[Ralph]

in reply to: I have declared war on the squirrels! #51122

Duncan, squirrel blinds, ummm. We might have a bit of a market here ya spose? R2D2 or D2R2 Squirrel Blinds INC. :lol::lol:

I have more dang pecan trees sprouting up in the worst possible places due to my neighbors pecan tree and “his” dang squirrels.

[Ralph]

in reply to: Heat gun glue for arrows? #50045

Don’t suppose those heavy arrows of Dave’s will have a re-heat problem from re-entry do we? 😆

Let us know what you think about those hot gun glue sticks David. I’ve heard pros and cons but never anything definitive. I’ve never tried it.

I myself, after gluing who knows how many thousands of tips on arrows, managed to let a drop of the hot stuff land on my thumb the other day. Gets hot really quick and sticks to a thumb just as quickly. Ouch! You’d think I’d know better but the wisdom of an ancient one and the practical application by the same wizened:?:? one gets distorted at times. 😆

[Ralph]

in reply to: Oil rub arrow finish? #49260

David, I’ve used tung oil and I liked it. I also took weight off a longbow and refinished it with tung oil. I love the deep sheen that it produces. I put it on with a soft cloth. Let it dry, used really fine steel wool then a 2nd coat. Was good.

[Ralph]

in reply to: Look at what I found… #48132

Simple Jim, axe is for wood chopin’, club is for head knockin’! Even the ancients knew that! :lol::lol: Multi-tools came much later!:D

[Ralph]

in reply to: Look at what I found… #47175

Jim, Axis are as good of eating meat as there is. You are correct in their breeding cycle, it’s all the time.

When I retired in ’07’ the guys gave me a guided axis hunt (that’s how glad they were to be rid of me methinks) near San Antonio, Tx. (Bourne to be exact). Free range. It was a rifle hunt but…… I took a nice buck with 33 1/2″ antlers and way proud. About a 250# animal.

It was and still is the only guided hunt I’ve ever been on. Different it was.

Best eating venison I’ve ever had. Matter of fact it would be hard to beat by any meat.

I think you would find it a real challenge and a lot of fun bowhunting those guys plus great table fare (if you don’t blow the shot 😳 :lol:). Being a herd animal, many eyes upon you!!!

I will never forget the sight of a herd of axis running at full speed (running from me, I blew the stalk) and clearing the cattle fences like they weren’t there. Beautiful sight it was.

Good luck!!!!!!!

[Ralph]

in reply to: Look at what I found… #47054

Hey Jim, you mess up the stalk like I do then you never feel bad about a miss! 😆

[Ralph]

in reply to: Night Practice! #44301

I was so nuts about and couldn’t get enough shooting years ago that I’d go out into the mesquites (permission of landowner to be there) and shoot at a target set up about 10 yds. away in my headlights. A couple of sheriff’s deputies scared the fire out me one night, shook me down, decided I was legal but crazy and just ask me to call one of them if I go out again. Made sense to do so with spot lighters and all around.

It did seem to focus my attention more so with my field of view restricted.

At Memphis’s TBOT shoot we do a “coon shoot” after dark. We take reflective tape, punch out circles with a paper punch and put those in the eye sockets. Makes a need effect when the flashlight finds the animal. Thought, we are not practicing the above mentioned “spot lighting” :lol::lol:

Candle shoot sounds fun but here in the Texas Panhandle I believe the “breeze” would inhibit that. 😀

[Ralph]

in reply to: Early Archery Memories #41302

When I was 8 or 9 I had a dollar and back then I was rich. One could go to the five & dime and get lots of goodies for a dollar. I bought this wooden bow and the arrows and stuff that came with it. I played and played with that, not knowing anything about “bows and arrows” other than the feel good when I hit what I was shooting at.

One day I was snooping around the neighbors garden, actually more interested in the raspberries than anything, when this cottontail hopped out not 5 feet from me. I drew back and hit him and killed him with that little bow. I was hooked.

Then, like a lot of us, I went away from archery for the most part for a long time (til 25ish) then a work acquaintance had a Bear recurve and I’m still hooked 40+ years later.

