[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: Northern Mist Silver #37214

That sure is a beauty. Steve was telling me about that bow and how beautiful it turned out. Glad you love it! Good luck with the “last new bow” thing!

Steve builds some excellent bows. Im loving mine and cant wait for my second one to be done!

[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: Hunting Where The Sign Tell You #36078

Thanks guys!

I have the same issue here. We have up to 20 deer a night coming into our back yard where my wife feeds them a gallon or so corn a day. she only feeds them in the winter and loves watching them in the snow. I would never hunt these deer like this. But one has to questions driving 40 minutes to go sit in a tree in the 20 degree temps for hours hoping to see deer when I could just open the sliding door in my boxers and fill the freezer.

Dont think I could ever feel good about doing that and would probably hang up my hunting if i ever wanted to. But its pretty funny when i walk in from hunting, frozen and empty handed, and my wife’s friends are at the house when i get there. They ask did you get anything? I say no didnt see anything. They laugh and say you could of killed 10 deer 10 feet off the back deck earlier! I just smile as i take off my 27 layers of clothes.

[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: 70lb recurve or longbow #28177

Patrick wrote: [quote=Steve Graf]Some folks can handle a bow like that without consequence. Not me.

Nor I. I’m sticking with my 60# bows, but Steve Turay sure can…and does. A well done piece ((by member “jasonsamko”) about Steve and his bows, with pics of him shooting his 102# bow:

http://tbwpodcast.com/steve-turay-of-northern-mist-longbows/

Here is a couple of the groups Steve shot with that 102# bow.

20 yard group is the group with the bow. 15 yard is the 3 arrows in the top bale. He shoots that bow better than i’ve ever seen anyone shoot a bow. on the 20 yard group you notice the arrow that is kicking up. its because he busted the knock off the arrow next to it.

[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: Something to get your blood pumping.. #57199

That was amazing!

[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: Finally—back in the fold #47292

Dave,

Glad to hear you are getting settled in.

Not being able to hunt for this season will keep you from sitting still in one spot in the woods. Now you will have time to scout, get permissions, meet some other hunters around you, etc.

Won’t be long and it will all be normal and feel like home.

[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: Lost Season, Maybe Worse #47266

Don, that sucks pretty bad about the shoulder. I hope it all works out and does heal up right for you.

I have heard to many of these stories and this is the final straw. I’m calling dick and having them make me 2 new longbows in the 50 pound range. I have been shooting 60-75# bows for way to long and not only practice a ton but also shoot between 400-700 arrows a week from April Thru august between practice and bow fishing.

So even though this is a major bummer for you right now. Your situation is the turning point for me and new bows will be ordered Monday. I appreciate you posting this and sharing. Hopefully it will save others from the same problems later. I’m in my 40s and always thought “I have lotsnof time to worry about dropping bow weight”. Nowni realize the damage is being done now.

Thanks again for posting and I wish you the best recovery there can be.

[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: Feeling Weird #47070

I have never used a gun to hunt before but usually hunt the opener with my bow or in stand with my wife while she gun hunts.

This year I decided to take a different direction during the gun season. I’m packing my wall tent, stove and heading to a different state to bow hunt. Leaving tomorrow night, very excited.

[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: Neck Knife #62555

Something worth trying if you want to.

I carry a neck knife every day (have for last 5 years) but I don’t wear it around my neck. mine is a esee izula (about the size of the ones you guys are showing). I put a string thru the sheath like you would wear it tip up around your neck but I made the string shorter and put a loop in it. the string is about 3 inches long. I put the loop thru my belt and let the knife hang tip up/handle down in my front pocket. the string is long enough to let the whole knife down in my pocket but short enough that the knife doesn’t hit the bottom of my pocket. This puts the weight on my belt and I never feel it there. when I want to deploy the knife I hook my thumb behind the string and pull. the knife and sheath come out of my pocket into my hand and I just pull the knife out of the sheath when the handle gets to my hand. to put the knife back in the sheath I just stick the tip into the sheath and then push it against me as it goes into the sheath. very fast, very comfortable, and my favorite way to carry a knife.

[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: Tents #62534

I have a davis canvas wall tent 12×14 with a cylinder stove. Its an amazing tent and great for truck camping. I have also spent quite a few nights in northern Michigan in many other dome, bivy, 2 man, and other tents.

Nothing extreme weather wise like many of you guys have. But cold wet conditions with temps at zero many times.

Im very happy to now have a wall tent. but in the nylon tents I found a hot water bottle in the bottom of your sleeping bag heats you up nicely and the bag keeps the warmth in for a long time. Also the disposable hand warmers work great as well. put 3 of them in your bag and they heat it up nicely as well. either option is a great way to stay warm and beat the condensation factor.

a tip for those of you that have wall tents and are truck camping. Disc-o-bed makes amazing cots that stack like bunk beds giving you double the sleep capacity in your wall tent. I can sleep 4 in my 12×14 tent and have the stove and also a table and chairs area inside and not be cramped. with out the disc-o-beds we are cramped with 3 people and no table area.

The cots are used world wide my many military, relief aids, shelters, scouts, etc. super strong amazing cots and get the xl as they are very roomy and super comfortable.

[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: Tree Saddle #50343

They work great!

I have never used the one you linked but it has a cult following.

