No, no, this isn’t about the way I wash my hair (or lack of).  Instead, I wanted to give you readers some tips and tricks for preparing a skull for a european mount.

For an all inclusive instruction, the University of Arizona Cooperative extension has prepared a 4 page instructional sheet in .PDF Format that deals with all the various ways to turn a “bloody meathead” into a shiny,white, bright. keepsake.

Some quick hints for “Boiling” skulls:

When doing a hot water maceration, simmer don’t boil

Keep the skull off of the bottom of the pan or pot you are using.

• Keep the antlers out of the water to avoid discoloring them.
• Don’t use your wife, or girlfriends cooking pots.  For large skulls like a cattle or elk, a #2 washtub on a coleman stove outside is your best bet.
• Keep an eye on the water level. 
• Be mindful that this takes nearly a full day, and doesn’t smell all that wonderful. 
• To add a nice white color use Hydrogen peroxide once the meat is “off the bone”
• Glue in any loose teeth.

There are operations that have Dermestid beetles and do an outstanding job of cleaning a skull.  One such place is High Desert Skullworks.  Their page details the shipping procedure, prices, and services.

I’m one of those guys who sweat alot….So I embraced the synthetic clothing that is available from manufacturers such as Under Armour, and other active wear manufacturers.  In wearing synthetics, I have found them to be superior to the old cotton T-shirts that I wore previously.  No clammy wet feeling, no heavy wet sensation, and quick drying! 

But I noticed that these synthetics seemed to hold body odor more than many natural fibers.  This observation was echoed by other active hunters both on Jesse’s Hunting Page and 24 Hour Campfire, Backpack Hunting Forums.  I was lucky enough to find a blog entry from “The Cleanest Line“, a blog for the employees, friends and customers of Patagonia clothing company that dealt with this very topic.  the blog post, Post adventure Laundry details what we can do to minimize the level of Body Odor that we experience including the following tips..

• Bacteria causes B.O.
• Bacteria is attracted to body oils on Synthetic fibers.
• Body oils, along with dirt and dyes, are hosts to bacteria.
• Detergent removes bacteria more effectively than Soap
• Fabric softener will add residue that will support bacteria.
• Drying Synthetics with heat invigorates bacteria, Line drying is better.
• Occasionally use 1/3 cup of vinegar as an anti-bacterial treatment in the wash.  But not too often!
• Other options include wool clothing, which is nearly equal in wicking power and reported to be more ecologically friendly than many of the treatments used in synthetics. 

So I hope this gives you a little more of an idea of how to combat the funky smell that seems to come from hunting and training hard.   After all our quarry has a keen nose, and we need to keep our odoriferous emanations to a minimum if we want to be successful.

The folks at ArcheryTalk.com, along with a long list of archery manufacturer sponsors, came up with a great year end contest. In short, they asked their members to submit essays about what Archery means to them. I was moved when I read all the entries from archers across the country. At the end of the contest there were over 100 entries, all of which I could identify with. Take some time and read through the entries here if you want to get a deeper look at why we take up the discipline of Archery and how it has enriched our lives.  The photos along with the entries are priceless.  I consider myself lucky to be associated with such an outstanding group of people.

Below is the entry I sent…

When I shot my first modern compound bow, I never realized what an effect it would have on me. I was amazed that I could put six arrows in the vital sized area of a foam target from 20 yards. It was as if a new door had been opened for me, and a new chapter of my life waited to be written. As a young rancher, not yet 30, with a family just started I was focused on three things: kids, cows and career. Here was something that I could enjoy and share with my children.

We practiced as a family in the hay barn with 300 tons of alfalfa hay to serve as a backstop. The girls ages 6 and 4 hooted and giggled when their arrows would land anywhere on the 3 ft by 4 ft paper animal targets just 6 grown up paces away, while I took aim at the 3-d deer target further back. Now, I had a way to involve my family in the preparation for my solitary big game pursuits. Practice in the hay barn led to a summer 3-d league. Perhaps the most fond archery memory is from a rainy afternoon as we arrived at the archery range to a 3d shoot that had been cancelled. In the back seat, in her pink rain jacket and pink boots, I heard Erin begin to sniffle and cry.

