Eric and Doug....harnesses are always a good topic to talk about again, and again. I just didn't want to turn this into "that". Believe me, I have preached as well, and my "boys" as younsters were always required to wear them.
Not so easy these days. By the way, besides myself, both these boys have worked for Scott Koelzer who "infamously" took a tumble some years back. They work 40 to 60 hours each week walking high walls, roofs, ladders, and scaffolding, in any manner of very dangerous work (construction)...they do extreme (I mean extreme!) snowboarding...and generally live every day "on the edge". For them to come home to hunt with Dad, and strap in for an 8 foot climb in a well-hung, maintained treestand....well lets just say they are old enough to make up their own minds. I am just happy they still want to hunt with me.
All these boys are blessed with huge doses of confidence, coordination, and common sense. And while you and I know that "stuff happens" to the best of us....to them it's a nuisance worry over nothing. Our family has lived, breathed, and eaten bowhunting for their entire lives...they know this stuff like the back of their own hands...
Myself....I am finding each year that I am losing the basic skills of balance and confidence that I have carried myself with, and I certainly do "strap-in" in many stands (not all though). I find I'm using ladder stands a lot more, and hunting from the ground more as well.
So, as I've said, the concerns are not lost on us, and we thank you for them, and are aware of what we are doing.
Sean....yes, that bow was made from the last remaining piece of wood in that half-log of osage I had. The boys both made their bows first, and I made another from a belly-split, and the last one laid alongside a huge knot in the wood. I placed the area that went around the knot where the riser would be, and built the bow around that....pretty cool. I backed it with rawhide, as the grain was really squirrelly and it "tore out" on either side, so the backing is just for insurance. I call this bow my "Natural Wolfer", as it resembles Dicks creation a bit. By the way, this was some good wood....all these bows are super shooters.
Topic: I've created a monster....all parts are up! (Read 2116 times)