I have hunted out of a saddle made for me by my buddy. Its made the same way the trophyline tree saddles were made for so many years.

Easy to hunt out of when you get the hang of it. you shoot by twisting your upper body and your draw arm is between you and the vertical strap that goes up to the top strap on the tree.

Were they excel at:

in trees with out much cover you look like a branch as your body angle mimics a branch.

in small diameter trees you would never think of putting a stand in. since you are close to the tree and don’t have the stand “fulcrum” and you are “hung” from above you but all weight is lower.

in situations where you need to be ultra light and pack able.

in situations where you need to “run and gun” to different stand trees thru out a day.

Ways to make them the most comfortable and get the best use out of:

make sure what ever system you use to stand on wraps around the tree and also has a place level for both feet. examples: if you are using climbing sticks make sure they have a rung on both sides at the top to stand on and also make sure they are an real tube or wide step not a little thin step like the lone wolf sticks. then make sure you use a couple strap on steps at the same level as the top rung and use the strap on steps to be able to pivot around the tree. What i did for this is bought 3 plastic strap on tree steps and combined them on one strap. basically find a system that lets you stand comfortably with out cutting off circulation in your feet and also allows you to pivot around the tree.

Saddles are not cheap and they total system requires some practice and fine tuning. But they are an amazing system in many situations. I still prefer a normal stand 90% of the time. My buddy however, prefers a saddle 90% of the time.

Hope this helps!

[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: Campfire Cooking #34960

I have everything from a stove for the wall tent that i can cook on to wire grills that go over the campfire and about a dozen whisperlite, coleman and other stoves. But my favorite way to cook in camp is what i call a “key hole fire”

Make a normal round hole for your fire them use your shovel, hatchet,etc and cut a notch off that round that is about a foot long and 8 inches wide and about 8-10 inches deep. Then cut a few green (live) sticks to lay across then trench. pull hot coals from the main fire and drag them into the trench and cook right on the green sticks that lay across the trench. Super fast, super easy, no clean up needed, no stoves, grates, etc to carry. This has become my favorite way to cook in camp.

[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: Binos in Forested Areas #34953

Great Topic!

I think of binos in the woods like my wallet in everyday life. always with me.

I would feel lost with out my binos and all i hunt is thick woods. Not only are they good for seeing animals before they see you they are useful for many other things.

Here are a couple I use them for:

scanning oak trees for acorns when scouting.

counting antlers in “restriction areas or minimum point zones”.

checking the ground for blood or my arrow after a hit.

checking scrapes for your tree stand

looking at rubs and and for rub lines without getting to close to them.

when blood trailing I use them to scan ahead for animal or blood.

in low light in dense cover when you hear deer walking but too dark to see them the binos will let you see them (this happens all the time). I also use them to scan the area before I get down to make sure no deer are in the area that I cant see in the fading light.

in the dense woods i dont think glass quality is all that important as we are only using them for a few mins at a time unlike western/mtn hunters. I dont mean that good glass is not worth it (i use 7×30 swarvos and 10×42 swarvos all the time and love them!) But vortex, bushnell, lepold, redfield, etc all make very affordable binos that will serve very well for thick woods. The key is the size. Stick with low power and big objective lenses. think 6-8 power and objective lenses of 30-42. This way you get good light gathering and also wide view. also waterproof and fog proof is a must but again that is available in very affordable binos as well.

Again great topic!

[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: Super fast way to hang a stand #57672

Mike, The only thing that little dog is good for is a house alarm. she is awesome at letting me know if anyone/thing is in the yard. she barks and points by stretching her neck out as far as she can in the direction of the person or critter. Best alarm I have ever had.

Dave and dfudala,

the best way I have found to get around branches or around your stand is to use the safety line that is attached the middle of your back on the harness. when you get to the branch or stand simply hook that safety line above the stand or branch then unhook the lineman belt and rehook above the branch. I don’t climb with out being connected to the tree 100% of the time. That is the best way I have found to get around obstacles.

Dave your points about theft and vandals has always been a big issue in heavily hunted places. Another one people don’t think about that is also really bad is critters. I have had more than one stand left up for the season that has had the strap chewed on by squirrels or other critters and was only holing by a thread. One step and down the stand goes. Lucky I always checked those stands before stepping in and now my stands that stay out all season I convert to a chain just for that reason.

[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: Super fast way to hang a stand #56990

Thanks Dave.

The ascender is about 34.99, I just checked on one today for someone. plus rope and carabiners so its about 55 bucks for a lineman belt like I use. But if you hang stands all the time its well worth it. side note: the dog has peed on my bow before..lol

[jason samkowiak]

in reply to: lineman belts prussic knots and tethers #41752

Grumpy,

Lots of good info thanks for adding all that.

My ropeman has lasted about 9 years and doesn’t even look worn at all. I wonder if you were getting ashphult from the roofs in your line that was eating you ascender up. The rope should not wear down the aluminum.

Only reason I just went to a new ascender is cause I’m greedy and just bought 5 of them so I designated a new one as mine…lol but my old one looks the same as the day I bought it 9 years ago.

Dynamic line is something I know nothing about so I never messed with it. But you can get static line by the foot at a lot of places, I don’t know if you can buy dynamic by the foot.

Thanks again for the info. Nice to hear from people that have climbing gear experience.

[Author]

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