[jmsmithy]

in reply to: Harvest is not a 4-letter word. #17662

I am continuing as I really HATE how I get kicked out then can’t navigate inside the “typing window”!!!!! 👿

ANYWAY…..

….scads of African animals etc etc.

Those animals were not harvested. They were killed. I too have started to use “taken” ” harvested” etc in place of killed. Why? I assume a bow to politically correct bs. I’ve always been one who believes the worst thing we can do is give the anti whackos (the animal rights folks) ammo to use against us and our culture. That is so driven home by today’s Outdoor Media. They do a huge disservice, most, not all, that I don’t even think they realize – maybe I’m being naive here. I’ve always had an uneasy feeling about some of the shows on these channels. In Heartsblood DP beautifully sums up that uneasiness. In the most recent publication of a national hunting club they praise so-called ” comedic ” programming in the “outdoor genre of reality tv”. Now the program they mention specifically I find unwatchable on multiple levels. It’s just crap. However the crap is only part of it. The buffoonery of it’s characters is the EXACT Elmer Fudd-like caricature of hunters that feeds the most horrific untruths about all of us. And these fools think it’s entertaining!?!

When the moment of truth comes, or the moment where the live/death decision is made an amazing transformation overtakes my very being. I become a predator. I feel like I’m one in a long line of predators through the eons who, keenly, systematically and with cunning and definitive action take the life before me. Countless times over the years that feeling, that transformation has overtaken me and the hold is palpable and permanent. That being said, I have never, not once, not felt a tinge of remorse, even a tear of sadness, kneeling over my fallen prey, stroking it’s coat, my nostrils filling with the unmistakable scent of a rutting buck, a foraging bear, the honey scent of a springbok”s raised back hairs in it’s spiritual departure of the savannah. My connection is firmly made with those before us, 1000’s of years of wild humanity.

I’ve not harvested anything. I’ve killed it, I’ve hunted it. Taken? Yes. I’ve taken it’s life.

Ad I’ll continue to do so, as my family before me and my sons with and long after me, hopefully with their sons and daughters.

I guess we all need to understand how and why we do what we do. We all need to cherish and protect this “thing of ours”. To me that is the ultimate goal. I’ll always feel remorse along with the love I have for my prey. And hope and pray my fellow hunters will do the same.

Be well all. >>>–>

John

[jmsmithy]

in reply to: Harvest is not a 4-letter word. #17641

Wow:!:

WOW:!:

My new friend D. Petersen, enlightened me to:

“…to sum up, one does not hunt in order to kill; on the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted. ” – Jose’ Ortega Y Gasset in “Heartsblood” DP, pg 34.

I have taken to Dave’s works (articles/interviews/posts-and most recently the above & “Racks” ) after first reading posts here. I must say, I am now questioning my entire

hunting/outdoors beliefs, personal ethos etc -ALL for the
good mind you! Including my long standing
membership/participations in the very organizations I sign
off each post with. I believe in the, or what I believe (
HOPE :?:) )to be the over-arching missions of all these and
other orgs. I love the wild. I love the game ( literally,
figuratively, euphemistically however you’d like to take
it). All the animals. Those I pursue and those I don’t. I
want to protect them, the wild places in which they live. I
want to protect us, collectively, legal ethical hunters, no
matter their weapon of choice.

There are members of these organizations that do things that I personally find morally and ethically reprehensible. I like to ( need to?) think of them as the bad apples that, hopefully God willing, don’t spoil the whole bunch. Some of these things are condoned, even encouraged by those in these organizations ( specifically game “ranches”). I myself have been to one or two of these places with a specific goal in hand. I specifically ( on 3 occasions) have gone to SHOOT/KILL (NOT HUNT:!:) boar with the specific intent of testing broadhead/pistol load on a live, tough animal. All meat butchered for my family and friends. I killed those animals. I’ve been a hunter since I first walked the pheasant thickets w my dad at 6 years old (44 in few weeks). I’ve killed scores of deer, bear,upland birds, turkey (continued next post)

