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in reply to: Nice turkey hunting find #11941

Thanks, Gents. After checking with some knowledgeable folks, and looking at type examples, I’m pretty sure it is a Pickwick stemmed blade. Possibly a heavily resharpened Kirk. Was probably hafted on to a handle and used as a knife. Middle Archaic….3,000-6,000 B.C.

Found a piece of pottery within a few feet of there a week back. Funny thing…..about 5 years ago I called in a double-bearded gobbler for Etter, which he killed. At the shot, his gobbler was standing almost on top of this point.

Just fascinating to think of all that has happened before in the very places we walk, live, and hunt.

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in reply to: Turkey fever #10259

I’ll take a picture tomorrow of a brush blind setup I just built where I’ll be trying to kill a gobbler with my selfbow. I’m not much for sitting in a blind turkey hunting but this is a great spot…especially for a midday or late morning bird. In other situations, I bet your ghillie will really come in handy. Never tried one, but bet it would be the trick. I’m switching to the selfbow for the last Ga bird of the season after taking a few early gobblers with the shotgun. I have no qualms hunting turkeys with a shotgun…love it…..but it’s also a blast with a tradbow (and I want to prolong the season as much as possible).

But first things first, the boy and I are after a particular bird in the morning who has found a way to survive several previous encounters. If he eludes us again, he will get a name. And then it really gets fun!:D

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in reply to: What to do with turkey legs :) #9919

Nice!! I really love the turkey legs….they just take a little extra care. And yeah….great last pic.:D

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in reply to: clay hayes #63275

I’m really itching to see this film. Fall seems a long way off!

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in reply to: Hunting As Humanizer: Then and Now #48884

Nicely done as always, Dave. Related: Has anyone read any of Jan Dizard’s books? His essay on the same website, “Hunting – for a sustainable relationship to nature” was also good. His books look interesting.

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in reply to: Cock feather? #47836

Are you paper tuning or just looking at the arrow when you shoot? Paper tuning will tell you things you have no idea of just trying to watch the shaft.

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in reply to: NAMES #41987

How bout Duster?

Reason being, as I recall….you had a pretty bad arse stache.:D

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in reply to: To sleep, perchance to … sleep? #41974

I’ve been using a full length Ridge Rest pad (closed cell foam) when backpacking for the last 20 years or so, sometimes for months at a time.

It’s not as comfy as a therma-rest or other inflatable, but its light, virtually indestructible, and pretty cheap. At least they used to be…..dunno how much they are these days. You can roll it up and use it as a little camp seat or ground pad.

Gotta admit though, when truck camping these days I use an air mattress. 8)

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in reply to: How do you draw? #41946

I start with the bow pointed at the target and fingers on the string, focus on where I want the arrow to go, and start the draw. Years ago I tried swing shooting like Asbell demonstrates in Instinctive Shooting, but just never felt settled shooting that way.

I shoot split fingers, and don’t pay any attention to the arrow…..don’t even notice it in my periphery.

I always cant my bow, and guess I crouch and lean in a little, too.

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in reply to: Twisted one up #38300

Wonder if you could leave the squirrel hair on as a natural string silencer?

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in reply to: Twisted one up #38296

Cool, Duncan. I’ve read the same on squirrel hides, never tried it. Jim Hamm talks in one of his books about the Cherokee using deer and/or bear intestine as string material. Just twist it up, it’s tough and long enough not to need splicing. Might be worth trying out one day.

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in reply to: Signs of Spring? #36989

I heard 4 or 5 gobblers hammering Sat morning.:D Our azaleas and redbuds are blooming, dogwoods will be starting in a week or so. Hope to get most of my Rx burning done in the next few weeks.

Our youth turkey weekend is in two weeks!! The boy and I are beside ourselves.

Hang in there, it’s on the way!

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in reply to: Practice of the Wild #35742

I really enjoyed that book. I checked it out from the library, so don’t have it to try and find the quote.

Great story, Smithammer.:D

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in reply to: Twisted one up #35736

Cameron, I’ll try to do some pics and a little build-along tomorrow. It is a neat process.

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in reply to: Twisted one up #35728

Well, I’m a beginner but I’m learning. Like you say, the fibers are too short and must be continually spliced together throughout the length of the string.

First off, when you being twisting the fibers into reverse twist cordage, you start with one tag end longer than the other so they don’t need splicing at the same time (a no-no….much like laying short hardwood floor pieces next to each other). As you get within a few inches of the tag end, you gather another bundle of fibers and prepare to splice them in. You can either overlap the new bundle and the single tag end by a few inches and continue twisting, or form a “u” with the new fibers being twisted into both strands of the cordage….thus being stronger and less prone to pull out. On a bowstring, I think it’s best to use the “U” method.

None of this makes much (if any) sense in writing, but seeing it in person it’s pretty easy. I find the hardest thing to do is to keep a consistent string diameter while continually splicing in additional fibers.

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