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in reply to: Beginner's Mind #56236
Dave can sure put together some good words. I think one of the allures of traditional archery is that it’s always new (for me at least). No matter how much time I put into it, I am always learning and being amazed by something. Maybe because it’s not just about shooting the bow and hanging deer on the pole? We are very lucky to be involved. I don’t dislike compound hunter, but I feel sorry for all they are missing.
Great article Dave!!:D
in reply to: Woodsmanship….. #55620new moon wrote: I checked out your blog and look forward to following it. I to aspire to be a good woodsman but am mediocre at best. I grew up I Maine and had a stepfather who was a naturalist. I spent a lot of time hiking around with I’m and knew the flora and fauna of that are pretty well. And then I moved to Colorado after high school and have not really learned about my new home as thoroughly as I would like. And I’ve been out here for a while.
There are many aspects/skills of woodsman ship that apply no matter where you are, but I think it starts with knowing about your surroundings.Josh
Thanks Josh!
in reply to: Does this make you feel as bad as it does me? #20358Thank you for this thread…it prompted me to order a copy of Sand County Almanac this morning.
in reply to: atv riding #56013It sound sto me like east vs west is an entirely different animal regarding ATV use and abuse. We have one in camp, and it gets used much like a pickup truck….on the roads, not in the woods. I have used it, and it has never gone anywhere with me on board that my truck wouldn’t. Even in the western UP….the most remote part of Michigan…we don’t have enough land to go bombing around the woods and not expect to run every deer out for miles.
It’s a handy vehicle for hauling, just like my pickup is. We are always a vehicle or 2 short in camp and it comes in handy. BUT….my favorite method of locomotion is my feet. I will often have one of the guys drop me off in the morning, and walk out…I never quite feel right with a long bow on a atv.
As for crashing around in the woods with one? Never.
in reply to: Whole deer vs. boning #16797I bring the deer out whole because here in Michigan, the truck is never far away. To be very honest and a little vain….I also like the pictures on the buckpole. 🙄
I thought the title of this thread made refernce to butchering methods, and I do enjoy the venison more if it is boned out rather than done using a saw.
Bones on the fire to fertize sounds like a good idea though. I’m going to try it on my tomatoes. 😉
in reply to: Kalamazoo Traditional Bowhunters Expo #60962I sooooo enjoyed Kzoo this year. I helped Fred out in his booth (due to his knee surgery), and I swear that was the best seat in the house. I realy enjoy meeting all of us trad archers, and am forever amazed at the numbers. See you at Compton!!!:D
in reply to: short longbow recommendation #51990I have the good fortune of calling Ron and Java “friend”. Two great guys whom I would have never met had it not been for traditional archery. I have the extreme privilege of hunting with Ron each fall at his old fashioned deer camp, “Shrewhaven”
I give you these bona fides not as a brag, but to preempt the notion that my opinions of Shrew bows are prejudiced by friendship. They aren’t. I take full advantage of venues like the upcoming Kalamazoo Expo and Comptons, and shoot every bow I can get my hands on. I have yet to find a bow….of any style…that I shoot better than a Shrew.
When Ron brought the Lil Favorite to camp 4 years ago, I was in love. I hogged the prototype, and hunted it more than anyone else. I was already on the list, and changed my order to the abbreviated recurve. I have 100% confidence when I release that bow on a game animal .(I couldn’t care less about 3D competition, I shoot a bow to hunt).
Then they screwed me up. This past season, Ron brought the Armstrong Ghost to camp. To be honest, I kind of ignored it for a couple days. I loved my Lil Favorite, and was determined to “dance with who brung me”. Then Ron, in his Granderfatherly, gruff way, stood in front of me as I was leaving the cabin to shoot.
“What the hell is wrong with the Ghost?” he wanted to know. He was bothered that I hadn’t sufficiently put it through its paces like I had the Lil Favorite years before.
I didn’t have an answer. I just simply loved my recurve, and didn’t think I wanted to change (I won’t jump back and forth between bows).
