Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Shooting and Hunting => 2020 Hunting pics => Topic started by: HH~ on September 28, 2020, 06:36:32 am
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28 Sept 20
Did not hunt much opening weekend. Sat three times for a few hours total. Saturday nite was a great evening. We sat off a bean filed had 7 deer toatal come by to feed. Weather was really superb with a SW breeze and 65-70 dergees and a big orange sun setting in west. I could see the large USA Flag off the top of the church nearby. Was good to be in the stand in a free land.
Good hunting
Shawn~
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Some of the bucks working this stand location. Will pull card before this cold weather pushes in and update whats going on in that section of woods.
Shawn~
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Some of my favorite hunts I never drew my bow. It’s nice just to enjoy that sunset and all it brings with it.
I’m sure you will be connecting soon.
Bjrogg
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29 Sept 20
Heavy dew on everything and 46 degrees this morning. Sounds like its raining in woods. Rubber boots for sure. Walked a mile thru golden rod milkweed blackberry etc like i went for a swim. Deer were coming off beanfields and i bumped some going in. Moon was up early so im sure deer were gnashing and tearing up beans as they quickly turning yellow.
Have about 400ac of standing dry corn that needs shelling and until it is complete these deer will not do into their normal Fall feeding habit. Can hope this cool dry week it will be gone. Well, let me get back to it.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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Pics from last couple days.
Shawn~
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30 Sept
clear, high pressure 50 degrees for morning sit with SSW winds picking up to 10mph once sun sunrise. Walked in and climbed a 15" Walnut in a small hill cane ticket on slope of what I call Ray's Ridge. Ray used to sit in a natural hill cane blind we built for him there. I have not hunted there since he passed last August.
Got set up about 20 feet off top of slope, on low side about 15 feet. So, about 0615 while to dark to shoot I could hear a deer coming a long way off side sloping the ridge and moving steady. Got right near me and I gave it one doe grunt and scared the bejesus out of it. It kept right on moving like it had date with to an unknown white oak. Could feel the cool air slowly slipping to NNW off slope like I hoped it would.
After 90 minutes and sunrise i peered over to the north on an old two trac Ray and I cut there is a deer coming along and stops. I can see his head and bases of antlers but not much more. He needs to keep on coming. I stand and grab the 2020 HH 45#28" and turn. Buck continues on two trac to the little opening we made. It's a forked horned buck. I immediately tell myself, "not going to take him, not that in need of the red meat". He turns left broadside at about 6yds under and i tighten the string with my split finger Rod tab i customized. Thought "jeez, it don't get any better. Nope, don't start lyin on yerself". I let down slowly. Man, the sight picture looked GOOD! Counted Coup on him like my forefathers.
Long time ago I use to use that tool to keep me calm. Tell myself "not shooting that deer" especially if I saw a goodun coming a long way off. It works well and a good method l to file away. I did get a pic off him at 15yds when I "baaaa'ed" at him after he was well upwind.
Very nice morning in the deer woods couldn't be more please with the mornings events.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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01 Oct 2020
Huge moon this morning, 50 degrees, zero wind. Not ideal for hunting but had hoped to catch some deer returning to bed in River bottom. Walked the 3/4 mile to bottom and deer were right near my tree location. They went on down and I think crossed river.
Upon sunrise just some cool air sinking off the ridge, still no wind but no deer movement either. Very pretty day and unusually temperate weather this m again with more predicted.
This was this HHer bow's first trip to the River so she got baptized as I crossed to have a peek on this gravel bar.
Shawn~
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01-02 OCT 20
To finish October 1st hunts. . . . Went out with my Ranger buddy I have hunt with for 15-20 yrs last evening. Full moon, WNW winds to 19mph and did not hold out much hope doing any good work. He had knee surgery then two more after first since Aug 4th so he can hardly walk (with cane), So, took him to a stream crossing he likes that leads to 350 plus acre cut corn field. We took one of my SOF Yeti nets and worked all week making a first class ghillie net 10ftx5ft with stripped burlap and some other stuff we used making Ghillie suits in service. Came out really well. Dropped him off put his chair and net up in good favorable wind and let him have at it.
I hunted a good ways from him and it got late so I climbed down and moved to his location and he was gone? I found him hobbling in head high grass and weeds. Said he had just shot one. A quick scanned revealed a white belly on creek bank. So, even a pegged leg can get it done on ground up close!
02 Oct 20
40 degrees, no wind and I am at my place. Great morning feels like Nov out! Enjoying the hunt when about 0730 I hear all kind splashing in creek behind me. Peek around tree and coyotes are running up and down on gravel bar about 6 incher deep. That about sealed it for me. Gig was definately up. These critters got to be dealt with. Hope I can wait til cool weather or I will take rifle or shotgun out and do some early calling.
Scouted my way home to see what crossing the deer are favoring right now on creek.
Good Hunting
Shawn
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03 Oct 20
40 degrees, clear, zero wind.
Had "Hind Tit" in one of my favorite stands this morning. Slow early then i saw a deer moving thru off to my west. They were going by me so I pulled out the doe grunt and gave a small series of nudge grunts. Two small deer come running right to me. I'm looking for the big deer, no big deer. Musta got harvested already. Deer wandered around my location and finally decided to take one.
Deer was about 15yds and a steep angle. Button head was on bottom side of old stock pond earth damn 30ft below me. Hit it middle off back and drove arrow down and out brisket. Broadhead was stuck in ground and snapped when it ran. He went about 25yds and fell over. He was essentialy pinned to the ground.
Good morning and great weather.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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04 Oct 20
Got a call for tracking help this morning. No Mas, no deer either. Narrow is the path, hard is the way. That's selfbow hunting at it's best.
I'm shutting er down until I hit the high country of Idaho and Montana. Getting squeezed for time and plenty chores. I will say I hunted a bit more than normal early season with these 40-70's temps. Just really nice bow hunting weather.
I may get a call for more help before I go wheels up but if not you fella's shoot straight.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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Congrats on you deer Shawn, hope to see you before you head out, I guess you still want to borrow my tent ? Haven't heard but you know you are welcome. :)
Pappy
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Just to of us going into Elk Camp now. So, tent is ok for two. Will be down later to pick up ice blocks. Loading truck and will get on the road early Friday.
Kid i taught to bow hunt killed a really good buck last evening at 10yds. One of the bigger deer I have seen in a few years here in Tenn, looks like he may have been going on the down side of maturity which is nice to see. Most deer around here never seen maturity. Looks to be in the area of 180 dressed. He was not swelled in neck yet however. Just looks solid.
Shawn~
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12 Oct 20
Been on my way a few days now. Easy drive not much traffic. Made in to my friends farm on the Missouri River in Yankton, SD. Stayed in his cabin on bluff over looking it. We caught up on some stories and talked story into the night right around the bend from where Lewis and Clark camped here.
Next stop was my hunt buddies ranch near Rapid City inthe Black Hills. Stayed in his pole barn with dog and wood stove. Whitetails all over his cottonwoods bottom here.
Tonight im camped Over by Columbus , MT right on the Yellowstone River in a big cotton wood flat of 79 whi b runs to the Absoraka’s Crow county. Nice cold night. Stopped in Bell Fourche, Billings. When i went by Little Big Horn Battlefield i could see the flag flying onthe ridge, i looked over coming down hiway 212, nice Pronghorn Buck Standing with Last Stand Hill behind him.
Thought that was a neat scene coming down the hill.
Be in my elk camp by last lite.
Good Hunting
Shawn
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Dude I love this hunting journal
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+1 its fun!
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9-28 Oct 2020
Just an update. Out of high country of IDaho and Montana. Long hard hunt over several weeks. Was in on 9 bulls kills “ i think”. Lost count after hauling out first couple. None were of my doing.
One of the wildest multi state adventures in 35yrs.
More to follow:
HH~
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Sounds awesome can't wait to hear more
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Was a very good and crazy hunt out west. Put in 5000 miles on my old GMC 4x4 not to mention the miles on my boots. No 4whlr in my camp.
I left 3-4 days early so I could poke around out west and camp etc.
1st nite I stayed on a friends private in Yankton, SD right on the Missouri river. Just a really nice farm where the Jim river enters river. Nice bluff and he had a SD state cabin they were tossing brought in and I stayed in it. Saw some raccoons and a few small whitetails moving thru the river bottom that morning. Weather was great but a little smoke still in the air from fires out west.
Next day I camped on my buddies ranch in Rapid City, SD. Stayed in his pole barn had wood stove cranked up. Dog stayed with me. Had all kine whitetails come out in morning to eat pumpkins he had growing in the patch. We packed up last stuff and moved out for Montana.
We cut thru WY but stopped in Bell Fourche, SD for a minute then drove into Broadus, WY up on Powder River. Then Jumped on 212 and went thru the Reservation to Lame Deer then right to Little Big Horn Battlefield. Coming down hill with the flag on Last Stand Hill waving was a nice Buck Antelope in the fire break standing on the hill. Keeping an eye on our fallen I reckon.
Kicked around in Billings of a minute then went on into Columbus, MT and down on the Yellowstone River to make camp for the nite. Was on road into the Absoraka's or Crow Nation. The crow got one hella deal when the got their land. Prolly some of the nicest in MT, Past Red Lodge on WY border. Nice Mt's good herds and good water. Got a deal for not fighting the USA. Think those peaks are the tallest in MT and all Crow lands.
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I'll bet our fellow native American citizens don't think they got a great deal from America....just saying. Paul
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Guess you never been to the Absoraka. BTW i am native american and im sayin. Crow did not fight USA.
More high country hunt to come...
Shawn~
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So, after leaving Columbus MT headed over past Big Timber, Divide and jumped on 15 to 43 and went up the Bighole river up the the Bighole National Battlefield where we fought the Nez Perce which then skinnied up the east side of divide to Canada. Very purty place and hella trout river. Croos over into ID at Chief Joseph Pass and down into Salmon Idaho.
Got into are hunt area just north of Challis and 20mile 4 wheel into are camp up at 6750ft. Nice area in USNF with BLM on lower side. Mostly douglas fir and lodgepole pine and sage brush all the way up to 8500ft. The elk were not in there this season in great numbers. Small family herds and bachelor groups of bulls here and there.
Hunted here for 12-13 days and had had plenty cows go by me and had one decent opportunity at a 6 by herd bullat 15yds but he was in thick fir on a steep slope. I did not shoot. The fell'as we know from Idaho Falls took 5 bulls out while we were there and a good time was had by all. Snow on top in small amounts every two days that would melt in sun. The quakies were dropping leaves fast.
