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Dec/Jan 2006

Features 15 Wild Hog Nation ...... E. Donnall Thomas, Jr. 23 Kids and Small Game ...... Mark Baker 26 Squirrel Boots ...... Darren Haverstick 29 Mountain Blues ...... T.J. Conrads 35 Thrill of the Chase ...... James L.Anderson 43 Solitude: Part Two ...... Monty Browning 51 The Five Year Buck ...... Nicholas Jacquez 53 Come On! ...... David Petersen 60 The Archer's Paradox ...... Dave Sigurslid 64 The Secret Society ...... Brian Sorrells 82 Wing Archery: A History ...... Chad Mason 88 Technology and Temptation ...... Reg Darling 93 The Dominant Eye and the Instinctive Shooter ...... G. Fred Asbell 98 Corn-Fed Critters ...... Duncan Pledger 99 The Gift ...... Lon Sharp 101 Home Brewing Cover Scents ...... Ron Rohrbaugh 105 Christmas Wishes ...... Jerry Gowins, Jr.

Interview 108 Colleen Sloan- Queen of the Cast Iron Frontier ...... Guy Perkins

Regular Departments 6 Editor's Note ...... T.J. Conrads 9 Letters 11 Book Reviews 40 Traditional Bow Review ...... R. Blacky Schwarz 66 Primitive BowhunterTM ...... Mike Yancey 69 Game Profile-Fox Squirrel ...... Jason R. Wesbrock 72 Traditional Destinations-Saskatchewan ...... Rob Nye 75 Traditional Clubs 77 On The Market 80 Traditional Harvests 92 Classifieds 112 Tips From the Old Timer ...... Dennis Kamstra 114 Campfire Philosopher ...... Dave Sigurslid

On the cover-Winter brings the end of the hunting sea­ son... and a time fo r renewal is the promise of spring.

!i.iiiilUlIii'Il Photo by Vo lney Nash

4 WWW. TRADBOW. COM Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 5 Traditional BoW'hunter® he archery world lost a great � man on September 20, 2005 ·M� with the passing of the Reverend Dr. Stacy L. Groscup. www. t radbo w . com Stacy was born on November 2,

Edi tor/Publisher/Founder 1920, in West Virginia. After graduat­

• • 208-383-0982 T.J. Conrads [email protected] ing from Point Pleasant high school in 1941, he went on to Morris Harvey Advertisement Manager/Co-Publisher Larry O. Fischer· [email protected] College (now the University of Charleston), and then Attended Duke Co-Editor E. Donnall Thomas, Jr.• [email protected] Theological Seminary in North Carolina and became an ordained Shooting Editor Methodist Minister 1947. In 1962, he G. Fred Asbell received his Doctorate in Divinity from Campfire Philosophers Morris Harvey College. In 1995, the David Petersen • David Sigurslid Rev. Dr. Groscup retired as pastor of the Contributors Goshen Baptist Church after a career Nathan L. Andersohn • Monty Browning that spanned 65 years and three Marvin Clyncke • Fred Eichler • Sam Fadala Jerry Gowins, Jr .• Denny Sturgis, Jr. parishes. Guy Perkins· Jason Wesbrock • Connie Renfro Stacy was fascinated with Dick Robertson. Gene Wensel

Brian Sorrells • Dennis Kamstra Indians and their culture, especially their spiritual beliefs and practices. He lived three years with a Cherokee tribe in North Carolina, and then went to Quebec and Editorial Information 1898 Timberline Dr., Lewistown, MT 59457 spent time with another tribe. He came away with a strong, four point philosophy [email protected] on life: we should be strong spiritually, mentally, physically, and socially. Stacy had all these qualities. Advertising and Classified Information Belinda Fischer· [email protected] I remember meeting Stacy many years back at a gathering of traditionalists P.O. Box 519, Eagle, ID 83616 where he amazed the crowd by shooting a half dozen aspirins out of the air, one Phone: 208-853-0555 • Fax: 208-383-9010 after another. After the sixth aspirin was turned to dust, he turned and with his Advertising Sales characteristic smile and strong, vivid blue eyes, he said that anyone could do the Mark Viehweg· [email protected] same, as long as they truly believed and concentrated on the task. To this day, I can Phone: 309-343-0203 • FAX: 309-341-4642 still see and hear him, clad in buckskin and holding a bow made with his own Subscription Information hands, saying those words. Robin Conrads • [email protected] P.O. Box 519, Eagle, ID 83616 Stacy was a showman who entertained literally thousands of people with his

888-828-4882 • 208-383-9019 Toll Free: Phone: shooting abilities: bow and and blowgun. At one event in Little Rock, Fax: 208-383-9010 Arkansas, Stacy entertained a record 80,000 people who came to watch him. In 2000, Stacy was inducted into the Archery Hall of Fame as the 49th TRADITIONAL BOWHUNTER® (ISSN Inductee. That same year, he was named "Distinguished West Virginian" by West # 1076-6537) is published bimonthly by TBM, INC., P.O. Box 519, Eagle, ID 83616. Bulk Rate Virginia Governor Cecil Underwood and honored by the West Virginia Senate. U.S. postage paid at Boise, Idaho. SUBSCRIP­ In the next issue, we will publish the last interview with Stacy Groscup, a TIONS: $18.00 a year in the U.S.; $24.00 in Canada. $30.00 Foreign. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks. feature we have been working on for several months. Stacy's death caught all of us All material sent in for publication will off guard, but as he would say, life is a circle, just like nature, and death is part of not be returned unless accompanied with a it. He would not want us to mourn for him; he would want us to celebrate his life. stamped, self-addressed return envelope, and the Publisher assumes no responsibility for He lived a full life and brought happiness and joy to many, and we will miss him. unsolicited material. The views expressed within this publica­ tion are those of the authors' and do not necessarily represent the opinion of TBM, Inc. or its employees. Publication is not an endorsement of content, and TBM, Inc. assumes no responsibility for editorial con­ tent. Some images may have been computer enhanced for quality reasons.

© Copyright 2005 by TBM, Inc. All rights reserved.

Printed in the U.S.A. TJ. Conrads-Editor

6 WWW.TRADBOWCOM 7j & prim�ive h 'some exclusions Qd1!I arc ery 'until December 31 , 200 equipment ______� suppsince.Ieler

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 7 The Professi2006onal Bowhunters Society Biennial Gathering Little America Hotel, March 23 - 26, 2006 Salt Lake City Utah

Friday Night Banquet & Auction Jerry Pierce Contest Saturday Night Banquet & Auction PBS Arrow Building Contest Ladies Luncheon & Auction Member Photo Contest Regular-Life Member Breakfast - �� Big Five Bow Raffle Tom Shupienis Award {\T �1 General Raffle St Charles Award PROFESSIONAL Silent Auction Seminars BowHuNTERs SocIETY Vendor Booths " Know!ed�Ih rough Experience" ======���======Seminars and Vendor Areas Open to the General Public Banquet Reservations: PBS Home Office, P.O. Box 246, Ten'ell, NC 28682, 1-704-664-2534, [email protected] Hotel Reservations : Little America Hotel 500 S Main St, Salt Lake City, Ut 84101, 1-800-453-9450. .littleamerica.com www Vendors: Kevin Bahr, 224 Ossami Lake Drive, Morton, Illinois 61550, 1-309-635-6586, [email protected] Donations of Bows, Hunts, Artwork, Ladies Auction Items, Etc. Please contact the PBS Home Office for specific contact information and shipping instructions

WWW.TRADBOW COM Letters

Dear T.J. , I live in South Carolina and recently became aware of the effort to include in archery only seasons. South Carolina has a brief bow season-only the muggiest and hottest-for the first week before the gun season. From a recent ad by our South Carolina Dept. of Natural Resources, they are proposing several dates throughout the season-to include cool weather-to thin the herds in Santee State Park. This is to be archery only. But, and it's a biggie-they are including the with archery. It is described as an archery-crossbow hunt. This flies in the fa ce of reason and common sense-they should include it in the muzzle loader/ blackpowder as a shoulder fired antique type weapon. Glad to see a later archery season sad to include crossbows. Colin Lee Via the Internet Robertson

Dear T.J. , Stykbow I am 25-years-old and live in Switzerland and I really 989 Stykbow Lane enj oy traditional archery, but is illegal here. So, P.O. Box 7 Forest Grove, MT 59441 I thoroughly enj oy reading your magazine and hope to some­ day get a chance to bowhunt. TBM is a quality magazine, ;538-28�8 and it shows your high ethical level.

Renato Giacometti Tartar, Switzerland "Much research went into the Traditional Bowhunter's Handbook. T. J. saw the need for it to Dear Mr. Conrads, be an all-in-one concise package. It is all there in This letter is in response to a letter by a Brian Sorrells perspective with the times. The hunter, historian, or just plain curious consider this handbook the in the Jun/Jul 2005 issue. To quote him as he requested, best purchase they ever made. "The is not a true bow." Preaching to the " To day the traditional community is much bet­ choir, it's nothing more than wanting to see your name in a ter off because of T. J. Conrads." magazine. Seeing that this is based on traditional archery, Glenn st. Charles who wants to hear ways to fu rther segregate the larger com­ munity of which a great percentage of subscribers belong: the hunting community? With so much opposition fr om lob­ byists and anti hunters and animal rights groups we need to be united to perpetuate our tradition and splitting hairs is counter productive and unnecessary.

Using the technology that has progressed has done $20.00 + $5.00 P&H more to recruit new people into the world of archery in the ($7.00 Foreign? past ten years, which in turn perpetuates the industry and To order by phone,

leads to more archers. I started with a when I was call too young to hunt; it was made out of fiberglass ... was that 1-888-828-4882 not a true bow? I now own several different bows, both com­ VISA,MC,or pounds and recurves, and I hunt with all of them for differ­ Discover ent reasons. They all propel a shaft at the target, my tech­ nique for aiming is different which I fe el makes me a more Traditi onal Bowhunter® Magazine, Box competent archer. P.O. 519, Eagle, ID 83616, or visit I don't read club books and I don't eat antlers. I do, how­ our web site ever, shoot every day, some indoors some outdoors, and it's www.tradbow.com all fo r one overall goal: putting my shaft through the vitals and humanly killing my target and utilizing the kill to its

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 9 fullest. In the absence of game it's all about enj oying the nat­ ural splendor of this wonderful bounty the lord has provided us with. We are truly blessed and that is the bottom line. Thank Yo u fo r an outstanding publication and I look fo r­ ward to the next issue! Let's all stick together!

Jeffrey Jones Morrisville VT Via the Internet

Dear T.J., I would like to take this opportunity to thank you fo r printing the article Not Dark Ye t by Richard Mann in the Aug/Sep 2005 issue of Traditional Bowhunter. This one­ page article spoke volumes to those of us WHO are wonder­ ing about the twilight years. Having reached the other side of the half century mark, I ponder what the future brings. How many more seasons are there out there, how many more years will I hunt fr om a tree, how many more times will my son and I share a sun­ rise or sunset in the beauty of nature? Mr. Mann brought a warm smile to me as I read his article; it covers so much more than a segment fr om a hunt. Kudos to you and your staff, as well as the talented writ­ ers who submit articles to this fine magazine.

Bob Halbert Via the Internet

Dear T.J. , I recently returned a Bob Lee Custom Classic bow to the factory (via Rob Lee) for repair. The bow was purchased in 2001, so I assumed there would be some charge. Much to my THE QUALITY IS surprise the bow was returned to me in less than two weeks with no charges what so ever! IN THE \\TOODS It is reassuring to know that there are companies that still provide old time customer service. QUALITY BOWWOODS OF Thank you, Bob Lee Archery. • Amaranth • Bocote • Red Elm Glenn Durham • Bubinga • Shedua • Osage Orange Mauriceville, Texas • Coco Bolo • Walnut • Hard Maple Via the Internet • Cherry • Zebrawood • Yew Wood

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haven't read at least a thousand times. Today, both of the McKellar boys own Honestly, just how many ways can you their own cabins, right across the old hunt, and kill, the most huntable ani­ two-track road from where their mal in North America that a reader father's cabin had once stood. It is fr om hasn't heard of or read about? Trying to this place that the stories in the book write something like that is what a evolve. good author strives for; however, most The twenty-three stories are well fall terribly short. written, with a keen eye fr om Dave on Not so with Dave and Don McKellar. the subtleties of the outdoors, animals Of course, this small, wonderful book and the habitat they share. From hunt­ has more than just whitetail hunt­ ing a big buck, to finding a treasure of a ing ...much more. This is a book with bow in an old farmhouse ...fr om meeting stories that cover the entire spectrum of the strange and often interesting people experiences that come from the love of we all run into in the woods ...to the ago­ shooting the and from nizing decision to shoot an old doe that By The McKellar Boys the perspective of growing up in a small has met her last winter, these boys take woodlot in Michigan. you on an unforgettable trip through Dave McKellar Don McKellar The McKellar's father built a small the hardwoods of Michigan. Lessons of 14 x 14 fo ot cabin, all fr om hardwood life, both in the woods and out, of man :first «bitiGn bought used from a fire sale, on a twen­ and beast, are all eloquently shared 2002 ty acre piece of land in Newaygo with the reader. Nostalgic Lore Of The Bow County, Michigan, in 1954. This cabin, I fo und this one of the more enjoy­ By The McKellar Boys meager in its creature comforts, provid­ able and well-written books that I have ed the two brothers with a rich and sta­ read lately, even though it is a rather As an editor, there isn't much in the ble lifestyle to learn about and enjoy the short read. With so many new books way of a whitetail hunting story that I wonderful world of bowhunting. based on first person accounts being published these days, Nostalgic Lore of the Bow is one that is well worth the price of admission. tik;;ngh�Cu LOrn Self and Backed Bows Staves and Billets Available from 3Rivers Archery, PO. Selfbow Making Classes Box 517, Ashley, IN 46 705, 866-732- E and Supplies 8783. www.3riversarchery. com

A NOVEl OF ARCHERY The Horn of the Hare By Gunther Bach

On one level, Gunther Bach's The Horn of the Hare is a mystery of disap­ pearance. When the narrator comes fo r his accustomed summer visit to his archery teacher, the near-recluse's cot­ tage on an island off East Germany's Baltic Coast is unchanged, but desert­ ed. Will the man who, almost unwilling­ ly, inspired the visitor to take up archery return? Is he the victim of fo ul play? If he has left voluntarily, why and whither? Has he left a message fo r his �lihnntro �&rank student? 21485 N. Cameron Rd .•Cuba, lL 61427 But this is no breathless "action (309) 785-5109 thriller." On the contrary, the novel cottage is worthy of a detective; his rec­ [email protected] demands an unhurried reader-and in ollection of his teacher's words and www.mystiklongbows.com so doing, imparts one of the archery actions suggests a motivation and the e-& teacher's central principles. The narra­ solution of the puzzle, but more impor­ tor's examination of the contents of the tantly for the reader, it is a review of the

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DI!5lrdiery 1lm1l!!:!:mm!1! 12 WWW.TRADBOW.COM Book Reviews apprenticeship. If the title were not apply to animals. I knew fr om my Bible already taken centuries ago, this book training that the Ten Commandments could have been called Zen and the Art apply to people, not animals. In July of Archery . 2003, I began a search for myself of In passing, the novel is also a what the Bible really said. When some­ thumbnail sketch of a society explicitly one asked if there were a Bible study devoted to so embedding a person in col­ book or curriculum for people to learn lectives that the self disappears-under more about hunting and the Bible, I the slogan"moving fr om I to we." Do committed to produce a curriculum mastery and a worthy life depend on from my research. In the next year, the society's recognition and reward? Pupil research included sources other than and teacher take part in and then the Bible, and the final product expand­ abandon the state-organized archery ed fr om a six-week Bible study to a clubs and tournaments. For the teacher, 100+ page book. By the time I had these are not merely irrelevant, but obtained all the written permissions contrary to his aim. For this book is also needed to quote fr om reference sources, the story of an individual who, without it was April 2005 before the book came overt rebellion, takes the other direc­ off the press. I spent a lot of time over tion, centering himself and exploring many months with research and many his abilities for their own sake-until rewrites for accuracy. It was a real labor here, too, the self disappears, in another oflove for the Lord and a great learning way. experience. My husband Dr. Nicholas J. Learning how to let go is the key to Gray believes that nothing like this has more than shooting an arrow. ever been written. He was a great help Published by Verlag Angelika Hornig moting hunting and fishing as wildlife in editing and marketing." Postfach 25 02 45 management tools and explaining the Available fr om Grace Christian 67034 Ludwigshafe n, Germany recreational and economic values of the Center, 385 Hendrickson School Rd., tel. +49-621-68 94 41 sports. It should help in the constant Shell Knob, MO 65747. (417) 858-9703, : Fax +49-621-68 94 42 battle with the animal-rights move­ www.grace-christian-center.com. ISBN: ment as just another weapon fo r use in 0-9764270-0-1 Hunting and Fishing: A God-Given that effort. This project began as a Responsibility Sunday School/small group curriculum Dr. Cynthia Ann Gray and became a book that can be used additionally for hunter/angler educa­ Grace Christian Center recently tion. announced the publication of a book The author, Dr. Cynthia Ann Gray, Hunting and Fishing: A God-Giuen gives her reasons for writing the book. Responsibility which explains in depth "When I married a pastor who was a the biblical right and responsibility to bowhunter, my friends thought the two hunt and fish. Topics include animals in were incompatible. How could a pastor .�.. ------� the Bible which God used to fu lfill His be a hunter? My pastor father hunted, ARCUER\: p,aOllJlQlS plan; in parables and miracles; as uses so I was sure hunting did not violate for fo od and work; and the source of any biblical directives. People used the 816-537-8880 other products. One chapter includes a commandment 'thou shalt not kill' to www.shriverarchery.com comparison of cults and Christianity in five areas: God, Creation, Sin, Peace FUNCTIONAL- HARD HITTING - DEPENDABLE and War, and Life After Death and the influence of the Theory of Evolution in MISSISSIPPI LAKE cult thinking. Other chapters include LONGBOW definitions; hunting and fishing ethics, history, and animal management; and Supplemental Opportunities fo r indi­ vidual research and discussion. Scripture quotations and references fr om 25 sources in addition to the Holy Bible are fo und throughout the entire book. It is a must for everyone's library. Please call, write or e-mail for a FREE brochure This book will be of great use in pro- Pronghorn Art

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 13

Pigs, from sea to shining sea.

By E. Donnall Thomas Jr.

Photos by Don & Lori Thomas

hey came fr om Eurasia, just as tion is the wild boar, Sus scrofa to sci­ sistible. Often, pigs aren't even my pri­ most of us did ...an intelligent, entists and known by nearly as many mary objective, which is as likely to adaptable omnivorous species hunting camp nicknames as there are involve fly rods as bows and . But amenableT to domesticity but always hunters who pursue them, across a hogs are so much fun to hunt (and so eager to revert to the wild. Raised in wider range of habitats than any other good to eat) that they always leave me pens, they've provided human suste­ game animal on earth. eager to pursue them and longing fo r nance in new homes ranging fr om And while I've hunted them in exotic their presence closer to home. Polynesia to the Americas while provid­ locations from the highlands of Hawaii This year was no exception, as two ing their keepers with by-products as to the swamps of Australia, there really memorable hunts on opposite sides of varied as fo otballs and bass baits. But is no place like home. Here in the the country handily reminded me how let them run fr ee fo r a generation or States, most of my pig hunts have taken much wild hogs have to offe r two and they become a quarry worthy of place during the traditional off-season bowhunters. Feral pigs fall squarely on any hunter's respect, just as they've when Montana winters make the the arbitrary dividing line between been since the age of Greek and Roman thought of a warm-weather expedition large game and small. No doubt some mythology. Of course the beast in ques- somewhere - anywhere - all but irre- readers will question their inclusion in

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 15 MahaskaQuality Craftsmanship Custom at an Honest Bows Price

Chief Mahaska was the leader of the Ioway Mahaska bows are built one at a time, Indians in the early 19th Century. Mahaska exactly to the customers specifications: grip was a fearless warrior who was never size and shape, draw length, and draw defeated in the frequent battles with neigh­ weight. A wide selection of woods are avail­ boring Sioux and Osage tribes. But with the able, twenty-eight handle woods in all, and coming of the white man, Mahaska realized six different limb cores. Mahaska bows are ' an adversary he knew he could not over­ backed by a three-year warranty. come. So Mahaska made peace and his The Mahaska was the first ever friendship and honesty made him famous produced in Ostrem's little shop. With its among the whites of the county, a county in wide limbs, riser, and smooth shooting Southeastern Iowa that today bears his deflex-reflex design, it is still one of the most name. It's also the name Kent Ostrem chose popular in the line. This 62" bow is fast, when he turned his passion for bow making short, and stable, which makes it a favorite into a business, which today is located in among bowhunters who favor hunting from New Mexico. tight spots like ground blinds and tree­ Each Mahaska bow is hand crafted by stands. Ostrem himself, a who from the The Mahaska Longbow is a traditional beginning has sought to build the highest style bow crafted with the discriminating quality bow at a price the average guy could bowhunter in mind. You'll appreciate the afford. It's his strict commitment to quality delicate feel, the subtle lines, and the that has placed Mahaska Bows at the top of smooth draw of this bow. With a grip made the custom bow market. to your specifications, a Mahaska Longbow Lori makes a move on a Florida will soon feel a part of your hand - an exten­ hog at sunrise. sion of you. Its deflex-reflex design signifi­ cantly reduces hand shock. Smooth, bal­ anced, fast, and accurate - this is a Mahaska our annual Small Game issue and I've Custom Longbow. They are available in 62", fa ced some tuskers substantial enough 64", 66", and 68" lengths. to leave me sympathetic to that posi­ Mahaska Recurves have a 14" riser sec­ tion. But somehow, this seems as oppor­ tion, which leaves lots of working limb. Thus, the Mahaska Recurve is one of the tune a time as any to tell the story ... smoothest, most balanced, and even one­ piece custom recurves on the market today. Replacement Barbecue Designed to shoot off the shelf, this recurve is an instinctive archer's dream. With its traditional style grip, the natural feel and I'd always been curious about the ori­ pointability of the Mahaska Recurve is sec­ gins of the term barbecue. The word ond to none. Available in 58" and 60" looks vaguely French and I thought it Traditional Longbow Recurve & lengths. might have appeared in our own South All the above models are now available in When discussing custom bows Kent is a Take-down version using the Robertson courtesy of Cajun influence, but I'd quick to point out the importance of produc­ Connexion system. The Connexion assem­ never seen a similar French root word. ing a top quality bow. bles with an effortless 90 degree turn that Turns out the term originated among "There's a lot of good bow makers out requires no tools or parts that can be mis­ the indigenous Arawak islanders of the there. But the fact is that once you get to the placed. Since the Connexion is attached to top of the market, you're going to find that the back of the bow, a wide variety of handle Caribbean and came to our own south­ all of those bows shoot well, and the differ­ sizes and shapes may be used. ern shores courtesy of early Spanish ences that exist are largely a matter of per­ In addition to making bows, Kent also explorers. Nowadays, the term has been sonal preference. That's where the looks of offers javelina hunts in the mountains of corrupted to refer to virtually any the bow, the craftsmanship really comes into West Te xas which are very affordable. play." Quality and affordability. These are the means of cooking meat over wood or "The next time you look at a laminated qualities behind Mahaska Custom Bows. charcoal, but in the heart of the South bow, hold it up to the light and look down the fo lks still treat the concept with edge of the limbs. Is it smooth? Are there For a free brochure on respect, none more so than my oId any open pores? How about file marks, or sanding scratches in the finish? How tight Mahaska Custom Bows or Floridian bowhunting partner, Don are the glue lines? If a bow maker doesn't do Mahaska Bowhunts Davis. everything right they won't be in business "Indirect heat is the key," Don Contact Kent Ostrem very long. This is a competitive business and explained that first night in camp as we competition is good. I believe that the level P.O. Box 1 of craftsmanship among today's established set up the barbecue prior to departing Pi non, NM custom bowyers is at an all time high simply 88344 for our evening hunt. Elaborately craft­ because traditional archers demand it. or call 505-687-4003 ed from sections of oil drums, the camp They're very quality conscience." www.mahaskacustombows.com barbecue unit certainly looked up to the task as Don rubbed down the pork '" ,I paid adveni�elllcnt from Maha,k;.! Cu!>.tom Bow,_i:ondcn!\l,"d from an article hy Bub BlIt!. TIll'_ v. 111 the DecemherIJarwary iv.,uc of Parh rcprilllcd hy fXnni�si()n or the shoulder and stoked the coals. hrch appeared TradiriOlwl/Jou·lllllller. author. 16 WWW.TRADBOW.COM Hog on the barbecue.

Florida hog; color phase, no less. released. As the inky southern night inside including the leftover barbecue. descended, we returned to camp to ren­ Since we didn't fe el like driving back Six years had passed since we'd last dezvous with Don, trade stories and rip into town to re-supply, this discovery hunted with Don, but an invitation to into the barbecued pork, which proved provided a powerful motivation for our speak at the annual Traditional done to absolute perfection. After a morning venture into the scrub. Never Bowhunters of Florida get-together had long, mouth-watering meal, we careful­ mind the big boar I'd spotted earlier; I provided another welcome excuse to ly put the leftovers in the cooler and wanted more pork fo r the barbecue. escape a cold and snowy Montana went to bed dreaming about the pulled Still fe eling the effects of a long day's :\Iarch. We were a week early for pork sandwiches we planned to enj oy travel, Lori chose to sleep in so I head­ mrkeys this time around, but we'd once we'd worked up an appetite again ed across the creek bottom by myself. As planned a fly rod assault on the local the following day. dawn broke gloriously behind me, I snook and the hogs in Florida's surpris­ The next morning, we rose in the spotted several groups of pigs fe eding in ingly wild interior are always in season. dark to calm weather, stars overhead the field nearby, including the same :\nd Lori and I found a few that and a scene of minor disaster. Camp boar I'd nearly killed the night before. e\·ening. I actually had tension on my raiding raccoons had visited as we slept Since the grass in the field only stood string when a large, gray boar emerged and somehow the masked rascals had ankle high, I planned to parallel the from the palmettos at last light, but the tipped the cooler over, opened it with hogs and try to ambush one when they shot didn't fe el right and I never their paws and devoured everything left the field for the dense cover along

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Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 17 the creek. L1L' MOHICAN The first group to head my way did­ TREE STANDS n't include a hog over a hundred Features: • esigned to work in trees other stands can't pounds, but I knew fr om previous expe­ • Padded folding seat adjusts from 18" to 25" high rience that smaller pigs make ideal eat­ • "Quick clamp" cable hanging system with safety ing. Scrambling to reach a position just • Compact, collapsible design weighs only 11 Ibs. • Lightweight cable replaces noisy, heavy chain downwind of their point of exit from the • Four "tree feet" adjust to irregular trees field, I nocked an arrow and momentar­ Welded aluminum and steel construction • ily lost track ofthe hogs as they filtered foldmg platform Exclusivel at • 24" X 20" · ,,"CHEII� into the scrub. But suddenly an 80- Options: 0'1>'" .* � .. < Powder coat paint • "'", pound boar was shuffling through the • Accessory hooks TII.. OI TIOH ..... SUPPlIES � ,. grass in fr ont of me 20 yards away, and I came to full draw. For a moment I thought he was going to reach an impenetrable tangle of briars without offering a shot, but then he hesitated with his near fr ont leg fo rward and I sent the cedar shaft whistling into his armpit tight behind the elbow. Heart­ shot, the boar staggered ten steps and collapsed in plain sight, sparing us a potentially nasty recovery. The rest of the hogs still in the field Professional Bow Kits and Bo� Builclina Materials for the First-time Bowyer and tile Professional Bowyer. seemed unaware of his fate. With the first pig safely accounted for, I contin­ With materials, videos and instructio� fodaminta:irfg, ued to parallel the fe eding hogs and shaping and completing traditio naf,Rif um-e,s-,Take- .,. Down Recurves, Longbows,Take-Down'L ngbows .. actually passed up a point blank shot at ',. and Youth Bows, all at a very low prrce. ' a second one of about the same size. But . .;. the gray boar hadn't grown old by act­ FEATURING: ing stupid, and he eventually trotted off Fully Illustrated Instructional Materials, Risers - Laminated Solid Blocks to • • & into the jungle without ever passing an Blueprints & Videos for building a match and accent Bow Limb Core ambush point that he couldn't first Laminations Recurve,Take-Down Recurve, inspect with his nose or his eyes. Longbow,Take-Down Longbow and Limb Laminating Press Kits • Back in camp that morning, I Youth Bow, Video Fonnatting in NTSC Epoxy Glues - Smooth-On & cleaned and dressed our eating hog (North America), Pal & Secam • EponNersamid while Don fired up the barbecue once Bow Limb Core Laminations - Tapers • Phenolic (Linen) in Colors again. Dense hickory smoke was still • & ParaUels in Red Elm (fiat & edge Limb Laminating Press Heat Strip issuing from its seams when we set out grain), Hard Rock Maple, Walnut, • Systems again that night. Lori wound up making Purple Heart, Bubinga, Curly Maple, a long stalk on a large group of pigs at Rose City Archery Premium Port Birdseye Maple, Zebra, Osage, Bocote, • Orford Cedar Shafts,Arrow last light. No shot resulted, but it was Cocobolo, Action-Boo (natural & amber), Cane Bamboo (natural), and and Arrow Making Supplies hard to fe el to disappointed. Fact is, we Corefiex Super Action in Natural, Bow Building Supplies and Related were thinking about supper more than • Brown, Gray & Green Mtn. Camo, Archery Accessories trophies and Don's masterwork at the barbecue met our every expectation. - QUANTITY GLASS PRICING - Do I wish I'd managed to anchor that Send $3 for our current catalog big boar? Well, sure ...but as consolation prizes go, our replacement barbecue proved hard to beat.

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18 WWW.TRADBOW.COM )J"ew York, Washington and, increasing­ northern California that supports good poison oak that literally covered the hill­ ly, my own home state of Montana, populations of wild hogs. In return for sides. Since this attractive but noxious could easily divide in two like an amoe­ the hospitality Shane and Charlie had plant doesn't grow in Montana, Lori had ba. In California, the goofiness general­ shown us on their home water, I finagled no previous experience with it and I ly lies confined to urban centers an invitation to visit fo r a few days of pig carefully pointed out it's characteristic between San Francisco and points hunting and off we went. leaves so I wouldn't have to spend the south while the rest of the state Despite three college years in the next two days running back and forth to includes some spectacular wilderness, Bay Area a long, long time ago, I had town for antihistamines. Then a flicker abundant (albeit often mismanaged) never seen anything like the version of of movement caught my eye on the val­ game and fo lks who think a lot like the California waiting for us when we ley floor below and my binoculars soon rest of us despite the loud and highly pulled into the ranch and touched base confirmed our first hog sighting. visible antics of their neighbors. All of with Katie's hospitable fa ther. An The contrast between the pigs' which goes to show that it pays to keep unusually wet spring had turned the glossy black coats and the lush green an open mind .... hills as green as Ireland at its picture foliage surrounding them reinforced Our visit this spring depended on a postcard best and a colorful riot of wild­ memories of spring bears on the tide combination of fo rtunate incidental cir­ flowers lay everywhere. After a quick flats of coastal Alaska. The group of six cumstances. First-no surprise here­ orientation session, we pitched our gear appeared to include at least two mature my fly rod, as I was working on some in the bunkhouse, strung our bows, boars and after more back and forth material about Bay Area striped bass for touched up some broadheads and set off courtesy than the situation really war­ an angling publication. Second, our toward what I had readily acknowl­ ranted I finally convinced Charlie and friendship with Charlie Bisharat and edged all along might be a proverbial Shane to set off on the stalk. hane Harden, two enthusiastic pig in a poke, pun intended. With shadows creeping down the bowhunters and striper fa natics fr om An hour later, the fo ur of us sat on a hillsides on the western side of the val­ the Sacramento area. And third, the ridge top glassing a long, meandering ley, the witching hour was clearly at good graces of a friend back home: Katie valley that at first seemed to contain hand. We'd no sooner lost track of our Wier, the lovely and capable RN who nothing but herds of the spookiest range hunting partners than Lori alertly spot­ shares the nursing duties in our medical cattle I've ever seen. Beautiful as the ted more pigs. Since they were far office with Lori and whose fa ther hap­ scenery looked, every garden has to con­ enough away from the first group so pens to live on a working cattle ranch in tain at least one snake, in this case the that an approach wouldn't interfere

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Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 19 ith our friends' stalk, we shouldered and opened up, I meant to take the shot •• our packs and set off in pursuit. Twenty for two reasons. First, I thought Lori minutes later, we were in excellent posi­ had likely hit it and our House Rules tion above the hogs, which included one call for hunting partners to fire at will mature boar and several large, dry in case of uncertain hits. Second, this sows. But I didn't trust the wind, pig clearly had an attitude problem that although it had been blowing gently up needed correction. So when the animal the valley all afternoon. turned broadside at the top of the ridge, "I think the breeze is going to switch I drew quickly and took a shot I proba­ and suck back downhill as soon as the bly wouldn't have tried under different air starts to cool," I explained to Lori. circumstances. "We've got some time; let's wait it out." Because of the animal's position on My weather prediction proved accu­ the ridge, I couldn't tell quite where my rate, but before we could make our arrow had struck although the shot felt move on the fe eding hogs we faced perfect. Scrambling uphill, I saw my another complication as something­ bright yellow fletchings hanging fr om probably Shane and Charlie-spooked one pig's armpit as the group departed, a group of cattle and sent several dozen an ideal place to hit a hog. I counted head stampeding up the draw toward noses when the running pigs emerged the pigs. Suddenly my patient analysis fr om a nearby line of trees and came up of the wind meant nothing as nervous one short. Coupled with the remains of hogs began to trot up the hillside. With my arrow-which had obviously passed A whole hog from the green hills of the calm, carefully measured approach through something important-and California. all experienced bowhunters prefer ren­ abundant blood sign, I felt certain we dered impossible, we double-timed would quickly find the animal down. upward angle of my first shot, the shaft uphill in pursuit. "I only shot because you hit it," I passed beneath the near lung. Two con­ The bad news was obvious, but the explained to Lori as we regrouped and clusions remain: wild hogs can take a good news was that the hogs, although eased toward the trees ahead of the fa d­ hit, and, as Shakespeare said fo ur cen­ rattled by the cows, still had no idea we ing light. turies earlier, all's well that ends well. were there. With Lori the designated "But I missed!" she replied, and hitter, we worked our way across a there lay her clean arrow to prove it. Granted, no trophy boars fe ll this series of narrow draws just behind the As if this information wasn't surpris­ spring. But how many bristly pig heads pigs with her in the lead. Finally, I ing enough, I quickly spotted a large does anyone need on their wall? Fact is, watched her come to full draw ahead of black pig standing under a tree a hun­ all hog hunts are meat hunts in the end, me, although the terrain made it impos­ dred yards away, obviously unaware and therein lies part of the species' sible fo r me to see her target. As soon as that it was supposed to be dead. Our charm: no need to worry about horns, she released, an angry squeal rose glasses failed to reveal any sign of antlers or the expenditure of a valuable above the breeze and I scurried forward injury, but I knew this had to be the ani­ tag, all pure hunting for the oldest and only to be greeted by a large and obvi­ mal I'd shot. When it bedded down, I purest reason of them all. ously unhappy pig. fa ced a hard decision but eventually If you don't believe me,just try a little Lori was still 20 yards away and decided to make another stalk. I still piece of Don Davis' wild hog barbecue ... couldn't see the animal fr om her posi­ fe lt confident that my first arrow would tion. Nocking an arrow of my own, I get the job done, but this was another Co·editor Don Thomas and his wife made a quick decision. If the pig turned meat hunt and I didn't want to risk los­ Lori live in rural Montana, with fr e­ ing prime pork to warm temperatures quent time-outs at their second home in Pronghorn Custom overnight. When the animal stood up at Southeast Alaska. After working fo r over 30 yards, my second arrow whistled 30 years as a physician, he has fi nally Bows through the center of its chest and retired fr om the health fi eld to concen­ Reflex Deflex dropped it fo r good in a matter of yards. trate on other things. We can all proba­ The field dressing chores took place in bly guess what those might be... Longbows the dark and the autopsy wasn't as con­ clusive as we might have liked. The ani­ Herb Meland, Bowyer mal proved to be a large dry sow with www.pronghornbows.com fo ur solid inches of fat packed beneath Equipment Notes "'\ [email protected] her hide. Although my first broadhead On both spring hog hunts, Don used a 307-234- 1824 evenings hadn't hit the heart, placement and pen­ #58 Robertson recurve, cedar shafts 2�91 We st 42nd Street · Casper. WY 82604 etration still looked excellent. I can only and 2-blade Magnus heads. surmise that because of the steep

