Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: mcgroundstalker on December 23, 2006, 04:49:00 PM
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A chapter in Fred Andersons book "The Traditional Way" gets into stump shooting in a most inspiring form. Although entitled "Alone", this form of archery practice can and is used by small groups of people everywhere. I have spent many hours alone killing leaves, branches, weed-puffs etc...etc...Such is the call to do so, takes me from my home in NYC to a 125 mile drive up into Greene County where I have a second home and many acres to roam.
So...My question stands...Are you a Stump Hunter? How far will you go to have fun and why?
>>-----> mike <-----<< :wavey:
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I love to Hunt.., stumps included. LOL Luckily I don't have to travel to shoot them. If I did I would drive as far as you do or farther to do so. The why? is easy, Cause I love it. :bigsmyl: :wavey:
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Yes sir---I am. Just got home 45 min. ago---picked up my nephew this AM, and we drove about 40 min to a piece of BLM land along the Sacramento River. Probably walked about 3 miles---but I must qualify "stump"----down here in the lowlands, most stumps are from valley oaks, which rot slowly and stay hard----shooting one is usually the equivalent of burning a $10 bill. Instead, we find patches of grass in the occasional limited areas of rock free dirt in this volcanic landscape, and shoot at small branches or distinctive leaves, whatever. I usually glass the surrounding surface, to avoid shooting rocks---not always successful, but it does decrease the incidence of broken shaft suprises.
Sometimes we travel up higher, to the foothills or mountains to the east or west, where the conifers grow---there were really can shoot stumps.
Why do I do it? Fun, exercise, practice that simulates hunting situations, and any excuse to get out of the flatlands into the country in which I feel most comfortable.
Today, I could have legally hunted quail, squirrels, rabbits, even a pig if I had bought a tag for such, but we came home with only some trash that slobs had left and big grins.
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I just went out today with my son. I'm blessed because all i have to do is walk out the back door and were shooting. I would travel if need be. I will go as far as i can afford to have fun in the woods. If I'm out i like to shoot stumps just to keep in practice, and i never get sick of seeing if i can hit "that". I like to deer hunt but just roaming around with no real destination just joking around with my son and see what we can shoot at, we make up real hunting scenarios using stumps and whatever instead of animals. We stalk up on them and let the arrows fly then congratulate or bust on each other depending on a hit or a miss. If i see a squirrel or rabbit I'll take a poke at them. It's good relaxation, time spent with family, friends or a chance to get away alone. Our lives speed by fast I'm gonna go as often as i can before it ends. You cant go back and redo it.
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Stump shooting is a daily thing for me. One arrow, fifty arrows, 10 seconds or one hour. As close to meditation as I will ever get. :)
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You bet I'm a stump hunter and I have been known to drive as far as 300 miles to spend an afternoon stumpin with a friend.
LeRoy
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Yup, I spend a lot of time in the off season doing it. i shoot a lot of balloons as well. I take a nice walk without the bow and set out a few dozen ballons, walk back and get my bow and stalk the balloons. It is nice as you do not leave a mess in the woods. Ya can fit an awful lot of busted balloons in your pocket and I can put them out where I avoid busting arrows as well!! I can shoot in the yard, but usually drive 5 minutes to my brothers house. Shawn
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I'm a stump shooter and also we had a stump shoot and weiner roast that close to 50 stickbow guys showed up. Lots of fun but not as peaceful as being alone, just you and the bow.
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Yep, stumpin is fun and great practice.Plus I only have to walk out my door to do it. :D I stump shoot until the snow takes over.
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I stump shoot all year long, in spite of the closed season and my lack of a license. I'll tell you, nothing is as good on the grill as a fresh stump. Couple beers, some friends and some freshly shot stumps (or leaves, or clumps of darker "stuff").
Really...I like "stump shooting" better than normal hunting, for a lot of reasons , including....I can shoot a thousand times if I want to,......I can miss all the shots and not worry about wounding anything,....I can take shots that are totally obnoxious, unbelievable, far, close, weird etc..... I can laugh and feel good the whole time......It lets me be in the woods, some of my favorite haunts.