I asked “What’s the matter honey? Do you not want to go out in the rain?”

She replied with a sob, “NNNNNOOOO, I wanna go shoot my BOOOOWWWWW.”

I replied calmly “That’s ok honey, the range on this side of the creek is open, we can shoot at the field targets.” Which brought on another series of sobs….

Trying to keep my composure, I asked again why that upset her. She wiped her nose and with a quavering voice broken up with sniffs and sobs said:
“I (sniff) don’t (snort) wanna shoot no (sniff) stupid paper targets…………I wanna shoot some ANIMALS!”

As I held her there in my arms, I couldn’t have been more proud, even though we didn’t shoot that day, we have been side by side for the 3-d season for every summer. I carry the memories of our 3d shoots when I’m on a distant windswept mountain far from home, and I have to agree with her….

I just wanna shoot some animals too…

Well last week was a rough one as far as my archery game was concerned.  After a few nights of shooting 420’s with 10-12 x’s the wheels fell off when I shot league.  I dropped down to a 396 with only 3 x’s… 

I couldn’t get comfortable and my anchor was not steady at all.  My bow developed a horrible squeak and I was constantly low and right.  I fought that bow with every shot.  So I did what every good archer does….I put the bow away and didn’t look at it until this weeks league!

Thursday, I arrived at the range and sprayed silicone lube in the bushing on the top cam of the bow and got that horrible squeak out of there.  Then I noticed that my Whammy rest was not dropping at the correct time.  (It cost me the cock vane on three of my arrows to get it through my thick skull though!)  Once I tightened up the “drop cord”  we were back in business. 

I put together a 412/6x night.  Much better, but I’m not back to normal.  I received a new Carter Quickie 1 release today so I’m going to see how that works tonight.

The Grizzly Bear is the inland North American Brown Bear, ursus arctos horribilis. It is slightly smaller than it’s coastal cousin, the Alaskan Brown Bear. For record keeping purposes the Grizzly is found north and east of the following line:

“…beginning at the Pearse Canal and following the Canadian and Alaskan boundary to Mt. Natazhat, then west-northwest along the divide of the Wrangell Range to Mt. Jarvis at the western end of the Wrangell Range. The boundary proceeds north along the divide of the Mentasta Range to Mentasta Pass, then in a general westerly direction along the divide of the Alaska Range to Houston Pass, and westerly following the 62nd parallel of latitude to the Bering Sea.”

The Grizzly has been reintroduced to much of it’s Rocky Mountain range, and populations have grown to the extent that it has been taken off of the federal endangered species list and is upgraded to threatened in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Currently there are no seasons open for the grizzly in the United States, but populations are thriving in Western Canada and Alaska. Alaska and British Columbia have the lion’s share of the entries, as well as the majority of the grizzly population.

(Click on the thumbnails below to show the full sized table.)

Scoring for all bears is the sum of two measurements. Length plus Width taken after a sixty day drying period, after all meat and tissue has been removed from the skull. Currently the record for the largest Grizzly is a 26 3/16” giant from Unakleet, Alaska. But British Columbia probably has a better average measurement from it’s 30 entries. Both regions have good chances for record book bears if you can brave the weather and go toe to toe with a deserving adversary. The two Wyoming entries from Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, in 1920 are credited to Saxton Pope and Art Young, the Forefathers of modern bowhunting. Art Young’s bear is # 8 as of the 2005 Record book.

All information presented is from the Pope and Young Club Bowhunting Big Game Records of North America, Sixth edition 2005 published by the Pope and Young Club Chatfield, MN. Not responsible for numerical errors, typographical errors or omissions, due to the author’s poor typing skills or plain bone headedness.

Well, after a  fun Christmas opening gifts, it is fun to look back at the “Loot” that Santa left. 

I dropped a lot of hints to my family, and managed to get a pair of the Sitka Gear Mountain pants to try.  These look like they will fit the bill for both early season hunts as well as into Fall.  Cool, there is another product review you can expect…

From my in-laws I received a copy of ”Idaho’s Greatest Elk” by Ryan Hatfield, a fellow University of Idaho Alumni.  Good enough, I need to do another book review.  Along with that was a Gift Certificate to Sage Creek Outfitters, which should cover a Sitka Gear Mountain shirt….