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f there is any doubt that hunting is an instinctual human trait, you won't find it in the eyes of children. They take to hunting at an early age, like fish to water. Before any preconceived notions of gender, political correct­ ness or societal influence has begun the process of steering their development, they naturally relish the hunt just as we do: the excitement of the chase, the lure of the unknown, adventure and experience. And their desire to please you, their parents and grandparents, places you in the enviable position of guide, mentor and major hero. At the tender age of two, my boys began to shoot bows. They asked to, so they could be like Dad. Born into a bowhunter's family, they listened from early on about hunt­ ing and shooting bows and arrows, their minds soaking up what they heard like sponges. When they were old enough to talk, naturally questions about hunting and shooting were bowhunter deeply involved in many aspects of organized among the endless, thousands they bombarded us with from bowhunting politics and education, this was a huge part of their curious toddlers' mouths. And I, like so many bowhunt­ my life. Yo u might say - my wife would - that it consumed ing dads, wanted my boys to grow up to enjoy the things that most of my time, and I fe ared "burning them out" on I enj oyed, so when they were able to figure out which hand bowhunting before it could ever catch hold. So I proceeded to let go with when holding a full-drawn bow, I fashioned carefully, making sure I taught the lessons with care and some gear for them and away we went. enthusiasm, and at their pace and level of understanding. It didn't take long before they had the basic mechanics Safety was paramount, and I insisted on it and figured out, and the games began in earnest. Various targets explained the reasons why. Only knocking arrows when we served our purpose, fr om stuffe d animals to plastic cups shot, never walking with an arrow on the string, being sure stacked and swinging on the swing set. In no time, we start­ of the target and beyond ...they learned this from the start, ed to hunt. and I stressed these lessons the whole time they were devel­ Montana is blessed with an abundance of wild game. oping in their skills. And as they grew older, and their abili­ But to a three-year-old toddler most is beyond the realm of ties and attentions developed, we moved on to bigger-small reality. Their worlds are small, so small we started. game. Summertime in most of the west produces an abundance of Ground squirrels and rabbits became common excuses locusts and grasshoppers, perfect quarry for their abilities for taking up our bows and arrows. Spotting, calling and and equipment. They pursued their prey in a target rich stalking skills developed, as did refining their shooting tech­ environment. Miniature versions of Dad, they stalked the niques and equipment. Spring and summer, we chased tall grass around the house. Close shots were the norm as gophers. I still remember my son Boone's first ground squir­ they chased grasshoppers until boredom dictated a new rel, and how proud I was, as proud as if he'd just taken his game fo r the day. And that is how I started them. When they first deer. asked, I obliged their wishes. That is really the whole key. The boys were my constant companions when I was put­ There will be no time in their lives when they will be so ting up treestands, and after the deer season we loved to eager to spend time with you, and when you can have such make a day of taking them down and hunting cottontails in significant impact on their development. the thickets while snow was on the ground. All the while, I really didn't know what I was doing at that point, but they learned lessons about hunting, biology, and landowner it became clear to me that the lessons the boys learned at relations. Field dressing our rabbits together, they learned this young age would influence many things they would be lessons about meat, life, death and nature's way. And they exposed to in the future. I must make it clear that I never, loved it all! The best part was that I was laying true foun­ ever pushed them to do what they did not want to do. As a dations before they were ever exposed to the trash that soci-

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Rusty's ety fills young minds with regarding hunting. !1 They enjoyed hunting anytime I could give them per­ F eets The Footed Shaft Specialist mission. I remember one morning while camping and scout­ ing for a fa ll hunt, my wife and I watched the two of them, Gray Goose Feathers with their longbow and recurve and Fred Bear hats (like Paral lel, Single Taper, Barrel Taper Dad's), chase a jackrabbit and a cottontail through a dia­ mond willow thicket, round and round fo r hours with many shots taken before they tired. After resting and a short J.G. "Rusty" Watson • 406-538-3630 diversion, they were back at it ...persistent in their quest, 152 Whitetail Drive · Lewistown, MT 59457 though unsuccessful. More lessons learned. As my younger son, Kory, neared legal age to hunt big game, he loved to hone his skills in the summertime on mar­ mots, a tough quarry for anybody. He learned to be adept in planning his ambushes, practicing patience and honing his shooting technique while close in on those sharp-eyed varmints. And he became quite good at killing rock chucks, I must say. It is important to note that the kids always hunted under my watchful eye and guidance. I made sure that the outings were short and fun-filled whether or not we had game to pursue. It was always a team effo rt and they went home heroes in Mom's eyes after sharing in the fu n. Naturally, having first hand hunting experience, they were thrilled to watch hunting videos with Dad, spend time

at the range and stump shoot ... all the fun things I liked to do. And they still do, knock on wood, despite the obvious glitches between teens and their parents. We have formed a bond together by doing something we all love to do. The time we spend in the woods these days is still free of the chaos

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I started my kids off with very simple equipment and an endless supply of my own broken, short arrows that I tipped with rubber blunts. A "no-glove" product that slips onto the gave the kids finger protection as well as a spot to nock the arrow. Naturally their equipment evolved and got better and grew. Just remember that they want to be like "Dad" (or Mom) ...l et them! Don't be hesitant to teach safety fr om the start, and always supervise their sessions and fun times. Make them "earn" the privilege of shooting "sharp" arrows like field points by demonstrating good habits. Turn the kids loose in a field, and let them see "how far" and "how high" they can shoot. They really love this, A successful rabbit hunt. The author, left, Boone and and you will too .. .just remember the safety lessons! Fish Fisher. Beyond basic technique, don't get too caught up in teaching proper fo rm and fo llow through until they're that clutters other parts of our relationship. It keeps us close ready ...for my kids that wasn't until about age five. Too as fathers and sons. That alone is worth everything to me. much emphasis on technique could ruin the fun. Boone and Kory are both seasoned bowhunters now at the Remember that's what it's all about! ages of 16 and 19, with multiple big game successes to their Be prepared to answer plenty of good questions. If you credit. Their ethics are unshakable, and they're as reliable are hunting game that perhaps is not table fare-like as any partners I've ever had. I can't help but attribute much ground squirrels in Montana-be prepared to explain why. of their success and attitude to training and experiences Explain cleaning edible game, and include some basic prin­ attained through small game hunts we shared while they ciples of game management ...on their level of course. were growing up. In this day and age, when we worry about what will game can usually be found with minimal effort. Hunts can happen to this sport we love and what the next generation's be tailored to fit the kids' age, abilities and equipment. A lit­ ability to manage what we pass on to them will be, we as tle imagination, time and patience are all it takes. And hey; hunters cannot afford to sit by passively and hope. We must it's fun fo r all of us and greatly rewarding in many ways. If be proactive in our approach to teaching our kids, early on, you don't have kids yourself, take along a nephew, niece, or the values and ethics they will need down the line. And first the neighbor's kid. But don't leave them out the next time hand experience in the field is the best way, I think, to get you take up your bow on an outing ...take them along, nur­ these lessons across. Then, whether or not they become ture and channel their hunting instincts the right way and hunters themselves, they will enjoy fo nd memories of those make all the memories you can, while you can. early experiences. You will have taught them respect and appreciation, which they in turn will pass on to their kids A past president of the Traditional Bowhunters of and peers, and show in their actions as adults. You will have Montana, Mark Baker lives in Livingston, MT Bowhunters spent quality time, always too short in my opinion, with around the country know of Mark's musical talents through eager kids, away from the television, the video games and his CD, Feathers in the Wind. the computer, giving one on one the way we all should. And you will never regret it. I'm far fr om being an expert about kids. I only have my own experiences to draw fr om. But we are told as parents that those first few years, the formative ones, are the most important in a child's development. Ifwe want to have a truly TimberHawk lasting influence on our kids' behavior and attitudes toward hunting, what better time to sow the seeds? Clearly it can be Bows, Inc. done, safely and effectively. And the lessons transcend hunt­ ing. I remember an article by Gene Wensel that dealt with teaching kids about death by exposing them to it early on.

Cause and effect, mortality-those are sobering lessons that Bowyu: Scott Mi tchell affect everything we do and how we see the world. I can still 7895 St. Rd. 446, Bloomington, IN 47401 remember the first dead bird I found. I performed an autop­ Phone: 812-837-9340 sy on it with a stick ...you don't forget those things. Email: thawk@Jciva .net Small game hunting and kids go hand and hand. http / /www.kiva.net/ -thawk Whether we live in rural Montana or near a big city, small

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 25 By Darren Ha verstick

pending the hours that I do perched in a tree waiting removed my arrow fr om the string, re-sheathed my hunting patiently for something to happen, I often pass the knife and carefully put down my throwing axe. I made a time by pondering some of the Mysteries of Life. I've mental note to cut back on my coffe e intake as I turned my alwaysS been a reflective person and being out with Mother back on the clogging critter, determined not to let him fo ol Nature 20 fe et off the ground is a perfect place for me to con­ me again like that. template the cosmos and my place in it. You know, little Which of course he did, repeatedly, for most of the morn­ things like: "Why do dropped cats always land on their fe et?" ing... And that leads me to an interesting sidebar to the big­ or "Why does dropped toast always land buttered side ger Squirrel Question: "How do they get you to look at down?" Sometimes, I even tackle bigger questions like: them?" You know it's a squirrel causing all that ruckus-you "What would happen if you dropped a piece of buttered toast just glanced at him a second ago. Yet the moment you turn attached to a cat? Would it land butter-side down, fe et-side your head away, all previous squirrel experiences are wiped down, or stay suspended in midair spinning over and over?" from your memory. Nut Breath makes another sound and As you can see, I have a lot to think about but today's puzzle once again you peer in his direction, convinced you are about is one that all who hunt hardwood fo rests can appreciate: to be run over by the big game animal of your choice. How is "Where do squirrels get their shoes?" this possible? My leading theory at the moment is hypno­ Come on now; you know what I'm talking about. Squirrels tism but I don't have quite enough data to firm that one up. wear shoes or, to be more precise, boots. And I'm not talking All I know is that my head was acting like a compass needle about the dressy kind with zippers on the sides. I'm talking big, and that scrawny fur-ball was magnetic north. Not to say I thick-soled clodhoppers like the ones you pick up at the army was a pushover. I bravely fo ught his mind control with every surplus store in size 10 or larger. Isn't it obvious? How else can ounce of my willpower, but I knew deep down that I was no such a small animal make such a racket? An adult gray squir­ match for my opponent. I tried shutting my eyes, sticking rel weighs perhaps a pound soaking wet but can make more fingers in my ears, and even making that "La La La" sound noise than two skeletons playing Twister on a hot tin roof A kids make when they don't want to listen to you. It was no herd of full-grown deer could walk under my stand and I prob­ use. Somehow, his special arrangement of deer-like music ably wouldn't know it unless I happened to wake up and see crept past my defenses and I suddenly found myself think­ their white tails bouncing off into the distance (I think they ing, "Hey, doesn't that sound like a whitetail approaching? wear slippers). But one little tree rat, doing the Dead Leaf Man, it must be a big one! Maybe I'd better take a look and Shuffie, I can hear fr om a half a mile away. get ready for action." And there I was, armed to the teeth, The reason I happen to be studying this particular mys­ staring at my tiny gray nemesis again while he danced his tery is an encounter I had with the species under discussion way through the second act of "West Side Story". while in my stand earlier this morning. I was in the middle In his defense though, the little bugger was good. of composing a sonnet for my wife, trying to think of a word Instead of just the standard "Chchtt, chchtt, chchtt" patter that rhymes with "chainsaw", when I heard a sound. To most squirrels are known for, he would cleverly mix it up. No people, it probably would have been insignificant but not to wonder I was so easily fo oled. Who wouldn't be, up against a my alert ears. I immediately put aside the mental romance varied repertoire like that! If it wasn't for the fact that he and started paying more attention to what I was hearing. drove me nuts, I could almost admire his evil genius. The staccato rhythm offootfalls came from behind me and to Finally though, I got a break. For the past couple of my right, so I slowly pivoted in that direction and tried to hours Ole Twinkle Toes had been content to stay just outside locate its source. Heart thumping hard in my chest, I knew my peripheral vision while performing his routine. that either a whitetail wall-hanger or Bigfo ot was about to Suddenly, he decided that he was good enough for center make an appearance. stage right in fr ont of me! And just like that, his spell was broken. Somehow, maintaining visual contact with his But the culprit was only Mr. Bushytail raking the forest boogying body magically cleared my rodent-clouded head floor and doing whatever it is that squirrels do. The light and filled it with blind rage. A maniacal laugh escaped my was still dim so I can't be sure, but I would swear that he lips as I fe lt his grip on my psyche loosen and I realized that was practicing fo r the lead in this year's production of the only thing separating my antagonist fr om a well­ "Riverdance". Realizing that I wasn't about to have an deserved Judo point was 15 yards of open space. encounter with a large herbivore (or hairy hominid) I Now, I don't normally take potshots at small game when

�6 WWW.TRADBOW.COM I'm deer hunting for fe ar of scaring my primary quarry away but I was so far past caring about deer by this time that I , \ had an arrow nocked and drawn before I could think about it. Projecting my pent-up hatred down the shaft, I fo cused on he squirrel's tiny head. "Good Bye, Mr. Noise Maker!" I said -ilently to myself as I relaxed my hand and released Death �.� � From Above. �t¢Traditional But I guess I wasn't as silent as I thought because just t North Fourth Street · St.ArChe� Joseph, 514 JL 61873 as I was letting go of the string, a loud commotion arose at the base of my tree. Startled by this new disturbance, I pulled the shot and sent the arrow well over my intended target. Furious at being denied even a small measure of jus­ tice, I glared down at whatever it was that made the noise hoping that, just once, looks really could kill. Staring back up at me, with a facial expression that only comes fr om being rudely awakened, stood a beautiful 6-point buck. I couldn't believe it! He'd obviously been there fo r quite some time because he had leaves stuck to the side of his head. We looked at each other in mutual amazement for a few seconds and then he snorted and bounded off into the forest, leaving Write for a me fe eling like an idiot. . .1 free catalog As you can imagine, the Hunting Spirit had pretty much or call left me by then as I wondered how all this could have hap­ 1-800-466-8663 pened. Replaying events, I noticed that the squirrel was still or e-mail: [email protected] where I had left him, fo oling with something that appeared to be bothering one of his back paws. With a flash of insight, Ii www.stickbow.comllonewolf I hit upon the Squirrel Boots Theory. Knowing I was onto something, I bowed to the victor and, using my best kung fu movie dub-in voice, addressed him. ''You are a very worthy adversary, my well-shod fo e. You have bested me today. But the next time we meet, the outcome will be different." With those beady, black eyes staring back at me, the squirrel lo wn rd Jlill ":Archery bobbed his head and scampered out of sight. I fe lt a little bet­ J ter then, getting the last word in like that, and as I prepared � -� .� ------��� . .�------to leave I made a vow to fight the spread of booted bushy­ Longbows Designed by "The Master" tails. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe squirrels should know their place-barefoot, quiet, and in the kitchen, prefer­ ably served with taters and gravy.

Growing up in the Missouri Ozarks, Darren Haverstick learned at a young age never to let the truth stand in the way of a good story. His loving wife and daughter tolerate his addic­ tion to bow hunting even though they don't understand it.

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Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 27 MarchAt the Four 10 Riversth, Cultural 11th Center &, Ontario,12th Oregon, 2006 The 8th Annual Traditional Bowhunter's Expo West Dealer Displays Workshops Bow Test Area Daily Seminars Shoot the DART

Spend some time in the Virtual Bowhunting Camp. Sit around the campfire. tell stories, and enjoy some honest dutch oven cuisine. Sponsored by Montana Canvas, Camp Chef, and Colleen Sloan of Log Cabin Grub. Mark Land Brooks Johnson Muzzy's Guru Double Bull's "Dark Archer" and Bowfishing Promotions Director. SUNDAY is and co-owner will dispel the myths and A seasoned bowfishing tournament Bargain Day answer questions concerning the use of competitor, Mark normally fishes at least 5 ground blind . Since the pring of 1996 The vendors will be major bowfishing tournaments each year in Brooks and his busines partner Keith the US, as well as numberous appearences offering their scratch & spend over 100 days a year in their blinds on TV shows and video productions. Mark dents, overruns, & hunting everything from turkeys to moose, will share his bowfishing experiences and mismatched items at across the United States, Canada, Mexico equipment recommendations and expose bargain prices. and with an occasional foray to Africa. the growing trend and facination with Proving that everyone should be hunting bowfishing. Bowfishing is truly one of the "blind." most addictive archery sports. Come &WIN a Camp Chef Show Schedule Kitchen Friday 3 to 8 Selfbow Workshop A $1000 value. Saturday 9 to 6 & Class Drawing to be held March 12th at noon. Sunday 10 to 2 Master Self Bowyer Admission John Strunk $7.00 Friday will once again hold a $7.00 Saturday bow making school. $5.00 Sunday limited to ten students. $10.00 Weekend Call John at: (503) 842-4944 Under 12 FREE

For more information contact: Traditional Bowhunter® Magazine • 208-853-0555

• • I I , I t was the last day of deer and elk season in Idaho. My hunting part­ ner, Nick Nydegger, still had an Iunused elk tag and we had just spent the entire day chasing a bull until he finally gave us the slip late in the after­ noon. Calling it a season, we proceeded to pull ourselves up out of a deep canyon that had several old mine shafts and cabins hidden throughout its depths. As we climbed up a well-used trail toward the rim I spotted a large blue grouse as it jumped up on a log that was across the old miner's trail. The shot was uphill, about 30 yards, and I removed a Judo-tipped shaft and promptly bowled over the bird. As the fe athers settled, I could actually taste the rich flavor of the bird after roasting it over an open fire back in camp ...a fine way to end the hunting season.

When I walked up to the log the bird was hanging down, its head on the ground, mouth open, and fe et sticking up in the air with its eyes closed. My orange-feathered shaft was sticking straight up and as I grabbed it the bird's eyes opened and that damn thing blasted under the log, breaking my arrow off about half way, and rocketed down the hill! The last thing I saw was when it banked a hard right, seemingly going Mach 1, with my shaft hanging out of it. So much for dinner. Upset about this incident and fe eling the need to devise a new head for killing these large birds, I had the bright idea I needed more shocking power on the business end of my arrows. The next year I armed my shafts with solid steel blunts. These, I knew, were going to be

Story and photos by T.]. Conrads

the panacea I needed to kill these blue twenty yards away. With all the confi­ fe athers floating in the wind, deader brutes. dence in the world, I pulled the steel than a doornail...or so I thought. At The first morning of the following blunt arrow from my quiver, took care­ about two feet from the ground the bird hunting season I was walking down a ful aim, and loosed the lethal shaft. locked its wings and rocketed over my trail when I saw a blue grouse sitting on THHWWAAACKK! I drilled that bird head, the orange shaft buried halfway a branch of a large white pine about solid and it came rolling out of the tree, through its body. Again, I watched in

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 29 complete horror as the grouse flew off how old-and how large-the bird is. into oblivion, with my arrow, both of And it is this size difference that cre­ Shaggie® which were never seen again. ates a quandary: shooting small, 3 ..D Cover System Since that time I always carry a younger birds while bigger, older birds slightly dull 4-blade Zwickey Delta for are present is easier said than big grouse and have not lost one since. done ...bigger just seems better at these Oh, I still carry a Judo and have killed times. several smaller species such as ruffe d And nothing adds to the evening fire­ and forest or spruce grouse, as well as side meal like a fr esh grouse. Roasted squirrels and rabbits. But for big blues, whole over a fire, as is my preference for only a broadhead will do in my book. a young bird, or baked in a Dutch oven with freshly picked wild mushrooms Blue grouse are large birds, the and a splash of red wine, it is hard to largest of the mountain grouse. Their beat a grouse meal in hunting camp. prime habitat is high elevation fir, pine and spruce forests broken up by creeks I classify grouse in one of fo ur per­ and small rivulets. Rarely have I fo und sonal biased categories, and hunt them them at low elevations where I hunt. accordingly: sitters, roosters, runners, They prefer to stay as high as they can, and flyers, the later better known as following the snow line down in the fall rocketeers. The first three are huntable and winter, and back up in the spring with a bow, but for the latter indigents, when the snow slowly melts. At times, I a scattergun is most appropriate, and I have fo und them in groups as large as have no problem using one when neces­ thirty or more birds, all in September, sary. Rancho Safari hovering between 9,000 and 10,000 Sitters are what I want. These birds fe et. will just sit still and let you shoot them, Box 691 • Ramona, CA 92065 p.o. Table fare of blue grouse can run the which is fair game as far as I am con­ Ph: 1-800-240-2094 Fax 24 hrs: (760) 789-1506 gamut from tender, melt-in-your-mouth cerned when I have a longbow in my texture to shoe leather, depending on hand. Sometimes they jump behind a

"' L WWW.TRADBOW. COM grouse, and as you move in close enough fo r the shot they either start squawking K&J or fidgeting, or they sit there thinking LEATHER Custom Armguards Quivers you don't see them. I like the latter ones & www.kxjleather.com and this seems to be the way I shoot most of my blues. Of course, you will lose quite 440-248-1775 a few arrows unless your shot is accurate, and I should know; I have several dozen arrows lying around the woods and Rodney Wr ight fo rests as proof In fa ct, this is probably as good a time as any to admit that I Archery have de-quivered on a roosting grouse Hand made more than once ...and twice on one bird Traditional Bows that lived to tell all its friends about the Longbows event. There are still three broadhead­ Recurves tipped arrows in that tree.... Arrows Runners are just that: grouse that Quivers would rather run from you than sit or Accessories fly away. They can be hunted, but you Distributor had better be in good shape to keep up for with them. They are adept at using Nick Ny degger retrieves a Judo­ trees, shrubs and rocks to keep .!'���T�)t Clear tipped arrow that just missed a sit­ screened fr om your view so your shots Canadian ting blue-a hazard of the sport! will be quick, and usually at a moving target. Fiberglass tree or walk away from you allowing an Just this past week I ran into a covey Laminations easy stalk and, sometimes, several shot of blues-a fleet would be more accu­ Yew wood opportunities. rate as there must have been over two Action - Boo One season while hunting elk in a dozen of the birds in a large patch of Riser Woods lost valley somewhere in central Idaho I huckleberries. I was returning to camp Epoxy Glues came upon a covey of young ruffed after a morning deer hunt when a half 205 Fulford Rd. Fulford Quebec. grouse. They were fe eding in a current dozen or so of the largest grouse I had - Canada JOE 1 SO bush and I proceeded to shoot every ever seen trotted off through the trees VISA (450) 539-1 848 arrow in my quiver, killing fo ur of them in front of me. At first I thought they Fax: (450) 539-5952 with four arrows as they moved were turkeys they were so big. I started www.rodneywrightarchery.com through the bush. I resharpened my broadheads, tied the double brace of birds to my hunting pack, and headed Large selection of new and down the hill after a bugling bull. Not • used bows twenty yards farther, a large spruce grouse walked out from under a pine. A Judo made quick work of him as well • Complete line of traditional archery accesories and supplies and added to the wonderful dinner that night. As for the elk, well, I never saw Custom wood, aluminum, and him that day. But the grouse hunting • was fantastic .... carbon arrows Although western spruce, sage and ruffe d grouse are more likely to sit and • Custom tapering let you smack them where they stand, most blues do not allow you to get very Full·time, full·service from close before they move into the next cat­ • TRADITIONAL ARCHERY Tu esday through Saturday egory: roosters. Roosters are grouse that flush, usual­ Larry & Janice Murray ly right in front of you, and land in a 26393 Mintdale nearby tree. Most of these birds can be Sturgis, MI 49091 hunted successfully if you are a good Te l: 888-800-7880 shot. Blues tend to be a little more skit­ Fax: 269-659-6005 tish than western ruffs and spruce [email protected]

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 31 The waning sun was casting darken­ ing shadows from the tall sub-alpine fir and white pine trees as I pulled my way up through the deep hellhole I had fo und myself in. The aspen were chang­ ing, I noticed with some melancholy; winter was coming and I had not spent enough time in the woods. I fe lt deprived, as only one who loves to be outside can appreciate. The thought of cooking after dark wasn't appealing, so I tried to think of something quick so I could get into bed early; I wanted to be out before sunup the next day. As I neared the top of the ridge a big blue grouse blasted fr om its hiding place in the huckleberries and lit in a

well-branched fir. I came in close enough to put the glass on the tree and Although small game heads are great fo r most grouse, a strong, lethal spotted the bird sitting broadside, giv­ broadhead like the 4-blade Zwickey is the best medicine fo r blue grouse. ing me that side-glance like, "You can't see me !" Ye ah, right ! after them when all of a sudden the thick brush. I counted myself lucky, and I came to a point under the tree entire flock took off running. I shot and then returned to pick up my bird. At where I had a fairly open shot at the missed the first bird, and then they ran least I had dinner. bird's breast and nocked an arrow. The over to the edge of a ravine. They had And then there are the rocketeers, bird had chosen to stay put so I calmly already run down to the small rivulet which take flight at the first sign of drew my bow and hit it dead center, and were running up the other bank danger and don't look back. They are breaking its back. It tumbled down when I sent a 4-blade Delta through the like B-52s taking off as they flush with through the branches, hit the ground back of one large specimen. By the time a riot of wing beating and fanfare, and and started to flop away, but it didn't I recovered the flopping grouse, the rest don't stop until they have put consider­ make it fa r. It was a fine specimen, a of the covey were already across the able distance between you and them. beautiful bird, and my mouth watered ridge and down the other side. I chased Forget these dudes; you might as well as I planned for its culinary addition to those birds fo r another twenty minutes have a shotgun and good retriever dinner. until they finally disappeared in some rather than a bow in hand. As I neared camp, two more blues lit into another tree. The first one spooked Custom Bows by The year had been busy. Moving and before I got to the tree, but the second Randy De/mel of setting up a new office had taken most bird sat still. I shot over its back, my of September, which is my local deer arrow sailing off to parts unknown. But and elk bow season. After deciding the the second arrow took the bird low in ,.?rcl�all'rll infi{anufaduringu office could live without me fo r a few the neck, cutting off its head, save for a days, I packed up the truck and made thin strand of skin, sending it tumbling my way to the hills of one of my favorite down to the ground. Archery haunts. After setting up the wall tent, The weight of the brace of blues on the way cutting firewood and shooting a fe w my belt fe lt good as I made my way back arrows to get in rhythm, I headed out to camp in the alpenglow of a glorious it was ... for the evening hunt. fall evening. Oddly, I didn't fe el so bad and still is. Two days later I had yet to see, hear, about not finding an elk. bump or smell an elk. All I found were dozens of new two-tracks cut through Blue grouse are considered big game

prime hunting habit, tracks made by to our EditOl; TJ. Conrads, and he pur­ Call or write the ever increasing number of ATV sues them annually on his elk hunts. This for brochure. users who abuse the wilderness in lieu article is excerpted fr om his latest book, P.O. Box 587 83855 of hard fo otwork. After an unsuccessful Campfire Reflections, available fr om Potlatch, 10 stalk on a mule deer buck, I decided it www.stickbow.com /tjconrads. Phone: 208-875-0408 FAX: 208-875-0605 was time to head back to camp for an Visit our web site at adult libation and to stare in the camp­ www.saxonarchery.com fire.

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1 year (6 issues) ...$1 8.00 2 years (12 issues) . $31 .00 . . 3 years (18 issues) . $45.00 . . Canadian 1 year ..$24.00 I , - . Go to: , I , Canadian 2 years . $47.00 - . . Canadian 3 years $69.00 fo r more info to order... - ... & Foreign 1 year . $30.00 - . . Or call toll free: 1-888-828-4882 & use VISA, MasterCard, or Discover Foreign 2 years $53.00 - . . . Foreign 3 years . $78.00 Traditional Bowhunter® Magazine P. O. Box 519 • Eagle, ID 83616 - .. • (Canadian Fore ign · U.s. funds only.) & Please include complete address & phone number. Allow 4·6 weeks (or delivery. l ith Annual Traditional Bowhunters Expo SptXialGuest Man' Clynckc SptXialGu est Bill Bonczar Bom :md raised in his belmedCol orado. �Iar\' was the lirst hunter (gun or bow) to take raised hunter Ne\l Ynrk . tatl;). Bill no\\ r sldes Born[uld u III l;) III ",.... all eight spec ies of big game in Colorado 1md the orth Central PClUlsylvaniu. lie is a -=:--.,....., ..... lil"!'t r.:corded StOI� Sheep taken "ith u longbo w Re f1,ular m..:mber ofProlessional l3(l\\­ (Bfiti�h Columbill is not ex­ hlll t l;) rs Soci..:t\ ,Uld York RO\l­ 1994). �farv onl�' an ; 'e\l traordinarv trnditional l)(mhunter. but also a \li ldlile hunters. Bill on of the nation I ad­ i: ll s authontles photogrul;her. fr.x Ilmc.: \witer. knife maker IUld in£! on arrO\\ \lood� (ruld scrilllshaw [U·tist. He is enthlll>;asticaJh il h d in �od arrom; ) (f\l hich h..: manul:,cturll l\\l e \I 1Il:m�' state and national bo\lhunting o�ganizations ,md ships \lo rld \lide through \Jlegheny lIlelllber ofPop;: inc luding senior & Young Club. �Iountain . \rrO\l Woods since 199.1. Regular member of Professional !3

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10hn started his successfitl bo\l InUlting career in 19.ui. but thought it had ended \lhen he became total ly hlind in lun.;: of 19 9 John', good Ii-iend Llll1ny Rock \louldn 't kt him quit. \\"lIh ht! lp wld encouragement. 10hn once agnin becarne a llO\lhullter. To date \11 th thl! help o r Lo!lm�"S or \e 50 bo\lhuntlflg ··sig)lIers··. 101m has taken 60 big gmnll animals. T\lO of 10lms finest 1110mt!nts \lert! n:c t!i\;ng the '"Spt!cial Hunters .\ward·· from afar i Club International in presented to John by General orl11l1J1 Sc!1\\urzko pf(this included ucce s ll hunting trip. \lith 1998 u � � li LeIU1Y. t Au stralia) PBS's cO\\:tcd 'nlOm:ls Shupicnis .\\\ard in .101m not 'blind oc)\lhunter"·. but. a bO\\hullt0r \lho 'just o 1m" :1000 . is n happens be blind" . to LeIU1�' has mastered both bo\lhunting :md tru·gt!t w'chery going back to 1960 ha\;ng amussed hig g:mlC! :llUl11ais ruld arch<.:r� champlon­ slllJlS far numerous to list. 'inc.: LIl1U1YS most ftm;u"ding archery COl1lL'S li"Omhunting [uld ',Ig)lIl11g" fo gl"'od fn.: nd John to 1979. r Ius To gethllrJolm and Lel1ll� \lill share ( f their linest hunting moments and amilzlIlgdemonstrauon of their shootllIg abilit� Rook. some Don't miss .IollJl l1J1d Lennys unique seminar.

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34 WWW.TRADBOW.COM Pre-dawn glow cast pink hues across the previous night's blanket of fr esh snow. But now Athe storm had passed, and clear skies gave sharp definition to Colorado's rugged landscape. It was a fine morning to be afield, especially if you were a lion hunter. This was my ninth outing fo r the big cat and I was eager to see what sto­ ries the snow would have to tell. Just as the sun peeked over the eastern horizon, my Jeep plowed to a stop at my sched­ uled rendezvous with my guide, Dean Hendrickson. But before I could turn off the engine, Dean's wide-eyes and excit­ ed body language told me something exciting was about to happen. "I found a large tom track! Get your gear together quick!" he insisted. Suddenly, bats welled up in my stomach as an odd mixture of excitement and anxiety washed over me. "It's howtime ..." I thought, as I quickly strapped on my pack and hip quiver. THRIll OF 'fHE Mountain lions-the phantoms of the quiet places .... Occasionally I had enter­ tained thoughts of pursuing them, but with the cat's secretive nature, I had yet CHASE to spot even one of Colorado's estimated 5.000 cougars. As an aspiring lion hunter, By James L. Anderson that left me only one option: to enlist the services of a guide and his trusty hounds. But somehow I just couldn't see parting \,ith cash that could finance a trip into Wildlife fr equently receives cougar still. Dean's call didn't sound promising. the Alaska bush. Besides, what was the sighting calls from fr etful urbanites. In "Jim, all this snow has made the lion big deal about shooting something out of light of recent headlines, a campaign to property inaccessible," he explained. a tree anyway? "Save the Colorado Jogger" seemed "Besides, my dogs will just get high-cen­ But as the seasons rolled by, I more appropriate. tered." A week of overcast skies fo l­ received a variety of Colorado licenses Then one day my hunting partner lowed, masking the sun's melting rays

and even managed to fill a fe w. After mentioned Stick & String Outfitters. until the clock ran out on the season. making good on a mountain goat tag, it They seemed to be successful with lions There was nothing to do but await it's dawned on me that I only needed two and were reasonably priced. So before re-opening in November. species to have taken all eight of my practical side could take over, I With the arrival of fall, temperatures Colorado's big game animals with a wrote out a deposit. dropped as fa st as the leaves. It had bow: a whitetail and a mountain lion. Typically, lion hunting is an "on-call" already been a good year for me, with I've always admired those who had arrangement, hinging on the right two Nebraska whitetails falling to my accomplished this fe at, and now it weather conditions to provide fresh new Robertson longbow. And with good seemed within reach. Also, I knew that tracking snow. The client before me on lion chasing conditions on the way, I if I ever wanted to take a lion, I had bet­ the call list had just taken an excep­ was hoping I hadn't overdrawn my ter do it soon, because the animal rights tionally large tom and now it was my account with Lady Luck. element was mounting another offen­ turn. Unfortunately, it was March by Few watch weather reports with sive against Colorado lion hunting. this time, and with only three weeks of greater anticipation than lion hunters. oted anthropologist Jane Goodall, the season remaining, I was praying fo r Glancing out my living room window known fo r her work with chimpanzees snow. A week later, a powerfu l storm into gray November skies, I saw fluffy, in East Africa, was spearheading a cru­ dumped several fe et of the white stuff white flakes begin drifting down. An sade to "Save the Colorado Cougar" ... along Colorado's Front Range, collaps­ hour later, the phone rang. It was the ironic considering that the Division of ing roofs and bringing life to a stand- long-awaited call fr om Dean, with

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 35 instructions to meet him in the morn­

ing. After a restless night, I hopped into the Jeep to negotiate 75 miles of icy roads to the rendezvous point. The lion property was a large parcel of land that had been homesteaded in the mid- 1800's and had remained with the orig­ inal fa mily ever since. Deer and elk were numerous on the ranch, making it very attractive to lions, a situation that made the owner uncomfortable as the cats were growing a bit too bold. While many lion hunters cruise back roads hoping to cut tracks, the owner of the property we planned to hunt prohib­ ited the use of vehicles. So, with the thermometer registering eleven below,

Dean and I marched off through glitter­ ing snow in search of lion sign accompa­ nied by three of my fo ur-legged new best friends: Luke and Bud, both treeing walkers, and Paiute, a good natured red­ bone and a veteran of many lion hunts. On our first morning we did find fresh tracks, but they were nothing we could pursue as they belonged to a fe male lion with young. And by days

end, I was glad fo r that. Convenient as it would have been, I didn't really want a one-day lion hunt. The allure of pur­ suing a new species derives fr om the opportunity to study its habits while enjoying new country, and I didn't want it to end too soon. As with anything new, it's easy to labor under misconceptions. Now that I was having contact with people familiar with lions and the chase, I came to understand a few things about the chal­ lenges involved in taking a cat. Time and again I heard stories of hunters who simply didn't have the stamina required to cover miles of rough snow­ covered terrain just to get to a treed lion. And many of those who did, even those with considerable big game expe­ rience, often lacked the composure to deliver an accurate arrow with a moun­ tain lion glaring at them. Regardless of Fe lis concolor's local name -cougar, puma, catamount, pan­ ther, or simply lion - its range extends from northern British Columbia to the southern tip of South America, giving it the widest distribution of any mammal in the western hemisphere. Measuring 6-9 fe et from nose to tip of tail, a male lion will average between 100-150

36 WWW.TRADBOW.COM pounds, while fe males tip the scales at The sound of bawling hounds echoed GEN. 27:3 0-100 pounds. Deer are the mainstay through the valley and the chase was on! rrtlfIJV of a lion's diet, but they're not hesitant Marching up the snowy mountain­ �� - Deh DITIO to tackle prey as large as elk. And side, I quietly recalled stories of veteran �fiOV C On.PANY� Bowyer although equal in size and strength to hunters getting rattled when faced with 3394 Beaumount Carl Johns their leopard cousins-who have a rep­ a lion and wondered how I'd fare. After Ann Arbor, MI 48 105 (734) 662·2898 utation for fe rocity, especially when all, I'd never even seen a cougar before. wounded or cornered-the typical But after bumping a herd of elk, we mountain lion's temperament is thank­ descended into a series of steep fully more reserved. canyons, and all thoughts of pressure­ Though I've spent my share of time packed shots were replaced by concern in the field, this was my first guided about negotiating slick, snow-covered hunt, and Dean's woodsmanship and rocks and deadfall. Several spills later, I game-eye was making me fe el like a eventually caught up with Dean as he novice. One morning, as we gazed stood on a rocky point overlooking a across a broad snow-covered valley, he craggy north slope. From there, I could commented, "Those could be lion tracks hear the choppy bark of treeing hounds. over there ...." "There he is," Dean whispered, point­ Squinting across the quarter-mile ing 100 yards downhill. "And he looks expanse to the far slope, I asked, "How like a good one." can you tell?" On an earlier outing, Dean had "Well," he continued "see where that informed me that having a lion in a tree herd of elk went over the ridge to the doesn't guarantee much. "Lions jump west? As they search fo r browse all the time," he stated. "Sometimes you beneath the snow, their meandering re-tree them, sometimes you don't. And tracks resemble a herd of drunks." Then fo r some reason, fe males are more like­ he pointed to the linear trail across the ly to bail than toms." This cat had yalley. "A cat or coyote generally travels climbed a tall ponderosa pine and lay Traditional Archery DVD in a straight line. But a coyote, like deer poised on a branch about 30 fe et up. As by Jim Bowman and elk, will leave drag marks with we slowly descended the ridge towards The Camo Cowboy their fe et. A lion, on the other hand, him, the cougar began shifting his picks his feet up. Also, a coyote leaves a weight. On level ground, it would have Available NOW narrow trail, while the broader shoul­ been difficult to thread an arrow up at yo ur traditional supplier dered lion's will have more offset. If the through the big tree's lower boughs. But track jumps up on a rock or crosses a fortunately, the steep terrain included a or call 931-823-1041 for more info log, it's surely a lion, since coyotes and deer seldom do that." The talk turned to lion hunters in other states. "The hounds men in wolf areas have it particularly rough," he men­ tioned. "They have no time to waste get­ ting to the tree. When the dogs bark treed, wolves move in. Some good dogs have been lost to wolves". Somebody must have been listening to my concerns about a short lion hunt, because it took eight more trips before we fo und another set of cougar tracks cross­ ing the ranch. But it was worth the wait, as they appeared to have been made by a large tom the night before. But strangely enough, when Dean walked his lead dog, Paiute, to the lion's trail, the experienced redbone uncharacteristically balked and returned to Dean's side. (We would later find out why ...). At Dean's insistence, the reluctant hound finally took off in hot pursuit, with Bud and Luke joining in.

