Backcountry Bowhunter

Happy birthday Marines!

2011-11-10T18:28:00.001-07:00

Happy birthday to all my brothers in arms. Semper Fi!

Kuiu/ Kestrel Knives

2011-10-21T08:58:00.002-06:00

Cool concept. Not 100% sold on a no handle type knife for anything that I'd be using that much though...

Weekly Tips

2011-10-12T10:01:00.003-06:00

This weeks tip, brought to you by yours truly and published in Traditional Bowhunter Magazine's Weekly Tips email blast is yet another reason why 550 cord is so useful to have in your backpack. To my knowledge I have never seen the inner cord used like this, so this may be another, original use for para cord. This is my second tip published and I am having fun coming up with ideas that others might find useful. If you aren't signed up for their weekly tips, you should get on the list, it's free.

550 Cord Wind Monitor

By Mike Miller

The second cardinal rule of successful hunting--after hunting where the animals are--is hunt the wind.

While sitting in my elk blind at 8,500 feet this year I felt like I was constantly picking up my dust-type wind indicator. Although I was well hidden behind a screen of spruce, the movement was bothersome. Thinking about what was in my pack, I remembered the various lengths of military "paracord" or "550 cord" I had. I took a foot long piece of cord, removed the core strands, combed them out and tied them onto a couple of low hanging branches. This provided a sensitive and constant wind monitor that only required the movement of my eyeballs. Perfect!

There are 450 and 650 versions out there as well, and the numbers represent the load limit. Each strand of 550 cord has seven strands inside, and each of these strands yields two smaller strands. The smaller strands are what we are after. Simply unravel them and attempt to fluff or comb them out, and you have fourteen wind monitors per foot or so of cord. You can also tie the strands onto your bow tips, but the micro strands are so small they tear apart when removing burrs, so they don't last too long. Don't forget to take the strands out of the branches when you are done hunting for the day.

For price and convenience, 550 cord wind monitors are still hard to beat. Get out there and hunt the wind!

Back from elk hunting, round 2

2011-09-24T21:20:00.006-06:00

Yup, my awesome wife let me head up to the mountains for a couple more days, the evening of the 19th saw me hunting the same mountain from a simple "back of the truck" camp and I hunted all day the 20th and again half the day on the 21st. No elk meat in the freezer, but I did manage to pin a spruce grouse which I promptly breasted out and ate.

The video journal is done and as polished as I care to make it at this point, I didn't realize just how much video I'd been shooting. Over an hour of quick little vignettes, it was a fun project. However, I don't expect many will find the time or interest to watch the whole thing. Which is really no problem at all... I did it for myself more than anything.

I do have some more pictures to share with you though, and then I'll get to work uploading the video.

Thanks for tuning in, keep checking in as deer season develops!

Back From Elk Hunting

2011-09-11T15:58:00.003-06:00

I am back. I had the most wonderfully awesome week chasing elk... I literally lost count of the number of mature 6x6 bulls I was within 25 yards of, and the total amount of elk I was within 50 yards of was astounding. I am finally feeling like I am beginning to "know" "my" mountain.

I am in the process of editing my video journal and will hopefully have something posted up here in the near future. Until then, enjoy a couple of photos.

Mulie Doe right by Observation Rock and Mulie Meadows

Spring where I saw elk last year, it was much drier this year.

Sunset over the Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho

Taking a break.

Channel catfishing

2011-08-26T09:07:00.002-06:00

My lovely wife allowed me a few free hours last night so I headed out to my local park pond for some catfishing action. I'll admit, I have never caught a catfish before. Family leanings lead us to trout streams and rivers, and when we go warmwater fishing, we hit the bass and bluegills. We simply have overlooked the catfish since it is almost always caught while bait fishing. Nothing against bait fishing, it has it's place, but typically it is just so much sitting there. Several months ago I decided I needed to right this wrong and catch a catfish. After a little research I decided that chicken livers would be my bait of choice. Turns out, it was a good choice!

About 8:45 pm I was wandering the bank looking at the plants and happened to notice my bobber was not there. So I set the reel, pulled and reeled, pulled and reeled and coaxed out of the depths a big ol' cat. Like the carp I shot with my bow earlier this year, I was a little tentative at first... how do I handle this fish? My stringer hooks were too small for the size of the jaw, so I ended up piercing the lower jaw and inserting it there. Meanwhile my bobber is swimming away, but I missed the set and that one got away.

The night ended with the one cat in the truck. Took him home and fileted him up. Looking forward to more cats in my future!

Done with school!

2011-08-15T13:29:00.003-06:00

For now at least. There is more education in my future, but a semester break is looking really nice right about now. DONE! And not a moment to soon. Elk season opens in 16 days, although I won't be up there for opening day, I am really, really looking forward to some elk hunting solitude! I am busy writing my lists for camp, truck, backpack and pockets, and it is all I can do to not pack up the truck right now. No new gear this year, with the exception of a couple giant coolers to keep all the fresh elk meat from spoiling, and the same area I head to every year, but I can feel the destiny of this year's hunt creeping up, the excitement and pure adrenaline of a rut crazed bull or a tender young cow 20 yards away. My confidence is high, my arrow groups tight, my list compiled, boxes packed...

I was going through some of my hunting pictures and whatnot on my computer and "found" these again. Always I good thing to review before a hunt!

Stay tuned for much more regular updates as I continue to assemble my gear, practice, hit the gym and the trails and otherwise prepare my mind, body, soul and gear for a successful elk hunt in 2011!

I'm still here!

2011-05-25T12:14:00.003-06:00

Just thought I'd drop by and let my handful of followers know I am still here. Life is good, just been really, really busy pretty much the whole last year finishing up nursing school (finishing it for now, at least, I anticipate I'll be back at it pretty soon, but I'll be taking the fall off at least).

I did manage to get out for a couple bluegill fishing days with my dad. We knocked them dead! At one point I had to unload my stringer of big, fat, healthy 'gills into my dad's mesh bucket because I was doubling them up and they weren't fitting! And then I filled up the stringer again! What a blast, and we are looking forward to a nice fish fry here soon.

I hope to be able to post more as my semester pretty much ends at the end of July and I'll really start getting ready for the archery elk season, so stay tuned!

Cheers!

Canadian Wilds

2011-03-15T08:17:00.005-06:00

Finally found some time to go dig through a couple boxes of old books at my parent's house and found what I have been looking for, Canadian Wilds by Martin Hunter, first edition from 1907.

Book report to follow at some point.

12,000 year old fishing gear

2011-03-07T11:04:00.002-07:00

Now thats bushcraft!

People are discovering antique fishing tackle all the time, in closets and at garage sales, but none of that compares to discoveries made recently by archaeologists at two of the Channel Islands off Southern California.

On the hunt

2011-02-14T17:19:00.003-07:00

I am looking for a book my Dad had when I was younger, I fondly remember enthusiastically reading about how Hudson's Bay trappers caught beaver...

Hopefully I can find a copy and re-read this classic that no doubt has had a lot of influence on my love of the outdoors.

Something positive!

2011-02-01T17:05:00.001-07:00

The Mora 510 is back! A bit overpriced, but still a great knife, I noticed Ray Mears is now offering a green handled version of the 510. Good news!

