Bow Hunter Derek

Re: Goose Jerky That is about the only way I make goose any more. You can cut it against the grain into thin strips and marinate it and then dry it out. That is good. Or You can grind it up (ground goose is disgusting!), mix in a jerky season and cure, load the Jerky Gun, and dry it out. The ground up way is nasty during the process, but I like the finished product better.

Re: What\'s your favorite decoy pattern to set up? I mostly hunt very small beaver ponds for mallards and woodies. A dozen decoys (six per side) with a good landing area out in front of me is usually good enough. No particular pattern. I put out the Roto Duck and a couple of those puck looking things to make ripples in the water. Usually draws in ducks good. I field hunt geese. In that case we kind of form a V and set up in the point. If I'm by myself, I put out my 2 dozen shells and 1 dozen goose socks. If I'm with my buddies, we put anywhere from 6 to 12 dozen (yes 12 dozen) Big Feet, my shells, and up to 3 dozen socks. We can throw down an impressive spread of decoys. At least we impress us ... the geese on the other hand usually have other ideas. I hunt Lake Erie for divers a couple times a year. We put out some kind of J pattern. I don't really understand it. I let my buddies handle the decoys since they are the resident experts over there. I'm just the dummy that tries to stay out of the way.

Re: Michael Waddell Racksie, you just said what I've been dying to say for a long time. I get so sick of Michael's arm guard (It's a frigging sock people!), the bobble heads, what bow does he use, etc. No disrespect to Michael, David, Bill, or any of the other RT big dogs. They are all awesome, but come on people ... they are in no way hunting gods. They are regular guys that found a way to make money doing what we all love to do. I respect them, but don't want to model my equipment or hunting style after them. Be your own person for a change, people. ncturkey, nothing is meant against you. I just get sick of this crap. Mike ... I want to be like Mike ... whatever. Oh yea, that was some basketball player.

Re: basic items for turkey? My first turkey several years ago all I had was: Win 1300 12 ga. (black) A hand full of 12 ga. #5 shells Camo pants, jacket, gloves, hat, & facemask all from deer hunting. Cody slate call (my only turkey call at the time). That was it. That is all you need to kill a turkey. Granted, since that time, I've spent thousands of dollars on turkey equipment, most of which I would not head into the woods without this spring. My point is that you can hunt turkeys economically. Once you get the bit by the bug, start adding to your equiment list to make you more versital and more comfortable while chasing these goofy birds. Good luck this spring! Turkey hunting is an addiction like no other.

Re: SwitchBack I stopped in and shot two Switchbacks tonight. I don't know. They are nice bows, but I did not think they were as smooth as what everyone is raving about. After shooting the first one, I picked up a second one just to see. Neither felt right to me. The bow balanced well and was quiet, but there was a little more jump at the shot than what I've been hearing. I then shot an Outback and I liked the feel of it a little better. I still don't think they are as sweet shooting as my Diamond Stinger. Now that is one SMOOOOOTH bow. I shot the new "Diamonds" by Bowtech. I have one word ... SUCK. In my opinion of course. I guess if I had to pick a bow to replace my Diamond, I'd lean to the Outback. But everyone is different.

Re: Anybody used Natural Gear Camo??????? I love the stuff.

Re: A gobble in January? I went deer hunting this morning and had probably 50 turkeys with me all morning. The toms and jakes were gobbling their heads off. I even had one tom strut for a little bit out in front of me. It was a cool vantage point from the treestand. Several of the turkeys actually began to roost at about 10:00 in the morning. They stayed up on the roost for an hour or so and then flew down to join the others. Cool morning. 16 more weeks till we can chase these goofy birds here in Indiana.

Re: Anything New? I say every year I won't buy any more turkey gear, but I know I will. Maybe a couple more custom slate calls. I carry way too much stuff into the woods to begin with, I really don't need anything else.

Re: Any opinions on this gun??? I used to have a 1300. Killed a bunch of birds with that thing. Mine liked the H.S. Undertaker choke tube and #5 Remington 3" loads. But every gun is different. Buy a few choke tubes and several boxes of ammo and start testing.

Re: Tree Wizz! I don't see the point. I can honestly tell you that I think wizzing out of the stand is the absolute best deer attractant. I can't remember how many deer I've had actually turn and come right to the base of the tree that I took a wizz out of. This year, I actually had a doe come up and lick the ground where I had just gone 5 minutes before.

Re: Passing up bucks... I passed up 22 different bucks and 7 more opportunities at the same bucks during bow season alone. All of these opportunities were at 30 yards or less. The bucks ranged from forkies up to a 120's 8 pointer. One of the bucks I passed up was a 2 1/2 year old double drop tine. He'll be amazing next year or the year after, assuming he made it. Then when gun season opened, I passed up my 9 pointer on opening day (I wanted him closer, but he just would not commit). I took him the next night using my muzzleloader. I love passing up smaller bucks. I always feel like I got away with something being that close to them and letting them walk. I believe that passing up deer makes you a better hunter. The more deer you have close encounters with just makes you that much better of a hunter when Mr. Big drops in.

