Volume 1, Issue 2
TradArchers’ W
Summer 2009
rld
“Where The Adventure Never Ends”
US $4.95 Canada $6.95
www.tradarchersworld.com Summer 2009
TradArchers’ World
1
2
TradArchers’ World
Summer 2009
Page 5 Page 7 Page 9 Page 11 Page 12 Page 14 Page 17 Page 20 Page 22 Page 23 Page 25 Page 26 Page 29 Page 32 Page 33 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 40 Page 42 Page 46 Page 48 Page 51 Page 52
What’s inside? The RER Bows Story By Tom Colstad
A Season in Fred’s Boots By Bill Wright
Bowfishermen make better bowhunters By Paul Shore
The fun of archery golf By George Henrich, Sr.
Barred Feathers not Banned Feathers By Justin B. Thaxton
Internally Foot Your Woodies By Jerry Karbon
A Selfbow Wood Harvest By Brad “Littletree” Merkel
One Step Closer to Nature By Rachel Bray
The Perfect Day
By Vince Moldenhauer
Backpack Bow Hunting By Nathan Fikkert
Gary Davis knows Osage Over 1,000 Served “One at a Time”
Stuffed Venison Backstrap By Tom Colstad
Put Your Best Foot Forward By George C. Tsoukalas
Let ‘Em Walk!
First Traditional Harvest
Osage Bowblanks
My Dormant Dream Doe
starting at
By Dale A. Klug By Joe Lasch
By Neil Anderson
My First Traditional Big Game Harvest By Kevin Brown
“Grizz…!”
By James Larson
Pucker Factor By Rich Lopez
The Leather Bow Grip By Shaun Webb
Bow Profile: ILF Morrison Longbow By R. Blacky Schwarz
Hand Tools Part One: Drawknives
(Guaranteed)
140
$
Matched Diamondback Snakeskins
50
$
By Dan Little
Lucky Shot
By Chris Cade
Traditional Archery Shoots/Events Artisans’ Corner
Rattlestick Bows 19059 Amman Rd. • Chesaning, MI 48616
989-845-7740 Summer 2009
TradArchers’ World
3
The Editor’s Desk
It’s been a busy couple of months since the Premier Issue of TradArchers’ World magazine was printed in March. Since then, I’ve been to the Deer and Turkey Expo in Madison, Wisc., shot at a couple of area 3D shoots, went to Bow-Jam and made a couple of osage bows, crafted some cedar arrows for one of those osage bows, booked a grand facility for the Traditional and Primitive Archery Expo to be held next March near Toledo, Ohio, worked at straightening out subscription lists and communicated with dozens of readers about stories and photos for this and upcoming issues of TradArchers’ World. I appreciate the wonderful response regarding sharing “first traditional harvest” stories with our readership. So many were sent in, however, that I can only include a handful of them here in the Summer 2009 magazine and will have to parcel out the others in upcoming issues. A big “THANK YOU” goes out to Chuck Deshler of Two Tracks Bow Co. for his help in locating a venue for the Traditional and Primitive Archery Expo next March. I had a blast at Bow-Jam in southwestern Wisconsin the first weekend in May. There were nearly 50 adults and a swarm of kids making bows, sharing stories, shooting arrows and having lots of fun. If there is an opportunity for you, the reader, to attend one of these “Jams,” it is well worth the price of admission. You will find lots of “how-to” stories in this issue, ranging from harvesting wood for selfbows, to footing arrow shafts, increasing FOC of wooden arrows, shooting walking deer, dressing up your bow with film dipping and much more. Once again, there were many submissions that will have to wait and be included in the next issue of TradArchers’ World magazine. To clarify some subscription matters – new subscriptions will always start with the upcoming issue of TradArchers’ World magazine. The current and back issues will be available for $5 plus postage. Magazines returned to us by USPS due to an address change that wasn’t made known to us prior to the printing date will not be mailed out a second time. We had several magazines returned to us at a cost of $2.15 apiece (return postage) because the subscriber’s address had changed and USPS wouldn’t forward the magazine to the updated address. To resend each magazine to the corrected address would cost an additional $2.15 in postage. Finally, the expiration issue date is printed on the mailing label for every subscriber. If anyone has a question regarding his/her subscription, please call TradArchers’ World at 715-536-1306 or email editor@tradarchersworld.com. I plan to attend Compton’s this month and go to Denton Hill in July. Hope to see many of our TAW friends there. Check out our Web site, www.tradarchersworld.com, for subscription bargains, updates on the Traditional and Primitive Archery Expo, free how-to article downloads, “old” forum information from www.bowyersjournal.com. and much more. Have a safe and productive summer. Sincerely, Tom Colstad editor/publisher
TradArchers’ World Editor/Publisher Tom Colstad editor@tradarchersworld.com 715-536-1306 Marketing William Colstad ads@tradarchersworld.com Graphic Design Melissa Melby sales@tomahawkleader.com 715-453-2151 Bowfishing Editor Paul Shore 715-675-6757 Advertising Information ads@tradarchersworld.com 715-536-1306 715-536-5202 (fax) Subscription Information editor@tradarchersworld.com 715-536-1306 Editorial Information P.O. Box 67 Irma, WI 54442 editor@tradarchersworld.com 715-536-1306 Summer 2009 Contributors Blacky Schwarz*George Tsoukalas*Dale Klug*Paul Shore*Jim Larsen* Rich Lopez*Brad Merkel*Shaun Webb*Vince Moldenhauer* George Henrich Sr.*Tom Colstad*Bill Wright*Justin Thaxton* Neil Anderson*Nathan Fikkert*Joe Lasch*Kevin Brown* Jerry Karbon
TradArchers’ World is published quarterly by Tom Colstad, P.O. Box 67, Irma, WI 54442, 715-536-1306. Subscriptions: $19 per year in the U.S.A, $26 in Canada and $39 foreign. Please allow six to eight weeks. E-mail: editor@ tradarchersworld.com. Material sent in for publication will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed return envelope. The Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. The opinions expressed within this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of TradArchers’ World. Publication is not an endorsement of content, and TradArchers’ World assumes no responsibility for editorial content. TradArchers’ World strives for accuracy and honesty in its advertising but assumes no liability or responsibility for any goods or services advertised. No part of the contents of this magazine may be reproduced by any means without the express written permission of TradArchers’ World. 2009 TradArchers’ World. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A
Cover Photo by Tom Colstad – RER Bows: XR ,left, and LX, both 64” and made of Ceylon Satinwood, Ebony and Snakewood; limbs of bamboo and Snakewood.