Dumbest thing

2011-02-01T12:30:00.003-07:00

At the risk of turning my little corner of cyber space into a negative blog about Bear Grylls...

I was at the gym just now and saw a preview for his next episode. Imagine Bear up on a seaside cliff, hollering "I see a seal carcass down there." He goes down, and cuts into the seal. Next shot is him trying on a "farmer john" wetsuit style top he made from the seal skin. There really is nothing positive I can say about that. Not classy, not practical, ...just simply stupid.

Rant off.

The Wild Within

2011-01-18T09:28:00.002-07:00

I just wanted to say a few words about a new show that I caught the first two episodes of. It's called "The Wild Within" and it is on the Travel channel (which, since I don't have cable TV (gasp!) means I have to go the the gym to watch it, a good thing). The host is Steve Rinella, a correspondent for Outside magazine, and it chronicles some of his adventures in procuring food for his family in a wholesome, natural fashion. The premier episode had Steve in southwest Alaska shrimping, crabbing, as well as goose and black tail deer hunting. What really caught my fancy was his eloquent dissertation on why he hunts and why it is ethical. Very well said, and I simply can't do it justice. As soon as I can find the episode online I'll post the video because it is definately "must see TV." I posted a link to the "Wild Within" website on the links list.

That said, the second episode was a bit of a let down. Filmed in the Missouri Breaks in Montana, there just wasn't as much "substance" to it. In addition, after his rant talking about feeding his family wholesome, fair hunt food in the first episode, he donated his kill to the local town (which is a very good thing to do, just not what I was expecting given his point of view in the first episode).

The third episode I will likely watch, but it looks to be even a bit further from the first episode's benchmark. Hunting "wild" (I used quotation marks because they are feral, not truely wild) pigs with dogs and a knife is, in my opinion, not something for the non hunting public to be excited about on TV. It remains to be seen, however, and actually could be a great show.

Thanks for dropping by!

The ten essentials

2011-01-12T08:29:00.006-07:00

The list has been around for a long time, and for the most part it is still pertinent. What do you take on this list, what extras, and what do you omit?

In the 1930s, the Mountaineers, a Seattle-based hiking, climbing, and conservation organization, came up with a list of 10 essential items that no climber should be without.

Map. A map not only tells you where you are and how far you have to go, it can help you find campsites, water, and an emergency exit route in case of an accident.

Compass. A compass can help you find your way through unfamiliar terrain—especially in bad weather where you can't see the landmarks.

Water and a way to purify it. Without enough water, your body's muscles and organs simply can't perform as well: You'll be susceptible to hypothermia and altitude sickness. not to mention the abject misery of raging thirst.

Extra Food. Any number of things could keep you out longer than expected: a lengthy detour, getting lost, an injury, difficult terrain. A few ounces of extra food will help keep up energy and morale.

Rain Gear and extra clothing. Because the weatherman is not always right. Especially above treeline, bring along extra layers. Two rules: Avoid cotton (it keeps moisture close to your skin), and always carry a hat.

Firestarter and matches. The warmth of a fire and a hot drink can help prevent an encounter with hypothermia. And fires are a great way to signal for help if you get lost.

First aid kit. Prepackaged first aid kits for hikers are available at outfitters. Double your effectiveness with knowledge: Take a basic first aid class with the American Red Cross or a Wilderness First Aid class, offered by many hiking organizations.

Army knife or multi-purpose tool. These enable you to cut strips of cloth into bandages, remove splinters, fix broken eyeglasses, and perform a whole host of repairs on malfunctioning gear—not to mention cut cheese and open cans.

Flashlight and extra bulbs. For finding your way in the dark and signaling for help.

Sun screen and sun glasses. Especially above treeline when there is a skin-scorching combination of sun and snow, you'll need sunglasses to prevent snowblindness, and sunscreen to prevent sunburn.

Taken from http://www.gorp.com/hiking-guide/travel-ta-hiking-wilderness-skills-sidwcmdev_058018.html

Contrast that with the ten essentials from the "Northwest Woodsman" website:

The Woodsman's 10 Essentials

It's finally the weekend!! You have been looking over the maps and plan to explore some new country. You found a creek poled up as far as you can, then left the canoe and hiked in the rest of the way to see what you can find. You only want to take what you need and nothing else. There are 10 basic essentials that you need to carry for your trip:

1. Pack - A good pack is not only important for carrying your gear but for protecting your
outfit from limbs, rocks, brush, or anything else you put it through. Bushwhacking through
wild country requires a tough pack.

2. Shelter - A 9' x 12' tarp is the perfect size for the solo wanderer and is very adaptable
to many uses. It is important that you know a few different ways to rig a tarp to match the
weather or terrain. A ground tarp and bug net for the front in summer makes life a little
more comfortable.

3. Axe - It’s the most important tool in the woods along with your fire starter. In the
warmer months a smaller axe will work just fine for all your camp chores. When the
temperatures drop and the snow starts to fall it’s time for the full size axe and bucksaw.

4. Fire Starter - Fire is the heart of the camp, from cooking, to warmth, to light, it is
essential to life in the woods. Always carry a couple of ways to start a fire with you; one
on your person and one in the pack for back up. After the tarp is set up the fire will be
made one step away from the front.

5. Bedding - When temperatures are above freezing a wool blanket is my choice for
bedding. It is soft, warm, and naturally wicks moisture. Sleeping, sitting by the fire, or
just lounging under a tree, there nothing more practical then a wool blanket in the woods.
When temperature start to drop, then a good warm sleeping bag is added. If you bring a
foam pad, it only needs to be long enough to keep your shoulders and hips off the ground.

6. Knife - A sturdy, functional, lightweight knife that fits well in your hand and holds an
edge is of the utmost importance. A blade made with high carbon steel with a full tang is
ideal.

7. Cooking Pot – If I only had room for one cooking item it would be a pot. Boiling water
will be what you will need most and everything else can be roasted. A frying pan is a nice
addition for frying fish or baking bread. A cup, leather gloves, fork & spoon can all be
stored inside the pot.

8. Compass - The best compass is the one that you actually use. I find it interesting how
a man will circle when in new terrain and can’t get a visual on a fixed landmark. Staying
on a true bearing and keeping track of your time and distance will greatly reduce your
chances of ever getting lost. A current map of the area you are traveling in is always
needed.

9. Rope – 50 feet of ¼ inch rope is perfect for lashing poles, rigging your tarp, lining your
canoe, Etc. A good rope is invaluable on the trail or in camp.

10. First Aid Kit (for body and gear) – Keeping yourself healthy and avoiding infection
is important, along with keeping your gear in tip top shape. Tape, gauze, iodine, butterfly
stitches, & twisters are some of the basic medical supplies. For your gear, a sharpening
stone, sewing kit, 550 cord, and a multi tool will cover most of your needs. A useful multi
tool for the woods should have pliers, file, saw, knife, and an awl.

Throw in your extra clothing, such as an extra pair of wool socks, heavy wool shirt, wool hat, long underwear, and a
rain coat. Also basic food staples like oatmeal, pasta, rice, coffee, bannock mix or whatever you find easy to
prepare over an open fire. One pot meals are always the easiest and best way to cook when you are out by
yourself. A 22 rifle and/or a small fishing kit will keep you in a fresh supply of meat when seasons are open. With
this basic outfit the lone woodsman can travel with ease and in comfort.

