[lyagooshka]

in reply to: back from SA photo safari #22220

I’d say “bet you wish you brought your bow”, but it looks like it just would have gotten in the way. Awesome! Thanks for sharing. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Magic Beans!?! #22130

David Petersen wrote: If I lived in an area that offered no real hunting ops but only “preserves,” I would spend the “preserve fees” toward a trip to someplace where I could hunt fair chase …

Dave, that would mean focusing on the hunt, not the kill. How many are really prepared to do that? As of a few years ago when I started hunting, I was not. My idea of a hunt was 30 minutes in the field and I would already have my 250 class 10 pointer. And that’s with commercials. After my first year, I knew only one thing. I hated killing. If I was going to do that, the animal was going to have every chance it would out in the wild with no humans around, only natural predators. So far, it worked. I’m 0 for many. But I honestly have never had a better time HUNTING.

I do have to respectfully disagree about racks relating to ability. In a pen, no, but in fair chase, I believe it does. I hunt to fill a freezer, but those who appreciate the trophy, a huge rack means one thing. It means that you got closer to that animal than any other hunter or predator. You succeeded where others did not. That goes to ability. The animal didn’t grow that rack being less than extremely careful. I’m guessing that’s why it’s used as record keeping as opposed to age or body mass (it’s also easier I guess). But again, that’s IMHO and that applies to FAIR CHASE. Be well.

Alex

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[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Success or not #22106

Well, I guess with this post it’s time to change my signature. My $0.02 on this is my prior signature. I found it on a bottle of Jägermeister and liked it (the quote not the Jägermeister, that gives me major issues). Now I think it’s a fitting reply.

Das ist des Jägers Ehrenschild,

Daß er beschützt und hegt sein Wild,

Waidmännisch jagt, wie sich’s gehört,

Den Schöpfer im Geschöpfe ehrt! – Oskar von Riesenthal

Roughly translated:

It is the hunter’s honour that he

Protects and preserves his game,

Hunts sportsmanlike, honours the

Creator in His creatures! – Oskar von Riesenthal

My guess is that if everyone did that (keeping spirituality personal, as each individual sees it), we wouldn’t even be having this discussion.

Be well.

Alex

😕

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Blackbeard Bound! #22080

Good luck! Shoot straight and be safe! Gonna be waiting for pictures/stories! Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Magic Beans!?! #20383

Duncan, I had a post a while back about “preserve” hunting. This was one of my argumants. If I really want a “wall-hanger”, why not “harvest” one? It was just to start conversation, really, as I know “why not”, but it makes for an iteresting point. To be honest, though, I don’t see what people see in 400″ racks. The ones they show look pretty un-appealing to me. I am sure the look good enough for someone else to spend upwards of $10K, but not for me. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Gun Season is over…. #20320

Roger,

While your rifle season draws to a close, ours here in PA is just opening. I am going out tomorrow to see if I can capitalize on it. I am going to hunt a buddy’s property. It’s small and pretty well developed, but it has a little patch of woods that seems to hold deer. I am hoping the rifle hunters push them towards me and that one offers me a shot. The spot is too close to homes to hunt with a rifle, but far enough to hunt with a bow. Good luck on getting the trophy. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Small game points? #16089

Aaron,

I figured the pros would be able to guide you much better than I could. I remember reading somewhere about making a small-game point out of a hex nut, a spring and some other stuff. I forget the basics (it could have been TBM, but don’t quote me) but the idea was to limit shock on the shafts on misses or hard hits. Beyond that, what you are thinking sounds do-able. Like Dave said, “if you enjoy doing it…” Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Small game points? #15665

Aaron,

I am by no means a pro at this, but I believe a 40# bow shooting blunts is more than enough for small game (fur not feathers, birds are a bit different). I will probably get yelled at for this, but I think this is one situation where you can forget about weight and FOC and just get a really light arrow that shoots fast and accurate. Reasoning is, unlike a deer that requires penetration, here (as you stated about the judos and blunts) it is more of the shock that kills. I have heard of people killing squirrels and rabbits with thrown stones. Again, I am no expert by any means. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: When You Were A Kid With A Bow….. #9914

I had some toy. You know the one, the 10# pull, plastic rest, plastic coated string, came with 2 fiberglass arrows with plastic vanes and dull aluminum point. Shot that thing up in the air too many times. I’m guessing that’s why it came with such dull points. One thing that I vividly remember is roaming the woods with it and finding an old discarded beer bottle. This is one of the things that have intrigued me about archery for years, and even though it took me 30 years, it’s one of the things that really got me into it. I put the bottle on a stump. I stood about 10 feet away and started hurling arrows at it. I wised often. Then (by luck since I had zero skill) the arrow hit the bottle. I was only trying to knock it off the stump, but darn-it if it didn’t shatter the bottle. Again, this was one of those setups that was just shy of having suction cups on it. I couldn’t believe it. I figured that either the bottles were real weak, or bows could really do some damage. I was walking around like I was Robin Hood for weeks. Other than that (and a few holes in the siding and a broke window from missing the siding, and shooting at any living thing crawling of flying in the tree in our back yard {the only think separating us from our neighbors was that tree, and the branches were spread far}) not much. Be well.