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/J an 2006 37 rocky outcropping on the uphill side comes out of a tree," he explained, side, he silently gave an approving nod. that offered a position fo r a clear shot. "that's when dogs get killed. So wait Putting an arrow on the string fe lt Gazing at my first lion, I was amazed by until I tether them out of harms way." surreal, much different than preparing the ize of his paws and the length of Then he gingerly stepped right beneath to send an arrow toward my first deer. his tail! His winter coat was thick, and the perched lion, occasionally glancing Raising my longbow, the taut bowstring he appeared to be in prime condition. over his shoulder to make sure I was silently flicked an arrow to the mark Mesmerized, I heard Dean's voice behaving myself, and secured the and all hell broke loose! The cat jumped break through. "When a wounded lion enthusiastic hounds. Returning to my like a coiled spring, breaking branches and sending snow cascading every­ Outfitter contact information: where while the dogs proceeded to go Matt Burrows nuts! Stick & String Outfitters "Get ready!" Dean barked, as I quick­ 6338 W. Elmhurst Dr. ly pulled another arrow fr om the quiver. Littleton, CO 80128 In a flash the lion descended the tree to (303) 972-4295 the sound of sharp claws gripping bark. [email protected] Then with a single bound the cat www.bowhuntingoutfitters.com jumped off a 15-foot ledge into a rocky Colorado Cougars Licenses to hunt mountain lion in Colorado are easily obtained with an over­ chute and disappeared. the-counter purchase. Fees, as of this writing, are $30 fo r residents and $250 "Looked like a good hit," Dean for non-residents. The seasons typically run fr om the day after the close of the assured me. Walking to the ledge, I last combined rifle deer/elk season (around November 20th) until March 31st. detected an odd scent lingering in the All areas have harvest quotas - once the objective is met, the season for that air. Turning to Dean, I asked, "Do lions area is closed. smell?" "No. Cats, they're clean", he respond­ For more information, contact: ed. Colorado Division of Wildlife 6060 Broadway, Denver 80216 Searching for the lion, we fo und no (303) 297-1192 blood. And with the chaos of dog tracks www.wildlife.state.co.us around the tree, we were having diffi­ culty identifying the cat's exit path.

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WWW.TRADBOW.COM "Let's turn the dogs loose," Dean sug­ gested. Carefully leaning into the chute, I spotted a pinhead-sized speck of red upon the snow. "Hang on," I announced. "I think I've got blood." Fifteen fe et later, we fo und another speck and then another, until we finally isolated the cat's track. Dean opted to stay on the ridge with the dogs so he could release them if need be while I fo l­ lowed the bounding tracks down into the canyon. A fleeting thought crossed my mind regarding the wisdom of fo l­ lowing a wounded lion with only a bow, but excitement overruled sensibility. Fortunately, the blood trail was improv­ ing. After 100 yards I came upon a lion­ sized trough of compressed snow resem­ bling a toboggan run to the valley floor The author with his tom. and uncertainty evaporated. Scooting down the last, steep section, I slid up beside the dead lion. When my war­ whoop echoed through the canyon, bet that's why Paiute balked when we lion quest with a hint of reservation. Dean got the answer he'd been waiting first turned him out on the track-he But in the end, I fo und it to be one ofthe for. In the houndsman's tradition, he didn't want to get his butt kicked fo r most thrilling, adrenaline-charged then released the dogs so they could chasing a skunk!" hunts I've ever made. In fact, Dean has enj oy a triumphant taste of cougar fur. become a good fr iend and is currently "It's their reward fo r the chase," Dean Looking back, I'm glad my hunt took helping me locate a lion hound pup of explained. a bit more time. It gave me the opportu­ my own. So beware, reluctant lion Examining the lion, I felt awed by its nity to learn about a species unlike any hunters: you too could get hooked on the powerful build and long fangs. Given I'd previously encountered. The adven­ thrill of the chase! the cat's size, I'd assumed it was a male. ture also did much to dispel the com­ But my investigation didn't reveal the monly held notion that lion hunting is A mechanical designer fr om expected hardware, so I naively con­ easy-a belief usually based on Colorado Spring, CO, Jim Anderson cluded otherwise. This amused Dean as assumption by those who have never received his fi rst bow-a Bear Tigercat he proceeded to enlighten his rookie done it. Sure, a cougar hunter may recurve-at age 11 and has been hooked client. Pointing to a small black spot on occasionally experience one-day suc­ ever since. Jim is currently waiting fo r the lion's underbelly he said: "That's cess, but couldn't the same be said for his fa vorite hunting partner, son Ju sten, where the sex glands are. If the spot is other big-game species? Alaska gave me to complete his Air Force commitments one inch fr om the anus, it's a female; a caribou the first day out of camp-and so he can help the old man pack elk out fo ur inches away and it's a male." Well, the same thing happened to me twice of the backcountry. you learn something new every day. with Colorado elk. And although west­ As I lifted a huge paw to examine his ern culture isn't accustomed to promot­ hooks, I received a word of caution: ing cat on the table, lion meat is one of "'Watch out for those claws," Dean said. the best-kept secrets around. With its ·'They contain bacteria from decayed light color and fine grain, you could eas­ ASAT in WOOL meat. If you get scratched, it could be ily fo ol the neighbors into thinking they DAY ONE CAMOUFLAGE helps "blind side" your serious." were eating pork! trophies wilh special fabrics But one thing we couldn't ignore was I admittedly began my mountain and hunting c1uth ing designs. the odor. "Man, this thing reeks!" Dean Many camouflage patterns, garment styles and accessories declared. "Smells like it was blasted by Equipment Notes a skunk last night!" With that, the day's The author used a #56 Robertson .. ASAT in WOOL. earlier events started to make sense. Quest longbow and self-made cedar For 16 page Color Canllng calt: "That must have been the lingering shafts tipped with 4-blade 125 gr. 1-800-347-2979 Fax; (303) 761-3135 scent I detected when the lion leapt out Magnus broadheads on his cat hunt. .. \� �):3C)() S, Kncr 0 irl 1 � of the tree," I commented Enq!8w�)(xl, co RC Then a chuckling Dean observed, "I'll .com

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 39 Traditional Bow Review:

Stalker Recurve from Fedora Custom Bows

By R. Blacky Schwarz

he Stalker, like all Fedora bows, is completely handcrafted at Fedora's Archery Shop in TRichland Pennsylvania. It's a family business; Mike and Carol Fedora work together with their son Jason and friend Sam. Mike Fedora has been building bows for over 45 years. He started shooting at age 10 and bowhunting at age 12, and started mak­ ing his own bows when he was 18 years old. He's a wealth of knowledge about all aspects of how to build a bow, which is not surprising after such a long peri­ od of research and development. He shares his know ledge and experience not only with the students in the bow­ building workshops he offers, but also while working as a consultant for archery manufacturers. The selection of Fedora recurves and longbows reaches from 52" to 70" and includes hunting and target bows. Mike likes to point out the fa ct that his bows are truly custom, which means they are made exactly to the customer's wishes and needs with­ out the use of duplicating machines. Besides being an experienced bowyer, Mike is also well known for his shooting ability. He has coached and instructed many shooters, fr om begin­ ners to championship level archers. 115 Wintersville Road Richland, PA 17087 Reviewed Bow www.fedoracustombows.com Price: $ 925.00 :\Olodel: Stalker 52", 52 Ibs @ 28" Riser laminated between the different layers Man ufact urer Length: 16 112" of the limbs. Those limb laminations Material: For the riser section of the run from tip to tip and are only cut in Fedora's Custom Bows bow, a piece of flat grain sawn bocote is the grip area fo r shaping the throat of

WWW.TRADBOW.COM Center Cut: 114" past center Dacron material is furnished with the Sight Window: 3 3/8" high bow, so it's up to the customer to decide Pivot Point to shelf: 1 1116" (from if he wants Dacron for a quieter shoot­ deepest part of grip to shelf surface) ing bow and a supposedly longer bow Physical weight: 1 Ibs 10 oz (com­ life or Fast Flight for more perform­ plete bow) ance. Even though Mike doesn't recom­ mend flemish twist strings, he says Limbs they are not a problem when they are properly made. All high performance the grip. For the lower part of the grip, Bow Length: 52" string materials, like BCY 8125, BCY a dark brown piece of gaboon ebony is Draw Weight: 52 Ibs @ 28" (AM. 0.) 452, Dynaflite 97 etc. can be used. glued to the riser. Using ebony with fine Brace Height: 6" - 6 3/4" Finish: Dull, two parts urethane fin­ grain lines for the overlay and the lower Shape: Reflexed recurve limbs with a ish, custom blended for bows. part of the grip creates a nice contrast rectangular cross-section and rounded­ to the lighter colored bocote with lots of off edges. Bow Order ing Opt io ns dark, swirling grain lines. The thumb Material: Even though the limbs are rest, a Fedora trademark fo r over 45 relatively thin, they are constructed of The Stalker is available in a R.H. years, is also made fr om ebony and eight different layers of material. and a L.H. model, in a bow length of additional black glass. The use of a Two layers of bloodwood are used fo r 52". Draw weight can be ordered in one thumb rest should force your hand into the core and are embedded between the same position on every shot and is two specially tapered layers of heat supposed to enhance consistency in treated bamboo. On the outside, bocote hand placement and minimize torque. veneers with lots of dark character lines The size of the grip on any Fedora bow show their beauty through the clear is custom shaped according to the size BoTuff® glass and match the wood in the riser. The limb tips are rein­ of the customer's hand, which can be BOWHUNTING SAFARI supplied to the bowyer by tracing the fo rced with an overlay of black micarta CONSULTANTS fingers on a piece of paper. The to withstand the forces of today's Organizing Adventures reviewed bow sports a medium to large high performance strings. WORLDWIDE size grip. Limb width: 1 9/16" at the fade-outs Shape: Deflex and 5/8" just below the string groove 1-800-833-9777 Grip: Medium-high pistol type grip String: An endless string of either 14 Fax : (541) 345-6143 with thumb rest strands of Fast Flight or 16 strands of www.bowhuntingsafari.com

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 41 Force-Draw Curve: Fedora Recurvebow: "Stalker" 52" 52 Ibs @ 28" I I I I I i I I I I I 60 �-�1 I I 4'-+�4-+-�-+-r, 4!-+1 -�1 -+-'-r���- +-r�T-�i I I I I I �v I V/ i I .I hl/ 50 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+,-+-+-+-+-r---+-+-+---+-+-r-r��-r-r-r� I I 1/(1 I I I I I I I ! I I J

pound increments at the desired draw length. A wide selection of limb and riser wood combinations is available to suit any customer's needs. The same is true with accent stripes, overlays and so on. The surface of the bow can be done in a dull, satin or a hand rubbed gloss finish. Visit the web site to get an idea of the options available. As with most reviewed bows, the base model of the Stalker is quite a bit lower in price than the presented model. Draw Length (AMO) - inches

Testing Paramete rs string without any attachments Arrow Speed: 189 fp s with fi nger (silencers, etc. ) was used. Speed meas­ release A force-draw curve was obtained urements were taken 3 fe et in fr ont of fr om the reviewed bow, which was used the back of the bow with two speed R. Blacky Schwarz is a self employed for all the following measurements and testers set up in a tandem configuration consultant and fr eelance writer and calculations. Since the Stalker is only to ensure straight arrow flight during lives close to Heidelberg in Germany 52" long, the bow was only pulled and measurement. with his wife Danny. They both share measured to 30" instead of the usual the passion fo r the Outdoors and espe­ 32" to prevent any structural damage to Test Re sults cially bowhunting, which is not legal in the bow. Germany. Danny and Blacky bow hunt Arrow speeds were measured with Draw weight: 52 lbs @ 28" mostly in the US. where they both the bow shot from a shooting machine Stored energy: 48.23 ft-Ibs belong to numerous bow hunting organi­ with a mechanical release and with fin­ Stored energy per pound of draw sations including PBS. Blacky has been ger release, using a "Crick-It" clicker weight: 0.92 ft -lbs/lbs doing bow reviews fo r German maga­ and a deerskin glove. The string was Arrow weight: 469 grains zines since 1997. pulled to 28" A.M.O. which is 26 114 " Arrow speed: 194 fps with mechani­ from the string to the deepest point of cal release the grip. The arrow for the speed testing Kinetic energy: 39.20 ft -Ibs bad a weight of 9 grains per pound of Efficiency: 81.3 % (Kinetic energy / dra\\' \\·eight. A 16 strand Fast-Flight stored energy)

WWW.TRADBOW.COM ,·0

By Monty Browning

fter my solo float trip two years about this trip. I would be camping in matchsticks. The color would fa de and

ago in the Alaskan arctic, I this valley instead of floating the river snow would blanket the valley before thought I had gotten that soli­ and, I had enough freeze-dried fo od for my departure. Atary wonder lust out of my system. But a month. This was my first September I had hunted this valley the year something kept calling me back and I'll after retirement and now for the first before with my buddy Bob Nancarrow admit that fo r me, adrenaline is addic­ time in nearly fo rty years, I had time to from Michigan, so I was fa miliar with tive. I was back in search of solitude but finish the dream. My only real concern the area. Bob and I enjoy hunting this time, I would learn the true mean­ was being away fr om Annie fo r a together but our schedules don't always ing of absolute fe ar! month. mesh. Prior commitments had forced So there I stood again as the sound of I scanned the valley through the Bob to fly out so I finished the hunt the bush plane faded down the valley eyes of a hunter. It was a dreamscape. A alone. and the ear ringing silence of the thin blue haze filled the valley and the The final week proved to be brutal as Alaskan bush greeted my ears. Only the thick smell of smoke fr om the smolder­ an early cold snap dropped tempera­ soft gurgle of the river could be heard. I ing tundra fires that had burned across tures below zero at night and struggled was alone again. I smiled to myself, and Alaska's summer threatened change. through the teens and twenties during then studied my duffled gear. It looked The willow brush and the birch-covered the day. I walked across fr ozen beaver like an ad from a Cabela's catalog. hills were just starting to turn yellow, ponds that Bob and I had waded two There were two things different the birch trunks like whitewashed weeks before.

Tr aditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 43 The river was fa st and ice like a bull and I drew and released as his fr ozen, oozing jigsaw puzzle piled shoulder touched the opening. The against the sweepers. The wind blew arrow felt good but whacked once before constantly across the hill where I slamming into the ground under the glassed for moose and I sat by a small bulls' chest. The bull lunged away and dried spruce fire to ward off the cold crashed through the brush, the crack­ throbbing of my fe et. ing timber marking his escape. I watched with fa scination day after I was running now, dodging brush day as the river in a deep fa st section and jumping fr ozen streams in a wide near my camp fr oze fr om the bottom up. circle to cut him off. I caught him in a After several days the ice was several hundred yards but he was fo rty yards inches thick on the bottom but still open going away in that distance-eating trot and running fast in that one narrow that only a rifle can catch. The white in section. his eye as he glanced over his shoulder And so it came as no surprise that to see his attacker told me that he was when I fell into that fro zen jigsaw puz­ headed for the Yukon. zle river my clothes were stiff before I It was nearly dark when I reached reached my camp 150 yards away. The camp, my hard fr ozen pants still stand­ bull moose I was running toward wait­ ing watch, six-inch ice daggers hanging ed as I changed, crossed another river from the cuffs . It was a nice evening by and changed into dry camp boots and the fire; I sat very close, just another resumed the chase. day at the office. An hour later and nearly a mile up The last two days I glassed distant the valley, I was warm and dry and had ridges as caribou worked the tops head­ called the bull to within twenty yards ing west. I made a mental note to bring but the thick brush blocked the shot. a caribou license the next time I hunted Quiver is removable and can be Then the bull moved to my left and a this valley. It couldn't take more than used separately with included shoulder strap. See the full line of specialized hunting products grapefruit size hole appeared in the half a day to get up there. I've carried including the CatQuiver series: brush. My mental arrow made it caribou farther than that. Then the through but the real one deflected on hunt was over and I added another RANCHO some unseen twig and rattled through unfilled tag to my collection. SAFARI the brush in fr ont of the bull. A second www. ranchosafa ri.com arrow was on the string as the bull I set my camp in a patch of spruce BOX RAMONA, CA P.o. 691 • 92065 swapped ends and started to my right. and birch to break the wind and 1 - 800- 240- 2094 Another hole opened just in fr ont of the secured a good pile of firewood fr om a deserted beaver dam. Then I spent the fly-in afternoon glassing the smoke by Wes Wallace IV/SAl . filled valley. It was good to be back in Call or wri/.e 21420 SUpper Ilighl,nd Rd Beavercreek, OR 97004 503/632-7365 503/632-7386 CUSTOM• Bows• • FAX fo r free brochure. the bush. www.weswallacebows.com Like most hunts, the first few days QUALITY HANDCRAfTED RECURVES & LONGBOWS vanish like the morning mist, burned away by small sorties to check for fresh sign and to simply stretch the legs after a year of anticipation. I felt like the bird dogs of my youth that had to run at the start of a hunt to burn off excess energy. It was 2:00 p.m. when I crested the high ridge that I had glassed the year before. It had been a tough climb. The smooth carpet look that I had glassed from camp was of course, waist high dwarf birch and eight-foot alders. But the view from the open top was excel­ lent and I sat propped against a rock outcrop to keep the wind from pushing me over the edge as I ate my lunch. Solitude lived in this place. I had followed a good game trail up

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The Va lley of the Shadow of Death. Call fo r a Free Color Catalog the valley crisscrossing a small crystal I had covered less than a quarter clear stream that bordered a patch of mile when the first caribou clicked into moose browsed willows. As the valley view. At one point I was less than fifteen �CJl$��BOOTS & SHOES walls became steeper, the ambush yards fr om a good bull but I had taken 6597 Falcon Ln, Dept TB6 • Bozeman, MT 59718 potential for moose or caribou better in Quebec and I was holding out increased. A few fr esh caribou tracks for a white maned bull with a good rack. 1-800-922-www.schnees.com15 62 held promise. The next couple of hours passed with The next couple of days passed with only a few bulls spotted. long glassing sessions, but the moose It was just after noon when I heard a activity was slow. It was early for the low grunt and the sound of antlers rat­ rut and with only light morning fr ost, tling through the brush. I reached the ARCHERYPASJ[ the bulls were content to stay high. line of willows in the bottom just as pol­ I glassed the ridge tops for several ished antler tips rose with a clatter in 19417 Indian Summer Road days and then it started. The first cow the brush at forty yards. A big Barren Bend, Oregon 97702 and calf caribou appeared in the valley Ground caribou bull is an impressive 541.388.8400 (Phone/Fax) crossing an open patch of tundra. I animal as he fe eds into bow range. The [email protected] checked the tops again but only a few antlers rattled through the brush as he Home of the Big Little Dipper scattered caribou fed in the thick brush. raised his head and brush rattled and and By late evening, a fe w small gray-necked cracked as he moved forward. bulls had dropped into the valley. I had to back out once because of Ice covered the beaver ponds the fo l­ thick brush and loop ahead of the bull lowing morning as I worked across the to the next narrow opening. As he river valley and turned into the valley reached the shooting lane he turned that led to the top. The first yellow rays into the opening as if to cross to my of sunlight sparkled on the frosted dwarf side. He was fe eding on the short grass birch leaves and low bush cranberries. that grew along the trickle of water and The trail that I had followed days was now ten yards but head on. A cow before on my trek to the top was and calf appeared behind the bull and chopped by a number of fresh caribou as she stepped up the hill behind him, tracks. It was a beautiful valley and the she spooked slightly, jumped uphill and mixture of stunted tundra spruce and looked back. The bull reacted at the patches of brush made it perfect for spot same time, wheeled and bolted up the and stalk hunting. And best of all, the steep bank, stopped then turned to look cold air dropped down the valley in the back. He was quartered slightly away Traditional Products for the morning and late evenings, perfect fo r and the heavy arrow sliced through the Archery Craftsman the bowhunter working close. ribs and angled up and completely sev-

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 45 ered the spinal cord. seeping in. Tollgate Traditions He collapsed in a heap and before he As it turned out, the caribou had could move, a second arrow sliced indeed been a wonderful gift for as Over 40 years experience through both lungs and it was over. I quickly as they had come, they were Fair Prices and Personal Service dropped to both knees in thankfulness gone, the valley void of any sign of george's hand made Bow Strings of the gift that I had been given. movement...the odd "toking" call of the

Flemish & Endless Loop It was a beautiful bull, white maned ravens, the only sound of life.

Dacron • Fast Flight · S-4 and the polished antlers wide and well The following day I spent several shaped. Enough time had passed since hours fleshing and salting the caribou Economy & Custom Arrows taking my last caribou bull that I had cape between morning and evening Wood · Aluminum · Carbon almost forgotten how big a caribou bull glassing sessions fo r moose. From my Parabolic · Shield · Traditional · Banana could be. This was a big bull, probably vantage point high above the river, the Traditional Accessories five hundred pounds, and I was thank­ valley where I had taken the caribou ful that he was not on that distant continued to call me back. I felt drawn Bows by: Bear Archery · Great Plains ridge. The packing job to my camp to that valley. Martin Archery · PSE Bows would be tough enough. Two hours Two days later I answered the call

Samick • TQ Bows later, I moved the last of the meat away and loaded my pack fo r a day trip to call fr om the carcass in case of bears. for moose. The valley was a perfect fun­ To llgate Traditions I made it in two trips, the cape and nel for any bull moose dropping off the 1233 US Hwy 20 rack a serious overload so I dragged the high ridges looking fo r cows along the West Winfield, NY 13491 rack all the way to camp. I called in two river. I had fo und a natural blind set up good bulls while dragging the antlers not far from where I had taken the cari­ (315) 822-5893 through the brush. bou, slightly higher than the willows in In the evening I sat propped against the bottom. Any moose that followed the Free brochure available. a spruce in front of a crackling fire, the valley would be within bow range as it All major credit cards accepted. rack illuminated by the firelight was a passed ...a perfect setup for calling. e-mail: [email protected] nice addition to Camp Lonesome. It was Hunting alone, especially with a bow www.toll atearcher .com a peaceful scene and I had been in the and arrow in grizzly country, is not for bush long enough fo r solitude to start everyone, nor should it be. Then add the

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Raffle tickets are available from the PBS Home Office email: [email protected] or by phone: 1-704-664-2534 DraWing to be held Saturday Ma rch 25, 2006 at the PBS Banquet in Sa lt Lake City Ma il in Ti ckets must be received by Ma rch 12, 2006 Op tions available at the winner 's expense. Meda llions will be placed in a piece of 6 for $5.00 EA matching riser wood if riser design does not permit inlay of medallion $20

46 WWW.TRADBOW. COM same "don't go in there" fe eling we get while watching the scary movie where the victim knows the monster is behind the door and goes into the dark room anyway. Most surviving victims of vio­ lent crime report that they had felt the fe ar but fa iled to heed the warning. My first warning came with the first gray light of dawn. I opened my eyes and stared through dead silence at the ice crystals clinging to the roof of my pack tent. "It's quiet," I thought, "where are the ravens?" The ravens fly early and their odd calls could be heard each morning as they worked up and down the river. Something didn't fe el right. I dressed and loaded my pack while nursing the first steaming cup of coffee. The thermometer read 9 degrees. I thought about the day's trip and picked up the .44 magnum pistol. I fe lt the extra A fine September bull. weight, thought about bears, then as extra challenge of being dropped into usual, decided against it and put it back the Alaskan bush for a month with no beside my sleeping bag. I would soon see outside communication and the poten­ that picture clearly in my mind. tial fo r disaster increases. I had no way I have spent over sixty days alone in of knowing that before the morning was the Alaskan bush over the years and over that I would fe el death's icy grip have been rushed by only one grizzly and live to tell the tale. and he changed his mind before it Several years ago I read a book titled turned sour. I guess I had grown too First Fe ar. The book told of our natural comfortable with bears. sixth sense, which is fe ar. It warns us of I was just out of camp and working impending danger and when and if we up through some thick brush when the pay attention to that fe ar, we can in second warning came. I stopped on a many cases avoid disaster. It's that mound of open ground and cocked an

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Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 47 ear toward the river. The soft gurgle of where are the ravens?" Then, like most the water was the only sound. The first victims, 1 brushed it off again, but now yellow rays of morning sun flooded 1 was cautious, listening for the slight­ ilently into the valley illuminating the est sound and moving only a fe w steps, frost into sparkling sequins on the then stopping. It occurred to me that if leaves and stems of grass. 1 turned, a person got injured in this valley, no scanning the valley, then the sky, but one would bother to search this fa r fr om nothing moved. A slight chill eased up camp. 1 moved on but now the nagging my spine. "It's quiet," 1 whispered to feeling of impending doom was crawling myself. "Why is 'it so quiet?" 1 shrugged up my spine. off the chill and moved on. "Come on 1 had just moved within sight of the Browning," 1 said scolding myself. spot where 1 had taken the caribou. 1 "Don't get woosey on me now." Then, in could see the two strips of green and my mind 1 saw the pistol where 1 had orange flagging tape I had tied to the left it by my sleeping bag. "1 probably top of the willow to mark the spot. The should have brought that," 1 thought. carcass was in a low brushy depression Timing is everything sometimes and 1 and not visible until less than five yards stopped twice to shoot slides of frosty except straight above on the hill. Chills early morning scenes. continued to crawl up my spine. 1 1 reached the mouth of the valley 1 checked my back trail then the sky, still intended to hunt when that "don't go in no ravens. "What is it," 1 whispered to Solitude lived in this place .... there" fe eling crawled up my spine once myself. Then 1 saw my hand putting the again and the vision of the pistol pistol back down. returned. 1 turned towards camp and 1 glassed the area for any sign of 1 stopped, turned an ear toward the checked my back trail, then really bears but nothing moved. 1 listened fo r carcass and then 1 heard it, ravens, the noticed the quiet again. No wind was some time, and then eased fo rward. 1 low whining sound of ravens fe eding on blowing and nothing moved. was nearly on top of the carcass when a carcass. 1 had heard that sound "It's too quiet," 1 thought. "What is it, the first red flag went up. before. But now, the hair on the back of

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48 WWW.TRADBOW.COM my neck was tingling. The red flags "No," I thought, my mind racing, "not starting to pop up faster than I could like this, not by grizzlies!" The sow register them. Movement caught my roared again, the sound so close, so BITZENBURGER eye and fr om high in a spruce above the loud, so demonic, so hideous in it's all carcass, a young golden eagle floated enveloping furry that it is what one from his perch. would expect from Satan himself. "An eagle," I whispered. "What's an I knew that I probably had five to ten eagle doing in the tree." An eagle would seconds to live but the human brain is take the carcass fr om ravens. And then remarkable. My brain was clicking out the first wave of near panic washed survival tactics at warp speed. over me and red flags changed to fire­ "Don't panic Browning. You panic, works in my head. you die." My own advice flashed across "Oh no," I thought, then, looking my mind, "Turn and walk away, don't from tree to tree I realized that there run; distance yourself fr om those cubs." were no guard birds, no ravens to warn I had started turning at the first roar the ones fe eding on the carcass! and now maybe three seconds and three And in that moment of realization I roars had passed and behind me the "World's Finest knew that the sound I heard was bears, blood-faced cubs were bawling as they Fletching To ol For not ravens, and that I had made a terri­ loped up the hill towards the roaring Over 50 Ye ars" ble beginner's error. I was already too sow. Sold through Authorized close, between a sow and her cubs in I have been in some very dangerous Distributors &: Dealers possession of a kill. My mind flashed situations in my many years of risk tak­ the picture of the pistol in my tent... and ing but I have never known almost par­ BlTZENBURGER then it happened. alyzing absolute fe ar before now. MACHINE &: TOOL INC. The sow grizzly had fe d and was Confusion swept over me. Why wasn't 13060 Lawson Rd. lying in the brush above the kill. The she already on me? Grand Ledge, MI 48837 PhoneIFax (517) 627-8433 cubs were whining happily as they fe d. My brain was clicking out options The first roar was so loud and horrify­ with every step. I knew that as soon as 888-724-5697 ing that it fe lt like someone had the cubs reached the sow she would crushed the blood out of my heart and come and I looked over my shoulder with was squeezing it so hard that it couldn't each roar. I knew to stand and try to stop The perfonnance, accuracy & fu nction. A wave of heat swept over me a charging grizzly with the bow was pure craftsmanship you demand ... as a chill shot up my spine. And in that suicide. Even if I killed her, she would The price & delivery lime you instant, I knew without a doubt that I kill me before she died and those pit bull wished for... was a dead man. cubs would join the fight for the marrow

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Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 49 of my bones. But to do nothing was sure ocean. day and used it as a calendar to keep death. "Keep moving Browning, don't Then the vision changed and I could track of the days. I turned to Monday I coached myself Every step was a see the sow sitting on her haunches like and stared at the title: "Assured Of His run," fraction of a second to live. a big vicious dog, straining at the end of Presence And Care." The scripture fo r With every heart-stopping roar, I was a chain, her jaws wide open in an the day took my breath away. It was the two steps closer to a string of five spruce enraged roar. Above her the cloud was a 23rd Psalm "Yea, though I walk though trees that I might have a chance to hand with the finger pointed at her the valley of the shadow of death, I will climb. My brain was confused but still head. Stay! It was as clear as anything fe ar no evil: for thou art with me; thy spitting out options. When she comes, I I had ever seen. And then I knew that it rod and thy staff they comfort me." coached myself while looking over my was God keeping the bear fr om coming. PSALM 23:4. shoulder, throw the pack ...maybe she Now I was passing the first Speechless, I opened my pen and will rip it apart first ...keep the bow on climbable spruce, but I was alive and wrote, "WOW!" I was stunned beyond your arm and climb. Don't let the bot­ full of hope. I chuckled nervously to words. tom limb catch in the branches ...use the myself then mumbled, "It's God, he's For the next few days I spent many arrows to jab into her face. making the bear stay. Thank you Lord. hours glassing the valley for moose.