New Les Stroud knife

2010-12-09T12:33:00.003-07:00

Can't wait for the "Tagamami," a new Helle Knife that is a collaborative effort between Les Stroud (Survivorman) and Helle, one of the best higher end Norwegian knife makers out there.

No pictures as of yet, but I have emailed the two Helle distributors in the USA asking to be notified when they get them in.

99.9% chance it'll be a much better knife than the Bear Grylls knife.... just like the shows I suppose, Bear is out for flash, Les is out to thoughtfully teach.

EDIT: Wow, I didn't realize Bear Grylls and Gerber had "teamed up" on so much stuff... there's a fixed blade, a folder, a parang, and a couple versions of "survival" kits.

Frozen Guides Fishing Service

2010-11-27T08:20:00.007-07:00

Two of my brothers and my dad went out for our annual Owyhee River fishing expedition. For the last 8 years we have ventured over to the brown trout waters in hard to reach extreme south eastern Oregon. This year was particularly cold as we have been in the grips of a mid winter freeze in November.

Starting off with a hearty breakfast at a local greasy spoon, we enjoyed the company of a non fishing brother, his two young boys and an Uncle up from California. Fueled up with Belgian waffles, protein-special omelets and coffee, the four fishermen headed through Notus and Parma Idaho and Adrian Oregon into the beautiful Owhyee canyon.

The truck thermometer read 24* F and we knew we were in for a tough day, but still hopeful for a hatch of some sort should the sun choose to grace the canyon with it's warmth. Swapping out jeans for fleece pants and waders, we geared up and started on a stretch familiar to us. The water was low and much of the area was iced clear over, so the pickings were limited, but we managed to find some fish before too long.

Tossing a Clouser minnow

Fish on!

Looks like the Krakken!

Bringing that brown to net

And letting her go.

Plop. Another Clouser Minnow toss.

Three frozen fishermen

Fish on, brother number 2

And the 21" reward...

Elk videos

2010-11-04T08:36:00.004-06:00

Finally got three of the videos uploaded. I have three more, and I am still working on uploading them, but until then, enjoy...

wow

2010-10-08T10:00:00.003-06:00

Videos

2010-10-04T13:57:00.003-06:00

I am continuing to work on getting my videos from my elk hunt downloaded to here or photobucket, but it seems my short two minute segments don't want to be shared...

Stay tuned, I'll get them up sooner or later, as well as the actual hunt report and notes!

Thanks for checking in.

BCB

Back from elk hunting.... report!

2010-10-03T09:20:00.013-06:00

Had a fantastic time elk hunting this year! Saw more elk on the mountain than I have ever seen before, including a calf which I have never seen before (in my little corner of the mountain that is). Found a couple of great new water holes, made lots of notes, learned a lot....

On to the pictures and video!

Fires

2010-07-28T17:48:00.002-06:00

I always get a little nervous about this time of year due to wild fires. Mid-late summer thunderstorms can create huge fires in no time, struck by lightning and fanned by high winds. This summer may be worse than some because of the long, wet spring and the ensuing high growth rates of the under story brush and weeds. I find myself checking the Forest Service fire map often during this time of year.

Thanks for checking in,
BCB

fitness hike

2010-07-12T22:36:00.002-06:00

I went out for a hike in an effort to continue to get my legs in shape for the upcoming elk season. I headed out on a local trail into the local foothills. I had my daypack with my spotting scope, binoculars and a canteen of water. Saw a antelope doe and a peregrine falcon eating a fresh Hungarian partridge. Heard some coyotes and chuckars. All in all a good trip, my legs felt good, but I still have a long way to go...

Thanks for checking in,
BCB

Elk scouting trip 1

2010-07-10T20:44:00.002-06:00

Wow, nothing like the first trip of the season to show me how out of shape I am!

About two months until I head up elk hunting, time to get running and loosen up the lungs, loose a few pounds and whip my legs into shape.

The high country was beautiful and absolutely chock full of bood quality browse for the elk, the micro stream where I hunt is spring fed and it stable year around... just perfect for a healthy herd of elk on "my" mountain. The long, cool spring and (so far) cool summer, it seems the stars are aligning for an awesome fall hunt. Speaking of the weather, I always check the Old farmers Almanac to get a prediction on the weather and it is predicting a hotter than average August (which bodes poorly for fire danger), but a much cooler than average September which bodes well, very well, for an active, vocal rut.

Other preliminary elk scouting trips I have been hearing about nearly all mention an abundance of calves this year, and from what I saw I'd agree! I didn't spend much time on the mountain, but I did see lots and lots of sign, so all in all I am pumped!

This is the year!
BCB

Banzai weekend trip

2010-07-07T12:36:00.003-06:00

One of my hunting heroes, Cameron Haines, coined the term "banzai trip" in one of his Eastman's articles. That's what I am going to be doing this weekend. With my lovely and ever patient wife and tremendous son vacationing with her parents in Missouri for the week (while I am in school purgatory...) I am planning a quick hit trip to the high country to scout out my September elk hunt. I can't wait to share what I find, though I have to warn you , there won't be any pictures as I am going light and fast (and my wife has the charger and the camera I have is on it's last legs and has a nearly dead battery...)

At any rate, this'll be one of, hopefully, three trips to the area that I am planning to hunt, so it'll be fun!

EDIT: I'll be taking a night or two just backpacking into an area I really have enjoyed in the past. Saddleback Lakes, under the towering Elephant's Perch above Redfish Lake isn't an area I am going in search of elk, but rather, relaxation. Although it is climbing oriented (and thus, Elephant's Perch oriented, it gives a little taste of where I am headed)... here's a great rundown of the area.

This is the year!
BCBH

Bruneau Dunes Fishing Trip

2010-05-21T14:49:00.003-06:00

I have been looking forward to a relaxing trip with my Dad to one of my childhood haunts for a couple of months now. We have been to the Bruneau Sand Dunes several times but not for several years. With the truck all packed and the time finally here, I was absolutely pumped. We had planned a trip to this desert oasis a while back, two nights of fishing for bluegill and bass, with the possibility of a side trip over to another place fondly remembered from my childhood, Wickahoney Creek.

After arriving and setting up camp and hanging my hammock I read some and relaxed. The sun was shining and I felt GREAT! Dad rolled in and after parking and leveling his RV we were off to the small pond for some fishing.

Immediately upon shoving off from the shore I spotted a nice 14 inch bass and knew the day would be a good one. My Dad almost immediately pulled in a 16+ inch bass on a "bloody Mary" fly. I was fishing a small white popper and giggling like a little girl at every strike. Other flies we caught fish on were a white foam spider, a chartreuse wooly bugger and a bead head hair's ear nymph.

We fished the entire perimeter of the lake and each caught 30+ bass, mostly in the 12 inch range, as well as a big fat bluegill each. We were meat fishing, which is unusual for us, and came up empty though, as any bass you take has to be 20+ inches and with only two bluegill we decided to release them.

