What product would you tell your friends to buy now and thank you later?  My answer is, emphatically, Forschner knives from Victorinox.

The Forschner line is characterized by good steel that holds a great edge, tough handles and excellent utility.  Mrs. dustyvarmint and I own five now and have a few more on our wish lists. 

Field Dressing and More

Forschner pare knives.

From turkeys to whitetails, and other critters both large and small, the little four-inch Forschner pare knife handles the majority of my field dressing needs.  Granted, this is not your typical huntin’ knife; it isn’t camouflaged, there’s no machismo – its straight-up, top-notch, functional utility.  I own two complete Buck Selectors with a variety of blades and custom knives, yet the Forschner pare is my field knife of choice.  Ohhhhh, to have had one to five of them back when I worked in a fur-buying and skinning shop…  Rob Kiebler at Fair Chase, Ltd, a Texas whitetail, feral hog and javelina outfitter, carries one of those zippered bank deposit pouches full of them to handle all dressing, skinning and pre-taxidermy work.

A web sheath, a blade cover and the knife’s original package.

At $4-6 each and weighing only 0.75 ounces the knives’ blades are thin, well-shaped, easily sharpened, semi-flexible and work well for skinning and light butchering.  The only draw back is the lack of a sheath, but there are several options to overcome that.  Small web sheaths work well, there are after-market blade covers available and a person could even whip up a leather sheath without too much effort.  I thought I lost my black-handled one last year in the snow and almost cried.  Turns out it was in my bib pocket the whole time (good thing the tears were frozen in).  For me the pares are equally at home in the woods, in camp and in the kitchen.             

Butchering

The five-inch, semi-curved, semi-flexible boning knife picks up where the four-inch pare leaves off.  This is what I use to cut out loins, quarter critters and break down primal cuts.  Again, excellent steel that holds an edge.      

The Forschner five-inch, semi-curved, semi-flexible boning knife with blade cover.

In the Kitchen

The eight-inch chef’s knife delivers in the kitchen.  Whether working over some onions, thinly cutting some semi-frozen venison rump for jerky or portioning my favorite venison breakfast sausage this knife has what it takes.  Again, the key is good steel that holds an edge.

The Forschner eight-inch chef’s knife with magnetic blade cover.

The whole Forschner line is economically priced, though not as economically as the pares.  If you are looking for field, butchering or kitchen knives check out the Forschner line.  Buy ‘em now, thank me later.

happy hunting, dv

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I made a whole lot less money when I started bowhunting and I’ve always been just plain cheap.  Back then there was little organization to my cold weather bowhunting clothing.  Whatever I had in the house left over from my pre-adult hunting days was drafted into service including cotton long underwear, 1/2″ thick cotton/wool socks with the flexibility of rawhide and the ugliest pull-over polar fleece hoodie (not camouflaged) you’ve ever seen.  I had one camouflage top, a thin cotton, XL or XXL turkey hunting shirt/jacket with elastic shotgun loops in the left front flap pocket that just went over everything.  I’d put everything on, drive to the hunting area with limited mobility, waddle to my favorite tree and put up my stand the best I could like some kind of camo Michelin Man.  I don’t remember killing anything in that get up, but I sure remember good bowhuntin’ times, cold or no.

Dressed for success, Wisconsin winter style.

As I’ve gained a few gray hairs and lost many more I’m a little less tolerant of the cold.  I’m also a little more dedicated and possess the mental fortitude (that comes with age?) necessary to stay on stand longer.  Over the past three-to-five years or so I’ve collected and experimented with clothing and equipment that’ll allow me to do just that in sub-zero temperatures.  A very old article by Bowsite’s Pat Lefemine is the basis of this system.  An inquiry to locate the article for credit and reference went unanswered.  Additionally, ideas came from Bowsite users and from my own hunting partners.  You’ll see through-out that there is no adherence to particular, heavily-marketed, brand-named clothing and gear – I buy a combination of what fits, what is on sale and what I believe will do the job.  While specific brands and pieces are mentioned so that readers can have an example of the garments, this is a concept not an advertisement or endorsement.    

Testing the System

It’s a tradition in our deer camp to hunt closing weekend – the first weekend in January in central Wisconsin.  It can be cooolllldddd….  Upon returning to camp one morning this year it was still -6 degrees F outside.  The guys said it was -14 degrees F when I left for my stand.  I’d not gotten cold on stand and assumed it was in the mid-20’s.  I just didn’t feel like sitting in the tree any longer.     

Chemical Warmers

Chemical warmers sold under many brand names are a key component of this system.  Before leaving the cabin I’ll have already opened them so they’re ready for application by the time I reach my tree.  They won’t be needed until then.  With my toes being a major weak spot I’ll use a pair of toe-warmers in my boots.  I used to use hand-warmers for this application until my hunting partners proved to me that the toe-warmers actually work better in the low-oxygen application.  One to two (depending on just how cold it is) hand-warmers go into my hand-muff and then either one large adhesive warmer or one hand-warmer applied with duct tape will be applied to my kidneys.  

The Base Layer

First is a set of odor-inhibiting, moisture-wicking underwear.  Those pictured are Champion C9’s from Target.  Next, my feet get sprayed with scent-free antiperspirant such as Sure and Cabela’s Thermax sock liners go on.  Over the socks and underwear go a compression-fit, moisture-wicking, odor-inhibiting layer of thermal underwear.  These have a “nap” inside and are marketed by some companies as “cold”.  Those garments without a “nap” make me feel cool and clammy so I prefer the nap.  Pictured is a Champion C9 mock top (I really like the mock tops) while the bottoms are no-names from Cabela’s.

The base layer. 

Sock liners and wool socks.

The Second Layer

Heavier, but not crazy heavy, wool socks go on next.  Then a heavier layer of mid-to-heavy weight long underwear.  Traditionally I’ve used military surplus and Medalist brand polypropylene for this layer.  However, both are a little on the stiff side and don’t always play well with the first layer.  So, I’m currently experimenting with the ASAT Elite Extreme zip-top and the Lava-Wool bottoms pictured below.  The ASAT top is smoooooth and comfy inside, but has really pilled up after only a short amount of use.  It performed well on my 2009 Dog-Sledding trip.  Also, the handwarmer pouch on the front drives me crazy.  I’m considering cutting it off.   

