[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Just a thought (on technology)… #23011

R2,

Wow, great point. I never even thought of the legality of it, or the potential for poaching (stinks to be a law-abiding citizen who doesn’t spent his time trying to find ways to cheat the system 😕 ). Great point though. I was only saying about getting to / from the spot and maybe tracking a downed animal. I knew there would be some folks here who would set me straight 😆 . Have a great new year.

Be well,

Alex

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: I have declared war on the squirrels! #28216

Suggestion:

1) fly paper on the feeder and a bat.

2) take up falconry

3) pepper spray (this is a time you want the wind to your BACK)

All jokes aside, a light bow and super light arrows. An Aar/Pellet gun might be an alternative, if they are that much of a bother and it’s legal out where you are. This is a situation where it helps to hold a few before releasing just to judge what those little buggers are going to do. They make their “living” avoiding all sorts of animals, from below, above, etc, so you have to keep that in mind when you are out there. Oh, I forgot 4…

4) SOFT peanut butter with some fletch-tite mixed in. At least it’ll keep their mouths shut! 😆

Good luck with your problem. Soon as small game opens up around here, I think I actually want to try my hand (bow) at some. Them and rabbits too. Problem is, not too many places to go down by where I live. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: What's your first hunt? #25790

BTW: Etter, are you doing blackbeard this year again? Hope to hear some more about it. Wanted to join in this year, but the moose thing came up. Maybe 2014? Let me know. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: What's your first hunt? #25788

I’ll probably start with the early antlerless archery here which starts mid-September. Probably a quick day trip, or an after-work stop on the way home. Then, a week later I am driving up to Quebec for a semi-guided fishing trip (interrupted mornings and evenings with trying to make a bull moose believe I am a suitable mate 😆 ). Beyond that, just day trips to my buddy’s back yard, some woods near by I have permission to hunt and maybe even scout around for some new areas. Maybe this will be the year. If not, oh well. My son is getting to the age where I will probably start taking him for “walks” in the woods. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: voodoo or what? #25768

Solo One,

I am pretty much in the same boat as you. So for what it’s worth, here’s my $0.02:

1) Recognizing that you are not skilled enough to “ethically hunt with your recurve” at a given distance is probably the most important thing you could do, and you have done it already, so you are ahead of the game (pun intended).

2) Take that same love and respect for the animal/game and ask yourself what “success” is. For me, it’s getting up in the morning. Everything else is just gravy.

3) Even though the suggestions here are from people that have hundreds of times more experience than I do (and I apologize if this is a repeat), I think the number one thing you need to do is to have fun.

I’ve realized over the past year that hunting with traditional equipment is more about hunting than shooting. In a way, I still find myself pining for a .308 with a scope so powerful that you can see into the future with it (especially days when I am in a stand overlooking a field that had 20 deer, the closest at 100 yards). But then I just look at what I could have done to get closer, and next time I try to do that. Might never happen, but the journey will still be well worth it.

While you’re at it, skim over a few foraging articles and books. When I brought home a handful of Morels about a month ago, I really felt like I had taken a buck. I wasn’t even hunting, but still, it was great. Again, in one word: FUN! Have a great time out there. I believe DWC has been at it for 5 or 6 years, and this past season was his first traditional harvest. This was my first year, and I have gotten much closer than I ever thought I would (20 yards from a doe, she was quartering towards me. I needed her to half that distance and turn 45 to 90 degrees before I would have even considered trying a shot. Another was a spike buck at 15 yards. Not legal since it didn’t have enough points, but still). Hope this added to the discussion. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Maximizing my moose mojo #25716

eidsvolling,

Good luck on the draw. If you happen to have any mojo left, send some my way. I could use it in late September. 😆 Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: of wolves and elk – no debate please #11145

Clay Hayes wrote: Troy, I’ll eventually upload it to youtube as well.

Please update when you do. I also cannot view it, but would like to see it. Thanks. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Grizzly hunt! #11143

I may be way off topic here, but I really have no interest in hunting anything I cannot/will not eat. Ergo, bears are not on my “to do” list. I have heard they are not the best table fare. But I also add ‘yotes, fox, lions and wolves to that list, and I know people have some differing ideas about that (especially the latter). Like I said, maybe I’m way off topic. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Day Pack #63486

Steve,

If you’re getting technical, it’s 13.2# 😆 .