The next day we decided to head over to Wickahoney creek, a small desert stream in a deep canyon that we hadn't visited in 20 years. It is now in a wilderness area and we had no trouble finding it. Or at least finding where it used to be. It was dry and we mulled over how it could be dry in late spring. It wasn't a banner snow year in the Owhyee mountains, but somehow, that didn't explain the lack of water. None the less, the views were spectacular and we enjoyed the hike from the truck. From the rim of Wikahoney we made our way to the confluence on Wickahoney- Big Jacks Creek and wondered at the depth of the canyon and the rugged beauty of the desert.

Blind Horse Knives Maverick

2010-05-12T21:12:00.003-06:00

Took the BHK Maverick out for a little walk today and I have to say that I like what I see so far! I just took it out for a quick jaunt and a photo shoot, but I will report back with a more in depth review shortly. Until then, enjoy!

Western States Traditional Rendezvous and the end of classes

2010-05-03T14:14:00.002-06:00

I am just about to head into my final for anatomy and physiology lab, and i can't wait to be done. Less than two weeks left of this semester, then it's on to a nice little break.

On break I will once again be attending the Western States Traditional Rendezvous, this year it is being held in Packwood Washington, just outside of Mt. Rainier National park. Its should be beautiful, my shoulder should be healed, and with my lovely wife and son in tow to their first traditional archery event, it should be fun. I am hoping to get a couple knives made up by then for some raffle prizes, so I'll be sure to take some pics of that along the way.

Until then, wish me luck!

school blues

2010-02-20T11:06:00.004-07:00

I am slammed. School and taking care of my son during the time that my lovely wife is off making a living for us takes up the majority of my time and thus, no posting lately.

There is a saying about the best intentions and following through with them, but it escapes me at the moment and although this semester is going to be a tough one to keeping up with this blog (and despite the highly annoying spam comments that I receive that have nothing to do with this blogs main topics...) have no fear, I have not abandoned this blog and I do have great intentions for this little corner of cyber space, as well as the desire to follow through with them.

So keep checking back every so often, but know that this spring semester won't have much posting.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for understanding my friends!

And, if you have been watching the Olympics you'll surely have noticed the official Vancouver Olympics symbol, the inukshuk, just like I mentioned a while back.

Arrows

2010-01-10T18:20:00.002-07:00

Next up in the gear Sundays column is the arrows. I currently am shooting 55-75 Gold Tip Carbons that have a nice simulated wood grain. The front is stuffed with 125 grain steel adapters and 100 grain muzzy inserts for a total of 385 grains on point. My FOC is 13.5% (FOC is another topic I have planned to write about, a interesting topic to discuss). Out back I have a set of cap wraps which will most likely be the last set I use, not one of them went on straight and matched up, but they do the job as far as personalizing and making them visible when I miss. Over that I have four 90 degree four inch natural left wing turkey feathers in barred and died red. Correct arrow tuning is something that I pay pretty close attention to and to this end I shoot paper periodically and not the orientation of the arrow flight.

Lots of information, I know, and if you aren't fluent in archery there is a lot of good information out there, but I cant recommend highly enough TJ Conrad's book "Traditional Bowhunter's Handbook."

Fitness Friday

2010-01-08T12:53:00.001-07:00

Another potential regular column, this one a bit more of an update as I venture towards my fitness goals for this year elk hunting safari.

I'd like to share a couple of my goals in an effort to stay accountable as the year slides past. Currently I weigh 200 pounds, and by September I want to weigh in somewhere between 170 and 175 pounds. I can already run a 10K without really training for it, but I would like to run a sub 40 minute 4 mile run.

My current workout regimen is two or three days at the gym, two or three days of p90X, and two or three days of running.

Gear Sundays

2010-01-04T08:59:00.003-07:00

This is the first installment of what I am planning to be a pretty regular series on Sundays (and yes, today is Monday, yesterday was a day of unpacking and lazing around).

Today's topic is the business end of my hunting arrows. A sharp broadhead is of paramount importance in a successful harvest, a quick, humane death and ultimately, the best table fare possible. Currently my arrows are tipped with a set of Stos 160 grain broadheads I ordered straight from the manufacturer without any bevel. That's right, completely unsharpened. I Built a little jig to create a left wing bevel; a single edge broadhead has been shown in recent studies to provide a larger hole as well as provide a deeper penetration, especially when used on larger, thicker skinned, heavy boned animals such as my main target, elk. To this end I will be using a really nice jig to enable me to create absolutely scary sharp edges. The KME broadhead sharpening system is the absolute pinnacle of broadhead sharpening technology and I have been very pleased with the results. It allows me to precisely create a flat, consistent edge. The system, combined with a Cabela's 325 diamond stone and a set of 800, 1200 and 6000 grit Japanese waterstones, I should be able to have razor sharp, mirror finish type edges on my broadheads.

So in summary, my plan right now is to maximize any available advantage by using a heavy, single bevel broadhead that is as sharp as I can get it.

Next week's backcountry bowhunting gear article will be about my arrows, and from there I will be discussing the bow, quiver, and the necessary archery and backpacking accouterments I plan on using this fall.

A new year

2009-12-31T13:50:00.002-07:00

Happy new year to all of you! As I do every year, the changing of the year brings introspection and the setting of goals. I thought I would share a couple with you...

I am working on a system to both keep me motivated to write here regularly as well as provide inspiration on topics relevant to this blog.

Along with this I am working on a mission statement of sorts for this blog. I feel my last year plus has been a bit too scattered for my liking in terms of subjects and focus on what my little piece of cyber space is, so stay tuned for the mission statement.

And as far as focus for my outdoor endeavors this year, my focus is going to be elk hunting during the rut with my longbow, so if this is interesting to you, this will be the main thrust of my writing this coming year, so check back frequently. That's not to say I won't be pursuing other outdoor activites though, and I'll be writing about them as well.

Until then, have a happy, safe New Year celebration! Take a few minutes and think about your goals and focus for the upcoming year

Relaxing

2009-12-19T12:41:00.003-07:00

School is finally out for the Christmas break! My finals went well, and now I am just enjoying some down time and my little family.

I have also been thinking a lot about my little piece of cyberspace here, working up a mission statement of sorts as well as a series of articles that I think are more central to my initial idea of back country bowhunting.

So stay tuned as I prepare to make 2010 my year for back country solo bow hunting!

Bitter cold

2009-12-08T10:00:00.002-07:00

It was negative 4 last night, colder than it has been here in Boise for some time. Because of the now mobile 1 year old the fireplace has not been used yet, and the heater is on every few minutes trying to keep up. Bundle up, it is going to remain cold and snowy for the next several days...

Bark River Highlands Special

2009-11-16T14:05:00.002-07:00

Very nice knife. Just the right size for my small hands, screaming sharp... I have yet to put this knife through some good field work, but so far I am really pleased with this knife. I was a little disappointed by the factory sheath because it only had the scout sized fire steel loop.... that means less fires, right? Well, I may be a snob, but I prefer the army sized firesteel loop, but lucky for me I happened to have a JRE sheath that the knife dropped right into like it was made for it.

Anyway, When I get out next I plan to use this knife a lot and do a report similar to the little creek review I mentioned a couple posts ago, so stay tuned.

Backpack hunting article from BHA website

2009-11-13T07:05:00.000-07:00

Backpack Hunting in the Rocky Mountains
By Phillip Watts

You don't have to be a burly Jim Bridger to find solitude, scenery and backcountry elk-hunting success.