I may go back early next year if the weather turns colder earlier.?
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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Pulled out of IDaho and went back over Chief Joe Pass in the teeth of the blizzard. Got halfway up at the 93/43 split and it was whiteout and stayed that way all the way to camp in the Big belts. Had about 22" snow and drifts to 6ft in places. Got camp shovel out to place tent in. Cut some Doug Fir and stove was cranked. Got ready for early morning in the oat field's where the herd had come down too.
HH~
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03 Nov 20
Vote Day
Was out early saw several deer. Big lone doe came 0730hrs let walk thru think a buck may be trailing. No to be.
Hunted river bottom. 1630hrs two doe came in but were coverd up purty well. 1700hrs a big bobcat walked down deer trail toward river. I knew something was moving down hill as a gray squirrel was screaming. Bobcat was getting the riot act. Then, down same trail a big feral cat came right down bobcats trail.
Right at dark the coyotes cut loose across river to be answered on ridge by their buddies.
Good day on the hunt.
Shawn~
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04 Nov 20
Did hunt this morning. Loaded 2000 rounds of 45 ACP. Figger i may em soon!
Went out tonite. Purty slow 70 degrees. In dark walking out saw a few deer moving. See what morning brings. Heat is on rut is not hittin hard in daylight. Hiway road kill confirms deeR are not moving much yet. Fine with me, got 67 days left to hunt deer here.
Shawn~
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05 NOV 20
45 degrees 2 mph wind out of east 0545hrs.
Went to river bottom as it was going to get warm quickly. Got set up in a skinny sycamore tree in an overgrown flat on river. Was set by 0530 and waited for it to get gray out. About 0600 I stood up where I usually do for first 1.5hrs. I forgot my shooting glasses but could see purty well out to 100yds in scrub. I happened to look over my left shoulder and saw a dark shape, yep it was a deer moving my way in a hurry. Picked up bow off the hanger and got into a good position for a shot to left on trail coming under my climber. This buck came to 20yds and made a circle where a doe peed two nites ago and continued right under me. I stopped him with "maa,aaa" half a yard from straight down and pulled all the slack I could get outta that 12 strand D97 on Hind Tit and snapped the shot. The buck whirled hit behind the shoulder straight down. I could hear the arrow slice into his flesh as he darted around tree into brush and up the ridge. I saw him snap the arrow off and mark that spot in memory. Time 0615hrs.
I went and hung bow up and loaded another arrow on shelf. The new Magnus was sharp and ready for another opportunity. I have spoke to several guys, Pappy being one where fella's "just cant take it they have to climb down". I thought about and said to myself "its to early and prime hunting time stay and see what fortune brings".
After about an hour and some change I here a deer moving in the thicket off my right shoulder. Deer moving off ridge to the river. It circled around and was standing where the buck was when I first saw him. She then headed for river. I pulled out my 1980 doe grunt tube knowing she could not see thru that thicket and gave it a few "hey, who are you doe grunts". She could not refuse to see who was on the other side of the thick. She came right in the bucks tracks and stopped under me right where he was! Would be the same shot. Same same. Grabbed another handful of string and picked a spot and loosed the arrow. She spun and ran right where buck ran.
Well, waited another 30 min and packed my gear and got down. Found both shafts 5ft from each other, a good start. Found the buck blood trail and found him up ridge on the two track. Looked like he had expired very quickly and he was getting stiff already. When I grabbed him to move into a better spot to dress him I heard a deer crash out of the creek bottom that runs into river. I thought "hmmmn". I went to work on buck. While, dressing the buck I hear a loud "Baaaaaaaaaa" up creek a bit. Thought that's strange!
Buck taken care of I went to wash my hands and knife and find blood trail from doe. Went down slope and ran into a good blood trail in the over growed creek flat. I say" let me get this fat and blood off me and make a cricle up in creek with these 18 LaCrosse rubber boot and see what this noise was". Rounded the corner and saw a funny rock. As I approached i saw red in water. My doe. Never heard a doe Bawl out a death moan but there she was.
Pretty sure I used up my good luck all in one day but it sure was enjoyable.
Good Huntin
Shawn~
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Nice. Is very rewarding when it all comes together like that. I enjoy your input on the site.
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That's crazy they both went to the same spot
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Exactly same spot. Whitetails can be so hard to figger and then sometimes you can almost see what they will do in a giving situation. Was warm out and they are all fatted up. So, I went and hunted on north side of river bottom where cool air pools in the morning/evening and they have good cover. Deer all in there when it got warm here. Rest of last week was tough hunting saw deer but could not figger what they were doing at all. Rut is behind a bit seems like all mating activity is happening at night with this warm spell.
Got deer to skin and meat to process and grind some burger today. Have four or five deer to take care of if Pappy does not take one this morning! Can be tough but Pappy has the area to make fast work of an animal. Problem usually is, good help. Had to get two deer out yesterday, sent out 6-7 texts for a quick hand and most guys were in a stand or catching up on chores after Election. They were not in to deep so I was able to get my 4x4 Trk down ridge on the old cattle two track to river.
Good Hunting
HH~
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I have one guy that hunts none of my other friends do so getting help packing out isn't likely. Processing is the most time consuming part for me but I love it
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Cant remember a time I did not take care of meat. As a kid my father would say "go down and cut 4 chops off that half a deer hanging for supper tonite". We always had one hanging from bow season on. Lots of guys like doing their meat. I like it because I know whose hands been on it . . . Gods and mine.
Shawn~
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I didn't grow up hunting so all my experience has been the last 4 years or so but processing it yourself to just feels like something you should do, finishing your own work so to speak. Plus I like to keep as much of it in roast form or big cuts for steak as I can I try to grind as little as possible.
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No Hunt 6-7th NOV
It opening of Smoke pole season and the Orange Army will be in woods here this morning and I wont be in that! Maybe on Sunday? Warm here, very warm.
We took care 3 or 4 whitetails. We ground almost 80lbs of burger some for burger some to be used in making Brats later this year. Purdy much we worked from 10:30 to 1600hrs then clean up. Was a good day. What happens when you shoot doubles or triples on same day (work). Have some wrapping to do today and make a trip to the smoke house. Need to smoke some stuff to cure it so I can get it out to my son overseas. Guy is a deer jerky and deer stick eating machine.
Big Dave/OTIS came in while we were finishing up. Good to see him and will check in with him through out the week bow hunting at the farm.
Keep waking up at 0400 even if I dont hunt. Guess that's from hunting out west and getting up at 0330 to hump the Mt to be in in the area you wanna hunt at first light? It's all gud.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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great stories and awesome pictures
thanx for this journal :OK
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Sure.
HH~
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08 Nov 20
Was 60 this morning! After 0800 I could not stand it by 10:00 it 75 degrees. I saw plenty deer on and around the two acre green field we put in. Those doe were gnashing and tearing the bejesus out of it. Then, a big ground hog wandered out and got his fill. In all I must have seen 15 deer. Had a good looking 2x2 walk right up to me on ground. I took a knee and he kept right on into me. He had his mouth wide open and slapping his tongue to his nose. He stopped and ate some fresh fallen maple leaves and kept on moving. Love drunk no doubt.
Fella who owns farm said there five bucks outside his widow at sunup. I sure did not see them in my area by creek. Good day with the "Tit" and some new arrows I had to put together. Deer been breaking a few off. Have not lost a point yet though.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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10 Nov 20
Went to farm this morning and on way saw a deer. He got ker-plunked last nite on road. Small buck, pulled the 4x4 over and he was still warm. In the back he went. He a hit to head and left front shoulder. Took the hinds and back straps out and ice them down. About 30lbs of boned meat.
Went out tonight was 65 degrees and drizzling. I got setup and looked over and nine hens turkeys were feeding on some kind of seeds in the dead stalks. When, I looked back to right a nice 6x4 whitetail was coming fast along a deer trail. Nice looking buck. He was cruising for doe and never gave me an opportunity to get on him. Later about dark, was getting ready to pack my gear on ground and looked up and he was about 10-12yds away on trail looking at me. Was far to dark to shoot. He just turn around and walked back the way he came. Warm but bucks are cutting up the woods looking for females.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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That's a good rut report
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11 Nov 20
Was 62 at 0445 now un 58 and raining. Will wait til rain goes thru then go hunt. They out searching and this cool will help fire these deer up.
I did watch a buck last nite. He was bedded about 500yds out in a corner of hay pasture. He stayed in bed til it was almost dark. Just to warm (70 degrees) with winter coat and all fatted up. Thinking they will be in a tear later today as front moves in.
HH~
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Congrats on the double Hedge. Weather's been the same here in PA. Too hot for good rutting activity. Not much daytime movement at all. Heavy rain today and tomorrow, then it cools down a little Friday the 13th. Hopefully they'll get active then. Should be a good couple of days. Enjoy reading your adventures. Keep it coming.
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Finished up second 6lbs of jerky last evening. Man gotta have a shirt pocket of deer jerk.
Shawn~
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11 Nov 20
45degrees, wind NW 5-7mph
Veterans Day. To all the warriors, the 1% if this great nation who chose to serve. Thank You Brothers in Arms.
Took the Hawken out tonite. Saw a herd drop in to my friends standing beans out at about 300yds. They disappeared in a low spot at 1600hrs then about 45 mins later i saw ears coming over the high spot about 135yds away. I checked my iron sights and wAited for this big lop eared granny doe who was trailing to get clear. As, she did i put a center hold on her and touched off the old smoke wagon.
She ran right at me. I could see shot was right height but to far back as she stood in thicket 40yds away. Slowly dropped powder, then patched ball and rammed it to bottom.
Plucked a new primer out of breast pocket and primed rifle.
She was in purty good blackberries, honey suckle and sapling thicket now and standing there dripping. I took good 6 O clock hold, pulled set trigger then touched off main trigger. Big smoke! Then, i see her going down. The old rifle still a fine hunting gun.
Good hunting~
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There is something about putting as patched round ball through one that is akin to a feathered wood shaft and two blade broadhead.
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Not really. If it were the same i would hunt with my cap and ball pistols more. Always for me something about taking skack out of a bow string, looking down shaft past a broadhead on a patch of fur/hair! Maybe its just me?
