Trad Gang
Topic Archives => Memorable Hunts => Topic started by: stick_string on December 17, 2008, 08:49:00 AM
-
Well, to make a long story short...I have gone back and forth with traditional and compound hunting alot in the last couple of years. This season started out a compound season for a number of reasons:
1. Not many people in Texas will let you hunt with a bow...let alone a traditional bow? (for what you have to pay for a lease down here...you should be able to hunt with a rock if you like!! :knothead: :knothead: :banghead:
So I told here I wanted to get back into traditional and after she rolled her eyes we agreed that I would not spend more than $300 on a bow. (This is where I have to interject that...I really like the custom bows...there is something about a bow fit and made for you that just sets it apart from others). But I only had $300.
Well even though I was a compound shooter I still liked this forum and the folks on here the best. And I have been reading alot about the Dryad Bow Blanks and thought to myself that maybe I could get a custom bow that way. :clapper:
-
Also, Thank you to the couple of other folks who are sending me a couple of needed items to get this to the woods!! Thank you tradgang!!
-
Mike and Jason are two of the best and it would be hard to find a better bow. Enjoy!!
:archer:
-
Great way to start!
-
:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
-
Cant really say what the bow means to me....I have two hog hunts coming up in Jan and Feb. I am really hoping to get my first ever animal with a bow I made myself!! :archer:
-
You can't do much better than that. Most folks on here are giving folks....no question. That bow will have special meaning to you...soul, if you will, that you can't buy anywhere.
-
The Dryad Bow Blanks are probably one of the best investments for a truely handmade, custom bow on the market. They flat out perform - and for what you put into them what you get out is amazing.
My only regret is I didn't get one first, and I finished it way to quickly. Makes me want to do another one.
:thumbsup: :coffee:
-
That's great to hear Ben. Those arrows will ship next week. I would like to include some woodies to along with the others if you would like them... What is the draw weight of that bow and your draw length?
-
Snag...The bow came out to about 54-55#s and my draw length is 28inches.........thank you for everything!! :thumbsup:
-
Got you covered Ben. Hope you like them. Merry Christmas!
-
Same to you....Merry Christmas. (where is the Santa Graemlin?)
-
:bigsmyl: :thumbsup:
-
No Gremlins allowed! :biglaugh:
-
Hey Stick_String,
You can't just post partial bow pic's I believe by the rules and I quote(rule # OIN33DM053P1C$)"if you post a partial pic of any part of a bow at some point in the same thread the the whole bow must be posted" :readit: so to keep you from getting in trouble with the Mods I thought it kind me to keep you informed :bigsmyl:
-
Welcome home :bigsmyl:
-
Wow! Nice job on the finish work!! It really pops. It's nice to have a little sweat equity in a bow. Makes you appreciate what you accomplish with it down the road.
It was great seeing you again and working with you on the project.
Now get out there and kill a pig!!!
Mike
-
I can see the hogs shaken!! I will post some more pics in the morning!
-
:thumbsup:
-
Two great guys at Dryad! My first bow was a finish yourself bow and when I harvested my first deer it was totally satisfying. Although I've killed alto bigger since, that doe will always be one of my favorites. Great job and welcome back!
Mike
-
As promised...the bow...aka the "Meat Getter"
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/BensBow005.jpg)
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/BensBow004.jpg)
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/BensBowHold.jpg)
-
Looks like your dog is unsure of what you are up to! LOL
-
He wasn't real excited at first.
-
Nice pics!! You forgot to grab an arrow pad before you left. We gotta do something about the Dr. Scholes.
LOL
Mike
-
Package in the mail Ben. USPS Priority...should get it before Christmas....?
-
Great stuff :thumbsup:
-
Snag...I appreciate it greatly. Thank you sir, and merry Christmas.
Wingnut...I agree but it was all I had...I really like the arrow rest you guys use. Can I get some of that from you?
-
Ben,
No Problem. Stop by next time your in the area.
Mike
-
Wingnut, did Ben just call me sir? Man, am I feeling old! :biglaugh:
-
Sang,
Yep he did that to me too.
I already knew I was old though.
LOL
MIke
-
Had nothig to do with age...and more to do with respect for my elders!! (Ok...that may have been an old comment again). :biglaugh:
-
You kill me! Keep it up! I'm starting to feel right at home. :goldtooth:
-
Well....the new bow goes hog hunting this weekend and I hope to post some pics soon!!
-
went Hog hunting this weekend with my new bow...
