Yes, the almost spiritual time of year is once again knocking at our door. The preparation can never be enough because our love of archery, the respect we have for the game we pursue and the reverence we have of those who have gone before us demand a never ending dedication to hunters such as we. Whether traditional, compound or crossbow, I would enjoy hearing the good and bad encounters and experiences that other archers have had in the field. I make my own bows but I LOVE my Darton Excel (which has been a rugged and trustworthy friend for many years). I've shot both long bow and recurve but find that the compound bow offers the same feeling when a large game animal approaches as when a long bow or recurve is in hand YET I have a much greater confidence level knowing that my hard work, patience and preparation will pay off for me and provide a quick, clean harvest of an animal that earns great respect from me and those of my heritage who have relied on the magnificence of our great outdoors for many moons. The Harvest moon was tonight and as I road with my wife, saw several groups of deer among the golden arrays of soybeans awaiting the farmer's blade. The sun was large and crimson as it surrendered to the rise of the moon and I could literally feel the drawing of my spirit. The clover and other nutritious seed that I purchased from TSC will not return to me void and once I've broken the ground, will await the rains and the marking of my calender for OPENING DAY.
While I'm not spiritual about bow hunting like yourself, I do love bow and muzzle loader seasons. I'll be hunting with my Barnett Ghost, in the great state of Ohio. I hunt flat farm land and they get big out here. I'm hoping to drop something worth putting on the wall this year. We'll see...
Well, I hope you get a biggun!!! Near perfect meat on the table is one thing but to reflect on the hunt and the magnificence of the animal after being preserved on one's mancave wall is something that last much longer than a mere meal. I like Barnett, actually and saw that they are now putting out some nice looking bows after getting out of that for quite a while. They've always made GREAT crossbows....I know cuz I bought my son one when he was WAY too little to shoot a 45 or 50 cal muzzle loader. His was a recurve crossbow and we have footage of him taken doe and buck with that blame thing. I just had to say that I had done it so....I took an old doe with it. I believe we've had it put up ever since. My son is now 20 and shoot a 45/70. He took a fairly nice buck with his bow back when he was an 8th grader....or was he in the 7th? I forget. Here's a photo:
The photo below is of my last rifle buck....I've been (exclusively) a bow hunter for the past several years. From my mid-20's to early 30's, I put down the gun for the bow and video camera and did quite well. The buck in the photo was one of the rare times I picked a gun back up (my old trusty Stainless Stalker 30.06 Japanese made Browning). It was my second favorite gun with my Browning shotgun and Belgium made 30.06 auto that I've since passed down to my eldest daughter (who has taken several bucks and a few doe with since she inherited it). My son uses an identical Stainless Stalker except his is a lefty bolt action. My best buck is the one I mounted as if he was jumping out of the wall. Yes, I also cure hides and mount my own turkey and deer. HA!
Great opening post. Long live the spirit of archery season. The quiet, the solitude, the quest, the season. To be there is the harvest.
Only 12 more days until opening day. [video=youtube;Wx-F-_Z9pCg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx-F-_Z9pCg[/video]
Nice!!!! Can't wait to see photos (and I'm glad that there are more hunters (bow hunters) here than at the other place!!!
With those measurements....I'd dare say that you chose the wrong name for your PoliticalForum.com "handle" cuz, in my opinion, you're now BIG TIME!!! HA!. Of course, ya'll's deer are much bigger up there anyway so that may very well be "small time" to some of your buddies....but I'd defend you any day if they ever picked on you for harvesting such a nice buck! My best video bow kill was about 97 typical (if I measured correctly). He looked more like a 120 on camera and had almost 6 inch (flat, knife-blade type) brow tines. I put SIX holes in him with one shot and I'll explain all of that if asked about it OR if I can get my hunting tapes converted. I'd dare say that some of you guys have done this before and can explain how this happened....we'll see and will consider this a trivia question. Hey ALL....send in those photos or videos. We'd LOVE to get them and if a troll finds his/her way to our thread....PLEASE, don't feed the trolls....let them simply GO AWAY!!! Thanks!
Great response and is much better than my long, boring rant but both do express what we get out of all the work, early mornings out of bed and the nagging from our wives. HA!!! You are SPOT ON, sir, and I agree 110% that is has NEVER been the kill but the time spent in QUALITY reflection of our lives and the aw we get from experiencing the sounds of birds awakening from a chilly night and the scampering of squirrels. We see much that is very interesting to observe (like the time I saw turkey and deer really going at each other over an acorn tree that I had limed and fertilized a few years before. It works....try it if you haven't already. This reminds me.....If you guys will, please detail the type of bow or other equipment used or preferred by you. AND DON'T FORGET THE PHOTOS later on. It'd be interesting to see field camera/video as well. I've never set up cameras like that cuz it is (for me) like a doctor telling you if your baby is going to be a boy or girl. HA!!!!! I never wanted to know but with two girls and ONE boy, I probably could have used the advanced warning now that I look back. HA!!!! Thanks for the posts guys.....this forum is RICH in quality people and doubly blessed with HUNTERS (some of the BEST people that America has to offer). I'm so VERY glad that I found this site. I has less vulgarity and harsh language and actual debate is the main theme....not childish, one liner comments or a silly cartoon to supposedly relay one's idea. I hope to provide a positive impact here and making friends on the side would be a major PLUS. I was going to get on my 600 Ford while my son is on the smaller 1700 Ford and get those food plots planted but it seems that we're only going to get a small rain today with NOTHING in the forecast. Bummmer....I'm late and have no moisture to get the clover and stuff UP. At least I have PLENTY of acorns this year.