Why didn't she come? My mind What do I do ...stay close to the tree? No, Mornings and evenings were spent call­ raced, not understanding what was go to the next tree, then the next, then, ing and cracking brush without results. happening and why I was still alive! get out of the valley." The valley seemed lifeless. From high And then, everything changed. The sow The sow continued to roar until I on lookout mountain I watched the roared but a wave of calm washed over reached the mouth of the valley. Before "Valley of the Shadow" as it turned from me. The scene in my mind changed fr om me lay a quarter mile of open tundra yellow birch to brown and then the watching me being ripped apart by the with waist high stunted spruce. Not a snow started and it snowed off and on enraged sow and her cubs to my child­ good place to be run down. The roaring for a week. The caribou rack lashed to a hood vision of what I thought God stopped as I started across the open spruce trunk reflected the yellow light looked like. As a child I pictured Him as tunqra. I looked back over my shoulder of my evening fires and was a constant if made of a cloud. I remembered illus­ and could see the shape of the valley reminder of the gift I had received. I trations of God on the old maps, His and I knew that I had walked through climbed the snow covered hills and sat cheeks puffed, His breath was the wind the valley of the shadow of death and I in the white silence. I remembered the blowing the old sailing ships across the fe lt very small, child-like and humbled many days I had spent alone in the beyond words. Colorado Rockies and the words from "Thank you Lord," I said, but God John Denver's song, "talk to God and Bamboo, wasn't finished. Since childhood I had listen to the casual reply, Rocky Osage, and Maple always wondered what it would fe el like Mountain high." to walk through the valley of the shad­ The month ended without a single Du-O-Flex Recurve ow of death. How would I fe el? Would I decent bull moose spotted. It came as no Building and Shooting have the courage or would I fa il? And surprise to me. The caribou was a beau­ Longbows for Over then as I thought of that, the 23rd tiful animal and the hunt was one I Psalm popped into my head and I start­ would never fo rget. I know now, more 45 years ed reciting it out loud: than ever that even in solitude, we are Send $2.00 for "Yea, though I walk through the val­ never alone. New Color Brochure ley ofthe shadow of death, I will fe ar no Refundable with Purchase of Bow evil." Then, because I was still a nerv­ ous wreck, I forgot the most important part, "for thou art with me." I skipped TIM right to the part, " ...thy rod and thy MEIGS staff they comfort me." I guess I was hoping for a big stick to defend myself I Author's Note (775) 246-3633 gave thanks the rest ofthe trip to camp. 18 Kit Kat Dr. R-1 9, Dept. TB In camp I drank a pot of coffe e as I It was with sadness and profound Carson City, Nevada 89706 relived each step of the morning. The understanding that I learned of the clincher came the fo llowing morning. death of Bart Schleyer. Hunting alone Hard Hitting, I was awakened by the "toking" of in grizzly country is risky but that in Dependable ravens and the soft babble of the river. itself is part of why we do it. Although and Accurate! A slight breeze rustled the tarp above I had never met Bart, I know that we my tent; everything was back to nor­ had a lot in common. My deepest Ask the Mall Who mal. I dressed, giving thanks again and sympathy goes out to those who knew reached for the little daily devotional and loved him. that I carry on my trips. I read it each

50 WWW.TRADBOW. COM The Five Ye ar Buck By Nicholas Jacquez

e'd been working the land fo r quite a while, fo l­ work the land or hunt, my brothers and I toast our parents lowing the conservationist's maxim that "the saw, and their foresight for establishing this haven for fa mily life the match and the plow are fr iends to wildlife." In and connection to the natural world. Wthe winter months, we chain-sawed the hedgerows between It was now November 6 and the whitetail rut was mov­ fields to provide horizontal cover for quail and rabbits and ing toward fu ll swing. At three o'clock, I snuck in and browse for deer as they traveled to fe ed or bed. Down in the climbed into my stand overlooking a big woodlot of white swamp, we fe lled large swaths of trees to create "shintan­ oaks and maples. The swamp lay 80 yards to the west. I'd set gles," areas where the understory plants could fe el the sun my stand so the tree would shield me from the eyes of the again and grow to provide deer with fo od and secure bedding deer as they came up out of the swamp along a funnel of cover. On the uplands in spring, we burned acres of rough brush that ran east through the trees toward the crop land grasses planted by earlier generations of farmers so that beyond. The prevailing breeze ensured they wouldn't wind regeneration of the native prairie could occur, then planted me as they moved from the security cover to feed. To the east small pines, serviceberry and cranberry bushes to establish lay another 60 yards of timber, then the clearing where my "edge," that mysterious transition zone favored by wildlife parents had built their home. The yard was planted in large and small. Next to the emerging edge, we plowed the clover. ground under to plant rows of legumes, alfalfa and corn. Aside from the breeze and the seven fat fox squirrels Moving into the hardwoods, we selectively felled the eager fe eding around me, all remained quiet for the first hour and maples to create patches of cover and give the slower grow­ a half. Then at 4:30, a nice doe came out of the woods to the ing mast saplings, white oaks and hickories a chance to south and entered the clover to fe ed. I watched as she moved mature. Then, picking our spots, we fe rtilized the mature slowly across the yard, tail twitching. Toward five o'clock, white oaks so they'd produce even bigger and sweeter she began looking southeast intently, toward a hedgerow acorns. The hard work was finally paying off. Bob-white containing a big scrape that had been hit repeatedly in quail could be heard calling fr om his morning cover, and recent days. Then she suddenly spooked and ran back into there were enough rabbits for a bowman to have a chance at the woods south of me. stew. Hen turkeys escorted their summer poults into the It was getting toward dusk, so I turned to fa ce the yard, standing guard as they hunted insects in the short swamp, keeping my tree between me and the trail I expect­ grass. Over the three-day archery opening weekend, three of ed deer to travel. As I turned, I saw deer chasing in the us saw deer on every stand, morning and evening. They were swamp 100 yards south and west. I couldn't tell what sex does mostly, but with that many ladies around we all knew they were, but one looked big even at that distance. By this that when the rut arrived the bucks would too. time, only 45 minutes of light remained, the breeze had died Our parents had purchased this property just six years and the woods were still. I pulled out my rattling antlers, prior, 24 acres of prime hardwood ridges and thick swamp. clashing them together in my best imitation of two bucks They'd started building a retirement home there when my pushing and shoving to establish dominance. I only did this Dad died unexpectedly of cancer. We'd just commemorated a couple of times. Fifteen minutes later, I used a doe bleat the five year anniversary of his death a fe w weeks before. call to simulate the sound of a doe in estrus, looking for love. During those years, my Mom, brothers and I finished the Then I put the call away, picked up my bow and remained house and worked to develop the property as a fa mily standing fo r a few minutes more, scanning for movement. retreat. We purchased the adjoining 24 acres of grassland, Seeing none, I sat with my left shoulder to the tree, watch­ and now manage the tract for habitat and hunting. ing the trail from the swamp. The property includes a small house and ramshackle Over the next half hour as light bled out of the timber, I barn situated on the highest point of the combined acreage. listened intently for the sound of deer responding to my Surrounded by remnants of historic oak savannah-widely calls. Five minutes before last light I heard rustling in the spaced mature oaks with native prairie grasses below-the woods behind me and turned to see a lone fox working his breeze always seems to play in the branches and cool the way up fr om the swamp in search of an evening meal. I screen porch where we hang our hunting clothes at day's debated shooting him fo r his pelt but let him pass undis­ end, even when the swamp and hardwood ridges to the west turbed and turned to face fo rward, accepting a deer-less day are quiet. We've dubbed it "Windy Hill." We now use this in the woods but glad to be there nonetheless. Just then, the cabin as our hunting lodge, while the fine house our parents unmistakable sound of a big deer walking filled the woodlot. built serves as the setting fo r extended fa mily gatherings He must have been waiting to see if the fo x would pass with­ and vacations with family. Every time we are out there to out alarm, indicating safety. I fr oze as the carpet of leaves

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 51 betrayed the rhythm of his determined steps. It had to be night, the big deer almost seemed to be watching over us another buck looking for the two that had been fighting fr om the oak. It became clear to me then that he was not the forty-five minutes earlier or for the doe he'd heard seeking only old buck looking out fo r this land, and he would not be attention shortly afterward. He was claiming the timber, the last. Like our father, my brothers and I will be at it for either to battle or to breed. I eased my head around to peer years to come. back over my left shoulder, down the trail I'd set up to cover. He wasn't there! A refugee fr om corporate life, when he's not building Relentlessly, the sound of his steps continued through habitat at Wi ndy Hill, Nicholas Ja cquez nurtures a software the still evening air. I realized that he must be coming across company he co-founded in 2001. Nick lives outside of Chicago the woodlot fr om the south. Then, out of the corner of my left with his wife and daughters. eye I saw white, polished antlers glowing in the dim light as he moved steadily just ten fe et behind me. Four steps, five steps ... he began to turn up the trail from the swamp, the trail I'd been watching. The edge cover that whitetails depend on worked against him, covering my movement as I drew my longbow and anchored in one motion, looking fo r a spot behind his shoulder. He entered an opening in the brush Habitat Management Primer 12 yards out and the arrow flew from my bow. Instantly, the big deer dropped to the ground. The arrow In context of deer and turkey range, 48 acres are drops had gone behind his shoulder, but entered high, severing his in a bucket. To do anything more than just catch game spine and lodging in the opposite shoulder. Fatally hit, he lay coming through, you need to give it good reason to spend kicking on the forest floor. I drew another arrow and sent it time on your land, and hopefully give birth there. Those into his rib cage, piercing both lungs and putting the great reasons are secure cover, plenty of edge and ample fo od, buck down for good. the key aspects of superior habitat. I climbed slowly down from my stand and walked care­ We're just figuring this out, but here are the three fully over to the fa llen monarch. Kneeling beside him, I things that got us started off right. thanked him for the gift of his life and body, pledging to use A Plan - We knew we wanted to manage for a healthy it well and marveling at his magnificent antlers. How fo rtu­ ecosystem that encouraged deer, turkeys, small game and nate I was to be at this place and time, catching the old buck game birds. Inspired by A Sand County Almanac, addi­ in his final mistake. I realized then with some surprise that tional reading gave us good direction, but our best move I fe lt calm, without any of the buck fe ver I'd fe lt in the past. was to call the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Perhaps the responsibility to end his struggle quickly Service. The District Conservation Officer came out, allowed me to transcend my own ego as I participated in walked the property with us quizzing us on our objectives life's circle. Perhaps this realization, like the great buck, was and pointing out opportunities. Within days he sent us a yet another gift fr om my father. Rising slowly, I walked out comprehensive report with a clear plan to achieve our of the timber to get my brother and start the work and cele­ goals and guidance to the resources we'd need. Now that's bration to come. putting tax dollars to work! As I walked back to Windy Hill, passing the hedgerows Resources - People, time and money are scarce, so you and prairies where we'd labored, a sense of accomplishment need to find help. The USDA NRCS was our best resource crept in to complement my tranquility, not because I shot a find, but there are others who also want to build habitat. big deer, but because we worked with the earth to create a Contact Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited and Quail situation where the meeting with the buck could occur. The Unlimited; they offer low cost access to prairie seed, seed accomplishment lay in the stewardship of the land and habi­ drills and can even help put work crews together. Comb tat. I was simply the one lucky enough to be in the woodlot your area for other organizations whose interests might when the buck shared his life. I only wish it could have align with yours, like prairie restoration clubs and univer­ occurred five years earlier. sity natural resources departments. Later, with the work done and the buck hanging in the Equipment and Commitment - Horsepower helps. We oak tree, we seared his tenderloins over the campfire and fo und a vintage Ford 8N tractor online at a reasonable savored them, washed down with salad, potatoes and good price (remember the old family fa rm stalwart, with gray red wine. As we sat under the stars talking quietly into the back and red belly?). It provides the power for the mowing, spraying, pulling and plowing. You'll also need a couple of Equipment Notes good chain saws and plenty of hand tools. Since time is scarce and slips away easily, we've committed to work I make my arrows fr om Cedarsmith compressed weekends at least once a month all year long. Somehow, shafts, using 3 big, shield-cut fe athers and We nsel our commitment seems to increase when October and Woodsman heads. My bow is a 62 inch Robertson Vision November roll around. longbow, 66 pounds at 27 inch draw.

52 WWW.TRADBOW.COM he month-long Colorado archery elk season is half done before my fr iend Milt Beens (say "Benz") and I manage to wrangle a day of elk hunting together. I've beenT at it fo r two weeks of evenings already, seeing a record number of cows and calves and enjoying one stinky-close encounter of the raghorn variety. But nothing yet worth end­ ing my season for. Milt, as usual, has been working too much. He's a talent­ ed potter and painter, and moonlights fu ll-time with Wildcat Canyon Archery, on the outskirts of Durango, where he crafts the graceful self-nocked wood arrows I shoot. He's also a natu­ ral-born teacher and mentor. In winter it's skiing (he trains instructors). The rest of the year it's traditional archery. It's on Milt's obstacle-course 3D range that I hone my shooting and cardiovascular skills early every August. What else? As an enthusiastic recreational philosopher, Milt is lively and stimu­ lating campfire company, especially after a couple slashes of Maker's Mark. He is, in sum, a man of diverse talents and rare selflessness. Today, I hope to give a little something in return by helping Milt kill his first stickbow bull. Which is not to say he's a wapiti virgin, having long ago put elk meat in the freezer with rifle and compound bow. But no big antlers adorn his wall, and he's yet to kill a wapiti of any strip with traditional equipment. After a decade of frustration, he's starting to fe el jinxed, reluctant even to continue trying. So a lot rides on today. Milt is toting a lithesome longbow made by his friend Jerry Barr, and a quiver of cedars he hand­ split from an old stair step and fa shioned into elegant shafts fletched with fe athers of Canada goose-naturally waterproof, if Sometimes, the magic works a bit sibilant in flight. My bow is a custom recurve I bought used fr om Milt some years ago. By David Petersen It's still black when we rock-hop across a shallow river and angle up through a big Forest Service pasture overgrown (as too unspoiled suburban wilderness all around. We stop to suck many Forest Service pastures tend to be) with thistle, at the thin mountain air, slow our hearts and listen. After searching in the dark fo r an unsigned trailhead. On the path five minutes of depressing silence, I uncoil my grunt tube, at last, we lean into a long, steep climb, bound for a place venture a single prospecting bugle and-holy moly!-get two where we hunted grouse together last fall-a place where bugles coming right back ... one from each of two fe eder the sweet and heavy perfume of rutting elk enticingly lin­ fo rks in the canyon ahead. Thus awakened, the wapiti get gered, like the scent of a lovely woman. right down to business, bugling and chuckling tit fo r tat, talking among themselves. The hunt is on and away we go, Excuse the drama but it's quite simply true: Dawn hell-bent fo r adventure. blooms pink as a hothouse rose. Autumn's first hints glint We keep to the trail for another quarter mile, where it like puddles of liquid gold in a lime-green sea of quaking hooks into a small cloistered park grown waist-deep in aspens. The mountains stand tall and clean, uncluttered by native grass and whiskered through with aspen saplings fog or clouds. The sky, not yet fully light, is a blue-green and an occasional pillar of an adult tree. This might just do sheet of turquoise. No other hunters in sight or sound, and it. The starboard bull is still a half-mile out, maybe more, but no boot prints ahead of our own. Cool but not really cold. A the fellow up the left-hand canyon is much closer. steady downslope breeze. Elk sign everywhere, and much of Milt moves forward a ways and kneels in the grass a fe w it fresh. Heaven on Earth (and where better?) yards downwind of the intersection of the forest trail and a Topping out on the eastern rim of a densely wooded game path angling up fr om the canyon fork. Staying back, I canyon, steep and deep, we're rewarded with a verdant plop down in the grass and make ready: head-net on, calls panorama of logging-scarred but otherwise blessedly near at hand, check the breeze, arrow on string (just in case

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 53 he gets past Milt). Northtrn Mist Lon8bows I open the vocal bidding with a fe w coalescence mews and chirps, loud enough to be heard, but calm. The bulls' Steve Thray CUSTOM reactions are immediate, identical and profound: They both 308 Cleveland Ave. LONGBOWS, shut up. Very well. Bending my grunt tube skyward, I Ishpeming, MI 49849 , (906) 485-5480 and RECURVES squeak out a brief, wimpy bugle-brash, but with an over­ tone of uncertainty, like a precocious spiker or raggy-then www.exploringthenorth.com/bowmanlsteve.html drop the tube and make with a quick series of cow calls. Milt e-mail: [email protected] chimes in with more of the same, just one of the girls. The distant bull sings with gusto. The nearer animal contains his response to a braying burst of chuckles. And so it goes, fo r fifteen noisy but fr uitless minutes. I bugle small and cow call big. Mr. Right grumbles and roars. A Lefty merely laughs. Nobody budges. Time to up the ante. Following the game trail, we pussyfoot down off the rim, G&M CHERY.. - ,2 ! Complete line ofAr chery suppliesnew & used headed for the bottom of the canyon at its junction with the fe eders. Lefty should be close ahead and a ways up the oppo­ Guided Hunts · Custom Bows by: site slope. But he's laying low. Left to entertain himself, Mr. Chek-Mate • Greal Plains • Kola • Morrison • Selway • Gharing • Palmer Right keeps singing every couple of minutes. Sleeping Indian Designs Camo Clothing About fo rty yards below the canyon Y and half that 32313 Mississippi Rd .• P.O. Box 43 Benedict, MN 56436 218-224-3263 above a tinkling little creek that defines the canyon floor, we stop to test the waters. I cow call and Lefty bugles immedi­ ately-so close and thundering that I almost swallow my diaphragm. The conifer fo rest on his side remains shrouded Adaptable to Peak frames • in morning shadow and is so dense and dark you couldn't Bombproof, quiet materia • spot a neon elephant in there. I whine again and big limbs

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. Show time . • Double-stitchedlV' seams We whisper a hurried plan that sends Milt to the canyon • 1 & 2 co,rip'artment packs bottom, where he backtracks downstream and downwind a ways, and dissolves into the scenery. I stay put, hunkered You're not like other hunters. behind a clump of brush. With real good luck, I can entice the bull out of the timber and into the open-wooded canyon bot­ Why carry· their packs? tom where he'll hit the game trail, head my way and provide my friend with a close broadside. With real bad luck, the bull will circle downwind before coming off the hill, dramatically increasing his chances of smelling two rats in the woodpile. The greatest likelihood, of course, is that he'll simply sneak away, denying us even the thrill of counting his tines. All is ready. I chirp once. Lefty bugles. I bugle back. He

clams up. Deciding to apply some pressure, I bugle and cow­ call interchangeably, building gradually to an electric excite­ ment. From below left comes one sharp crack! I strain my eyes into the trees and get my first glimpse of our boy. A stout five-by, maybe even a six. Standing, staring. Hung-up, or merely cautious? I blow a prolonged chorus of passionate, bent-note whines and by George, here he comes. If he turns downstream before crossing the creek and gets past Milt without picking up his scent or his arrow, and steps into a

small clearing directly below me, I'll take the shot, though I hope I don't get that chance. No worries. Even as I think the thought, Milt's spunky little longbow whispers Thut! Sssszzz! hisses the goose­ fletched shaft. Smack! announces the heavy wood shaft. Crash! Thud-thud-thud! responds the bushwhacked bull. �ntinUing the Tradition of lhe Shon Bow. Hoping to turn the stampeding animal back toward � .. . . • _- _.""""'-':' 4.-

54 WWW.TRADBOW.COM Ne sed Milt. I bugle immediately. Muffled hoof thuds. I bugle again. �� � J & M Tradition Crash! w s e R.D. #2 . Box 413 ,\� s\ Silence. Sunbury, PA 17801 All kinds of �W�\o� Gv'b 1l'I'b Traditional \lS�O e�er Moments later Milt appears in the trail below and gives [(\ Equipment \I-{\'l� a smiling thumbs-up. The man is absolutely beaming. He � walks up to join me as I struggle to light a shaky cigarette �� www.JMTraditions.com (an old and filthy post-shot tradition; part celebration, part Yo u design your own arrow! (570) 286-7887 JMTr [email protected] unwinding, part superstition, part addiction and wholly sui­ Wi n our yearly arrow contest! cidal). "Good hit?" I whisper. "Real good!" Milt booms back. "Let's just sit here-quietly-and give him a fe w min­ �Custom'0'� ill LongbowsliYfl(g !la 2t

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Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 55 "Enough, I guess." I guess, given that just thirty yards from where that deadly splinter struck home, the bull lies in awkward repose. A gorgeous animal, his antlers are stocky and dark as oiled oak. Five tines to the side with a small fo rk topping the right main beam, just big enough to count, were anybody scoring.

"Six-by-five," I pronounce, confirming the obvious. Milt sags to his knees and strokes the giant deer's flax­ en coat. "He's so beautiful! And so big! I never dreamed ..." I agree absolutely. He is both beautiful and big. And cooperative to boot. In all my years of hunting elk it has rarely come this easy. We 've been blessed with extreme good fo rtune this perfect mountain morning. But now it's time to get to work. Carefully, we wrestle the hefty Lefty off his back and onto his side, take lots of pictures, attach validated carcass tag to antler and struggle to sled the mammoth cervid downhill a few yards to a somewhat level spot. Several minutes later, probing cautiously into the steaming chest cavity, Milt retrieves the business end of his arrow, which indeed has pen­ etrated both lungs, coming to rest against an off-side rib. Conversation lapses as we bend to our chore. But the 200gr. hunt is not yet over. Mr. Right, a real go-getter, has just tuned up again and is bombarding us with outraged bugles. Razor Caps, Inc. As the excited animal works gradually closer, Milt entreats #6 Terrapin Lane Mercerville, N.J. 08619 me repeatedly to "Go get him!" Reckon I should. But frankly g:8gg�9:�JO www .razorcaps.com the idea of attempting a double strikes me as, well, maybe P��;:�g just a little piggish? And with more than fifty years of living U.S. I'atent#6726581 Multiple I'atents P('nding (>, RAZO RCAPS, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED under my belt, I can't get too excited about the possibility of having two horse-sized animals on the ground at the same time, so far fr om the nearest road. Don't want to have too much fun all at once. All that notwithstanding, and with the bugling bull and Acadian Woods Bow:' Milt bugging me nonstop, I eventually acquiesce and agree Custom at least to try to get a look at the braggart; take it from Longbows . . &Recurves there. Using grass to wipe the worst of the gore fr om my hands, I grab my bow and calls and follow a track-churned game trail up the brushy canyon bottom toward the source flI of all the heckling. Stopping now and again to listen, then weaseling forward a few baby steps at a time, I'm able to maneuver with thirty yards of the fr enzied beats. Trying to get closer would be fo olhardy. May be too close already. Assessing my limited options, I back into a thorny clump of wild rose behind a blow-down fir just off the trail.

After observing a few moments of silence, I give it a go. In response to my mewing, Mr. Right redoubles the fe rocity of his bugles-earthshaking at such close range-but makes

no move. I bugle. He bugles back but stands his ground. I chuckle. He bugles and chuckles but does not move. Hung­ up. Just like a springtime gobbler. My doubts about the Tim advisability of this little enterprise return, and after a cou­ Mullins ple of minutes more I slip away and hurry back down the Bowyer trail to my partner and what's left of Lefty. A strange fe el, indeed-running away fr om a bugling bull. Visa/Me accepted Only a few minutes pass, engrossed in visceral matters, before the bull's nagging and Milt's persistent encourage­ 37373 Pine Ranch Rd. ment prompt me to give it one more go. Again I wipe my Pb.98S-643-3229 www.a hands, holster my belt knife, collect my battle gear and go

WWW.TRADBOW.COM tip-toeing unto the breach. This time I'm more restrained with my dialogue and manage to coax the bull to within Joe Martini twenty yards, where he stops, entirely hidden fr om view, and Bowyer rakes a tree. A fe ckless hunter is a reckless hunter, and next 3486 Kearney Road thing I know I'm raking right back. Brockway, PA 15824 Silence. phone: 814-265-0873 wait, also in silence. I cell: 81 4-771 -6580 A minute later I hear hooves splashing through the creek, then a rock comes rattling down the far embankment. e-mail us martinicustombows @ezsurfusa.net That scoundrel-he's circling downwind, hoping to get a OR visit our web site whiff or a glimpse of the talkative but invisible elk herd. And www. martinicustombows.com next thing I know, he's standing broadside in an opening directly across fr om me and barely out of range; we spot each other at the same instant. ATTENTION TRADITIONALISTS Can't say what he makes of me, but I see a handsome fiver, though not nearly so big as his ego. His antlers are per­ Fuller Plast Catalyzed Varnish fe ctly symmetrical and gracefully curved, but like the rest of FOR RECURVES & LONGBOWS him, skinny; not much meat on those lanky bones. This early • Clear Two Component ALKYD Varnish in the season, this far in, with one elk on the ground, I think • Unbeatable Film Thickness • Extremely Hard-Flexible Film I'll pass. Not that he's giving me any other choice. When the • Mar & Abrasion Resistant cocky young stud finally tires of the stare-down and drifts • Dries Dust Free In 15 Minutes out of sight, I stand and walk away. • Chemical and Wa ter Resistant Back at the job site, after a very few minutes' respite, CAll Mr. Right approaches yet again and resumes his verbal Duncan Direct harangue. We ignore him. Finally, he circles close downwind. 800-749-8263 A piercing alarm bark rings through the canyon and he is 205 S. Fed. Hwy., Stuart, Fl 34994 gone. What a wapiti's eyes and ears may occasionally miss, www.van-dee.com his nose knows instantly. "Good riddance," I quip. "Sour grapes," observes the resident philosopher. � �

And he could be right. It occurs to me that had I been serious about killing that bull, I'd have sneaked up the trail &'TA HEXSHAFT.COM in silence while Milt mixed occasional calling with his meat "Hand-Spined and Quality Assured, using only select • ..,�.,., ...} .... Northern Canadian Pine" I .."' \ UOklH9 -/D,. th e Prices starting at $27.00 CDNjdoz pe,..tect 91Yt? The worlds ONLY Radial-Laminated 0 Traditional Wood Arrowshaft NeW 0,, "Primal Dreams" www.HEXSHAFT.com for ordering and information -A,ru.a�H Pa ssion ml'Ah�1'e and tHe CJtase... -A clou l'He9 of1.Jl'ealHs

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Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 57 cutting. Chances are, the recklessly curious bull would have pranced right down the trail past me, homing on Milt, pro­ viding a shot opportunity even closer than Lefty's knee­ knocking seven yards. Maybe.

With the woods now emptied of sound, 1 ask my pal to fill the void by recounting the morning fr om his point of view. Tel: 303-734-8886 The Pinnacle Fax: 303-734-8887 "Ironically," Milt begins, "today almost didn't happen. Last Dealer inquiries welcome 01 Broadheads night 1 was still unsure; almost called you and canceled. My experience in a decade of bugle hunting has been that 1 enjoy The South's newest producer the social aspect and the exercise and all, but-nothing ever of quality Hickory and Ye llow Poplar happens. I've rarely even gotten to see an elk, and when I have, shafting I've never had a shot. I'm not the kind who has to kill frequently in order to enjoy hunting, but after so many years of nothing, it 981 Union Rd. Custom Made Wood Arrows Somerville. gets kind of hard to justify the time taken off work. AL 35670 Parallel, Tapered. Barrel Tapered & (256) 778·8871 "So 1 got up and drove to your place this morning feeling Port Orford Cedar, Hickory. Yellow Poplar fax & (256) 778·9020 pretty ambivalent. And sure enough, the hike in, stumbling Matched Spine & Weight Troy @sticksandfeathers.com Over 20 years experience in Arrowmaking www.sticksandfeathcrs.com around in the dark, the deafening silence at first,it was shaping up to be just another day of fresh air and war stories. And even after you bugled and the bulls answered, it was like, hey, I've been here before; we may hear 'em, but we'll never see 'em.

Seeming to confirm that likelihood was that initial set-up: We called, they answered. Exciting, but as usual, nothing came of it.

Halldcrqfled Cedar Arrows IhOl are superior ill Quo/iIY. "Even when we moved down here in the canyon and you Straightlles.\' {Jlld CO!l.\'iSlellcy - Guaranteed. called and Lefty answered right away, 1 was still doubtful. SA 1 Single or Barrel Ta pers. Custom tape rillK £Inti/able. • G Then, right after 1 got settled into my ambush spot and you started really working out on the calls, 1 heard a limb crack Co Sh'd ' Pille Islalld. Jim Curlee ' 15563 27 MN 55963·6710 ' (507) 356·8857 and there he was, standing in the open maybe sixty yards

out. At that point 1 realized we could hardly have picked a better set-up-the wind was perfect and the possibility existed that things could go right.

"As the bull moved slowly closer, 1 could see he was a good Reflex and Straight Profile Hunting Bows 'Ru•dde!f��;,�Jc fiery one and 1 fe lt my first twinge of hopeful excitement. On he Bamboo, Hickory, Glass Backed Hunting and Target Bows • came until he was almost in spitting range, then he stopped

• Large Assortment of Bow Making Kits behind a fat little Christmas tree. 1 could see him through the For Beginners and Advanced limbs, but 1 couldn't shoot. His body language was incredibly • Bow Making Supplies and Floor Tillered Staves calm, like, 'I wonder who that is up there carrying on?' Hardly your classic red-hot bull. Next thing know he dips his head, Visit (itty//'R ucfcfer6ows.com or carr 509-968-3051 1 yanks up some grass and starts to chew! I VISA I Excellent Prices • Excellent Quality "At that point 1 wouldn't have been the least surprised to see old Lefty bed down and go to chewing cud. But then you called again and he stepped out fr om behind the spruce "Et)�it)eered for performat)ce ... and started toward you. A moment later, while his head was Desi�t)ed fOl' tJ,e J,ut)f' passing behind that first aspen 1 showed you, 1 came to full draw, silently chanting-I kid you not, and hadn't seen it All new, all carbon powel'ed. 1 yet either-'Come on!' 66 incl) Longbow and tl)e "Two more steps and he was completely in the open, 62 and 58 incl) Hybrid witl) broadside and close. And then, incredibly, he stopped. 1 wish A.M.\? speed ovel' 200 1 could say that 1 picked an exact spot on his chest to aim for, F. P.S., but 1 have no memory of it. Yo u know how it is. The adrena­ line kicks in and you go on autopilot and have to depend on Call: . . 520 546 0018 instincts developed through long practice. or go to: "When 1 released, it was like seeing an elk shot from a blacl�swanarcl)ery.com cannon; he swapped ends in midair and was out of there. Yo u bugled, and that slowed him to a walk. When you bugled

again he turned and started back. 1 went to nock another arrow but before 1 could, he coughed, took a couple more steps and collapsed. The whole scenario lasted less than a

WWWTRADBOWCOM minute, with Lefty traveling maybe fo rty yards today, going Th e Art of MODERN Barebow Shooting �� bowhunter, Byron Ferguson archery trick shot, and coming." longbow manufacturer _. developed a modern BECOME barebow aiming and shooting system caUed "become Taking a brief break from his story, Milt lays aside a the arrow" for longbow and recurve shooters. is h THE easy to learn, reliable and puts your mental and detached hindquarter, grunting under its weight. Smiling ARROW physical focus where it belongs. Yo u'll learn the incredible value of visualization. too. and shaking his head in happy disbelief, he concludes on a by Byron The arrow is the only thing that extends from Fe rguson shooter to target; it is the only projection of yourself. note of gratitude, allowing as how "After all those years of of your concentration and focus. So why shouldn't you "become the arrow"! disappointment, I can't believe how easy this morning went, Extensive material on bowhunting also Order included. skilled hunter. Ferguson has tagged A TODAY! more than whitetaB deer. plus record-book black how perfectly it all worked out. This bull was a gift." bear. moose,160 pronghorn. mule deer, upland game bixds and countless small game. He gives you lhe 5·.112")[8·lIZ", 112 page!! Call or Write "No way!" I feign to argue. "You hunted this guy, in for a FREE benelit of hunting experience, too, far beyond the Only $12.95 his plus $3.00 slh CATA LOG "become the arrow" aiming and shooting concept. effect, for ten years. Yo u tune your equipment like a musi­ (WI resadd 5·112% tax) To • cian and shoot hundreds of arrows a month in realistic prac­ Order: 1-800-324-3337 M-F 8:300 4:30p COT MC/VISA www.deerinfo.com tice. We scouted this place and planned this hunt like gener­ Sendto, order and make (heckspayoble to: TargetCommunications 1626 W. DangesBay Rd., Mequon, WI53097 als. We made all the right moves at all the right times, cal­ culated a killer set-up and did everything just so. You kept Horse Bows your cool when the action got hot and released a perfect that prove to the archer's arrow. You know your stuff and you paid your dues. Your hand and eye that 5,000 karma is good. You earned this bull, my fr iend!" years of development "It was a gift," Milt says again, calmly but firmly. should not just rest in "Yes," I say, "a gift." old graves. "Well, come on then," orders Milt. "Let's get with it. Plenty reproductions in wood, leather, of work left to do." and fiberglass start at $350. dealers wanted E Gilbert 3314 Ridgeway Avenue, Madison, WI 53704 David Petersem grew up in Oklahoma where he took his fi rst deer, a whitetail doe, at age 18 with a Ben Pearson 608-244-2845 http://www.horsebows.com recurve. For the past 23 years, he has lived and hunted in southwest Colorado. His dozen outdoor books include Hunter's Heart and Among the Elk.

Elk Calling- Uses and Abuses

� longbows The "Come On!" drama above took place in 1997 and BOB ROUSSELO represents the last time bugling worked fo r me on walk-in �Flatbows Bowyer � Recurves accessible public land. Even before then, it had gotten to the 3023 Swartz Road point that so many archery and muzzle-loading hunters � Take-downs LaSalle, MI 48 145 (the two seasons overlap here in Colorado) were running � Accessories (734) 241·7005 around the woods tooting their horns so incessantly and so www.kohannahbows.com poorly, that bugling was all but finished. While bugling, in Call or write fo r fr ee color brochure. expert hands, can still work on deep-wilderness bulls who are very lightly hunted, in the heavily-hunted areas most of us are restricted to it's a freak when it doesn't backfire ... even as cow-calling is getting to be for precisely the same reasons: over-zealous claims by manufacturers and their hired "pro hunter" spokesman, leading to inflated expectations and over-use by armies of under-experienced hunters. My advice: leave the grunt tube at home ...or do as I have done and throw the damn thing away. Otherwise you'll be spoiling the hunt fo r yourself, spoiling the hunt for other hunters and disrupting the elk reproduction process by forcing the real bulls into silence.

