[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Shoulder Shots 2 #46650

Tim, it’s my HOPE that this forum will be an epicenter of the information, and that it will radiate from here. The internet is a powerful tool, and there are tons of websites out there devoted to bowhunting. Many have heard of the information, though far fewer have actually read any of it, and even fewer have actually USED the information in their own hunting.

I think a big help, and I’m already seeing the effects, is for those who have actually USED the information in their own hunting and SEEN the results for themselves will be the ‘shock wave’ radiating out from here. David (Kingwouldbe) – and his exceptionally excellent photos – are a great example of someone who is making a big difference. I already KNOW that the information has to be spread by others than me. I have more than a few detractors; those who, for one reason or another wish to discredit and downplay the Study and its information. When multiple other folks keep posting the results they are seeing when they use a better arrow setup, it DOES have an effect on many who read their postings. It’s not going to change the minds that are totally closed, but there are many reading those postings who are open minded too. It’s those folks that must be reached; one by one. Often they are the folks reading the postings, but not adding a post of their own

I was truly impressed with the reception and acceptance the Study information received when I did the presentations at the PBS meeting and ATA show. We are making progress. I’ve been atop this soapbox for over a quarter century – but that has also made me a target for some.

We have come a long, long ways since I started. At the ATA show I was very impresses how many compound shooters have adopted, and are now using information from the Study. I can well understand why the Study’s information isn’t very popular among some manufacturers of bowhunting equipment, but it’s always amazed me that the most vocal and dogmatic of the nay-saying bowhunters appears to be among the ranks of traditional bowhunters.

I will continue doing what I can, but I think that the word spread by others will make inroads far faster than anything I can ever do.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Shoulder Shots 2 #45364

Patrick’s right about Mugabe, but that’s only a part of it. When I started hunting Africa it was a sea on animals surrounding small islands of people. Africa in now a sea of people surrounding small islands of animals.

There is very, very little of the wild Africa I knew still left. There’s no places left in Africa in which to replicate those experiences and that way of life. Indescrible.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: A Starting Point for EFOC Arrows? #45359

Thanks, Richie. I think the last ones I bought were from Eagle too.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: A Starting Point for EFOC Arrows? #44250

Chad, having that shop closeby is going to make it a lot easier. I generally have to order a full dozen shafts just to get one to test! Fortunately, I can usually find a ‘need’ for the extras, sooner or later.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: A Starting Point for EFOC Arrows? #43115

Richie could be correct too, a 3555 shaft may be the place to start. To a large degree, that will depend on your bow. If you have access to single full-length shafts, try one in each range. That ‘fast starts’ the process.

Also, don’t forget that the process above ‘gets you real close’ (often, in my experience, ‘spot on’) but be sure to double-check this process against conventional bare shaft tuning, by shooting fletched and unfletched shafts to fine-tune to the same point of impact AND double check against the BH you’ll be using; fletched BH vs. unfletched shaft. Properly tuned all will have the same point of impact.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: A Starting Point for EFOC Arrows? #43111

The best starting point is with some carbon shafts. It’s much easier to build/tune an EFOC arrow on carbon shafts than on any other shaft material.

You don’t mention anything about the degree of center shot on your bow, but I’m guessing it doesn’t have much of an arrow shelf cut into the bow. I’d suggest that you start with a light weight carbon shaft, such as a GT Hunter of Ultralite in 55-75 spine. Next get some 100 grain brass inserts and some 125 grain steel broadhead adaptors and some 190 grain glue-on field points. Mount that combination onto ONE full length BARE shaft and see how it shoots. If it shoots ‘weak spine’, begin shortening the shaft (from the shaft’s nock end) in 5mm increments and shooting a number of shots after each cut is made. See if you can get this combination to ‘tune’. i.e.; get the point of impact of your ‘group center’ to be neither right nor left of your aiming point. (Remember, you’re shooting a number of shots after each shortening of the shaft, so make you adjustments based on the center of the group you’ve shot.)

If you get to your minimum arrow length and the bare shaft tuning is still showing weak spine, remember that you still have things you can do to stiffen the shaft’s dynamic spine. First, unless you have no room to do so, you can thicken the arrow plate. This lets a weaker spine tune. Second, you can add an Internal Footing. This shortens the ‘working section’ of the arrow and stiffens the dynamic spine.

If that doesn’t work, then you need to try using a lighter tip weight. Try changing the steel BH adaptor to a lighter one and/or going to a lower weight for the field point.
If, on the other hand, the full length shaft tunes ‘strong spine’ your options are fewer. One is to increase tip weight by using a weight back of the insert. Some inserts accept screw-in, add-on weights. You can also add a short section of 6mm diameter steel or brass rod back of the insert … or any of many other weights you might have available, such as a 6mm diameter rifle bullet or the shank portion of a 6mm diameter bolt – but be sure to keep track of the exact weight of the add-on piece(s).

Another option, when the spine is too strong, would be to cut your arrow shelf deeper into the bow; but not many will want to take that option.

As a last resort you may have to try another shaft, in a different spine range. Also remember that you can change to a shaft IN THE SAME SPINE RANGE that has a larger or smaller outside diameter. This effectively changes the degree of center shot of your bow. Using a smaller diameter shaft (of the same dynamic spine) is like cutting your arrow shelf deeper, it lets a stiffer dynamic spine tune to the bow. Using a larger shaft diameter (of the same dynamic spine) is like building the arrow plate out; it lets a weaker dynamic spine tune properly.