The Third Layer

The second long underwear layer is followed by wind-proof polar-fleece trousers.  I have two pairs; one Cabela’s Legacy Fleece with Windshear and one Cabela’s Windshear Fleece, pictured below.  Both work great although pocket design/execution is poor on either.  Red Ball pack boots handed down from my father provide the last layer on the feet.  Depending on just how cold it is a Cabela’s wind-proof, camouflage, polar fleece hat; very light Manzella fleece bowhunter gloves and a Liberty camouflage, cotton sweatshirt (I haven’t found a synthetic version that fits my scrawny carcass yet) may go on for transiting to the stand.  Everything else is in my pack or cargo pockets.  This prevents me from sweating up my clothing – which I want to avoid for scent-control and for staying warm on stand.

Hand-me-down pack boots (those kooky turkeys…).

The Final Layers

When I put my final layers on depends on whether I’m using a climbing stand, permanent stand or affixing a hang-on stand.  For climbing stands and permanent stands I’ll put all my clothes on at the base of the tree and climb up.  Neither method is physically taxing enough to work up a sweat.  For affixing a hang-on stand I’ll put up the stand, pull up my pack with clothing and then get dressed.  Either way, now is the time at which the chemical warmers go in my boots, on the small of my back and in my hand-muff. 

This final layer consists of the cotton sweatshirt if I haven’t already put it on, a pair of Bass Pro Shop Mountain Stalker Elite insulated bibs, a light fleece jacket (optional, depending on just how cold it is), a Cabela’s 650 Goose Down vest (a critical component), a safety harness and then a Cabela’s Outfitter’s Wooltimate Windshear jacket.  While the safety harness doesn’t have anything to do with staying warm a lesson learned from this year is that it is far more convenient under one layer of clothing than on the outside.  When worn on the outside it allowed my rangefinder to clank on a buckle and prevented me from using hand-warmer pockets on my jacket.

Bibs.

Down vest and optional light polar fleece jacket.

Odds and Ends

Once settled into my tree a Cabela’s wind-proof neck-gaiter goes on along with a Bass Pro Shop’s Enduraskin camouflage balaclava, a cheap, no-name fleece beanie, the Cabela’s polar fleece hat and the hand-muff.  The  Enduraskin balaclava is one of my favorite items.  I’m very, very particular about my anchor point.  The BPS balaclava is thin enough that I can still feel my jaw-line against my hand, but it has enough wind-breaking, moisture-wicking, insulating and odor-resistant properties that it is all the warmth on need on what would normally be exposed skin.  Keeping that anchor point in mind, I don’t wear a glove on my right (release) hand while in the stand.  It stays in my hand-muff with one or two chemical warmers and my left hand that does have a glove on – the bow’s riser can be cooolllllldddd.   I’ve also cut and inserted an extra piece of thick polar fleece material to take up dead air space in my hand-muff.

Final jacket layer, neck gaiter, polar fleece cap, polar fleece beenie, balaclava, light gloves and hand-muff (with extra polar fleece).

So that’s it, my pot-luck method of keeping warm on stand in cold temperatures.  I’m warm, it’s packable, it allows me to stay on stand and I can shoot from it.  

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Need a pack to carry climbing sticks, a stand, a blind, huntin’ gear, a deer quarter or extra cold weather clothes?  Please read on… 

After purchasing a Trophy Line Tree Saddle last year I looked for a pack to carry it, my Lone Wolf climbing sticks, my hunting gear and my extra cold weather clothing in.  While I was at it I thought I ought to have a pack that would carry a blind when necessary.  Although I think the SOP Blind Hog is a great, functional item for this the fit is simply too big for my small carcass.  A weight bearing waist belt on this new pack would be nice too.  Badland’s packs are very popular so I looked pretty hard at their line, but, again, nothing would fit my scrawny carcass.  Badlands will custom size the waist belt at no charge, but there’s shipping and hassle to contend with.  Then, what would the resale value be? 

While visiting Archery Headquarters (awesome selection of bows and equipment) in Chandler, AZ during a business trip I ran across the Eberlestock X2.  First of all, it fit.  It had “wings” perfect for carrying climbing sticks.  It had horizontal compression straps perfect for carrying a blind.  At a capacity of 1800 cubic inches it was right for what I needed it for.  The soft shell finish was nice and the organizational features were superior to anything I’d previously owned.   Upon arriving home I scoured the usual forums including Bowsite and ArcheryTalk for user feedback (all positive) and called Eberlestock not once, but twice.  They were helpful and one gentleman said the X2 fit his mother quite well which meant it’d likely fit me.  However, it’ll fit “normal” sized folks also as you’ll see further down.  They told me about a back log of the soft-shell camo versions, but a simple internet search turned up an in-state supplier with one in stock for $140 including shipping.

The Eberlestock X2.

Carry a Pack on a Stand or a Stand on a Pack?

The X2 is my first “real” pack.  I used it for the entire 2009 Wisconsin whitetail season.    I’m not sure the Tree Saddle was my cup of tea, but the X2 carried four Lone Wolf climbing sticks and the saddle quite well.  It also strapped right on my Lone Wolf Sit and Climb.  The X2 really shines at carrying all the extra clothes I need in my stand in freezing temps that I don’t want to wear in and get all sweaty as well as keeping my gear organized.  What it didn’t necessarily do well due to its internal frame was strap onto my Lone Wolf Alpha Assault and climbing stick combination.  I tried a number of ways to adapt the stand to the pack, but couldn’t get it right.  An e-mail inquiry to Eberlestock went unanswered so I kept searching. 

Then I ran into ArcheryTalk user Michigan Man.  I thought I’d done some clever mobile things with my stands, Packin’ It In And Out – Treestands, but I’m not even a dim candle flame compared to this brilliant bowhunter.  He sent me the following photographs showing how he uses the Eberlestock X2 to carry his Lone Wolf sticks and Alpha Assault.