Never seen you on the Hedge thread Eric. I put you a pic Eric of the Booner doe. She soaked up that first ball like a champ!
Shawn~
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12 Nov 20
36 degrees this morning, NNE wind 2-5mph.
This morning was one of those November hunt sits when it was nonstop action from before shooting light til 0830hrs. Just a rare day with a selfbow you may or may not have once a year. When, I got to the Happy Hunt ground with my forefathers if it's like this hunting will be fine. Hop they have lots of arrows there.
0600 in light just enough to see a we bit a small doe trotted by with tail up looking birdy. She was followed by one of the deer I been after. The went by crossed creek of my hunt land and ..... Boom! Smokepole went off. I know he is dead unless are nimrod missed his mark. Big mature 5.5yr old. Hope a young hunter got him!
About 0650 a big mature 5x5 I have been on twice now came down same scent trail but moving very slow and taking his time. He got about even with me and stopped cold. Thru his head up. Wind shifted right into his nose. So, he stood still as a head stone for 5 min then slowly made a circle 50yds out into wind but it had shifted back to NNE. I knew he would be back later. So, I stood in stand ready for about an hour then sat back down. Just as I did, I hear a deer coming hard behind me. I stand slowly and look and its him moving fast right under my backside of tree. I grab bow and turn, draw bow about halfway back and my tree stand platform creaks on tree and he bolts out about 50yds away right into a 2x2 coming the other way. He left for the day. I will stay out for a day or so now. he in the thick stuff chasing doe. He not going to far. Saw a few other deer and packed it up and walked out.
Had the big doe to take care from last evening. Have 65lbs now of ground deer for brats and burger. Mr.Bill was there and he knows a family thats on hard times so I gifted him some backstraps and roasts for those folks. Help em out some I hope.
Good hunting~
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I wish I could bow hunt with my selfbows but loss of land and physical limitations have shut me down.
I had lost the ability to hunt with my flintlock rifles because I couldn't see the sights well enough to be confident in my ability to shoot accurately. I just made a peep sight for my #1 deer rifle that shows promise in getting my shooting ability back.
I guess I feel the primitive connection to my rifles because I made them, the first took me 2 years worth of goof-ups and corrections before I was satisfied with the final product. I got much quicker and better on my later guns. I am working on what could be my last build, I don't need any more.
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Good Eric. We all have to make adjustments. My eyes are sure not what they were. I can still shoot a tang peep sight. Need to get one for this Hawken. Still shoot peeps on all my springfields etc.
I shoot bow like shooting a peep sight anyway use shaft as front sight and string as rear. At selfbow ranges its like shooting CBT pistol really. Long as i can see and pull string I be OK. Only shot 3 arrows this fall and squeeze one set trigger. Figger I can do that when I'm 80.
No hunt day. Will hunt Sat evening. Going back in for this buck I'm after.
Shawn~
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15 Nov 20
65 degrees front just went thru 40mph winds and rain. Cooling now. Will hit it tonite.
Went to my fiends farm with buddy from T Oaks last night. Put him a good stand. He had a show for sure. think he 18 out in front of him most the sit. They came in until after legal shooting light ended. I could see some looking down off hill a few times. those were all I saw. Warm evening 70 degrees and west sun was hitting me. I almost busted a bead!
Think we cut/butchered deer everyday except yesterday. Was good to finally sleep in to 0600hrs this morning :).
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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15 Nov 20
55 degrees and very windy. Was set by 1300. Saw two deer walking in bedded in sun on leeward side of hill in golden rod scrub. My tree was swaying a foot either way. My bow was rocking on the holder but arrow held fast on shelf.
At 1615 i see the same buck i saw other morning cruising on leeward side of ridge below me. Nice 6x4 chocolate colored buck. He was moving purdy good. Glad to see him in area again. Well worth the 4 hr sit.
Heading for river botttom in the morn.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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16 Nov 20
Frosty morning. Whitetail rut in full glory. Bucks chasing all over. Was fun to watch. Had a 1.5yr ild doe come by twice. On her second pass she gave me a shot at 15 or so yds. She was hard quarter away. I drew and shot. Arrow looked high but i heard a loud Whack. Saw arrow flip up broken. Saw no shaft sticking out of the deer? Upon getting down i saw both sections of arrow. Clean miss. Was happy about that.
Was a short morning as it got warm quickly. Saw plenty deer. Great bright morning.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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17 Nov 20
0500hrs, 41 degrees, wind NNW@3-5mph
Went down to my my good friends farm to hunt for the morning which is about 20 min away. We walked in about a mile or so to a spot on a small ridge. Leaves were fluffy and ankle deep going in with clear skies above. he dropped me at stand location and continued on.
We both were set by 0550 as it started to get gray in the east and the wind picked up a bit as I could hear the stubborn red oaks holding there leafs start to rustle with this north wind. Was still dark when the first deer went by. I thought I might outta stand up early and stay standing for a few hours as anything can happen and happen quick this time of year. Was not standing more than 5-10 mins when I hear a deer coming to my south and closing fast. I look to right of my tree and make out a buck cruising right at me. I see there is no way to shoot on that side of tree. So, I will have to spin and duck my safety line to get in position on left of tree for a shot thru a small hole between a beech and the red oak the stand is in. As I turn I drag my boot on the metal platform and the buck stops in the shoot window and looks right at my direction. To late, as I have bow now at full draw and have the spot picked. I send the 600grn arrow with a 190grn point the 12 yds into his left flank. The arrow sinks deep into his side as he wheels and runs over the ridge outta sight.
I think wow, that happened in a flash. It's only about 0620 and sun has just risen. I text my buddy of the events and get down very quietly and check the hit site and if there is immediate blood. Yes there is, a hiway of blood heading down the draw. I creep back to stand and wait. Before long my friend comes back up the trail and I relay the events. I say "i'm purty sure I heard the deer go down not far down in the draw".
We both ease down the blood trail slowly and sure enough about 50yds there is the buck expired in the morning sun under a small beech tree. So, we ended our hunt rather early and walked off the ridge. As we did we ran into a big doe with five bucks following her up where we had just come from. We stopped to watch them and they never even paid us any mind as they slipped up and out of the draw. Good to see deer doing deer stuff after you have taken one out of the herd.
Heck of a morning I shall not soon forget.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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Yep great time for sure, I will have some stories to tell also and pictures up soon. Congrats Shawn nice deer and great shot, 140 lbs 105 inch 11 point.
Love it when a plan comes together. ;) :) :)
Pappy
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Yes, it was an adventure not so far from home.
Thanks Pappy
Shawn~
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another one!!!! (A)
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21 Nov 20
Got my friend in my tree this morning. Says a nice buck is just just across creek. He better keep his head on a swivel. Stuff happens fast in that stand. Ground 40lbs of burger mix other day. That makes it about 115lbs of burger ground so far. Adds up fast. Wife made two Hackbratens last nite in bread pans. Im ready for supper already.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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Man you are having a good season, congratulations. I always enjoy others success
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25 Nov 20
Day off. Raining and storming with a southern flow. Seems to me the rut here is about 10 days behind a normal temperant year. Purty sure sure there will be good rut activity thru Jan in central Tenn. Lots of time to take some doe off these big herds here. When your seeing 20-22 doe and yearlings this time of year before they start grouping back up you have a big population. The good new is I have taking care of that in my area for a number of years and the bucks i see every of the last four years are more and better.
I went out my friend from my Army days, we soljah'ed together in several places and humped some of the same worldy terdholes together. He is missing a knee right now (failed replacement) has a spacer in there. He going krazy inside so I took him out hunting. Wouldn't ya know he kills a biggun. He was always like that.
Was one of those days where a herd of bucks were trailing one doe. Some close some and some sneaking in far behind. Like buzzards circling a bone pile. Was a sight to see. Saw big one horned bucks, really big broken up bucks, small ones, and some very very good ones. Was like a Buck Rally. Also saw a Bobcat go right thru middle of the circus. Good November day.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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29 Nov 20
0600 30 degrees 2 mph wind ESE. Slow early then it was ears, legs and eyeballs for 2hrs straight. Saw 17 does and younguns in one group. Thought I had these doe under control. Guess more work is needed. All in all saw about 40 somethin deer and only one spike buck. Deer movin left right and center between 0730 -0930hrs. Was not a boring morning. Not one within selfbow range for me. Gotta love to that though.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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That’s a cool rack!
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01 Dec 20
Cool and clear, 25 degrees 1mph wind W
Nice morning, some snow in woods on logs and scrub. It flurried all day yesterday. My friend who works for the CCFD was driving around on calls last nite and told me deer were everywhere in open area's. I was going to hunt but I have to get online to purchase my ID elk tags for next fall. Thy cut tags so it will sell out today for GMU I would like to to hunt.
Cant believe its DEC 1st already. Guess that's not a bad thing as we can get these Virus Vaccinations and get on with getting on. I want to get down to Texas and hunt whitetail maybe in Feb or axis deer. Want that vaccine first however. Its all good, been a great season here in TN ever after spending three weeks in the high country. Not done yet but it gets tuff here on out.
Goof Hunting
Shawn~
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06 Dec 20
Out tonite with Raksh 46@26 64.5@ ntn on its first hunt. Had my friend shoot it other day at 26” with broadheads, looked like all double lung hits to me.
Warmed up a bit with gusty West wind. Deer are cleaning out scrapes again and some new rubs here and there. Bucks still looking for doe to come in season. Should puck up in next week or so.
Gets tough in late season. Had a rifle hunter across creek shoot right behind me at last light. Gave me an eye opener that the bang bangs are still out here too.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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09 Dec 20
31 degrees, SW wind
shooting lite was around 0630 slow for first 30 min then coyote were running out in distance. The first deer moved in around 0730 three doe and 0800 i had seen 21 doe and yearlings. I saw what I thought was the record P & Y doe but as she came in she was acting strange checking other doe. Then, I got bino's and sure enough it was a good buck that that had snapped off both beams at skull cap. Probably one of the two big one horns I have seen lately.
Warmed up really fast it with prolly hit high 60's if wind stays down.
Good hunting
Shawn~
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11 Dec 2020
Had frost with south winds forecasted. Warmed really fast. Saw two bucks right at first light then nothing there after. Some fox squirrels in the Burr Oak next to me in this creek bed flat. They had been in the field with a dozer and sprayer the day before and the doe must have moved off for a days or two. About 0830 and fella walking three dogs went thru on far side of creek and that was that. Nice morning to be out in dark to see sun come up over ridge anyway.
