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in reply to: Hammock Seat Hedonism, Episode 1 #54037

Is that a commercial product, or something you made yourself? Looks pretty cool.

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in reply to: New string problem #25096

This is just a guess, but I think your co-worker sold the bow because it was too short for him. Although he may have not pulled to full extension. In either case, I could easily be wrong.

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in reply to: outdoors/backwoodsman Class #20730

Sorry to come late to the campfire on this one. I also taught a similar course at an independent school (non-public) but it was some time ago. Some things have changed, like the proliferation of “survival-type” reality shows on TV which do not always show good decision-making or the reasoning behind some decisions. So one thing you may want to include is some type of “risk-reward matrix” for backwoods decision-making. Here’s a couple of examples of what I mean from the inimitable (and hopefully not followed by many) Bear Grylls. In the first episode of his first TV show (can’t even remember the name it was so long ago – but I do have a copy of VHS) he thought he heard a bear in the night, so he ran out of his tent and dashed through the woods without a light of any kind to escape. Then he later wanted to cross a river, so he jumped off a 30 foot cliff into the water and swam across. Now maybe I’m old fashioned but I can think of many, many bad things that can happen running through the woods at night with no light and jumping from height into unknown water. There may have been some good reasoning behind those decisions but that was never shared with the viewer.

One other piece of knowledge that was shared with me early in my outdoor experiences was the “Rule of Threes” (under optimal conditions you can survive three minutes without air, three hours without shelter in inclement weather, three days without water, three weeks without food). That little bit of information shaped what I taught my students and still shapes what I carry into the backcountry on my own adventures.

If you have any questions about my course or curriculum, please feel free to PM me. I would be happy to share what I have.

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in reply to: Ground Game #59170

Sorry about being a little late to this thread. I hunt with a guy who carries a small wool blanket and a small garden trowel. He will still hunt until he finds a likely place to have a game encounter and he sits at the base of a tree. Then he digs a little hole in the ground between his knees and lights a tiny wood fire. Then he wraps himself and the fire with the blanket.

He stays warm enough and smells like wood smoke. Admittedly, he mostly uses a rifle with this technique. But a good bow hunter could use this as well.

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in reply to: new archery shop in town #27070

Good for you, Critch. Even though there is a nice shop only a few miles from my house they have nothing for the traditionalist. If I want anything beyond “wheels and vanes”, I have to drive either 40 or 60 miles (one way) for a very limited selection. Thankfully the closer shop is the better one but it has much more limited hours. But it’s always nice to hear about more trad in the marketplace.

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in reply to: Comparing takedown to one piece #14661

Thanks, Smithhammer. I figured that the takedown would be heavier but wasn’t sure if that was true across the board.

I have to say that I like shooting the PSE, especially since it’s what I started out shooting. But I “love” shooting the Bear. It just feels all-around better to me, even though both bows are the same length and there is only 5 pounds difference in listed draw weight. I think I have definitely found a keeper.

I also picked up a Bear “Cub” at a local gun show recently. It definitely needs some TLC. Someone in the past painted the belly in a bad camo pattern and that is peeling. The bow is so dirty that I cannot even read the serial number, AMO length, and the draw weight. If it wasn’t for the Bear coin and the sticker on the upper limb (“Bear : Glass-powered : Cub”) I would have thought it just a no-name recurve. Now I’ve got some research and work to do as I want to restore the bow the right way and I have never done that.

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in reply to: Comparing takedown to one piece #13691

Thanks for the comments thus far.

The grip on both feels very similar to me. But the Bear feels more “natural” overall when I draw back to anchor compared to the PSE. I was using the same arrows with both bows (Easton XX75 Camo Hunter 2117). I picked up some arrows at a local sportsman’s show for 50 cents each in various spines (2215, 2216, 2219, 2315, and 2413) to test both bows as well. I’m hoping that will help me decide which arrows each bow really likes but it will probably just cloud the issue even further. 😀

I’m still curious about the relative noise and relative weight differences between the two bows. Is a one piece bow usually lighter than a takedown? Is it possible that the one piece bow is inherently quieter compared to a takedown with separate riser and limb pieces?