Re: Best New Product of 2004 1) B2 biscuit 2) Primos Bowhunting Vest

Re: Local bow shops I'm one of the lucky ones. I have a great pro shop about 5 miles from my house. Over the years I've gotten to be great friends with the owner and his wife. Unfortunately, I've had to watch some of their business dwindle due to the Cabela's, Bass Pro's, and Gander's that have moved within driving distance. I think the internet is hurting them as well. A lot of times, I go in there with information that they have not heard about because of sites like this or archerytalk. I've never seen them belittle someone because of a bow that was purchased somewhere else. But I have had private conversations with them about it. One of the things they claim is that the "average" bow hunter hangs onto a bow for about 5 years. So, for each bow that is bought else where by someone who walks through his door, it is a 5 year loss in a sale. It bums him out, but he understands that that is business. Not everyone is going to choose his brands (Mathews, Parker, Diamond (old), High Country, Jennings) and most everyone wants to save a buck as well. I try to buy as much archery gear from him as possible, but when I see a great deal elsewhere sometimes I've got to give up on my loyalty a little bit. A problem I've seen in too many shops (not the one I mentioned) is the "I am the Archery god" mentality of the shop owner. I've been in a lot of "Pro Shops" that I would not trust them to tie a string loop on my bow. Good Pro Shops are a rare find. When you find one, give it your support.

Re: My 10 month old lab\'s first retrieve Awesome! I hope to be posting similar pictures of my lab pup, next fall. The training has just begun with her.

Re: Walk in Coolers Find out some prices. I'm real interested. A walk in cooler is one of my next projects. I was going to build one, but if I can get a "packaged" one at a resonable price, I may spring for it. I'd be interested in the 9'x7' or the 11'x15'.

Re: climbers Viper has the perminant bar around the front. The older Cobra had no bar. The new Cobra has the drop down bar that swings up over your head. I own the Cobra and my buddy owns the Viper. I personally think it is faster climbing with the Cobra. I don't like having to sit on the bar to pull up the bottom section. Your range of movement is too limited. The bar on the Viper does give you a sense of security once up in the tree that the Cobra does not have.

Re: Full Draw Plantings?? Always a day late and a dollar short! I was just in Wal-mart yesterday morning and saw they had all their seed blends marked down 50%, so I thought "what the hey" and bought two bags of Full Draw. At least I only spent about $10.

Re: climbers I've got the Summit Cobra. Great stand. Anyone tried the newer Loggy Bayou climbers? They look pretty sweet. I like the way the cable connects.

Re: t-bone is back Welcome back! You've been missed. I have a friend also that went through the same procedure last spring. He's doing awesome and has a new confidence about him that is amazing. Stay in touch with us all here!

While I mostly bowhunt, I enjoy getting the smoke pole out a couple times per year. In doing so, I've fallen in love with the way the 245 gr. aero tip Powerbelts fly out of my gun, but I'm not impressed with their ability to down game. I've now taken 3 deer with the 245 gr. aero tips. All three were double lung shots. Granted, they killed each deer in short order, but the blood trails have been next to nothing. The exit holes on all three deer are no larger than the entrance holes. I'm wondering if that might have been different if I'd hit something more solid like a shoulder. Hitting a rib on each side and tissue in between seemed to do little in opening up large wound channels on any of my downed deer. It's scary because my buck I shot this year never left any blood trail. If he had not dropped 50 yards away in the open field, finding him would have been a night mare. I had similar experiences with another doe. I shot a doe last year in the fresh snow. Double lung, she acted like she was not even hit. Pretty soon I saw her walk off and go down, not 40 yards from the shot. When I got up there to where she was standing all I found were small pin head size drops and hardly any where she walked until she expired. If it were not for the fresh snow, it would have been scary trying to find blood. I know that my luck is going to run out soon at this rate and at some point. One of these times I'm going to shoot a deer that is going to run into thick cover and either be a night mare to find, or worse ... lost. I guess I'm looking for thoughts from others on the Powerbelts. I had a guy around here tell me he had the same problem until he switched to the 295 gr. He said that those flew just about as good and provided a much more devistating wound. Any opinions out there?

Re: Game Cams Trail cameras are probably one of the best "gadgets" that you can spend your money on if you ask me. They have changed hunting for me. Not in that they make it easier to take a mature deer, but they make it easier to encourage you to hunt a particular deer. If you know he's been in the area, you are more likely to hunt harder. These things are so addicting. I have one and can't wait to buy/build more.

Re: Annettes archery buck Awesome!

Re: Safety Harness Seat of the Pants. I own 2 of them now. I keep one for buddies if they are hunting on my property with me. I won't let them in any of my tree stands with out a harness.

Re: X-MAS/GROUNDBLINDS [ QUOTE ] http://www.hunterspec.com/Updateable/update_display.cfm?pageID=1446&categoryID=29 Less than $100 and soooo much better than a Double Bull... [/ QUOTE ] They are a great blind, but in no way are better than a D.B. I turkey hunted with a friend who had just bought one of the H.S. blinds. I was impressed, however, I think they are too small for most bowhunters. How, you say, since they are about 7' square at the bottom and over 6' tall? Because the sides slope inward hard. Think about it. The 6' tall bow hunter is on average around 4 1/2' from the tip of his draw elbow to the end of a reasonable stabilizer on his bow. That distance is about what is available from window to window across one of those blinds as I recall. Just too cramped for me. That is the same problem with most of the Ameristep models. In my opinion, if you don't want to spend the money on a D.B., then get the Brickhouse. It is a similar concept, just cheaper fabric materials. Now gun hunting is a different story. Any of the models out there will comfortably work for gun hunting. Bow hunting just requires more room than most have to offer. There's my 2 cents. I obviously own a D.B. I had previously owned a Doghouse as well.

Re: Best Grunt Tube?Help! I'd give you my Tru Talker, but I saved the receipt and it is going back to the store. Primos Hardwood Grunter is the one I keep going back to. It just has a rich sound that can either go soft or agressive with ease. It does not give off that fake "plastic" sound that a lot of calls have.