beware, not all short longbows (or recurves) are so forgiving … I recall my old Bears. dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: elk #62804

CO’s minimum bow weight is an embarrassment and tragedy, more “good work” from CBA, who is more interested in their weak wives and kids being able to hunt elk than trying to elimiante wounded elk running around with arrows flopping around visibly. I’ve been hunting elk in CO for 27 years and have seen and done it almost all. Some years ago I determined that if I couldn’t find a way to kill elk fast and humanely and with certainty, I couldn’t keep hunting them. Back then I was using 64# recurves with aluminum or wood shafts and Thunderhead 3-blade 125s … and never once got a satisfactorily fast kill no matter arrow placement. Average weight was 550. Thank God, then along came Doc Ed Ashby with his great wisdom, which I followed and immediately started getting pass-throughs and animals going down within sight. That said, the arrow is far more important than the bow, though I would never condone less than 50# even if it sometimes works (miss all those ribs, a 50/50 chance broadside and far less at any angle, and maybe can do). In the briefest summary, here is what Ashby says as minimum for big big game like elk, knowing that bone hits are inevitable: Minimum overall arrow weight of 650 grains. Strong, slender two-blade broadheads preferably single-bevel. As much weight as possible up front. I am 63 and my current setup is a 55# Shrew longbow with 750-grain carbon shafts (for their versatility in getting weight up front) and any of several very heavy and strong single-bevel two-blades: ABS “Ashby,” Abowyer “Brown Bear,” Grizzly “El Grande,” Tusker “Concord.” Happily, manufacturers are really getting behind the Ashby technolog and STOS, among others, will soon be coming out with very heavy single-bevel heads. Yeah, it can be done with less and regularly is. But if you don’t want the heartbreak of lousy penetration and a lost wounded animal, why take a chance. And a bonus: The more weight up front, the better the accuracy. dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: who was your mentor? #62794

My only mentor was the human genetic memory and inclination for the outdoors in general and hunting and fishing in particular. Instinct, it clearly was in my case. Nothing could stop me and still can’t. My father was a workaholic, poor devil. But then, in that long ago time and place, I could ride my bicycle to hunt squirrels and rabbits and fish or swim in cow ponds and creeks. Boyscouts taught me a lot, including how to trap rabbits and cook ’em on a spit (not necessarily in season, alas.) Today’s growing lack of backdoor availability of places to hunt and fish and satisfy the normal young person’s urge for wild nature is why mentoring is all the more important today. I’ve introduced one young man and one young lady to hunting to help pay my debt to good luck. So far. Dave

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