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in reply to: Signs of Spring #23519

Still have at least 24 inches of snow on the ground at my house southeast of Syracuse, NY. Temp this morning was 4*F. Rumors of a 40* and a 50* day in the forecast for the week but I do not believe it. Running out of firewood. Hoping for warmer temps at some point but who knows when that will be?

“Winter’s a long time going, huh?”

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in reply to: Emergency Gear #7675

Mr. Petersen, you are correct in my reasoning behind carrying the gear that I do. It makes my wife feel better about me being “alone” in the woods. And she is also the reason I have the desire to get back home after dark. When I have planned a multi-day trip in advance, there is no worry.

I also agree with eidsvolling in that my choice to carry some gear is directly proportional to the many hours I have spent looking for a completely unprepared hunter as a SAR volunteer. It is almost certain that when we turn out to look for a lost hunter, the only gear they have is weapon, ammo, license, and cell phone. Even when lost, a small amount of gear can make all the difference in getting found again.

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in reply to: question about stoves #7665

blacktail, I have a Primus multi-fuel stove and all the accompanying pieces that I would love to sell. Been trying to sell it off and on for a couple of years. It has about 6 or 8 total burn hours of use. Never had a problem, I just don’t need it anymore.

It is a Primus model MFS 3288 stove. It comes with a complete repair kit (with tools) stored in a small Nalgene screw top container and two 1 liter liquid fuel bottles. It will burn any flammable liquid as well as pressurized butane canisters. I printed out a copy of the English language instructions as I have lost the original instructions. The repair kit does have the original instruction manual.

If you have any interest, just let me know and we can try to work out the details.

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in reply to: Emergency Gear #58645

I carry much the same gear as Smithhammer and edisvolling year round. My only differences are two bottles of water, two compasses, a map, two blades (one fixed, one locking folder), and my cell phone (turned off in a waterproof case). My total preparedness gear with full bottles weighs in at about 6 pounds. This allows me to be capable of spending a night if necessary, but I would usually prefer to make it out if at all possible. The cell phone often (not always) allows me to communicate by text if nothing else and any little bit can be useful. In the days before cell phones, I came home many nights well after dark and long after my ETA. But I have always gone into the woods (hunting, fishing, or just wandering) with the related thoughts,”Two is one and one is none” and “Be prepared because Murphy is out there too”.

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in reply to: Free Class on Land Ethics #50827

I also thought it was a great class. Worth much more than free, in my opinion.

Smithhammer, I seem to remember something being mentioned that the class may run again in the summer. Might be something to watch.

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in reply to: Looking for traditional bow-folks in Upstate NY #27591

jmsmithy, looks like Footies has gone under. His website hasn’t been updated in a year. The Facebook page has some recent updates but also a comment that the shop is no longer at the original address and to call a phone number with questions. I called the number today and was told by the person who answered that the number was now held by an individual with no knowledge of the archery shop. Too bad.

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in reply to: Howdy #27586

Wose wrote: You are a step ahead of me with the Wheelie. I’ve never actually shot one. When I look at one though, I start getting this pain behind my eyes. I used to be kind of a gear head, but as I get older, I’ve developed this fondness for simple robust technologies.

Honestly, I don’t think you’re missing much not having shot a compound. I really didn’t like my experience at all (only 4 hours). The let-off was a very strange feeling.

I know what you mean about “simple technologies”. When I first started hunting as a teenager, I had a neato whiz-bang deer rifle. Then I moved to a shotgun my father gave me. Then I moved to a flintlock muzzleloader. And then the trad bow. I’m sticking with the flintlock and the bow. Just makes a day in the woods more fun, for lack of a better word. Both are very effective on game but they each make me concentrate on doing my part correctly.

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in reply to: Howdy #26549

Welcome. I am reasonably new here as well and have already learned quite a bit. Unfortunately, my local weather is not cooperating (2 feet of snow on the ground and temps in the single digits) or I would be shooting outside too. I also have my office at home and would love to shoot my bow more but it’s just too cold. I think we have the same bow (at least that’s what someone told me). I have the PSE Stalker and that was my hunting bow this fall. No shots but some close whitetails. I have only been shooting trad for 3 years but never really shot a “wheelie bow”, just enough to know I couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn with one.

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