[jmsmithy]

in reply to: Arrows change, yet POI stays same? #15450

Doc…quite a process but think I’m getting it. I don’t have any full shaft MFX but will be picking some up hopefully next week. I think I’ve got it after having read your post and OL’s info few times…

Don’t know if you saw another post of mine but we’ve been thrown for a quite a loop here in Morris County NJ…Never had as much as a water drop in our basement, fully finished, gun room, archery room, fly tying bench, hardwood floors etc the works…all destroyed by the swimming pool we woke up to Sunday morning. Insurance company just left today (Aug 31)…looking at approx 50k in damage….
I guess the good news is we didn’t go up to ADK’s as planned for the week…and , in the grand scheme of what happened in this area, we really are lucky…my wife, kids and dog are all fine and compared to a lot of folks, are damage is minimal…two homes inour town actually lifted from their foundations and floated away…total losses.

Hopefully next week we can get back to normal, start shooting again etc…should be about month-6 weeks to rebuild, pending insurance $$ etc (I’m my agent actually). Deer Season here in NJ starts next Sat (10th), at least I can find my “happy place” again!

Be well my friend, you and your family, Hug and kiss them, look around your home and smile! >>>–> J 😀

[jmsmithy]

in reply to: My New Bumper Sticker #15438

Awesome…I want them both! 😆

[jmsmithy]

in reply to: Storm and Hurricane damage #15106

Insurance company just left, pushing $50k in damage. Thank GOD it appears we’re covered…:D

A lot of folks aren’t though. Thank you all for prayers and well wishes. Certainly means a lot. Good to know that those of us in this Trad world understand humanity, suffering as well as happiness….thks again folks…we’ll get through this, hope other families fair as well as we have.

Material things can be replaced, I’ve seen / heard reports all over NY/NJ of folks (including children) electrocuted from all the fallen lines, people pinned under trees…In our town two homes actually rose off the foundations and floated away..

We were blessed, no one hurt, again, material things can be replaced.

Thx again to all out there. Be well you and your families…
>>>–>
J:D

[jmsmithy]

in reply to: Storm and Hurricane damage #14037

Restoration company finally here…we up to 35-40K in damage…:shock::x

Please deer season…get here…:!:

[jmsmithy]

in reply to: Looking for MORE ABS Ashby Broadheads #13919

Thanks guys…response was great…Think 14 should keep me for awhile!!!

[jmsmithy]

in reply to: Storm and Hurricane damage #13918

Here in Morris COunty NJ I didn’t think it would be a big deal..Family and I supposed to got our place in Adirondacks for 10 days, get ready for deer / bear season. Play with fields/blinds/stands/food plots etc…out on canoe…

Mrs..felt more comfortable if we stayed in NJ until storm blew over…I poo poo’d but want make her happy so we stayed…woke up to over foot of water in basement…carpets/electronics/hardwood floors…all destroyed.:(..15-20k in damage which may not be covered (flood never covered on home policy – I’m my own insurance agent!:shock:)…luckily all my bows and arrows were hung/slung on walls…

This was an unbeliveable storm, much like Katrina, the big issue was the aftermath, not the storm itself..Prayers to all folks effected…compared to a lot of people, our issue is a minor one by the grace of God.

NJ archery season starts Sept 10 and ADK bear Sept 17…boy do I need to hit the woods…

[jmsmithy]

in reply to: Please Carry You Camera – Photos Needed #9337

Now that had me LMAO. 😆

[jmsmithy]

in reply to: Please Carry You Camera – Photos Needed #9287

Will do Doc…I’m actually psyched to get involved in some small way w any of your research…looking forward to hopefully sending you some good shots….can’t be too good for meat recovery 😀

[jmsmithy]

in reply to: Please Carry You Camera – Photos Needed #9203

No worries Doc,

Do the forms you listed include what type/where the shots should be taken from (angles etc)? Assume I should take as many as possible and then sort them out. This will be my first year with Ashby single bevel bheads. I’m usually good for at least couple whitetails, maybe a bear in given year. No other trips this year :(…No $$$!

