Not Enough Time Left!

[Ragnarok Forge]

What a crazy last couple of weeks it has been.  I've been having a lot of fun with 3 new trad shooters getting them ready for hunting season.  Between making back quivers for target shooting and rabbit hunting, bow quivers for big game hunting, and side quivers to carry judo's and back up arrows the evenings have been busy.  Throw in bow tuning sessions, making up 8 dozen new wood arrows for the guys and their kids, and now tuning a bow for one of the wives it has been a fun and busy time.

This weekend will be no different.  Everyone is coming over on Saturday for final broadhead tuning and some late afternoon deer scouting.  To make things even better I have a buddy from work who had decided he is interested in Trad.  He plans to come over and shoot the different bows to see if he likes recurves or longbows better and then plans to buy a bow and get started.

Sunday is dedicated to visiting some of my prime elk spots to verify they are running those areas again this year and Sunday evening will be spent glassing a big blacktail buck I found two weeks ago.  I am watching his patterns to see where to sit in ambush.  He lives down by a local lake on public area and moves to private farm fields  fields to feed at dark.  I am going to get one or maybe two chances at him right as season starts and then he will go nocturnal.  If I miss him then, I will get back on him in November during the rut.  

It is going to be a great year and hunting camp is going to be a lot bigger than normal.  Throw in the first full weekend of early elk Bjorn is coming up from Cali. and another trad ganger will be hunting there as well.  This is going to be a great hunting season!

[lpcjon2]

Please keep us updated.

[Icandraw]

I think it's great when people like you go out of their way to help someone new to trad archery! I remember how it was a few short years ago when I got interested in shooting and hunting trad bows. I was privilaged to have several experianced guys to help me get started and teach me. I'm still learning, but I'm looking forward to being able to return the favor one day and help some one else get started. I think thats what its all about!  

[Mudd]

Sounds like fun to me.

I wish I were there to add to the mix.

Good luck and good hunting.

Have a good and Godly day!

Your Humble Servant
Mudd

[Ragnarok Forge]

Mudd,

Your always welcome in my camp.  If your ever on the West Coast give me a call and I will put you on some Elk and Blacktail.  Cougar and Bear are also available in my area.

Tonight I am finishing up 5 side quivers and then it is on to finish bow quivers tomorrow night.  Lots of work and good practice for my leather working skills.

[Mudd]

Thank you!

Keep up the good work!

God bless,Mudd

[bigiron]

nothing is more fun than helping someone on the road to trad hunting or shooting.

[stevewills]

doesnt sound like a bad way too spend my time

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

Sounds awesome!

Good luck!

[Bjorn]

Way to go Clay!! Looking forward to sharing a campfire with you in a couple of weeks.      

[Ragnarok Forge]

Bjorn,

It is game on for the Elk come September.  I have been out to the coast twice and seen elk and deer both times.  I thought I got a glimpse of a big black bear last time but it was just a flash of black and then gone.  Did our buddy say when he was going to put the tents out at the campsite.  It fills up quick for that first weekend ( Labor Day ).  I am figuring out how much gear to bring along.  If three or more of us are camping we should figure out tents, stoves, etc... and maybe some food cost sharing to avoid mass redundancy in camp.

[Ragnarok Forge]

They guys came over with all the kids and wives yesterday.  We went out to the Archery club and finished bare shaft to broadhead tuning their arrows.  I am picking up their broadheads today and will get them mounted on their best arrows ( wood ) tonight.  Then it is on to finishing up the bow quivers and final fletching of all the bareshaft arrows we used yesterday.  The guys are doing great and getting better with their shooting.

We went out to the spot I have been seeing a lot of deer and scouted a new part of it. I am staying away from the area with the big buck.  I don't want push him.  We saw lots of sign, and right at dark spent 30 minutes watching a fork horn feed thru a dry swamp area.    

I plan to head back out this evening to walk the new area and mark in bedding areas, funnels, trails etc... on my GPS.  I will post them up on my Google Earth page and then send them to the guys.  I am using Google Earth and the data I collect to help the guys learn how to pattern animals and research a new area to find them.

[Shinken]

Sounds like you're gonna make it on time Clay!

Way to work hard!  It will pay off.

Have a great 2010 hunting season!

Shoot straight, Shinken

[Bjorn]

Clay, 'our buddy' has been having computer problems and I did not hear back. I won't be arriving till sometime late on the 6th so havta' make do with whatever is left over-it will work out.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Bjorn,  I am headed up there on the Thursday night before you get there.  I will call you and let you know where I am camped at and will save a spot for your tent. How big is your tent?

[PAPA BEAR]

good luck guys....i might put on a bigfoot suit and come scare the hell outta ya...  :D                :D  ....did i tell ya there is no season on bigfoot?

[Bjorn]

That would be super Clay, big tent for a big hunt!

 

It will take a big spot and I plan to be there till the 17th if that's what it takes.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Nice tent Bjorn,

I am pumped to get out there and enjoy the coastal rain forest.  I have Friday before elk starts thru Wednesday off and I may extend that to Thursday.  I am thinking I will probably come back down for the second weekend too.  

The guys were back over today.  We scouted some corn fields for deer and then headed to the range to fine tune their broadheads and bows.  Once that was done we shot a round of 3D.  A couple of new shooters joined us to shoot and see what bows they liked.

Then it was back to the house for broadhead tuning lessons, watching a couple elk hunting videos, and straightening those dozens of wood arrows I made over the last two weeks.  All in all it has been an awesome day and I am ready to get on the hunt.