As a youngster living in Virginia, I was captivated by stories about backpack hunting in the Rocky Mountains. It seemed to me there could be no greater adventure than setting out on foot in roadless country in pursuit of elk. But I doubted I would ever go on such a hunt myself–backpacking for elk required the mountain-man skills of Jim Bridger and the stamina of a mountain goat. Or so I thought.

Since then, I've learned that backpack hunting for elk is not only manageable but can be quite comfortable with some know-how and careful planning. I started backpack hunting on the downhill side of 40, after a serious knee injury resulting in arthritis and two knee surgeries. If I can do it, I'm betting you can, too.

Advantages of Backpacking

I like to hunt in places with plenty of solitude and scenery, and backpacking is the best way to enjoy both. There are also practical advantages, including an increased chance of elk hunting success. As Jim Zumbo observes in his book, Elk Hunting, "Elk shun human traffic areas where hunting pressure is heavy, such as near roads and trailheads." My own experience bears this out. Leave these areas behind and you'll see more elk.

My hunting partner Rob Young and I have hunted in southwest Colorado for the past few years. We hunted from a roadside camp the first year, hiking into the woods a mile or so each day, seeing a few elk. Last year, we backpacked a few miles into the same area, saw dozens of elk and few other hunters, and each tagged an elk. Some nights we had so many bugling bulls around us it was difficult to sleep. Meanwhile, the hunters camped back at the trailhead saw few elk. Hunting away from high-traffic areas made all the difference.

Setting up camp in the backcountry also allows you to hunt the most productive parts of the day: the first and last few minutes of daylight. By setting up near your hunting location, you won't be hiking back and forth when you should be hunting.

While many think backpacking means sleeping on the cold ground and eating dehydrated food with all the appeal of cardboard, it doesn't have to be that way. Rob and I live by the credo that anyone can be miserable on a backpacking trip, but it takes a real woodsman to camp in comfort and style. We take pride in making our elk camps as comfortable as possible.

Of course, there are also disadvantages to backpacking–if you're successful, you'll have a few hundred pounds of meat, as well as your camp, to pack out on your back. But with good planning and good partners, packing out your meat can be one of the most enjoyable parts of the hunt.

Selecting a Hunting Area

One of the most important steps in planning any hunt is selecting a good location. For backpack hunting you'll need to find areas where vehicles are banned to fully realize the benefits of foot travel. The majority of these are designated wilderness areas in our national forests. To locate these areas, log onto the Wilderness Information Network at www.wilderness.net. Click on the "search with map" icon for a map of the U.S., click on your chosen state and click on any wilderness area for a description and links to the managing agency. Contact the managing agency for information and USGS map coverage.

You don't have to hunt in designated wilderness areas to find solitude and good hunting, though. Most of my favorite hunting areas aren't designated wilderness, they're just large swaths of national forest without roads. Many of these roadless areas receive less hunting pressure than nearby, more well-known wilderness areas, which tend to draw hunters from all over the country. Roadless areas can easily be found by studying topographic maps. But don't forget to follow up by hiking the areas you intend to hunt before the season. Many topographic maps haven't been updated in 10 years or so and won't show recently built roads and other changes.

It goes without saying that the area selected should be in prime elk habitat with good foraging, shelter and water. Try to find a locale with several prime feeding/bedding/watering areas within easy walking distance. You'll need to carefully consider your own physical limitations and how far you are willing to pack out an elk. On past hunts we've found that hiking two to four miles from the trailhead is far enough to leave most other hunters behind, yet close enough to the trailhead to make packing meat manageable. This distance also makes trips back to your vehicle for extra food and supplies easy. And if you're hunting in an area used by outfitters with horses, staying within a few miles of the trailhead helps you avoid the areas they hunt, since they generally pack in farther.

Next, look for a good trail system. This is essential for packing heavy loads and for getting around your hunting area in the dark. Packing heavy loads through thick forests or on steep slopes off-trail is manageable for short distances, but over long distances it's miserable and raises the likelihood of injury. Remember, any elk you kill downhill from ridgetop trails will have to be hauled back up. The best trails are level to gently sloping, trend downhill to the trailhead and are downhill of areas you plan to hunt. Fortunately, these are not uncommon; many good hunting areas have well-established trails down low along streams.

To hunt where the crowds don't go you should also be comfortable navigating cross-country (bushwhacking) away from roads and trails. If your map & compass skills are rusty, you'll need to brush up on those, and consider getting a portable GPS unit. There are several good books on wilderness navigation you can review [see sidebar] or log onto the US Orienteering Federation's website (www.us.orienteering.org) for excellent tutorials.

Campsite Selection

In his book, Bugling for Elk, well-known bowhunter Dwight Schuh advises hunters to "always avoid putting your camp where it will disturb the animals" and to "camp so that a ridge or rim separates you from the elk to buffer the sounds and smells of camp." This is good advice. The idea is to select a campsite within easy walking distance of areas you plan to hunt, but not so close as to spook the elk. This distance can vary from a quarter mile to more than a half mile, depending on how obtrusive your camp is.

Pick a campsite that's sunny, dry and level. The ideal spot will be located near but not right next to a trail. This makes it easy to come and go in the dark and allows for privacy. You'll need to be near a spring or stream–ideally a trout stream. Lightly fished backcountry streams can generally support the removal of a few trout here and there, and few meals compare to fresh trout cooked over a campfire.

Equipment Selection–Staying Comfortable

A complete discussion of backpacking equipment would fill a book, and there are several good books on the subject. Backpacking by Harvey Manning and The Complete Walker IV by Colin Fletcher are old standbys with loads of practical advice. For a rundown on the latest gear, check out Backpacker magazine's annual Gear Guide in each March issue.

Most people think of backpacking as a spartan enterprise. Some backpackers eschew all creature comforts, but it's not necessary. Most hunters need to be well-fed and well-rested to perform their best and enjoy the hunt. A comfortable camp is also a point of pride and tradition for many.

Rob and I have developed a system that works for us. First, we pack in more gear than the average backpacker. I normally arrive at the trailhead a day or two early and separate my gear into two loads, thereby saving wear and tear on my knees. Rob has two good knees, so he arrives a day later and proceeds to load himself up like a backwoods Jed Clampett–picture the largest pack you've ever seen with a small cooler and folding chair lashed to the top. He's only 35, a rock climber, and takes pride in his status as a "burly man" able to carry loads that would make most men crash and burn in the first mile. But such an unpolished talent requires careful cultivation, which is where I come in.

Since I'm the more experienced woodsman, it's my duty to pass on my accumulated wisdom, and believe me, I never miss a chance. I take pity on the poor boy and gently chastise him for being lazy and not making two trips like I do. But I have to tread lightly, since he packs in the ribeyes, pork chops, French bread, cheeses and fresh fruit. He even packs real cream for the coffee. Taking advantage of the youngster, you say? No, I pack in the 18-year-old Scotch (for after-hours only, of course) and cigars. Chalk up the disparity in loads to my advantage in years, gray hair and knowledge of what's really important.