Good Hunting
HH~
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22 Dec 2020
I rise this morning with a heavy heart as I know my Ranger and hunting and fishing buddy of 20 years died yesterday 21 Dec 2020 at his home in Adams Tennessee. He was was one hecka of an 2nd Batt Army Ranger, father, archer and outdoorsman. I don't think a morning before sun up that we have not spoke of what the day may hold. I will dearly and forever miss my friend.
Shawn~
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I understand, my work friend of 50 years and gym partner from almost 30 called me from the hospital a few months ago to tell me he had had a heart attack that was no big deal. He said they were going to do one bypass on him the following Monday and straighten him out.
The next day another friend sent me message that my buddy had had a massive stroke, the next day he had another heart attack and was gone, just like that.
These things definitely leave a void in our lives.
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Sorry Shawn.
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Prayers from Indiana Shawn. I know you two were close.
David
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That is a hard thing to bear, I'm sorry for your loss
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Damn. I’m sorry.
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Condolences from Pa Shawn.
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He was a great guy, I got to know him over last winter and this Summer/ fall and never meet a nicer guy,always wanting and willing to help no matter what we were doing,I know yall were close Shawn, thanks for bringing him down so I could meet him and also share in enjoying his company.He will be deeply missed. :(
Pappy
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Thanks Pappy, Dave, fella's.
He was the kind guy who'd stuff MRE tissue in a shrapnel wound wrap some tape over it and carry his broken and busted men out. They say great leadership is infectious and breeds competence. He was that guy. In 2005 he took 141 men into the hell that was Iraq then and brought every single man home on two feet. His leg got broken about six months in and he never took any treatment until we were leaving. Most guy woulda just said "fuk it" and took the the first thing smoking back to states. Not Bart, that was just like another challenge to him, think he sais "I show these insurgents, i beat their asses on one leg".
He was one the best bow hunters I ever saw. We hunted, scouted, soldiered and built bows a bunch together over the years. Heck we both were just saying after he killed this great buck that we will watch each other as old farts grow old chasing whitetails. Sure, as we age we lose people we cherish and that's gods will I can accept that.
There will never be a morning i get up before sun up, pack my gear, reach for my bow that I won't for a minute think " I wonder what Bart's up to".
Sua Sponte my Brother.
RLTW~
Shawn
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Clear and Cold Christmas 2020
West wind, 16 degrees
Deer are in the thick stuff browsing I'm thinkin. When sun gets up I have two wheat fields on nearby farm that are about 3-4" tall. My guess is they will squirt the edges and feed the leeward edges as the sun burns off the frosted wheat.
Good Hunting
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You are probably right Shawn but they will get a pass from me today, plan on getting after them again this coming week, the last week of the season, man it goes by quick. ???
Pappy
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Warriors forward suking it up on baby Jesus' Birthday Deployed to Terdville. I can hunt and live free because of you.
Many Thanks Warriors
HH~
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Whinding down to last week or so of bow hunting for whitetails here in Tenn. Was out yesterday morning saw about 30 deer. Was a cool 26 degrees and about 0730hrs the deer started piling out of the brush for about an hour. Deer were all out of bow range and the were mostly doe and yearlings. Good tidings for 2021 hunts.
Good Hunting
Shawn
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Sounds like you have good management on your property Hedge. I'm going out this weekend hoping to get some meat for the year
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Yeah, well these deer were not on the land I hunt, they were across line but they are the same deer. The close neighbor farm does not allow any hunting. There's about 400acres in there and a 400 acre sanctuary looks purty good to deer during rifle season. Lots of clover still in the hay pastures there.
Big rain here all night but cold. 45 degrees. Bad for bowhunting. Will get after it when this front passes for the last Hoorah to 2020 deer season.
Shawn~
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Boardering a sanctuary is definitely a good thing. Good luck with the rest of the season
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Well 20-21 Deer season is about over. May do some hog hunting in Texas in Feb.
Thanks to all you die hard selfbow or hunters in general. Been a great hunting year. Just to be out in the woods is a blessing.
For all you Huntin with the Hedge fans please check out the Bow of the Year thread under the "Bow of Month Folder" you will see "Hind Tit" the bow i hunted with all season. If you think its a proven tool of a selfbow hunter give her the nod for bow of the Year. Thanks again
Shawn~
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Headed out to Hunt Yellow wood later today. . . Hope theres a Hind Tit bow in this pile we cut!!
Shawn~
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Good luck, snag me one too : )
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If I vote for your bow will you send me one of the staves? >:D ;D
Just kidding, good luck!
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Gonna cut wood today!
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Got a few out yesterday. Got more on ground and some big rounds for billets. Had to get big saw for today. Have a 30" dia tree in same location. I was about 8ft up dropping these 500lb logs off this big leaner with a 20" saw. Gnarly ride when these dropped off main trunk! Like a riding a bumpy wave.
HH~
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Those are some big ol logs
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Have a 28" leaner to deal with next. Had the 460 Stihl with a sup'ed power head out today. Just lay the west coast log mauler on the log and watch it go. Mean old saw. Make those new Stihl's look like the lifeless saws they are!
Swinging that 12lb sledge for a couple days you can feel it between your shoulder blades I can say that. Not for the weak of heart. Got to have that yella wood though.
Got some really nice 38" billets and a bunch of em.
Good Hunting
Shawn~
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Well Selfbow Men
This is where the rubber meets the road. BOY last morning. We are all not sure why the Links were not sent out to all members for the final draw like every month?
Vote here http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,69508.0.html
Cut some Hedge some real nice billets and staves.
Good hunting
Shawn~
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Have a bunch wood peel and seal. My elbows already are ctying.
HH~
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Good sized log here.
HH~
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Last day to vote for HH's Bow of Year under the Bow Of Month tab. You Hunting with the Hedge folks pushed to the biggest win in October of any bow all year. I have confidence you can push her to #1 in Year.
Get er done.
Good Hedge Hunting
Shawn
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Nice pile stacking up at TO. Be taking another load to the Barn before long. Got a old stave that did not make the grade. Pappy had sawed it in half but for some reason saved it. I put a finger joint in it and it made a heck of a nice 57" selfbow. Put tips on yesterday. Then got a string on it. Looking to get it to 30@24" to start. First brace looked really really good, have not weigh it but it looks like its half way to that weight already.
Get a pic in here most Tic.
Shawn~
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Yep, got the Humpy Bumpys for sure. BL handle and the tips came out a 1930's set of drawers and are old growth walnut, 57" ntn.
Make some boy or girl a sweet shooting HH bow.
Shawn~
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Bow-Nado is complete.
HH~
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Bownado cometh forthwith.
HH~
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The Nado
Shawn~
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Nice and a real shooter to boot. :)
Pappy
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Yes. I think you saw me shoot that 1950's taper flight arrow cut to 24" long. I drew bow about 23" split finger and put it right on the standing bears nose at 35yds. Was exactly what arrow hit. Blows me a away that a bow 24lbs@25" can do that!
Some kid going to make a run at youth IBO 20121 with that thing.
Shawn~
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That's a sharp looking bow hedge
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Raining like a banshee this morning. No coyote squirrel hunting today.
I did get some beaver tail on this little Bownado last evening. All ready to shoot. Need to make a set of 26" youth arrows with 70grn points.
Ready for new young bowhunter.
Shawn~
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Looks really good to me.
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Thank You Mr. Eric
Well bow is complete. Figgered we lost a good friend and one hella great bow-hunter right before Christmas here in Clarksville. So, I thought I would make a bow and maybe get a youngster interested enough to shoot and make a new bow-hunter possibly. Time will tell.
Full draw pic. . . .
57" 24@25"
BL Grip
Walnut tips
Beaver tail strike plate and shelf
Shawn~
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Looking good Shawn and some kid will be very happy I’m sure. Arvin
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That turned out really sweet. Great looking bow Hedge. Whomever gets Bownado is one lucky kid. Like that beaver tail arrow pass. Very durable stuff.
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Little character in Bownado
Shawn~
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Bow I call "Half a Holler"
It had a big splinter lift at the Howard Hill shoot 2020. I was able to glue in down and thread wrap it in July while at shoot but finally found a lone billet for a new limb.
Cut it , then put a mortise and tenon type joint in it to save this old bow. It won a lot of 3D's and one or two Arvin shootdowns as well. 69" 41lbs it was. Hope to have "Half a Holler" back in the green again soon.
All back together now. Just got to rawhide wrap and put a grip back on it.
Shawn~
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All back together now some rawhide and a grip leather and she be back at the stake shooting soon.
HH~
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That should hold, I have done the same with several bows that ended up with a bad limb, I put a Z splice in them. You have a lot more handle area to contour so your method is the best for the bow you fixed.
(https://i.imgur.com/ggBTo30.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rCBPL7o.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/kmHzjlj.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/REax5g4.jpg)
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Similar Eric. This one i added a tenon in a separate gluing in the lower slot. Then, when cured did both together then rawhide glued wrapped handle. The tenon was a very hard piece of Black Locust. It will hold and most likely much stronger than the osage ever was.
Tiller the lower limb to floor. Will put original lower tip back on and string tiller it. I teally liked the way that 69” bow shot. See how it shoots soon.
Shawn~
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Grip drying. Then sew it up and Half a Holler is done.
69" and a shooter.
HH~
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Half a Holler is up and shooting well.
HH~
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Some more from kickin around in Idaho last fall.
HH~
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Hunted up some curvy billets. Just had profiled cut it.
HH~
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Well, shot "half a holler" yesterday in about 25 degree weather at 3D's. She ran like a champ and spat out a nice score. 3 balls and 18" right of the 110yd 1'x8" target. This might very well be the the bow to pull out when the $ is on the Shoot Down line. New limb performs well and bow has good cast.
May have to bring it back to Buck Holler on 26-28 Feb down in Vanleer, TN.
HH~
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That should hold, I have done the same with several bows that ended up with a bad limb, I put a Z splice in them. You have a lot more handle area to contour so your method is the best for the bow you fixed.
(https://i.imgur.com/ggBTo30.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rCBPL7o.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/kmHzjlj.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/REax5g4.jpg)
Eric, what kind of glue is that?
Thanks
Matt
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Thats Erics rig with the brown glue, Resorsinol is what it looks like. My S Curve bow has two part epoxy, very similar to EA40. but hardens more and shrinks rate is .0001" when cured.
