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  • Stephen Graf
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      Post count: 2432

      Thanks for the link. I think I have those bits! My son is drooling over turkeys, so I may see if he wants to make his own call…

      I don’t care much for “land carp” 😯 but if it gets him interested in hunting, I’ll gladly go out with him and try to call one in…

      Stephen Graf
      Moderator
        Post count: 2432

        Very nice! But I thought you were going to do it with a drill press only!!

        Oh well, now I have to get a lathe…

        Stephen Graf
        Moderator
          Post count: 2432

          It’s not hard to tie them in between the string bundles. That would help keep the silencers in place.

          In fact, I don’t tie my silencers in place, But I use wool from my wife’s yarn.

          Normally cat whiskers break off as they wear. So look for that to indicate a problem. As well as wear to the string around the silencer.

          If you have access to wool yarn, it is a much cheaper solution that is more natural (if a bit less effective) and lasts a lot longer in my opinion.

          Stephen Graf
          Moderator
            Post count: 2432
            in reply to: Bear T/D parts #48586

            3Rivers sells a kit for the latch. about $30.00 I think…

            Stephen Graf
            Moderator
              Post count: 2432

              Looking good! Must be that time of year… I’ve got a bow going too. It will have bamboo on the back, and osage through the rest of the limb. This will be my first glass bow with osage in it…

              Keep the pictures coming!

              Stephen Graf
              Moderator
                Post count: 2432

                There are several bowfishing gear suppliers you can find on the internet.

                3Rivers has fishing stuff, but you will find a better selection on other sites… Just google bowfishing and see what comes up.

                I use a long bow for bowfishing and it works fine. I use an AMS retriever reel, and I just screwed it to the riser (home made bow, so I don’t care)… But if I had it to do again, which I do I guess, I might go for one of those old fashioned hand wrap deals. They weigh less, and are simpler… But nothing beats the AMS reel for easy retrieval.

                Stephen Graf
                Moderator
                  Post count: 2432

                  It’s hard to say for sure… but I might lean towards a too stiff arrow. One sure sign of a too stiff arrow is to hear a “click” as the arrow passes the shelf and the back of it bangs against the shelf. Even if you don’t hear this, it could be just a bit too stiff, causing the hen feather to rub on the shelf.

                  If you use a heavier point on your arrow by say, at least 50 grains, you may see the feather wear go away… And your arrow flight improve a bit.

                  Stephen Graf
                  Moderator
                    Post count: 2432

                    The problem is, the question you ask is kind of like “what is the meaning of life, the universe, and everything?” Unfortunately in this case, the answer isn’t 42.

                    Best thing to do is get a piece of wood and start shaving. You have read a book, which is enough. Once you shave up a stave and make a bow, you will be ready to read another book.

                    The only general advice I can give you, is be ready for the frustration. Making a self bow can be frustrating. But the more you do it, the more you will like it.

                    I always recommend Dean Torgues book “hunting the osage bow” It has a lot of good info, is much more fun to read than the bowyers bibles, and is inspiring.

                    Good Luck!

                    Stephen Graf
                    Moderator
                      Post count: 2432

                      Not sure of the point of this thread, but…

                      Instead of felt pads, I have found that wrapping yarn around the end of the string serves the same purpose and is neater / cleaner in the long run. The pads move and slip and leave sticky stuff all over the end of the limb and string.

                      The yarn just works, and is free if your wife knits. Use the thickest yarn you can get.

                      Stephen Graf
                      Moderator
                        Post count: 2432

                        SteveMcD wrote: One of my New Year’s resolutions is going to be to start writing these show sponsors, and let them know I will lobby hard against their products, if they keep supporting these shows.

                        Root of a good idea Steve… But I think it is not likely to work, as this advertising generates great revenue for the sponsor companies. But maybe it is possible to alter the content / spirit of the shows.

                        I think we can all agree that the spirit and content of the old Fred Bear Video’s was good. So it is possible to make a show with redeeming qualities.

                        Maybe contacting the sponsors and suggesting that they support shows that promote woodsmanship, sportsmanship, etc would be a positive way to get the point across.

                        A lot (not all…) of the people doing these shows are good people. But they are trapped by the same thing that traps us all. Money. They have deadlines, and bills that need to be paid… They want to put out a product that will be watched. So if enough people express the concerns you are expressing, maybe they will adjust the content of their shows…

                        I would join you in your resolution, except for 1 thing… I don’t watch these shows cause we don’t have a TV 😯

                        Well, actually we do, but it is hooked up to a DVD player only. Netflix rules.

                        Stephen Graf
                        Moderator
                          Post count: 2432

                          I have hunted most of the US and Canada, and I have to say that I get the most thrill from hunting the deer in my back yard. I am guilty of the “expensive outfitter” experience, but I have to say I liked it 😯 .

                          My current adventure is to harvest a deer with equipment that I have made myself off of my property (my only exception will be the broadhead as we don’t have good rock). I am collecting materials now… I have sinew from the deer I have harvested. I have fish skins and bladders from the fish in my pond ready to boil into glue, I have osage seeds from an uncle in Kansas ready to go in this spring… I have squirrel skins for strings… Not a fast adventure to be sure. I may speed it up by trying Sicamore or some other whitewood. Or Juniper…

                          Point is, there are many ways to have hunting adventures. If you have the bug to travel and kill critters far and wide, well not much else will suffice. But if you are looking to broaden your hunting experiences and memories, look to improving your skills and making friends. These memories will stay fresh in your mind longer.

                          Stephen Graf
                          Moderator
                            Post count: 2432
                            in reply to: Its over… #19726

                            Got a 7 pointer and a 4 pointer. No great stories to tell though.

                            I did laugh out loud over your accomplishment. If I could weigh all the crap I’ve scared out of deer, I expect it would be more than all the meat I have harvested…

                            Stephen Graf
                            Moderator
                              Post count: 2432

                              Here’s the website for Carolina Traditional Archers. Keep an eye on it, or send an email to one of the folks there…

                              Stephen Graf
                              Moderator
                                Post count: 2432
                                in reply to: Bowfishing for Gar #16454

                                The river keeper… now that has a nice sound to it. Is that a state organization, or a volunteer group?

                                Plymouth, you are right. The river is beautiful, and prehistoric in feel.

                                Stephen Graf
                                Moderator
                                  Post count: 2432
                                  in reply to: Bowfishing for Gar #14160

                                  The WRC doesn’t actually do the testing. They get some other NC agency to do it (I can look back and figure it out if you want). But the bottom line is, they test carp and catfish. Carp feeding at the top, catfish at the bottom of the water column. So they “estimate” what the game fish might be from these readings… Not real comforting…

                                  We were fishing down near the coast off highway 64. I forget the name of the town, but there was a big paper plant right on the river. There were 3 branches of the river that came together there called “three sisters”. Paper plants are a big source of water pollution. There were no notices posted on the public dock we used to launch the boat. But when I looked at the WRC website, it has the same warning for all the rivers, kids and pregnant women – no consumption, everybody else – 1 meal every 30 days. No thanks, I’ll pass.

                                  Gar are such long lived fish that they have many many seasons to get polluted. The bigger the fish, the older they are. The ones we took were between 11 and 15 lbs and I estimated they were all over 6 years old. I understand that they commonly live up to 30 years in the wild…

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