[David Petersen]

in reply to: Is it the Traditional way? #15570

Here in SW Colorado, Indian country, there is a place on public land called by those who know about it “the Scaffold Lick.” It is a natural mineral lick, very attractive to elk and deer. Very little cover nearby to stalk or hide in. And the trees there are few, small, and bushy, pinon pine. Until recently you could still see remains of “lumber” the Southern Utes had fastened between trees in order to fashion a scaffolding to sit on in ambush just above the lick. No telling how far back that tradition went. What gives tripod stands a deserved bad name today is their close association with bait feeders. Fair chase and tradition aside, I can’t imagine wanting to kill anything badly enough to pay for, haul in and set up a tripod. Or a dozen tree stands for that matter, as is so common today. But that’s not a matter or tradition, but only personal choice.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Wilderness First Aid Kit #13498

Nice kit for the money, Bruce. In my mind the single most important potentially life-saving item bowhunters should carry is a thick gauze compress to apply to serious arterial bleeding wounds, like we had in the military packaged in airtight tinfoil. Might still be able to get those at army suplus places. When you fall on a broadhead or stab a major vein in your leg or wrist with a knife, nothing else matters but stopping the bleeding via direct pressure and nothing beats a military gauze compress. My 2 scents

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Are we forgetting our roots? #12614

Hotdam you’re fast! My fingers hadn’ even cooled off from typing that righteous rant … and there you are! I’d hate to have you as a critic, Bruce. 😆

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Wilderness First Aid Kit #12609

I’d love to see such, Doc. And while first aid info from any qualified source — first responder, M.D., pharmacist, would be most welcome, given your extensive time in backcountry as a bowhunter, it’s hard to imagine that anyone else could be as familiar as you are with the sorts of wounds we’re liable to inflict on ourselves. As a sidebar to the kit article, some basics on how to improvise in emergencies would be doubly welcome. But then, maybe I’m prejudiced … 😀

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Are we forgetting our roots? #12601

“Friends don’t let friends listen to Ted Nugent. Well, except maybe his first album.” — Smithhammer

“Lips like a Mazaratti” is the only one I could ever listen to, and that only because it was funny. And that was before Mr. Tedtosterone made himself into a bowhunting (sic) hero (sic).

[David Petersen]

in reply to: instinctive shooting and bow/arrow tuning #11335

KC — Again, TJ Conrads’ book THE TRADITIONAL BOWHUNTER’S HANDBOOK will answer all such entry-level questions for you, archery and bowhunting, and speed your learning curve nicely. Sure wish I’d had it when I started.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Meat in the Freezer #11093

Rattlebone — This is an important issue. While meat is rarely the only motivation to hunt, in my eyes it must be at the top of the list or we’re not thinking clearly. And if we ever want the interested nonhunting public to fully accept us, we’ll have to convince the hook-and-bull media to quit focusing on bigger and bigger antlers and focus on the importance and uses and special gift of wild meat. Fat chance! I always cut and wrap my own not only because it’s an important element of the hunt, but also because I couldn’t afford to have it done if I wanted to, and horror stories about butchers mixing up one guy’s well-cared-for meat with another’s filthy abused meat, are all too common. My favorite prep method for all wild red meat plus bunny, is chicken fried, aka country fried. I never deep fry but use just enough olive oil to lubricate a cast-iron skillet, pound the meat pretty flat, bread it and cook it hot and fast. Yum!

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Custom skinner #11086

Leo — The world is overflowing with gorgeous and well designed hunting knives. How “custom” do you want? For pure serviceability and variety of design choices, check out Helle Knives. This year I skinned and quartered three elk with a Helle, and in no case did I ever have to stop for a serious resharpening, as was always the case with carbon steel and lesser stainless blades — a few quick strokes on a diamond bar, and this maybe twice in the whole operation, and it was ready to go again. While you didn’t ask about design, most experienced skinners I’ve known agree that a drop-point with smaller blade and larger handle is the ticket for maneuverability and torque. Big blades may look sexy but can be clumsy when you try to put them to work. My dos centavos.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Boots for CO Elk Season #10368

Eids — I always wear an insert in my Beans as well, though I can’t recall if they come with the boots or I added them.