HH~
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More HedgeHunting
HH~
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That is good old Urac-185 , no longer available, Unibond is OK but it isn't Urac.
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Another 4' snow last nite. Glad my garage is insulated and my freezers in there keep it warm. Steamed the S Curve bow yesterday. Ready to back on caul and get some dry heat.
HH~
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Half a Holler when she was lookin mighty grim. Shoots like a house a fire now.
HH~
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Little snow while the Hedge has been huntin. Funny thing is, it'll be 60 today and glorious weather. Go shoot some foam today with Gil. The Super Pyramid will be getting strung up.
HH~
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Gonna bust out "Half a Holler" out today for a run at the PSF at Buck Holler today. I ran it at TO a week or so ago and with Dan's scoring system on his practice course it ran a 245 for 25 targets with two balls and the long shot. looks wet and soggy out there today but temps are in mid 50's.
Was out shed hunting and around some old homestead locations in the woods there are daffodils already flowering on SW exposures. So, it wont be long til I will be turning over the garden and mixing in the potash from the fall I put in it. Keep that club root out the soil.
Always like this picture. Last load out from 2013. 2.5days of packing meat out.
HH~
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Well, took the" Halfa Holler" bow out to the Pre Spring Fling and she did not disappoint. In fact, that broke repaired bow laid down a monster score for a wet nasty day with just some oil rubbed on her. In fact is shot better than one of the nations top Longbow shooters by 20pts. Even he was surprised that little ol busted bow shot so good.
Great shoot, saw all boys and girls after the long hunt season. Good times for all and plenty whiskey jugs laying around Sat morning so it must of been a fun nite.
HH~
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As it turns out that 355 at the PSF was good enough for Silver. Even if I had hit the steel turkey bonus at 41 target it would not have put me in the gold. Some really huge scores at this event with 12's as a high and bonus points all over I guess its like a NBA game. I will say the shoot thru the trees and trick shot obstacles took a beating. Never saw a course littered with bust arrows, feathers and nocks laying near almost every target. Wild stuff for the two hunnerd and sixty some odd folks who attended I guess. I loved not breaking a good cedar shaft.
Huntin the Buck Holler with "Halfa Holler" was good.
Shawn~
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Well done Shawn!
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First shoot of yeAr. Was more like exhibition shoot than a IBO target setup. Most of the shots i would never even take the Selfbow off the hanger if a little doe came by. The Quarry deserves more than a ricochet and no penetration. Just not representative of large game shots for most part. Great practice for squirrels and rabbits. Fun to do this once in a while.
(SH) :G
Shawn
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South Dakota Elk brow tine semi drop point skinner out of an old Johnson 12' tapered file. Just mocked up currently, has bubinga highlites. Still have to give to Pappy to reheat and then go in over for hardness. Makes me almost wanna go pig hunting right now!
v/r
Shawn~
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Nice, going to have a good fire going today, got one to heat treat myself. :) the little half of that same file. :) :)
Pappy
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Armpit deep in kitchen tearout. Gotta a fire breather watchin me too!
HH~
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Pappy heat treated this blade for me right quick on Sat. We shot a round. Then chewed for fat and talked story for a bit.
I did put that knife together on Sunday morning as Mark E came by and we glued up his bow. Then, glued up this Semi-Drop point. Man, Pappy put the mojo on this blade cuz it is sharp after just one session on stones.
Shawn~
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Glad it worked out Shawn, felt like a very good temper to me, love the handle work, should do the job very well. :)
Pappy
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Had the Super Pyramid out. Bow is a shooter. Playing with some shafts and weights. Its a hummer for sure. No noticable changes after 50 shots in speed or brace. Should make a very good 3d bow, expect big things out of it.
HH~
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Why is it called a super pyramid?
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Cuz of the way it pyramids on the tips. For it's draw weight its a rocket. Has some other very unorthodox dimensions in middle of bow. Like a brick with two limbs sticking out. Just coming into its own now.
May run it up in KY Fest, H. Hill then Mid America to get a read on it.
I just named it Super? Like the Monster in Super 8.
HH~
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I didn't know if it was a special kind of pyramid you made and they were called that. What was the monster called in super 8?
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That is a very cool handle design for competition, Shawn. Interesting how you worked that out. How wide is your limb coming out of the grip? Also, what’s going on with that additional Walnut looking piece?
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Thumb rest. Locks my left hand in and can release almost all grip pressure upon release. One of my last checks in my process. Width, aaaah not sure now
1 5/8ths or a tad more ?
Give it a run next weekend against some good SB shooters.
HH~
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Well, turkey time this Sat. Going to hit it and see if we be eating turkey pot pie with biscuit top or not?
Pulled out two billets to defend at the Classic. Here they be, have another bow from a set of Step Sister billets from same tree, same section Raksha. Should make a very good bow. Think 69" for some reason.
Hedge~
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Birds worked real nice this morning and Gob's were hammering. Pot Pie tonite.
Time to glue up those billets and get that thing a profile and glue me a handle on it. Expect big stuff outta that hunk of Hedge.
HH~
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Congratulations, would you be open to trading the feathers? :D
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Smoothbore Hedge? Congrats on the gobbler. Pot pie sounds delicious. Up in Pa.we have to wait 4 more weeks. I miss traveling south for birds...used to do it almost every year.
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Prolly coulda killed out with a sling shot as I had them come in to about 4ft and dance a bit. Yeah, was a blunderbus kill. Was a picture postcard type morning.
The billets glue up. Find a nice piece for a grip and we be in bidness.
Happy easter ya, all.
Shawn~
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Easter Wings.
splitting some left wing quills on a glorious day.
Shawn~
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Bookend Billets glued up with some billet reflex. Not glued in but billet had a upward curve to it.
HH~
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you know hedge, the one thing that i always like to see is a turkey, dead or alive. A turkey hunt was my first ever hunt and ever since i saw that red head ive been hooked! haven't killed one yet but hopefully this season, even if its with a shotgun.
that was a pretty nice turkey you got!
Happy turkey hunting! :G :G
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I have some right wings I think I can part with? Have to look. I dont need anything at moment.
Shawn~
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Right wings are my preference, hopefully I have something you'd want. :)
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You can split quills and sand them flat correct?
If so I can just send you some in an envelope. If you think of something this ol selfbow deer hunter might need, nothing i can think of. Ahh, Ranch in elk country of W Ywith a nice river runnin thru be nice. ;D
Shawn~
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Much appreciated! I afraid I can't help with an elk ranch - yet :D
I split and sand most of my fletching, no worries there.
I'll pay shipping if you want.
Thank you,
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PM sent (-S
Shawn~
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69" Billet taking some shape. Give some heat then get it to floor tiller and let it set a couple weeks. Then finish it up and shoot it in.
Hedge~
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I just received the feathers; they're wonderful, Thank you so much. :)
I have a batch of heavyweight arrows in progress that some of these will go on, I'll post photos when their done.
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Ok, Andrew. Did i throw in enough for ya. I did not have as many rights as i thought i did.
Shawn~
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There's enough there for over a dozen arrows, actually several more than I was expecting. :)
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Some friends bring me some wings. problem is these Easterns are dwindling here in Tenn fast. If they do not start a bounty on Varmints soon Turkeys will be gone. At my place I see dozens of coons deer and turkey hunting every morning and evening. Saw a Yote catch a turkey at long range not long ago. The chick and polts dont have a chance here, to many Owls, Hawks , Eagles, and varmints.
Folks better start asking their F & G Dept to do something fast or they will put em on the endangered species list. I drove all over Northen Alabama on Tuesday. Never saw a single bird in the hunnerds of wheat, cotton, corn, hay fields. Ten years ago I woulda saw hunnerds of em on that state hiway.
Shawn~
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A lot of the problem is habitat loss and loss of habitat diversity. If the hens don't have good places to nest it doesn't matter how many predators there are or aren't. Also if seasons open too early there aren't enough toms around to fertilize the hens
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Habitat is surely an issue but by and large predators are the main issue. Spraying of weed inhibitor is no good either. A bunch a us turkey hunters have had some discussions. Later season, Cancel fall season, go to one bird limit, start varmint bounty like SD has 10$ per varmint up to $500/person per year will really have an impact you could see quickly. If it works expand on it. I use to have a flock here at my place of 60-80 birds for 20yrs. Now zero every once in a while a lone hen or two. The eastern wild turkeys came from AL and MS in 70-80's and were transplanted all over eastern seaboard. Hope we can get it fixed up.
Shawn~
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I hope so too, I've never gotten a turkey but I'd like to. You should keep the weeds they are great for native wildlife, the stuff they don't like is cool season grasses like fescue
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Shawn, used to have lots of turkeys in Pa. lots of predators but since Fishers have moved in definite less turkeys . Game comm. claims west Nile is a bigger factor, I just know that Fishers are very efficient predator, tuff and fast, a turkey roosting is way to easy for a fisher to pass on. Bob
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My brother got a game cam video of either a martin or a fisher running after a turkey in broad daylight. It was kind of interesting, but I never found the pile of feathers. :(
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Yeah, I bet they say its west Nile. I have two water ways at my place. A creek that dumps into a big river and both are in bottom land with lots of big sycamores and hollow trees. Place is full of coons. Hundreds and we had distemper come up the river 8yrs ago and it wiped out the coons pretty good.They wandered around daylight and would tremble. Found em dead all over. After that there were so many turkeys about. Now were are over run with coon, skunk, opposum, bobcats and yotes. Fox have been killed off by coyotes for most part. We get a super hot summer we may well see that distemper on the river here again. If fur was worth something we'd be in good shape. Russian ladies are not wearing fur currently however.
This year I bring a bunch of Raccoon killer arrows to stand with me or a my 10" ruger 22lr with cb caps.
Either way Turkeys are going to be gone if we do not do something this year. I would say our TRWA commissioners will vote to sell more NR Licenses not save more turkeys. With all the state paid biologists on the payroll (think they have a specific turkey one too) they should have headed this off but they are politicians or friends of politicians. That is how they get on the wildlife board of commissioners. I will do my part. Kill over populated Varmints.
Hedge~
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Raccoons dropping dead all over sounds pretty close to a rabies pandemic. I should learn the difference.
