[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: What's your back-up bow? #42907

ausjim wrote:

Exactly the same? I think if you look closely you’ll find that one of the two is slightly superfluous 😉

I’m not familiar with the term “slightly superfluous,” but when I get a chance, I’ll look it up. 8)

However in fairness, “exactly the same” isn’t totally accurate. One has moose antler overlays and tips…

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Killed one #42756

Bears or no bears, it sounds like you guys had a great time, and I’m sure that doe will be tasty!

Btw, to re-size photos on a Mac:

Open the image file using “Preview”

Once Preview is open, go to the “Tools” menu

Go to “Adjust Size”

And then you can change the size to whatever you want.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: 2014 Hunting #42119

We covered a lot of ground and hunted hard the last two days, and got into a place with tons of fresh sign and (finally) a fair bit of vocalizing going on. Glassed a nice bull at daybreak this morning across the drainage, and then in the process of trying to get on him I came “this” close to taking a spike bull at less than 15 yds. But alas, as is so often the case, he was in thick cover, and I didn’t have a clean shot at him. If he’d moved left or right it would have been a done deal, but of course, as he eventually walked off, he kept that tree perfectly between me and him…:roll:

If you look real close, you might be able to see our camp down in the valley 😉 :

9 days left, and the most recent forecast shows more warm weather on the way this week. Argh…

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Practicing the "Cold Shot" #42012

ausjim wrote: Bruce, the more I see your dayglo fletching the more tempted I am to follow suit. Do you buy them precut from somewhere or are you buying bigger and cutting down?

Jim –

I get those 2-1/4″ shields from Lancaster Archery:

http://www.lancasterarchery.com/gateway-2-1-4-shield-feathers.html

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: What's your back-up bow? #39816

alexbugnon wrote: Nice, Bruce! both same specs?

One is #52 @ 28″ and the other is #55 @28″ but otherwise they are exactly the same.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: What's your back-up bow? #39600

Backup bow? Hmm…I reckon it would be my other Thunderchild.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: 2014 Hunting #39389

Congrats to everyone who has already harvested! Here are a few pics from the past week of elk hunting:

We had an unseasonably cool August, and I was hoping September would be the same, but it’s been pretty darn hot lately. Not really helping the rut. Many days, there has been a little activity at first light, and then absolutely dead till evening, if it picks back up again at all. Still, I’ve had a few “almosts” with bulls called in this past week, and we’re at least starting to hear a little bugling now and then. Looks like cooler temps are on the way. Heading into the backcountry for 5 days starting tomorrow – gonna hike up to higher elevations and farther off the beaten track. Hopefully, that will be enough to make it happen!

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Unintended predator call? #38318

Living where I live, I do not predator call in my local mountains. The chance of a large and highly unwelcome visitor is far too great.

But any close encounter with a raptor like that is always fun. 😉

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Practicing the "Cold Shot" #37914

Today’s cold shot – 18 yards, in the rain:

#55 @ 28″ Big Jim’s “Thunderchild”

660 gr. arrow, 28.5% FOC

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Assumptions and Biases #37834

Patrick wrote: …and I’m in a posting frenzy, due to a prolonged departure from the site. 😆

It’s good to have you back, Patrick.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Assumptions and Biases #37809

Thanks for all the responses, folks.

I see crossbows as a whole different can of worms, and not really what the intent of this thread was about (nor do I agree at all with allowing them during bow season). It also wasn’t intended to be about commenting on the hunting industry/media in general, which is a much broader and thornier topic.

A different example of my point – I have another friend who started out as a compound hunter. He used to think trad bows weren’t useful hunting weapons, and that all they were good for was walking around in the woods and “playing hide and seek with animals.” He also scoffed when I tried to explain the ideas behind EFOC arrows, and their benefits. He sold his compound last winter, and now owns several trad bows, and shoots EFOC arrows with single-bevel heads. In the end, it just took him some time to wrap his brain around it and make the shift. He’d be the first to admit that he “get’s it” now, and he’s become a devoted trad fanatic.

Again, I didn’t start this thread to condemn the hunting industry (which has been done in abundance in many other threads, here and elsewhere), but just as a reminder that for many of us, it’s been a process of evolution that has led us to our current choices, and that others may be at different points along their evolutionary path. It doesn’t automatically mean that they are “bad” people or “slob hunters.” I think we’ll get farther with making trad bowhunting appealing, and winning more converts, by being positive ambassadors than by appearing to be holier-than-thou, and disdainful of anyone with a different approach. I know that personally, I’d rather hang out with people who seem to be having fun, than people who seem to be bitter and self-righteous, and this is as much a reminder to myself as anyone else.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: bow quivers and tuffheads #37312

The Eagle’s Flight “Chief” model works well with Tuffheads.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Mountain Bikes #37307

Right on, Duncan. Use the quads God gave you!!

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: 7 year spike #36835

That’s a fantastic camp pic, Clay. And strong work on a job well done with your selfbow!

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Assumptions and Biases #36827

The problem with sweeping generalizations, no matter that they may contain some validity, is that they aren’t always accurate in describing individuals. And personally, I prefer to treat people as individuals, rather than lump entire groups together and make a host of assumptions about their individual motives, and their standards, based on circumstantial evidence – such as assuming that anyone with a compound bow in their hand must be “sloppy” and “ignorant.”

I don’t disagree with some of your points Dave (stereotypes though they may be), but I would say it is more than a “tiny minority” of compound hunters who hunt responsibly. I actually personally know quite a few. And no, I don’t think I’m missing the point, I think you are, so let me spell it out:

If we spend all our time judging and turning our nose up at everyone who isn’t already doing things the same way that we’ve chosen to, we risk turning off a lot of hunters who may someday take up trad hunting on their own – maybe they just aren’t there yet. That was the entire point of my post, nothing more.

You can lump all compound hunters together, and paint them all with one brush if you want to (which you are doing, despite token acknowledgement that, “OF COURSE there are exceptions”), but at the end of the day, my hunting companion that morning has killed a lot more elk than I have, and has never had a wounded and unrecovered animal. Nor have I ever heard him talk about taking excessive long shots. So far be it for me to proselytize. I opted instead to encourage his stated desire to build his own longbow this winter. I have a feeling my approach will go a lot farther with him than a soapbox lecture.

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