Tr aditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 59 does the tiller look?" Bud OWasks as he draws his sinew­ backed hickory bow. He has Hrazor-sharp aim, a steady hand, and a mind mired in the archery past. "Good," I reply, but it's better than good. Tiller refers to the balance and symmetry of the bow in profile and in this bow it is a perfe ct decorative 'C', stiff in the handle, symmetrical in the outer limbs. "How does it draw?" "Smooth as a pond on a windless day." That's his standard reply. He releases the blunted arrow and whacks his target, a stump of ancient fire­ scarred juniper that, together with its living offspring and the ubiquitous sage, constitutes our fav ored element for boyish exploration. This exploration consists of a combi­ nation of hiking, nature study and old time archery roving, all of which evolves quite naturally into a study of history. In fact, our surroundings, the unadul­ terated natural world, give no hint as to historical time. Neither do the bows we carry. They pitch us back at least two centuries, but we prefer to imagine a much earlier time. On a sun-filled early April day, whis­ pering breezes carry that intoxicating vapor of spring in the mountains deep inside us: juniper, pinion, the occasional ponderosa, and of course sage, all refreshed by snow and sun. The places where the smells end up have some pretty firm connections to the cognitive brain and serve to stimulate other per­ ceptions. As a result, Bud and I fe el more alive than we have in months. Eyes closed, we inhale the luxuriant moisture and soil smells. They trick us into imagining a rich, lush country. But � fie Ardier's Yara(\ox: this is the mountain version of the desert. Nothing is lush or rich about this part of Wyoming. We absorb the sun right through our skin, like photosynthetic organisms. We Te aching Children How to walk about aimlessly, looking without purpose, shooting blunt arrows at little Love Nature rocks and the odd hanging spray of juniper leaves. We admire the view and let our thoughts wander along with the few light clouds. By Dave Sigurslid Then we split on separate, parallel trails and swap back and fo rth the thrum of our plucked . Juncos cover the ground. Finches hit

6l WWWTRADBOWCOM every note on the scale. Raptors, intent no doubt on more definite purposes than our own, float by on thermals. Bud, hiking along the higher trail and alerted now by my soft whistle, finally spots the red-tailed hawk I have been Jim Reynolds - Bowyer watching. I am surprised, as he usually sees things before I do, but his eyes Free Brochure have been on the ground. The hawk Dept. TBM • 445 North Stine Road looks to pass directly over him, and I Charlotte, MI 48813 watch him crouch at its approach. The 517-543-8167 bird passes over his head and screams. e-mail: [email protected] As if following a suggestion, Bud bends www.Thunderstickbows.com over, reaches to the ground, picks up an object, and examines it. No surprise here. He has done this very thing many times. I climb the mud toward him and meet his grin. Why not grin, I think? This sun, this mountain, this air ... then this. He has fo und a neatly chipped artifact, a per­ fe ct stone arrow point. To us, this rem­ nant of past times is the equivalent of a squeaking door in a haunted house: incontrovertible evidence of ghosts. CAll ORWRITE FOR INFORMA TION ON Bud is sharp-eyed and lucky and has fo und many chipped points through the OUR GREAT HA ND years. He is a friend with whom I used to discuss and demonstrate the merits CRAFTED 80WS. of various ancient archery designs back in my Wyoming days. Archery took us to (803) 776-3832 the mountain regularly, to apply the 821 Pepper Street • P. O. Box 9625 theories of the Old Ones and to study Columbia, SC 29290 scrub jays, chickadees, and the phenom­ enon of paradox. Paradox was every­ where with us. Paradox means contrary to expecta­ tion (Webster), counter-intuitive. Before we adopted the ways of ancient archery, paradox didn't register. But after we learned to make bows and arrows, primitive tools easily recognizable to those who roamed here a millennium ago, we tuned in to it. I think the dis­ covery that these ancient-style bows work surprisingly well got us to think about paradox. We encountered the magic of para­ dox nearly every outing. Once, a coyote jogged between us as we walked side by side. Who would have expected that? Another time, chickadees perched simultaneously on our arrows as we sat still as stupid stumps. In contrast to the hurry and bustle of modern times, the craft of natural archery teaches us to slow down, to I Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 watch and to be more patient and al engagement with their biological Consider the term, archer's paradox. observant. A primitive archer's doings development." As you may know, it describes how an set the mood for paradox, and our days One form of occasional hands-on arrow not pointed directly at a target, afield stand out more as a consequence. involvement with nature comes fr om will strike it nonetheless, an allegory And because we are so obsessed with roving. The mountain we rove today poets may well find interesting. But the old archery, we take more days once formed a kind of boundary, a sign­ there is more to the archer's paradox. afield ... with children, if possible. post at various times among the territo­ Once we knew Ms. Erma, a charming ries of the Ute, the Comanche, the elderly lady of New York City heritage Children love time travel. My newest Apache, and the ancient Pueblo people. and Jewish descent, a paradox in a archery partner is my eight year-old Their ranges overlapped here, where Wyoming town. She walked to the son. From very early on, his mother and they wandered with sharp eyes. They Senior Center or the post office or her I have worked to inculcate in him a were intent on seeing game, of course, shopping every day and her walk sympathetic fe eling for the wild. We but they also watched for one another. always brought her by our house. One have struggled with the best way to do But those old days are gone. day I was working in view of sidewalk that and have looked at what the Ancestral people still live here and the passers-by when she stopped and said, experts say. Some of the most knowl­ ghosts of their ancestors still roam the "My, how beautiful! Is that a bow?" Well edgeable in this sphere - Edith Cobb, mountain. Listening, we can hear them yes, it was, a bow of Osage orange as a Stephen Kellert, Gary Nabhan, and in the scrub jay's wavering cry, in the matter of fact. It turned out that she Paul Shepard, among others - have chickadee's sweet seesaw, in the nut­ had collected a primitive bow from advocated vigorous immersion and par­ cracker's rattling rasp. Looking closely, Africa years before and later showed it ticipation in natural processes. we see them in the marks of cloven to me. That beautiful bow, strung for Whacking a fire-scarred juniper stump hooves. That makes this more than a forty years, hung dramatically on its with a wooden arrow gets at that type mountain; it is true and clever country. wall perch. of immersion. Nabhan, in his And it is the perfect laboratory in which Those who make simple bows are on Geography of Childhood, summarizes to teach my son, if not all the specifics of fa miliar terms with innate wood-borne his readings and findings on the sub­ the habitat, then a fe eling of comfort beauty, but even elderly ladies can find ject: " ...diminished hands-on involve­ and solace-and fun-it arouses. And wood bows appealing enough to hang on ment with nature is strongly correlated paradox .... the wall. But here is the paradox ... with diminished sensory and intellectu- This objet d'art, this graceful delin-

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62 WWW.TRADBOW. COM eation of natural beauty, is a weapon. It the phenomenon wherein the target, can occur in counter-intuitive ways. makes the user an archer and not an though neither directly aimed at nor Natural archery, that beastly art, that art collector. The bow was and is directly released toward, is nonetheless artful exploration of nature, is hands-on designed to send its emissary to the hit. A crafty trick, it is actually pure training and therefore nature study at death place of some creature. That we physics, arising as a result of the rigidi­ its best. Hands-on immersion in nature should terrorize life with our graceful ty of the bow and the flexibility of the can sometimes seem brutal. Let the art and beautiful artwork! arrow. Pictures prove it. Both rigidity come first. Here nature has thrown paradox and flexibility are called for. While I study the horizon and search into our face. Life and death are depict­ The way of the Ta o is like the bending the sky for raptors, my son's attention is ed in art, just as art is portrayed in life of the bow: on rocks and bugs at his fe et and on and death. When the archer disrupts As the bow is pulled, the top lowers good spots fo r climbing nearby. He is off the innocent vitals of a living being and the bottom rises. before I can show him a thing. Learning with her artwork, she may reflect on Because the ends are connected, the of the close proximity at which children that paradox. She is not a butcher; she extremes are reduced... choose to engage nature has been a rev­ is a rather beastly artist. The music of Such is the way of nature. elation to me. A goal not aimed at but nature is plucked upon the myriad hit. birth-grunts and death-groans of its For us desperate souls interested in Children learn best when things are vital instruments. To hum along we helping children become fa miliar with within reach, involve play and are met must be born, give birth, kill things and the ways of nature, grasping straws on their own terms. Such learning can die. Can't help it; these are nature's becomes an everyday occurrence. Such be paradoxical. Sometimes, a walk on a rules. She is Kali who nourishes, then grasping takes us fa r afield and fo rces ghost mountain with bows and arrows eats her children. us to integrate what we find. The Ta o is can be all of those things. all about integration and discovering As Gary Nabhan suggests, protec­ the middle path between absolute yin Dave Sigurslid now makes his bows in tionists might not be happy to learn and absolute yang. We want our chil­ southwestern Colorado. Though he lived that valuable hands-on involvement dren to engage neither in wanton in Wy oming fo r 25 years, he makes no with nature can mean hunting and destruction of the wild (yang) nor to apology fo r-in fa ct, takes pride in-the gathering. Many a naturalist has had become unrealistic in their efforts to result: a shabby personality and general his hands in blood. No doubt some will protect it (yin). Sustainable participa­ dishabille. find this paradoxical. tion, the way of our pre-agricultural The Yahi archer 1shi was a hunter by ancestors, is the middle ground and our birthright. That is, he was obligated to goal. hunt as a way to fe ed himself. But he How does the archer's paradox fit in was also an artist. He believed that peo­ here? How children learn to develop ple were other animals in prior lives. knowledge of and empathy for the wild This belief directed his attitude when he killed his game: prayerful respect. (fA Tr adition But he did kill them, after all. of Excellence " Consider the animal rightist, who delights in seeing wild things too. But he so fo cuses on individual animals that he abhors the notion of killing them, of Ta kedown hunting. 'How can we kill the earth's Longbows Recurves children?' he will ask. How indeed, a & blessed thought. He understands his T. O. Recurves 54" to 66" fe elings fo r he is a fa ther, but having never made a wood bow, he does not see One-piece & Ta kedown the paradox. Here is another. Longbows from 60" to 66" Hunters love their prey so much that they must possess them. Maurice One-piece Recurves 54" to 62" Thompson said, "I have been their Write or Call: fr iend and mortal enemy. I have so Color Ron King loved them that I longed to kill them." Brochure Kali indeed! And Thompson was a pret­ 701 W. Hwy. 82 Satisfaction ty fair naturalist. So was Leopold, who Wallowa, OR Guaranteed 97885 was an archer of the same mind. 541 -886-91 10 But now what of the real archer's �-V-;S�-- I �l www.foxarchery.com paradox first mentioned? It's a term fo r !

Trad itional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 63 e Secret Soc· ety By Brian Sorrells

ithin a certain wildwood where I hunt, surround­ Later the next year, before my education in traditional ed by homes and highways, there lives a small archery had matured, I sat perched atop a fallen poplar with population of whitetails. Smaller than most city recurve in hand, shooting the same hunting arrows with the Wparks, this was once a working Midwest farm, complete with same replaceable blade broadheads I had used for my com­ cattle and hayfields. The owner, my uncle, is now too old to pound. I fe lt like I had slipped back in time, and as I sat do any farming, and spends most of his waking hours work­ awaiting the arrival of a deer, I pondered the restrictions of ing with wood in his shop near the barn lot. my chosen tackle. I had decided to take no shots longer than I know these woods well. They are fu ll of firsts, and I fifteen yards, much shorter than the forty yard accuracy I have hunted them for most of my 39 years. It's where I had enjoyed with my compound. But I fe lt alive, like a pred­ learned to shoot a shotgun, with my father's guidance and ator. I shot over the back of the small six-pointer that fe d inflexible safety rules. It's where he allowed me as a small­ only a few fe et fr om the base of my perch, and the sense of ish youngster to tote his gigantic 12-gauge in search of squir­ accomplishment was much greater than anything I'd ever rels as he slipped along behind me empty-handed and experienced. I sold my compound and immersed myself in watching. It's where he and I both took our first deer. It's the world of traditional archery. The members of the secret where my bowhunting education began. And it's where I society had shown themselves to me. return each fall in search of this secret society, the small clan Then there was the time I read about making tradition­ of seldom seen whitetail deer that occasionally produces a al arrows fr om hardware store dowels. Again, this was early fine buck. in my traditional career and I didn't understand much about Throughout the years I've watched both the deer popu­ arrow spine and its effects on arrow flight. But the shafts lation and the surrounding woodlot undergo changes. I've shot well fr om my 65- pound Howatt Hunter recurve. When also seen enough deer here to have an idea where they are two big does came to visit me one morning, I sent one of my most likely to appear year to year, so my stand location in a "homemade" arrows through her flank, and watched in big white oak is the best spot to be on any given October amazement as she fled a short distance and died before my morning. These woods are fu ll of mast trees: oak, hickory, eyes. The secret society had given me one of their own, teach­ beech, dogwood, and the towering, straight poplars that ing me the power of the simple tool I held in my hands. I fe lt make the best trees imaginable fo r climbing stands. humbled and elated, much like the young man who receives

Here I learned to appreciate the damp smell of earth his very first kiss fr om a beautiful girl. I knew there was and leaves, and those crisp October mornings where it seems much I needed to learn, but by taking a few steps "back­ that God himself would want to slip along from shadow to wards", I had unknowingly propelled myself light years shadow with a longbow in hand and a quiver full of arrows ahead of my companions who hunted with modern tackle. on his back. It's where I come to celebrate the annual meet­ As I climbed into the stand this afternoon, the sights, ing of the secret society and reminisce about hunts past, smells and sounds of the wildwood were the same as I remembering the nuances of each hunt that made them spe­ remembered them. The warm October sunlight filtered down cial, to be savored and measured out through a lifetime. Like through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the fe rns the first time I ever took a shot at a deer with a bow ... and ground cover. Butterflies danced in the treetops and Back then compounds were all the rage, and I had one. cicadas droned, infusing the scene with a sleepy late-sum­ But I knew something was missing, that all the sights and mer fe eling. All that was missing was a hammock. But I was­ release aids were just a small part of a big picture, that they n't here to sleep. I had come to seek the company of the were just modern adaptations of something far more won­ secret society. Some local inhabitants deny their existence derful than what I had yet realized. Then came the morning now that things have changed, but I know they're still here. in the wildwood where I encountered the biggest buck of my I read the messages they leave for me, as they have taught early bowhunting career. As he came to a stop twenty yards me to understand how they speak to one another. From the away with the early morning sun glistening off the dew on saplings scarred by antlers to the bare patches of earth and his antlers, I came to full draw. Excitement turned to bitter the occasional hoof print in the moist soil, their existence disappointment as I realized that my sight pins had some­ goes on day to day unnoticed by those detached from the how broken off during the early morning trip to the stand. I world they inhabit. con idered taking the shot anyway and hoping for the best, As I ponder these matters, a soft crunch of hooves in the but knew in my heart that he deserved better. It was what leaves becomes audible to my left and behind me. I slowly philosophers might call a deciding moment in my life. turn to see a young doe coming up out ofthe cedar thicket to r bought a recurve and taught myself to shoot instinctively. fe ed on the acorns littering the ground around my stand.

64 WWWTRADBOW.COM She hesitates and looks somewhere out in fr ont of me. The sound of another deer approaching reaches my ears and I turn to see a lone, mature doe walking towards my stand as well. Oblivious to me, they seem to be communicating with TaperedIFooted Arrows & Shafts each other. The younger doe seems to be upset with the Acrylic Cresting Paints intrusion of the older matriarch, perhaps wanting all the sweet white oak mast fo r herself. Or perhaps they realize a Distributor For: Split-Pine Hexshafts life-changing event is about to occur. Almost as though she 11/32" and 23/64" dia. understands, the big doe walks within a few yards of my Arrow Cresters by Phillips

stand and turns broadside. My longbow comes smoothly Brochure Available • E-mail: [email protected] back, the bowstring slips fr om my fingers and for a few sec­ Bob Burton-Arrowsmith ARROWS onds I hear the sounds of brush breaking and a loud crash. r wmSPERING WIND Then all is still. 77 Pointe Way Hamilton, MT 59840 There is no need to wait. I can see her lying motionless, Phone (406)375-2300 only fifty yards fr om where I sit contemplating what just Fax (406)375-2400 happened. I approach and kneel next to her, thankful for a quick, clean kill. There is remorse in my heart because I have taken a life. But that is the way things are supposed to be and I suspect she knew it, too. I fe el honored beyond words to have been shown this world beyond the boundaries of blacktop and exhaust, and to have been accepted as part of it. As I begin the process of field dressing the deer, the wildwood returns to normal, understanding rather than accusing. I've met the standards of the secret society. Hopefully they'll allow me to continue being part of it, the way it has been, the way it should be.

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Traditional Bowhunter® Oec/Jan 2006 65 Primitive Bowhunter™ Stone Kn;v e f: Th e Other Tro l>hv By Mike ncey

f you have ever taken a bear or deer with a rack that you didn't want to mount, this article will help you Above left-Some of the stone tools assembled by the make a functioning work of art as well as a trophy that author from blades made by Jo hn Jo nes. Iyou can use. Stone knives can be made with many different Above-Blades of obsidian and finished agate, along types of handles. Bear jaws make an excellent handle as well with a pressure flaking tool. as one of the neatest showpieces you will ever see. Deer Below-Handle can be made from bear jaw, coyote antler also makes a nice addition to the self- made equip­ jaw or deer antler. ment the primitive bowhunter might add to his or her prim­ itive gear. I have also made many knives using coyote jaw fo r the handle. It makes no difference which type of material you choose to use fo r your knife. The most important thing is that you get to use another part of the animal that might otherwise have been wasted or at best seldom seen. In this article, I will again try to explain how to make a functional tool that you can and should use in the field. I'm not saying that you can't make a custom stone knife and put it up fo r display if you choose, but mine are made to use, just like all my primitive archery gear. The first step to making a stone knife once you've cho­ sen the handle material is to obtain the stone or a finished blade. There seem to be more master knappers out there than bowyers these days. The first stone knife blade that I hafted to a bear jaw was made for me by Ray Wiggs of Harriet, Arkansas, out of obsidian. I've used this knife to skin and process a black bear in Canada as well as several deer. owadays, the blades that I don't make myself I get from Jack Walling out of Camp Arkansas. Jack is a good friend and a master of the art of stone tool making, and his stone points are some of the finest in the country. If you would like to make your own stone blades, there is

66 WWW.TRADBOW. COM Primitive Bowhunter™

Photo 1-Begin the wrap by laying the rawhide on the handle, fo rming a loop.

The finished knife of deer antler and Brazilian agate made by the author.

nothing to stop you from doing just that. There are many books as well as videos on flint knapping. One option is to buy slab material, available now in many different types of stone including obsidian and Brazilian agate, to name a few. These slabs come roughed out in the shape of a knife at the proper thickness. If you choose to go this route, all you need for tools is a pair of safety glasses, a piece ofleather, a pad for the palm of your hand, some type of pressure-flaking tool and an abrad­ ing stone to rough up the slab before pressing flakes. I use a piece of copper in a hardwood handle, but you can use an antler tine if you like. Then simply start running flakes. Obsidian would be the best choice of stone for a first time knapper, since it is not as hard as the agate type materials. Photo 2-Wrap from the bottom up to the loop, then thread the lace through the loop. Now that you have your stone blade, you need to pre­ pare the handle to accept it. I do this with a band saw. Cut the deer horn to the desired length or, if using a bear jaw, cut the jawbone off about an inch and a half past the last molar. Now make a cut into the handle to accept the blade. Again, I use the band saw but I don't recommend that to everyone. I have run a band saw cutting meat fo r almost fo rty years now and know that they can flip whatever you're cutting and send your hand right into the blade before you know it. So, do as I say and not as I do in this step. Yo u can clamp the handle material in a vise and use a hacksaw to make the cuts wide enough to allow the blade to fit into the handle about an inch and a half. To glue the blade to the handle, I use Smooth-On epoxy just as I do when gluing up a laminated bow. This is a thick. two-part epoxy that will fill the gaps solidly. The knife still might break, but not because the glue failed. I can hear purists screaming now because we're not using hide glue, but the epoxy will never be visible once you've applied the rawhide lace. Photo 3-Pull the tail of the lace until the loop is Before wrapping the glue joint, you'll need to cure the hidden inside the wrap. epoxy. I place the knife over a IOO-watt light bulb overnight, then take a rasp and file down the handle, fe athering into

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 67 •• �1 lg ••THE kl NOCKING�m.I.I POI.\{NT·l_, INC the blade to make a neater, sleeker looking tool. You don't Kansas' Largest Tra ditional Supplier want a big, bulbous end to the handle area. Once that's done, :;,t Call or write for catalog: � Mike Horton wrap the handle section where you hafted the stone into the 18174 158th Street handle. Rawhide works best for this and squirrel is the best Winchester, KS 66097 Used bows also! type of rawhide, since it's thin and strong, drying into an [email protected]�- (9 13) 774-7172 almost unnoticeable thickness. To apply the rawhide wrap, begin by soaking the lacing for a day, making the rawhide as pliable as you can get it. Photo # 1 shows how to begin the wrap by laying the rawhide at the blade end of the handle, THE WORLD'S forming a loop_ Start wrapping fr om the other end, back ONLY TEFLON3 towards the loop. Once you reach the loop, run the lace through as in photo # 2 and pull the tail end as in photo # 3. COATED 4-BLADE. Once the loop begins to pull the lace into the handle wrap, cut the tail off at about an inch. Keep pulling from the han­ dle end until it is hidden in the wrap. Then cut off the end you were pulling at the base of the handle wrap, This makes a wrap that won't come undone and needs no knot as it will NORTHWIND shrink even tighter as the rawhide dries_ Traditional Archery Allow the rawhide a day to dry before you apply any type of sealer. You can sand the rawhide down some fo r an & Ha ndcrafted Recurves Longbows even smoother feel if you choose. You can make a good seal­ & Yo utll Ladies Bows er for this purpose by thinning some epoxy with denatured

Gerry Fiegl • (716) 689-3701 alcohol and rubbing it on the wrap as well as the handle, giv­ ing the handle a polished appearance. 3351 To nawanda Creek Rd. • Amherst, New York 14228 And there you have it: a knife that serves both as a JOHN R. DAVIS unique hunting trophy and a tool you can use_ This method USTOM LO GBOWS of construction will produce a knife that can both skin and Reflex� I �Trapezoid break down a big game animal. To avoid breakage, make Deflex Limbs straight cuts and don't use the knife to pry between bones. With proper care, you'll have a knife that should last for Designed to create virtually no hand shock Quality - Reasonably priced years, Every time you pull it out of its sheath, you will remember the hunt that produced the handle material and LONGHORN ARCHERY every step that went into making that knife_ po. Box 1285 - Medical Lake, WA 99022 - (509) 239-4440

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68 WWW.TRADBOW.COM fox Squirrel Sciurus niger By Jason R. We sbrock

o you have a shot?"

"No, all I can see is his tail way up there," Shane replied from the opposite side of a towering honey locust tree. "Well, he's looking right at me, but I don't have a shot either. He's trying to hide in a knothole that runs completely through the tree trunk, just above the limb fa cing you. I'll never get him out if I hit him, but I've got an idea. N ock an arrow and get ready, I'm going to send him your way." My next move lacked all the stealth and finesse normally associated with bowhunting, but since this animal had already evaded two of our arrows, it was time to push the envelope and get cre­ ative. Reaching toward my back quiver, I retrieved an arrow with a broken tip, thicket of mature hardwoods that of age, with a maximum life expectancy compliments of a fa iled shot earlier. December morning, our quarry was one of slightly longer than 12 years for Taking careful aim, I drew slightly of many people's favorite small game fe males and 8 years fo r males. short and let the bowstring slip from mammals: Sciurus niger. Sometimes Fox squirrels generally prefer my fingers. also referred to as the eastern fox squir­ mature hardwood habitat, although Surprisingly enough, the arrow flew rel, this tasty animal's home range cov­ coniferous trees will suffice.They prefer true and fo und its intended mark, slam­ ers the entire United States-excluding to den in hollow portions of trees, but in ming into the tree trunk with a loud, most of New England-east of an imag­ the absence of suffi cient den sites, hollow thud just above our quarry's hid­ inary line extending north from west­ which is common, they fare just fine by ing place. And right on queue, the side ern Texas to eastern Montana. making large, ball-shaped nests from of the knothole facing Shane erupted North America's largest native tree sticks and leaves. As a testament to with a flash of long-tailed brown fur squirrel species, the fox squirrel meas­ their adaptability, they also thrive in running across the tree limb and head­ ures between 19 and 28 inches long (10 urban areas containing very little of ing for safer surroundings. Had the flee­ to 15 inches ofwhich is tail) and weighs their natural environment. ing critter bothered to look down during 1 1/4 to 3 114 pounds. Its normal hue is These omnivorous animals prefer his escape, he'd have noticed that his yellowish-brown, although isolated hickory nuts and acorns, but can also two pursuers were in no position to do color phases of dark brown to black also sustain themselves on certain mush­ him harm. One was desperately fu m­ exist. rooms and berries, buds, tree seeds, bling to keep an arrow on his longbow Their primary breeding season twigs, insects, small lizards, and even string while the other was bent over, starts late-December and continues carrion. In agricultural areas, they will laughing hysterically. through February, with a secondary happily fe ast on such staples as corn Welcome to bowhunting fo r fo x breeding season during June and July. and wheat. And since they're certainly squirrels; check your pride at the door. Following a 45-day gestation period, a not at the top of the food chain, they normal littler of two to four young are themselves are a source of nutrition for Biology and Distribution born. Their mother cares fo r them fo r birds of prey, predatory mammals, and the next three months, at which time some snake species. When fellow Illinois bowhunter they become self-sufficient. Full maturi­ The fox squirrel's diurnal daily rou­ Shane Engelkes and I stepped into a ty is reached at approximately one year tine can be quite predictable. They are

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For more information on our custom made bows and accessories contact us at... Bullet casings with homemade blades are a great choice fo r squirrel Brackenbury Custom Bows hunting, as are Ace Hex Heads, W Ridgecrest Ave 7305 Nine Mile Falls, WA 99026 generally up at first light and spend the fr equently hide nuts by burying them (509) 468-3905 next few hours tending to fo od supplies and later use their excellent sense of and working on their nests. They often smell to locate the meal. What nuts spend midday basking in the sun's they fail to recover may grow into warmth, and a few hours before sunset seedlings, thereby securing the fo x they resume their earlier work routine, squirrel's unwitting yet important role At last light they return to their dens or in reforestation. nests to sleep, thereby ending a typical day in the life of a fo x squirrel. But Fox Squirrels and the Traditional wesome males can be seen chasing fe males at Bowhunter any time of day during either of their two mating seasons, and in late autumn Most squirrel hunting occurs during thermal their morning and evening activities the fall and winter months, although become more intense and time consum­ some states also have spring and sum­ ing in anticipation of the colder months mer seasons. With thriving populations

1-piece union suits ahead. and generous bag limits, it's easy to • (4 styles) One ecologically beneficial side effe ct understand why few small game ani­ Lightweight warmth oftheir winter preparations comes fr om mals are as perfectly suited to tradi­ • their cached stockpiles of fo od, Aside tional bowhunting as the fox squirrel. Zippered flaps for • nature's call fr om their dens or nests, fox squirrels And as with any game animal, some 4-way stretch basic equipment decisions must be • comfort addressed before venturing afield in Osage Dave's Wicks perspiration their pursuit. • Tr aditional Archery Supplies Most any recurve or longbow will Breathes • suffice, but be aware of the effects your Antimicrobial • (resists body odor) bow's energy should have on your selection, Contrary to popu­ Washable • Hardwood Cedar lar myth, squirrels are not an easy ani­ Call 712-847-0300 Shafting Shafting mal to kill with archery tackle. Their For a free catalog Th underbird Sealant / Bohning Products head/chest region is extremely small or ORDER ONLINE and difficult to hit, which means you 12852 North Lena Road Brazil, IN 47834 should expect a certain number of acci­ CAROL OAVIS SPORTSWEAR Ph/Fax: 765-672-6349 dental hits in other parts of their anato­ www.cdsportswear.co my. Add to that their extreme tenacity

70 WWW.TRADBOW.COM Game Profile and it becomes clear that light inflict a lethal wound and knock the location are good clues to the presence poundage bows and blunts are a poor animal fr om the tree. And with the of a squirrel overhead. Also, the rapid combination for humanely taking fox arrow staying in him, he won't run far. scraping of teeth on a nut or the telltale squirrels. If I miss my mark and hit part of the barking of a fox squirrel means that And I'll go further by saying that tree, the blade itself may stick, but the your hunt is about to get very interest­ standard blunts-rubber, plastic, or rest of the arrow and head will usually ing. metal-should be avoided when pursu­ bounce back and fall harmlessly to the And if nothing else, that word­ ing this species, or any tree squirrel for ground. These heads are inexpensive, interesting-definitely applies to the that matter. One alternative I've fo und easy to make and extremely effective. fox squirrel. They're fast, agile, mischie­ are the Hex Heads made by Ace Because of the fox squirrel's small vous, and more than willing to stay in Archery Tackle. Their hexagonal cross size, hunt with nothing but well­ the top of a tree as long as it takes to section and dished face creates a sharp matched arrow shafts. If you use wood send you home with both your quiver lip that, when used with sufficient shafts and buy seconds in bulk to save and game bag empty. In no way is the poundage, actually cuts as well as money, make sure you sort them into small amount of meat you may put in shocks. The first time I ever hit a squir­ batches matched by both weight and your freezer proportional to the effo rt rel with one, the animal had spun spine. Don't invest a lot of money in applied in its pursuit. Few and far straight away at the sound of my bow­ squirrel arrows though, as they have a between are small game species as string, causing the arrow to strike him penchant for breakage and loss. enjoyable to hunt with traditional at the base of the tail. The arrow pene­ Assuming that you're able to hit a archery tackle as the fox squirrel. trated all the way to his chest cavity. In small, jittery target either on the this instance, a regular blunt would ground or high in a tree, you must first When Regular TBM contributor likely have done nothing more than locate your quarry. By now you should Ja son We sbrock isn't working a real job cripple the animal. have some idea of what to look fo r in or being humiliated by fox squirrels Aside fr om Hex Heads, I also use terms of good habitat and food sources, during archery season, he's usually homemade heads crafted fr om .357 so still-hunt the area slowly and remain enjoying the outdoors with his wife magnum bullet casings with slots cut in alert for indications of squirrel activity. Christine and daughter Rachel in their their rims to accept short blades. If the On days with little wind, isolated patch­ home state of Illinois. arrow strikes a squirrel, the combina­ es of shaking: leaves in trees or tiny tion of shock and laceration will likely debris repeatedly falling fr om the same

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 71 Saskatchewan·s " Forest Fringe" Reg ion

By Rob Ny e

nyone fa miliar with whitetail hunting knows that November in Saskatchewan is the time Awhen some of the biggest bucks in the world are on the prowl, looking to spread their famous genes. Most people assume that hunting conditions are brutal, with temperatures that would make a brass monkey say "Uncle". For this reason, few bowhunters are afield during the absolute best time to encounter big bucks, when their need to chase the girls overcomes their reclu­ sive and downright sneaky ways. Well­ positioned stands and ground blinds combined with calls and rattling horns can be the ticket fo r archers intent on taking big northern bucks during the rut. Light hunting pressure and natu­ rally aggressive attitudes make these deer responsive to calls, sometimes with amazing results. There are plenty of bucks and competition for does is fierce. Pennsylvania resident Steve Minder's first rattling attempt in Saskatchewan was awesome. "My guide started really going to town with the calls-it sound­ ed like a whole herd of rutting and fighting deer. Within five minutes, three good bucks came running and crashing right in to spittin' distance." While they don't usually arrive all at once, it's not uncommon to call in multiple bucks fr om the same stand. Due to a busy guiding schedule, my own deer hunting last season was limit­ ed to the final two days. The morning of December 3 found me in a tree stand well before dawn, with anticipation Kent Wo lowski with a fine Saskatchewan whitetail. running high. Good numbers of deer were funneling around the edge of a approached a light rain began to fall, down, I decided to try rattling supple­ thick stand of black spruce located in but I stayed dry due to the thick over­ mented by doe-bleats. Almost immedi­ mixed forest about 500 yards fr om crops hanging boughs of the big white spruce ately, I noticed movement 75 yards that drew foraging deer like a magnet. tree that held my stand. An hour later away and I readied my Black Widow My stand had been sitting empty fo r the rain had stopped, but I had yet to longbow as a basket-racked 10-point two months within easy range of two see a deer. appeared on one of the trails. He looked trails lined with large rubs. As daylight Even though the rut was winding as if he would walk right into one of my

72 WWW.TRADBOW. COM Traditional Destinations shooting lanes, but the buck hesitated 125-140" class. Those genetics and light it's possible to pattern bucks as they about 25 yards out, head-bobbing and hunting pressure produce lots of travel to and from fe eding and bedding looking to his left away from my posi­ mature bucks in the 130-160" range. areas or to set up ambushes at water­ tion. In the distance, I heard a loud The second largest bow-killed typical holes. My own personal preference is to grunt as the buck I was watching whitetail was recently taken here, a hunt during the first two weeks in tucked his tail and retreated the way he monster 12-point that measures over November when the rut is starting to had come. The new arrival soon walked 203". Find almost any concentration of crank up. The bucks are on the move all into view. His distinctive, wide white deer and that herd will likely contain day, and as mentioned before, rattling rack elevated my already racing blood several bucks that will make most and calling can be extremely effective. pressure. Don Thomas calls it the bowhunters go weak in the knees. This is my favorite way to hunt, as I brain's "fire control center" and mine Archery season starts around the find it fa scinating to watch bucks come had lights flashing and bells a-ringing! first of September. At this time of year, to my calls. Solo calling does work well, There are times in bowhunting when everything just comes together. The big fe llow stopped broadside at 17 yards Why Port Orfo rd Cedar? and looked back towards the retreating t� We've tested other woods - fi r, buck, who had conveniently broken a w-;J stick in his haste to avoid a whuppin' pine, spruce, other cedars etc., and from his larger cousin. In an instant, �(l.;� " we fo und that none measure up to the my arrow sunk to the red fe athers tight t7t;.:.��. �" �<>- performance and dependability of Port behind the buck's shoulder and in mere � �Orf ord cedar for arrow shafts. seconds he went down in a spray of Golden years archers-Howard Hill, Ben Pearson snow about 50 yards away. r-,r-, C;� and Fred Bear chose Port Orford cedar shafts fo r The "forest fringe" area of <>-0 ,�_�C� consistent accuracy! Saskatchewan consistently produces � Rose City Archery is the world's largest manufacturer of excellent hunting. Deer herds are thriv­ ;t' C quality Port Orford Cedar shafts. ing and hunters encounter healthy pop­ �({.;, � Av ailable in 5/16, 11/3 2 and 23/64 ulations of deer including plenty of C� Look for our dealers' advertisements in this magazine. quality bucks. The region contains vast �� fields of nutrient-rich crops like wheat, barley, oats and alfalfa. Most farms are not measured in acres but in square miles, resulting in plenty of undis­ turbed deer. The lack of hunting pres­ sure in most areas is amazing. Local landowners reluctant to allow gun hunting are often willing to let bowhunters on. One of the farms I've hunted the last fo ur years probably cov­ ers seven square miles and I've never run into another bowhunter there. The northern farmland is bordered by Provincial Forest: thousands of square miles of wilderness public land. Residents call it "the bush": rugged fo r­ est with limited road access that pro­ vides excellent cover and security for healthy deer herds that funnel to the agriculture to fe ed. Many areas within the fo rest also provide excellent year­ round habitat and fe ed fo r big white­ tails, many of which live far from the nearest agriculture. The whitetail herd in northern Saskatchewan has an excellent gene or colifor fr ee brochure NM • vVV;", ��"" 87821 (505) 772-52 19 pool, with 21/2 year old deer growing SO'/ARI�H21 [email protected] racks that will often measure in the www.stiG�bow.com/sovereignarchery '+

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 73 but a killer technique is to locate one or I recommend quality warm wool clothing helps keep the riff- raff out ..." more shooters in tree stands along a from companies like Cabela's, King of the Non-residents of Canada must be scrape line or regular travel route and Mountain or Raven Wear, a Canadian guided by a licensed outfitter, most of have someone call fr om the ground company that specializes in cold weather whom predominantly guide rifle nearby. This method accomplishes two apparel. Bring along some chemical hand hunters. When you start looking for out­ things: the calling sounds more realistic and boot warmers and you'll be good-to­ fits that have proven success catering to and an approaching deer's attention go fo r long stretches in the Canadian bowhunters, the field narrows. There will be fo cused away fr om the hunters. woods. Some hunters make the mistake are a few outfitters in the province that When you're calling Saskatchewan of over-bowing themselves. In cold condi­ offer hunts geared to archers, including bucks, forget the common advice against tions, pulling less weight to fu ll draw is Rockridge Outfitting near Carrot River making "too much noise". These deer are easier and accuracy increases substan­ in the north-east region. In business fo r big and aggressive and they love a good tially by dropping down in poundage. 20 years, they have a faithful return fight. The fr iends and clients I call deer One perceived drawback to archery clientele of rifle hunters, but owner and for usually think I've gone over the deep hunting during November in traditional bowhunter Kent Wolowski is end when I start. I run around, break Saskatchewan is that bowhunters must gradually making more openings avail­ brush, rattle often, grunt and bleat adhere to the odd dress restrictions able for archery hunters. He is planning almost constantly and generally make required of rifle hunters since seasons to designate a portion of his huge hunt­ an unbelievable racket. More often for both groups overlap at this time. All ing area archery-only because the than not, bucks respond and they usual­ hunters must wear a complete outer demand for quality bowhunts is ly arrive on the run. Ye ars ago, I wit­ suit of white, yellow, red, orange, or any increasing. Kent is confident that he nessed seven mature bucks chasing one combination of these colors. A hat must and his experienced guides can provide poor little doe. For nearly an hour, I fol­ also be worn that can be any of those shooting opportunities at good deer for lowed them, watching a display of rut­ colors except white. I know it sounds all their bowhunting clients. His area ting activity that forever changed my crazy, but it's the law. If there is snow I contains some giant bucks in addition thinking about calling deer. Most wear white; if not, I wear red, and I'd to a healthy population of good ones. hunters simply would not believe the rather forget my knife than my lucky If being the only bowhunter in a amount of racket those deer made. red toque! (I have field-dressed deer huge area with a large population of Many non-residents assume that with a broadhead a time or two but the trophy whitetails sounds appealing, hunting the rut in Saskatchewan means old noggin always stays warm.) The you'll enjoy Saskatchewan in brutally cold weather. In 2004, we didn't goofy duds don't seem to matter to the November. The fo rest fr inge region is a even get any snow in my hunting area color-blind deer and my arrows regular­ game-rich paradise where plenty of until after the third week of November. ly put venison in the fr eezer. I admit monster bucks roam unmolested in a An occasional fr ont may bring some that it seems strange to be dressed in true wilderness setting. below zero weather, but overall you can those fu nny suits while toting my bow, expect conditions to be quite comfortable. but I often tell people "That crazy law

