Post by: longbow1956. on January 16, 2024, 06:25:21 PM
Post by: Ryan Rothhaar on January 16, 2024, 07:35:43 PM
He's one of the best whitetail hunters not many folks outside of the immediate area have ever heard of. I've known John since I moved to Indiana 25 years ago, have spent a bunch of time with him and wish it was more.
I always say John is the best "natural" whitetail hunter I've ever met. Dad was more analytical minded, and had a bit different approach, but John can just think like a mature whitetail buck. I used to ask him questions about his setups and really it boiled down to feel. He just knows how a big deer acts and what he will do.
Haven't seen John for a little while. As he's getting older he's shooting lighter equipment, last I talked with him he had killed a dandy buck with a bow in the 35-40 lb range.
He shot an old Bear mag handled recurve for many years. I recall high 50s-60 lb draw wt. He shoots split finger instinctively and always set up real close. He hunts strip mine reclaimed land mostly and that is thick cover. He shot different boradheads, but aluminum arrows mainly that I recall and zwickeys alot of times.
John worked for the mine, and retired from there, and spent many years operating a big dozer for reclaim. He knew that ground before it was strip mined, during stripping, and as reclaimed. He could visualize the terrain under the grown up jungle as he saw it in all the versions. I always thought that helped him predict the deer movement.
Man I've got lots of stories. He's just deer killing machine. One time he had shot a real nice 4 1/2 yr old buck in the late season in Illinois and wanted someone to go back over there with him couple days later to look for his arrow. I think he wanted to relive the hunt a little too. I rode over with him and we went in there to his tree. There were several does and fawns, he said, and one fawn was evidently coming into early heat and the buck was harassing her a bit. The deer were going through like 50 yards out in the timber so he took a blunt arrow he had along and half draw lobbed it over the deer and it rattled off in the trees on the other side. The deer spooked right to him and the buck ended up under his tree and he shot it at like 5 yards. The tree was like a telephone ploe and I remember asking him how he didn't get busted. He said "Well I had good cover", this was like a 20 inch circumference tree with a grapevine as big as your finger growing on it. He acted like no big deal. Typical John deal.
One hunt in Texas he had a bow limb break on a lighter takedown recurve, maybe 50 lbs. He had a heavy backup set of limbs, say 60 lbs, but couldn't draw it. He put the 50 lb limb on the bottom, the 60 lb limb on the top. Killed a bobcat with it a day or two later. Said "Well the tiller looked OK". 😀
John is a great guy. Soft spoken, super humble. One hell of a whitetail hunter.
I'll dig around for some pics.
Great trip down memory lane.
R
Post by: Wudstix on January 16, 2024, 07:48:00 PM
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:
Post by: longbow1956. on January 16, 2024, 08:08:26 PM
Post by: Mike Bolin on January 16, 2024, 08:12:53 PM
Post by: Ryan Rothhaar on January 16, 2024, 08:21:23 PM
Pic of his widerack buck from Dan's book. Heck of a deer, over 26 inch inside spread.
John is one of those guys you'll never hear anyone say a bad word about.
R
Post by: longbow1956. on January 16, 2024, 08:48:48 PM
Post by: kopfjaeger on January 16, 2024, 09:28:44 PM
Post by: Wudstix on January 16, 2024, 10:17:21 PM
Thanks for the link. Lived in IN from 1978-1985 and this is great stuff.
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:
Post by: kopfjaeger on January 17, 2024, 01:35:33 PM
Post by: Homey88 on January 17, 2024, 06:39:09 PM
Post by: longbow1956. on January 17, 2024, 07:44:05 PM
Post by: longbow1956. on January 17, 2024, 07:51:56 PM
Post by: Steve D on January 17, 2024, 08:39:48 PM
Post by: Wudstix on January 17, 2024, 11:20:53 PM
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:
Post by: David Mitchell on January 18, 2024, 07:05:25 PM
Post by: longbow1956. on January 18, 2024, 07:29:04 PM
Post by: longbow1956. on January 18, 2024, 07:35:29 PM
Post by: David Mitchell on January 19, 2024, 10:56:55 AM
Post by: longbow1956. on January 19, 2024, 11:44:43 AM
Post by: 2fletch on January 20, 2024, 10:04:50 AM
Post by: Ryan Rothhaar on January 20, 2024, 02:44:29 PM
R
Post by: varmint101 on January 20, 2024, 08:44:42 PM
Thanks for the information Mr. Rothhaar , I read an article about Mr. Hale , Dean Torges and I believe Bob Hall on a Squirrel hunt and became very interested in learning more about Him . I also heard You mention him on a Podcast and how highly You spoke of Him. Again thanks for the response.
I feel like I've ran into him before but didn't know who he was apparently. I recognize him at least!
That was a great article in PBS! I found it on the website.
https://www.professionalbowhunters.org/uploads/1/0/3/6/103684698/pbs-2016-2nd_qtr_proof.pdf
On a different note I wonder if this is what he used?
https://www.haydels.com/products/sw-92-mr-squirrel-whistle
Post by: longbow1956. on January 20, 2024, 09:43:17 PM
Post by: Kelly on January 21, 2024, 12:27:55 AM
Post by: Ryan Rothhaar on January 21, 2024, 07:21:59 AM
Kelly, Dad had one hanging from his bow rack in his little room in the building in Iowa, if you remember seeing it there. Silver disk the size of a quarter on a piece of shoestring cord.
R
Post by: Kelly on January 21, 2024, 12:10:53 PM
Ryan, don’t remember seeing one on his rack but then would’ve known that it was anything special. Darn, disappointed now to have never discussed that with him. Good thing you are still around😎
Is there a certain time of the year to use that call?
Post by: longbow1956. on January 21, 2024, 01:28:57 PM
Post by: Wudstix on January 21, 2024, 06:14:37 PM
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:
Post by: Ryan Rothhaar on January 21, 2024, 06:51:26 PM
We should do a squirrel hunt, KP, at my place in IL next fall. Covered up in squirrels there.
R
Post by: Justin Falon on January 23, 2024, 04:28:16 PM
Justin
Post by: Dsturgisjr on January 24, 2024, 11:53:39 AM
Post by: Wudstix on January 24, 2024, 12:53:12 PM
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:
Post by: longbow1956. on January 24, 2024, 11:15:39 PM
Post by: varmint101 on January 25, 2024, 09:44:58 AM
I think it would be great if one of the Traditional Archery Podcast groups would try to do an interview with Mr. Hale if possible . What do you think ?
That sounds like fantastic idea. :archer:
Post by: Wudstix on January 25, 2024, 11:39:34 AM
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:
Post by: Ryan Rothhaar on January 25, 2024, 05:41:15 PM
I gave Alan Altizer John's number Monday. Maybe he will do Stickboys podcast.
;)
R
Post by: longbow1956. on January 25, 2024, 06:33:05 PM
Post by: Terry Green on January 27, 2024, 03:28:16 PM
It also features Dean Torges.
Post by: kopfjaeger on February 01, 2024, 09:15:31 PM
Post by: Wudstix on February 01, 2024, 09:47:43 PM
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:
Post by: longbow1956. on February 02, 2024, 10:23:00 PM
Post by: longbow1956. on February 06, 2024, 11:04:26 PM
Post by: longbow1956. on June 15, 2024, 05:37:56 PM
Post by: Jack Denbow on June 15, 2024, 08:57:57 PM
He is the real deal. I would like to have spent more time with him.
Jack