[jmsmithy]

in reply to: Hippo with a long bow #9137

Bvalette wrote: [quote=jmsmithy]Yeah Brett it’s amazing the killing power of a well placed broadhead as well as the enormity and power of some of God’s critters. I’ve taken No American Bison in So Dakotah and Eland in So Africa. The size of those critters is astounding. Hunted, but couldn’t place a clean arrow, on Brown Bear. They too, huge and Dangerous – esp at 18 yards.
Looking to head back to Africa for Zim trip in 2014-15. Hope for Leopard and Buff and possibly a Hippo. Love to do with a bow and you’ve given me hope. I’m in ok shape, fairly strong for 43 going on 44 and shooting bows all my life. Currently shoot 50#@28″ Widow for deer, black bear etc w Ashby head. I go plan on kicking up to 60-65 lb for upcoming elk/moose trips. I guess keep working and I can get upto that 85-90lb range needed (legally as well I believe ) for those bigger Dark Continent critters…

I’m 53…I’ve got ten years on ya! All it takes is determination to get up to that poundage…the up side is that it makes pulling your deer or elk bow so easy..the down side is that I don’t use the bow for anything else. It’s really a specialty bow. But Zach Ferguson made it beautiful and it is smooth, no shock and fun to shoot.
BV

Yes Brett…that determination issue is one at the heart of our passion here. The determination to shoot well, kill ethically etc…It’s a theme that, IMHO anyway, would do well to get passed on to younger generations. That’s why so important to get the young ones in our sport…sooner not later.

Proud to say my 12 yr olds been hunting since they were 7, shooting guns since 5 and bows since 6. My one guy shoots both compound and now got custom Allegheny Mt. Longbow for his 12th birthday!

I’ll be looking to order some heavy weight limbs in the future for my Widow PMA…

Awesome, simply awesome :!::D

[jmsmithy]

in reply to: Keep Your Cooler, Cooler! #8627

Thought it kind of strange reading that post too. Don’t know who or what Bowshooter is but I did get that tip from TBM tips email and thought it was so good I’ve used it and plan on using it for an upcoming fly-in hunt deep in the Adirondacks this October…

And yes Robin, would be nice if they credited you for the info…:roll:

[jmsmithy]

in reply to: Hippo with a long bow #8609

Yeah Brett it’s amazing the killing power of a well placed broadhead as well as the enormity and power of some of God’s critters. I’ve taken No American Bison in So Dakotah and Eland in So Africa. The size of those critters is astounding. Hunted, but couldn’t place a clean arrow, on Brown Bear. They too, huge and Dangerous – esp at 18 yards.
Looking to head back to Africa for Zim trip in 2014-15. Hope for Leopard and Buff and possibly a Hippo. Love to do with a bow and you’ve given me hope. I’m in ok shape, fairly strong for 43 going on 44 and shooting bows all my life. Currently shoot 50#@28″ Widow for deer, black bear etc w Ashby head. I go plan on kicking up to 60-65 lb for upcoming elk/moose trips. I guess keep working and I can get upto that 85-90lb range needed (legally as well I believe ) for those bigger Dark Continent critters…

[jmsmithy]

in reply to: Arrows change, yet POI stays same? #8593

You know Doc, I’ve been shooting 29.5″ inch shafts (both MFX and ABS). They do appear in flight to be nock left too at times. When I started this Traditional addiction/affliction/obsession, I paid a visit to a very well known archery company in Lancaster, PA 😉 who suggested I might want to shoot full length shafts..Is that what I should be doing?
When I change brace height, what is that actually doing to bow? As I increase the brace height, thereby bringing tips closer together, it shortens power stroke I assume…Is that hurting the “power” of the bow? would a higher brace height help or hurt me?
What happened to the beautiful “simplicity” of traditional archery:P:?:
Thanks as always…J

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