4
TradArchers’ World
Summer 2009
The RER Bows story
Sue and Kevin TerMaat By Tom Colstad Kevin TerMaat’s love affair with archery began when he was a boy chasing cottontails in Northcentral Wisconsin with a red, solid fiberglass bow. Today, because years ago he couldn’t get a bow made to his personal specifications, TerMaat crafts his own line of custom made recurves and longbows under the name, RER Bows, LLC. TerMaat first began making recurve bows in 1991 and called his business, Rivers Edge Recurves (RER). Over the past several years, though, he expanded his line-up to include longbows and changed the business name in 2006 to RER Bows, LLC, to reflect that change. Currently, TerMaat offers four recurve models, three different longbows and also makes takedown limbs that fit the Bear Archery takedown riser #2. The recurve models include one-piece Arroyo, Standard Takedown, XR takedown (three-piece 50s style) and CXR takedown, while the longbows include the one-piece Vortex (reverse handle and more reflex-deflex), LX takedown (standard “D” shape) and CLX takedown. New on the scene in 2009 is RER’s LXR, a takedown riser that accommodates longbow and recurve limbs interchangeably. TerMaat’s favorite model is the takedown recurve XR because it offers the greatest versatility. One can put different limbs on it depending on usage circumstances that yield a 58- to 64-inch bow. The bowyer shared that his first bow designs blended features from several custom bows he had owned or shot. Further research Summer 2009
and development yielded the present RER Bows designs. According to TerMaat, product development is an on-going process. “The most important attribute of a bow is its shoot-ability,” said TerMaat. “This is a combination of multiple qualities and is often different for each shooter. These qualities include speed, draw weight and smoothness. I want my bows to shoot where you look. “I prefer to work with figured but stable woods,” he remarked. “I like bamboo, also, and have used carbon on special request. For recurves, I use static limb tips because they give better performance and are smoother at shorter limb lengths. I enjoy making bows that show off my artistic abilities, too. Some wood combinations in the risers and limbs are really spectacular. “My most important bow-making tools are band saws, belt sanders and drum sanders. My forms are made from wood microlams, clamps and fire hose, and I use a hot box to cure the bows,” he said. “This has been a family business from the start,” TerMaat commented. “My wife, Sue, is the business manager, customer service representative and finish sander. My son, Austin, and daughter, Emily, have both been involved with the entire process. Austin makes all of our strings and makes special order strings for other customers, as well. “We travel to many traditional archery events as a family and have lots of fun. Austin and Emily are both accomplished shooters,
TradArchers’ World
5
too,” he added. “Austin placed third last year at the IBO World Championships, and both he and Emily have been Wisconsin state champions.” When asked if he does much bowhunting, TerMaat responded,” Yes, that’s the reason I love to build bows. I look at different hunting conditions/scenarios and build different designs that fit those requirements. Unfortunately, I don’t get to do as much bowhunting as I want.” TerMaat’s favorite game animal to hunt is the moose. He’s hunted them five times in Alaska and gets a kick out of getting really close to such a huge animal. “It really gets the adrenaline flowing,” he said. TerMaat has also hunted various big game species in six other states and two provinces of Canada. “My most memorable hunt occurred when I was hunting deer with Austin when he was 13 years old. A dandy 10-point buck approached us, and as I was starting to draw on it, Austin zipped an arrow through the buck’s chest,” he related. “I was really glad to have witnessed Austin getting his first deer.” Sue added, “As much as this is a business, the ride has been awesome. We have customers from all over the world, from North America to Europe, New Zealand and Australia. The people we’ve met are now like our extended family.” RER Bows, LLC is located near Merrill, Wisc.