I still remember that rabbit and being 10′ tall as I carried it home for supper.

[Ralph]

in reply to: String Leeches Vs. Beaver Balls #41221

I use wool puffs that I make but I trim them down pretty small (quarter size maybe but mostly smaller). I’ve learned too that it doesn’t take a whole lot to dampen noise and vibration especially if ones equipment is matched and properly tuned, arrows to bow.

But a thought on this, I was sitting on a bench outside, bow strung, holding it between my legs, trimming some new puffs and my brain went into the what if mode. Oh be careful buddy and don’t cut that string![u][/u]:D:D That could be rough on an old feller!!

[Ralph]

in reply to: What ya got goin? #41200

Went to Borger, Texas yesterday and shot in a T.H.E. tournament. What this is is an outfit that has basically redrawn the kill area somewhat on 3D targets, established another scoring system and included their version of “ethical education” of prpoer shots in their program. I enjoyed, just a different view. Took nothing away from “killing” shots on 3D’s other than where the lines were drawn. What was different than the “norm” was similar to what we call “Fred Bear” shoots where negative points are received for body hits other than the vitals scoring areas. We all know there are fatal areas outside these “heart, lung, liver” parts of critters but we also know that is not what we are trying to shoot at. More apt to wound by a big percentage than doing fatal.

It was fun, just another mans game in attempt to reach the same goal. I heard some mumbling and grumbling “if it was our system that woulda scored” but it didn’t in yesterdays game. The way I see it, if you’re gonna play another mans game you just play in the spirit you’re gonna beat him at his own game and have fun tryin’ to do it.

Nope didn’t win but maybe 2nd.

What was cool is that they had kill area drawn on critters for angle specific conditions, broadside, 45° angle away and facing (there is a shot for that but not for my expertise and probably not most of us) and also and extreme angle away shot. To me it was a lesson in what my skill level is at times and what would possibly be pure old luck if I were to make a shot like that so don’t shoot it if iffy.

I started coming back on my scoring when I quit worrying about the score and shot to “kill”. Heart shot scored 15 (which is not very big and not what I be thinking when shooting at an animal), heart lung 12, liver (only on larger animals) 10, a body hit neg. 5 and a miss 0.

But a whole bunch of what would have been “edge” 8’s on this system were -5’s. Learn, learn and I enjoyed it.

I know the normal 3D targets are scored as such in order to try to get people to shoot center mass of heart-lung area on animals and then up, down, forward, back there is a margin of error figured in.

Just another way to enjoy the day!!!!!

[Ralph]

in reply to: Honesty and Ethics. #36128

Woulda been bad to have found a free broadhead in the middle of that burger :D:D. Watch your tongue mate! I got a free chicken sandwich at McDonalds but they told me to enjoy, their goof. Not guilty. Jim:lol::lol:

I try to do right. Every time in my past I intentionally did or attempted to do wrong on purpose, I got bit someway or another. I learned (my daddy’s belt could come off so quick!!!). Not for me doing dishonest or unethical and my hat is off to those with the same way of thinking!!

[Ralph]

in reply to: Going Trad #30266

Me first 😀

[Ralph]

in reply to: What ya got goin? #30218

Hey, I got one of those (grandson) that’s still a shootin buddy. The two older brothers, 18, 17 have more important things other than Papa goin in life right now but they’ll be back. I remember as a lad that there were other priorities in life that didn’t include dad’s and grand dads, but I learned better. Miss’em.

At lunch with 17 yr. old today and we were discussing college plans, it hit me like a truck, dang it’s been a half century since I started college.

So “what I got goin”? Three fine young men and my 3rd set of kids. Whoa!

[Ralph]

in reply to: Southeastern two-fletch #30073

That’s a cedar shaft that I put together many moons ago before I figured out there was a whole lot less work to “functional” shafts as opposed to “pretty” ones.

Looks better tho, functional point on pretty shaft.

[Ralph]

in reply to: What ya got goin? #30010

😆 Well done! Good they’re on your side????:D

[Author]

Posts