Great clip! Thanks! I have the original Gowdy interviewing the LEGEND on album. I also have it on my computer. I don't think that I'd get along well with Uncle Teddy BUT I do agree with most of what he says and appreciate much of what he's done over the years. He also has one of the best shows out there but I simply can't get over much of his personality and the rumors that may very well be true about him. Still, I don't need to know him personally to enjoy his music, hunts and philosophies where we are, indeed, blood brothers. Here's a sound byte for ya (IF) I can get it to load....ENJOY if I was able to load it: *Had to go another route in posting the video...hope it works (this site needs an audio button to go along with the video and image button) Does anyone have a tip for me to try next time? http://redge1945.wix.com/copy-of-gospel
Thanks! I may try and post the entire Fred Bear Interview for those interested. And I'm sure you're probably right (although my son and I prefer the Dan Fitzgerald's of the world). How many bow hunters (or HUNTERS) out there remember him? We loved their videos but they've gotten commercial like the rest of the folks doing that now. I have seen the Nuge in concert a few times....like his music better than the concerts though. He and I think alike but there's something about his arragance that I believe would clash with my personality. HA! Still, arrogance is needed sometime when dealing with "some people" and it kinda builds a certain amount or certain kind of confidence.
Well, This young lady, one of my daughter's best friend, who goes to the same church as we do and lives just down the road got her a 7pt-r the other day!!! A few years ago, she bagged a really nice 19-20 inch spread 8 pt (I think) I don't have those photos any more. Good job Marissa!!!!
You couldn't hit the broadside of a large barn with a quiver full of arrows standing twenty paces away! Let this old dog tell ya how to fling those arrows from a custom made longbow. Just snatch one out and slide it onto the string , draw err back and let go. If ya got it that razorhead just sinks in right on target. You youngins' need more practice and a better grip on life. Sorry, forgot--- how you doing amigo?
Great to see you back, old buddy! I've promptly added you as a friend and see that your bark is still much worse than your bite. HA! Say, that young thing above certainly did more than hit the broad side of a barn.....don't you think? HA!!! I haven't gotten to hunt but two or three times but I have enjoyed watching my clover, wheat, fescue and rye grass come up. I also planted some sort of New Zealand blend just to try it this year and EVERYTHING is up now after all that rain. Of course, the deer seem to be more interested in my Saw-toothed acorns I planted 15 - 20 years ago. They are big as plums and I have a GREAT red oak and white oak crop this year so it'll be well after the frost in a few weeks before I start seeing the deer pile in to my 4 food plots. Don't expect anyone to be able to hunt on Gov. Land for a while cuz I doubt that a budget will be in favor to pass for some time now (which is gonna put a damper on our Thanksgiving mountain trip). Seriously though, there are many folks who can't hunt anything but gov. land and I hope these "gov" closings don't eventually included such properties. I once had over 2,000+ PRIVATE acerage to hunt and knew over 25 years ago that if I didn't find and buy a section of land to hunt.....I'd not be able to hunt. So, I bought 120 acres right smack in the middle of some of the BEST hunting ground around these parts. It is very quiet and sucluded and, best of all, it is TOTALLY paid for as of a few years ago. Now, all I have to do is pay the rent (taxes) so that I can hunt the "KINGS" deer. HA!!! Sorry for getting a bit political.....I truly don't wish this thread to be political and have merely been attempting to keep high spirits and be thankful for the land I have and for the opportunity presented to me in my beautiful RED State. Happy Huntin' to all......we are now in our 2nd or third week into Bow Season! Get out there and enjoy before it's over!
Keep the spirit alive bro'.. Both the native American and the bow hunting spirits my friend. The Great Turtle blesses those that harvest wild game with just an arrow, bent stick and string! Got to run, I have a house full of company here. Just decided to check in on my new second site for a quick look.
I practiced with my bow all summer to feel confident enough to elk hunt with one this year. I had two bulls I could have taken with a rifle but they were just a bit far off for my bow. It was great fun though and I will try again next year but for filling the freezer I'll stick with my rifle. Got a nice 4 point with my 30-06 in rifle season.
Nothing at all wrong with being as efficient as one can be and putting some of the best and most healthiest meat on the table. Glad you had a lot of success....we have a lot of acorns this year making it really hard but the big boys are just now coming out. I've had many deer at close range......three almost walked into the blind with me. (literally) HA!!!! Nothing I wanted to shoot though cuz my son now has a job that is keeping him from hunting an I truly didn't wannna take anything but a really good buck while he couldn't be there with me. That's life I suppose....now he's probably not even gonna get to go to Gatlinburg with us for Thanksgiving so it is a really screwed up year. Sorry about the delay in responding within my own thread but it's been KraZy on all points lately. Thanks for the hunting update out there where you are.
Update....decided to take a young doe for our trip to the mountains. I probably won't get to hunt much now and since my son is working many hours *(even Sat) I decided to also surprise him with a deer, biscuit and milk~gravy supper this evening.
Well, Bow Season 2013 is over for most folks.....ME, I bow hunt all the way through the gun season and all. At any rate, this is my bow season in a nut shell. Good acorn crops make for a hard season but I've had my opportunities to take a lot of meat home....just felt bad having all the fun while my son was stuck working so much but I did decide to take one doe that I'd let walk by on three different occasions. It's good to take the not-so-sharp deer out of the herd. She is now MOSTLY jerky for our week-long Thanksgiving trip to the Smoky Mountains. I know the colors are now gone (where I live and in the mountains) but it was a pretty Fall.........just not as pretty as what we had in 2007. Yep, most of my "hunting" was actually spent enjoying the beauty of God's Country.
Thanks for the updates and photos Red State. Hope the remainder of your bow(gun) season is bounteous on many levels.
No problem, Ingeun, and thanks for the well wishes. Hope all of you guys have a GREAT Thanksgiving Holiday.