We each bring our own two-man tent, which allows us to spread out our gear and stay out of each other's way. This is especially nice in foul weather. It also allows us to get up early or sleep in after a rough day without disturbing each other. We also pack the most comfortable, compact sleeping pads available, along with small pillows. Remember, comfort is the name of the game, and a good night's sleep will make you a better hunter.

For our kitchen area, we bring a large rip-stop nylon tarp and rig it as an overhead shelter. We can stay dry in foul weather and have a place to lounge and cook away from our tents, which is especially important in bear country. If there's a downed log in camp, we'll roll it under the tarp or rig the tarp over the log so we have a place to sit off the ground. A small foam pad placed on the log makes a comfortable seat. For cooking, we use two or three small backpacking stoves arranged on a flat rock under the tarp, as well as two propane/butane canister lanterns so we can work in the dark. We'll also have a small fire pit located nearby (but not under the tarp) with a small folding grate for grilling over the fire. The grate is important because we like to eat well, and we pride ourselves on our camp food.

Packing in more than one load gives us the luxury of bringing foods not normally found on backpacking trips, but then again, we're not normal backpackers. We'll bring a small cooler packed with fresh meat, vegetables, loaves of bread, whole salamis–you name it, we've packed it. Nothing raises our spirits better after a hard day's hunt than a juicy steak grilled over the campfire. Besides the mental boost, these high-calorie foods help keep us warm at night and energized for the next day's hunt.

Hydration is also key to maintaining your physical well-being on a mountain hunt, and you'll need to have an ample supply of filtered water on-hand. We use bladder-type water bags for storing water, allowing us to filter a few gallons at a time. The heavy-duty nylon-covered bags hold several liters, are almost indestructible, have easy-to-operate valves, and a grommet for hanging from a tree. In cold weather, don't forget to bring these inside the tent at night to keep them from freezing. You'll also need a folding saw with a bone blade for elk and a wood blade for firewood. It's a good idea to lay in a few days supply of dry firewood and filtered water before the hunt so you don't have to perform these time-consuming chores during the hunt. A good campfire is the next best thing to good food in keeping spirits and energy high.

Staying warm is not just a matter of comfort but can be a matter of survival in the mountains during elk season. The earlier in the season you can hunt, the easier this is, with the archery and muzzleloading seasons the best for backpacking. But even during the early seasons you'll need to be prepared for harsh and unpredictable weather, including heavy, wet snow. Don't skimp on your tent; get the best you can afford. Likewise, your sleeping bag is not an item to economize on; select one that will keep you warm down to zero. For clothing, use insulating layers that will keep you warm when wet (synthetics or wool) and waterproof, windproof parka and pants as well. Even if your raingear is too noisy to hunt in, bring it anyway–if the weather turns nasty you'll be glad you did. Last but not least, pay special attention to your boots. Select a pair that have adequate ankle support for the heavy loads you'll be carrying, and make sure they're comfortable and broken in well before the hunt.

Elk have keen noses, so staying clean is important. We find portable showersto be very useful in this respect. This is basically a heavy-duty black plastic bag with a hose and nozzle attached. When filled with water and laid in the sun, the water will warm to well over 100 degrees, and the bag can be hung in a tree for a quick shower. Just washing my hair and face after a few days in the woods makes me feel like a new man. Whole-body showers are nice but take a lot of water. For washing the rest of my body, I use a trick I learned on a recent trip to Iraq–baby wipes. They're compact, easy on your skin, leave you smelling clean and don't require you to strip down, a definite advantage when the wind howls and the campfire beckons.

Packing Out Your Elk

If you've planned properly, packing out your elk can be a highlight of your hunt. You'll be the envy of other hunters you meet on the trail and feel a real sense of accomplishment once you're finished. Assuming you're in good physical condition and have selected a good area for backpacking, the next step is to obtain the equipment needed to process and pack out your elk. A quality pack frame is your most important investment. Select one that has an adjustable, padded hip belt as well as padded shoulder straps. Hip belts transfer the weight from your shoulders down to your hips, allowing you to carry heavy loads comfortably. A sturdy platform at the bottom of the frame keeps the load from sliding, and the pack frame should be adjustable to fit your torso length.

Most pack frames can do double duty hauling both camping gear and meat. For hauling in my camping gear, I use a large zippered duffel bag and lash it to the frame. It holds bulky items very well, and the whole set-up costs around $100.

You'll also want game bags, extra rope and a pulley to hang quarters in a shady spot while you're packing loads out, and a headlamp with an extra bulb and batteries for working in the dark. You'll need secure storage at the trailhead (locked vehicle or camper) with large coolers and ice, preferably long-lasting dry ice or block ice, to keep your elk meat cold while you go back for another load.

Packing meat on your back requires a different approach to cleaning your elk. To minimize weight, you'll want to bone out the neck and ribs at a minimum, and possibly the shoulders and hindquarters as well. All of this is easier and more fun if you have help from your hunting buddies. This will require them to give up some of their hunting time, so it's best to have an agreement worked out ahead of time. Rob and I have an understanding that the successful hunter will have help cleaning, quartering and hanging the elk quarters. These are the tasks where an extra set of hands really makes a difference. The helper also packs out a quarter, leaving the successful hunter with two to four loads to pack.

No matter how old you are or what shape you're in, take your time and don't feel that you have to pack it all out in one day. Haste, coupled with a heavy load, makes missteps and injury more likely. Play it safe. Size loads so they are easily managed, and use a pair of lightweight telescoping trekking poles or old ski poles to help with balance and take some of the weight off your knees and ankles. Don't be in a hurry; bask in your success. Sit down and take a break with a cold beer at your vehicle (always plan ahead) and reflect on how lucky you are to be elk hunting in the mountains, and luckier yet to have all that good meat to take home. Leave a spare tent and sleeping bag in your vehicle so you don't have to hike back into camp if you're tired at the end of the day.

Overcoming the Physical Challenges

You don't have to be an endurance athlete to enjoy backpack hunting, but you can't be a couch potato either. After all, the whole point of backpacking is to enjoy the hunt, and you won't enjoy it if you're tired and sore. You will be physically challenged hauling loads on your back in the mountains, so if you can't participate in at least a minimal exercise program to prepare yourself, it's best to go another route.

Consult a physician before beginning an exercise program or backpacking in the mountains.

Once you're cleared to work out and aware of any personal limitations and risks, develop an exercise program that improves your cardiovascular fitness, leg strength, lower back strength and torso strength. Start the program at least a few months before the hunt and stick to it–you'll be glad you did when you're scrambling uphill at 10,000 feet or, better yet, packing out a load of meat.

For those of you on the downhill side of 40, with creaky joints like me, your best strategy is to take your time. Check with your doctor to see if prescription anti-inflammatories can help. They really help with my arthritic knee. Also, powdered electrolyte drink mixes provide a real energy boost on the trail and are great for hydration and preventing muscle cramps.

Putting it All Together

Once you're ready to go, do a "shakedown" trip to test yourself and your equipment. Hunting season is no time to find out your stove won't boil water, your tent leaks or your trick knee has gotten worse and can't take the strain of a backpack anymore. It happens to the best of us eventually, and you don't want to wait until you're a mile from the trailhead to discover/decide it's time to pack it in.