For Advertising Opportunities in this publication, please contact:
editor@tradarchersworld.com
RER 64-inch XR and LX
New reference book-manual for traditional bowhunters who want to learn more about bow making and bowhunting! The most complete text of its kind! Get your copy now from: Tradarchers’ World tradarchersworld.com PO Box 67 Irma, WI 54442 715-536-1306
6
Features: Traditional bowhunting as a method of hunting Hunting as a skill, not sport Making traditional longbows and recurves Take down longbow construction Bow physics and theory Force draw curve, kinetic energy, momentum and kinetic pulse Shooting skills Arrow art Making bow forms, heat boxes, bowstrings and arrow rests
For more information: Jack B. Harrison Wolf Print Publishing 3450 Palmdale Drive Wasilla, AK 99654 1.907.376.4969 harrisonlongbow@gci.net
Osage bow made from Rattlestick blank during Bow-Jam, May 1-3 by Tom Colstad TradArchers’ World
Summer 2009
A SEASON IN FRED’S BOOTS
By Bill Wright April 08, 2008 was the day we lost Fred Kasch. He was known by many in our archery community, and if you ever went to Mojam, GLLI or Compton, you knew Fred. He was born on April 16, 1913 and passed away just eight days before his 95th birthday. Some time after Fred’s passing, his wife “Teddy” asked me and a couple friends to stop by and help her organize Fred’s archery gear. She also wanted us to help her find some needy archery friends of Fred that would appreciate something of his and could use some gear. This process took a couple of days on and off, but eventually the job was done. Not an easy task emotionally, I might add. One evening as we sat talking to Teddy, her eyes lit up and she said, “Oh gosh, I almost forgot. What size shoe do you wear?” I said I wear size 9. Immediately she jumped up and left the room. She returned with a bag and said, “These should fit you. Fred was a nine.” I peered into the bag, and there was a brand new pair of custom made boots. Fred, being Fred, everything was in that bag: the receipt, brochure, polish and rag. He was so organized. I slipped the boots on, and I was amazed they fit me like a glove. I never realized we wore the same size. With these being custom made to his foot, them fitting me so well was even more surprising. Teddy insisted I take them. I was reluctant and not accustomed to being given something so expensive or personal. I think my feelings were just shock and humility. My friend Les said, “It sure will take a big man to fill those boots.” I knew that was just a saying and something no one could do, but I just felt so undeserving. Teddy must have seen this on my face because she turned to me and said, “Bill, you must know Fred would want you to have these.” When we left, I gave Teddy a hug and thanked her again for such a gift. I told her that I would wear them during the next season to honor Fred. On my drive home my mind was full. I had seen about three pairs of these same style boots in Fred’s archery room. They had all been retired, and showed years of great care but constant use. I recalled a conversation with Fred about why he bought custom boots. He felt it was worth the extra money for the quality and fit, but like anything you want to last you, must take care of them. Then he said with a smile, “Some people say a good pair of boots can last a lifetime. Well they don’t count on someone like me!” This was an obvious reference to his longevity, and he always found that humorous. Fred loved to joke about buying Lifetime guarantees and Lifetime memberships. He would say he was cheap, and that he sticks around to get his monies worth. That was Fred. That was my friend. As I continued on home, I knew I would do as I told Teddy. I would wear these boots as a reminder of Fred (not that I needed a reason) and do what Fred had intended for them. I also knew I better condition them, polish them, and take very good care of them. Fred would expect that. My first hunt of the season came up fast. I was on my way to North Dakota with my hunting pal, Bob Tastsides, to again hunt Mule Deer. Fred’s boots were in the truck, and in the same bag he kept them in. Summer 2009
Fred Kasch I was up and out that first morning well before first light. With thoughts of Fred, I climbed the ridge to my glassing point. It did not feel as steep as last year and that felt good. I guessed it was due to all the miles on my treadmill, but maybe it was the boots. As the sun came up, I saw many deer out on the flats as they worked their way towards their afternoon bedding areas deep in the canyons. My plan was to find a pinch point to set up an ambush for that evening. I liked the looks of a particular finger that I saw deer slip into as they moved off the flats. This spot would let me play the wind, and I was familiar with it having hunted there before. That evening as I waited, I kept looking at the boots and wishing my friend was with me. I discovered he was though, just in a different way. He was in my heart and my mind. Thinking about Fred at that moment gave me a nice feeling now. Most of the sorrow was compartmentalized, dealt with, and now thoughts of my good friend made me smile. I was a little sad but still happy in having such a friend and influence. I know relationships like a “very good friend” and a very good marriage is to be cherished. I got lucky in friendship with Fred, and my hunting companion Bob. As for the marriage, many would say I am very lucky and have a great wife. I would definitely agree with that. My random thoughts were interrupted by movement, but it was on the opposite ridge. For a moment I thought it was too far off, but then I saw this buck was moving slowly and in no hurry. He was a nice 3x3 and would be more than okay for this bowhunter. I got a bug to at least try to cut him off, and ambush him on his way along the ridge. I waited until he was turned and sprinted about 100 yards to the tree line below. I continued to hustle down the edge, then up and around the next ridge line. Now I slowed below the crest. As I eased up, simultaneously I saw the buck and felt a stray wind on my neck. He looked right at me as I slowly tried to melt into the landscape. I was busted; the buck turned and
TradArchers’ World
7
A view through Fred’s boots
walked stiff legged away. I had gotten to within 40 yards on my first hunt, so I felt good heading back to camp. During the week I had fun trying to position myself in range of one group or another. One morning I spotted five bucks. Two were fork horns, a small 3x3, a nice 4x4, and a monster 5x5. They slipped into an island of sage brush after feeding in a small bowl full of what I’ve come to call “Buck Brush”, because the mulies seem to love that stuff. I waited a few hours, and decided they would most likely hit that bowl again before moving out to their evening feeding area. I had made a natural ground blind next to that bowl last year, and I was sure they would go that way. I had to walk a long way to be sure I would not spook the deer. It was getting towards the end of my hunt, and this plan would just have to work. Finally in my blind, I was surprised how well it looked. Just a little quiet adjusting and I was ready. I saw the first forkie within a few minutes. He fed around the bowl and bedded 75 yards to my right. The second forkie came out and poked him till he got up. Soon they were sparring not 50 yards in front of me. As the other deer filtered out of their beds, smaller to larger, I saw in order the 3x3, the 4x4 and waited for the big 5x5. On cue he stood up and walked towards the combatants. Obviously disturbed by their adolescence, he fed and kept looking at them like a disapproving parent. As they fought they kept getting closer, and soon I realized they all were getting closer. Now at 30 yards the young deer had finally bothered the 5x5 enough. His spread was so wide he was able to approach both deer and with one motion strike them both with his rack. They both separated and knew that was it, they better stop now. I could not have asked for a more perfect setup. The big guy turned to his right and walked toward me. I raised my bow, held and released. My shot felt great………. it looked perfect, but it
8
was not to be. My arrow was high, and the deer scattered. I was so close but blew it. I still shake my head at my whiff, but that is part of it all. What an experience to be so close to a bachelor group of mule deer. A fully mature mule deer buck is a truly majestic animal. To see two deer fight like the forkies did was also just the thing we hunters see, that so many do not. As I walked back to camp, I noticed Fred’s boots were looking a bit dusty, and felt a pained twinge that I better clean them up when I got back to camp. I ended that hunt not on a sad note but filled with the week long experience, and a feeling I knew Fred would know just how I felt. It was also good to know plans were already made to return next year, and I know another bachelor group will find that Buck Brush too tempting to pass up. Back in Wisconsin and wearing Fred’s boots, gears shifted to the Whitetail deer season. I had what I would call an entertaining season, if you consider being outsmarted by the same doe all season long entertaining. It really was a battle of wits with a Whitetail master or mistress… whatever, she won. I can only say she must be some kind of super deer, a freak that can read minds. I just know I am smarter than her. Well at least I think so, and that is the only answer my ego can accept. Since I hunt an EAB (earn a buck) unit, I closed my season without another shot at an animal. That doe made me smile often, and hopefully she will be ready for a rematch next year. My hunting season done, I organized and cleaned up my gear. When placing Fred’s freshly polished boots on the shelf, I thought again of what Fred said about a good pair of boots lasting a lifetime. I sure hope so. Like Fred, I am cheap and intend to stick around so that Fred gets his money’s worth.