Hope that wasn’t too confusing, and helps a bit.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Shoulder Shots 2 #43078

Sadly I have but few. When The Mugabe government forced me out of Zimbabwe I was given only 24 hours to leave the country. Most of that time was spent at the US Embassy trying to get on a flight on short notice – and be sure I wasen’t detained before I could leave the country (no one had any idea what was occurring at the time, not even the folks at the Embassy). All I got out of Zim with were my rifles (which I was required to remove), my binoculars and one change of clothing. Lost everything; house, car, hunting equipment and gear, data records, and an entire room, stacked floor to cealing, of tanned leather – elephant, hippo, buffalo, zebra, eland, impala, warthog and many, many more – AND almost every photo I had. Also lost hundreds of pounds of horn and a great deal of carved elephant bones, ivory, warthog tusk and many elephant hair bracelets. The living room of my house was a virtual photo gallery, with hundreds of photos tacked to the wall (which all who visited most enjoyed looking at). The few photos I’ve ‘regained’ were ones I had used in articles through the years. Just one more tragedy of Africa’s demise … but at least I have the memories. Those they could not take from me.

I do have a few photos from my youth, and will try to get some of them onto photobucket sometime and post them for you.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Shoulder Shots 2 #42937

I know there are no words, David. Daily I grieve the passing of the Africa I knew.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Texas Hog Hunt Journal #42275

Great photos and footage, Dennis. I really enjoyed watching.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Shoulder Shots 2 #41984

David, reading the feelings into your words of the hunts now past, thought you’d enjoy this. It’s only those of us who’ve hunted what’s gone that can really appreciate it.

Copyright 1997, Dr. Ed Ashby

Thanks for sharing, King!

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: I increased my FOC!!!! #41308

Michael, Yes, a ‘taper’ is good; a ‘reverse taper’ is bad. It’s not so much wanting a taper as it is not wanting anything to step up in size (get larger).

It’s amazing, but even a VERY TINY ‘bump’, or step-up, along the way causes a measurable decrease in average arrow penetration into tissues.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: How much bow and arrow for hogs? #40972

Duncan, that’s “spot on”. Many would be surprise the number of decent size piggies I’ve passed on, just so I could shoot a lovely ‘sandwich sized’ pig from the ‘mob’. (The Aissie folks will all understant ‘mob’; its the catch-all collective term for a bunch of anything. They don’t mess with ‘herds’, ‘sounders’, ‘gaggles’ or nothing like that. Very practical, the Aussies. Brown Snakes are brown; Red Snakes are red and Black Snakes are black. Shame about those Taipans – not sure how that happened, but at least there are Costal Taipans, found along the coast and Inland Taipans found … well, you get the idea!)

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Shoulder Shots 2 #40959

Dave, as usual you are “spot on”. That’s what the Study is all about, giving folks the information to get the most from whatever bow they choose to use, or are forced to use!

Contrary to what many seem to think, there’s nothing anywhere in the Study that says you ‘must’ use this or that setup. The Study give you a whole ‘goody box’ of tools. From among these you can pick and choose. Any of the arrow performancing enhancing factors you add helps your arrow out, and helps turn a few additional ‘potential hits’ into a higher probability of success. The biggest winners are those shooting lower poundage bows and those hunting the larger game, but it offers benefits to every bowhunter. All you have to do is open the ‘goody box’ and start playing with all the great toys inside!

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Shoulder Shots 2 #40784

Point well made, Steve. I am one of those who does shot a heavier bow better. That is because of a congenital bone deformity in my hand that makes a clean finger release impossible. I can’t voluntarily straighten the ring finger on my right hand. A bow with a heavy holding weight rips the string from that finger. With a lighter bow that finger lingers on the string long after I’ve voluntarily released the other 2 fingers.

I think your estimation between bow performance/efficienty underestimats the degree of the spread! At least for some bows. I’ve tested a 64 pound ACS-CX that gave the EXACT same velocity, with the same arrow, as I can get from my 82# straight end longbow. That’s an 18# difference in draw weight. (Watch the upcoming Parts 4 and 5 of the Updates).

All that notwithstanding, if one can handle more bow weight I would encourage them to do so. I’m a beliver that bows are a short range weapon. More than accuracy comes into the make-up of a good hunting bow. Ease of use and the ability get off a reasonable accurate (‘close enough to kill’ shot) rapidly is a big factor for me too. So is having a bow of light physical weight. Just as for hunting rifles, you carry a hunting bow a lot and shoot it (at game) only a little. Much as with my big .500 double rifle that I used as a back-up gun when guiding in Africa, I want something fast, totally reliable and accurate enough for the job at hand. A heavy, scoped long range rifle is far more accurate than mu double rifle, but such a gun is decidedly NOT what one wants for a close range back up gun! It’s not the right tool for the job.

I should add that most of my bowhunting has been stalking, not from stands. I rarely have a need to hold at full draw for a long, long time … though I do practice holding up to 30 seconds before aiming and taking a shot. Many of the shots I take are close and quick, having to draw, aim and release while the ‘time is right’; animal momentarily looking away or distracted. My average kill distance (over those last 627 animal, is less than 15 yards (14.97 yards, to be exact). I don’t need pinpoint accuracy at those ranges.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Custom building a 2 piece stainless steel broadhead #40587

Thanks, Hiram. I’m getting better. I HOPE I can recover enough for another buffalo trip sometime this year. In the meantime I still have a lot of data analysis and writing to do from the 2008 testing. I’ve only released Parts 1 and 2 so far, but 3 and 4 are under ‘review and comment’ from a trusted source (I like to have someone go over them and ask questions about areas that are not clear to them, so I can address area that I though would be clear – or self evident – to most). I’m got Parts 5 and 6 pretty well ready for that review, and am working on 7.

The volumn of data has reached the point that it’s becoming easier to draw clear conclusions on many aspects of the Study, so many areas are gitting revisited to solidify the results. Not sure yet how many parts there will be to the 2008 Updates, but there will be a fair amount of ‘new reading’ by the time it’s finished.

Ed

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