The first photograph, below, shows the X2’s compression straps all open including the “wings”.  Note the black ball bungee ties (elastic cord with plastic balls on end), two on each side, attached to the webbing on the main body of the pack just inside the wings.  These are used to secure the sticks.  I’ve carried the sticks without these bungee ties, but it required a full pack whether I needed it or not and even then a set might slide down and whack me in the leg while walking.  Very clever.  For this blog post we’ll pretend like we can’t see that very interesting climbing rope set up replacing what can be the short, noisy, cam buckles and straps on those Lone Wolf sticks.

The X2 open with the climbing sticks on each side. 

The second photograph shows the sticks secured in the bungee ties with the wings closed and the compression straps buckled. 

The X2 with the horizontal compression straps closed.

The third photograph shows the Alpha Assault secured to the stand with the X2’s compression straps and a hooked bungee strap.  Michigan Man said the bungee strap provides a little more stability to the load.  He didn’t say what the bungee tie on the bottom was for, but no doubt something quite clever. 

The X2 with a Lone Wolf Alpha Assault, Lone Wolf climbing sticks attached and vertical compression straps closed.

Finally, Michigan Man, who looks like a normal-sized bowhunter compared to me, models the pack ready for transiting to his favorite whackin’ tree.

Michigan Man shows off the complete load.

Since I’m spoiled with a lot of trees I can use my Lone Wolf Sit and Climb stand (very, very comfy) in around my whitetail area I haven’t set up my X2 for this method of carrying the LW Alpha Assault yet, but I intend to for next year.  One thing I will do, due to the method I use for climbing with my sticks, though, is add a single strap to the stand I can throw over my neck and shoulder while I climb the tree fastening my sticks as I go.  That way I don’t have to come back down to the ground to grab the stand and then go back up to fasten it to the tree.  It’ll just be one trip up.

Thanks to Michigan Man for sharing this very clever set up.

X2 as Blind Hauler

Maybe I’m just a softy, but carrying a Primos Double-Bull Darkhorse blind with nothing but one shoulder strap is a pain in the… neck.  Like I mentioned before, the SOP Blind Hog is a great product, but the shoulder straps and waist belt are so large that I have to adjust the height of the blind in the carry bag or it hits me in the back of the calves and I can’t use the waist belt to relieve any weight from the shoulders at all.  The X2 allows me to fasten the blind at any height and while that can be inconvenient when traveling through brush it is certainly better than getting whacked in the back of the calves every step.  My chair gets bundled right up with the blind.  I’ve yet to figure out where I’ll put a full-body, non-crushable decoy, yet, but I’ll get there.

The X2 carrying a blind.  The blind’s height in the pack is adjustable.

If you are looking for an extremely versatile pack I’d recommend checking out the Eberlestock X2.  I don’t think you’ll be sorry.

happy hunting, dv

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Do you need to put your bowstring on a diet?  

While working up some speed data, see Short Draw Bow Speeds And Technical Discussion, for Archery Report’s Bow Speed Database I needed to know how much weight was on the string.  Weight, or lack of it, on the string acts just like a lighter or heavier arrow.  More weight will slow the arrow down, less weight will allow it to move faster.  An old rule of thumb used to be that you’d gain one foot-per-second for each four grains reduction of weight.  The wide variety of bows on the market makes that number somewhat variable today.  In my recent experiment it turns out the number was between 3.15 and 3.88 grains per foot-per-second.  Managing weight on your string can have an effect on bow speed and the resulting kinetic energy. 

Most of my older bows needed some silencing on the string and cables.  Some of those silencers weigh more than others so experimenting with various options is a good thing.  My new Bowtech SWAT seems to be fine with silencers on just the cables.    

Below, you’ll find the weights of some common components we place on our strings. 

• Red nock set – 7.5 grains (a typical string set up would include two) 
• Black nock set – 5.1 grains (a typical string set up would include two) 
• Rubber eliminator button – 3.2 grains (a typical set up includes 2-3)

One red nock set, one black nock set and one eliminator button.  A 15.8 grain combination.

• D-loop – 6.4 grains (a very short 4.5” in length)
• Monofilament nock (in place of nock sets) – .7 grains

D-loop and and monofilament tied nocks.  A 7.1 grain combination.

• ¼” Meta-Peep by G5 – 6.5 grains

The 1/4″ G5 Meta-Peep.

• 1/8” Fletcher Tru-Peep – 8.8 grains

The Fletcher Tru-Peep.

• Spider Legs Silencers – 31.55 grains (a typical string set up would include two)

Spider Legs String Silencers.

• Sims String Leeches – 28.4 grains (a typical string would include two)

Sims String Leeches.

happy hunting, dv

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Photographer and blogger Carrie Z of Carrie’s Fist Full of Arrows helps diagnose a few problems I’m having with hunting related photos. 

In Photographing Your Hunting Trophies I shared one of my favorite quotes, “Take care of all your memories for you can never relive them,” Bob Dylan.  As memories of my first deer, first arrowed fishes and a black bear fade into the sedimentary deposits of my cranium I rely upon photo albums to bring back those happy, heart-filling, sun-shiny (no matter the weather) moments in time. 

The photos are like my own mental fountain of happiness.  It’s not just the kill-shots, either.  It’s the vividly colored photo of the swan in the park near some public hunting ground in Montello, WI, the dining area at Fair Chase, Ltd in Indio, TX (say hello to my little 12 gazillion calories), the exposed flint on the trails at Shiloh Ranch Hunting Camps in Ada, OK and more.  With that in mind I attempted to get caught up on my hunting photo albums a few months ago, but when I ran into some problems I decided to consult an expert.   

Probably meaningless to most people this photo reminds me of ranch-cooked beans, mesquite grilled t-bones and cheese enchiladas.  Happy times indeed!

Carrie is owner/operator of Zylka Photography and author of the blog Carrie’s Fist Full of Arrows.  Below, she addresses some of the problems I’m having.

dv – I am very careful with picture composition and often fill the viewfinder to the max to get the best photo.  However, I’ve noticed when the photos are printed in 4 x 6 (my favorite size) that heads and bottoms are cut off.  The photo isn’t like that, just the print.  Why is that?  Something to do with the ratio?  What do I do about it?

My 2007 Wisconsin whitetail picture as taken.