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/1stBlood-Hog1-31-09008.jpg)
-
Looking good so far...... :archer: :archer:
-
nice!!! but we dont like being teased!! :readit:
-
You know...when you have NEVER....that is right....NEVER taken an animal of any size with a traditional bow a person can really question his abilities in the stand....alot. Then this same person goes out and makes his bow (with the Dryad Boys) and decides to go chase hogs!! Let me just say that this weekend has changed me for life........................................
-
I found out what being a "Traditional Bowhunter" really meant this weekend:
Ingredients:
1. Bow you help make
2. Lots of practice at the range (to 20 yards)
3. broadheads you sharpened yourself
4. hogs...lots of them
5. Resolve to be a profecient/deadly hunter
Result:
A life changing experience that I hope to repeat...alot!!
-
Nothing better than that!! Congrats on a fine bow!! Shawn
-
OK, enough foreplay. Lets here the story!!
LOL
Mike
-
Awesome...Seriously A BB is on my list... Has been for years Now that I have a garage I can do it in, theres no excuses
-
That bamboo. Looks great. Is there a stain on that or is it the natural colour and texture of the cane?
-
Tom,
That is the natural color of the "dirty bamboo".
Pretty stuff.
Mike
-
I appologize it has taken so long but I wanted to get some more pictures uploaded.
Well, on to the story. I have never taken any animal with any type of traditional bow and I figured that there was no better way to "crack the ice" than to go chase some hogs...So off I went to Tolar Texas and the Sycamore Creek Ranch. :archer:
I met a good friend from "Legacy Outfitters" down there on Friday night. We would be joined by 4 other gentlemen from Legacy as well. Everyone was excited to be there. Friday evening did not see any hunting, just preparing for the following days hunt and enjoying the companionship.
Our home for the next couple of days would be cozy and comfortble.
http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/?action=view¤t=1stTraditionalHunt-Hog1-31-09001.flv
-
Matty,
I would get one for sure...when I get the cash again I think that I am going to have to get another one and up the poundage. The Dryad guys are awesome and make great products. :thumbsup:
-
We would wake up about 5:30am to get ready for our outing. Everyone trying to stay as scent free as possible, while at the same time trying to get breakfast and coffee so we can stay awake in the stand. :archer:
After a morning ritual of spraying down and getting many layers on (it was around 30 degrees that morning - which in Texas is cold); we hoped on the buggy and our guide took us to the stand.
I would be in a ground blind that was constructed out of hog panels and T posts, then filled in with brush.
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/1stTraditionalHunt-Hog1-31-09007.jpg)
My home for the next few days.
-
:clapper:
-
After putting my stuff in the blind at 6:30 (shooting light is 7:00 - even though in Texas you can shoot at night), I stepped off the distance to the feeder so that I would know exactly how far I am shooting. To the far leg of the feeder was 21 yards!! I told myself that I would not take a shot over 20 yards...no matter what.
**I would like to interject that holding myself to a distance was not as limiting as I thought it would be. Instead it made me test myself to see how good a hunter I could be, and ask myself, how close could I let them get**
-
I threw some corn down at 10 yards to see if I could get them closer to the blind but did not know if they would wind me at that range...I did not even get settled in the blind when I hear them coming in a group. :bigsmyl:
-
I see a small group of about 6 to 7 pigs at the pile of corn I just put out at 10 yards. Because the sun was not up yet all I Can see is the silouette of the hogs and I can tell that they are all facing me with a couple of them facing the exact opposite direction!!
At this point I have my bow in hand and I am shaking like a leaf!! :eek: So I try to focus on all the mechanics of making a great shot, running it all over in my head. After sitting there for 15 minutes I have turned into "Nervous Nelly" and have started diligently looking for the hog that is going to get an arrow!! :banghead: :banghead:
-
The group would run off in a stampede over one another and after a couple of minutes two more come in and begin to eat under the feeder between 16 and 20 yards(it had gone off right after my first shot).
At this point I am mad at myself for missing and letting the emotions get to me in the shot :smileystooges: .
For 10 to 15 minutes they are wandering back and forth crossing eachother and not giving me a shot, so I pick a hog and follow it until it gives me the shot opportunity. I pick a spot on it and.......
http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/?action=view¤t=1stTraditionalHunt-Hog1-31-09005.flv
-
Did you post the wrong vid? I don't see any pigs.
-
Nope....I did not actually get the shot on film...that video was right after the second shot!!
-
BTW...for this hunt I am using my Dryad Bow Blank "Windtalker", 2018 arrows, and a Magnus 2 Blade!!
