[David Petersen]

in reply to: Colorado elk herd size? #20624

CO has far more elk than the advertised number, which is consistently reduced to keep the public land welfare ranchers from complaining even more than they already do about the wildlife eating “their” forage. The bull:cow ratio is misleading because they count any branch-antlered bull as mature, which they definitely are not insofar as in a healthy balanced herd even 5×5 bulls rarely get to breed and the raghorns don’t have a chance. So biologically the mature bulls (5×5 and up) are less than half what they advertised. But then the average hunter is happy to bag any legal bull, so the deceit isn’t that harmful to hunters, but it’s very harmful when management claims they have achieved sufficient mature bull/cow ratios when they’re not even close and manage, or mismanage, accordingly . In that case it’s a damn lie.

The bottom line is that CO has more elk than any other state or province, and some really good ones if you can get away from roads and ATV trails, far away. The machines and technology are killing elk hunting here.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Where to start for an elk hunt? #20620

Standard advice: find out where the ATVs are allowed to go (motorized trails) and go someplace else. Neglect this tragic essential reality of our times and all your other planning is in vain.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Oil rub arrow finish? #19777

Thanks for the glue info, parthur, and welcome to tradbow. Dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: A short rant about KE… #19710

Bruce — see what happens around here when you “rant” about an important truth? Like-minded “elitists” come popping out of the woods in support. 😆

Ed, we need a whole bunch more like that. I was at my eye doctor last week and he said he’d recently increased the weight of his arrows based of “stuff” he’s been reading about momentum. I asked what weight he is shooting now and he said “almost 550.” 🙄

Cabela’s — the more you know about this outfit, the more you’ll detest them. Our MT members like know some of what I’m alleging here. The only reason I don’t urinate on then burn their 5-pound catalogs is that I too am a believer in recycling. I’m sure their catalogs would easily stop most of the alleged “broadheads” they sell. The “hunting industry” is perhaps the number one problem with hunting today, and Cabela’s is at the very bottom of that cesspool.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Some people's thinkin' #19700

Once again, you guys make me proud and grateful to be one of the club among so many sane and good human beings via this website, which is like no other in the world.

The hardest thing in the world is to criticize people in person for the BS they are spouting, and even harder when it’s “friends” or family. But it must be done and I for one won’t go to my grave with any regrets for speaking my mind. The fact that we are such a minority doesn’t speak well for the world. People, most people, want to be good I believe. But if you’re brought up by idiot parents, and live in an area where laws and culture give wildlife no respect and Yee-haw! buffoonery is the norm, and everything you see on TV and in most all commercial hunting rags tells you to be a stupid thoughtless jerk, well it takes an exceptional person to rise above all of that. Just when I’m about to give up fighting for anything, a thread like this comes along and reminds me how many good people there are out there, minority or not, and my energy is renewed. I’d rather be an elitist than a slob any day.

Jim, welcome here. You’re among good folks, as you’ve already determined.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Bows in the Military #19684

Yep, one of the boys. Too much so, some seniors at the time thought. In fact I’m lucky I’m not in Leavenworth. 😆

While you won’t get any muffins from ColMike, if you ever meet I guarantee you’ll have to beg him to stop pouring the high-end spirits. He is definitely one of the boys these days and a superstar commander with “his boys” back in the day.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Some people's thinkin' #18480

Ralph, you must lead a sheltered life. The “just get an arrow in it anywhere” attitude is all too common. And without naming any specific group, the longer the shots people think it’s OK to take, the more cavalier they become about where the arrow hits and how it penetrates. Can’t count the times I’ve heard guys boasting in public “I stuck one at 70 yards this morning.” I’m yet to hear these types follow up with “he went down in sight” or even “I really searched hard for him but no luck.” They flat don’t give a damn about the animals they hunt and IMO the have no right to hunt. I’ve turned down all of several invites I’ve gotten to come hunt hogs in TX because the inviters inevitably have delighted in telling all the various ways locals have devised to torture and kill them. Just a bit too much delight in blood, suffering and death there for my stomach. Pigs are not charismatic animals and they are devastating on the habitat. But even if we can’t respect the animals we hunt, at least we should maintain some self-respect.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: How do I straighten wood arrows? #18462

What Alex said. To create that friction lay the shaft on a flat surface with the bend up, then rub something round and hard, like a screwdriver shaft, back and forth on it while pressing down. Unless it’s a really bad bend that alone should straighten it. I always buy premium shafts and can’t recall having a bent one.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: What ya got goin? #18454

Bruce — If that’s you in the last photo, what’s with the bandaged right hand? Did you injure it in the big jewel heist in France the other day? 😛

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Cold Shots #18212

Alex — My practice sessions also usually start with several arrows in the ground — only my eyes are open and I’m shooting at the target! 😆

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Dirty Old Hats #17646

Duncan, I see you have good taste in books as well as hats. But Wendell Berry should definitely be on top. 😆

I hope I never go bald like you. 😛

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Dirty Old Hats #17508

You can’t see it very well, but this is my very old and dirty Good Luck hat. While it might not seem always to work, I figure it would be even worse without the hat. Sort of like the infamous elephant repellant. 😛

[David Petersen]

in reply to: A short rant about KE… #16252

Aha, as it turns out Smithy has supplied his own applause, from a previous post …

[David Petersen]

in reply to: A short rant about KE… #16027

We need an “applause” emoticon here! 😀

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Bows in the Military #15244

Two4 … is there a story with the photo? Seems like a bit of WP would be more effective to burn down the jungle than a flaming arrow … but not as cool, of course.

Jim — Having been both, I am impervious to your insults! 😆

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