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Shawn, ya better bring something bigger than cb caps to the that fight, coon are damn tuff, and ya ma nature usually jumps in with distemper when coon populations get to big. Sadly you are right about trapping prices, I actually got more money for beaver castor than beaver pelts put up. See ya in a couple days, ALERT yankees headed your way :-T Bob
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No it was distemper. I still never wanted to shoot them with a deer arrow. I counted 25 coons only morning on a early Sept bottom sit! Twenty five and that was in just in an area I could see maybe 50yd radius. Yeah, think varmints can get out of control with out checks on population! This is after the distemper kill off in 2012.
Most Citidiots will say "You cant kill the varmints, we need the varmints, they eat the ticks and keep nature in balance". Sure they do "At a Price". We have a good rabbit spring and you'll see even more varmints this fall. I have been seeing plenty cottontails this spring and almost zero turkeys. When you start to see see turkeys right up in yards People think "there are lots of turkeys". Yep, turkeys are smart they go where the varmints wont go "right up to your back door". Most folks dont know chit about whats outside their door or grass patch.
HH~
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If fur prices are down now they must get really high! I was playing with the idea of a fur quiver, but I can't justify $55 when I have a few good ones already.
Good luck with the Classic!
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tradcraftsman, Tanned fur and raw fur are 2 differnt things, raw fur is at rock bottom :(, I put up some beaver and sent to tannery, beaver were 30 bucks a pc to tan and the shipping was 25 on top per beaver, I had 55 dollars a pc not counting my time trapping skinning and fleshing and stretching. :o Finish goods are not cheap. Later Bob :-T
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I see, maybe I should get the raw stuff and try tanning it myself.
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The Gary Davis Express bow is finished for the 23rd Tennessee Classic. Just have to shoot it in and check final weight. Then i will shoot it for score at the biggest bow show on earth this wkend.
Weather is bluebird sweet, cool morning and high 70s in late afternoon.
Weylun and his son rolled in Sat and bunch came in today!!
HH~
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This is my latest round of arrows, 31" 600+ grains I used the last of my primaries and the first of Shawn's. The other feathers will go on some pine shafts, or maybe more ash arrows. They shoot straight -- when I can manage to aim a 70lb bow ::) Splitting and sanding those quills was a pleasure by the way, they work very well :)
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I dig it, looking sharp tradecraft
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Those are sharp looking. Hope these folks here in Tenn figger out what they going tp do to help turkeys recover from this nest predator and and varmint scourge. Wont be no turkey pot pies or wild fletching if they dont.
Update form the Tennessee Classic Had about 20-25 selfbow challenge folks signed up and working already. Weather been really nice, couple showers Wed. Today Thursday we have a big band of storms going to come thru at 0700 or so. Maybe showers on Sunday but Friday and Sat will be high 70's. I would say Tues -Wed had the biggest crowd and campers I have ever seen. Bottom was full on left side and right side was getting 50% by Wed at 1400hrs.
Only one guy wearing a mask that I saw about like last years IBO in JULY. So, let the Bow Games begin.
HH~
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Wow
The folks really socked into the farm!! Never saw a Classic like this!!! Friday at Twin Oaks was as I thought it would be. . . . . a massive bow blow out.
Had to be 600-700 folks there. Not a lick of room in bottom, people parked all down the hill to cabin. The top was packed. May have to cut a hole in fence row further down by Leo's salvage to put in another entrance and exit to get folks out?
I figger there be 1000 easy today! Sat will be the biggest under blue skies and 80 weather. Just an unreal hillbilly ho down of bow making bliss.
HH~
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Well Sat was a blowout record at the Tenn Classic. I know there was over 800 Registrations which shatters record and have Sunday shooters to go. What a great event and gathering. Just a Bow Bash to remember the 23 Classsic.
HH~
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Well, the 23rd Classic is in the books. Spent most my time under the Tin Tues-Sun building bows, laying out bows, sawing bows. Saw a bunch of old friends and met some new ones. Very pleasant time with just great weather.
I had the great pleasure to help build a very nice 64" Hickory with some folks from Alabama. Katie, her dad TJ and her boyfriend Johnny. A outdoors family who bow hunts and loves to turkey hunt there. We had a grand time and Katy turned out one nice 35-40lb Twin Oaks Pignut hickory selfbow. She happens to be a high school English teacher so we got to speaking about her doing a article in PA about her adventure at the 23rd Classic which we should see some time in the future with photos as her schedule permits.
Good to have met Ryan, Bob and Weylin and his boy. Good the see James after his move back to NC and Davy. Of course good to see Kurt and Steve and we will get together in July back at Twin Oaks.
I did finish the Gary Davis Express 69" billet bow 42@27". Shot well but I do not have it dialed in quite yet. Tough to shoot after building 4-5 bows from blanks in just a few days. Stinging and unstringing 1000 times gets ya I reckon.
Good Shootin
Hedge~
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Well, the "Gary Davis Express" the bow I made for the 23rd Twin Oaks Selfbow challange got a real finish on it now. Came out very well and I am happy with way it shoots 575 grain broadhead arrows. I declare it ready for the range or the woods.
Get a pic up soon.
Shawn~
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Here it be, the Gary Davis Express billet bow. Built it in a few days at the 23rd Tennessee Classic out one fat billet cut in 2018-19 then belly split. So, they are what I call step sister billets (they sat one above the other in tree). Nice Tenn wood for around these parts. Has 200-250 arrows off it and holds 1.5" of natural reflex. The photo of the group of arrows was shot from 12-27yds over flat terrain. Enjoy.
69" 42@28"
16 strd 8125
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more pics
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Well done Shawn . I like it . Good to here of the success of the classic. Arvin
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Yep
You woulda thought it was Chinese year of the bow Saturday nite with gong banging, banjo pickin, flute playing, jews harp boinging, war drum thumpin. Everything from hardscrabble hill folk to rainbow people and every inbetwix. Purty fun. Like Woodstock with everyone carrying a weapon. I liked it!
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Making some salt water flys for my son in Maui. Summer is when the balls of sardines type fish come in. These oughta do the trick.
HH~
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Interesting, My brother does flies, and they seem to have an equally exotic repertoire of materials as PA!
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Grew up tying flies. My father was good. Fished in Upper Dam in maine where the greats fished . . . Joe Brooks, Lefty, where Carrie Stevens had her house and tied the Gray Ghost streamer smelt copy there. Big Brookies and big Landlocks and later they put Toog in.
They yanked that dam now and The Pool is gone really. Spent many a day in a Rangely wood boat, No motors were allowed in there. Hunted it starting in 1979.
HH~
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He talks about those all the time, I guess that is what I sound like to them when I talk bows ... :D
His latest endeavor was to tie 100 pike flies for a tackle store. Those fish are plague here.
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Static Hickory left over for the Classic. Surprised it did not sell? Putting some underlays on it of wild black cheery. Should make a hecka nice bow.
Hedge
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Call this bow 23rd Classic Left-Over's
Prolly the best chunk of hickory that was in the pile. Weylin needed some hot water to flip a bow. So. I got a 15gal pot going and grabbed a hickory I had floor tillered and put some small static hooks on it. That was Friday maybe or Thursday (not sure). No one bought that static, I adopted it and threw it in truck. Think Greg B had some small pieces of zerba wood from making knife scales that I cleaned up and tossed on this thing with some cherry underlays.
Looks good so far and should make a nice bow as did all the others I did at the classic. This was a good pignut tree.
HH~
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First brace at 4.5", letting it sweat a bit feeling that heavy weight on wood. Like to come in super heavy on the statics. had one I made a long time ago come in in 15lbs light as I came in. Just have to go slow and start heavy heavy.
Left Overs is right up the middle and should make a nice heavy or medium no frills meat rig.
HH!
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You make some nice bows hedge
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Just a left over but it was a nice chunk of hickory.
Out to 15” and 60lbs with 6” brace. Upper limb is starting to show effects of hrowing straight for 60yrs and now being told to bend over.
Time for some dry heat and bees wax.
HH~
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Thanks A. T.
Just a meat bows. Made to take a pounding in the woods or Mts. See how it turns out since it is not a bow yet but looking ok. Gave the upper limb some heat on a form. Let it sit over nite before I string it up. Want to see how the heat effecticated the limb as compared to what the lower was showing. If it really flipped tiller after letting it sweat a while at brace height I will smoke the bottom limb, then let it set again and look at bow strung up. No hurry for Left Overs. Slow is good. Like we used to say when we were doing Room/BLDG Clearing and executing Urban Ops "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast".
Shawn~
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I first heard that in the movie "shooter" and loved it, my wife hates when I say it.
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Here is Left Overs after a little heat and then scraped back into shape at brace height. String tension is very high at brace I noticed.
Hedge~
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Left Overs is best served up hot!
Prolly the highest string tension hickory I have ever put my hands on. Pulling around 55 @27 now. Will likely peel some more weight off slowly. Put some sealer on everything but the belly. Oil from your hands just stains the heck outta this pignut. Mass weight of this bow is extremely low, light as a feather. This be 600-650grn arra slinger if it makes it that far along.
Hedge H.~
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Any way you look at it that is a mighty fine job of bowmaking.
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That came out really nice Hedge. Hickory makes a great durable hunting bow. I can see that one making meat come October.
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I shot it with some 50-55's and 190's on the front Steve. Shoots straight but at its current weight its a beast. I think its pulling more than 55@27. 41-46@27-28" is where I like em. So, if I'm wet and cold I know i can put a BH where I want it out to 30yds. Any more weight that that for me and I have to limbered up up to get one arrow where I want it even if i'm froze out. Elk or moose hunting I have a really nice 54@27' Hedge Apple that holds 5" of reflex and is a rocket with a 600grnr.
So, I may scrape a little more and reheat inner third on upper and think about it. Got sealer on the back and grip and can play with it as long as it stays dry out.
Thanks for takin a peek. I take some pic's when Left Overs is hot ad on a plate.
HH~
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Well, Left Overs already has a story to tell.
Got a call to come help Mark B. to put some pump seals in this morning, Monday. My wife came and got me from garden to tell me he called.
I had Left Overs on on bed of her Ford as I was look at brace profile. Got my stuff together and took off for Pappy's house. After I was there about 45min, 10 min drive there my wife calls me and says "yer bow you were working on is in the street"! I said "what the heck"? Then realized it was on the back of truck and she usually never goes out on Mondays. I said "is it still strung"? she says "yes". She had run out to Wall World for something.