TradArchers’ World
Summer 2009
Bowfishermen make better bowhunters
By Paul Shore Looking at the accompanying picture of me with a bow-killed coyote you may be thinking, “Didn’t Tom introduce Paul in the Spring issue as being the Bowfishing Editor? What’s he doing with a coyote? He should be holding a carp or gar or some other scaly creature.” You’re right, but please bear with me and read on. The high-pitched yipping pierced the crisp, clear morning air causing us both to freeze abruptly in our tracks. “There goes our morning hunt,” my partner said in disgust. “Any elk that might have been on this mountain are probably in the next county by now.” I was bowhunting near Pagosa Springs, Colorado with Judd Cooney’s son-in-law, Mike Kraetsch, when a large pack of coyotes, which were several hundred yards above us, decided to loudly announce its presence to the entire world. Instinctively, I cupped my hands over my mouth and did my best at imitating the high-pitched squealing screams of a wounded rabbit. Almost instantly the sound of breaking branches and rolling rocks reached our ears. It sounded as though a piece of earth-moving equipment was re-contouring the landscape above us. The only sound missing was that of a motor. The thunderous crashing took me totally by surprise. It took me several seconds to comprehend what was happening; the entire pack was racing down the steep incline, each wanting to be the first to reach the tasty morning meal waiting below. Facing the direction of the oncoming coyotes, I dropped to one knee while Mike quickly searched through his backpack looking for his predator call. By the time he was able to get the call to his lips the critters were frantically darting back and forth around and between us. As one large male raced straight toward Mike, he realized that he’d been duped and, putting on the brakes, made a 180-degree reversal. Spinning around, with my target quartering away at warp speed, without giving any thought to my draw, anchor, aim or release, I sent an arrow to intercept it. The two met twenty yards in front of me, and after going less than 10 more yards, my prize was down for keeps. “Great shot!” Mike yelled. “How’d you do that?” Grinning from ear to ear, I said that I have rehearsed that shot hundreds of times. Now, let me relate another story (really, two) to you. One of them actually does include a fish. Several years ago, while slowly stalking the shoreline of Tennessee’s Dale Hollow Lake, I spotted the tell-tale dorsal fin of a fair-sized carp as it fed in a small opening in the vegetation about 50 feet in front of me. I was able to navigate the first 10 feet of the ankle-deep water in just a matter of seconds. Closing the remaining distance became much more of a challenge. The next 25 feet was through a stand of willow trees and bushes which were growing in 18-to-24 inches of water. To make a quiet approach even more difficult, the water between the willows was interlaced with branches and tree trunks which had been deposited there by years of wave action. The remainder of the stalk became slow and tedious. I had to work my way through the obstacle course without alarming
Summer 2009
Paul Shore and Colorado coyote my ever-wary prey. By the time I had threaded myself through three-quarters of the maze, to a point where I should have been able to see the fish, it was nowhere to be found. As I continued scanning the crystal-clear water for my elusive target, I scolded myself severely. “Made too much noise. Moved too fast. Should have taken my time.” As I was attempting to free my foot from the fork of a submerged willow branch, a slurping sound off to my left caught my attention. The fish had moved closer to the shore where it was sucking algae off of a floating log. The carp’s new location presented me with several problems. There was no way that I could get out of the ankle-hold that the willow had on me without disturbing the water and causing my target to demonstrate its disappearing act; I had to shoot from where I was trapped. A greater problem was that a few feet in front of me, between me and the fish, a large, green-leafed willow branch hung down to within three feet of the surface of the water. There was absolutely no opening for me to shoot through. By bending at my knees and waist (a position which placed my back end in the cold water), I was able to get a clear view of the fish still busily working on the algae. However, as I started to draw, my bow’s lower limb (which was now under water) caught on some submersed brush. This problem was easily eliminated by canting my bow to the right until it was almost parallel to the water. The shot was made and, after a brief tug-of-war, I slipped my 15-pound prize onto my stringer. Are you still with me? Let’s move forward in time and distance. From Tennessee in June to Wisconsin in October.
TradArchers’ World
9
While bowhunting near my home in the north central section of the state, I found myself in an awkward position very similar to the one I encountered at Dale Hollow. This time my movement was impeded by the limbs of a wind-fallen hemlock. The branch blocking my view was that of a Norway pine. And my quarry was a small whitetail doe. By using the same patient, methodical, calculated stalking tactics, and the same bending and canting techniques that allowed me to put the carp on my stringer several months earlier, I was able to cleanly put the deer down and into my freezer. I’ll bet that by now you’ve figured out where I’m going with all of this. I can’t prove that my practice session at Dale Hollow helped me bag that whitetail, but I have a very strong suspicion that it did. Oh, regarding my response to Mike’s “Great shot” comment on my fleeing coyote; I have, in fact, rehearsed that shot hundreds of times… at carp and gar and other scaled critters as they slice through the water in an attempt to put as much distance between themselves and me in as short a time as possible. If you spend this summer developing your stalking and shooting skills on fish, I feel confident that by the time the leaves start to turn colors, you will agree with me that bowfishermen DO make better bowhunters. (Having been an avid bowfisherman for over 50 years, Paul has acquired a wealth of knowledge, thousands of slides and dozens of anecdotes on the subject of bowfishing which he has put together into entertaining and educational seminars. If your club or organization is looking for a fascinating presentation for a future meeting, contact Paul at bowfish@charter.net.)
