Bow season!!!

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

TYR, this is the only reason that I like my son's retractable broadheads.....they ARE practice tips till they hit something. Still, I'm extremely happy with my fixed blades. By the way, I may sell David's recurve......he isn't man enough (or dedicated enough) to use it or keep it. He hated to tell me but he said that he probably won't use it cuz he can't shoot it well enough past 20 yards. He can practically strike a match at 70+ yards with his PSE electric blue tournament bow and his ProLine hunting bow but he hasn't the patience or strength to practice enough to get good at longer distances. Heck, I'd love to use it if it wasn't a lefty but with my old crippled left (release hand) there's no way I can smoothly release ANY bow....much less a 60+ pound bow with ZERO let-off. Maybe I can Ebay it and buy one just like it (only right handed).

My son does use fixed blades on his tournament bow cuz it is sited in with 75 gr and we haven't found any 75 gr retractable/expandable broadheads. In fact, I'm going to Ebay right now to see if anyone has any KOLPIN four bladed TWISTERS. I shoot 125 for maximum penatration but those 95 grain TWISTERS would be worth re-setting my bow to. They do a LOT of damage because the four blades are really like eight. The canted/twisted blade placement causes the four blades to twist at a half turn and this action actually persist (to some degree) as it goes through the animal. What a hole! What a blood trail!!! I miss them!

I have only ever shot two blade on my arrows, nothing fancy and used Howard Hill broad heads except for a couple years that I used Fred Bear broad heads. Bought a huge supply back then and still have a half dozen that have never been used. Two blades all a man needs if he keeps them sharp. Just a simple guy that likes easy simple gear myself. My nephew used to shot all that fancy stuff. I told him go for it its your hunt not mine. The way I look at it if they are into archery more power to them ,which ever way they chose to do it. -Tyr

[logroller]

I only practice using the broad heads the last two weeks just before season starts. Always shoot a bit different than the field points do. Kinda boring shooting deer with a rifle ,no sport in at all for me. Just far too easy. With a bow its not easy. Makes it a challenge. I was once hunting on the ground and got two shots at a big buck. Shot over the buck both times! Even with my aiming lower the second shot my arrow went right over but seemed to nick his fur the second time. Man that sucker took off like a scalded dog. I was shooting my heavy bow and only found one arrow. The other stayed in the woods unless I hit the buck and didn't see it but I could find no sign of blood , was starting to get dark so cut short my arrow finding mission. I had put a new string on that bow the day before and found I had misjudged setting the nock points on the string. Reset them and the high shooting stopped. Dogs, my brother had some of the best rabbit hunting dogs I've ever seen. All beagles except Queenie the very best dog was a daschound mix, half beagle /half daschound. Queenie never lost the trail. Always listened for her yelp even when the other dogs were coming from another direction, the rabbit would always be just in front of Queenie. I hadnt hunted with my brother for about 5 years and his good friend Rex started rabbit hunting with him . Third hunt out Rex shoot Queenie instead of the rabbit . SEEMS QUEENIE WAS ONLY ABOUT 3 OR 4 FEET BEHIND THE RABBIT EMERGING INTO THE CLEARING AND REX NEVER WAS A GREAT SHOT. My brother dearly loved that dog, took it real, real hard. Sold his other dogs and never rabbit hunted again. That was about 14 years ago. Never hunted with Rex again either. -Tyr

That is a tragic story tyr. I'm sad now.

[red state]

I have only ever shot two blade on my arrows, nothing fancy and used Howard Hill broad heads except for a couple years that I used Fred Bear broad heads. Bought a huge supply back then and still have a half dozen that have never been used. Two blades all a man needs if he keeps them sharp. Just a simple guy that likes easy simple gear myself. My nephew used to shot all that fancy stuff. I told him go for it its your hunt not mine. The way I look at it if they are into archery more power to them ,which ever way they chose to do it. -Tyr

Agreed on the simplicity factor but in a way, my son's expendables are having to do with simplicity in the truest form (except for when it comes to resharpinging them.....but, as I've said, I only like my three blade fixed heads when it comes to easy sharpening). The old traditional heads dull quickly and are not as easy to sharpen as mine are. I say this about David's expandable/switch blade heads because he can set his sites for 3D archery tournaments YET also be SPOT ON for when it comes time to screw on hunting heads. Simple....no worries and can swapped out, with confidence, shoot EXACTLY as he does with practice tips (without worry of dulling or losing a hunting head by practicing with it) so this seems to be a win win.

I can shoot either traditional or modern, in any way (whether finger or aid) with any type of broad head (even home made kinds using tin can tops (peach cans seem to do best). HA!!! I believe I've told you that story before but because the KOLPIN twisters were out of business, I had to do something after breaking a few blades so I shot some home made blades and although they would damage after a few rounds of shooting, they did fly extremely well and were easy to sharpen. Heck, even a plain ole tin can can cut ya so it seemed to be fine to try. Well, on one particular evening after work, I tried one. A single old doe came within 15 yards so I let one fly. I was a bit worried that it may not work BUT after hearing her burn through the brush and hearing a LOUD crash, I knew it worked. She had gone 75 yards (the average run that my deer go after being shot) and she was going down hill all the way and had just made it across the creek that came from my bass lake. I've not used a tin can again but it is a cheap alternative to buying more blades when that time comes. If I ever start my traditional career of hunting (with bows I've made) I'll most assuredly make my own broad heads. That, my friend, is going all out in being traditional.