We finished up on pump and i got home. Funny. . . . Bow had been run over twice in front of the house. two different tread patters on it. Had bad compression marks down same side and one tip was dinged up but it was in one piece. The upper limb took the brunt and I could see the tiller was off.
Got a wet towel and a hot iron and pilled a bunch of compression dings out. Shelf radius lip was munched but for prolly 4 tons of vehicles running it over it looks like a bow still. Not sure if it Left Overs and more or Run'd Over? Better than Runn Oft.
HH~
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Who drives over a bow in the street? :o Good thing it wasn't stolen though. Would you fix the tiller by exercising it back to normal? If the limb geometry is still be the same I would think stress would still be even, right?
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Just glad the kids did not fall riding bike or scooter over it. Wife said she thought it was a stick. Said she could not see a string on it. If was Osage it would have been splinters for sure. That hickory just got serious road rash and has dimples on it now. String it up in morning and see if i got Runn Oft like Homer Stokes.
Road kill Left Overs. . . . . I have eaten that too.
Hedge~
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Yep we ate some of that last year, :) waste not want not. :) Sorry about your bow but thanks for the help, maybe it will be OK, Hickory is tough for sure and it might just work out,then you will have another story to tell, love bows with history and good stories behind them. :)
Pappy
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Yep, Turns out lady across they way saw it laying in road. Never thought it was anything but a stick. She said, it was Trash Truck that got it for sure but did not know if a car got it too.
Got string back on it. Still right up the middle and just under 50lbs I had to scrap off some wood. Not a wonder why they sledge hammer handles and roocker chairs out this hickory.
HH~
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Putting some target shafts together. Need to grind a few more feathers for this set of six. 4" for target.
Still finishing the Left Over's.
HH~
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Left Overs couldnt hack gettin runned over by the garbage truck. Dan pulled it one time and bang right where it was crushed bad on upper limb.
think in will get a nice hickory BBQ fork outta the lower limb!
(-S
HH~
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To bad, I wonder if rawhide or combed linen could have saved it?
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NaH, ten tons of trash truck was to much for it. You could see where I had to remove wood off that edge it was taking set and it had checks I filled with BSI SG. More where that came from. Just a hunk of wood.
HH~
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I have given away a ton of freebie bows, sometimes a limb would fail and rather than make the guy a whole new bow I would splice in a new limb and get them shooting again. The owners always loved their bows and I didn't have the heart to tell them to trash it so I fixed them even though they were a freebie.
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Alas, Left over got canibilized. While i was waiting for some moose horn tips glue to set up I took the lower limb off Left Overs and since Pappy had backstrap steak to go on grill for lunch. I quick made a 20” hickory grill fork.
So, left overs turned our meat and came in handy. Nothing left after that tasty lunch.
HH~
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Wow, that was quite the saga. Beautiful stick nobody would buy built into a noble bow, only to fall off the back of a pickup. Mistaken for a regular stick, the poor thing gets run over by a garbage truck, dies in the hospital bed, and is resurrected as an extraordinary meat poker. A noble profession for an old broken bow. Much more fulfilling than kindling, and lord knows no honest bow limb wants to become a back scratcher or a chew toy for a dog. This honorable stick deserves better. Maybe after its flipped its last steak it will live out the rest of its days as a tomato stake or a high quality shim for shaping future bows. Thanks for posting such a delightful story :)
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Yep, my fault but when Dan M. pulled it back and it cracked his eyes got big. He was not to concerned as he only shoots glass.
The Left Overs Grillin fork still has the HH logo on it and should have a good life sticking deer meat as it was intended to do.
HH~
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Left Over fork is on Pappys last page in “Life is Gud” thread.
Hickory is gud!
HH~
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Just finishing up a 68" 25@28" Hedge bow for the reigning Womens World Selfbow Champ USA and H. Hill top shot both 2020. Bow came out well. Holds 3" of reflex and chunks a 5/16ths arrow with 70grn point thats heavily tapered. Just put some sealer on and twisted up a 12 strand string for it. I expect big things out this shooter/bow combo!
Hard to build a good performing selfbow that is long and light weight of pull. They carry so much limb weight out of Hedge Apple. Used some less dense hedge that took reflex very well and it's purty thin. Shoots good to 30yds with these little arra's.
HH~
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The new one for that shooter.
HH~
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Kinda dangerous to take pictures on the truck isn't it? ;)
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Very. Guess i lived that way for a long time and will never take the easy path?
Shawn~
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Put some sealer on new bow and took it over to the owner and watched her shoot it and fit grip to her hand. They girl can shoot. She said this bow has about 12" less drop at 25yds than her other. So, I guess this will go into her #1 bow spot? Get finish on and she will be off and running to H. Hill and Cloverdale with it in a few weeks. Will get some pics of bow here soon in AL and IN.
Shawn~
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Waiting for rain to pass then take some pics of this new bow for ya all. I may have to do it at farm cuz I need to get steppin here soon.
Here's four Hedge bows at the BY Shootdown. I am purty amazed at how her bow shoots. I had my new one which is a clone of Sherrys bow but at 41lbs. The two 24 arrow shootdowns I got her by just a few points and she got me by a few on the second. We shot 24 arrows per round from 10-25 arrows on very small 3d's. Great Comp practice.
HH~
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Turned over the new bow. Was a real treat to watch her shoot it from 10-25yds. One hecka good shooter. I purty sure she can shoot it in against any glass longbow female shooter out to 30yds. Had a big smile on her face after she shot a dozen or so arrows. She siad it shot quicker than her 25lb Bob Lee white wing. I was very surprised when she back out to and just past 25yds and was lating en in the small babooon 3d target.
She how she fairs with it for Howard Hill. She has a full week to dial it in and then up to Cloverdale.
HH~
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The rest. Like the way those moose horn on tips look now. Did not at first.
Hedge~
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Guess I will see this bow in action at the H. Hill this weekend. Had a little thunder storm just after dark last night. Filled my pool over skimmer for third time in 24hrs. We got plenty June rain and its just the 3rd.
Get packed up and hit the road soon. Suppose to be great weather in Bama for the weekend. Gonna be a good time. Think since last weekends shoot at Farmland was not a huge turnout that H Hill will get a bunch of folks out to shoot.
HH~
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Back when it was bigger and I was able to attend there were 70 people in the selfbow class at the Hill Shoot.
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Whats considered a selfbow here now is a miss mash of things. Wont be that many for sure Eric.
HH~
PS: Sherry won National with her bow at Cloverdale. She really shot well in the finals by all accounts!
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Any natural material bow qualified back then, bamboo backed, tri lam or anything else.
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Yep
Think a guy could take a hunk of mullberry cut it full length 72” then lam it all back together with a glue on riser block and call it a selfbow. Be straight as glass, cut past center, be light and fast made outta mullberry and dang near indestructible with all those glue lines in it. See how long thats called a selfbow? Prolly take one season to be cancelled, tossed out or rules rewrites across the board. Right now you could shoot it about anywhere.
Think i have some mullberry some wheres.
HH~
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Had two HedgeHunters run with the best at the Howard Hill this weekend. Was a great time. Burned a huge pile of fire wood Thurs-Sat , shot my fingers off and pulled a little cork by the creek and gnawed on some Tenn whitetail kibabs amoungst other stuff. Had a nice crown 300-400 folks I would guess. Funny I only saw one fella from Texas there? There are usually 50 of em. Maybe they cant come back if they come to Bama with Covid rules, who knows ,cuz they guy from Texas I met was headed to KY after so maybe they got some voodoo going on down there?? Either way the Tenn Patriot Crew made all home safe.
HH~
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HedgeHunter's did well at the Howard Hill. Hard to run with backed recurve selfbows but I gave it a go on a tough course. Was 20yd Avg with some interesting shots. Great test. I took Bronze and the new bow I made in the above pics hammered in Women's SB. I would think she will take Cloverdale as well. That's one World and two major's consecutively with gold in last three big events with her HedgeHuner. She bested me and we shot from same stakes!! Congrats miss Sherry! Hella good shooter but aint hard to beat me.
MEN’S SELF BOW ~ David Henley 238 * Brad Berg 196 * Shawn Magyar 192
WOMEN’S RECURVE ~ Kim Timberlake 261 * Sherry Magalanes 246 * Dianna Collier 216
WOMEN’S LONGBOW ~ Susan Nelson 225 * Amber Willingham 218 * Lesa Clifford 192
WOMEN’S SELF BOW ~ Sherry Magallanes 214 * Amanda Gray 128 * Val Gray 91
Hedge~
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I have shot against David Henley a good bit, we would swap out wins back in the day. He is a great shot and a super nice guy (retired fireman and EMT) but his scores did go up about 10 points when he started shooting that bamboo backed recurve he now shoots.
The guy who made David's bow did make between 50 and 75 bows a month, often 12 hours a day 7 days a week, he was REALLY bitten by the bug.
I do think it is time to toughen up the self bow class as to what "is" a selfbow. They could add a selfbow challenge like Twin Oaks in which you had to make your own selfbow, not necessarily on site but made yourself.
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yep last year at Pappy’s he tried, i guess, shooting those super hook recurve and boo back in SB Either it was Classic Or IBO. They told him “ nope “. He was shootin carbons it looked to me as well at HH Only backed bows finished above me cept for Sherry. She shot the heck outta that course.
She should enter Selfbow Class in IBO this year. With that new missile launcher She would be in top draw im sure.
When shotS get past 22-23yds hard to run with a good backed SB. If They let recurves in IBO SB class that’ll be The end of SB Class as we know it. Just like when IBO was shooting backed SBs against SElfbows. Not hard to figger whats gonna win than match when distances get longer.
Shawn~
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Don't believe they have a woman's selfbow class at the IBO. They told Julia if they could get 13 women in the class they would have one, no luck so far.
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Yeah Eric. Its a new world. If a lady wants to shoot SB they shoot with the men. They prolly wont object cuz it may go viral on them.
They can Shoot Arvin Shootdown in July and i talked to him tonight, thats going to happen in July.
Shawn~
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Here we are with a stave that is same tree as the Sherry bow with the nice reflex. I got it on this caul where I am really just pulling the inner third forward. Wood is 1/2" and was workable at this point. Let it sit a few days, then work limbs to a heavy floor tiller and get a string on it early. Plan then is to work limbs down a shade then, get some curved reflex burnt in on the outer third. See where it goes I rekon?