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74 WWW.TRADBOW.COM Michiana Traditional Bowhunters-Scott A. Mahl, 2222 E. Washington St., South Bend, IN 46615. Michigan Longbow Association-Ken Scollick, 3431 Old Creek Rd., Traditional Clubs Holly, MI 48442-9508, (248) 634-0845, michiganlongboW®aol.com. Michigan Traditional Bowhunters-Jim Larson, 12800 Wegel, Ave., Alabama Society of Traditional Bowmen-Bill Spear, 1226 8th Av e. SW, Kent City, MI 49330. Alabaster, AL 35007, (205) 664-5643. Mississippi Traditional Archery Association-Jerry Kattawar, 36 Abide Alberta Traditional Bowhunters Association-Yves Blouin, 6 Aspen Cr., St., Greenville, MS 38701 (601) 335-4162. St. Albert, AB T8N 2L8, Canada, (780) 459-0868. E-mail: [email protected]. Mohawk-Hudson Traditional Archers-Jeff Vadney, 59 Vadney Rd., Amite River Traditional Archery Club-Mike Wesley, P.O. Box 330, Delmar, 12054, (518) 439-4732. Wa tson, LA 70786-0330, (225) 665-4598. NY Mountain Traditional Archery-J. Howard Stewart, 210 Cooper Hollow Archers Who Care-282 16 N. 148th PI., Scottsdale, 85262-6893. AZ Rd., Tellico Plains, TN 37385. Arqueros Tradicionales Club Palo Blanco-Rio Manzanares 407, Garza Nebraska Traditional Archers-Vince Smith, 320 Military Av e., Garcia, N.L. 66220, Mexico. W. Fremont, NE 68025, (402) 727-9141. www.netraditionalarchers.org. Asociacion Tradicional De Caza y Tiro De Torreon- Jorge Zarzar, Acuna Nevada Traditional Archers-Contact Traditional Archers of California, 364 Sur, Torreon Coah. 27000, Mexico 011-52-17-16-10-57. Marilyn Dutra, 291 Seavey Rd., Petaluma, CA 94952, (707) 763-6574, Bear State Traditional Bowhunters-John Edwards, 535 Kelly Lane, [email protected]. Dover, AR 72837, (501) 968-4348. http:members.aol.comlbstbowhunt. North Idaho Traditional Bowhunters-Dave Cuellar, P.O. Box 357, Black Rose Traditional Archers-Rich Thompson, 20080 SW Jaquith Potlatch, ID 83855, (208) 875-0243. Rd., Newberg, OR 97132, (503) 628-3695, [email protected]. Ohio Society of Traditional Archers-Ed Sneyers, 119 Dana Ave., Bootheel Traditional Bowhunters-Robert E. Taylor, 144 Autumn, Columbus, OH 43222, (614) 276-0137. [email protected]. Sikeston, MO 63801, (573) 471-4755. Olde Tyme Bowhunters-Ray James, PO. Box 130491, Birmingham, AL British Longbow Society, North American Chapter-Julian Russo, 55 35213, (205) 328-4904. Marilynn St., East Islip, 11730, (631) 581-1911. NY Pennsylvania Association of Traditional Hunting Archers-Jessica Buffalo Creek Traditional Archers-John T. Latocha, 405 Terrace Dr., Kent, P.O. Box 81, Kennerdale, PA 16374, (814) 385-4157. Mannington, 26582, (304) 986-3045, [email protected]. WV Pennsylvania Longbow Association-S. Jesse Miller, 259 Kimbel Dr., Buffalo Tongue Traditional Bowhunters-Jerry Bauman, 10 Sunnyfield Phoenixville, PA 19460 (610) 917-0216. Rd., St. Peters, MO 63376, (636) 397-3725, [email protected]. Pennsylvania Traditional Archery Association-Lee Smith, R.D. #1, Box Carolina Traditional Archers-Dennis Allman, 2600 Hill Dr. , 387, North Fork, PA 16950, (814) 367-5607. Morganton, NC 28655, (828) 438-2890. Pennwoods Traditional Bowhunters-Mike Antonace, P.O. Box 91, Central New Yo rk Archers Bowhunters-Chuck Loveless, 5132 & Leechburgh, PA 15657, (412) 845-7674. Randel Rd., Oneida, 13421, (315) 363-7150, [email protected]. NY Piedmont Traditional Archery Club-Don Ward, 1626 Trollingwood Rd., Club Pond Archers-Bob Perry, PO. Box 179, New Durham, NH 03855, Mebane, NC 27302, (919) 563-2682. (603) 859-4261. Prairie States Traditional Bowhunters-HC 52 Box 174K5, Hot Springs, Colorado Traditional Archer's Society-Dean Derby, Chairman, PO. Box SD 57747, (605) 745-5650. 4262, Grand Junction, CO 81502, [email protected] Primitive Archers of Illinois-Bob Linksvayer, 305 Cartwright Dr., Compton Traditional Bowhunters-Robin Conrads, P.O. Box 191267, Springfield, IL 62704, (217) 787-5689. Boise, ID 83719, (208) 562-0488. Robin Hood Archery Club-John Hood, 2915 Cade Circle, Elberton, GA Eagle Cap Traditional Archers-Mark Penninger, 2104 Leo Lane, 30635, (706) 283-4878. LaGrande, OR, 97850, (541) 963-4238. Rocky Mountain Longbow Association-Gwen Pullman, 248 Sunmount Edward I Longbow Society-Frank S. Pons, 5818 Marshall Foch St., Place SE, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2X 1Y2, (403) 20 1-4388. New Orleans, LA 70124, (504) 486-7149. Royal Welsh Archery Guild- Dennis F. Hess, 324 Arroyo Av e., San Finger-Lakes Traditional Bowhunters-Heinz Boelter, 169 camelot Dr., Leandro, CA 94577 (510) 635-1545. Canandaigua, NY 14424, (716) 393-9622, [email protected]. Saddle Mountain Traditional Archers-Bob Bingham, Rt. 1, Box 64IB, Flatrock Traditional-Ben Gueulette, 3244 W. Lombard, Springfield, Astoria, OR 97103 (503) 325-9566. MO 65802, (417) 865-5275. Seneca Tri-State Traditional Archers-Michael Churney, 651 Race St., Green Mountain Traditional Bowhunters-Greg Magnant, 10 Waynesburg, PA 15370, (724) 627-3522. Grandview Av e., Essex Junction, VT 05452, (802) 879-5149. [email protected]. Sissapahaw Traditional Archers-Jim Mitchell, 1322 Haywood St., Haw Horsecreek Traditional Archery Club-Cathy Slaughter, 220 Mulberry River' NC 27258, (336) 578-2224. Ln., Cairo, GA 31728, (912) 377-8276. Southern Illinois Traditional Bowhunters-Bob Clark, 502 W. St. Louis Idaho Traditional Bowhunters-Ralph Grieninger, P.O. Box 208, St., Pinckneyville, IL 62274. McCall, ID 83638, (208) 634-1457. Southern Traditional Archery Association-Artie Stewart, P O. Box 773, Indiana Longbow Association-Robert Schumake, RR 3, Box 33, Water Valley, MS 38965, (662) 473-9175. email: southerntraditional@hot­ Fairland, IN 46126, (317) 835-7239. mail.com Indiana Traditional Bowhunters Association-J.D. Daniels, 13411 Strictly Sticks-Scott Mitchell, 15 S. Shupe St., Mt. Pleasant, PA 15666, Highway 62, Charlestown, IN 47111, (812) 256-6229. (724) 547-7459. Iowa Traditional Bowhunters Society-Gene Winter, 1216 Rainbow Dr., St. Sebastian Archery Society-Tom McDonald, 124 Lake St. , East Wa terloo, IA 50701, (319) 234-0292. www.iowatbs.com. Weymouth, MA 02189 (617) 335-3424. Kansas Traditional Archers Association-Lanny Taylor, 405 N. F. St., St. Sebastian's Renaissance Guild-Patrick Dolby, 2200 Carbine Ct., Wellington, KS 67152, (316) 326-2624 Sacramento, CA 95626 (916) 991-7905. Kentucky Traditional Bowhunters Association-Eddie Alexander, 310 Superiorland Traditional Bowhunters-Steve Turay, PO. Box 26, Briar Cliff Lane, Danville, KY 40422, (859) 238-9765, ealexander®fbce.com. Marquette, MI 49855. Legend of the Piasa Traditional Archers Association-Pete Coats, P.O. Tarheel Traditional Archery Club-Ben Graham, 963 1 Vineyard Rd., Box 116, Kampsville, IL (618) 653-4243. Mt. Pleasant, NC 28124, (704) 436-2509. Les Archers Traditionnels du Quebec (AATQ)- Henri-Paul Temelini, Texas State Longbow Association-David Sykes, 420 Throckmorton St., 10680 boul. pare industriel, Ste-Gertrude, Becancour, Quebec, Canada G9H 3P2. Suite 710, Fort Worth, TX 76102-3724. Little River Stickbows-Kenneth Byrd, Rt. 2, Box 350A, Linden, NC The Oklahoma Longbowmen-K.P Lehman, 104 Pinewood Dr., Tuttle, 28356, (910) 893-9852. OK 73089. "LOBO" Traditional Archery & Bowhunting Club-Manual S. Cervantes Three Trails Traditional Archery-Tome Merker, 605 Allendale Trail G., Paseo De La Pardta #22, Pinar De La Venta, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico Rd., Greenwood, MO 64034, (816) 537-0543. . 45220, In Mexico: (913) 741-0567, in USA: (011) (523) 741-0567. Tomo-Chi-Chi Traditional Bowmen-Randy Hardin, 195 Yo ung's Circle, Longbow Hunters International-Mel Toponce, 1953 Countrywood Ct., Fayetteville, GA 30215, (770) 460-0103, rhardin@ajc. com. Walnut Creek, CA 94598, (925) 938-2721. Traditional & Primitive Archers of Alabama-Troy D. Breeding, 981 Lost Art Bowhunters-Al Kimery, 28633 SE Dale Ln., Eagle, OR 97002, Union Rd., Somerville, AL 35670 (205) 778-8871. (503) 637-3144, www.losttribetn.org. Traditional Archers of Alaska-PO. Box 212236, Anchorage, AK 99521- Lost Tribe Traditional Archers of Tennessee-Bill Bigham, 426 Laura 2236. [email protected] Ann, Collierville, TN 38017, (901) 853-5845. Traditional Archers Association of Nova Scotia-Richard Strang, PO. Louisiana Traditional Bowmen, Inc.-Michael D. Harbison, PO. Box 12052,Lake Box 675, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4C 3J1. Charles, LA 70612-2052, (337) 725-3616, [email protected]. Traditional Archers of Arizona-Eduardo Jaurequi, PO. Box 404, Maine Traditional Archers-Robert Jacobson, 2179 Eastern Rd Bagdad, AZ 86321, (928) 633-5200. Warren, ME 04864, (207) 273-2235. Traditional Archers of California-Traditional Archers of California, Mercer County Traditional Bow Benders-Bull Dawson, 10 Batholomew Marilyn Dutra, 291 Seavey Rd., Petaluma, CA 94952, (707) 763-6574, Rd., Mercer, PA 16137, (724) 342-2288. [email protected].

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 75 Traditional Archers of New Jersey-Brian Peters, #5 Mint Leaf Dr., Hamilton Square, NJ 08690, (609) 586·3680. ASSOCIATE MEMBER APPLICATION Traditional Archers of Oregon-Ralph Turnbaugh, 28180 SW Vanderschuere, Hillsboro, OR 97123, (503) 443·3900, Name [email protected]. Traditional Archers of Southern New York-Tony Chirles, 69 Parkview Address Ave ., Bronxville, NY 10708, (914) 738·236l. Traditional Archery Association of Bristish Columbia-Bill Coooper, City State Zip 1154 Hwy. 6, Cherryville, BC, VOE 2G1, Canada, (250) 547·0180. Traditional Bowhunters of Arkansas-Joe Clark, P.O. Box 7006, Age Hunting Bow Weight Sherwood, AR 72124·7006, (501) 834·8883. Traditional Bowhunters of British Columbia-Bruce Olson, P.O. Box Phone Date 604, Cranbrook, BC, Canada VIC 4J2, (250) 426·8565. Traditional Bowhunters of California-Vince Grgas, 1004 Englander o Please send me a free sample copy of the St., San Pedro, CA 90731, (301) 548·0968. Traditional Bowhunters of Florida-David Tetzlaff, 5823 20th Av e. NW, PBS Magazine so I can decide. Naples, FL 34119, (239) 514·7334, [email protected]. Traditional Bowhunters of Georgia-Ray Hammond, P.O. Box 732, Yearly fee: $30.00 · Canadian Members: $35.00 U.S. Funds Flowery Branch, GA 30542, (678) 300·2883. Shoulder Patch: $4.50 · Decal: $2.50 Traditional Bowhunters of Manitoba, Inc.-Jeff Durnin, 35 Beaverbend Crescent, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3J OT2, Phone · (204) 885·4953, E· I firmly agree with the goals and principles mail · [email protected] of the Professional Bowhunters Society Traditional Bowhunters of Maryland-John Laws, 914 Camden Ave., Salisbury, MD 21801, [email protected]. and apply for Associate Membership. Traditional Bowhunters of Montana-Lenny Brown, 504 Flathead Av e., Bozeman, MT 59718, (406) 582·8678. E·mail: [email protected]. Signature Traditional Bowhunters of New Brunswick-John Grenien, P.O. Box 111, Dalhousie, N.B., Canada EOK lBO. Mail completed application to: Traditional Bowhunters of Ontario-71 Elizabeth St. S., Brampton, Ontario, Canada L6Y 1R3. Professional Bowhunter Society Traditional Bowhunters of Southern Oregon-Steve Mazzola, 301 NE Associate Membership Hillcrest Dr., Grants Pass, OR 97526, (541) 476·232l.

P.O. Box 246 • Terrell, NC 28682 Traditional Bowhunters of Southern West Virginia-Lonnie Sneed, 290 Deer Run Rd., Princeton, 24740, (304) 384·3527. Phone 704-664-2534 • Fax 704-664-747 1 WV Traditional Bowhunters of Virginia-John Gresham, 4616 Ladysmith (Additional information available upon request.) Rd., Ruther Glen, VA 22546, (804) 448·1411, E·mail: [email protected]. Payment Method 0 Check 0 Visa 0 MasterCard Traditional Bowhunters of Washington-Dale Sharp, 19727 143rd PI. SE, Renton, WA, 98058·9438, (253) 630·6660, [email protected] Credit Card umber Exp. Date Traditional Bowmen of New England-Mark Sherman, 102 Wenham St., Carver, MA 02330 (508) 866·5818. Phone# Signature Traditional Company of Archers-Gerry Lee, 6·645 Surrey Lane, Burlington, Ontario, Canada L7T 3S7, (416) 639·2405. Two·Dogs Traditional-Roger Niswonger, 105 Beacon Hill Dr., St. Charles, MO 63301, (314) 947·406 l. Utah Wood Bow Club-Dan Perry, 184 E. 705 S., Salem, UT 84653, (80l) 423·2354. Virginia Traditional BowhunterslDixie Bowmen-Bo Slaughter, 5210 Hurop Rd., Sandston, VA 23150, (804) 737·9139, [email protected]. Wakarusa Valley Traditional Archers-Ed Ogle, 228 E 165th, Scranton, For a limited time onlv... 2 Ior 1 KS 66537, (785) 793·2245. Wash·Ida Traditional Bowman-Jack Dolan, 25902 W. Hallett Rd., Gel both boals hi l Daooall Thomas, Jr. Medical Lake, WA 99022, (509) 299·5419. White Mountain Traditional Bowhunters-Harry Hubbard, P.O. Box $30.00 u. hIIIIs_ 4705, Manchester, NH 03108·4705, (603) 647·6713 ...... --..IIU...... ,, _II ...... cllMlll n llnlll _1L Willow Ridge Traditional Bowhunters-Jeff Barker, 2823 Howell Dr. E., 1-888-828-4882 or www.Tradbow.com Regina, SK, Canada S4N 6Gl, (306) 789·8859. Wisconsin Traditional Archers-Dale Klug, P.O. Box 901, Merrill, WI 54452, (715) 536·5189. [email protected]. Woodland Traditional Archers-61 Lyden Drive, Quispamsis, N.B., Canada E2E 4J4. (506) 847·8492, email: [email protected] www.geocities.comlwoodlandtraditionalarcherslindex.html World Traditional Archers-633 E. Washington, #16, N. Attleboro, MA 02760, (508) 643·2972 .. Ye Olde Fartes Traditional Archery and Sore Losers Team-Steve Pennington, 224 Fairmont Ave., Harriman, TN 37748, (865) 882· 162l. http://hometown.aol.comllongbowstaniindex.html.

76 WWW.TRADBOW.COM On The Mar ket Africa. The high eye-point eyepieces allow most eyeglass wearers to enjoy the full field of view. The lockable eye­ cups are screw-in, screw-out and fe a­ ture notches when extended to 4mm, 8mm and 12mm so that actual eye­ knife maker Russ Kommer for our new

relief can be matched to individual eyes. Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT) The Victory FL binocular series joins skinning and game knives. They bring a the award-winning Diascope spotting new level of sophistication to outdoor scope in Zeiss's line of superachromat sporting fixed blades. performance products available in The Carcajou™ can be used with green for the hunters and nature confidence in slippery skinning and observers who prefer that their prod­ cleaning action, such as cleaning fish ucts blend with their natural surround­ and birds, caping, and other precision ings. tasks. The fr iction grooves near the Further information is available at blade tip allow use of a "pencil grip" for Zeiss Offers Super-Premium www.zeiss.com/sports. delicate caping around ears, antlers, Victory FL Binoculars in Green nose and lips. Russ Kommer finds it to be the fa stest way to remove the blood In response to input from hunters The CRKT Carcajou™ groove fr om salmon: just make a fast worldwide, Zeiss will offer the super­ and Cobuk™ slit on either side of the blood groove premium Victory FL binocular series in and use one stroke of the pommel ring green as of May 2005. In addition to the Designed (and used) by Alaskan to scrape it away as you would with a original black style, all five models- guide Russ Kommer, the perfect skin­ spoon. 8x32, 10x32, 7x42, 8x42 and 10x42- ning knife and game knife for fish, fowl The Cobuk™ is based on the custom will be available in this attractive, and caping, now with both leather and version that Russ makes and uses him­ durable green exterior at no extra cost. polycarbonate sheaths. self in skinning the Alaskan game that Zeiss's goal in developing this tech­ In the Alaskan north, the Inuit word his clients bag. It is perfectly sized to nologically advanced FL binocular for wolverine is Carcajou, and caribou is handle everything fr om a Texas white­ series was to create user-friendly, light­ Cobuk. Those seemed like the right tail deer to an Alaskan moose. It has a weight binoculars with state-of-the-art names to Alaskan guide and custom full-bellied profile, high hollow grind for image quality and impressively large fields of view. The result has astonished even the experts. Hunters and guides TRADITIONAL BOWHUNTERS of FLORIDA have praised the advances in optical 2006 Florida State Traditional Championship design and how this new binocular has at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Hunter Education Camp FWC ul improved their experience in the field. near Silver Springs (No dogs, alcohol, or firearms permitted on site -- r es.) Thanks to the ultra-low dispersion March 3,4,& 5, 2006 (VENDORS WELCOME!) FL glass (special, high-performance Special Guest: Donnall Thomas, Jr. Talks Africa! glass containing fluoride ions) and the E. Fri: 10 Target Coon Shoot at dark. Sat: Two 20 target competition rounds. Zeiss Advanced Optics System (A.O.S. Sun: Final 20 target championship round plus, Awards and Raffle. thin-lens technology), the Victory FLs Casual slart on Saturday (minim um group size of 4, max of 8) and shotgun start grouped with competition on Sunday have virtually eliminated color fringing, Must become a TBOF member to participate in competition. Membership: $20 single, $30 Family. thus producing incredibly bright Traditional bows only (Recurves, Longbows & Self Bows) No compounds, crossbows, sights or stabilizers images with maximum resolution Men's and Women's Traditional, Men's and Women's Longbow (longbow requires wood arrows), (image sharpness) and accurate color Shoot Classes: Men's and Women's Primitive (requires self-nocked arrows), Boys & Girls 12 to 15, Boys & Girls 11 yrs & under. reproduction, even in low light condi­ Adult: $20.00 Yo uth and Cub: No Shoot Fees. tions. The edge of field sharpness is the Shoot Fees: I best of any Zeiss binocular to date and 20 Ta rget Fun Range Open 11 a.m. Fri through 11 a.m. Sun. the intelligently tuned fo cus - both Plus, Movies, Ve ndors, Food an site, AlC Bunkhouses, rapid and precise - allows the hunter to and Free Primitive Camping quickly assess the fe atures of game, be Call or e-mail for more info or visit www.tbof.org it a deer obstructed by pine trees in the David Tetzlaff, (239) 514.7334, [email protected] southeast or an eland on the plains of Chris Brodeur, (727) 42 1 .2027, [email protected]

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 77 maximum productivity. Blade length is The Carcajou and Cobuk are protect­ about the same as your index finger, so ed by CRKT's Limited Lifetime you know intuitively where the blade Warranty. tip is at all times when working inside Columbia River Knife & Tool is dedi­ an animal. cated to producing knives of uncompro­ The little finger ring also allows you mising quality and selling them at to let either knife drop and swing from affordable prices. CRKT products are your finger while you use your hands, distributed through specialty retail, and then with a wrist flip, bring the sporting goods and cutlery stores that knife back up into your hand, so it never offer customers knowledgeable service. falls in the dirt or the creek. For information on these knives, other Construction fe atures include a full CRKT products, and the name of the tang AUS 4 stainless steel blade in CRKT dealer nearest you, write: bright satin finish with a Razor-Sharp cutting edge, sandwiched between con­ Columbia River Knife & To ol toured and textured Zytel® scales 9720 S.W. Hillman Ct., Suite 805 attached with premium Torx® fasten­ Dept. TB ers. They are almost indestructible, sol­ Wilsonville, OR 97070 vent resistant, and even removable for (503) 685-5015 or 800) 891-3100 cleaning. Lightening holes minimize FAX: (503) 682-9680 weight. To aid grip and tactile aware­ E-mail at [email protected]. and a flat 5-arrow clip. You can wear a ness, there are ample friction grooves www.crkt.com daypack over the arrows and easily on both knives. drop your pack when necessary and still Finally, fo r 2005 we are including two New Hunting Quiver by Dwyer have your ammo! The fr ame is sturdy sheaths with each knife: a hand tooled enough to strap to a backpack fo r those leather sheath, and a custom molded The Dwyer Hunting Quiver(DHQ) is longer treks. A great way to transport rigid polycarbonate sheath with belt a functional quiver that has those tra­ arrows for the hunt! clip. The leather is ideal when you want ditional good looks! The frame is light­ a traditional, quiet carry. The polycar­ weight oak or elm with a caning insert Dwyer Longbows bonate sheath gives maximum security to keep your arrows off your back in the P. O. Box 221, Dept. TB and is perfect in wet conditions. hot weather. There are double shoulder Holmen, WI 54636-0221 We won't say they are breakthroughs straps that have an adjustable belly www.dwyerlongbows.com on the order of GoreTex® or GPS, but strap. This keeps the quiver snug on 608-526-4297 we will say they are the most advanced your back, and out of the brush. The specialized fixed blades we know of. quiver fe atures a leather covered cap Wanda Ferguson, spokesperson for Byron Ferguson Productions, announced today the completion of INCREDIBLE SHOTS a 56-minute DVD showcasing Byron Ferguson's exhibition shooting with the traditional longbow. Mrs. Ferguson said, "We believe our cameras have captured some of the Featured Speaker/Entertainer most amazing archery shots ever recorde. If you like archery you will love this video. Byron performed shots that Mark Baker are simply unbelievable, from shooting

• Hunting Seminars • Archery Dealers • Custom Bowyers baby aspirins out of the air to splitting playing cards, deflections off multiple • Saturday Awards Banquet • Black Widow Bow Raffle boards, long range shots, shooting the • Game Mount Displays • Silent Auctions caps off coke bottles ...the list goes on Auction Featuring: Custom Bows, Arrows, Archery • and on" Related Items, Hunting Trips. Wildlife Artwork Rock N Roll legend Dickey Betts, • Additional Speakers and Seminars to be Announced fo unding member of the Allman For Information Call: Bothers Band said, "I always knew Mike McDonald 636-742-4947 • e-mail : [email protected] Byron is the master of the longbow. This Tom Dickerson 573-243-7113 • e -mail: [email protected] new video proves it to everyone." www.bowsite.com/ubm/ Byron Ferguson said, "I'm proud of

78 WWW.TRADBOW.COM FERGUS ·s system and platform-leveling fe ature ric of hunting and the hunting tradi­ J J:';j � :.;; .....!J J �J JI j':":; fo und on all Chippewa treestand mod­ tion. "Papa Bear," as he was affection­ VlDEO 5ER1E5 VOLUME II els. Designed to fit inside a backpack, ately known to millions of outdoorsmen the Ghost, with its small 14 x 18 inch and women, combined his rare talents platform size and its lightweight, offers and passion to craft the hunting equip­ another equipment option fo r those ment and intrigue which would propel - quick in-and-out hunts, or when long an entire industry. hikes are necessary. Smoke screen camo His is an epic journey of overwhelm­

finish is standard on the Ghost. It car­ ing success in business as the fo under ries a 220-pound weight limit and is of Bear Archery and in the field as a available in 20", 22" or 25" seat heights. world record-setting bowhunter. Fred For more information, contact: Bear's story is filled with fame, glory and celebrity; but his life at times was Basic Innovations, Ltd. also laced with considerable heartache, 750 E. Pine River Rd., Dept. TB struggle and disappointment. IF YOU LJ}�E ARCHER { Midland, MI 48640 Now, for the first time, we are per­ fDU'LL LOVE THIS VJDEOlJ (989) 835-3856 sonally and intimately introduced to www.chippewawedgeloc.com "Papa Bear" by accomplished author Dick Lattimer-Fred's right-hand man, the work all the guys did in helping pro­ friend and confidant fo r more than two duce this video. This is not something decades. This is the behind-the-scenes you could do by yourself. I mean it's one life story, an insider's view, of the man thing for me to do a shot but getting it who became hunting's greatest ambas­ on camera requires just as much work sador of all time. and determination by the production A sampling of the 25 chapters crew." includes: "The Creation of Fred Bear," For more info, contact: "Fred Bear Showed Me How," "Fred's Secret Hunting Camp," "First Compound Byron Ferguson Productions Bows, Why Papa Bear Couldn't Shoot P. O. Box 1314, Dept. TB Them," "Fred's Last Alaskan Hunt," and

Hartselle, AL 35640 "Fred's Final Days." The 6x9-inch, hard­ cover book is 368 pages and includes approximately 140 photos-some of which have never before been published. A special limited printing of 500 signed and numbered deluxe leather­

bound editions of "I Remember Papa Bear" have been commissioned fo r this first-of-its-kind book. These fine, col­ lectible volumes are individually auto­ graphed by author Dick Lattimer and slipcased to preserve their inherent quality and value. I REMEMBER PAPA BEAR The Untold Story of the For more information, contact: Legendary Fred Bear Including His Secrets of Hunting IHUNT Communications P. O. Box 1148, Dept. TB

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half of the 20th century, and I was dev­ astated when he died, and remain so to New Treestand From this day. He was my best fr iend, mentor Basic Innovations and fa ther figure for several decades."­ author Dick Lattimer The Chippewa Ghost fe atures the Still, today, nearly 17 years after his same patented easy insertion/self-tight­ death in 1988, Fred Bear's name and ening harness and wedge attachment legacy are indelibly etched into the fab-

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 79 80 WWW.TRADBOW.COM Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 81 •. \ . Ii.)

. . ' . . . � r'\"',�II. ' : E�:'r'\"'' ¥',. : .• 1951 - 1974

By Chad Mason

n 1951, a Texas construction work­ The Wing Archery Story Charlotte will celebrate their 60th wed­ er named Bob Lee decided to turn ding anniversary next year. his hobby into a life's work. That Bob Lee was born May 1, 1928 in Wing Archery was born as a full-time decision fo rever changed the complex­ Birmingham, Alabama, and developed a concern in 1951 , when Bob Lee built a ion of American archery-for the better. penchant for the bow and arrow early in small bowyer's shop in his Houston back Over the next two decades, the Wing life. At age 13, his family moved to yard. "I was working construction with Archery Company would produce some Houston, Texas. After graduating high my dad and brother during the week," of the best-selling, best shooting, mass­ school there in 1945, Bob joined his Lee recalls. "And I was building bows in produced recurve bows ever made in father and brother in the family con­ the evenings and on weekends. Finally I the United States. I recently spoke with struction business. In 1946 he married got to the point where the archery busi­ Bob Lee about the history of his compa­ Charlotte (Steinhagen) Lee, who still ness would support me full-time." Lee ny and its wonderful bows. answers the phone today when you call sold his share in the family construction the Bob Lee Archery Company. Bob and business to his father and brother, and

2 WWWTRADBOWCOM nies approached me about buying the company," remembers Lee. He kept turning them down, but in 1968 Lee fe lt he had fo und a good fit with the Head "Quality HO J1cicrajied Bows " www.yellowstonebows.com Ski Company. He sold the company that 307-548-6292 ' e-mail: [email protected] year and signed a five-year contract to Rich Wonnington - 280 Hwy 14A East - Lovell. WY 8243 1 continue working fo r Head Ski as pres­ ident of the Wing Archery division. Less than a year later, Head Ski Company's own financial fo ibles fo rced them to sell Wing Archery. The new owner was AMF Inc., which acquired Wing Archery in 1969. "That was the beginning of the end," says Lee now. He fe els the quality of the bows-at least the all-wood models-deteriorated rapidly under AMFs watch. When his contract expired in 1973 he left the company. In fact, he left Above-Bob Lee takes aim at a an the archery business altogether, deeply alligator in the late 1950s. Left-Bob Lee and an elk he took disenchanted by the advent of the com­ with a magnesium-handled take­ pound bow. One year later AMF closed ' down in the late 1960s. Wing Archery for good. "I went back to working construc­ went pro as a bowyer. Lee's bowhunting tion," Lee said. "I even did some oil-well buddy, Fred Hurd, partnered with him drilling." Fortunately for today's at first, but then decided he didn't want archers, Lee's hiatus from archery to go big-time when the business took would not prove permanent. When the off. Lee bought out Hurd's share of the traditional archery renaissance came business in 1952. Another partner, along in the 1980s, Lee's son Rob got a Crawford Booth, bought into the compa­ hankering to make bows again. After ny in 1958. Booth was an accomplished all, he had grown up a bowyer's son. tournament archer who went on to win Rob eventually persuaded his father to the Texas State Championship in 1959, reenter the archery business. In 1989, 1960 and 1961. fa ther and son opened fo r business as As Lee quickly established a reputa­ Bob Lee Archery. Today their recurves tion fo r quality and "alue, his business outgrew the fa mily home. He moved across town and built two more build­ The Officially Recognized Outdoor Wish ings to house the growing business. By Granting Organization of the early 1960s, he had outgrown those '�Traditional Bowhunter Magazine" too, producing several thousand bows every year. About that time, developers of a new industrial park in Jacksonville, Texas, approached Lee about relocating. "I liked the idea of getting my chil­ dren out of the big city and into a small town," Lee recalls. In 1965 he relocated Wing Archery to a new 20,000-square­ Beaefit Kid fo ot fa cility in Jacksonville and expand­ ed production to about 100 bows per day. Over the next three years, the com­ Outdoor Wish Program pany realized an amazing peak produc­ Granting the Outdoor Wishes of Terminally III and tion of 300 bows per day. By 1968, Wing Life-Limited Children with the Continued Support of Archery had become the third-largest archery manufacturer in the world. the Outdoor Community! So successful was Wing Archery, in fa ct, that it gained serious attention For more Information contact 81 0-387 -0454 fr om corporate suitors. "A lot of compa- or visit our website at http:lMvNv. b4k.org/

Tr aditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 83 Left to right-1957 Red Wing Hunter, 1966 Nighthawk, and 1966 fo rmica/rosewood Presentation II takedown with 19-inch handle.

and longbows are widely revered fo r Red Wing (1951 - 1952): Bob Lee's speed, stability, accuracy, good looks, first bow was the Red Wing, a straight­ and great value. Bob and Rob build limb bow with bend-back tips. This them with care at the rate of just two or model was produced in relatively small three bows per day. numbers for only one year. This is the "This time, I'm resisting the tempta­ rarest of the Wing bows. In fact, I have tion to grow," Lee says. never seen one fo r sale. White Wing (1952 - 1974) : The Red The Bows Wing was soon replaced by the White Wing, a true recurve. The company pro­ Wing bows made between 1951 and duced this bow continuously until its 1969 are wonderful shooters and highly final end under AMF. Throughout most prized by collectors. Here's a brief syn­ of the 1950s, the White Wing was the opsis of the most popular models. company's only model. By the 1960s, it

4 WWW.TRADBOW.COM had earned a solid fo llowing among the country's best tournament shooters. Red Wing Hunter (c a. 1956 - 1974): Shortly after 1955, Bob Lee introduced a 58-inch recurve called the Red Wing Hunter. It would become the company's popular bow of all time and one of m05 _-\m erica's premier hunting bows. Bob Lee remembers one distributor order­ ing 500 Red Wing Hunters at a time. Within a few years the company added a 62-inch version, and a stubby 52-inch­ er came along shortly after the compa­ ny moved to Jacksonville in 1965. On the cover of the 1961 Wing catalog, Bob Lee kneels over a massive Alaskan cari­ bou. Across the beast's antlers rests a 65# Red Wing Hunter. During the glory days of the 1960s, the Red Wing Hunter was made with a variety of exotic woods, including Brazilian rosewood, shedua and African walnut. In 1966, the company switched to "WingWood" (i.e. impregnated maple). Swift Wing (ca. 1957 - 1974): Late in the 1950s the Swift Wing joined the company lineup, and this model soon became quite popular. It remained in continuous production throughout the company's life. Called "66 inches of pleasure" in Wing advertisements, the Swift Wing was built with an elegant zebra wood handle section in the early 1960s. The bow was built in 62- and 66- inch lengths, later with a Brazilian rosewood handle section, then fi nally with Wing Wood. Presentation (1959 - 1974): In 1959 Lee developed a drastically reflex­ deflexed recurve bow with big, sweeping curves. It was a one-piece target bow, and Lee called it the Presentation. Offered in lengths of 66 and 69 inches, Left tori ght-1961 rosewood Presentation, 1962 fo rmica Presentation. the Presentation proved uncannily accurate. At the 1960 National Field Instinctive Championship, Dr. Fred When he returned home, Lee began con­ model was also built, with a 19-inch riser Simmons and James Palmer finished ceptualizing a new breed of bow-a take­ and limb options for 58 and 62 inches. first and second shooting Wing down version ofthe Presentation. Shortly Gull and Falcon (ca. 1961 - 1974): In Presentation bows. "That really put us thereafter, Wing Archery introduced the the early 1960s, Wing introduced two on the map," Lee said. Despite a then­ world's first three-piece take down moderately priced bows fo r the budget­

high price of $100, demand for the recurve, the Presentation II. The "P-2" conscious archer. The 64-inch Gull came Presentation outpaced production, cre­ would be the progenitor of all modern first in 1961. The austere Falcon fol­ ating a six-month backlog on orders. takedown recurves. This model became lowed in 1963, when the company 1963 - 1974): Presentation II (ca. In the company's second-most popular bow upgraded the Gull with a fancy zebra the early 1960s, Bob Lee went on a hunt­ of all time, surpassed only by the Red wood handle. About as plain a bow as ing trip to Colorado. While sitting in the Wing Hunter in total sales. The P-2 you could wish for, the Falcon sold fo r airplane, he worried about his Target model was offered in target just $29.95 and offered good perform­ Presentation bow in the cargo hold. lengths of 66 and 69 inches. A Hunter ance fo r little money. Consequently, the

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 85 the Jacksonville move and the Head Ski International, Corsair, Competition II acquisition, Wing Archery built a series Hunter Takedown, Vantage Pro, and of one-piece recurve bows for the Colt Red Wing Pro. Firearms Company. Colt put their own In addition to the standard models names on the bows. "To be honest, I listed above, the Wing Archery can't even remember what they called Company also filled custom orders. 'em," chuckled Bob Lee. If you find an Consequently, you'll occasionally find old recurve with a Colt Firearms label, bows that do not exactly fit any of the it was built by Wing Archery in above descriptions. I recently saw a Jacksonville, Texas. Wing bow, obviously pre-1968, with the Competition series (c a. 1967 -1974): label "Red Wing Custom." It was a love­ Late in the 1960s Wing Archery built its ly piece of work-62 inches long, with own casting facility to make magne­ white glass, a rosewood handle and a sium-handled takedown recurves for dark maroon accent stripe. tournament competition. Although "We would make variations at a cus­ obviously lacking the aesthetic appeal tomer's request," Lee explained. "For of wood, these bows were extraordinari­ instance, if they wanted a different ly sweet shooters and highly innovative glass color, we'd give it to them." fo r their time. The Competition take­ Wing's 1963 catalog. down system used no bolts, and Caveat Collector required no tools for disassembly. A wedge on the limb slid into a joint on Early Wing bows were quite slender Falcon remained popular throughout the riser. The company called this sys­ and beautiful. Alas, a slender bow the company's life. tem "Slide-Loc." requires great care in gluing. In later Thunderbird (c a. 1966 - 1974): Nighthawk and Little Wing (ca. 1969 years-especially the AMF years­ Shortly after the move to Jacksonville, - 1974): Under the watch of Head Ski Wing bows were much blockier and Wing Archery introduced an all-black Company, Wing Archery introduced yet wider, in order to hasten the manufac­ hunting bow in 52- and 62-inch lengths. another bargain priced bow, the turing process and reduce labor costs. I The Thunderbird developed a cult fo l­ Nighthawk. The company also built its personally owned an AMF Red Wing lowing and remained in production until first and only children's bow, the Little Hunter fo r a short time. It was an the company's closure. You won't have to Wing, during this period. extremely fast bow. It was also noisy look far to find a baby-boomer who talks Slimline series (1974): For its swan and unattractive, and I couldn't hit a fo ndly of his old Thunderbird-and isn't song in '74, AMF marketed a number of barn door with it. If you're looking for a talking about a car. all-wood recurves as the "Slimline shooter (or a collectible), I recommend Colt series (1965 - 1968) : Between Group." These included the that you avoid wood-handled bows fr om

hNp:llwww. trueflightfeathers.com Need sella � to bow? TRUEFLIGHT check out It www.Bow-Trader. co� .,;,-. FEA�ast, THForgiERSving bu ers - sellers - lookers - log on and register toda fo r free offers y y and Accu rate! \l Made in the USA .� Need ArcheryStu ff Barred, solid colors, 10 sizes (Inquire at your local dealer.) RockyMountain SpecialtyGear TR UEFLIGHT MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC. PO. BOX 1000 MANITOWISH WATERS, WI 54545 call toll free: 1-877-843-5559 (715) 543-8451 • CALL DAY OR NIGHT -Denver's Traditional Archery Headquarters- [email protected] World Leader in Precision Feathers fo r 5340 Sheridan Blvd. Arvada, CO 80002 Over 50 Ye ars

WWW.TRADBOW.COM 1958 to 1968, and bows fr om that era approximate dates of manufacture fo r show particularly fine workmanship. the various models, you can (more or less) tell when a Wing bow wa made. Aging a Wing For example, a Gull model with a silkscreen label but no Head ki or Determining the age of a Wing AMF logo would have been built Archery classic is notoriously difficult. between 1965 and 1968. while a All serial number data were lost or Presentation II with a stick-on decal destroyed many years ago. must have been built in 1963 or 196-!. Consequently, serial numbers are of no Remember also that WingWood fi rst help in aging a bow. appeared in 1966. Moreover, catalogs fr om the compa­ ny's early years are extremely difficult Wings Fly Again to find. Unlike the Bear Archery Company, you cannot simply buy a CD Last year Bob and Rob Lee reac­ with 30 years' worth of catalogs to help quired the rights to the Wing Archery you age a bow. I have only been able to name. Now they have resurrected the obtain fo ur, fr om the 1960s and early Red Wing Hunter and Falcon recurves.

