[William Warren]

in reply to: Awesome Fly fishing video! #33319

Wow! that was a good clip! Some amazing fish too!

[William Warren]

in reply to: Trad Bows #33316

Bow-Cephus wrote: Just curious but how long has everyone been making bows and what kind do you make?

Bow,
I enjoy making selfbows from the local hickory. I’ve been making them since 1999. I’ve been shooting traditional since about 1967 at age 12 when I got a Shakespeare solid glass target bow.
Duncan

[William Warren]

in reply to: Group sizes? #33305

I’ve never been a really good bowshot, so there is no danger that I will go professional anytime soon. As with anything, the more we do something the more we learn and the better we get at it. I definitely shoot better when I practice often. You should get to point where hitting where you are looking is like walking or breathing. I can only get there with lots of practice. So keep slingin’ ’em.

[William Warren]

in reply to: Cold Hands #32200

Greatreearcher wrote: Hmm alot of you like those flip top mittens!?!? I used them once, back when I first started hunting, and had the coldest hands of my life. Probably the most painful cold ever. HAvent touched them since. BUT in those pictures from snuffornot, they looked a little thicker than mine? So I might have to get some. Might help me to operate the camera better in thsoe freezing cold days. Seems we are in a period of warming though, when I had that terrible experience the highs were in the teens that day, and dad took us to the coldest place in our area.

When it is too warm for my thick glove with the three fingers cut out, I do what patrick does but I dont have that muff thing that goes on your belt. I just have either a hoody or a pocket that I stick my glove hand in.

GTA,
My mitts are tight woven wool with a second inner wool lining. If there is any doubt, I used the green ones on a duck hunt where the daytime high was 5 degrees Farenheit. Needless to say the duck pond was freezing all around us but the mitts kept my hands toasty. The green ones are probably 25+ years old.
Duncan

[William Warren]

in reply to: Five Favorite Non-Hunting Books #32156

Aw heck! I have to add one more…a fun one.

The Jungle Book – Kipling

-Night Song in the Jungle-
Now Chil the Kite brings home the night
That Mang the Bat sets free –
The herds are shut in byre and hut,
For loosed till dawn are we.
This is the hour of pride and power,
Talon and tush and claw.
Oh, hear the call! – Good hunting all
That keep the Jungle Law!

[William Warren]

in reply to: Help with Tip of the Week #32144

I have to ask if the tips are intended for beginners or old pros, or both? I can see how some of the things I’ve recently posted, in response to questions posted, might make some of the old pros here roll their eyes. But what is useless to one person might really be something useful to another. I think some of the best tips have come from the questions asked on the forum. Maybe the “tip of the month” could be taken from the forum itself? Just my 2 cents.

[William Warren]

in reply to: New Bow…but not THE bow… #30729

[quote=steve graf]
I may take you up on the tree bark cloth. I looked around and none of the new camo’s really would look as good as the tree bark camo in my opinion.

Maybe we can work a trade after I get the snakeskin fabric. If it works out and you like the looks of the bow when it is done.

That sounds like a fair plan!

[William Warren]

in reply to: WHICK WOOD WOULD YOU US #30053

Buckhorn73 wrote: Shoot01:
You are asking the same questions I asked when my interest leaned to building one of my own. To date, I have completed a white oak longbow ( broke in three pieces first drawing ), two black locust flatbow design ( wood developed hinges – failed) and I now have an ironwood shaped, but, not completed and a whole pile of hickory staves. The hickory seems strong, nice grain and easy to work and the ironwood, well, it works like iron – tough and really needs sharp tools to bring it down. Conclusion to date: Will be working on a hickory self bow, leaving it long and trying for that first successful flight from an arrow.

Buckhorn,

I had the same results with oak and ash. I have heard that locust is a good wood if you can find the right stave and the hinging problem is typical. Hickory is very forgiving and most likely to give success. It can develop some string follow though over time. I found that the longer I let it air dry the less string follow it will develop. I’ve even had some good shooters that were not exactly straight.
Just my 2 cents, Duncan

[William Warren]

in reply to: Chasing Whitetails in the season's first snowfall! #30042

Beautiful! We only rarely get that opportunity down here. Got a 6 point once with the muzzleloader in about that much snowfall. The only one I have ever taken in snow. Easiest blood trailing ever. By lunchtime the snow was gone, being in November that made it an even rarer event.

[William Warren]

in reply to: Tail cams?? #29933

I’ve never used them. I probably would not spend the money on them. Besides once I have identified a prime hunting spot, the next time I enter it will be to hunt not check a cam. Checking cams and filling bait stations increases the liklihood that game will pick up your scent. Ever wonder why most trail cam pics of big bucks are are at night? I’m just sayin’. 😀

[William Warren]

in reply to: New Bow…but not THE bow… #29852

Steve,

That is beautiful work! I can’t wait to see it finished. If you ever want to try some of that tree bark cloth just give me a shout, I have some extra. I am interested in that snake skin material. I bet that will look good.

Duncan

PS – I was not happy about all the rain either but we need it. It was messy the week of Thanksgiving too while I was off work.

[William Warren]

in reply to: Cold Hands #29835

Danny,

I know it gets alot colder where you are but I have used my wool mittens in freezing Illinois weather and I would not go out without them in winter. They are a tight woven wool with a very fine wool liner and a leather and velcro slot in the palm. They used to be very common in department stores that had a sporting section but have become harder to find in the South these days. However if you ever find them they will last a lifetime. They used to come in green or orange, but more recently I have seen them in camo.
I use a finger tab and just keep it inside the mit until ready to shoot. The velcro on my string hand is worn and does not hinder my fingers from coming out. When it was new I would just fold it under so the velcro would not engage.

OK, I finally remembered the brand name of these wool shooting mits – Duxbak – Maybe they still offer them.

[William Warren]

in reply to: Where is Steve Sr. #28952

Have not seen Hiram posting either. Hope they are OK.

[William Warren]

in reply to: WHICK WOOD WOULD YOU US #28948

StandingBear wrote: This is just a question but what type of equipment do you need to build a bow. I think I would like to give this a try. When talking with elders in the sub acrtic region of Canada, they remember seeing their elders using white spruce branches, the really big ones that had dried at the base of the tree.

SB

Standing Bear,
I use only hand tools. Here is a list in the order I use them.

Hand Saw – to cut the stave to length

Hatchet – to reduce the stave to a rough shape.

12″ Draw Knife – to shape the bow and handle area

Spoke Shaves – to to continue shaping but takes off less material

4 Way Rasp – final basic shaping

Cabinet Scrapers – This will remove tool marks and do fine wood removal while tillering

1/8″ round file – cut the string knocks

Sandpaper of various grits – depends on how smooth you want it.
Duncan

[William Warren]

in reply to: Winter's harvest #28940

Congratulations! Glad you had a great day out after chickens!

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