[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: What ya got goin? #62288

Been shooting ASLs exclusively for the past few weeks and loving them, but I got a wild hair to pull out my Buffalo Bow this evening, and man what a fine shooter. Extremely quiet and completely dead in the hand. It was a great backyard session…

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: "Backcountry" Monthly Article #62270

I’m the first to admit that I’m a big chicken when it comes to river crossings…probably because I’ve spent so much time in and around rivers. I’d rather make a big detour to find a calm spot than chance it. Sounds like you made a good call, David – it’s easy to underestimate the power of moving water.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Homemade handiwork #61856

Doc – looks kinda like a St. Charles quiver. Is that what you went off of?

DWC – Cool sheath. Looks downright historic.

Finished up the spoon yesterday evening. Other than drilling the hole, it was all done with a fixed blade, sandpaper and a few coals to create the bowl:

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Signs of Spring #61848

Glad to hear you guys are getting a break.

It’s supposed to be 50F here by Sunday and I’m thinking of getting my bike out of the garage – strange weather for early March in the Tetons…

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: New string keeper #61312

Alex – that is a very cool bow, to put it mildly. How does it shoot?

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Emergency Gear #60740

AND, it obviously depends greatly on where one is. If I’m walking a 1/2 mile into a tree stand, or hunting a few acres of land, I’m obviously not carrying what I’ve just outlined. And if I’m in the desert rather than the northern Rockies, my choices may vary. But my typical local hunting situation means often not being in cell phone range, in some of the more remote, large-predator populated country still left in the lower 48. Not saying that to make a ‘big deal’ about it by any means, just stating a fact to help explain my choices – it should always be context dependent.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Homemade handiwork #60633

LOL – I remember when my Dad’s business partner first got one of those installed in his car (a Ford Ranchero, no less…). It was the first time I’d ever seen a portable phone, and it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen.

But back on track, I think this is a great idea for a thread. I know we have some very talented people on this site, and I’d love to see their handiwork. I don’t make as much of my own archery gear as I would like, but I bang out a batch of string keepers now and then, along with putting my own leather grips on my longbows, etc.

But one of these days, I’m going to build my “dream quiver” incorporating all the good ideas I’ve seen, but have never seen all in one place. Now I just need to find the time, the skills and the materials…8)

Oh, and I’m currently working on carving a spoon…

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Emergency Gear #60623

Lots of good thoughts there, Doc. It’s a little-known fact in our romanticizing of the “mountain men” that very few of them did it for more than a few years – for one reason or another. We tend to have this idea of these guys “heading West and spending the rest of their lives trapping and living a wild, self-sufficient lifestyle, etc” but the truth is that most didn’t last – many either perished or gained a newfound appreciation for all the amenities and the easier lifestyle they had left behind.

But that’s a tangent. I suppose that in starting this thread with posting my emergency gear, rather than starting the thread by talking about mentality and skills, I may have given the wrong impression. It always begins with the right mentality, and obviously skills are essential. I would never suggest someone simply run out and buy an armload of emergency gear, throw it in their pack and head off into the mountains. That would be an example of extreme folly. And any choices one makes about what gear to carry should be based on firsthand experience and skills practice. If you decide to carry a firesteel, then go out on a windy, cold, wet day and practice making fires in realistic conditions with it. If you carry one of those little emergency “space” blankets, try spending a night out in it and see if it will actually work for you. Never just go off of someone else’s recommendations of what you should carry.

As the old saying goes, “Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance,” and many emergency situations in the backcountry can be avoided simply with smart planning beforehand. And when the unforeseen happens anyway once you’re out there, it’s good to remember that it only becomes an emergency situation if you haven’t prepared for it – an “emergency” for someone who is unprepared may simply be a mildly uncomfortable experience for the smart backcountry traveler. And for that reason, I’m more than happy to carry 1.5 lbs. of additional weight in my pack, along with my knowledge and skills.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Homemade handiwork #60543

R2 wrote: ….I use it at shoots and gatherings to carry my phone and camera.

Good lord, man – how old is your cell phone? You know they make smaller ones now, right?

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Let me introduce myself #60538

Glad to see you made it! Little bit of a different ‘vibe’ here, shall we say. Kick back and enjoy and I’m looking forward to your contributions to this fine little corner of the interwebs!

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: New string keeper #60514

Glad to see you’re getting good use out of it, brother! And yeah – I’d like to see more pics of that Brunner bow when you get a chance as well!

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: "Backcountry" Monthly Article #60004

Thirded. I think it’s a great move.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Two Tracks String Scallops #59748

Patrick wrote:

They taste NOTHING like sea scallops though. 😥

Not even if you sauté them in a little butter and garlic?

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Two Tracks String Scallops #59553

Steve Graf wrote:

I wonder how they compare as far as killing the twang. Hard to believe it could be better than a puff.

Might depend on how much ‘twang’ you need to kill. My bows are pretty darn quiet already, but if I was shooting a loud recurve, it might be a different story.

No mention of performance in the video…

Well, if two of them weigh the same as one cat whisker, I can’t imagine they affect performance much at all. But I’ll find out soon…

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Two Tracks String Scallops #59389

I hear ya, Patrick. I’d rather not have anything on my strings at all. And I can get my longbows close to silent, but not completely. That’s why I’m hoping these little doo-dads will do the trick, and I can ditch the larger wool puffs, which I end up trimming down quite a bit anyway.

grumpy wrote:

Am I wrong or does that look like the felt lining in my snow boots?

Yep. A rather ingenious thing to do with felt scraps, I’d say.

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