My parents were good enough to get me some more synthetic wicking workout apparel…Just in time to start my marathon training in January..

Those were the highlights of the ‘Haul” this Christmas.  Perhaps my favorite gift (at least the one most from the heart) was a “rifle” fashioned out of a wrapping paper tube made for me by my 7 year old daughter.  Truly a gift from the heart.

The time spent together as a family was priceless.  Our youngest, 17 month old Sydney finally got the hang of opening gifts and had a great time with the wrapping paper and boxes. 

And from my friends at Martin archery…there is a little something that I will share with you in a few days.   

Black Bears are the second most popular animal based on Pope and Young Club entries. Taxonomically the black bear is known as Ursus americanus americanus. I’ts range stretches from coast to coast in Canada, America, Alaska and Mexico.

Scoring for all bears is the sum of two measurements. Length plus Width taken after a sixty day drying period, after all meat and tissue has been removed from the skull.  The minimum score for entry into the P& Y records is 18 0/8 inches

The states with the most black bear entries are in the upper North Central Region of North America, and Alaska. These are usually areas where baiting is the preferred method and bear densities are high.  (Click on the thumbnails that follow to see the full sized tables.)

If you are set on a Western Black bear hunt in the Lower 48 states then your best bet for a Pope and Young Bear is in Idaho, or Colorado.

The Current Pope and Young #1 black bear was killed in Mendocino County, California, not far from where I bowhunt blacktail deer. Needless to say, I always make sure to have a bear tag when I am afield there!  Of all the Western States, California has the largest average skull size followed closely by Arizona and Alaska. All great locations if you are looking for a bruin with a noggin the size of a pumpkin!

All information presented is from the Pope and Young Club Bowhunting Big Game Records of North America, Sixth edition 2005 published by the Pope and Young Club Chatfield, MN. Not responsible for numerical errors, typographical errors or omissions, due to the author’s poor typing skills or plain bone headedness.

I get a kick out of old hunting photos.  I received a copy of this one from a fella who I work with and did some detective work to figure out who is who in the photo.  The most colorful figure is the big man on the right. Charlie Hall was the stuff legends are made of.  The “Bloomfield Giant”  could out-work, out shoot and out drink nearly anyone who would take him on.

From the LEFT
Chuck Bricker (on the ground looking to his left)
Back row L-R
Frank Bean
Chuck Reeves (boy with no hat)
Paul Martin (John’s dad)
Colby Martin (John’s Uncle)
Marie Roberts
Fletcher Roberts
Gene Steinbeck

Front row L-R
George Reeves
Ken Martin II
Harry Steinbeck
Ken Martin I (John’s Great Uncle)
Kenny Reeves
Billy Steinbeck

Charlie Hall (on the ground on the Right of the picture)
Dog-Jill (Harry Steinbeck’s Turkey herding dog)
Taken in 1962,
at the Steinbeck Ranch on Roblar Rd.

When the days get short, and it is dark at 5:00 pm, the archery practice moves indoors.  In years past I’ve attended the World Archery Festival in Las Vegas.  This year, I’m staying close to home.  The only shoot on my calendar at the moment is the 2008 State Indoor Championships which take place at indoor shooting ranges around California.  The results from each location is sent to the California Bowhunter- State Archery Association.  A couple months later the results are published in the Monthly newsletter.  In 2007 I was fortunate enough to place 1st in the Second Flight of the Bowhunter Freestyle division.

The Target is the three spot, 40 cm “Vegas” face.

One arrow in each spot is shot per “end”.  The target is scored as shown in the excellent Graphic below from Archerytalk.com.  The X ring inside the 10 ring is used to break ties.  For archers with identical scores, the one with the most X’s will win.