10
Advertise in TradArchers’ World Magazine or on the Web at www.tradarchersworld.com Reasonable rates Call 715-536-1306 email: editor@tradarchersworld.com
TradArchers’ World
Summer 2009
The fun of archery golf
By George Henrich, Sr. Whenever I mention archery golf, even in archery circles, I hear, “What is that? I didn’t even know that there was such a thing.” I then explain what archery golf is and how I’ve enjoyed it for more than 40 years. I went to my first archery golf shoot in 1968 and have gone back to the “course” every year since then. The archery golf course is at Mt. Morris, Wisconsin. It is about 15 miles north of Wautoma. The North Fond Du Lac (NFDL) Archery Club bought 120 acres of old farm land in 1952 and turned it into an archery golf course. The land is hilly with one very high spot on the back 40 acres. Over the years, they planted many trees to make the fairways. NFDL has a club house with running water on the grounds, and there is primitive camping available as well. The club holds three open shoots every year and includes classes for traditional archery equipment. Clubs and groups may use the range for a fee; however, one must call in advance to make reservations. One can also go there for the day and put the green fee in the “loot slot.” Now let’s get into playing this game. To hole out, you have to shoot a five-inch ball off of a wire loop suspended about a half foot above ground. To get to the ball, you have 18 tee shots from 99 to 350 yards. Two of the 18 holes are dogleg shots where you have to shoot your arrow into a circle first, then proceed to shoot at the ball. The tee shot on each hole is usually done with a light arrow to get maximum distance. The shots at the five-inch ball are usually taken from relatively close range with flu-flu arrows or shafts
tipped with a nail to keep them from skipping. The archery golfer keeps shooting at the ball until he/she knocks if off the wire loop. After teeing off the archer must shoot subsequent arrows with a foot placed where the previous arrow landed. The person with the lowest number of shots at all 18 holes is the winner. This is a good sport for the traditional archer as he/she gets to see the arc of the arrow. The course provides good exercise because of its many uphill and downhill shots. Of course, broadheads and judo points aren’t allowed on the course for safety reasons and the judos chew up the ball too much. Be forewarned, if you try archery golf, do it with caution, as you may get hooked and go back like I’ve done for the next 40 years.
George Henrich, Sr. “putting”
A long, uphill putt
Joe Huber in the dogleg circle Summer 2009
TradArchers’ World
11
Barred Feathers not Banned Feathers
By Justin B. Thaxton I often wonder why I build my own arrows. The time I spend hand-sanding turkey feathers, finishing cedar shafts and waiting for glue to dry for a dozen arrows is best left uncalculated. Perhaps this investment of time would be within the realm of reason if I were a better shot with the arrows I build. Many times (more than I care to remember), I’ve watched a handmade arrow disappear over the top of a target at a bow shoot, never to be seen again. For these arrows I use wild turkey feathers exclusively, due to their durability and availability (I have a couple of friends who are much better turkey hunters than I am). Sometimes, though, I think about feather fletchings from other birds that are a bit more exciting than turkeys. I have been fascinated by birds of prey ever since I was a boy and got my hands on a worn copy of A Field Guide to the Birds by Roger Tory Peterson. I rarely went out exploring without the little green book that had been ruled unfit for circulation and stamped “discarded” by the county library. Peterson’s masterful drawings of the hawks were my favorite. I remember a warm spring day when I saw first hand the devastation a hawk is capable of delivering. As my Dad and I watched two male robins fighting over a choice piece of lawn, a large hawk dropped into my peripheral vision and pinned one of the robins to the ground. There was an explosion of downy feathers on impact and then stillness. The hawk lifted off, with the limp robin hanging below as I sat there in amazement of what I had just seen. Neither the robin nor I saw the hunter until it was too late. Many times while bowhunting I have noticed that when one of these masterful hunters is high overhead, wise squirrels flatten themselves to a tree trunk. There is none of the usual chatter and tail wagging to sound the alarm. Hawks strike fear into the hearts of their prey; and rightly so. My fascination with raptors has stayed with me into adulthood and now that I am an amateur arrow builder, it has lead to temptation. Let me explain. Recently I was travelling down the highway when I noticed a large, reddish bird lying under the guardrail. I pulled off on the shoulder and walked back to take a look. The bird had creamy, white plumage streaked with reddishorange on its chest and abdomen. The dorsal side of the tail was banded which ruled out a red-tailed hawk and pointed more toward a red-shouldered-hawk. I was pretty sure of the identification but I would double check with Mr. Peterson when I got home. I took a few minutes to study the efficient design of the bird. Despite the hawk’s beauty, its sharp beak and menacing talons revealed its deadly way of life. One of the bird’s wings was ruffled and set at an awkward angle. It didn’t take a crime scene investigator to figure out the hawk had been hit by a passing vehicle as it hunted along the right-of-way. I thought about all the hawks I’ve seen while traveling this highway and how I’ve rarely had a chance to appreciate God’s attention to raptorial detail up close. I think about how the hawk must have patiently watched and waited for a busy mouse to leave the cover of the tall grass. The hawk would have lifted off with powerful wing beats, gained altitude, and then dived down to pin its meal to the ground with killing force. Had the hawk’s last
12
hunt been successful? There was no way to know, but this hunter had lived and died while motorists zipped by unaware of the struggle taking place just outside their car windows. Along the highway the upturned wing was opened, as if in flight, and the sun was highlighting a row of remarkable feathers. They caught my eye and I thought about how nicely one of the bird’s feathers would accent two turkey feathers on a cedar shaft. Would it make my hunting arrow as deadly and efficient as it had made the bird? What should I do? The correct answer was to walk back to my truck, get in and drive away. You might think, “It’s already dead and by natural causes… sort of. It will just lie there and rot.” You would be correct, but the fact is that taking any part of that bird would have been illegal, with very few exceptions. Allow me to introduce you to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). The MBTA implements various treaties and conventions between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Japan and the former Soviet Union for the protection of migratory birds. Under the Act, taking, killing or possessing migratory birds is unlawful (www.fws.gov). Title 16, Chapter 7 of the MBTA says that “…it shall be unlawful, at any time, by any means or in any manner, to …possess…any migratory bird…” or “any part” of a migratory bird (www.fws.gov). Both hawks and owls are on the Federal Migratory Bird List (turkeys, thankfully, are not) so taking that roadside feather
A road-kill screech owl
