About a week and a half ago I bought a 3 month old Kota Kill Um off another Traditional bowhunter and actually made a new friend as well. As the bow was on its way I decided I would search for a beaver tail to put on the recurve cause I have felt them on other bows and liked the padding it gives so to speak and just really like the looks of them on bows.
So I looked on Big Jim’s website to see if he had any available but the website showed they were out at the moment and I searched on line as well.
Now in the meantime I showed some pictures of the bow I received from the fella I bought it from and shared with 1/4 Away Fred Cioffi here who is a great person and a friend as well.
He told me he had one he purchased and I could have it if I would like to try it.
I offered to pay him something for it and he said “No” that is what friends were for .
Thank you Fred for being so kind and sending me that beautiful beaver tail and it was there the very next day after I received the bow.
I couldn’t wait to start the process so last Friday I soaked the tail under warm water and followed Big Jim’s tutorial step by step and I’ve watched that tutorial about 20 times in the past year cause I didn’t want to ruin a fine piece of beaver tail .
Whoever tanned that tail did an excellent job cause it was very pliable even without the wetting or soaking but I did it anyway as instructed by Jim .
I precut the needed piece which still needed trimming after I worked it on but it went on better then I thought actually.
I was nervous I would mess something up or tear a hole when I did my stitch but I was very careful on each step all the way.
Anyway this beaver tail has some special meaning to it because last Saturday the 22nd. At 3:09 A few of my brothers were at my house to get prepared for my sister who was about to pass this life due to lung cancer that spread to her bones as well.
We were starting the arrangements she actually told my niece that she would like when we got a text from my oldest niece that said “Mom has just Passed away”!
My youngest niece passed on the text to us and I stopped and prayed and Thanked God for blessing our family with such a sweet sister and mother to her children.
So after our gathering and as my family all left I went in my shop to sob and reflect on life with my sister.
I had to do something so I thought I’ll work on the beaver tail and start the process which I did.
When I got to the point it was glued on and wrapped in an ace bandage and would continue on Sunday after I get home from Church possibly.
Well Sunday came and I was ok until my wife sent me a picture of my sister that was shared on Facebook and I wept and wept.
I decided to stay home and went back in my shop and finished out the stitching and added a strike plate as well.
So as I stitched it I decided to add a bead that actually looks like a rattle snake tail for all the children my parents had which were 7 and now 2 are Home in Heaven
now. I also used up the last of the trimmings of that beaver tail to make a string keeper and I made the piece that loops through the upper string loop to look like an actual beavertail and added again 7 beads but changed up how I placed them on the the hood that slips over the upper limb tip.
The 6 that look like the rattle snake tail are for my brothers and the red is in memory of my sister who will be dressed in a nightgown with red cardinals and the bird she requested to be etched on her headstone.
This will be a special bow I’ll be hunting with and as I sit in my ground blind I can reflect on memory’s and feel as if I have a part of my family in my hands.
Thanks for letting me share this with you all and hope it’s ok ?
Tell your loved ones how much they mean to you and they are blessings from God .
Keefer’s <‘)))><