Backpacking hunting takes planning and effort, but if you value solitude and good hunting it is well worth it. I'm betting that the first time you turn in for the night after having watched a herd from camp, you'll wonder why you didn't try it sooner.

Phillip Watts is a geologist and environmental consultant living in Englewood, Colorado. He is an avid muzzleloader and is very interested in preserving wildlife habitat and the tradition of the hunt for his sons. This article originally appeared in the magazine Bugle.

Great review

2009-11-12T08:11:00.001-07:00

While I am working on my next article I thought I'd pass along a really great knife review of another knife I am drooling over.... a Bark River Little Creek. Ladies and gentlemen, this is how to do a proper review!

Props

2009-11-02T10:51:00.005-07:00

Props to my cousin and friend, Mark, who managed an incredible double this year with a tremendous 6x6 bull and an awesome mule deer buck. That's a lot of jerky fellas!

Out hunting

2009-10-29T08:31:00.005-06:00

I did make it out for a evening hunt on Tuesday. It was wonderful ... the first snow locally of the winter blowing sideways so I could no longer glass the opposing canyon hills for deer, then sun and some powerful winds. Typical Idaho fall time backcountry weather, although I wasn't real far off the road. I did see four does about a thousand yards off, and just like usual, one of them busted me before I saw them. Another case of moving to fast and not using the binoculars enough. That far away I could tell they weren't too concerned with me, so I dipped into the bottom of the draw I was headed up and crested the ridge, then began to contour my way to where the deer were last seen. That's when it really began to snow, so I hunkered up and used a big old sage as a windbreak. There's an old saying in Idaho (and elsewhere) that goes something like "if you don't like the weather in Idaho, wait fifteen minutes and it'll change." I have never seen it be so litterally true, as it went from three hundred yard visability to blue skies and sunny in fifteen minutes. The hunt was back on, unfortunately, the deer did not get that message and in typical mule deeg- grey ghost fashion, simply disapeared.

I have done some birdhunting in this partcular little valley in the past and ran across a really old homestead. Here's a couple cell phone pictures, one from the hillside above and one along one of the walls. To me it looks like a home foundation and a root cellar, but there is absolutley no wood left, so either it is REALLY old or the wood was removed years ago for some other project. Cool non the less, and there is also an old mine a ways further up, more fun places to explore in Idaho.

A new kind of camo

2009-10-29T08:19:00.003-06:00

Good article in my local paper this morning on a great little company's new camo. If you haven't heard of Sitka camo clothing yet, you will soon and I'd recommend you cruise on over to their site and give it a good look.

October 11, 2009 The Spokesman-Review

Digital camo revolutionizing deer hunts

Rich Landers

richl@spokesman.com; (509) 459-5508

Sitka Stormfront Jacket with Gore Optifade Concealment and Gore-Tex fabric technology brings digital camouflage concepts to clothing.Courtesy of W.L. Gore and Associates

Camouflage clothing for hunters has been developed much as fishing lures are marketed to anglers: Looking good to the consumer is perhaps more important than what the critter sees.

A new camouflage pattern available in limited markets this fall claims to be the first visual concealment pattern based on scientific research into what animals can and cannot see.

Optifade concealment, targeted to bowhunters, doesn’t look like a photograph of a tree or a marsh. The pattern was developed by W.L. Gore and Associates along with experts who helped design modern digital camouflage for the military.

Gore also received scientific consultation from Jay Neitz, an animal vision expert at the University of Washington Medical School in Seattle.

“Having done testing with animals and predicting what they can and can’t see, we’ve gotten so we’re very good about it,” Neitz said.

With a slight twist of their head, deer, elk and other ungulates can see 360 degrees around them. That’s one of their advantages. While they don’t see fine detail as well as humans, ungulates are able to use contrast to pick out larger objects better than humans, he said.

The Optifade digital camouflage keys on these factors by combining:

•A “macro pattern” of large fragmented shapes that break up the symmetry of the human body similar to the way a tiger’s stripes break up the shape of its body as it stalks prey.

•A “micro-pattern” of small fragmented shapes that play off the way ungulates perceive color and space. This helps a hunter fade into the background the way a leopard’s spots help it avoid detection while poised to ambush.

“The idea of these patterns is to disrupt the visual system’s ability to recognize the human form,” Neitz said.

The trend in camouflage patterns for nearly 30 years has relied on mimicking natural surroundings, he said. However, at certain distances these realistic patterns blur into a mass of grey in a deer’s eye. That can signal something’s out of place, he said.

“I’m not here to knock realistic camouflage, but I’d say the detail is really too fine,” he said

Digital camo suggests shapes and colors without actually being shapes and colors. Think of it as visual white noise.

A hunter may be at an advantage looking like a tree trunk when he’s sitting still next to a tree. “But when a tree trunk moves or stops away from a tree, it can look very unnatural to a deer,” Neitz said.

Optifade concealment is designed to help a hunter blend into the flow of space.

Many sportsmen already are familiar with Gore-Tex, the original waterproof-breathable fabrics used from boots and gloves to jackets, fishing waders and hats. Gore-Tex has been incorporated in camouflage clothing from other manufacturers in a variety of patterns for many years, but this is the first time Gore has developed its own camo pattern.

Gore teamed with Sitka, a sportsman’s gear company founded in 2005 by hunters who wanted to incorporate mountaineering technology into hunting gear.

While the first-generation products target archery hunters, the Optifade concealment pattern could be effective even with hunter orange colors, Neitz said.

“Maybe down the line Gore will consider that,” he said.

Neitz was on a team of researchers that found hot pink was the best color for being highly visible to the human eye yet the lowest visibility to the ungulate’s eye.

“But that didn’t go anywhere,” he said.

Some of the Optifade jackets have red logos on the exterior. Deer and elk are not sensitive to deep red colors, Neitz said.

Is the Optifade concealment as effective for hunting predators as it is for ungulates?

“Dogs and other carnivores have similar vision to ungulates,” he said. “Nature didn’t want to give either one too much of an advantage.”

Neitz said he jumped at the chance Gore gave him to work with “the digital camouflage experts who revolutionized concealment for the military.”

“Other camo is effective,” he said, “but I think these (Optifade) camouflages are more effective and better under a wider range of conditions.”

The main test, of course, will be how the patterns look to the hunters who might buy them. In that case, Optifade appears to be a winner.

Gore created a test that put Optifade head-to-head with the leading camouflage manufacturers. Hunters dressed in the products were photographed in different field situations and the photos were rendered dichromatic as an ungulate would see them.

When hunters were asked to sit at a computer and pick out the camouflaged hunters in the pictures, “there was no doubt (Optifade) was a better product – a lot better,” Neitz said.

Camouflage in history

1590: Native North Americans drape themselves with skins of animals when stalking prey.

1830-1850: Tweed recognized in the United Kingdom as the first moisture-resistant, durable fabric popular for sporting activities and visual concealment properties for hunters.

1892-1909: American artist and naturalist Abbot Thayer’s research on protective coloration in nature culminates in publication of “Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom: An Exposition of the Laws of Disguise through Color and Pattern.”

1900-1913: The art world’s abstract “Cubist” movement influences Abbot Thayer and British counterpart John Kerr to develop “dazzle painting” of ships to distort a vessel’s course, speed and range to fool enemy U-boats during World War I.