1970s. The dates of manufacture shown I recently inspected a new Red Wing above are therefore based on Bob Lee's Hunter, and I say the good old days are Bob, lower left, and his friends own recollection, cross-referenced with here again. For more information see with a bow killed alligator. these few catalogs. the company's web site at The best indicator of approximate www.bobleearchery. com or call 903-586- the AMF years. Of course, AMF made bow age is the decal or silk-screen logo. 1877. fine magnesium handled bows, as evi­ Any bow with a stick-on decal was denced by the many tournament victo­ made prior to 1965, when the company Chad Mason is a minister and fr ee­ ries taken with them. Personally, I just began silk-screening its labels. lance writer fr om Des Moines, lA , where can't get excited about a metal bow. Additionally, any bow with a Houston he lives with his wife and three daugh­ The brief Head Ski Company tenure address was built prior to 1965, when ters. He has published widely on the sub­ was somewhat better than the AMF the company moved to Jacksonville. jects of wing-shooting and fly-fishing, as years. Head Ski bows fr equently fetch Any bow bearing the Head Ski well as contributing regularly to this good prices, and are fine shooters. By far, Company name was built in 1968 or magazine. however, the most desired Wing Archery 1969, while AMF labeled bows are of bows are those made before 1968. The 1969-1974 vintage. company's golden decade was probably By combining these clues with

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Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 87 s the day slowly fa ded into the last hour of shooting light, the distinctive movement of a deer Aflashed in my peripheral vision. The doe closed the distance to I8-yards at a steady walk, angling slightly toward me due to the curve in the trail. Her pace wasn't fa st enough to rule out a shot and the fo rward angle was slight. I had anticipated this situation and thought that I'd take the shot, but at that moment, with my bow raised and ready, the combination of movement and angle seemed too much. I'm not sure when it stopped bother­ ing me to pass on a shot; when I stopped seeing failure to shoot as a problem. It fa ded so gradually I didn't think about it. It was not a lessening of my desire to hunt and hence to kill. If anything, my desire had increased. I wanted more. The peak of the trail's curve brought the deer within I5-yards as the angle shifted to broadside, but mid-range brush raised the probability of a deflec­ tion beyond my comfort zone. Several years ago I killed a deer at over 400 yards with a long-barreled .270. It was a clean lung shot. I was sup­ posed to fe el good-the fulfillment of

dream from my youth. But I didn't. It felt wrong. This wasn't a hunter's kill, but an assassination. She finally presented a clean, broad­ side 25-yard shot. Although that range is a definite stretch fo r my shooting, this opportunity seemed so inviting that I fe lt my blood momentarily rising toward action. But the indefinable sense that tells me when I can go beyond my normal limits just wasn't there. I didn't move. r.:E(!HNO�OGY In the fi nal minutes of shooting light, I took a Judo-tipped arrow fr om my quiver and shot at a stump a yard beyond where the doe had paused fo r the last time. I drilled it, but shooting at a stump and shooting at a deer are AXI> worlds apart. The critical difference between the bow and various weapons of industrial technology is not just a matter of range 'IEMFTATION and accuracy, but of a whole complex realm of self-awareness and judgment that must go into every decision to shoot By Reg Darling or pass. The purpose of both the com­ pound device and the rifle, of mechanizing the shot, is to remove or at least greatly

WWW.TRADBOW.COM diminish that whole realm, by reducing your hunter's racing heart pumps the shot to the mechanics of range and through your veins with breathless accuracy. This is the real issue, the real urgency in moments whose vitality can difference; it applies even if shooters vol­ be equaled only in love, and perhaps dan­ Cedar 'Ridge untarily limit their range to that of a tra­ ger. That is why they are so seductive. ditional bow. A mechanical process inside Because technology is, by its very Leatber Work£) a 20-yard radius is no different than a nature, results-oriented in a strictly :11echanical process in a 200-yard radius material sense, the "advantages" it in any way that matters. yields in hunting accrue only to materi­ It sure would've been nice to bring al intentions of the hunt without regard home fresh venison, especially for me, for the subtleties of affection, passion, since I was riding out a streak of bad and spirit. That is why they are so hunting luck and my age was starting to unfulfilling despite their seductiveness. show a bit more than I'm ready to accept. Their efficiency short-circuits the fu ll A close encounter with prey sum­ engagement of body and mind. The way mons you to an intensely elevated they appeal to desire, while thwarting awareness and that is your ample its true fu lfillment, leads inevitably to reward. Meat, hide and antlers are a the kind of abuse and excess character­ gift. A gift is not something earned. You istic of hunting's worst side. can only strive to be worthy of its A beautiful buck, the deer we all receipt after the fa ct. Difficulty, chal­ imagine when we daydream, came by at lenge, or just plain hard work do not, in a fa st trot. I raised my bow and tracked themselves, constitute worthiness. They him as I drew, hoping he would hesitate can be gratifying, as can any work done before ascending the last ten fe et to the Fine Custom Leather with skill and affection, but you are bench above. My timing was good and I for the Shooting Sports mistaken if you think you can claim arrived at my anchor as he reached the www.archeryleather.com moral or spiritual high ground simply point where other deer have always 615-889-5890 by labor and effort. What you have to be paused. But he never even slowed his Art Vincent - maker worthy of is the exchange of living grace pace. I let down without releasing. and beauty fo r your sustenance. Such worthiness extends far beyond the con­ duct of the hunt.

I was hiding on the edge of a small clearing in a vast laurel thicket when a mature doe and two smaller ones mate­ rialized in the clearing ahead. A t Bowman Jacket: The perfect all around jacket for moment later, a six-point buck, radiant backcounttyfW{p!.l1! hunts or wherever thetain® weather tums foul with rutting aggression, appeared on another trail. The buck stood broadside, in the open, at 27 yards. No amount of wishful thinking could make the shot seem right; it was just too fa r. The older doe turned and trotted back down the trail, and one of the young ones fo llowed. The buck pursued them. The other young doe veered off the trail, splashed across the creek, then hesitated. She was 15 yards away, but a half dozen finger-size branches stood The Eye -D-Version™ pattern. The only concealment pattem designed to prevent image formatlOnl between her chest and my arrow. I The Omnishield'" lining stays absolutely quiet started to draw, but let down. With two waterproof and scent proof swift, graceful bounds she vanished into Omnitherm® hi-tech hi-loft woven wool keeps you the laurel. comfortable in a/l weather condltlonsl The temptations of technological "L ets Step Outside!" Lifetime Warra nty · See catalogue for det8lls1 hunting are dangled before us with all the allure Madison Av enue can muster. Bernie Parson · 1535 Salomon Lane ' Wa yne, PA 19087 • www. bernieparson.com Phone: 610-644-7997 • Fax: 610-644-7721 • E-mail: [email protected] Mechanized weapons appeal to a desire

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 89 The last time I killed a deer with a back the way she came. less abstract than a paycheck. And it's a rifle, I dropped a running doe at sixty­ In 1980, I made a major career change different kind of hunger that rumbles in five yards so matter-of-factly that my in order to return to my birthplace in my belly. pulse hardly quickened. The deer had northwest Pennsylvania and marry the It was a season filled with excite­ done everything right-indeed it had love of my life. We were poor fo r a few ment and learning. I hunted well. There

actually reacted in a fairly clever way to years. I hunted (and gathered) largely were only two occasions when I went the first sign of danger, and would have out of economic need. The protein I out and did not get within 15 yards of escaped easily if not for my ability to brought home from the woods enabled us deer. But I never loosed an arrow. By launch a high velocity projectile across to pay our winter heating bills. That era the season's end mid-November, count­ the intervening' space with pinpoint left an indelible impression. Long into ing coup was growing old. I had an accuracy. Everything was legal. The the more affluentyears that fo llowed, the empty freezer, a powerful longing fo r deer died cleanly. I was grateful for the temptation of the rifle continued to tug at more time to hunt and a burning desire meat and hide, but it did not fe el like a me whenever an archery season ended to become a better, more confident shot. gift. My senses were not elevated to with unfilled tags. Even as material com­ When we make the transition from a their greatest intensity. I did not fe el fo rt allowed a fu ller appreciation of the traditional bow to a mechanical device like a predator. I did not fe el blessed. I deeper levels of sustenance to be fo und in (e.g. compound or firearm), we recapitu­ had gone into the forest and returned the hunt, even afterthat appreciation led late the transition from hunter-gather­ with fo od for my family: no shame in back to the traditional bow, the decision er to industrial era laborer. A central that. But the sense of something natu­ not to pick up the rifle remained a deci­ element in this transition is the ral and right was absent. sion to face every November. I grew up replacement of desire with motive, The doe appeared in front of my with rifles and can still savor their aes­ process with product, role with job and blind from an unexpected direction and thetics and craft. A well-made rifle still craft with quality control. That's why stood broadside at 18 yards. On a feels good in my hands. I'm deeply wary of weaponry that straight line-of�sight she was complete­ I have to admit that I have it easy diminishes the need fo r intense, fo cused

ly in the open, but an arm-sized branch now. I can buy all the free range meat I desire to direct the shot to its mark. at midrange hung squarely on my need from a local, enlightened fa rmer With a traditional bow, I have to pour arrow's visualized trajectory. She kept without ever having to patronize myself into every shot to shoot at all

looking back nervously. I waited. agribusiness. But I feel an inner, driven well. When I fail to do that, my shooting Minutes passed. She turned and went need to earn my sustenance by means fa lls apart. This is as it should be. Every

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90 WWW.TRADBOW.COM true flying shot is a declaration of per­ I had paused to look around before means something different than it used sonal liberty, a refusal to be a corporate taking a few more steps when I heard to. It means sustaining our inner wild­ drone as well as an affirmation of my sticks and leaves crunching. At the ness with work and ceremony, fe eding it ability to summon the best fr om myself same time, I saw two does running with with real meat and nurturing it wi h I wanted blood. I wanted fresh their tails down. They slowed to a trot heartfelt reverence. steaks and a hide to tan. All I wished for and paused 75 yards away. A six-point The weekend after fall archery sea­ was to hunt more, harder and better. buck came running straight toward me son ended, I was having lunch in a blind Many archers ask plaintively, with his nose to the ground. He went by made of sticks in a passageway through "Where do you draw the line?" ... as if to at a slow trot 15 yards away, paused the cliffs when movement flickered in throw their hands up in surrender to momentarily at 20 yards partially my peripheral vision. A grouse came the futility of making a fine-tuned, obscured by brush and then ran off in walking up the deer trail. I slipped an abstract moral judgment equivalent to pursuit of the does. arrow on the string and rose slowly to a the medieval debate about how many While it's spiritually and psychologi­ crouch as I drew the bow. The bird's angels can dance on the head of a pin. cally healthy to hunt in the here and flush was simultaneous with my You don't have to draw the line-it's now, to be oriented to process rather release. The arrow flew so closely already there and it's not that hard to than product, there is no ethical high beneath that my fletching seemed to see. When the criteria fo r when to shoot ground to be found in the substitution tickle its fe et. The shot transformed become definable in objective, measura­ of agribusiness fo r venison. The meat concentration into excitement. My ble terms (i.e. a matter of aligning the matters. It is the umbilical cord that heart was racing. sights and pulling the trigger) some­ connects the hunter to Mother Earth. In our not so distant past, we went to thing vital has been lost. You have I saw the two does 25 yards away at the sweat lodge to purify and prepare stepped out of the wildness of the the same time they saw the quick move­ ourselves for the hunt. Now the hunt is hunter's heart into the terrible tame­ ment I made when my fo ot slipped on a our sweat lodge. ness of corporate industry. wet stick beneath the leaves. I froze. Voluntarily setting limits to the They hadn't clearly identified me so, Reg Darling and his wife Te rry live in application of technology to the hunt is instead of running, they angled away at Wa rren, PA , on the edge of the Allegheny neither a noble moral restraint nor a a brisk, stiff-legged walk. The larger of National Forest. Reg aspires to take deeply sentimental allegiance to tradi­ the two seemed curious. She paused at Thoreau's old job as "self-appointed tion. Added mechanical efficiency 35 yards, turned, looked my way intent­ inspector of snow storms". He roams the beyond the traditional bow brings an ly and took a couple of steps closer. fo rest year around with his bow, journal across-the-board reduction in the inten­ Then the wind shifted and they fled in and watercolors. In the fa ll, he switches sity of every aspect of the hunting expe­ high, graceful bounds. fr om Judo points to broadheads. rience felt in the heart, gut, and mind. The longest string of deer-less days Winter, spring and summer passed of my 42- year hunting career followed. and a new season arrived. I was shoot­ If you're going to hunt, hunt hard ing better than I had in years. For the and well. Not that long ago, an unsuc­ first time in longer than I care to admit, cessful hunter was one who didn't make

I felt that a deer crossing into a 20-yard it until spring. We mustn't fo rget that Coli to order radius was doomed. we stand collectively in the first big 1.866.674.0538

In the last hour of shooting light on blizzard of a long winter fo r the soul. • opening day, I was hidden in a blind The future survival of the wild truth in Collectible Lewis & Clark made of on-site natural materials near our hearts, as well as the wildness of Cast Iron Bean Pot the aged apple trees of a long-aban­ our land, is more tenuous now than doned farmstead. Fallen leaves rustled ever before. Hunting hard and well in the distinct cadence of approaching deer. Snorting, the sound of fleeing fo ot­ (30' Arrow 54# Brown Recluse) falls-what happened? The wind was in BROWN my fa ce. I'll never know-another RECLUSE hunter, a bear perhaps.... The issue is a matter of quality of BOWS life, of the best way to live and feel and ARE ALIVEAND WELL NEW OWNER AND eat, of living fully here on the Allegheny BOWYER Each of the 2.006 pieces features an embossed Plateau in the dawn of the 21st century. TOM CURTIS tag, individually numbered to commemorate the 200·year anniversary of the historic expedition. It's not a willingness to sacrifice the 153 i';lrl-wood Drive Royal Palm Beach Bean probability of success, but rather of 5 1/2 qt. Pot Regular: S99-9-9 Florida 3341 1 diameter at the Pre-order Now! 9" being unwilling to settle fo r less than (561) 798·8858 top narrowing to 0 at the bottom. N L Y $ 6999 the fullest possible enjoyment of the FORMERLY­ 7" E.T. WlLLIAMS hunt. TRADITIONAL OutdoorCooking.com/beanpot ARCHERY

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92 WWW.TRADBOW.COM he Dom inant Eye and the Instinctive Shooter

By G. Fred Asbell Photos by Candace Yo ung

lthough often overlooked, the importance of the dominant eye can't be over-emphasized. It's Abasic to instinctive shooting and with­ out consideration of it your arrows will end up all over the countryside. It gets swept under the rug by far too many bow shooters and too many bow shoot­ ing authorities. I want to talk about the dominant eye, but I need to lay out a lit­ tle background first. When shooting instinctively, the abil­ ity that you and I have to simply point our bow hand at what we want to hit and have the arrow fly to that spot is based on hand and eye coordination. Hand and eye coordination is the abili­ ty of the hand and the eye to work together-to cooperate. Everyone has that ability, whether you're a construc­ tion worker driving nails, or a house­ wife fe eding her baby. Your hands and your eye are working together continu­ ally. Shooting the bow instinctively is totally a product of that ability. It's one of the wonderful gifts that the good Lord gave each of us. Whatever our eye looks at, the hands, without conscious Shooting "cross-dominant" is very much like this photo. The arrow is effort by us, can reach out, touch, or anchored under a "non-working" eye (closed fo r illustration purposes) point to, that place ...be it the head of a and the opposing eye is doing the aiming. nail, the mouth of a baby, or the point­ ing of the bow. It's as simple as any­ both eyes open because it allows you to the more accurate you become. thing can be, and it works wonderfu lly see completely, but mainly because it is The eye looks and the hand points. without our consciously having to think imperative for judging distance and it And the arrow is right there being through the process. improves depth perception. And even pointed because it is al).extension of the In bow shooting, we use that hand­ though the shooter does not consciously plane between the two points. Right­ eye coordinative skill by looking at a think about yardage, the computer handed people typically shoot right­ target and allowing our hand to point between your ears ... utilizing your eyes, handed. Left-handed people usually the arrow there. That really is all that's learns to automatically adjust the ele­ shoot with their left hand. The right­ involved. A deer comes near, and all you vation of the bow hand for distance. handed shooter holds the bow in the left have to do is concentrate on that good That's how instinctive shooting works. hand, draws the bow with their right place behind the front leg, and draw And the more of it you do, the better you hand, to a place near or under the right and shoot. Dead deer. Both eyes remain get at it. Just like throwing baseballs eye, and the left-handed shooter draws open in instinctive shooting. You keep and fo otballs; the more you practice it, it to the left eye. We shoot in this man-

Tr aditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 93 er because right-handed people typi­ dominant eye, or master eye as it is are shooting right-handed, which cally have a dominant right eye, and sometimes called, is your strongest eye, means you are bringing the arrow back Ie -handed people a dominant left eye. and it controls the aiming... and is real­ under your right eye ...but your right Your dominant eye should be/must ly the controlling eye in all visual situa­ eye is not your dominant eye ...your left be the controlling factor in your shoot­ tions. eye (in this case) is your dominant eye. ing. And it is... but it happens for most of Sometimes a right-handed person MAJOR PROBLEM! When this hap­ us just simply because we ARE right­ has a left dominant eye, or a left-hand­ pens, problems with accuracy immedi­ handed, or left-handed. However. ..a dif­ ed person turns out to have a right dom­ ately surface ...to the point that adjust­ fe rent set of circumstances exists when inate eye. What this means is that the ments must be made. your right-hand / left-hand predomi­ arrow is not being drawn to the domi­ If your shooting hand and your nance (which you'ue had all your life) nant eye (which is your eye that does shooting eye do not match up, you are does not match your dominant eye. The the aiming.) Let me say it again... you shooting completely out-of-kilter. The bow and arrow, in combination, need to be lined up and pointed toward where you are looking. If you are pointing your Bingham Projects Inc. 1 :\ bow with your right hand and drawing the arrow under the wrong eye, it's the Clearly the�( �� equivalent of drawing the arrow (anchoring if you will) to the opposite

. side of your face ...or turning loose of it Bowy� r's _" __ . >_ When you insist on quality bow making materials 12 inches off the side of your face. Come such as clear glass,riser woods, phenolic, W� • to full draw with your bow... and then and glass accent strips, limb core laminatl9f!s;',v . in parallels and tapers ground to your specs;' close the eye that you are anchored limb locking hardware, epoxies and anything under. That puts the opposite else you might want or need, your search stops here. eye... away from the arrow... directing Over 40 years in serving bowyers throughout the world the shot. That's what you're doing. has taught us what every bowyer wants: Quality without What it amounts to is that you are delay . This is what we are and what we do best ... doing it all wrong. And you need to cor­ QUANTITY rect it. � GLAss PRICING I can not recall ever having taught a Send $3 for our currentcatalog j i n ham class on instinctive shooting when there 1l5l.0JECTS._ 1 350 Hnddey Orwe. Oept.TB2 -F' �CH'.V T_ • wasn't at least one person in the class Ogden. UT 8440 1-3375 • • 3470 24-Hour FAX(80 1) 399·3471 ..-:.---- S'oc. 1958 (SOl)399- AliA shooting, what I call, "cross domi­ VISIt us at www.binghamprojectscom .....- A •• 0 C I A T ION USPS. UPS. C.O. D. ORDERS MlIM. nant"... shooting right-handed with a dominant left eye, or shooting left­ handed with a dominant right eye. Fred Eichler with There are many people who have an eye his P & Y Whitetail dominance problem. Many because they trophy hog and were born that way, almost as many because someplace along the line they Palmer recurve (t�oo switched hands, or because when they began shooting it seemed more natural Palmer Bow Co. BOWHUNTIN5 to put the bow in this, or that hand. It's palmerbows, com a fairly wide spread problem actually. Custom Recurves firslpdntbaHhunting.com And ... there are many, many peo­ I Trophy whitetails ple who are shooting "cross domi­ Spring turkey nant" and do not realize it. Hogs and javelina If you are having trouble developing Texas hunting at It's best the consistent accuracy you see others enjoying, you might want to check your dominant eye. There are many tests fo r determining which is your dominant eye. The best, most consistent, test I know is to push a pencil through the middle of a blank sheet of l/2" 8 x II" paper, making a small 114" hole. Keeping both eyes open, grasp the paper by the edges and hold it at arms

9 WWW.TRADBOW.COM Us ing a sheet ofpaper with a small hole in the middle is a good way to test fo r dominant eye.

difficult. Mostly because shooting cross dominant throws in an uncontrollable fa ctor that has a mind of it's own. The dominant eye ...that is not the eye you are using for aiming, in this case ...takes over on a given shot and the arrow flies wide of the mark. And, for the most part, you don't know when it's going to happen. Often it's when you're under a lot of pressure ...like in a hunting situa­ tion, or a competitive situation. Baapp!. .. the arrow goes two feet to the left. The dominant eye has shot the shot . .instead of the opposing eye which you're trying to make work. It's called "dominant, or master" eye because it IS dominant or master... and because it is the strongest. Which means that it's going to keep trying to take charge ...probably all your shooting life. Think about this aspect of it; all the other things you do each day are being controlled by your dominant eye ...except shooting a bow... so your length out in fr ont of your face. Locate argument the most. You CAN develop dominant eye is not going to switch over something fixed on the wall (light some level of accuracy shooting cross (as some archery writers used to write switch, etc) by looking through the hole. dominant ...ju st as you CAN develop that it would with use). Beginning with the paper at arm's accuracy half-drawing a bow, or anchor­ People who are in a cross dominant length, both eyes open, slowly bring the ing at your navel. But it's not going to situation often begin closing one eye paper back to touch the nose, keeping work very well, and it's going to be when they shoot, as a solution. And that the fixed obj ect in the middle of the hole much more difficult ... considerably more does, fo r the most part, solve the prob- all the time. You will bring the hole to your dominant eye, every time. It is very important to know which eye is your dominant eye. Without question, WYANDOTTE use of the dominant eye is key to shoot­ ing accuracy. If you are a beginning '1\TRAD ITIONAL I#!I shooter, or your spouse or child is new to shooting, be sure you establish eye dominance before you ever begin the Available Kit Form Only shooting process. 1/ IF YO U HAVE A DOMINANT Dealer Inquiries LEFT EYE, YOU NEED TO BE SHOOTING LEFT-HANDED. AND Invited IF YOU HAVE A DOMINANT RIGHT EYE, YOU SHOULD BE SHOOTING RIGHT HANDED. FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: There ... I've said it. Argue if you wish. WYANDOTTE LEATHER, INC. Ignore it if you want. And many people 1811 Sixth Street will do both. And many will say that it Wyandotte, MI 48192 doesn't make any difference. And some (734) 282-3403 will say that you can learn to shoot Fax # (734) 282-3621 accurately shooting cross dominant ...and I've probably heard this

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 lem of a flip-flopping eye. But you can't target ...but if I'm not practicing every is to illustrate that (1) if you're going to shoot instinctively and close one eye. day, there's no point in my going out try to shoot cross dominant it's going to Both eyes must remain open to judge there because unless I'm having a per­ take way, way more continuous practice distance and allow concentration on the fe ct day that old dominant eye will pop than the average bow hunter may want target. Closing one eye fo cuses the up 2 or 3 times a day, and you can't drop to commit to (and the first time you vision on the arrow shaft and typically that many arrows and win in this stuff. " slow down that dominant eye is waiting leads to a point-of-aim shooting This is a person who has shot a bow to take over and kick your tail...and method. Which isn't WRONG, it's just competitively fo r many years, and has you're going to miss some shots that are not, in my mind, the best way to shoot a probably shot a billion arrows ... and going to make you want to break your hunting bow... nor is it the way I teach they have to shoot continually to make bow) and (2) by switching over you're people to shoot. So .. .I don't consider it a up for their decision to shoot cross dom­ probably going to shoot better than you viable alternative. inant. ever have before. In my estimation, switching (And I have no idea why they would I would always suggest to anyone shooting hands is the only solution continue to shoot in that manner, when who is shooting cross dominant that to the problem. If you're shooting they, of all people, know exactly the they switch shooting hands, and match right-handed and have a dominant complications it conjures up.) up their hand with their eye ... and I left eye, you need to switch over Another fe lla I met claimed to have would suggest it if you've been shooting and begin shooting left-handed. shot a bow cross dominant fo r 35 years, that way fo r 20 years. Switching is During a conversation with a very and in that time had won several club always the best solution.... serious competitive shooter I inquired championships, and a 3D shoot or And I know that this is NOT what as to why they weren't competing as two ...but that his shooting had never any of you cross dominant shooters much as they had in previous years. been consistent. I talked him into want to hear. Yo u're hoping there's "Not enough time to practice as much switching after he accidentally revealed another solution I know. But, alas, there as I have to ..." they said. And then they his cross dominant shooting. He didn't is not. went on to say that they shot right­ want to, but agreed to try. He told me THE FACTS ARE CLEAR, UNTIL handed, but had a dominant left eye. that within 3 weeks he was shooting YOU MATCH UP YOUR SHOOTING

"I've been able to make it work pretty better than he had ever shot in the pre­ HANDYOUR AND DOMINANT EYE, good when I practice continually... every vious 35 years. YOU WILL NEVER REACH YOUR now and then it'll send an arrow off the My point in telling you these stories FULL SHOOTING POTENTIAL.

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96 WWW.TRADBOW.COM "I've been shooting right-handed for just the bicep, when you're trying to were shooting left-handed, now you are 20 years. I paid $500.00 for this bow pull a bow that fe els heavy, with a hand shooting right-handed. And you want last year... and I can't affo rd to switch that you're not accustomed to using. this to begin happening automatically. everything over to left-handed." Or ..."1 Sometimes the next stage, finding a You want to get past "whoops ... picked can't even pick my nose left handed. bow in light enough poundage fo r your that up with the wrong hand. I'm shoot­ There's no way I can switch ..." Or beginning shooting, is the hardest part, ing left-handed now... gotta remember maybe ..."No, No, No . . .! ain't switching but the internet has simplified that a that." over ..." great deal. I don't know that I'd go out Right now it probably seems like a Well, it's a decision a fe lla has to and buy a new expensive bow just yet. very difficult decision to make. But I make, one way or the other. As I said, no You want to begin with something light­ guarantee you that as soon as you get the one wants to change over... But, let me weight...probably lighter than you will correct bow in your hand and that arrow add that in all the years I've been want to shoot later on. Look around. back under your "true" dominant eye, you involved in this shooting thing, I've Ask around. Yo u can find a lightweight are halfway there. Better, more consis­ never known anyone who did switch to bow to help you with your change. Swap tent, more accurate shooting is at hand. say anything other than it was the right meets, garage sales, eBay, someone in decision, and that they shoot fa r better your archery club, etc ....someone has a Fred Asbell lives in rural Michigan than ever before. bow you can borrow or buy cheaply. with his wife, Te resa, where he spends If you decide you're gonna try Keep pulling your regular bow with most of his waking hours contemplating switching hands, start right now, today, your new drawing hand. It gets easier. the mechanics of shooting a bow. pulling your bow with the other hand. Learning how to handle the arrow In other words begin pulling your right­ with a new hand is a task too. But handed bow with your left hand, and everyone says that works its way out vice-versa. Most people never pull their quickly enough. Stay close and shoot as bow with the other hand (which you many arrows as your body will allow. I'd should be doing fo r physical therapy avoid going to a 3D range if I were you. anyway)and it's gonna fe el pretty stout, For a very short while this will be and you'll probably be pretty uncoordi­ almost like starting all over ... but it'll THE GFA QUIVER nated at it for a while. It'll fe el different, move a lot fa ster and your skill levels FlELD TESTED FOR but most people begin getting a fe el for will improve quickly. 25+YEARS it quickly. Pull your existing bow off and Shoot as much and as often as you NOW AVALLABLE on each day. Work at getting it to fu ll can. What you want to accomplish is $49,95 plus S&H draw. Be cognizant of getting the elbow getting yourself mentally and physical­ on your drawing arm back and in line ly moving in this different direction. with your shoulder. There's a tendency Yo u were shooting right-handed, now to drop the elbow down and pull with you are shooting left-handed. Or, you

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Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 97 By Duncan Pledger

e'd had some wet weather last fa ll, so I wasn't sur­ confident. I've brought along my special "duck arrows" too. prised when my neighbor called to tell me about They have wire loops around the tip and are supposed to the ducks. There was standing water in the corn­ break a bird's neck with a head shot. I think that they're Wfield, he told me, and some of the flocks that hang out over on actually intended for airborne shooting, but they should Lake Koshkonong had moved right in. Last evening, they work on the ground, too. were really making a din, and he saw hundreds of them take The quackers are making such a racket as they enj oy off from the field at sunset. their bed and breakfast that they're unaware of my stealthy "Why don't you bring along your· shotgun and swat a few approach. As I close the distance, the stalks thin ahead before you go out to your deer stand tonight?" he suggested. where a large puddle has formed, and I get my first glimpse Using the artillery, however, didn't quite seem quite of the greenhead gathering: dozens of mallards paddling right. I preferred to slip into the corn with my bow and sneak around as they work the corn. The last time I saw this many down the rows until I was within shooting distance offeeding ducks in one place was at the park. birds. Then, I reasoned with brimming optimism, I could My window to the show, however, is only the width of a silently pick them off one at a time. And even if one bunch corn row wide, presenting the problem of not having much wised up to what was going on, without the report of a gun room to lead a bird as it paddles by. To complicate matters, the others spread out around the field would probably stay the oversized head of my arrow distracts my eye as I draw. put. A set-up like this for bagging a duck with a bow doesn't I've never practiced with these arrows, of course, so I'm not come along very often. For that night at least, deer hunting sure where they'll hit compared to my broadheads. Too bad I would go on the back burner. didn't think of that earlier! I'll have to assume that they'll go The plot unfolds according to plan. I enter the field and where I am aiming and see what happens. work my way toward the closest concentration of quacking. I learn in a hurry. A big drake comes cruising along and My camo blends in perfectly with the stalks and I'm fe eling I release just ahead of him. The lead looks good, but the arrow flies low, hitting the water with a tremendous splash and spraying the startled target with water. Pandemonium How to stay warm comfortable reigns as scores of greenheads take to the air, quacking with & alarm. The flock circles once and then disappears fr om view. when it's cold & wet But as I work my way over to the opening to retrieve my arrow, I spot movement a couple of rows beyond. It looks as Thermal Undergarments & Socks if at least one duck decided to keep fe eding in spite of the

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98 WWW.TRADBOW.COM t a certain place high in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming, beings of stone rise above the fo rest and stand as if to guard against discovery. To human ears they are silent, to human eyes unmoving. A purely rational mind would probably see a square mile of uneven mountaintop plateau, covered with pine for­ est and a scattering of rock outcroppings the size of houses and downtown office buildings. However, indigenous peoples or moderns carrying sim­ ple longbows might see differently. Those who hunt with basic bow and arrow must of necessity learn to see patterns in nature. And these rocks present such a pattern, their arrangement anything but random as if deliberately assem­ bled to protect this secret location. The towering stones stand at the confluence of moun­ tain watersheds, the topography a barrier to most human intruders. Trickles of water, the beginnings of real rivers, seep fr om the base of the stone and flow into a network of miniature ditches. Each tiny ditch joins with another until, like the tip-top branches of a tree seeking the trunk, they combine and grow larger. The trickles become rivulets, merg­ ing into boulder-strewn streams, eventually rushing and fa lling into carved canyons and impassable gorges. Yet somehow after a day of hard hiking and climbing using our hands to scale the steepest slopes, Vilas and I had fo und this guarded place. Perhaps the stones granted us entry because our pas­ sage occurred naturally, without disturbance. We traveled silently, as longbowmen have traveled fo r countless genera­ tions, hunting. Our ears remained attuned the distant squeal of a rut-driven bull elk or his soft warning cough

The Gift By Lon Sharp telling us this mountain belonged to him. "Yes," I responded, equally awed. "Let's climb the biggest We knew mid-September bulls would be scattered rock and see what we can see." across this expanse of mountains and that just to encounter From the top, we looked down on the uppermost tips of one or two in a day of hard hunting and long miles would the tallest trees two hundred fe et below. Looking outward make the hunt successful. We had heard a single, distant we saw the curved blue horizon to the east, north and south bugle shortly after sunrise and now, hours later, that sound and stood enthralled with the perfect vista. Improbably, the had receded to faint memory, like a dream of bird song or the air felt absolutely still. The peeping of nuthatches rose far scent of a long ago lover. down in the timber, as if they were only a few yards away. We It was already afternoon when we crossed through the heard the hollow thunks of squirrel-dropped pinecones as shadow of the first stone figures. We quickly sensed the loom­ they bounced off downed logs on a distant hillside. ing presence of those timeless beings. We stopped and stared "Somewhere down there," we reasoned, "is a sleepy bull around, hoping we might have entered the hidden lair of a big elk. Eventually he'll stir and make some sound. In these bull elk. We climbed the fe et of one ofthe rocks, the gain in ele­ conditions his voice will carry and we should hear him." vation giving us a better sense of the mountain's contours. We agreed upon a plan. Instead of more hard hiking, we Vilas stood motionless, surveying the arrangement of would wait. stone outcroppings. "This place fe els like magic," he whis­ The yellow afternoon sun glowed warm and soothing. pered. "What a vantage point!" We removed daypacks and jackets and settled back, using

Tr aditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 99 our gear as back and head rests, fa cing in different direc­ The meeting became the fu lfillment of their entire season's tions so we could hear better. We relaxed and waited, shar­ worth of biological destiny. In the still the evening air, their ing a bit of jerky and a candy bar as we snoozed and listened. bugling reached a frenzied cacophony. When the sun's descent steepened toward the horizon, I Vilas, longbow in hand, slipped off our stone tower and pulled my elk call fr om the daypack, lifted the call to my into the woods while I stayed and tracked the location of the mouth, and aimed the tube at a rock fa ce to amplify the bulls. First I saw a big 6X6, then a wide 5X5 and once three sound. I blew a high, piercing note. A distant canyon wall smaller bulls moving together through the valley below. threw back the faint replica echo. The purity of the sound The sun hung suspended on the edge of the earth, back­ made me smile. Again, I repeated the bugle and heard the lighting the jagged outlines of the forested mountain range echo. Then after a moments delay a second shrill note drift­ and making them shimmer with enchantment. No fewer ed back from a distant drainage: an elk! than seven and possibly nine adult bulls were challenging Wide-eyed and happy, we hurriedly began packing and each other in an area the size of two city blocks. organizing our hunting gear. "We have a bull to pursue," I Vilas ghosted into position and, within the span of a few said. "Let's go." minutes, maneuvered himself within 20 paces of three sepa­ In the midst of our sudden, mad scramble to go after the rate bulls. Each encounter ended in stare down and an elk, Vilas unexpectedly stopped. "Wait," he said. "That adrenalin bath fo r the hunter! I watched the drama unfold response was from more than a mile away. If we go back fr om my overhead vantage, feeling giddy and light-headed down into the timber, we'll never hear that elk again." with emotion. His logic was irrefutable. Besides, a good hour or more of The finale for the wild spectacle came just as darkness light remained, giving us time to try another strategy. "Okay," began settling into the canyons. From fa r to the east the I said. "If the bull will keep talking, we'll try to draw him clos­ fa int bellowing of a bull, sounding like the fury of a wound­ er. Once we have him pinpointed, we bail fr om the rock and go ed grizzly bear, grew louder and louder and finally entered for him. Of course, if we get lucky, he comes to us instead." the arena of the challengers below our host rock. Never had So, I bugled and he answered, over and over again. I heard a bugle with such a deep, growling, reverberating Gradually, his calls sounded nearer and we shivered with resonance! As he neared the other bulls, each in turn altered anticipation. Then, fr om a new direction came the angry the pitch of his bugle to a submissive squeal until they all scream of another bull responding to the vocal duel between gave way and the forest became dark and silent. my call and the first elk. His squeal ended with a hoarse, A few minutes later, Vilas and I met at the base of the throaty bellow fo llowed by a cascading series of diminishing rock. We tried to compare impressions, but fo und a shortage grunts. He was signaling his ownership of this portion of of words to describe what had happened. We waited in the mountain and clearly intended to assert his dominance. blackness fo r the moon to rise high enough above the forest I howled on the bugle with as much volume as I could canopy to provide navigation light. It would be hours before muster and the two bulls kept responding, both to me and to we fo und our bedrolls, and sleep would come slowly. each other. We talked quietly of the events, agreeing that the rocks Then, from another canyon in a new direction, came the seemed like ancient stone beings, powerful and alive. mark­ sounds of another bull ...then another and another. The ing a supernatural place. Although we hadn't killed an elk, ruckus of the multiple wild bugles had triggered the hor­ they had given us as hunters an even greater gift: an expe­ mone-driven switches in the brains of more bull elk, more rience that would change us fo rever. bulls than we could have believed inhabited this single mountain. A postal worker fr om South Dakota, Lon Sharp pursues Our host rock, as the hub of multiple drainages, had pubic land elk somewhere in the Rockies every Septembel: become the epicenter of eerie events unfolding, a conver­ During the off-season, he reads, writes and is currently working gence of mature bull elk. Slowly they all drew closer as their on a collection ofpoetr y. His wife, Barbara, condones long hunt- challenges became louder and more insistent, the bulls ing excursions in exchange fo r a stocked freezer. drawn like prairie grouse to the invisible magic of the lek.

