[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: Left Wing or Right Wing Helical? #144157

Not many of the good folks that wrote this thread are still active on this forum to respond, so I’ll drop a word or two…

There are reasons to nock your arrow with the cock feather out, and there are reasons to nock your arrow with the cock feather in.  But none of them have to do with the wing the feather came from.

Depending on the spine of the arrow and the archers shooting style, better arrow clearance can be had by shooting with the cock feather in.  To continue the theme of this tread, for the most part it doesn’t really matter.

My quiver has arrows fletched with either wing.  The only real hard and fast rule is to use only one wing on an arrow.  That, and matching the wing to the bevel of the broadhead as mentioned earlier.  With my limited skills, I see no difference in accuracy between the wings.

[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: Happy Solstice #143984

You have a “sphere of influence”?  Dang you are lucky!  My wife says I get confused about such things.  I wonder what she means?

Anyway, I sure do like this shortest of days.  Somehow it always makes a good hunting day for me.  It’s gonna be cold and cloudy here today.  Just right.

Thanks for the reminder!

[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: Side Plate & Fletching Flight Problems #143881

How much have you cut off the arrows in your efforts to stiffen them up?

How much arrow sticks out in front of the bow?

Have you played with the brace height?  What is it?

Sometimes we blame our equipment when we should look to ourselves instead.  A fault with the hands can cause as much trouble as a tuning issue.  Twisting the grip, or a pluck of the string can cause the arrow to look weak.

Generally, a weak arrow will get around the bow without leaving marks.  It’s the stiff arrows that clack and bang on the strike plate.  Since your arrow is flying weak, and you are getting damage, maybe its a “combination” problem.

That said, even shooting a perfect setup well will leave marks on the strike plate.

[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: Longbow vs Recurve #143742

… And that’s why Byron Ferguson named his book “Become the Arrow.”

[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: Persistence #143725

That reminds me of a story my grandpa told me from “back in the day”.  When he was a young man he took a long shot at a running buck.  He took up the blood trail and found the deer with a similar wound just above the hoof.

Dang Dave, I thought this was gonna be a story of your persistence!  I guess you are still in the process of being persistent…

[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: 2019-20 season updates #143304

Good luck!

I’ve been out a few times and things have gotten quiet.  Even the squirrels are gone scarce.  It’s getting to be that time of year when it seems like the woods are abandoned.  There are a few leaves and clumps of fern that are the worse for wear though…

I did find a fresh rub line on a hill that runs along a clear-cut that is 6 or 7 years old.  There’s a good spot to sit and wonder, so when my boy comes home from college in a couple weeks, I’m gonna point it out to him so he can worry that place a little.

[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: 2019-20 season updates #143221

Good luck with the ice storm.  We had a bunch of rain yesterday.

And good luck with one of those does…

[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: Seemed like a good idea at the time. #143117

If it blows up in your face, you may regret it…

According to the internet machine, a 1 liter drink bottle will burst at 185 psi.  That seems like a high number to me.  I wouldn’t risk my eyeballs on that number.

[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: Handmade arrow spine size #142867

Learn to feel the spine yourself.  When an arrow fly’s well for you give it a bend between your hands.  Do that many times with many different arrows.   Eventually you will get a feel for what works.  It doesn’t take too long to develop a feel for it.

Dry cane is probably different from green cane.  You would have to dry it, straighten it, flatten the nodes, and remove the waxy surface so you can finish them.

There are no shortcuts.

[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: Don Thomas Health Issues #142843

Thanks  for the update and link.  Guess I didn’t see the first one.

That’s quite a train track across his noggin!  And it sounds like the local deer population won’t get a break after all…

[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: 2019-20 season updates #142661

I just had a week of GREAT bowhunting.  I got close to half a dozen nice bucks and twice that many does.  Always just one mistake away from shooting.  On the last day, I was finally able to drop the string.  The doe whirled at the shot and the arrow brushed past the front of her chest.

I did my part, she did her part, and the best part is I didn’t have to get messy or sweaty in the end.

[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: Bear shaft tuning #142660

This stinking forum just ate my cool post again.  Not sure what’s happening but I’ll write a response and try to post it, and the software will then tell me I need to be logged in.  I was logged in and writing the response…

Anyway, I wrote a really witty retort to you Dave about switching to wood arrows cause they penetrate beyond their means but don’t tear the target up.  Oh well, its lost to the ether.

I guess I have to get in the habit of copying all my posts before trying to submit them (angry eyes emoji)…

[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: Trad Bow Dec/Jan 2019 #142637

I just got the latest issue in the mail on Friday and while I just scratched the surface,  it too looks like it will have some fine words from the Co-Editor.

I have a stack of unread TB magazines sitting on my reading table having accumulated over the duration of my AT  hiking trip.  If and when the weather gets cold, I will keep them company…

[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: 2019-20 season updates #142303

Dave, Dave, Dave…

Anybody that knows anything, knows that 6 yards is way to close.  It is obvious to me that your instincts were finely honed Saturday morning.  How else would you know to avoid such a luckless shot?  Offering salutations and a tip of the hat to ye buck was the right thing to do.

We archers must remember our most important asset, our bag of excuses.  How else are we gonna get off the hook?

What if you had missed?  Six yards offers no room for excuses.  You would have had to stretch that distance in the telling.  Worse yet, what if you had gored that regal beast?  You would hear no end of felicitations and who wants that?  A nice peaceful morn spent in quiet solitude is much to be desired.  Not to mention the sweat and labor you saved yourself.

We bowhunters are a indolent lot.  Why else take to field an forest with such a dubious weapon?  No sir, you did right.  You are the man of the hour.  I’d tip my hat to you right now ‘cept my hands are busy round my coffee cup and scratching parts due south.

I expect you will see that fine buck again on a crisp cool frosty morn.  Now should that yon buck show his self to you while you are simply minding your own business, I wouldn’t blame you one iota for sending your silvan shaft amongst his viscera.  A’course if the distance were to be 6 yards, or 60 yards, you’d still be unblamed for shooing that fellow away for disturbing the peace.

Its a fine fellow knows his priorities

[Stephen Graf]

in reply to: 2019-20 season updates #142203

That DOES sound like a  good day!  We had our first cool weather yesterday.  I wanted to go for a walk in the woods, but this is our applesauce making weekend so no can do.  Still no rain in the forecast for the next 10 days, but temps stay in the 70’s.  10 deg above normal seems cool these days…

Seen a number of deer in the woods this year, all way off.  They seem to be on to me right away…

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