-
Congrats on the porker :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
-
The Hog I had been watching was finally turned broadside at 18 yards and I never stared at a spot harder in my life!! I let the Magnus 2 Blade fly and................WHACK!!!
The hog stumbles back to the hits the back leg of the feeder!! I almost jump out of the blind I am so happy!! (The video posted above was after about 20 minutes)
I hear the pig grunting and he is stumbling as he leaves which only gets me that much more excited becuase I know that he is hit hard!! My arrow is sticking out of both sides of him as he saunters off. I hear him groan and crash!! I get rediculously excited and start jumping up and down!! (probably not the smartest thing to do at that point but to be honest I was so excited about everything...building a bow and taking my first ever traditional harvest...I didn't care.....I WAS PUMPED!!!!) :jumper:
I would sit there for a while and watch pigs come in and out...
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/1stAnotherPig-Hog1-31-09018.jpg)
But the whole time I couldn't wait to go get my harvest!!
-
I get out of the stand and walk the path back to the cabin to get Scott as I knew he would be back at the cabin fixing breakfast. I jumped through the door and relayed the story. He through his clothes on and we went back to the stand to start the tracking. about 12 yards from where I hit him we found......
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/1stBlood-Hog1-31-09008.jpg)
-
I was shooting a two blade so I did not know how good the blood trail would be, but I was suprized to see how good it really was...
We kept following the drops of blood and then....
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/1stBlood2-Hog1-31-09009.jpg)
-
Quickly followed by..........
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/1stBlood3-Hog1-31-09010.jpg)
It looked like the blood was being poured out!!!
-
Just beyond the weeds we found this on the ground........
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/1stBlood4-Hog1-31-09011.jpg)
-
Somewhere soon I sense a dead animal!!!! :thumbsup:
David
-
I was aiming dead center for the shoulder and a little low but had seen my arrow go slightly right of were I was looking. About where you would want to shoot a deer, but I knew that a perfect shot would be just above the elbow.
The corn mixed with the blood on the ground told me that I had gotten some inards with my shot...and after playing the whole thing in my mind I had to assume that my "broadside shot" was actually slightly quartering too me... :(
But with all the blood and the crash I heard my excitement was still high!! I realized I had probably gotten lung, liver, intestines...in that order.
-
After we came upon the blood with the corn mixed in we went a little further and lost the blood trail....... :(
I was not happy, I continued to look for 2 hours to find the pig....nothing.
That evening another hunter would sit that stand and shoot a pig, while the guide was tracking that pig he came upon the blood with the corn, looked around and not 10 yards from that very spot was MY HOG!!!! :goldtooth:
MY FIRST EVER TRADITIONAL HARVEST:
DRYAD Windtalker Bow Blank, Magnus 2 blade, 2018 shafts
He came back to camp and let me know, I was absolutely stoked!!
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/1stTraditionalHunt-Hog1-31-09020.jpg)
-
Becasue of the cool temperatures the hog meat was still good. Upon skinning the animal I got to examine the entry and exit holes made by the 2-blade Magnus...
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/1stEntryHole-Hog1-31-09022.jpg)
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z39/stick_string/1stExitHole-Hog1-31-09023.jpg)
-
The Hog weighed in at 110lbs!! :thumbsup:
-
:D :thumbsup: Congrats on a nice hog..
-
Thank you. I appreciate it...and I dont know how but it changed my perspective of hunting...alot. I love traditional!!!!!!
-
YEA!!!!!! :clapper:
Nice piggy, and GREAT story, Congrats!!!
-
Congrats Ben!!
Let us know when you are ready to do another.
Mike
-
Thanks Mike...you guys have awesome bows!! :thumbsup:
-
Congrats! Hogs on corn are tough to shoot since they never stand still, at least for me. LOL I do the same thing you do with the corn, i make a little pile at 10 yards hoping one will come closer. Congrats again and believe me you are hooked now!
-
awesome job!
I love your bow
whats the draw weight?
-
Great hog, great bow! What else could a guy ask for. Glad you found the right Bowyers. I like Mike and Jason too. CK
-
Mint,
I try to bring them closer but it dosn't always work...when they do come closer it sure does get my nerves going...
Deadpool,
The bow weight is 53 to 54#s at my 28inch draw.
Thanks Littlefeather...it was an awesome experience to say the least.
-
Good job and great story.Congrats!
-
Seriously Thats Awesome.. congrats
-
Thanks guys, I appreciate it.