Yep, stump shooting is the best.
ChuckC
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Can't get enough stump hunting! Roving is great fun and a tremendous confidence builder. Big Dog and I get out around his place regularly and he tends to pick truely tough shots... farther shots, thicker cover, narrower gaps... than either of us would ever take at game. If I can make THOSE shots, I know I can make the more ideal shots I would allow myself on game.
Besides, it's just plain FUN. Walking, shooting, a stop for tea and photos, a little off-seaon scouting... roving has it ALL.
Jake
(who wouldn't have loosed an arrow all in deer season if it weren't for stumping back to the car... dangit)
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The sad thing is i would say I fear no stump but.... Some of those stumps can make you pay. You bet I love it! :archer:
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Arrows are like ammo...Made to be shot...I have special ones to be shot between rocks or at a target with a swamp in the background. Can't have too many arrows!... :D ... My wife tells her friends..."My husband never has more that five bucks in his pocket, but you can bet he has over 150 arrows ready to go in the basement!"
Thanks for all the feed back so far... :thumbsup:
>>-----> mike <-----<<
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Without a doubt the best way (beside hunting) of spending a day.
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Up here in ND, stumps are rare critters. So being, I hunt tumbleweeds, clods in the fields around my barn, and the ever plentiful cattail heads. I do it every day too.
For whatever reason, I'm a much better roving shot than I am shooting at a bag target on my range...
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I love stump shooting. Jawge
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Mostly I love the dumb looks when I tell a non archer that I love going stump shooting. :) Jawge
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Love to shoot stumps! I am kind od sad when I go out stump hunting nowadays though. When I got started my Black Lab Jake was always with me, we would roam the woods, he would get in some hunting for birds and exploring, and I would get some good target practice. He passed away last year, so stump shooting now is lonely. But ya think he is still exploring a set of woods somewhere, looking over his shoulder saying to me- come on catch up! and I will down the road.
Stump shooting is great to really hone skills in the woods as far as shooting goes. It is great fun as well.
Later
J
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I love stump shooting. Honestly, I think it's probably the best archery practice you can do for hunting.
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J-Dog....
Go the animal shelter and get ya a new buddy to stump with....
You'll be doing the Dog a favor and yourself.
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I'm a stump hunter- reason? I love watching arrows fly and when out hunting it's terrific practice.
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Oh yes I have watched a good many of my finest arrows skitter into the hidden places of the north Idaho woods while in persuit of stumps,deadfall,pinecones and the like.... I suppose it would be sad if I didn't love building my own arrows so much. They may be pretty there on the wall but the true beauty is watching them fly. Some day I hope to stalk whitetail as well as I stalk stumps. ;)
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I love it and have over 300,000 acres of National Forest to roam, maybe I can cover it all before I meet my maker, hopefully there are stumps up there.
ROOTER
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Yes we do and love it
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/graybuffalo/Buff.jpg)
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i do it, but i am usually shooting at animals and miss and when my arrow hits something else, i try to tell myself it was a good shot!!!
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Another stump hunter reporting.
The most fun way to practice shooting at unmarked distances. Best shared with a friend.
-bm.
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Jerry....I really like that photo. It tells a story all its own; reminiscent of the old 50's archery.
By the way....I don't need a reason to hunt stumps. I can't imagine anyone not hunting them.
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Do tennis balls and nerf fotballs count?
I carry them around the country with me, throw out in the grass and the magic begins,,
When I'm home with family; long,high flying arrows can be seen. stumps leaves etc....
Whatta quiet day in St. Peters...lol
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Been doing it since I started with an Old fiberglass ben pearson bow back in the sixties. Best paractice and scouting tool made IMO.
Jack
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I'm a stump shooting junkie! Now if I could get those stumps from moving around so much!!!
I find them a great relaxation and just plain fun! I use judos and field points. The breakage of regular points vs. blunts is about the same. I seam to be able to salvage more arrows with FP and a pair of pliers.
