[Charles Ek]

in reply to: What ya got goin'? 2 #132391

At the risk of boring those who have already seen it, I’ll tell the backstory of this bow again.

My dad got me started in archery when I was a kid. We shot field courses together but never hunted. I was never able to draw this 48# bow as a kid before I drifted out of archery.

When he passed away in 1998, the bow and another one of 40# were left for me to take over, as my sisters had no interest in them. The two bows were left unstrung for the next ten years.

I took up rifle hunting in 2006 after many years as a volunteer SAR dog handler (an activity which consumed thousands of hours). In 2008 I looked at the bows and decided to see whether they could be used for hunting. I found some online advice about bringing old bows back to life. After ten years of just looking at them, I was fully ready to accept the risk of breakage in exchange for a chance to shoot them.

One (made of lemonwood) did not survive being drawn the first time despite some gentle coaxing beforehand. The other one (probably hickory) HAMMERED the first target it was pointed at in earnest, and it shoots as sweetly as any bow I’ve held since. It has been shot on a regular basis for the past ten years. That bow made me into the trad bow fanatic I am today.

I’m hoping to kill a deer with it here in Minnesota this year, now that it’s 75 years old. It’s had one chance at a turkey in NH that I muffed, but that’s another story.

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: What ya got goin'? 2 #132389

(Reply deleted to repost as a new comment.)

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: What ya got goin'? 2 #132375

At the end of May, my wife retired, we sold our home in NH and we relocated to Duluth, MN, where I was born. (Couldn’t convince her to move a third time to AK.)

Next Saturday I’m attending a 3D shoot to be held by the Duluth Archery Club. Wish I had someone recording their reactions when I show up to shoot the course with a selfbow made by one of their founders for my father in 1943.  🙂

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Chasing Solitude – moose film #132354

Just read your excellent article in the new issue of TBM. You had me at moose + AK.  🙂

Gotta go now – off to see a man about a DVD.

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Stump Shooting #130412

Most of what I’d say has been covered. I will add that the Bunny Buster rubber blunts from 3Rivers are frequently kinder to my arrows than even the Judo point (which I love otherwise). I’ve stopped using “The Hammer” for anything other than hunting small game because it causes arrow-wrecking ricochets with distressing frequency.

And beware of rocks disguised as mossy logs, says the voice of experience …

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: How Much Straightness Is Needed For Wood Shafts? #130411

After the Surewood shafts arrive, you’ll have more time for shooting, since you won’t be spending any time straightening. Not an exaggeration, and the thing that cured me a few years ago of buying anybody else’s shafts.

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: How Much Straightness Is Needed For Wood Shafts? #130410

“If I can see the bend by looking down the shaft, I get it out.”

This. The rest of the straightening is something you do when EVERYTHING else in your setup has been taken care of and there’s too much snow to go shoot some stumps.

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Good Compass #127580

Just watched the video. It really needs the addition of at least a short reference to the necessity of accounting for declination. I understand he’s got that covered elsewhere, but people may very likely watch this one and not realize that what they don’t know will get them lost.

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Good Compass #127579

“I have used the Silva Ranger for many years. It is used by quite a few Foresters and Surveyors for doing recon work. Very good quality, adjustable, accurate and durable. ”

 

This. Forty-five years in my case, which means the bezel on mine is metal, not plastic.

The sighting mirror is of little use in the East, but the lid surrounding it is worth the extra money.

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Good Compass #127577

(Deleted and reposted properly.)

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Traditional Hunts for Carribou #126870

Nonresidents are currently banned from hunting the Mulchatna herd, after it crashed.

Alaska recently increased the fees for non-resident hunters substantially. They are currently:

Nonresident annual hunting $160.00

Nonresident caribou tag $650.00

There’s a good short summary of the AK caribou opportunities at http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=caribouhunting.opportunities&performsearch=true

And now the warning:
HUNTING IN ALASKA REQUIRES THOROUGH READING AND COMPREHENSION OF THE AK REGS  TO STAY OUT OF JAIL, KEEP YOUR MEAT AND KEEP YOUR LICENSE BACK HOME. IGNORE THEM AT YOUR PERIL.

Here are the regs: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildliferegulations.hunting

You will note that the entire booklet runs to 144 pages … and there’s lots of fine print crammed in there.

 

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Very light bows #126369

Check the state/provincial regulations where you plan to hunt. Some states have no minimum draw weights, some will allow draw weights down to 30 or 35, but here in New Hampshire the minimum is 30 for turkeys, 40 for deer and bear and 50 for moose.

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: What ya got goin'? 2 #126191

“Many campfire stories each night and a side trip to Cedar Mesa. Most of the conversation is unsuitable for posting here–well it did include some brown beverage.”

Now that would have been an occasion to have an audio recorder running! And I’m serious, as well as deeply envious.  🙂

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Club Pond Archers 3D Shoot in NH 6/25/2017 #126188

TTT

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: What ya got goin'? 2 #125719

Deleted by author.

[Author]

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