Although that seems a pretty big camelback.

I hate to throw a monkey wrench into this, but the original question being “day pack” and “extras”, what exactly are we talking?

By this, I mean, deer or small game? Hot or cold weather? From home or camp? In or out of cellphone range?

I hate to make it harder, but a small knife, extra bow string, some snacks and some 0.5L bottles of water are about all for me.

Why? Because I can make a bandage to stop bleeding, or even a tourniquet, out of just about anything I am wearing, I can use my cell phone to call for help and I can walk to my Jeep for anything else I might need (a heavier jacket, etc).

But again, I am in cellphone range, near my car and pretty much just hanging out in a stand (reading a book).

Now if I was in the “real” country, it would be much different. First, my swiss army knife is always in my pocket, but I would take along something “beefier”. Definitely a water treatment system. No point carrying it when you can make it. GPS, map, and maybe even one of those emergency satellite things that can send a distress signal with your coordinates to S&R if need be via satellite not cell. Emergency blanket (again, hot v. cold, but hot can get real cold real fast), MRE (lasts forever, has about 2000-3000 Kcal), and some signal device (whistle, mirror, etc). This, as well as what was already put out by others, would be it. Again, I thing what is throwing me off (or I am just looking too much into it) is DAY pack and what type of hunt (i.e. hunting in a place like Africa where there are 500 different bugs, snakes and other critters that can kill you with a bite as opposed to hunting 50 yards from a 7-11 like I do in a climate and area where the only animals you fear walk on 2 feet).

OK, that was my $0.02. Hope it helped. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: My first "harvest"… #57539

DWC,

I am still very much a novice so I may not have the best advice here. Look it up on YouTube for some helpful hints. I believe I saw somewhere that they grow on south facing slopes near elms. You can find them near other trees, but they seem to prefer elms. Basically, take a stick and “stalk” them. Move slow and remember what you are looking for. Unlike animals, they do not move, but like animals, they blend pretty well into the background of dry leaves. Also, they are sometimes hidden under the leaves (hence the need for the stick). As is written in a post above, the season is usually the few weeks right after last frost. It’s coming to an end now, but who knows. We’ve had some chilly nights recently. Also, look up false (great) morels versus blondes or greys. They are pretty different, but you should still familiarize yourself. And remember this mantra: when in doubt, throw it out. Hope this helps. Good luck and happy hunting. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: My first "harvest"… #52995

Thanks all. Steve, I was thinking that myself. In upstate NY, it’s still a bit cooler than here. I figured I would just take a walk around and look. Just like up there, I don’t plan to find anything, but if I do, go me! It beats sitting in front of the tube all day (I actually disconnected my cable last month and have no plans of turning it back on).

I cooked the mushrooms into a sauce. Turned out great. Poured it over chicken (since I have no venison in the freezer 😥 ) and enjoyed with the family. Can’t wait until the next “hunt”. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Cottontails! #52119

Great shooting Monk. In PA we have a similar set of rules for crop damage. We even have a “summer” deer season. Only reg is that you have to have a valid PA hunting license. The crop damage deer season (known as the “red tag” program) has rules and dates, but it’s nice to get out that time of year. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: best fletching jig? #46377

I use something like the Martin J-8 Fletching Jig or Bohning Pro-Class Fletching Jig. Mine is plastic, but they come in metal as well. Haven’t had any issues. I use the fletching tape and it works super. Never tried any others. “If it ain’t broke…” Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Getting in shape #45398

Dave,

Just a little fitness advice: remember it’s quaLITY not quaNTITY. 😉

Be well,

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Getting in shape #45394

sinawalli,

I still haven’t found my big boy underpants. What I usually do is check the calenday, if I am free, I say “to heck with it” and sign up. I try to con some friends into it as well. That way, I am pretty much forced to do it, and since I don’t want to look like a complete shlub and get carried off the track, I actually train, though not as much as I should. If I had to pay the day of the race, I would probably never run one. I am missing the Spartan Race this year. I will be away. Maybe next year. Now get out there and train. 😆 Be well.

Alex

😀

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