Clay — My Schnee rubber boots — Guide Boot I think it’s called — have the same crepe soles as the Beans and they are fine on anything dry. But they’re awful on wet steep slopes. I’ve learned to compensate, and even lug-soled boots tend to fill with mud and effectively have no tread when you need it most, so I see it as a wash. Definitely don’t want to step with Beans on a down aspen trunk or limb with the bark off when it’s black-wet — the interaction is slick as deer guts on the doorknob. Nothing is perfect but I, me, myself, will stick the the Beans as overall best hunting boot I’ve ever owned. You have to experience the quietness yourself to appreciate it — like waterproof, scentproof moccasins. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. 😛

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Squirrels 3 Duncan 1 #7957

Hey Dunc, you gotta watch out for those comfy seats …. ZZZZzzzz … 😛

From the way you’re dressed it’s still a LOT warmer there than here in the Rockies.

I wish we had edible squirrels here, but by my tastes we don’t. On a recent WT hunt in Arkie, I watched lots of gray and giant fox squirrels, so far superior to our little pine varieties here in that they don’t seem to scold so much and they’re great to eat. Along with upland game birds, particularly bobwhites, I really miss not having squirrels here. We can hunt elk only one month a year …

Looks like a good head shot there! Dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: G. Fred Asbell Haversack & Wool Pullover #7807

Thanks for the photo layout and review, Croatoan. I’m with Steve Sr. on buttons — I can’t stand pull-overs in anything but t-shirts and prefer Henleys even there. Just a pain to put on and off in general, no easy access to breast pockets on shirts worn under, and thanks to old injuries it hurts to raise my arms over my head so I save it for when I have to. If Fred or Ron LaClair (Shrew) made similar quality wool shirts with button fronts and lots of big pockets and in natural blend-in patterns, I might be tempted.

And I could never hunt, even small game, without at least a fanny pack so the haversack is of no use to me, though I can see it for black powder guys. You’re a very generous consumer to have a major seam come undone on a new item and try to repair it yourself rather than returning it. I’d return it since manufacturers need to know when their product is flawed and how, in order to correct the problem going forward, which I’m sure Fred would want to do. Just IMHO …

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Arrows by Raulf #62997

Welcome, Barefoot. I can’t help with an ID, but a fair guess is that Raulf is not a pro arrowsmith but just “one of us” who makes his own arrows and signs them. I could be wrong (was once). Dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Different styles of takedowns "lets see them" #62993

I don’t have a picture at hand, but the BowBolt is used by many custom bowyers, including Shrew, and is quite popular with avocational bowyers as well. Only problem is, it’s a bit pricey.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: You know you might be wired different when… #61890

Hiya Hunterbow, and welcome aboard. I love it when an older great (funny is always great) thread like this is discovered in the graveyard and gets new life. 😀

[David Petersen]

in reply to: A REMINDER OF WHY WE HUNT TRADITIONALLY #61212

Well said, Todd. Unfortunately, the modern hunting industry and media are deeply “unenlightened” and spreading that selfish sloppy attitude to clueless wannabees every day. Judging from my own experience and that of others I grew up with, young men are by nature bloodthirsty if not intentionally cruel. Most of us grow out of it. A few never do. Quite a few, it seems. I agree with other posters here that such disgusting cruelty has nothing to do with choice of hunting weapon — I have seen some, thankfully not often, amazingly stupid and ugly behavior and words from people carrying stickbows. But I also believe that trad bowhunters are, in general, a higher cut ethically and spiritually because we already have a mature attitude toward hunting “sucess” and “failure,” as reflected by choosing to carry the weapon least likely to bring home the meat and horns. In short, we tend to be far more secure in ourselves, thus far less likely to become crazed when circumstance creates temptation. IMHO

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