My 2007 Wisconsin whitetail picture as it printed.

Carrie – Check the settings in your camera; it may be set to automatically format the photo to an 8X10 or 5X7. 

-Resolution settings are actually more important than megapixels when it comes to printing.  The easiest way around this is to leave some negative space around the subject. 

-A very good rule of thumb is to “shoot wide, crop later”.  Once you have downloaded the photo file to your computer you will be able to crop it before uploading it to a website for printing.  If you are taking the memory card directly to a retail store take advantage of the cropping features available at the kiosk before printing.

-If you have photos you have already taken that won’t print in a 4X6 format without cropping off the sides or the top and bottom you will need to manually create the negative whitespace around the photo itself.

dv – I printed a bunch of photos on my home printer and the color (amount of light) was great, but they had some oily residue that weirded out the photo album.  So I took them into a retail store and had them printed.  No oily residue, but the color (amount of light) is horrible and much of the detail can’t be seen.  What happened and what can I do about it?

A picture, as taken, of a motley crew of Kansas-born hog hunters at Shiloh Ranch Hunting Camp, Ada, OK.

The same motley crew picture, as printed.

Carrie – In my opinion there are 3 types of printing mediums for the consumer:

1) At home printers:  These are great for the average “Joe” that doesn’t care too much about the archival quality or the perfect contrast ratios that hobbyist/amateur/professional photographers get really finicky over.  Don’t get me wrong I have a printer at home that I use.  But, most of us have inkjet printers and depending on the quality of the ink that the manufacturer provides for a particular model you will get your oily residue.  It’s the “super glue” that holds the actual ink together. 

Another reason may be the paper you are using.  Some paper brands are more compatible with some printer brands.  If you have an HP printer, use HP paper.  The chemical composites will mesh much better than if you use Kodak (which is actually a superior paper – it is incompatible with an HP printer, yet fantastic with a Canon printer).  You will also have to periodically calibrate both your printer and your monitor to achieve matching results.  The color on your monitor may look perfect, but when you print it out it may be too light or too contrasty or vice versa.  If you want to achieve the commercial quality in an at home printer it will cost you.

2) Retail printers:  These stores rely on quantity not quality.  They have printers that are bigger and more sophisticated than the at home printer, but they are calibrated for speed and they need to be recalibrated several times a month.  I am not confident that my local retail store calibrates their printer even once every 6 months. 

When using one of their kiosks the card reader pulls the file off your disc and saves it to their server.  The printer then pulls the file off the server and onto the printer’s hard drive.  Every time you save a photo you lose some resolution.  So, it’s been saved 3 times by now and if your file isn’t at a maximum resolution to begin with you will lose a lot of the detail.

3) Commercial printers:  The ideal way to create those photographic memories is to go through a commercial-grade printer.  Sounds expensive right?  Nope – places like Mpix.com and even Shutterfly will create photographs at an extremely reasonable price that are archival quality with maximum resolution.  The only downside is that they are exclusively web-based and you will have to pay for shipping.  But, at Mpix.com it’s $1.99 for an 8X10 and a flat rate of $5.99 for shipping.  At my local retail store it is $4.99 for an 8X10.  Order two 8X10 prints from Mpix and you break even except you are receiving commercial-grade prints that will not fade after 20 years and have been color corrected by top professionals in the business.  Also, the shipping for 4X6 prints, especially if you are only ordering 20 or so, is much lower.  You could visit a local commercial printer like Ritz Cameras or Mike Crivello’s.  They only charge $0.29 per 4X6, but you get the benefit of a commercial printer.

All of these companies will have calibrated their printers weekly if not more and have fancy software that automatically color corrects the file to match their printers’ settings so that the colors printed are true to tone.  They keep up with software updates and patches to provide maximum output.  Remember, these are the printers that professional wedding and outdoor photographers use with the highest standard of quality.  If it was anything less than perfect they would not only have angry customers demanding refunds but they would lose out on the thousands of dollars these clients provide in revenue.

dv -  What is the best way to store photos and what is the best way to store them and then share them with friends and family so that they might actually want to look at them?  Sometimes they are landscape, sometimes portrait, etc.?

Carrie – Truly, the best way to “archive” actual printed photos is to place them in an airtight box, front of the photo to back of the next photo, in a cool dry place.  But, what fun is that?  Who gets to see them?  There are always fun ways to show off those prized memories.  Photo albums are the most logical but you do have the dilemma of portrait vs. landscape photos and turning the book back and forth may not be very feasible.  Especially if it’s a large album with hundreds of photos and is very heavy. 

Scrapbooking is another way.  It’s very neat but extremely time consuming and the materials can be very cost prohibitive.  My very favorite way is the digital photo album or coffee table book.  Depending on the quality you are looking for and budget you may have there are many options.  Mpix.com offers a mid-range digital book for between $35 & $100.  Shutterfly offers one for less than $40.

Carrie says a digital photo album is a good way to display your hunting memories.

dv – Any tips, etc, you’d like to share…. Pet peeves…?  You’ve got the floor (blog).

Carrie – Exciting backgrounds are awesome for taking visually interesting shots.  Just be aware of what’s directly behind the subject.  A stray tree limb behind someone’s head may look like they have horns!  Nothing is more unappealing for hunters, anti-hunters and pretty much everyone than an animal that looks like it has been slaughtered rather than just shot.  It doesn’t take much to wipe off some of the excess blood, hide the tongue (even cut it out) or if one side looks like a grenade went off then turn it over and take the photo from the other side.

Now here’s something weird.  I was talking to outdoor’s buddy Seth, see Foundation of an Outdoor’s Person, about this the other day.  I just shot the animal, right?  Eventually I’m going to remove its “bits”, field dress it, cut its hide off, quarter it, chop it up and package it and throw it in the freezer, but I just can’t bring myself to cut its tongue off.  Weird, I know.  I’ll stick with Carrie’s advice of hiding it.  Anyway, in the future I’ll be composing pictures differently and visiting Mpix.com and Shutterfly as well as my local camera shops to figure out the best options for preserving my memories.