Alex

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[lyagooshka]

in reply to: My new longbow #8719

Beautiful work. Gorgeous bows.

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Public Land hunting ethics #8712

Dave, I know you want to put this to rest, and I am by no means trying to poke the skunk here, but your statement of “I must disagree that baiting bears, and shooting treed lions, is necessary for management, that is, predator population control” sounds a bit off to me. My example is New Jersey and bears, whereas Etter1’s is California and lions. In both places, when hunters were not allowed to legally and ethically hunt those animals, people quickly realized that livestock, pets, people are all on the menu, and overpopulation leads to nastiness. I do not hunt predators. It is a personal choice. I do not mind the “competition”. I heard someone say that in one of these forums, and I couldn’t agree more. But in cases of bear and lion, it almost becomes self-defense in some cases. Almost, but still. So we allow hunting, but limit it so severely that the animals (who are by no means dumb) simply become nocturnal to avoid the two-legged nuisance. Then, the antis use the lack of decrease in vehicle collisions, attacks on humans, pets and livestock, etc as “proof” that hunting does not work. IMHO I really cannot see the “ethical” difference between setting up bait in the open forest versus digging a hole in the middle of desert country and filling it with water to attract sheep, deer, etc. As you can probably tell from my earlier post, unlike you and Etter1, I tend to let emotions get ahead of me. I am very new to hunting and I have absolutely no Biology experience. That said, when I hear people who are otherwise against hunting actually asking why “they don’t just shoot them”, I tend to see it as an issue well beyond simply “taking out the competition”. Again, IMHO. You (as usual) said a very intelligent thing in “agree to disagree”, so I have no problem with that, and I am sure your philosophy is more profound than the several hundred words of each post would allow. Again, I am not trying to re-hash the topic. I just wanted to add my 2¢. Be well.

Alex

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: My Membership Application… #7760

JodyS wrote: …what could be better?

A bow hunt for Elk with one of our resident experts as a guide? Although, what kind of steaks are we talkin’?

🙂 😀 😆 😀 🙂

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Public Land hunting ethics #7733

Dave, I didn’t really want to bring some things up, but you nailed them, so thanks. The increasing (human) population and decreasing habitat is HUGE. I posted a “poke the skunk” topic a few months ago about high-fence game preserves. One thing I did not mention, but it was one of the reasons preserves were on my mind at that time, is that preserves may be the next big cash-cow in hunting. Soon, the lack of viable hunting land and the dwindling game numbers may force the entire industry into a lottery system much like Elk here in PA. You have a better chance of being struck by lightning while winning the Power Ball than drawing a Pennsylvania Elk tag. So may it be for others and much sooner than people realize.

One bad thing is that the anti-hunters are being suckered into backing developers. I apologize in advance to Robin (and others) for this comment, but the idiots like PETA are dumb enough to be dangerous. I know these forums are not a place to be mean, or to name-call, but they are causing actual harm to the very animals they claim to protect. Most (I would guess) unknowingly, but I am sure there are those who are in the pockets of developers, politicians, etc. They have no concept as to the role hunters (2-legged, 4-legged, etc) play in habitat management. When you try to tell one of these people that loss of habitat is the number one cause for the decline of any animal, they say it’s just hunter propaganda so that we can keep on killing to fulfill our blood-lust. I have learned that there is no talking with these people to educate them, much like the radical hunter types who actually have the very blood-lust PETA is referring to. But where is there an organization that is truly for the ethical treatment of animals? One comprised of hunters, farmers, ranchers, vegetarians (which I at one point was), regular concerned citizens? I used to laugh, but now I cringe every time I see some PETA-like group protesting a hunting spot, or the like, all of them holding their name-brand coffee, coffee that came from a strip mall, a strip mall that was built over habitat that was used by all the things that the group claims to be protecting, habitat that will never again be used by those animals, animals who probably died of hunger or disease, or being hit by cars (probably causing human harm as well). Good Job! Meanwhile, organizations like DU and NWTF (and many others) have set aside millions of acres that will NEVER be a strip mall, or a mega-store, or anything but natural habitat for animals to live in. And many of these millions of acres are open to hunting because these organizations realize that hunters manage wildlife better than any politician or organization ever could.

OK, I am done my rant (for now). I know that whole tirade was off topic, but it is (loosely at least) on topic in that if we are busy fighting ourselves, and busy setting a bad image to the 80% of people who are not hunters, but who are still supporting us, we are going to be in BIG trouble. I’m going to take my BP meds now. Sorry again. Be well.

Alex

😡

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: My Membership Application… #7716

Jody,

Thanks for the input. I am actually ok with the speed. I actually like it. I just want to shoot a heavier arrow. I am fine with the 52#, but I just ordered a 75(ish)#. I love the style and the feel of the American. I am sure the others are every bit as good. I just think I will stick with this (and trying to find a way to explain to the wife why I have a 3rd bow and still no deer 🙁 ). As far as KZoo, boy, you are making it REAL tough. First is was bows, now a steak too? I am glad I live more than 10 hours away, otherwise I would be looking for excuses. 😆 Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

in reply to: Bowhunting whitetail's video #63425

Chris, ditto to what everyone has been saying. Great video, great deer. Can’t wait to see some more. Be well.

Alex

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