to add to the two turkey feathers on my arrow would have constituted a misdemeanor offense and could have resulted in a $15,000.00 fine, six months in prison, or both. I could buy a whole mess of feathers from a traditional archery
TradArchers’ World
Summer 2009
supplier with $15,000.00…and I wouldn’t even have to sand them! According to Eliza Savage, a Regulatory Analyst with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, “The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 was enacted in response to the late nineteenthcentury opposition to the millinery trade (trade in hats with feathers). The fashions of the 1880’s and 1890’s favored hats adorned with real feathers and stuffed wild birds.” Eliza added that the feather trade resulted in an estimated 200 million wild birds being harvested annually with some species being driven to extinction. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (www.fws.gov) does issue permits which allow for collecting migratory birds for specific, approved purposes including, but not limited to: “falconry, raptor propagation, scientific collecting, special purposes (rehabilitation, educational, migratory game bird propagation, and salvage). You should note that the permit for “salvaging” is not for personal use but for educational outreach by a “public scientific or educational institution, zoological park, museum or scientific society” (www. fws.com). There is a provision that allows for limited, noncommercial use of feathers legally taken during an official, state authorized hunting season. This would include feathers from legally harvested geese, ducks, etc. At this point you may still be thinking that “picking up a dead bird is not harvesting”. The fact is that if I had hawk or owl feathers in my vehicle or, heaven forbid… on my arrows, and I was checked by a conservation officer, that officer could not verify that I found the bird instead of killing it. Possessing feathers from a bird of prey without a permit is illegal. Plain and simple. The feathers from a powerful bird that has captivated me since childhood are tempting… but they are just feathers. They aren’t worth violating the law for and they certainly aren’t worth causing my sons to doubt their father’s character, as they would if I broke that law. I am not naive enough to think this article will keep unscrupulous people from taking
An unlucky hawk feathers from federally protected birds anymore than I think the lock on my front door will keep a determined burglar out of my house. My goal is to inform honest, ethical hunters of this law as it pertains to migratory birds so that they do not inadvertently compromise their character. Actually, I do know why I build arrows. I build them for the sense of accomplishment that comes from time spent working with my hands… with the materials from the Creator’s hands. And besides, there is just something about a quiver full of Port Orford cedar adorned with West Virginia turkey feathers that makes me smile. William Shakespeare wrote in The Taming of the Shrew, “Is the jay more precious than the lark, because his feathers are more beautiful?” I don’t think so. While the wild turkey didn’t even merit a color drawing in my little green field guide, his feathers are good enough for me.
Subscription/Bowyer Book Bargain TradArchers’ World magazine is offering a blow-out bargain on three-year subscriptions for new and renewal customers. For a limited time, customers may purchase a three-year subscription ($53 US) and Jack Harrison’s “Traditional Bowyer, More Unnecessary Fun” ($89.95+$10 shipping) for $110. That’s a savings of more than $40! Jack’s book also is available to current TradArchers’ World subscribers for $65+$10 shipping. To take advantage of this three-year offer, go to www. tradarchersworld.com or send your name, address and check for $110 to: TradArchers’ World, P.O. Box 67, Irma, WI 54442
Summer 2009
TradArchers’ World
13
INTERNALLY FOOT YOUR WOODIES FOR EXTREME FOC
By Jerry Karbon Interest in front loading arrows with more weight has taken off with the increasing awareness of the broadhead penetration studies done by Australian Dr. Ed Ashby as well as by the increased use of carbon shafts by traditional archers. Ashby’s work has shown that front loading arrows to achieve extreme front of center (EFOC) balance, which he defines as 20% or more, contributes to better arrow flight and substantially increased penetration on game. At the same time, traditional archers who shoot carbon arrows often have to front load their shafts to decrease the dynamic spine to achieve proper tuning of their arrows to their bows. Steel and brass inserts, steel point adapters and newly developed heavy steel field points and broadheads have made it fairly easy to achieve a wide range of forward weighting on carbon and aluminum shafts. Extreme FOC, even High FOC, defined as 15-19% FOC, is more difficult to achieve with wood arrows. Parallel cedar shafts with a 125 grain head have an FOC in the 10% range. Footing the front of a cedar shaft with hardwood will move the FOC forward about 1-3%, depending on the shaft length and diameter and footing length and density. Putting a 10-inch taper on the rear of the shaft will add another percentage point or so to FOC, again depending on the initial shaft length, diameter and physical weight. Woodies tapered and footed in this manner with a 125-135 grain head will come in at about 14-15% FOC. Recently, heavier glue on field points and broadheads in the 160-200 grain range and higher have been coming on the market. Adding one of these heads will move a tapered, footed cedar arrow, even some parallel, unfooted shafts, into the high FOC range of 15-19%. For example, my tapered, footed 11/32 POCs with 160 grain broadheads yield 19-20% FOC. In addition, steel glue on adaptors, essentially field points tapered on the front to accept glue on points, have recently come onto the market, greatly increasing the range of FOC possibilities with woodies. Internally footing woodies with a metal rod is yet another and I think more elegant, way to achieve a range of weight forward options, including achieving EFOC. Just about any metal rod can be used -- steel, brass, tungsten, etc. In addition to adding a lot of weight up front, the rod running internally up the shaft may strengthen the area behind the point where arrows are most susceptible to breaking. This isn’t a new idea, of course. I remember drilling holes into arrows and putting nails and screws in them 50 years ago. We weren’t thinking FOC then. It was a way to salvage an arrow that had already been broken off behind the head. By inserting a nail or screw, one had the weight necessary to achieve decent arrow flight and a blunt at the same time. Or, by cutting off the nail head and leaving an inch or two of steel protruding beyond the shaft, one had an instant “digger” point, a point still used today in archery golf and roving. But hand holding a drill, particularly a hand drill, which is what I had back then, isn’t the best way to get a perfectly
14
centered hole several inches into a small, round wooden dowel. A drill press and jig to hold the shaft work much better. To make a jig, drill a perpendicular hole through a block of wood near one end and cut a slot into the wood through and past the hole so it can be pried open to accept the shaft. (See illustration 1.) Clamp the shaft in the jig, center it under the drill bit, clamp the jig and drill it out. It’s as simple as that. It’s best to use a brad drill bit, which is less susceptible to following the grain and being drawn off center.
