A story of survival

[adkmountainken]

carry mine OFTEN, it has been many places with me.

[Ron LaClair]

Lin, you are too kind Sir      

I'm flattered that you'd want to get your hands on one of our knives. I've been admiring your featured knife, the "Hombre" ....can we work a trade?...    :rolleyes:  ...    

[rbcorbitt]

Thanks, Ron, for the great service!  I am 100% that this knife will get as many positive comments as both my Shrew Hawk and LIL' Shaver have.

Need to place an order for some more LIL' Shavers (two) for customers of mine.  I'll email in order with details this AM and will contact you this morning to follow up!

Thanks, again, and give my compiments to your blacksmith and sheath maker as well!

Bob C

[Anointed Archer]

Great story my friend!

[katie]

Ok Ron, like I did not already have a rough time walking out in the dark. Now I will be looking for big cats;)
I got charged to 20 yards by one last week. It was just a small Momma Bobcat. I got in between her and her kit. Very cool! OK, I admit, I pulled my sidearm. But I did put it back when she stopped  

[Ron LaClair]

Katie, as if you weren't already a dangerous woman,..now you're packing heat..      

       

The new "Defender" Bowie is now available on the web site.   http://www.shrewbows.com/bowie_defender.html

[thump]

Thanks Ron: finally a good post without any Tec stuff.

[Duker]

GREAT story  

[Tom Leemans]

Yes, you should always strive to be as high up on the food chain as possible.

[Sam McMichael]

I carry a fixed blade knife even though my folder is what I generally use, but as you say "you can't be too careful".  That's one reason I also carry a sidearm. Even though I have the gun, there is a very reassuring feel to a sturdy knife. Perhaps that is a throw back to my Neanderthal roots.  Ron LaClair's knife is truly a goodie, and I wish I had one.

[RC]

Cool stuff Mr. Ron. Big knives,longbows,Hawks and a 45. You would fit in good down here...you sure you ain`t a swamper???. lol.RC

[postman]

Been carrying one like that a friend made me 30 yrs ago. Hunt an area in Eastern NC, called Pungo, the area is loaded with deer, also bears, and red wolves. Have had many a deer taken from me by bears. The place is a wildlife refuge and only open during bow season and in Nov. The only allowable game to take is deer, and its not rare to see 10 bears every time you take a stand. Real spooky riding your bicycle out in the dark. Rons story made me think about how dangerous it is to hunt there, and thats why I had my friend make me a bowie knife to carry. The bears make it scary hunting there but you see more wildlife in a day than you see all year in some places.

[Ron LaClair]

So there's that many bears in the area and you're not allowed to hunt them?...Sounds like Game Mismanagement to me..

Some may think that carrying a big knife is not much protection against bears but it'll give you a comfortable feeling to have none the less.

I just got off the phone with C.L. Matteo the blacksmith who makes my knives and Hawks and we were discussing the new "Defender" Bowie. I told him it would be reassuring to have the knife with you not only in the woods but also if you ever had to go into some of the rough areas of some of the big citys it might come in handy. (remember Mick Dundee in NYC?) He said he didn't think you should use a knife like that on a human. I told him,   with a knife like this you don't have to draw blood, just draw steel ...  

[JimB]

Ron,if you haven't,you should read the story of Harry Wolhuter,Kruger National Park's first game ranger who killed a male African lion with a 6" sheath knife as it was dragging him off to make a meal.
 http://www.kimwolhuter.com/harry.htm

[duncan idaho]

A large knife is good to have, a .45ACP better, but, both are worthless unless you have the will to use them.

[Ron LaClair]

Thanks for the link Jim, I've read that story before but it's been a long time ago. It kind of gives credence to my fictitious tale..  

[JimB]

It definitely does.There was also an older gentleman that saved his own life with a buck folding knife when a tom lion jumped on him while hiking on Vancouver Island,BC.He got hurt pretty bad but he managed to pull the knife,open it and kill the lion,after it latched onto his neck.

I haven't carried a knife on my belt for years but this story and some others,plus a big increase in lions where I often travel alone,has changed that.This year I've started to carry a 6" sheath knife across my chest(and it's honed) in addition to another weapon under my arm.I think the big knife is a very good idea.Probably never need it but I bet the guy on Vancouver is glad he carried his.

I think the method of carry needs to withstand a hard slam also.Your shoulder harness looks just right to me.

[Bladepeek]

That story raised the hair on the back of my neck! I went up into Ontario with my two sons. Actually, we were rifle hunting, but having read all of the horror stories on Canada's gun laws, I was being very law-abiding. After leaving my stand at dark, my gun was unloaded and securely in it's case hanging from my shoulder. I had at least 3 bears prowling around me as I stood at the end of a two-track waiting for my older son to come pick me up. Every once in awhile, a large dark form would cross the two-track silhouetted by the moonlight.

I never told my son, but I did have a medium sized "hunter's bowie" in my hand the whole time. Not as good as a man-sized one like yours, but would sure beat fingernails and teeth  

[Jacko]

Thanks for the Read Ron, definately has happened before. No Big Cats in my neck of the woods but I have been "Hunted" a couple of times by Wild Dogs.

The Scariest was Hunting on my own way out in Western Queensland several Kilometres from Camp. It was fast approaching Dark when the Hairs on the back of my neck "Stood Up' just as described in your story Ron. I turned and was startled to see a large German Shepherd Cross Feral Dog, crouched ready to attack just about 20 yards away.

I attacked it first, running and screaming at it. At that time I only carried a large folding knife. The Dog retreated but shadowed me 30 yards to my left through the Scrub as I jogged back to Camp. I have carried a Green River Hunter Sheath Knife since

Only a couple of weeks ago when I came back to browse Tradgang after a long absence I visited your Site Ron. I spied your Shoulder Harness and being a Leather Craftsman I will be making one for my new Bowie which has a 9" Blade. Not what you want to hear on a commercial basis but thanks for the inspiration

regards Jacko

[UrbanDeerSlayer]

Originally posted by Ron LaClair:
I just got off the phone with C.L. Matteo the blacksmith who makes my knives and Hawks and we were discussing the new "Defender" Bowie. I told him it would be reassuring to have the knife with you not only in the woods but also if you ever had to go into some of the rough areas of some of the big citys it might come in handy. (remember Mick Dundee in NYC?) He said he didn't think you should use a knife like that on a human. I told him,   with a knife like this you don't have to draw blood, just draw steel ...      

The city streets can be nasty indeed.  Problem is concealing a big Bowie knife while in the city.   I carry an SOG twitch which I can pull out of my pocket and flick open with one hand in an instant. I get into some rough city areas at times.  That Bowie knife is awesome though!