[Don Thomas]

in reply to: Paul Brunner's article in the latest TB. #25941

Yes, it was good to hear from the Dwarf again. As Robin notes, he is spending a lot of time in New Zealand. I have encouraged him to submit more material to the magazine. Don

[Don Thomas]

in reply to: Bug Juice? #15292

Medical studies on mosquito-borne illnesses pretty consistently show that nothing works better than DEET for topical application. People keep trying to find something bad about it but that has been hard to do, although most authorities recommend against it’s use in young children. If you really are sweating it off, the problem likely lies with the formulation rather than the DEET itself, so you might try switching brands. Thermacells do work well–as long as you are staying in one place. All I can say for sure from a medical perspective is that with the dramatic increase in serious mosquitoe-borne illnesses (think West Nile, zika, chikungaya, dengue) we had all best have a plan in place. It is only a matter of time until they get wherever we hunt. Don

[Don Thomas]

in reply to: I have a dilemma #28574

Call the warden. Everyone’s legs hurt when they get older, including mine. You keep going, or you go somewhere else. Don’t feel guilty. Don

[Don Thomas]

in reply to: Mountain Cuisine? #14815

Good discussion. These considerations really become important on long backpack hunts of ten days or more. I’ve learned a lot about the subject over the years. It really helps to live off the land as much as possible. In Alaska, chances are that at least your base camp will be near a stream with fish. A few ounces worth of line and fish hooks can easily turn into pounds of protein every day. Same principle applies to grouse, ptarmigan, berries etc. However, I never count on anything but what I carry in. Today’s freeze dried meals are pretty good, but they just don’t pack the calories you need for hunting sheep, goats, and the like. A little hard salami, cheese, or hard chocolate will add a few pounds going in, but will make a huge difference in your ability to hunt hard. Ration it carefully, and no cheating! Don

[Don Thomas]

in reply to: Litter Bugs #8717

Paleoman–There is a difference between litter and junk! Nobody ever throws anything away in Alaska. You never know when you might need the gear from a wrecked 1958 Super Cub. The best you can hope for is that the piles stay in the owners’ yards. Don

[Don Thomas]

in reply to: Apr/MayTBM editorial #8703

Lori and I spent yesterday photographing a youth hunt sponsored by the Southern Arizona chapter of Quail Forever. Kids and parents hiking through the desert, playing with bird dogs, shooting shotguns and even learning how to cast a fly rod. Nary a smart phone in sight. There is hope. Don

[Don Thomas]

in reply to: Litter Bugs #33813

It is definitely not a southern thing. When I moved to Alaska in 1980 I was utterly appalled by the amount of trash along the road south from Anchorage to my new home on the Kenai Peninsula. I’d never seen anything like it. Fortunately this has improved, as wiser heads began to realize the impact this could have on the tourist trade, which is a big deal up north. People don’t go to Alaska to see beer bottles piled up beside the road. Lori and I still routinely pick up litter wherever we go, particularly off-road. But that isn’t enough. Peer pressure is the only longterm solution to the problem. I apply it whenever I can. Don

[Don Thomas]

in reply to: Open stance or conventional ? #17600

Good discussion. Rather than working to find your best archery style, I’d suggest letting your best archery style find you. That’s what I had to do when I started shooting, since there weren’t any videos and I had no adult mentors. AS I grew more serous as an adult I read, listened, and tried various shooting style options, but always came back to shooting pretty much the way I did when I was six years old. I favor a closed stance. Each arm produces a force vector, the bow arm’s pointing out and the drawing hand’s pointing back. The more perfectly aligned they are in opposition, the less lateral correction will be required at full draw, and the more those superimposed vectors line up over the arrow, the truer the shot will fly. A closed stance supports these principles. I can’t claim I was thinking about vectors when I was a kid shooting at frogs and squirrels. Don

[Don Thomas]

in reply to: Your most memorable misses…. #54680

Actually Steve, “literary license” is just an elegant way of saying “a lie.” Don

[Don Thomas]

in reply to: Your most memorable misses…. #10013

I’d love to add to the campfire discussion, but as everyone knows writers never miss. Don

[Don Thomas]

in reply to: Jerry Hill #53078

Mr. Hill is certainly welcome to submit material for consideration by following the steps Jason outlined. Like most magazines, we don’t actively solicit material from writers who have not submitted material to us previously. Don

[Don Thomas]

in reply to: I draw the line way, way before helicopters #12937

Fallguy raises a very interesting point. In my part of Montana, two fabulously wealthy out-of-state brothers have amassed nearly 300,000 acres of prime game habitat and aggressively barred the public. Included within lies 4,000 landlocked acres of BLM containing a great elk herd that offers terrific archery opportunities. Some hunters have been using a local helicopter service to access the area during bow season. I’m not interested personally–too much of my hunting ethic evolved in Alaska where that would be illegal, and I could get a Cub in there anyway (if I hadn’t sold mine to build my ex-wife a barn for her horses, but that’s another story). However, I say more power to those who are doing it–and flying their dead elk out right over the top of the landowners’ trophy hunting lodge. Don

[Don Thomas]

in reply to: I draw the line way, way before helicopters #17567

This is an interesting discussion, and we are certainly taking everyone’s concerns seriously. In Alaska, where I spent much of my hunting career, it is just plain illegal to use a helicopter in any way during a hunt, or to support a hunt in any way. That regulation was necessary to keep wild Alaska wild, and I don’t know anyone there who quarrels with it. In New Zealand, on the other hand, helicopters are a way of life. Because of the terrain and topography in much of the country, it is simply impossible to land a fix winged aircraft anywhere nearby, including ambitious hiking distance. Those who have been to the New Zealand southern Alps will know what I mean. Are they abused during some hunting situations? You bet. Is every hunt that includes a helicopter unethical? No, in my opinion. You would be unable to reach half the country even if you were willing to die trying. This is one of those situations in which one size does not fit all ethically. However, personally I could do without the helicopter in the ad. Don

[Don Thomas]

in reply to: How do you keep warm? #50994

Lots of good ideas here. We’re really talking about two related but distinct problems: 1. Keeping your core temperature up to prevent hypothermia and 2. Keeping your hands, feet, and head warm enough so that you can function. I do a lot of sub-zero hunting, and find that cold hands and feet almost always drive me inside before anything else. For my feet, I start with a synthetic wicking base layer sock, top that with a loose, heavy wool sock and follow that with a felt liner inside a high quality pac boot. I really need to feel my fingers to shoot. For my string hand, I push the fingers of my shooting glove through the middle three fingers of a medium weight “fingerless” wool glove. I don’t like wool for my bow hand because it slips on the riser, and bulky gloves can push the arrow shaft out of place. So, I just use a light leather glove and keep it in the pocket of my heavy outer woolens. Individual tolerance to cold hands and feet varies considerably, and this isn’t enough for some people, but it works for me. If it doesn’t, it’s too cold to be hunting. Don

[Don Thomas]

in reply to: Only sissies like Don Thomas use two ski poles when hunting #61375

That’s eastern Norwegian. I only speak the North Dakota dialect. Don

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