HH~
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Well, that bow really performs well. The one above with all the reflex and moose horn tips. Miss Sherry was able to take the third National in a row with it. She shot up the place in the finals I have heard by several folks as I did not go. Think she will prolly shoot in the mens class come the Trad World at Pappys in July.
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Congrats to Sherry, she is a good shot and fine lady to boot. :)
Pappy
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Like to see her win Mens Selbow at Trad Worlds. Be a sight to watch. Think she won Vintage Hunter last year? Anyway she be shooting a HedgeHunter for sure. Only maybe two guys shot our own bows in SB Class anyway. Almost all shoot Arvin bows or Hedge Bows. There were five HH bows and about 10 Arvin bows last year, 1 or 2 Neet's. Gotta have a shooter bow for sure.
HH~
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Julia said she shot the top score in the SB class but Sherry beat her in the shoot-off, Sherry is a great shooter as well, head to head they are both very good. Julia said she won the women's LB class and the money shoot-off
Julia shot a bow I made for her but it has hooks so she can't shoot it in the IBO. She said she has no interest in shooting in the men's SB class. I hope Sherry kicks all the guys butts.
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I have a good friend named Nolan Lang that I have kept in bows for years. His #1 selfbow gave up the ghost after about 10 years of heavy use, I gave him one of my bows to use that had a major patch in one limb. I had shot it for years with no problems but the patch turned loose with Nolan's longer draw length. Nolan shoots more arrows in month than most people shoot in a year, he loves his bows.
I have the patched bow in my shop trying to fix it so he will have something to shoot at the IBO, he is a really good shot.
Unfortunately he had developed a severe neurological disease in his legs over the last couple of years that makes walking very difficult for him for more than just a very short distance. He has a handicapped car tag and asked the IBO folk if he could ride his Quite Kat bike from target to target, the are giving him a rash of S@#& about it and haven't OKed it yet. When he walks he just about has to drag one unresponsive leg, he is also in significant pain 24-7.
He shoots at a public range almost every day and rides his electric bike around the course.
Nolan took third in this picture, he is the one in the orange, the picture is from 2013, I hope they let him shoot this year.
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I shot against Julia in Arvin shootdown. She just had bad luck and drew me first. She shot good.
That was 2019 i think. Then we shot last man standing any bow any way you shoot. I was still there with Selfbow in last 6 person group. They moved out to 35yds about and those barebows with carbons were tough. I made enough $ off that comp to pay my trip. There were about 90 arrows in this one target. I saw guy put a mark on butt of this Ram, like a black dot so i shot it. Hit it too. They pull all the arrows and guy was holding my wood shaft and yells “ whose arra is this”? Thought i was getting kicked out of the comp. He then hands me $175, then says “ give me 20 back cuz you was out the 8 ring”. All those barebow guys at the end were just lookin at me thinkin “ how is this SB guy still in this thing”. They put me out on a small goat at about 37-38yds.
Cloverdale is weird. If they let you shoot two types of bows and make finals they outta let you shoot em. They wont. What ever you shot best is the final you shoot.
Sherry took 1st SB and 2nd recurve without shooting final in that. Tough shooter and thing is she dont care a bit for competing , just likes to shoot. Why she so good i think.
HH~
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Sherry and Gil are some of my favorite people, always joy to be around.
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I hear ya Eric, I know Nolan and hearing the story, the only problem is if you open the door for 1 then you have to do it for all, lots of older people with problems in Traditional archery. Haven’t heard yet what the out come on him is yet . Sad deal for sure, he is a great guy and very good shooter. I shot with him on the qualifier one year, fun guy to shoot with and very humble. I am making Julia a bow now to shoot in the IBO, hope she likes it but won’t have much time to practice with it, she probably won’t need much time , she can shoot about anything. Pappy
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They both need to shoot in Mens Selfbow. In the new USA the IBO would not be able to take the heat if i woman says “ im a man today put me in coach, im shootin selfbow”. Im all for it or make a womans Selfbow Class no matter the amount of Gals shootin. Every other big National is doing Womens Selfbow: TAS , Hill, Cloverdale, etc. it’s time!
Hedge~
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You forgot the Classic, guess that’s no big enough, all the women have to do for an IBO class is get the numbers up some , who wants to win with 3 people in your class. Pappy
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Classic of course.
If you wanna be women for a day just sign up. This is Woke world. You wanna be a man for day, just identify as one. FB have field day with IBO if they refuse a person to pick their gender and shoot. Not what yer packin, its what’s between ears that counts i guess.
This is one of the many reasons I think the Japan Olympics are off the table. They cant figger out in the Olympic Governing Body what to do with the Wokariasta's that want Gold that are men and always will be but say they are a woman. That, and some places cant get the Cheena virus under control.
HH~
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End of June Hedge
HH~
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Started some cold made Koshers. These are the best grinds ever. Fresh garlic and dill pick the cucmbers slice drop it and in the ice box they go. Last til the pickle barrel is empty.
Hedge~
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I have that snaky staves twin also glued billets, I really should get to work on it.
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I get on it sometime. Love that two part adhesive I use. Ballistic tough, it ain't coming apart. You break the bow before that joint comes apart! I know, i have done just that.
Just cut half a big buck HQ and stripped into Jerky. Busy day. Shot bow, swam laps, pickle beets, made jerky, picked black berries , made pickles and worked on those billets I glued up last nite.
Very breezy here for late June. Hot death wind is a blowin.
Shawn~
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Curious to see how that wonky character yeller stick turns out Hedge. Looks like it's going to be a real gem of a bow.
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Its real narrow 2.25”. Was just two small split off from a bunch crazy stuff we cut this winter. Half the tree was dead. These little scraps were off the dead side. About a 26” tree. Was a bunch of full length wonkies in that side of tree.
These splits had some grain run out. Was 74”, now 67-68”ish. Will need a glue backed riser added. Its ok if these scraps dont workout, i know where another sister tree is thats even larger. Get that thing out in Feb god willin.
Shawn
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Finishing up Jerky today. Purty hot outside. Great for drying meat. Work a little, swim a little, shoot a little, swim a little more. No to bad 91-92. Usually does not get mush more than that here. Every once in while. Gonna drop back to mid 80's soon so, all is good. Drink water, take a knee. Drive on Joe Tentpeg.
Will vacum seal this jerk soon as last batch cools down. Carry some with me to Oahu in Sept for my son. Gots to go get some waves before hunt season kicks in. Good for the body good for the soul. Nothing like dropping into a 15 foot wall of green water the size of a steam locamotive to get them adrenal glands cleaned out.
HH~
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!0-11lbs of jerk. That;s before it goes in smoker or dehydrator.
Think my fav-o-rite meat to jerk is Antelope. Jerked to whole dern animal before for Elk seasons when i lived out west. Good hard jerk so you gotsta chew it a long time. The speed goat flavor comes out and makes ya wanna pound up and down the Mts chasin elk all day long. Love that stuff.
HH~
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All HedgeHunters at the evening shootdown yesterday. They shot some Good scores. Two new 2021 models and two older models. All have brought home the wood!
HH~
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Be canning today. Beets and sweet pickle. Cool and cloudy out. Good weather for canning. I do all of ours on my outdoor gas kitchen. I shoot bow into my targets i can see when i have a quick break. If its hot i dive in pool, slip my flip floos back on and im back at the fire. Gud for body good for stomach.
HH~
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Happy Fourth of July Patriots!!
Headed out this morning to get some blackberries. Found some great Black berry breaks and big ones over a place I hunt. Best year I have seen for them ever here in Tenn. Most years they are small and seedy. I mean there not like Pacific Northwest Blackberries but they are half that size this year. Make some jelly and some hooch. My cultivated patch has produced very well this year as well. Put in some rasberrys this year too. They should have some good canes next year.
HH~
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Berries went in ice box. Should have enough for Jelly and some Hooch.
Heres a few shrooms. They were up on ridge tops. Have not found many in the bottoms yet. One more rain I think. If Morels are the bacon and eggs or shrooms. Chanterelles are the Double Angus Cheese Burgers.
Shawn~
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Came home from cutting grass on our deer hunting farm and had a text from my good friend Mark 1 and TO. he said "hey your in PA and they did a feature on Boo and his J Cash wood bow from Kick Ash Bows". Was cool, Katie is a good writer and teacher. Well written story of her and her Dads first Classic. Got a feeling they will be back being not far away in AL.
Hedge
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Is she the one who won all those shoots with your bow? That bow looks a lot like one you posted recently. What issue is this in?
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New issue. No, thats not Sherry. Young lady from AL a school teacher. Great family and young lady. They big turkey and deer hunters.
She wanted to make a bow at The Classic. Bought a nice blank from Pappy and I pitched in a little. Made four complete bows that week including one for myself. I was purty much toasted after seven days of that. Always fun meet new folks, grab em and pull em in to HedgeWorld.
Just like we did Boo in same issue but thats another story!
Shawn~
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Made some Zesty's other day. Gave Pappy his extra large jar of Cold Kosher's. Should last him if the boys at IBO don't get into it to hard.
Beets, last canning rodeo for them today. Then its IBO for a week.
Went to Buck Holler Sunday. Was a good shoot not many folks there on Sunday great shoot and great folks. Thanks fella's.
Shawn~
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Second pick and canning today. Beets are good and good for ya!
Shawn~
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July brings the good stuff. Got some more chantrellles and sauted them over gas flame with some shallots and fresh butter then, ate a bunch fresh picked and made an omelet with the rest. If there is a selfbow happy hunt ground I hope it tastes like this.
Grabbed a few blackberries I missed other day. These late giants are purty taste.
Headed out to Pappy's after I cut my hunt farm. Have about 6-8 acres of grass to get done. We been getting lots of thunder showers everyday now for a week or more and today its gonna dry out then more of the same. Got to get this property cut TODAY.
Shawn
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Well the Selfbow men made a name for themselves today at IBO. most ever shooting. Was a great time I shot with the the Great Jack Rudy, 80 yrs old and the inaugural Inductee to as the 2021 Ambassador of Traditional Archery. We had a great time shooting with him as i have known him for about ten years. Wonderful man.
The Last man standing shoot is where the entire crowd of about 120 folk all types of bows shoot at a selected target where they keep moving the ranges out further and further. They call watch ring must be in then eliminate everyone thats out. proud to say the Hedge was they only Selfbow man left in the last 15 archers who were all shooting metal barebows and they finally knocked me out after the sixth round. Not easy to hang with them folks at all.
Shootin Straight