Thank you to Carrie for taking the time to answer my questions and sharing with us here at dv’s Mostly Archery.  Please visit Carrie’s Fist Full of Arrows for other great resources.

happy hunting, dv

If you liked this blog you may like the following: 

• Hamming With Game Cams
• Photographing Your Hunting Trophies
• Best Of Trail Camera Photos – May/June 2009
• A dv Gear Review – Moultrie D40 Game Camera
• A dv Gear Review – Scout Guard 550 Game Camera
• Game Camera Photo Contest

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A found piece of schoolwork reminds me of the importance of passing on the outdoors traditions.

Last Friday I picked up outdoors buddy Seth and headed north to partake in Wisconsin’s final weekend of the 2009 whitetail season.  As we tried to find room for his gear among the three kitchen sinks in my truck he placed a stapled stack of paper on the driver’s seat stating it was for me.  His mother had been going through his old school work and found it.  Placed with my deer hunting regulations I was determined to read it later.  The weekend was busy with hunting, eating and sleeping including Seth’s harvest of a nice 6-point whitetail just hours later.  The contents of the school assignment follow shortly. 

Not long after picking him up Seth took this nice late season Wisconsin whitetail.

I met Seth and his family in 1994 or 1995 while volunteering as a 4H archery instructor.  Seth was fourteen at the time and I was active duty U.S. Navy stationed at nearby Naval Station Great Lakes.  He asked me to teach him to bowhunt; I and his parents consented.  Below is the unedited work with the exception of the photos I’ve added.  I do want to make one note, though.  Seth learned to climb trees using a safety belt (before harnesses and vests) and was wearing one in the incident described below which took place while practicing three to five feet off the ground.

Remembering

Every one looses a friend at some point in life for some reason or another.  When we loose a good friend we are all sad but we remember the good times we had together.  This is a story of the happy times I had with a good friend.

My best friend’s name was Jerry and he was a grown-up who was into everything I was.  I only knew him for about 6 months.  He was in the Navy and he got transferred to Washington state.  He liked to shoot archery and loved to hunt.  Jerry was a very smart man, he taught me a lot.  One of the things I like about him was his motto, which was “Don’t go around life holding onto the hand rail.”  Meaning, if you try something new don’t just try it, go out and give it all you can you can get back up when you fall and keep on going.  Jerry is a good friend to me and influenced me in many ways.

One way he influenced me was that he was into archery and so was I.  I was just learning and he knew and was willing to work and teach me some of the stuff I needed to know.  He showed me a couple different tests to help sight in my broadheads.  He showed me how to set up my arrows so I could attach my broadheads.  Jerry also showed me how to make tree steps and how to use them.  Then he helped me put up my tree stand and when I fell out and hit the tree on my way down he showed me how to do it.  These are just some of the things he taught me.

Jerry showed me many spots that he knew to hunt and bow fish.  He took me up to Portage Wisconsin and showed me many of his secret hunting spots.  We went up scouting 3 weeks before season and he taught me what to look for when I am in the woods.  It rained the first night we were up there but we went out anyway.  I saw about 20 wild turkeys and found several of their tail feathers.  For 2 days we walked all over public hunting grounds and found several good spots and we found several good deer signs. We walked through lots of swamp and I got real tired.  When we were done we went back to the camp ground and ate, then we went out and explored the town.  The town had this pool in the rock were they took the rock for grants tomb.  There was also a river that was crystal clear.  We talk and fished for a little while then went to sleep.  The next day we went scouting for half a day the drove home because I had school.  I learned a lot from that weekend and will never forget it.

Seth, his brother Zach and I pose with our fish from a contest – we won “smallest” fish.

For the next 3 weeks I practiced and sighted in my bow.  The Friday before bow season open Jerry picked me up and we went north.  When we arrived up there the first thing we did was to go out and scout some more we put up some reflective tape to find our way in the dark.  Then we went to the campground and set up the tent, ate, and went to bed early because we were going to get up at 4:30 the next morning.

At 4:30 the next morning we got up and got dressed.  I saw a raccoon on a trail by our campsite.  We were in the woods by about 5:30 a.m. We followed the marks in and all of a sudden we couldn’t find the markers anymore.  I was lost luckily my friend wasn’t he found our spot and we set up.  Putting a treestand in a tree 20 feet above the ground is not easy.  It took me a half an hour.  Up in the tree I was holding my flashlight under my chin while holding my treestand to the tree and holding the strap in my mouth trying to keep my balance.  While doing all that I dropped the flash light so I had to do it in the dark.  Once I go t it hooked and tightened down I was able to get my other flash light out of my pocket.  It was an experience but I was glad that I was able to do it.  We didn’t see any deer that morning.  I did see two raccoons and two squirrels though.  We got down and packed up.  Then we went scouting and found a very good spot.  We were done scouting at about 12:00 so we went back, ate, and took a nap.  We woke up and it was raining.  We waited and headed out.  When we got there I didn’t want to be by myself so we went in together and set up in two small poplar trees.  After sitting there it started to rain and the winds was blowing.  So we got down and we went back to the truck.  On the way back we came around a corner into an open field and 150 yards away way a big doe (female deer).  So I saw my first deer while hunting.  I was excited and couldn’t wait until the next day.

The next day we woke up at the same time and went out to our spots.  To get there we had to walk through an open field.  It was beautiful the moon was full and we were able to walk through the field with out light.  We set up and sat till about 8:00.  I was frozen and wanted to get down.  I looked over at Jerry and saw him staring at some thing.  I knew it was a deer.  He pulled back are released the arrow.  The sound it made when it hit the deer was like a bass drum popping.  We waited a half an hour and went to find it.  That was one of the experiences that I will never forget.  He let me track it and showed me how to clean it.  That night we were headed home.

Seth and I with a young doe I harvested just two days before being transferred to Washington State.  He was in a treestand just yards away.

That is what it mean by even though you lose a good friend you still have a lot of good memories and chances are you have learned a lot from them and the experiences you shared.  Jerry moved to Washington but we still keep in contact.

Seth routinely takes young and old prospective turkey hunters, deer hunters, bowfishers and fisherpersons into the field as well as hosting an annual National Wild Turkey Federation Banquet.  He is passing on the tradition.  Something I’ve become less involved in over the years as my career became more demanding.  However, I’ve vowed to return to 4H archery this upcoming summer. 