How wrong I was. I started stumping and fiddling around with the Ghost. To make a long story short, 3 days later I had a fat doe on the ground, courtesy of the new prototype. Dang it. Through lots of begging, hauling water, toting firewood, forgoing my spot on the list again, and a handy check book, that prototype went home with me. 52# at 54”. The Shrew grip. Perfect. I feel guilty every time I take it off the rack, and I can’t look my Lil Favorite in the eye. But I’m hooked again. I’m having the hide from that first doe made into a bow sleeve. I love it.We have lots of Shrew bows in this house. I’ve waited 12 months, 18 months, and it’s always worth it. The time flies by. The only problem I have is that every time I get on the list with one bow in mind, they come up with something else.
Bows are personal, and I would never insult another man’s bow. But as long as Ron and Java are producing Shrew’s, that’s what I want.in reply to: New TBM, question for Don Thomas #24739“However, the immediate impetus may have been a cover letter from an intended new contributor–well known in non-TBM bowhunting circles, or at least trying to be–explaining that he wanted to write for the magazine in order to enhance his prestige and reputation. How do you spell DELETE?”
Don, that answer makes me like TBM all the more. Thanks for taking the time.
Roger
in reply to: Appropriate discussion? #21999….and to be clear; “Stuff” DOES happen. Obviously. But we should not take it lightly. I have wounded and lost game animals, and it haunts me. But by retaining that hollow feeling of failure, even if just a little, I make better decisions later on.
This is just my mindset. I don’t pretend anyone needs to think like me to be correct. I hunt for myself, not to impress anyone else, and I don’t expect anyone to spend time trying to impress ME.
in reply to: Appropriate discussion? #21995No one specifically in the course of THIS discussion. But when the topic comes up on other forums, that is the battle cry for at least 1/2 of the participants.
in reply to: Appropriate discussion? #21910I’m not going to burn up a bunch of space by requoting….but believe me when I say that I take “slam dunk” shots only. My bow shooting skill on targets has very little to do with what shots I take in the field. I may enjoy 30 yard shots on targets, but I haven’t released an arrow at a deer beyond 10 yards in years.
Jason mentions tuning…..I couldn’t agree more. To me tuning is the entire setup. From brace height to arrow weight to broadhead QUALITY and sharpness. I made 2 very close shots on deer this year that had the potential of going bad. But I believe that my preperation made the difference…..a well tuned shaft and a quality, ridiculously sharp broadhead gave me complete penetration and a short trail.
As an aside…..I’m not offended by the folks posting and asking for advice after a wounded loss. I AM offended by the responses telling them “don’t worry about it, it happens”. We should learn from our mistakes, and seek advice. But our mistakes SHOULD bother us, and stick with us.
in reply to: New TBM, question for Don Thomas #21578[quote=J.Wesbrock
Heaven help us if bowhunting ever turns into the circus that bass fishing has become.
I agree, but I think most hunting has passed bass fishing long ago. Traditional bowhunting might be the last stand….in reply to: New to the Trad Scene #20699Howdy, and welcome. Andrew, as far as broadheads go, I find heads with a straight edge (as opposed to convex or concave) to be easier to sharpen. The big wide Magnus II heads have worked great for me in the past.
The ACE HEx HEads are my favorite small game head. Very deadly.
As for wood vs everything else, don’t sweat it. Shoot what you want. Folks on other forums will make it a serious argument…don’t fall into that trap. I shoot wood, aluminum, and carbon….whatever my bow shoots best. I probably shoot carbon the most, aluminum second, and wood the least…..but that is my preference only. As far as performance on deer sized game, I have never seen a lick of difference.
Enjoy yourself! Traditional archery is one of the best hobbies you can pursue. Have fun!!
in reply to: Asbell Mackinaw Wool Pullovers #20686This one is one of my favorites. I have several of Teresas pullovers, every one of them awesome!!!
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