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I too, love Fred Anderson's book. I make arrows the same way, "cheap and lots of 'em". I probably break or loose 100 arrows a year shooting stumps. I blew up 3 or 4 just yesterday. Didn't bother me a bit. :)
I am fortunate to have a stumpin' woods within 200yd of my house. I shoot stumps at least once per week all year 'round. Without it I would be a different person, and not in a good way.
Dave
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I'm a bit of a stump-aholic myself! I just can't get enough of it. I started out shooting that way when I was a kid and have never grown out of it! I have probably lost or broke enough arrows on stumps to supply the average shooter 3 or 4 lifetimes.
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Wingshooting first, stump shooting close second, clout shooting third, paper target shooting distant forth or maybe even fifth.
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Stump shootin' is just plain ol' great fun and good practice, there's the "why". Down here in the Ozarks one has to be careful, as others have mentioned, else he will find his arrer in several pieces next to a still very hard, white oak stump. I can't sat it's 100% true but it appears I shoot better at stumps and fur than I do targets of any variety.
I have several hundred acres to roam, trap and hunt right out my back door. Some is mine but most is neighbors. I doubt I would drive very far to stump shoot or hunt....mostly cuz I don't have to.
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We don't have stumps to shoot here, but we do have termite mounds! They're pretty hard, but they suffice.
I've shot my Grizzlystik Safaris at them lots, and they hold up real well.
The other day, I decided to give my CX350s a go, wearing Magnus broadheads, out of peer pressure, lack of donkeys, and lack of suitable field point. I was pleasantly surprised at how well that arrow and broadhead took the beating those termite mounds dished out to it. Of course, I flexed and inspected for damage before each shot.
You know, after an unsuccessful hunt, the plod back through the scrub over many miles, through the heat, to get back to the car, is quite a chore. But, if you start shooting your way back, from termite mound to termite mound, the miles get eaten-up without you realising it!
Cheers, Ben
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Stumping anytime is a good, but I really like this time of year the best. The leaves are down and you can follow an arrow's flight a long ways through the woods :) . Its also a perfect time to combine stumping and post-season scouting.
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Gray;
Darnit, I need to pester the Buffalo Tounge gang again, it's been far too long!
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Spent an hour and a half stomping and stumping the little green space behind my folks suburban home. Had a ball. Killed me a discarded cheap dimestore novel that someone had dumped, slayed a fire-breathing gatorade bottle, almost lost an arrow bouncing off of a large plastic container, abused my aluminum easton arrow sending it through an electronic control board from a dumped tv... not to mention brought back a lot of childhood memories of stomping on the same ground. Love stump shooting.
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aint no season on stumps so I can miss as many as I want. saddly I have no one to go stumping with me. I am all alone locally
the guys that might join me drifted off elsewhere.
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I've even shot a cow turd or two. You must become an expert at judging the right ones though.
Scott
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I'm right there with you -- I love stump shooting. Best way to spend a day in the field other than hunting. It's alway best when shared with a friend/hunting partner like my dad. And, of course, my favorite part is the look I get from those guys that shoot the confounded bows and crossbows when I tell them I'm going stump shooting!!! LOL They just don't get it...
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We are certainly in agreement on this one!
I find it incredibly relaxing, and any time in the woods is good time, but especailly with a bow.
(solo for me)
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I am Right Up there with the "Lone Stump Shooters". I drive about 7 miles to the Old Family Farm, Kill Weeds, Hay Rolls, Leaves, and Love Every Minute of It!! :archer:
I used to keep count on Lost or Broken Arrows, now I just Re-Fill the Quiver for the Next "Expedition"!! :goldtooth:
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I do it because it is much fun. Stumps, pinecones, leaves, grass clumps, etc., season is open all year. Each target is different. It is very good practice for hunting. Jim.
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If I have to explain it, you probably won't understand...
Last time we went out, Zach got his feet tied up when trying to navigate thru some briars. Sure enough, down he went face first in a muddy splash! He was a bit perplexed by what happened and said he was done shooting for the day because he was wet and cold. I told him we have to walk back to the house anyway, midas well kill a few on the way back. he was right back into it on the next shot! Next thing you know, "We can go home later I see a real good one right over there..."