So, please, if you have the opportunity to take a friend or family member into the field, do so.  You likely cannot imagine what the result will be or when you might be reminded of it.  

happy hunting, dv

If you liked this blog you may like the following: 

• Packin It In And Out – Treestands
• Photographing Your Hunting Trophies
• Overhauling A Hunting Bow
• Archery Release Mystery Solved
• No Bird Left Behind - A Turkey Tale
• Boar Attack – Anatomy Of A Hog Shot Gone Wrong
• Pronghorn – Rained Out
• Hello From dustyvarmint’s Mostly Archery

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Here are the Winners for the Mostly Archery and Up North Journal Game Camera Photo Contest.

There were a lot of great entries and choosing a winner was not easy for Mikey or myself.  Thank you to all who participated.  I’ll be contacting the winners for shipping information.

First Place and winner of the custom dustyvarmint woodworks turkey call is Tony from Fort Worth, TX.

Second Place and winner of the Up North Journal donated broadheads is Kent from Ava, IL.

Third Place and winner of the turkey decoy is Dave from Rapid City, SD.

thanks again, dv

Short draw archers can have problems their longer draw brothers and sisters don’t have with speed, kinetic energy (KE) and trajectory.  In this post I discuss recent KE and trajectory results from two of my bows. 

Warning:  This post contains technical content.  If you notice any inaccuracies, please bring them to my attention. 

A bow set-up’s speed rating by itself doesn’t necessarily mean too much.  For instance you don’t see anyone touting speed ratings under 200 fps as that isn’t too impressive these days.  I have a 1994 Hoyt Spectra Fastflite with round wheels that flings aluminum arrows at a blinding 187 fps.  That bow has shot a cut-on-contact Magnus Stinger through a 132 pound feral boar so well that it took two hands and a little back and leg muscle to pull the arrow out of the ground on the other side.  Translating that speed and arrow weight into something usable, such as kinetic energy, allows us to compare our bow’s performance to some generally recommended standards.  Note:  There is some discussion out there regarding KE versus momentum.  I’m not going to touch on that here, but you may wish to check out Archery Report’s ongoing discussion of the subject.

• Kinetic Energy Recommendations
  • <25 ft lbs = Small Game (rabbits, squirrels, etc.)
  • 25-41 ft lbs = Medium Game (deer, pronghorn, etc.)
  • 42-65 ft lbs = Large Game (elk, bear, feral hog, etc.)
  • >65 ft lbs = Dangerous Game (cape buffalo, grizzly, etc.)

Also, and in balance, there is the consideration of trajectory.  I say “in balance” as a bowhunter has the option of shooting hewn logs with a trajectory arc like that of a volleyball going over the net or screaming pencils with a comparatively flat trajectory.  The hewn logs will have greater KE (although in my calculations there is a point of diminishing returns) and the screaming pencils will have less.  Why does it matter?  It matters, because in the field we don’t always know the exact yardage to the critter.  The shot on that feral hog was about 12 yards.  That bow is not the one I’d want on a modern day mule deer hunt over open, western terrain.  Combining misjudged yardage with an extreme trajectory will likely result in a missed target.  Dave Holt gives an excellent visual description of this in his books Balanced Bowhunting and Balanced Bowhunting II.  Additionally, this article, Arrow Buyer Help – Speed and Kinetic Energy from Hunter’s Friend is a great resource.

KE and Trajectory Results

Using the same set-ups presented in Short Draw Bow Speeds and Technical Discussion here are the KE and Trajectory Results.

Note:  KE can be computed by the following formula, (Arrow Weight x (Speed x Speed))/450800.  For example ((376.8 grains x (274 fps x 274 fps))/450800 = 62.75 ft/lbs.  Also note that the first KE figures given below are initial KE calculated using this formula.  As the arrow slows terminal KE will be less.  The terminal KE and trajectory figures given below at the indicated yardages are calculated using Archer’s Advantage software. 

2009 Bowtech SWAT – 376.8 gr arrow

• 26 5/8″ measured to AMO standard
• 69.75 lbs (maxed out)
• 14.6 gr on string (Fletcher TruPeep 8.8 gr, string loop 5.1 gr, tied string nocks .7 gr)
• 376.8 gr arrow
• 274 fps (three arrow avg)
• 62.75 foot pounds KE (initial, actual)
• Calculated downrange KE and trajectory:
  • 20 yards – 8.9 inches drop, 58.1 ft/lbs KE
  • 30 yards – 20.3 inches drop, 55.9 ft/lbs KE
  • 40 yards – 36.6 inches drop, 53.9 ft/lbs KE
  • 50 yards – 58.1 inches drop, 51.9 ft/lbs KE

2009 Bowtech SWAT – 360.1 gr arrow

• 26 5/8″ measured to AMO standard
• 69.75 lbs (maxed out)
• 14.6 gr on string (Fletcher TruPeep 8.8 gr, string loop 5.1 gr, tied string nocks .7 gr)
• 360.1 gr arrow
• 279.3 fps (three arrow avg)
• 62.31 foot pounds KE (initial, actual)
• Calculated downrange KE and trajectory (Note that these calculated results seem suspect when compared to the above set up – a lighter arrow in this case should not equal greater KE, but I’m reporting the results as they were generated.):
  • 20 yards – 8.1 inches drop, 60.8 ft/lbs KE
  • 30 yards – 18.5 inches drop, 58.5 ft/lbs KE
  • 40 yards – 33.5 inches drop, 56.2 ft/lbs KE
  • 50 yards – 53.1 inches drop, 54.0 ft/lbs KE

2006 Reflex Highlander – 376.8 gr arrow

• 26 1/2″ measured to AMO standard
• 67.25 lbs (maxed out)
• 69.1 gr on string (1/4″ G5 Meta-Peep 6.5 gr, SIMS Super String Leeches 56.8 gr, string loop 5.1 gr, tied string nocks .7 gr)
• 376.8 gr arrow
• 259 fps (three arrow avg)
• 56.07 foot pounds KE (initial, actual)
• Calculated downrange KE and trajectory:
  • 20 yards – 9.7 inches drop, 53.2 ft/lbs KE
  • 30 yards – 22.2 inches drop, 51.2 ft/lbs KE
  • 40 yards – 40.1 inches drop, 49.3 ft/lbs KE
  • 50 yards – 63.6 inches drop, 47.4 ft/lbs KE