1.
This method involves a lot of positioning and clamping though, and finding the center of the arrow shaft can be problematic. For these reasons, and since I don’t have a drill press, I constructed another jig that can be used with a hand held electric drill. I had a machinist construct this jig for me out of steel. But if you have access to a drill press, or even a doweling jig to guide for your drill, this jig can be made out of wood. It just won’t be as durable as steel. Drill a pilot hole the diameter of the metal rod footing you will use through a piece of steel, aluminum alloy or wood stock that is about 2 to 2 ½ inches high and a minimum of ¾-inch thick. Then, center and drill out about half the length
2.
TradArchers’ World
Summer 2009
masking tape will snug them up. That’s one way I get more versatility out of my jig. Two wraps of masking tape on a 5/16 shaft and it fits perfectly into the 11/32 diameter hole. The1/8- and 3/16-inch pilot hole sizes I use in my jig
5. 3. of that hole with another drill that is the diameter of the shaft you plan to foot. If you want, you can drill several pilot and arrow diameter holes in the same block to make the jig more versatile, as the one pictured. (See illustration 2.) It has 11/32 and 23/62 holes drilled into 1/8 and 3/16-inch holes. Depending on the size of the jig, the shaft can be inserted in it and held in place with one hand, and the hand drill can be held in the other. I’ve found it easiest to clamp the jig horizontally on the edge of a table or work bench. I insert the shaft in the appropriate hole, hold it in place with my hand and drill it out with the other. A perfectly centered hole results every time. If the hole is not deep enough into the shaft to insert as much rod as you want, you can remove it from the jig and run the drill bit down the existing pilot hole to get another inch or more of depth. Anyone who builds wood arrows knows that there’s usually some variability in shaft diameter. If the shafts are too tight to fit into the jig hole, it may be necessary to sand them a little. Conversely, if they’re too loose, a wrapping of
4. Summer 2009
take advantage of readily available threaded and solid steel rod at hardware and building supply stores. Brass rods will also work fine, of course, but brass is more expensive and provides only a small weight advantage. Depending on the diameter and material, a 1-to-3-inch length of rod will add from 20 to 180 grains to the front of the shaft. (See chart 1.) _______________________________________________ Chart 1 -- Approximate weight in grains of one-inch length rod 1/8- inch threaded steel 3/16-inch threaded steel
20 grains 40 grains
1/8-inch solid steel 3/16-inch solid steel
22 grains 52 grains
1/8-inch brass 26 grains 5/32-inch brass 40 grains 3/16-inch brass 60 grains _______________________________________________ To aid in your calculations, I’ve found that every 20 grains added to the front of a cedar arrow or removed from the back of the shaft yields about a 1.5% increase in FOC, depending on arrow length, diameter and density. Drill the pilot hole to the depth that will give you the weight of the material you want and epoxy the rod in place. Glue probably isn’t needed, but bonding the rod to the wood adds strength. Do not drizzle glue inside the shaft hole. Spread it only on the rod. If you put glue into the hole, the excess glue that builds up at the base of the hole as you push the rod home can bulge or split the shaft wall. Filing a few nicks into solid rod will help hold the glue. I feel that 1/8 inch diameter rod is optimal for a 5/16 shaft, 5/32 for a11/32 shaft and 3/16 for a 24/64 shaft. Unfortunately, steel rod is unavailable in the 5/32 size. A 3/16 rod in an 11/32 shaft doesn’t leave a lot of wood around
TradArchers’ World
15
6.
7.
8.
it, but these have held up quite well for me. I like to rough cut the metal longer than the hole depth and leave a half-inch or so protruding from the end. When the epoxy has cured, I cut off the metal rod flush with the end of the shaft and taper the shaft to accept the point. Hitting the metal won’t do much harm to a disk sander, but it will damage pencil sharpener type tapering tools. Glue on the point of your choice and there you have it, an HFOC or EFOC woody that looks just like its normal FOC counterpart. There is an upper limit to the FOC that can be practically achieved with internal metal footings, or any other method of front loading wood shafts, and that limit is determined by the spine weight of available shafting. The internal footing has a negligible effect on static spine. But the additional physical weight added to the front of the shaft requires a much higher spined shaft to achieve the same level of good tuning and arrow flight. It will be necessary to add at least 5# of spine for each 30-50 grains of weight on the front of the shaft. It quickly becomes apparent, that even a mid-weight high performance bow with a fast flite type string at a moderate draw length of 28 inches will require spines in the 75#-80# pound range or even higher. Spine weights at that level are rare in 11/32 shafts, though they are somewhat more common in 23/64 shafts. However, those who shoot heavier bows and/or have longer draw lengths aren’t likely to be able to find cedar or other softwood shafts with spines high enough to front load to 20% or more FOC.