Notice the mud down his right side. Perfect 10 on the splash landing. Told him we have all been there, just learn something from it.
Besides, I kinda like hearing him calmly proclaim "Hit it" even before I let the string go...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/Rugerfan/ResizeofDSC_3463.jpg)
JL
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Stumping is the very essence of "trad" to me....just a wanderin' with no particular place to go flinging cedar......
some of most memorable hunts have been highlighted by interim stump shoots and broken arrows.
cheers
ben
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I like shootin stumps cause they can't jump my string!
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Not a stump shooter. Not any stumps around. Do like round bales of hay in a big field, or small field for that matter. But not stumps.
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Oh yes. Just a 5 min drive. Jawge
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Got to love it.
No closed season.
No bag limit.
Nothing beter than drilling a stump, and watching it explode.
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(http://www.3riversarchery.com/images/misc/2006MarshLakeWeb.jpg)
Here's one of my better trophies from last fall. Yes, now and again we feel compelled to capture an image of the better ones. The best part... There were two of us that day and we both enjoyed the thrill of the arrow in flight and a shot well made.
todd smith
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I'm blessed in the fact that I can walk about 100yds and I'm in prime stump huntin' ground. Sipsy and I spend hours at least once a week doing it(Sipsy is my Blue Heeler), she loves it as much as I do-----nothing like spending an afternoon with a bow and a dog.
Jeff
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No Stumpin' here, but those Prickly Pear catch the devil! :bigsmyl:
LD
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STUMPS ARE US
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If there was a P&Y section for stump hunting,I'd be in there often,LOL! I love it around here on state land because there are so many old rotting jack pine stumps to choose from. I think shooting at a random stump simulates a hunting situation better than standing in front of a target. Judging unknown distances and honing those skills makes for a better hunter. Plus you can decide what kind of shot and how far you want to take, without being unethical towards an animal.
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g128/ad2877/DCFC0013.jpg)
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WOW!!!...I thought this topic went to sleep back in December...Guess Spring Fever got it on page one again...COOL!!!... :thumbsup: ...
... mike ...
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COOL!!!!!!!!!! TROPHY STUMP PICTURES!!!!!!!!!! :archer:
I LIKE STUMPIN'!!!!! BUT.....These NY mountain stumps can be hard to bring down!!!!! Sometimes you gotta hit'em with a whole quiver full of arrows before they fall over!!!!! :rolleyes:
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I love stumpin'...as Jake H. wrote, we can head out either behind my place or not far from it...We have a favourite area that is just called The Falls"", we both know exactly where and what we are tlking about when we mention that place.
High Hemlock ridges, tons of onthe ground or standing dead trees, across ravines, thru brush, uphill, downhill, in the open..it has it all.
A meandering creek runs thru it, and in May, it is a primo morel spot. Many a great shot and some not-so-great shots have been loosed there.
We are heading there as soon as the snow is gone on a "Find-the-judo-hunt"...LOL
we have a few marked in there to retrieve when spring gets here in a few weeks.
I love judos, but I am becoming quite fond of the Ace hex-blunts in the 160 gr size; they are "stump-exploders extrodinaire (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v611/ashstyk/ash/S2010086.jpg)
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I probably do more stump shooting than hunting. It gets me out in the woods in all kinds of weather and during every season of the year. It's hard to beat roving with the bow. I like to discover new country/new woods and this gives me an excuse to explore while sharpening my shooting and hunting skills. I usually carry 18 arrows in my back quiver and half of them carry judo points and field point for stump shooting.
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Well...I have killed more stumps, leaves and such with my recurve than anything else....so far. :saywhat:
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Soon Jamie...Real Soon!...Gonna get together at my place and play "kill my arrow"... :eek: ...
... mike ...
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I love stump-hunting. To me, the wild one's seem to taste better than your average, domesticated, stump...
;) ;) ;)