2006 Reflex Highlander – 360.1 gr arrow

• 26 1/2″ measured to AMO standard
• 67.25 lbs (maxed out)
• 69.1 gr on string (1/4″ G5 Meta-Peep 6.5 gr, SIMS Super String Leeches 56.8 gr, string loop 5.1 gr, tied string nocks .7 gr)
• 360.1 gr arrow
• 263.3 fps (three arrow avg)
• 55.38 foot pounds KE (initial, actual)
• Calculated downrange KE and trajectory:
  • 20 yards – 9.7 inches drop, 49.7 ft/lbs KE
  • 30 yards – 22.2 inches drop, 47.8 ft/lbs KE
  • 40 yards – 40.1 inches drop, 46.1 ft/lbs KE
  • 50 yards – 63.5 inches drop, 44.3 ft/lbs KE

More Technical Musings

For a later-to-be-announced 2010 adventure I’m trying to deliver 62-65 ft lbs with my set up based on the outfitter’s recommendation.  The new Bowtech SWAT puts me on the edge of that.  The Highlander is quite a bit short of my goal.  It’ll be my back up on this adventure.  My dilemma is whether or not I want to up the ante even more and switch to a reliable, economical solution; aluminum arrows.  I know there are a lot of good carbon/aluminum and aluminum/carbon options out there, but when I compare $50 per dozen, raw shaft, for aluminum to $100+ per dozen for carbon/aluminum or aluminum/carbon (raw shaft) the solution is obvious for me. 

So, putting Archer’s Advantage’s tools to use with a hypothetical set up in the Reflex Highlander, the potential with the lightest aluminum arrow with the proper spine, a 2412, weighing (computed vice actual) 400 grains would deliver 64.7 ft lbs initial KE with a downrange KE and trajectory as listed below.  This is another situation where the generated results are suspect and would have to proven.  For instance, when compared to the results above the arrow drop with this heavier arrow is less at 50 yards than the other two set-ups.   However, KE is significantly higher which is good.  A test arrow would have to be made, weighed and shot through the chrony and then that information fed into Archer’s Advantage to verify the results. 

• 2412 Aluminum Arrow in the Reflex Highlander (calculated using Archer’s Advantage) 
  • 20 yards – 9.3 inches drop, 57.8 ft/lb KE
  • 30 yards – 21.4 inches drop, 54.6 ft/lb KE
  • 40 yards – 38.3 inche drop, 51.6 ft/lb KE
  • 50 yards – 62 inches drop, 48.7 ft/lb KE

With the SWAT just reaching the lower edge of the desired KE I will be using a full cut-on-contact broadhead, the 4-blade, 100-grain Magnus Stinger for this adventure.  If you have concerns about your delivered KE, regardless of quarry pursued, I recommend the same strategy.  I get a lot of people asking me why I shoot 67.5-70 lbs when, according to them, 50 or 60 lbs will get the job done.  Truth be known I’d shoot in the low 70’s if manufacturers made limbs in the 65-75 lb range.  Typically people who ask me this start out at 28.5 inches or more in draw length and are already exceeding the speed and KE delivered by my set-up even when they are shooting less draw weight.  In my opinion, and this is just my opinion, for short DL archers shooting the most draw weight one can safely and accurately handle is the best way to go.  This is one of the reasons I consistently hit the gym.  Safe and accurate are keys here – if an archer can’t draw his or her bow while sitting in a chair with both feet off the ground then he or she is shooting too much draw weight. 

I’d like to keep the flattest trajectory possible, but it is very important to set myself up with the best penetration possible also.  Note that the minimum difference in drop between any of the four set-ups from 20-30 yards is 10.4 inches on the SWAT’s 360.1 grain set-up.  If I aim at the center of a standard 8 inch kill zone any yardage estimation error greater than about 4 yards (one inch drop per yard) will drop the arrow more than the distance from the center of the kill-zone to a miss - 4 inches.  Due to this I try to mitigate yardage estimation errors by participating in 3D shoots without the aid of my range-finder.  I estimate the yardage, shoot and then range the target to see how close or far away my estimate was.  I also try to use that tactic in addition to shooting with a partner who is superior to me at judging distance so I have the opportunity to judge the range, discuss any “trouble spots” a particular target is posing (long, dark, brushy tunnel vs. open and sunny for instance) and learn from the experience.  Shooting with my friend Gary Martin who has taken the archery Super Slam (defined as harvesting each of North America’s 28, now 29, big game species) accomplishes this.

Recommended resources: 

• Dave Holt’s Balanced Bowhunting II. 
• Hunter’s Friend’s Arrow Buyer Help – Speed and Kinetic Energy

happy hunting, dv

If you liked this blog you may like the following: 

• JD Welding Arrow Spin Testing – A dv Gear Review
• Overhauling A Hunting Bow
• Archery Release Mystery Solved
• DIY $25 Bow Press

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Here are the Week Four entries for the Mostly Archery and Up North Journal Game Camera Photo Contest.

This brings our contest to a close.  The winners will be announced Wednesday, December 30th.  You can find the original contest announcement with prizes, rules and how you could have entered here.

Andrew of Oxford, AL sent in these two pictures of some very nice bucks trying to rattle up some hunters.  

Dave of Rapid City, SD sent in these pics of a jewelry wearing kitty-cat. 

This itchy buck pic was submitted by Kurt from Washington, PA.

Steve of Whitney Point, NY submitted this photo of “old floppy ears” checking out what that funny noise is.

“Bears at the Spa” was submitted by DJ of Kalispell, MT.

Contestants in the “Next Top Predator Contest” entered by DJ of Kalispell, MT.

What is that guy doing?  Submitted by DJ of Kalispell, MT.

Where’d he go?  Also submitted by DJ of Kalispell, MT.