Seriously though, we should either make our own stuff or be happy with those who only wish to be the best they can in providing food and taking an animal down cleanly. I can and do appreciate those who shoot traditional and, in a way, I too am a traditionalist. I have used the very heads you mentioned and still have some Fred Bear specials in their original package. I hate to use them out of sentimental reasons so I opened one pack and saved the other. I have also used (and still have) the following hunting heads: Hill's Hornet (two blade) glue-on with modern glue-in twist-on inserts for carbon arrows. VINTAGE BEAR mentioned above....with two blades and two small razor blade inserts BUT (I just use the two blades as they fly better without the thin, smaller razor insert blades). I even have some single welded BOD~KIN four blades that fire true and are virtually indestructible. BY THE WAY, what do you have against carbon arrows? The wood ones that you use and the cedar ones that my son uses for his Samick Sage break easy and must be kept dry. The feathers go bad quickly whereas carbon arrows are VERY true flying arrows and are extremely tough. I've used aluminum but they also bend and break fairly easily. I've reused ONE carbon arrow for killing many deer cuz they are so tough and although I like turkey feathers, they truly can't compete with the plastic vanes for accuracy and endurance under ALL weather (wind, rain, sleet). I HATE turkey feathers for when it's raining and don't dare let it rain and then go cold quickly cuz that makes them freeze and unshootable. Plastic vanes can simply be thumped to knock the ice off and they dry in seconds. So, to me that is much more SIMPLE to use than the traditional wood ones with glue on nocks, glue on heads and delicate feathers that require much more work to "set" (if) your equipment needs minor adjustments or to keep from damage. I guess I'm being difficult because I wasn't able to go hunting this mornin' and with my daughter having another game tonight will not get to go tonight. HA!!! Still, I do have good argument to bring to the table and am only trying to keep this interesting.

Look forward to your reply.....AND, if you're able, HAPPY HUNTIN'

[red state]

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 but do remember it being a "shooter" in my book and that's a pretty good book. HA! Good job Marissa!!!!

[red state]

3 more months!!!! and I plan to take a deer with my home-made bows this Fall. Time to pluck the feathers from some of the turkey mounts I've taken and ready-up some arrows with Magnus two-bladed broadheads. I've recently lost one Magnus cuz I'm a bit new to the hot-melt glue. I suppose I wasn't liberal enough in distributing the stuff and one of my broadheads is now deep in the ground after finding a root. I once shot 3D but now all I shoot at is a small white coffee cup (suspended from a stick or string). Once upon a time, I had a dog that would fetch my arrows from the pond after shooting at small, floating objects. I did this so as never to dull a blade. The only problem was with the dog grabbing the fletching from time to time.

Tyr, I have that bow for Dustin but it is now dusty and I'm sure he'd be better off with one of my other ones. I have made many but I am partial to Juniper bows cuz I've not had one to blow up on me and they have a great deal of SNAP. I don't have any Boddock around here or else I'd make one from that type wood. I made a very (VERY) short bow for a neighbor a few weeks ago and I've asked him every Sunday if this 56" Juniper has exploded on him yet. He says it hasn't but continually brags about how it spits his carbon arrows. He plans to take several hogs and deer with it. As it is Juniper, it truly is a beautiful bow indeed. I made a 60+" Juniper bow for a friend who is 6'7" and a 32" draw. Now that was one gorgeous bow and I hated to part with it. I test shot it for well over 200+ shots. Had I not cut it down for tournament shooting, I would have loved to have kept it heavier for hunting (and for myself). It was smooth, comfortable and had plenty of riser for bow fishing, quivers and even site pins. I don't shoot all that now (hope you're proud, TYR) but I was really hitting consistently up to 25yds with that bow. I got a bit shakey at 30 & 35 and could randomly hit at 40+ yds but with more practice, the proper arrows and the proper poundage/draw for me......I'm certain I could have gotten really good with that extremely quiet bow.

At any rate, it is almost time to get all the dust off and get out in the heat, ticks and briars. I'm gonna hit the woods with MY bow, my arrows and possibly my broadheads that I've made (if I don't lazy-out and use the very dependable Magnus two-blades). I've killed a deer with my "tin-can" broadhead but it is so much easier to simply glue on the store-bought ones. HA!!!

Tyr, we're gonna have to get together some time and go stompin'.

[red state]

Oh....just to clarify; I'm long bow all the way none of my bows are recure (although a few have reflex tips). My son still has that Korean Samick Sage recurve and is quite good with it up to 30 yds BUT one simply can't beat the simplicity and smoothness of a reliable LONG BOW! So much more fun to shoot than compounds. Ya can't compete with the SPEED & accuracy of compounds but they are so blasted loud.

To Granny or anyone else here who shoots or to all those interested in picking archery up (like JEFF) put in your 2cents and we'll have a great topic.