The World Archery Festival contest is 10 ends per round, for a perfect score of 300/30x.  The tournement is a three day affair, with a total possible score of 900/90x 

For more information about California Archery, check out the CBH-SAA page 

For information about the World Archery Festival or target archery in your area check out the National Field Archery Association

For the State Indoor championship we will shoot 15 ends per round for a perfect score of 450/45x. My personal best on a “450″ round is 439/15x. Over the next 10 weeks I will be reporting my practice and League scores. Just an added incentive to keep me focused until the State Shoot

We started on Dec.6th and I had to get the cobwebs off and re-sight in for indoor shooting.   That Thursday night I shot a pathetic 409 with 5 x’s.  I can tell I’m rusty!

December 13th came along, and I managed to pull out 420 with 9x’s. I still had some shots in the red, but I am grouping better. Maybe dinner with my friend Cal before the shoot helped!

Last night, December 18th, my practice score was 421 with 10 x’s.  Some improvement.  I noticed that my shots that were x’s FELT real solid.   I’m making progress. Stay tuned for more practice scores in the future…

When I took the Hunter safety class with my daughter last Spring, I really found the section of the Hunter Ed Manual on “Stages of Hunting” to be quite accurate.  I thought about the people I hunted with and feel that the role models I had helped me progress faster throught the stages. 

I have to admit, I am at the “method stage”  in my bowhunting pursuits, but with a rifle I’m  nearing “sportsman” I hope.    I think that a few years of 3-D and field shooting took care of the desire to “fling” arrows.  Now I just want one GOOD shot.  As my daughters begin to take up hunting, I get more and more pleasure watching them grow in the sport.  I look forward to reporting on my stages and how they change in the next 5 to 10 years.

FIVE STAGES OF A HUNTER

Hunters change through the years. Factors used to determine
“successful hunting” change as well for each hunter. A hunter’s age,
role models, and his years of hunting experience affect his ideas of
“success.”

Many hunters may fit into one of the following five groups. In
1975-1980, groups of over 1,000 hunters in Wisconsin were studied,
surveyed, and written about by Professors Robert Jackson and Robert
Norton, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The results of their
studies form a widely accepted theory of hunter behavior and
development. Where are you now? Where would you like to be?

SHOOTER STAGE

The hunter talks about satisfaction with hunting being closely tied to
being able to “get shooting.” Often the beginning duck hunter will
relate he had an excellent day if he got in a lot of shooting. The
beginning deer hunter will talk about the number of shooting
opportunities. Missing game means little to hunters in this phase. A
beginning hunter wants to pull the trigger and test the capability of
his firearm. A hunter in this stage may be a dangerous hunting
partner.

LIMITING OUT STAGE

A hunter still talks about satisfaction gained from shooting. But what
seems more important is measuring success through the killing of game
and the number of birds or animals shot. Limiting out, or filling a
tag, is the absolute measure. Do not let your desire to limit out be
stronger than the need for safe behavior at all times.

TROPHY STAGE

Satisfaction is described in terms of selectivity of game. A duck
hunter might take only greenheads. A deer hunter looks for one special
deer. A hunter might travel far to find a real trophy animal. Shooting
opportunity and skills become less important.

METHOD STAGE

This hunter has all the special equipment. Hunting has become one of
the most important things in his life. Satisfaction comes from the
method that enables the hunter to take game. Taking game is important,
but second to how it is taken. This hunter will study long and hard
how best to pick a blind site, lay out decoys, and call in
waterfowl. A deer hunter will go one on one with a white-tailed deer,
studying sign, tracking, and the life habits of the deer. Often, the
hunter will handicap himself by hunting only with black powder
firearms or bow and arrow. Bagging game, or limiting, still is
understood as being a necessary part of the hunt during this phase.

SPORTSMAN STAGE

As a hunter ages and after many years of hunting, he “mellows out.”
Satisfaction now can be found in the total hunting experience. Being
in the field, enjoying the company of friends and family, and seeing
nature outweigh the need for taking game.

Not all hunters go through all the stages, or go through them in that
particular order. It is also possible for hunters who pursue several
species of game to be in different stages with regard to each
species. Some hunters feel that role models of good sportsmen,
training, or reading books or magazines helped them pass more quickly
through some stages.

—————
California Department of Fish and Game. “California Hunter Education
Manual”. 1995 (revised edition). Sacramento, California. [p.8]