Thank you to everyone who submitted pictures.  Best of luck to you all.

happy hunting, dv

It is hard to find reliable speeds for short draw archers.  In this post I discuss recent results from two of my bows and some technical aspects regarding them.  

Warning:  This post contains technical content.

I spent some time the other night recording arrow speeds for submission to Archery Report’s Bow Speed Database.  This was previously mentioned in Archery Resources.  It was important to be as careful and accurate as possible to allow the comparison of true apple-to-apples.  We’ve all seen numbers reported that there is no way possible to produce – like someone shooting twenty pounds less than I am with similar equipment reaching speeds that exceed those my bows produce.  Machismo (or straight up guessing) on the part of the reporting party may play a factor in there somewhere. 

The Results 

2009 Bowtech SWAT – 376.8 gr arrow 

• 26 5/8″ measured to AMO standard
• 69.75 lbs (maxed out)
• 14.6 gr on string (Fletcher TruPeep 8.8 gr, string loop 5.1 gr, tied string nocks .7 gr)
• 376.8 gr arrow
• 274 fps (three arrow avg) 

2009 Bowtech SWAT – 360.1 gr arrow 

• 26 5/8″ measured to AMO standard
• 69.75 lbs (maxed out)
• 14.6 gr on string (Fletcher TruPeep 8.8 gr, string loop 5.1 gr, tied string nocks .7 gr)
• 360.1 gr arrow
• 279.3 fps (three arrow avg) 

2006 Reflex Highlander – 376.8 gr arrow 

• 26 1/2″ measured to AMO standard
• 67.25 lbs (maxed out)
• 69.1 gr on string (1/4″ G5 Meta-Peep 6.5 gr, SIMS Super String Leeches 56.8 gr, string loop 5.1 gr, tied string nocks .7 gr)
• 376.8 gr arrow
• 259 fps (three arrow avg) 

2006 Reflex Highlander – 360.1 gr arrow 

• 26 1/2″ measured to AMO standard
• 67.25 lbs (maxed out)
• 69.1 gr on string (1/4″ G5 Meta-Peep 6.5 gr, SIMS Super String Leeches 56.8 gr, string loop 5.1 gr, tied string nocks .7 gr)
• 360.1 gr arrow
• 263.3 fps (three arrow avg) 

Satisfaction

Since I can remember when 242 fps (using the latest machined-riser bow, a sizable over-draw and the latest carbon-aluminum arrows) was exciting you can imagine my excitement in seeing 279.3 fps (one of the three arrows actually went 280) with my new Bowtech SWAT.  At my short 26.5″ draw length I never really thought I’d see 280 fps with normal hunting tackle in the mid-priced range (which is what I shoot – nothing fancy here) that I believe has both sufficient axle-to-axle (ATA) and brace-height (BH) for reliable in-the-field performance. 

Technical Musings

Two different arrows were shot through each bow; a 376.8 grain arrow and a 360.1 grain arrow.  The weight difference was 16.7 grains.  The difference in speed between the two arrows shot through the SWAT was 5.3 fps.  If I divide 16.7 grains by 5.3 fps we see that for each reduction of 3.15 grains there is a gain of 1 fps.  Likewise, the same math exercise with the Highlander shows a speed difference between the two arrows of 4.3 fps.  Again, if I divide 16.7 grains by 4.3 fps we see that for each reduction of 3.88 grains there is a gain of 1 fps.  In other words it appears the SWAT is more efficient; it takes less of a reduction (3.15 vs 3.88) in weight to obtain 1 fps gain in speed.  However, there is a difference of 2.5 pounds draw weight between the two bows. 

Something I wondered about while shopping for bows was, “Has technology really produced faster, improved bows or are the numbers we see simply marketing hype?”  Notice that there is a significant difference in the amount of weight on the strings between the two bows.  Weight on the string affects speed, noise and vibration just as a heavier arrow would.  Generally, the more weight propelled by the bow’s limbs the quieter and more vibration free the bow will be and the less weight the bow’s limbs propel the louder the bow and less vibration free the bow will be as energy unable to be absorbed by the arrow (due to less mass) results in the side effects of noise and vibration.  Interestingly (and satisfyingly), the newer technology SWAT is quieter and more vibration free than the older Highlander even with all the weight on the Highlander’s string and the greater draw weight of the SWAT.  This is a nod to better technology producing quieter, more vibration free bows at least.  

If I were to try to equalize the weight on the string by reducing the Highlander’s 69.1 grains to the SWAT’s 14.6 grains weight on string I’d have to remove 54.5 grains.  Since each reduction of 3.88 grains realized 1 fps in speed for the Highlander I’ll divide 54.5 grains by 3.88 grains.  The result is a potential 14.05 fps gain in speed.  If I add that 14.05 fps to the 259 fps achieved by the 376.8 grain arrow the result is 273.05 fps; almost exactly equal to the SWAT’s 274 fps results (and at lower poundage).  Similarly, if I add that 14.05 fps to the 263.3 fps achieved by the 360.1 grain arrow the result is 277.35 fps; just short of the SWAT’s 279.3 fps.  So, potentially, if I removed the 54.5 grains of extra weight off the Highlander’s string I might (italics) be able to achieve similar speeds with an older bow at less draw weight.  That is quite interesting.  

However, one rule that I try to follow (it isn’t easy) is that during hunting season if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.  Due to some meddling last year I missed one deer during the late season and would have severely screwed up my trip to Texas, Outfitter Report – Hogs and Javelina in Texas and Boar Attack – Anatomy of a Hog Shot Gone Wrong, had I not checked my bow’s zero upon arrival.  So, I’m not likely to mess with the Highlander anytime in the near future.  I am convinced, however, that the noise level would significantly increase on the Highlander without the extra weight and the vibration absorbing String Leeches. 

Alright, so now that I’ve recorded the speeds, what do they mean?  Does any of this affect kinetic energy or trajectory?  I’ll save that for a future post.  So please come back.  You won’t want to miss it. 

happy hunting, dv

If you liked this blog you may like the following: 

• JD Welding Arrow Spin Testing – A dv Gear Review
• Overhauling A Hunting Bow
• Archery Release Mystery Solved
• DIY $25 Bow Press

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