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100 WWW.TRADBOW.COM Home Brewing Cover Scents and Scent E•Ilmlnators • By Ron Rohrbaugh

pen almost any bowhunting magazine or web page behind my house, for example. Early in the morning, the air and you'll likely encounter a debate regarding the frequently drains down the slope to the east; mid-morning, merits of cover scents and scent eliminators. Good as the sun heats the ridge top, the air reverses direction and Odebate is often healthy, as it inspires independent research flows upslope to the west; and by late morning, the air is and product development. Experience tells me that my own often moving southeast or northwest with the prevailing human scent is my biggest enemy when hunting whitetail wind direction. These changes can take place within a few deer or other animals with keen olfactory abilities. hours, making it difficult to hunt from a single stand site. Of While hunting, I constantly monitor the wind and try to course, switching stands every few hours creates its own set use it to my advantage. But air currents frequently swirl of problems. and sometimes change direction outright. Consider the ridge What can we do when the wind doesn't cooperate? The

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 101 •• HABU

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logical solution is to eliminate your human odor, but that's easier said than done. The odor you give off while skulking through the woods or perched in your favorite tree comes fr om a variety of sources-body odor from bacteria growing on your skin, odor fr om your breath, synthetic and human odors trapped in your clothes, and unnatural odors fr om hunting gear such as quivers and armguards. In short, it's almost impossible to completely eliminate your own odor. This fa ct often ignites debate over the usefulness of odor altering products. Many hunters believe that if they can't eliminate their odor all together, they shouldn't bother try­ ing to reduce it or cover it up-after all, a deer is going to wind me anyway, right? Not necessarily. In part, those hunters are correct. If a deer gets a snoot-full of you. his Weitas Creek Outfitters honed evolutionary response will be to seek escape. The Gary Haight, Owner question is: how close can you get before a wary old buck Trophy Elk smells you and heads for the next county? Drop Camps Available Olfactory acuity functions much the same way as visual Spring Bear Hunting acuity. To see a distant object, it has to be large; to see a Cougar Hunting « (H small object, you have to get close. Similarly, you can detect Traditional Bowhunters are our Specialty a very smelly object at long ranges, but you have to get close References Available to smell something with only slight odor. Try it. Put out one open can of tuna in the yard and see how far away you can Route 2, Box 44 Bus 208.983.9267 Kamiah, ID 83536 Toll Free 888.983.9378 smell it fr om downwind. Now put out 10 cans and try it ...you [email protected] www.idahooutfitter.com get the idea. The less foreign odor you're putting off, the clos­ er an animal has to be before detecting you. Cover scents and sent eliminators can help you get into shooting range

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102 WWW.TRADBOW.COM Home-Brewed Cover Scent

Making home-brewed cover scent has become an early autumn ritual fo r me. The principal is to extract and con­ centrate natural, scent-producing compounds fr om local plants so they can be applied to mask human odor. Begin by collecting cuttings from plant species representative of your hunting area. I often combine plant collecting with a scout­ ing trip, ensuring that the plants I'm collecting actually occur in the area I plan to hunt. Foreign smells-such as those created by plants that occur naturally but not in your hunting area-may alarm deer. It doesn't do any good to include extremely aromatic plants such as eastern red cedar if the area you'll be hunting contains no cedar trees. Try to select species from your hunting area that are aromatic. Examples fr om the East and Midwest include sassafras, spice bush, aspen, cherry, walnut, cedar, pine, spruce, and fir. If aromatic plants aren't available, common trees such as After filling the pot with cuttings, cover with maple, ash, oak, hickory, and beech will also work. Be sure to unchlorinated water and steep fo r ten minutes, or include lots of common herbaceous plants such as asters, until water turns a deep yellow or brown color. golden rod and fe rns. I typically cut enough vegetation to fill a couple of plastic grocery bags. I use anvil-type pruners to when making that final stalk or rattling in that big buck. snip off about 12 inches fr om each plant, making sure to Shooting range is largely a function of weapon choice. If you include both the woody stem and the leaves. are using a firearm with an effective range of more than 100 Once home, place the plants in a 12-quart stock pot (or yards, scent reduction may not be all that important. something similar) and cover with un-chlorinated water­ However, if you're trying to get inside 20 yards with a stick­ usually about two to two-and-a-half gallons. Cover the pot bow, scent is a major concern. and place it on the kitchen stove or outside on a camp stove. I've used several effective commercial products fo r cov­ Heat the water almost to the boiling point and hold it there ering up and eliminating human scent. However being a do­ fo r about 10 minutes. Then turn the heat off and let the cov­ it-yourselfer, I've come up with a couple of home-brew ered pot stand until the water is cool. Essentially, you are recipes that work well, are easy to make, and can be cus­ steeping the plants in much the same way you make tea. The tomized to match your hunting environment. hot water leaches the aromatic compounds fr om the plants and suspends them in the water. The solution should have a fa irly strong smell of vegetation and will be yellow or brown

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Tr aditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 103 in color. Once the solution has cooled, remove and discard the plant material. Allow the mixture to sit for about 15 minutes so the leftover particles fall to the bottom. Pour the cover scent into glass or plastic containers and refriger­ ate. Before filling them, put a few drops of scent-free liquid soap in each con­ tainer. The soap will help the cover scent adhere to surfaces when it's sprayed. If kept refrigerated, the cover scent will last several months or more. Simply pour it into a pump spray bottle and apply to clothes and hunting gear.

Home-Brewed Scent Eliminator

This stuff is easy to make and works great! I've even used it to placate my wife when our Lab pup decides to stink To make scent eliminator, mix hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and up the house in a spot or two. Here are unscented soap with distilled water and apply with a sp ray bottle or the ingredients: paper towel. 16 ounces 3% Hydrogen Peroxide * (from pharmacy/grocery store) tly to dissolve the soap without causing Cut a roll of heavy-duty paper towels 16 ounces distilled water (from gro­ too much sudsing. Pour the liquid into a in half using a sharp, serrated knife, * cery store) pump spray bottle to apply to skin, leaving two short rolls. Pull the card­ 1I4-cup baking soda clothing, and hunting gear. board tubes out of the rolls. Place one of * 1 ounce unscented liquid soap This stuff is good for a quick "towel the rolls in a sealable plastic container * bath" when you aren't able to shower and pour in enough scent eliminator to Mix all the ingredients except the before hunting. I often hunt immediate­ saturate the towels. Pull towels from soap in a one-gallon plastic jug. Shake ly after work and don't have time to get the middle of the roll like a box of tis­ well to dissolve the baking soda. Allow a shower. Here's a trick I learned that sues. These scent eliminator wipes are the mixture to settle for a few minutes makes towel baths a little more conven­ great for swabbing yourself down while and then add the liquid soap. Mix gen- ient. changing into your hunting clothes. Making your own scent altering potions is fun and effecti\"e. It's also a PINE HOLLOW LONGBOWS, Inc. great way to learn the plants in your � l> hunting area. Cover scents and scent Primitive Archery Supplies - bow Specializing in quality air-dried snake skins and staves eliminators, whether store-bought or Snake Skins Offered homemade, aren't magic bullets and - Western Diamond Backs $40 they are useless if you don't take the Prairie Rattler, Brazos River Snake, time to keep your body, clothing, and Bull Snake, Texas and Emery equipment clean and odor free. But if Rat Snake - $45 Python - $60 Mike Ya ncey you're looking to add a new dimension 3020 Pine Hollow Road to your hunting, save a fe w dollars, and Van Buren, AR 72956 479-474-3800 improve your odds of filling a tag, give www.pinehollowlongbows.com home brewing scents a try. Prices do not include shipping- & handling VISA/MasterCard Accepted A fu ll-time wildlife biologist and part time outdoor writer, Ron Rohrbaugh lives in upstate New Yo rk.

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104 WWW.TRADBOW.COM t my age, there isn't much my difference between men and boys is the wife can buy me for Christmas price of their toys" rings true. Since we that doesn't cost an arm and can't afford the arm, let alone both legs, Aboth legs. I suppose the adage that "the coming up with a Christmas wish list

Coming to terms with life, mortality and what is really important in life

By Jerry Gowins Jr.

Trad itional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 105 has posed a bit of a dilemma for the past fe w years in the Gowins house­ hold. I've received enough books, fe ath­ er choppers, and broadheads over the last fe w Christmases to last me several more years, especially at the rate at which I actually use a broadhead. Thank God I don't wear ties. Perhaps it's because I'm getting older (even though 50's not that old), but lately the toys don't seem near as important to me as experiences. That's why this year's Christmas list is com­ prised of just three words: More time afield. Not just more time, but a com­ mitment to savor each moment of that time spent in the fo rests and fields with bow and/or camera in hand. "Just what is it," my wife will ask upon viewing the list, "that you like so much about being in the woods?" That's a great question. It's easy to say I love spending time in the woods, but what exactly are the reasons I love being out and about in God's creation so much? I pondered that fo r a while, and started writing down my thoughts. This is by no means a complete list, but I'm sure that many of the things I'm about to list will strike a similar chord with you. "Sit down," I'll tell her, "this may take a while."

I love the freedom from society that being in the woods affords; knowing the only decisions I have to make today are based on where I want to go and what I want to hunt, fish for, or photograph. Decisions that I look fo rward to making and am happy to live with should they be wrong ("Dang! If I'd just made it to the wallow an hour earlier ..." ). I love the sweet, musky odor of unseen elk, and a big bull's spine tin­ gling melodic bugle answering my own; a drink from an ice cold spring on a hot September elk hunt (filtered, of course); actually seeing a bull; the haunting call of an owl in the night as I hike back to camp; a cool breeze in my face; the hyp­ notic gurgling of a nearby mountain stream as I lie in my tent. I love the musty smell of the Autumn forest soil, especially after the first cleansing rain; the wind singing through the tree tops as I sit to eat my lunch; the sound of a flu-flu on its way

106 WWW.TRADBOW.COM "[ love... cam pfires. Sharing the last flickering flames with fr iends before turning in, wonder­ ing what the next day's hunt will bring.

to the grouse's perch (okay, under the grouse's perch); the honking of Canada geese as they fly low overhead in the in, wondering what the next day's hunt caused by the crunching leaves of an golden rays of a late afternoon sun; the will bring. approaching buck, then seeing he's a slurp of a trout sucking my dry fly off Watching wildlife unaware of my "shooter." the surface and the ensuing battle. presence; having small birds perch and The sound of sharpened steel meet­ Finding treasures such as shed sing just a fe et away fr om my stand; ing flesh; the exhilaration at the end of antlers and turkey fe athers; steaming hearing coyotes announce that the hunt the blood trail; the fe el of hard antler fr esh elk spoor; the sheer magnificence is on; the sheer beauty of wood ducks, and warm hide; the hefty weight of a of the myriad of colors in the changing widgeons or pintails; any creature in buck in the game cart. leaves of the season; a high mountain my camera's viewfinder; the eerie call of I love all those things, and more. I'm rainbow after the storm. a loon. sure if I'd kept a journal of every day I The welcome thump of my favorite I love a clear, frosty morning that hunted or photographed over that last longbow as I send a fe athered shaft on creates high expectations; mist hover­ 25 years I could fill the pages of this its way; the satisfaction of hitting the ing above the creek as the rising sun magazine with stories, dramas, and exact leaf chosen ...the sweet fr agrance warms the frigid air; the beautiful sight experiences. Sadly, I didn't. But I intend of a broken cedar arrow when the and sound of lightly falling snow. to fr om here on out. And, since turning intended target is a lot harder than it The anticipation of a buck coming to 50 my mortality is starting to stare me looked. the sounds of my antler rattling; finish­ straight in the eye. Quite fr ankly, it's a Campfires. Sharing the last flicker­ ing a rattling sequence without smack­ little frightening. I fe el a very strong ing flames with friends before turning ing a thumb; the adrenaline rush need to really savor every minute in the woods. Go fo r the gusto. And thank my God for all of it. Dr Saxton Pope wrote, "In the joy of hunting is intimately woven the love of the great outdoors. The beauty ofthe woods, valleys, moun­ tains, and the skies fe ed the soul of the sportsman where the quest of game only whets his appetite ..." It's time to fe ed my soul. I know my wife loves me and will do her best to understand. Besides, giving me ·a tie is not an option.

Jerry Gowins, Jr. resides in Eugene, Oregon, where he bowhunt s fo r blacktail deer and spends the rest of time juggling his addiction to photography and his real job.

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 107 u f t s ron o ti By Guy Pe rkins

was sitting in the board meeting of thought was something like, "How does Great Basin of Utah. Colleen has that the International Dutch Oven she even lift a cast iron oven?" She real­ roving spirit about her to this day. She Society about five years ago won­ ly looked to weigh about what a 14 inch can be fo und traveling all over the west­ Idering what I was doing there. IDOS deep oven would fu ll of potatoes. Mt er ern United States peddling cast iron, (idos.com) is all about taking the "mes­ the meeting this lady approached me, cooking wares, and the knowledge of sage and method" of cooking in cast iron handed me one of her cookbooks and their use to those outside the fo ld. to the world. I had been asked to speak thanked me for sharing my opinions. Colleen can stuff more product into a and offe r some ideas on how they might That was my first introduction to Suburban and 12 fo ot enclosed trailer increase membership, listening intently Colleen Sloan. than anyone I've ever seen. I've seen to the discussion hoping I could piece her pull into an event with just enough together an offering. Colleen is on my unique-people-mak­ room for her to drive and for "Lucky" I noticed this little silver haired lady ing-a-diffe rence list. She overflows with the dog to sit. sitting a few places to my left and about a passion for people and teaching them The older I get the bigger boob I a row ahead of me. She was small in to cook out of Dutch ovens. She comes become about driving in bad weather. It stature, about five fe et tall, with little fr om Pioneer stock (no pun intended). isn't so much my driving I worry about, change. The board had thanked her fo r Her ancestors pushed hand carts across but the other drivers who can't seem to a donation of cookbooks. My next the plains westward, and settled in the slow down. Colleen doesn't let driving

108 WWW.TRADBOW.COM left-Colleen instructs guests at me and get me off her back that she will years ago but I remember those first the Traditional Bowhunter Exp o let me. I'd like to see her bench press. bucks I saw in the skyline that morn­ We st in the art of outdoor cooking. I'll bet she can press her weight. ing; their racks seemed to go out fo rev­ in weather bother her and if it did she'd Colleen is a hunter and while her er. When I finally got close enough to never tell you. She can put the postal cooking career has slowed up her actual shoot, my arrow made it about 30 fe et. I service to shame. I'm not sure she has­ hunting, she finds a hunting camp to fe ed was so excited I forgot to draw the bow n't helped Santa finish up where his at least once a year. I think that has to do all the way. All my practice was made deer refused to go. It was about three more with her lure to hunting than the futile because of buck fe ver. My second years ago when we attended job. I'm not exactly sure what Colleen year was better and I shot a doe. Traditional Bowhunter Magazine's thinks about this stick and string crowd, GP: Why didn't you continue to Expo in Ontario, Oregon that I wit­ I've never asked, so maybe I will. bowhunt? nessed just how mentally tough Colleen Colleen: Raising kids and life just kind is. She couldn't leave when I did GP: Colleen, what is your first recollec­ of got in the way. because of other commitments. The tion of cooking? GP: Really. I didn't think anything got weather was nasty while traveling over Colleen: Dad and Mom cooking bacon in your way, Colleen. in the middle of the day. I got a phone and eggs in deer camp using their 15- Colleen: Well, the full truth of the mat­ call fr om her about 5:00 p.m. the day inch cast iron skillet. Then there was ter is my husband didn't offe r to take before the Expo. They had closed the ever famous hot dog wrapped in me any more. I don't know if it was Highway 84 ahead of her, so she pulled bread dough and cheese like a corn dog because l out shot him or got the first off into the only truck stop for the next that we cooked over the fire. deer or what. 100 miles and was cooking dinner fo r GP: You've been helping out at the GP: What do you think about men in some of the stranded truck drivers. She Traditional Bowhunter We st Expo for the kitchen? never even flinched and arrived the about four years now. What do you Colleen: They belong there. When men next day ready to get cooking. I would think about this group that prefers to and women participate in what society have been a puddle of nerves by then. I hunt with a simple stick and string? views as each others roles, they respect was tight as a braced bow's string just Colleen: Bowhunting in this manner is each other more. Cooking is a life skill worrying about her, and I was safe in a a unique talent that people have gotten everyone should know how to do, and it warm motel. Like the iron she teaches away fr om. We all too often forget about makes great roll models for kids. about, she is tough and adaptable. She the traditions and how great they are. GP: How many Dutch ovens do you will often stop by the office just full of Why we want to continue to complicate really have in your garage? good cheer. our lives is beyond me. Colleen: I have 163 or 164, with about "You're headed where?" I'll ask. GP: Have you ever bowhunted? 30 for sale. "Today?" I'll gasp. "Have you seen the Colleen: Two years. My boys made the GP: What is the oldest piece of iron you weather report Colleen?" bows in woodworking class. I believe own? "Yeah, great to get all that moisture," mine was about 40 pounds. This was Colleen: My oldest iron is a 1704 bean she'll say. Then off she goes right into the eye of the storm. Now, you probably don't think that this is really that big of a deal, but what OWL BOWS Unparalleled Excellence I've fa iled to mention is that Colleen is by Artisan Bowyer 65 years young ... and I do mean young! ED SCOTT She tosses that iron around like it is • Self Bows nothing. I get tired just watching her. • Sinew Backed Hunting When I offe r to help it is only to humor Bows (Weatherproof)

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Tr aditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 109 found it most interesting that Sacagawea was their nutrition advisor. She taught them how to add other things to their diet other than meat. One of the highlights of my life has been to walk, canoe, horseback, and drive along the trail and to know what they did for us establishing what we have today. GP: How do you keep going like you do? Colleen: I'm driven by what I haven't done and I love to teach and share. GP: So this concoction you drink, is that fr om the fountain of youth?" Colleen: I'm still looking fo r the foun­ tain ...but this is an old recipe of my grandmother's. I don't remember a lot of sickness growing up and I'm rarely ill so there must be something to the table­ spoon of vinegar and two tablespoons honey in a cup of warm water every morning. One of Colleen's crowd pleasers, orange nut rolls, are allowed to cool GP: What is your favorite Dutch oven before being served to hungry students at another class. meal and why? Colleen: Chicken noodles and pot. It came across the plains with my Colleen: That would be 535. I did dumplings. Why? Because, I'm working ancestors, and I still use it. I have 30 chicken noodles and dumplings. to see if I can get dumplings to levitate pieces of Griswald iron which I cherish GP: So, where did you grow up Colleen? when I take the lid off the pot. Right also. Colleen: I was raised on a farm west of next to that is a good pork loin with lots GP: So why is Grizwald iron so valu­ Tremonton, Utah. Dad farmed and of veggies, oregano and garlic ...heavy on able? Mom cooked in a cafe and helped on the the garlic! Colleen: Grizwald had the first USA farm. My mother and her sisters were GP: What is your favorite non-Dutch patent of Dutch ovens. At one time they where I got my greatest influence for oven meal? produced over 7000 different pieces of cooking. They had a knack fo r fixing Colleen: A good cup of coffee with my cast iron, fr om kids toys to mail boxes. leftovers and it was always done in iron. favorite Dutch oven meal-peanut but­ The Grizwald children decided they GP: Did you really cook fo r Lewis and ter and jelly sandwich with Montana weren't interested in the company so in Clark? huckleberry or gooseberry jam. 1953 the plant closed. Colleen: I wish! I cooked for some of GP: I've notice you use a thing while GP: What is the largest number of peo­ their centennial celebrations along the cooking that looks like a lunar landing ple you've ever cooked for? trail so I'm a big fan . I'd have loved to be module. Tell me about what that is and Colleen: Just over 1800 with ten with them on their Corp of Discovery. why you like it for cooking? helpers. The Lewis and Clark trail is only five Colleen: It is the APS all purpose GP: What about solo ...the biggest num­ hours north of Salt Lake City. I'm sur­ stove. Its simplicity for Dutch oven ber? prised more local people don't visit it. I cooking can't be beat. Using 10-12 char-

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110 WWW.TRADBOW.COM coal briquettes and this stove I can do a rest of your life? ual to my knowledge has traveled far­ complete meal in a 12-inch Dutch oven. Colleen: Teach classes and enj oy my ther or penetrated deeper into the deal­ The way it protects and uses the heat family. er and consumer networks of the West reduces the amount of charcoal you'll GP: How many miles did you log on the to help merchants bring cast iron cook­ use fo r cooking. While the manufactur­ road last year? ing and information to the masses. er doesn't recommend this, I know of Colleen: I drove just over 80,000. When you attend one of Colleen's clinics people who'll have it cooking in the back GP: How do organizations get a hold of or purchase anything fr om her, you get of a pickup while they are going down you to discuss doing clinics? more than the one time experience or the road. The meal is ready when they Col leen: Call 888-596-1515 product-you get a friend. While I'm get where they are going. While I men­ GP: To date; what has been the funniest fortunate enough to have her cell phone tion this, let me be clear and say never things to happen to you while cooking number to ask questions about cooking, use charcoal briquettes in an enclosed or teaching? she will return the calls fr om those of area that isn't well ventilated. Colleen: Preparing Creamy Flaming you who end up on her answering GP: How did you get started writing Mushrooms in an iron wok. The guy machine. Many times I've called her cookbooks, and how many have you bringing the rum brought 35 proof. with a cooking question, and it is published? They used the whole pint trying to get it always interesting to ask where she is Colleen: In 1990 my son had liver fail­ to ignite and it never would. Best and what she's seeing or doing. If you ure and couldn't go outside so we put a Creamy Mushrooms they ever ate. ever get a chance to sit in on one of her hand-written cook book together from There was no flame so it didn't burn off clinics, do so. You'll find that the infor­ grandma's recipes to give to relatives the alcohol and they got it straight up. mation you'll get can enhance your life for Christmas. When he died the other Use 80 proof rum then it will ignite. if you will just put it to use. kids encouraged me to finish it. Someone handed it to the Deseret Book Colleen Sloan is truly the "Queen of buyer and he ask me to write a Dutch Cast Iron Frontier." No single individ- oven cookbook and I was in business. I have fo ur books at this time. GP: What is the best advice you have for a Dutch oven cook? Colleen: Don't be afraid to experiment. There are about 300 recipes on the mar­ ket: everything else is a variation. If it isn't going to work, add love and that makes it better. GP: What is the best advice you have fo r the beginning Dutch oven cook? Colleen: For someone who hasn't taken the plunge, do it! Cooking in cast iron Dutch ovens keeps the majority of your nutrients in the fo od instead of loosing them to the air. Buy a 10- or 12-inch oven-pre-seasoned-an APS, and a simple cookbook. GP: What is your most memorable cooking experience? Colleen: The Heritage classes I teach for the Forest Service, because at the end everyone cooks a different dish and it's usually their first. They do so well, and it's a great fe ast at the end. GP: What is your philosophy on why we should continue to eat home cooked meals? Colleen: Cause kiss'n wears out and cooking don't! Vitamins, nutrients, and -R STu8LER-- flavorings, you can have it anyway you want it, and you know what your eat­ Ye s, it is last year's license. But I'm only hunting the deer I missed ing. last year! GP: What do you want to do with the

Traditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 111 • • I I r By Dennis Kamstra

Po ison Oak/Ivy and insect stings-I am one of those unfortunate humans who are sensitive to Poison Oak. I also like hunting wild hogs, who just love to bed in Poison Oak patches (at least on the west coast). Subsequently, I have had several encounters of the "itchy kind!" There are a few things I have learned that might be educational to other sufferers. Early on, I used gallons of Calamine lotion. Now I find that this sensitizes those areas to fu ture irritation. Cortisone cream (A or .2 %) will help and in really bad cases (in eyes and nose) a Cortisone injection may be required (by physi­ cian). At a recent 3-D shoot, a friend (Walt) told me that Preparation H works wonders for Poison Oak, Ivy and insect stings. Little did I know that I would be subjected to Poison Oak during that shoot. So, with his recommendation fr esh in my mind, I treated the infected area with Preparation H. I am living proof that it works magnificently! Stops the itch as well as swelling and dries up the infection within a few days. While on the subject of all things itchy, I would like to pass along a fe w things of have learned that are worth repeating:

1. Shannon Bug Suits really work great in situations were heavy insect contact is expected (Spring bear hunt­ ing, carp shooting, Caribou hunts).

2. 95% Deet repellents are great fo r exposed skin (hands, neck) but keep it away from plastic. It will melt the plastic! Dry Hands (dryhands.com). cient. To do it right, try making Pemmican bars in advance of the hunt. 3. Tuck pant legs into socks to keep Backpacking and weight- Powdered Tang is a great drink fo r insects fr om crawling up your legs. Planning fo r any overnight hunt requires adding electrolytes to a dehydrated body. some thought pertaining to weight. I Dried fruit is also a good addition (my 4. After applying bug repellents your have noticed that a lot of hunters take favorites are raisins and apricots). A good hands will be slippery. This will cause way too much stuff in their fa nny pack. water filter will do fo r drinking water. No griping problems with your bow hand. Try to keep the weight to the bare essen­ need to carry water. Top all this off with a Towel repellent off your bow hand with tials. If you are planning to stay out fo r few Snickers bars and you are good to go alcohol based Handy Wipes. Which no more than two nights, there is no need fo r two days of hunting. Save space fo r a reminds me-if you have real problems fo r a cook stove and fu el. I have fo und GPS, compass, Leatherman Tool, simple with sweaty hands, try a product called that a breakfast of granola bars are suffi- first aid kit, Handy Wipes, extra bow

112 WWW.TRADBOW.COM string, and a windproof cigar lighter. your hunting buddy and you have an elk were able to keep the pickup at a 90 Remember, if you whimp out, you can down in a deep ravine? I witnessed a degree angle from the carcass which sup­ always return to camp for steak and eggs. truly unique game retrieval process a few plied the needed leverage of the pulley. It years ago. My hunting partner had made is helpful to have a set of walkie- talkies

Keeping hunting journ l-Not a "poor man's winch" during the off sea­ so you can alert the driver when the car­ a a many hunters think about keeping a son and had it stored in his barn. This cass gets snagged in underbrush or hunting journal (actual events occur­ winch was constructed from a large around a tree trunk. One other word of ring during your hunts) until they look wooden spool, like the ones utility com­ caution: A nylon rope will stretch a long back on a long hunting career. I include panies use to roll out cable (these can be way before moving a heavy carcass. myself in this category. I really wished I picked up at no charge from most utility When the rope finally gets tight had started making hunting field notes companies). My buddy must have had enough to move the carcass, it may early in my hunting life. You would be over 2,000 fe et of 112 inch nylon rope on launch the entire carcass into the air, so surprised the things you forget with this spool. On this occasion, we had a stay BEHIND the carcass (yes, I'm time. Notes on things that "work" and large Roosevelt elk down in a steep speaking fr om personal experience!). those that "don't work" are the best to ravine. My buddy drove home and came document. These writings are a great back with this large spool of rope in the Dennis Ka mstra lives in Wa shington thing to hand down to your kids and back of his pickup along with a snatch state where he plans his hunts to fa r grandkids as well as any young block (6-inch pulley). We drove his pickup away places. bowhunter. At the same time they are as close as possible (on an old logging good reminders for fu ture hunt plan­ road) and chained the snatch block to a ning. Some of the important things I large tree. He then fed the nylon rope off consider are: of the spool and through this pulley. I 1. Times -Time of year, time of day took the end of the rope and carried it to with most game sightings. the elk (which was already gutted). I tied Fair Cnase Lien Hunts 2. Weather -Rain, snow, clouds, wind, the rope to the elk's hind legs. My partner Join me for the adventure f a lifetime. Hunt 1 on 4 hunters per season heat and how all these affect game tied off the taught rope (using a couple of 1 • Only movement. half hitches) to a ball hitch on the Hunt'; 3. Moon - Moon phases are a big deal bumper of his pickup and simply drove Hunt Soulh <\vaijable to some hunters. I'm not sure, but it is down the road about 50 fe et. Then he Dec 2006 Central [daho an interesting statistic to note. would back up, recoiling the rope on the Jan. 2007 4. Places - Document specific loca­ spool until it was tight and repeated tions of game sightings. another 50 foot run. Within 30 minutes, 5. Equipment - Type of arrow and we had the entire elk carcass winched up Trapper Creek Adventures, LLC broadhead, clothing notes, what gear to the logging road, without breaking a John Turner ' 208-324-7 1 15 was fo rgotten. sweat. By using the snatch block, we 180 WeSl 300 SOLith • Jeromc, Idaho 8333 6. Blood trailing - Note wait time, weather, amount and color of blood as well as time taken to recover animal. More importantly, if you were not able to recover animal, make extensive notes of what went wrong. 7. Hunting partners - Good ones and bad ones and why. 8. Was hunt repeatable or not and why. Over the years, you will find this information invaluable. You might even want to write a book on the experiences.

Retrieving big i l -Once you an ma s have packed out an elk fr om the bottom of a canyon, you will never forget the back-breaking effort involved. The same can be said for any game that requires Quality Hunting Products more than two trips by more than two P.O. Box 142, East Tawas, MI 48730 Phone: (989) 984-0838 people. This is where the paid guides and www.huntersniche.com outfitters really earn their money. But, Bowyer: Ron Pittsley Custom orders welcome. what do you do when it is just you and

Tr aditional Bowhunter® Dec/Jan 2006 113 By Dave Sigurslid

odern traditional archers are hole, every possibility within a quarter Alive and dead ...neither alive nor for the most part "hard evi­ mile of your last sign. Nothing. More dead ...a middle ground between the dence" kind of people. We looking. Hours slip past. Yo u explore a two that encompasses both. If you can Mdeal with solid wood and stout triangles half mile radius ... still nothing. see the shape-shifting behind this puz­ of sharpened steel, tracks and spoor Darkness comes and you break out the zle, you deserve congratulations. You and whitetail bucks at 15 yards. We use flashlight. Enough. You spend a sleep­ are a quantum thinker, a fe llow among logic and sequence to order our think­ less, brow-furrowed night and return at modern physicists. So what? ing. We make precise arrangements. We first light, checking every possibility Many may know of Richard Nelson's are the type of people who need to be your night mind conjured: nothing. You work with the Koyukon people, as shown something in order for us to never find him, or see him again. described in his magical books The believe it. Right? This is the low point of every con­ Island Within and Make Prayers to the The huge bull stands only a short scionable hunter's life, a point most of Raven (both required reading for shot away. Yo u draw silently to the hilt, us will reach if we persist. What do we hunters, by the way). A Koyukon never pick a spot and let fly. The arrow sails have at the end of the long, fr uitless says that he is going hunting even true, but not fa st enough. In the mil­ search? Frustration. III fe eling. when he is. His people never question lisecond before it strikes, the bull turns Bedevilment. him about it. He uses mental trickery to just enough so that the arrow enters The shot was potentially lethal, but hunt and not hunt, that is, to walk in posterior to where you wished, but there's no accounting fo r the power of casual interest, armed but careful to angling fo rward in a hopeful way. Yo u an adrenaline-rushed bull to ward away avoid alerting potential game of his see this all clearly just before the beast death. You have no idea whether the intention. He does this by not hunting crashes off to who knows where, a animal is down or not, dead or alive. while hunting, neither not hunting nor secret spot you intend to locate in time. You cannot know unless you find hard not not hunting. The moose who tests Finally the appointed hour comes. evidence to tell you, but no fi rm evi­ him will likely become jerky. You leave your stand and examine the dence appears. A hunt that is not a hunt, a death spot where the bull stood. There you This is the hunter's version of the that is not a death. This is the clever find some neatly cut hair and scuffe d quantum physics puzzle known as trick a mind will perform fo r the hunter, soil. Slowly, you pick your way in the "Schrbdinger's cat." I will leave it to the if he or she is willing. Ever notice how direction the arrowed animal vanished: curious to check out the cat story, but animals appear when you are not look­ a splotch of blood! And another ...a blood the basic idea is this: the elk is either ing for them, and disappear when you trail you can clearly pick if you needed dead or alive. Yo u cannot know unless are? Will an unintentional hunt be it-the leaves have been so disturbed by you see the elk. Therefore, if you cannot more successful than an intentional the animal's passage that blood sign is positively know the state of the elk, one? The Koyukon say yes. They recog­ merely icing on the tracker's cake. After your mind must put up with this inter­ nize that the intentional, conscious 50 yards, you find the arrow whole and mediate state of "either dead or not mind plays a key role in what happens blood soaked and you become expectant dead." in the world. Be aware, they say. Be as you follow the trail. This is not the mental place for a open. Make prayers to your prey. Yo u keep one eye ahead, looking for hard evidence person, but here we are. Modern physicists agree with the antlers that will mark the bull's final Our logical tendency will be to think of Koyukon. So what? So, as hunters, we resting place, but none appear. You con­ the animal in one term or the other: may confront situations where hard evi­ tinue, but now the blood trail trickles Dead or Alive. What other thing could dence just doesn't suit what we think away and you can no longer fo llow the the hypothetical elk possibly be? Half­ we know. But if that's okay with the tracks as others merge with them. dead? Koyukon and modern physicists, it Dauntlessly you persevere, covering Because logic cannot be satisfied, should be okay with us. every bush, every side way and hidey your mind keeps both possibilities open.

114 WWW.TRADBOW.COM

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