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gut bow string

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IsaacW:
Ran across this nice 2 part tutorial on making gut stings of elk gut.  I suppose the process is the same, just with many more ply.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkZPuc0GlAY

I actually have hog casings at home but need them for sausage.  I have coon hit our gardens hard that I need to get rid of but I ate killing and not using them.  I am thinking of using the unprime hides to make some rawhide to lace snowshoes for my girls (little kid ones with fine lacing) and the gut would make nice  bow strings.  Meat is probably still alright, but catching and dispatching in the morning with little time before work doesn't go so well with good meat making. Not as much fat to remove from the meat this time of year compared to late fall though!!

Isaac

IsaacW:
A little update.  I have caught 3 coon in 2 nights.  Last night (night 3) was nothing.  I am hoping that is the end of the coon in the garden for now.  Anyway, I took out and cleaned all the intestines.  It was not nearly as bad a job as I was expecting (just stay away from the stomach).   The cleaned "gut" is now "curing" in a salt water solution.  I will see if I have enough for a good string (not a lot of intestines in a raccoon surprisingly) and maybe try twisting the string within the week.

Isaac

CherokeeKC:
Cool cant wait to hear about it and see pics

PrimitiveTim:
Thanks for documenting and sharing your experience.  I was wondering about coon gut as well. 

caveman2533:
I would hang a weight from it after twisting so that it stretches before it dries.  I think this will help remove some stretch from it when done and may also help with the diameter a bit.

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