10.
9.
16
TradArchers’ World
Summer 2009
A Selfbow Wood Harvest Part One of Three By Brad “Littletree” Merkel
Summer 2009
TradArchers’ World
17
A Selfbow Wood Harvest (Part One of Three) By Brad “Littletree” Merkel About 15 years ago, a friend of mine, knowing I had recently returned from wilderness survival school, asked me if I had a chance to make a bow while I was in class. There were about 120 people in my skills class where we were taught quite generically how to construct a hickory selfbow. The problem was that we were broken up into 10 groups of a dozen students, handed a stave of wood and set loose like a pack of wolves. It was like the stave was the meaty leg of an elk tossed into a cage with a dozen starving dogs of all shapes and sizes that had yet to determine their pecking order. When the dust settled, it became quite obvious who the Alpha male was, with the stave in one hand and as many tools as he could manage to hold in the other, it became painfully clear that I, a subordinate that day, was going to go hungry. I learned a whole lot more about pack sociology that day than the art of turning a hunk of wood into a serviceable survival tool. I ended up making a three-pronged frog spear instead! So, my answer to my buddy was a meek “no.” He asked if a bow could be made of black locust, and remembering the class lecture, I recalled it being on the list of serviceable bow woods. Well, to make a long story short, he told me of a stand of locust trees down the road that was being clear cut and hauled to the mill. He thought I may be able to throw a small
log in the back of his pick-up and haul it back to his shop. The log landed in the bed of that old truck with a loud “thunk.” But now, thinking back on that particular day that could very well
18
have been my life as I knew it falling off the busted tail gate and hitting the gravel road with a loud “thunk.” My life was forever changed. There is something very special about starting a selfbow from a log or from wood harvested by one self for that matter. As much satisfaction as I get by crafting selfbows, it just seems that much sweeter when I, with finished bow in hand, can reflect on where and how the tree spent it’s time in the forest or hedgerow. My kids and I are fortunate to own a small 12-acre woodlot in southwest Wisconsin that is loaded with shagbark and bitternut hickory, elm and a whole lot of ironwood or eastern hop hornbeam. Not only are these good bow woods, but they are some of the greatest firewood species. We just so happen to heat our little home and bow shop with wood. And on top of that, we are just beginning our timber stand improvement (TSI) cut on our property, which requires us to take all the ironwood, most of the bitternut and an occasional shagbark. Thus leaving the more “desirable” timber species like maple, cherry and the oaks. All this adds up to a whole lot of excellent firewood and tons of good bow wood… literally. This year we started cutting in December. I like to cut bow wood when the majority of the tree’s water is below frost line in the root system. Here in Wisconsin that can translate into a whopping 15 percent or more in moisture content cutting in the winter months as opposed to the spring, summer or autumn months. Winter-cut ironwood and hickory have a dark, thin cambium layer that sticks tightly to the sapwood just under the bark. I like to use the contrast between the two for an effective camouflage effect on the back
of the finished bow. In the summer months, the cambium layer is swollen like a sponge with water and wants to peel off completely when the bark is removed. We cut a total of approximately six large hickory trees, a few small, straight ironwoods and one larger elm with the intention of stocking the shop with bow wood. After the trees were felled, they had to be hauled out of the woodlot. We life in the “Driftless” region of Wisconsin, the unglaciated part… in other words, it is NOT flat. On the contrary, the terrain is very, very steep and rugged. In many areas it is impossible to get a vehicle or tractor back to the cutting site. So, you guessed it, what we cut, we hauled out by hand. And the only way to haul 600-pound hickory logs out of the bush is by splitting them on the spot they fell. Fortunately,
TradArchers’ World
Summer 2009
hickory and ironwood split quite easily. Elm on the other hand is the complete opposite. Not only are you going to need your maul and wedges but you’d better have the will of a mule if you plan to win a fight with a large elm log. Perhaps that is why we only took one. If the logs have a chance to lie for a few days they will develop radial splitting on the butt ends, originating from the pith (center)
of the tree. This is the tree telling exactly where it prefers to be split. I almost always follow the radial checking when splitting a log, unless of course the split would travel through the finest stave in the tree. Then I may stray from the guide lines just a wee bit. But it is almost always more difficult when going against Summer 2009
what the tree wants to do! When making the first split (to halve the log), I like to open the butt end with multiple sharp-edged wedges and get the log splitting evenly down the two opposite sides. This technique seems to add a fair amount more control to the process. By driving both wedges as far as they can go into the butt, the split will most often travel half the length of the six-to-seven-foot log, thus opening it up to receive the blunt edged wedges to finish the job. Usually with the splits riding down both sides only one side will need to be worked to get the log to pop cleanly in half. With very large logs, it can be helpful to get the butt split going by first kerfing with a chainsaw and then pounding the wedges into the shallow cut. After the log is halved, the halves can be quartered, which usually is much, much easier than halving. Once our harvest was reduced to manageable portions, we built a sled of sorts out of two-by-fours and an old set of crosscountry skis to assist us in hauling the quartered logs out of the woods. Our loaded sled became a run-away train with all that weight and no brakes. The first load slammed into our wood pile at
about 30 mph… the bow wood was fine (thank goodness!) but we had to rebuild our sled… this time we left the skis off. The twoby-four runners seemed a bit more appropriate for the application. But we managed to get all of our quartered logs down to the wood shed with our lower backs intact, which was a good thing since we hadn’t even started hauling firewood yet. Stay tuned for Part Two of Three of “A Selfbow Wood Harvest” in the next issue of TradArchers’ World magazine.
TradArchers’ World
19