1915-1918: “Camouflage” born when the French army creates a new unit employing artists to create visual concealment methods. By 1918, the use of military camouflage was common.

1980: Trebark pattern introduced by Jim Crumley as the first hunting-specific mimicry camouflage.

1995: Digital camouflage patterns developed and tested in Canada; adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps in 2001

Thanks

2009-10-18T16:49:00.002-06:00

I never would have guessed there were more than three or four of you readers out there. Last week I placed a gadget on this blog that maps out where people are in the world when they stumble on my writings. I was surprised when I had ten hits, and absolutely blown away when by day two I had a hit on all six of the continents (I know there are seven, but Antarctica hardly has a population, so I don't count it... but I am sure I would if I had someone down there reading my blog). So I just wanted to say a big thank you to you for reading what I write, regardless of how you got here, I appreciate it.

Elk scouting 2010

2009-10-15T07:58:00.002-06:00

Because of school and family commitments I managed to miss just about all of the 2009 archery elk hunts here in Idaho. It was the first year I have not hunted elk since I got out of the Marines, and boy, do I miss it. We are spoiled here to have over the counter tags for elk and I don't have to wait six to ten years like I would in Arizona or New Mexico.

It is never to early to start dreaming and scouting for next year, however. Now, I have my own little honey hole I like to hunt most years, but I really like scouting via maps for new areas as well. It is wise to have a backup area or two because your primary area might be closed for fire or be crowded once you get there. I have had both happen, though thankfully my area didn't actually burn down.

So where to start looking on a map? I have come to really like Google Earth. It is almost cheating in some ways. If you keep in mind that elk need three things and you search for those things, you'll likely find elk. Water, food and security. Water is easy to spot on maps, most lakes, streams and rivers are labeled, but finding those out of the way springs, that's what we are looking for. They are usually not labeled on Google Earth, but look for a bright green spot, sometimes it'll be just a seep that never amounts to a stream, and other times it's the headwaters of something larger. If it is at least a mile from the nearest paved road, it's time to tear down the area and see if we can find some nearby food sources. These will be the open meadows and parks, and they are color keyed differently on different types of maps. Now if we are looking at an area a ways away from a road some of the elk's security has been taken care of, but they also need an area to bed down in. Elk are by nature are gregarious creatures and they will not necessarily bed in the same local day after day, so the best odds are finding several dark timbered north facing benches scattered around.

Not my video, but a good, solid introduction on finding elk. Fella has a great user name by the way. So check it out and go start scouting and dreaming of next year.

Journaling

2009-10-13T15:17:00.002-06:00

I recently wrote an article for one of my favorite magazines, Traditional Bowhunter. Originally it was going to be published around this time, but due to a snafu on their part, it will not be published, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Enjoy!

Field Notes
Journaling and the Traditional Bowhunter

The drizzle was enough to encourage me to stay sheltered under the large Ponderosa pine. It was mid day and lunch had been eaten and the rain hadn’t let up. I didn’t mind, however, and for a reason other than my well traveled tired feet. As I sat tucked up against the trunk and enjoyed being dry I wrote in my journal. I treasure my time in the woods; however, being like most folks with other commitments like family, school or a full time job, it is limited. I have hunted for ways to extend my enjoyment. I am able to return to my outdoor adventures because I keep a journal. The long stretches between hunts, the dog days of summer and the long dark nights of winter are now minor periods in between adventures because I am able to relive my adventures. I have learned, and managed to retain, many lessons because of my journals.

The reasons for keeping a journal are many and rewarding. Beyond being able to recall hunts past, I am able to establish localized, intimate knowledge of the specific animals I hunt. I also extend the journey of the hunt, keeping a log of contacts made, map scouting, tips and tactics I picked up from magazine articles and books, gear lists, and shopping lists. I actively study the animals I hunt in the off season. I read everything book and article on elk, mule deer, turkeys and black bears I can get my hands on. I talk with old timers and long time locals, successful hunters and landowners. I call the area’s game warden and biologists and question them on the local game animals. Despite feeling like I am pestering them, more often than not they are happy to talk with me. My journal and pen are right by side and often I will make notes in my year’s journal.

I manage to extend my hunt but I also enjoy the legacy I am leaving. Just as Fred Bear lives on through his Field Notes, I hope to allow my future generations something they are able to connect with me. It brings me joy to imagine a my son or a grandchild being transported to my hunts, reading my journals under his blanket with a flashlight. Maybe that is wishful thinking on my part since I haven’t been chased up a tree by a snarling grizzly, taken any “trophies” or hunted exotic lands…yet.

Fred Bear’s Field Notes are one famous example of a hunting journal, but they don’t need to be as extensive to be useful to you. Many of the famous traditional bow hunting pioneers kept journals of their time in the woods and with a little digging you can find them in traditional archery vendors, bookstores, or libraries. Gene Wensel, E. Donnall Thomas Jr and David Peterson are some of the more modern legends with published field notes. Wildlife studies obtained from a local university or your state’s fish and game department might also lend some insight into your regional animals. However, I have read reams of reports only to end up wondering what I learned, if anything.

During scouting trips I make careful notes of animals sighted, distinguishing characteristics such as a discolored patch of fur or a drop tine, where they were and at what time of day. I record their demeanor as well as any other factors I might be wise enough to include. Was the trail head log in full? Was the browse or forage plentiful? Do local springs or creeks look drier than in year’s past or are there more potholes of water available? Over time you’ll begin to notice animal movement patterns and how the weather dictates your local animal’s movement patterns. Bedding areas, escape routes and directions, times the animals are active and present. You’ll notice the small things that can impact your hunting in a big way. You may take note of a small spring not labeled on any map or a funnel that’s not obvious. I look forward to the day I take a mature bull elk that I have followed since he was a calf.

In an effort to prevent writer’s block and enable my creative juices to flow, when I start a new journal I skim the previous journal’s notes and transfer anything I might find useful. Tips and lessons picked up but not yet hard wired into my hunting routine, topics to write about or reminders of specific things, such as the draw where the wind always seems to swirl. Contact phone numbers, email addresses and websites. I’ll also jot down the different categories of information that I like to keep track of. Wind direction, weather, cloud cover, moon phase, temperatures, and barometer pressure are all important to game animal movement. Stand or blind locations, GPS coordinates and waypoints, equipment, experiences and thoughts, game sightings, lessons learned. Location hunted, time, what you hunted for, who I was hunting with, sightings of both game and non game animals, shots taken and the thoughts immediately after the shot, harvested animals. Since I rarely make note all of the mentioned categories, I enjoy chronicling the actual stories of the hunts as well. I occasionally make a rubbing of local flora or make a sketch of the lunch break vista or that strange insect. After the hunt I insert photos from the hunt. In the past I have started a new journal every year. I have never filled up a journal, though some years I have come close. I typically keep the front half reserved for elk and mule deer scouting and hunting while using the back half for duck, turkey, coyote and other small game hunts. There are lessons to be learned there as well!

Throughout my years of journal keeping I have tried different types of journals. No two are the same. A simple wire bound-dollar store notebook works well. I have also used nicer hard-bound books, specifically sold as journals, purchased at one of the big book stores. To save weight on my backcountry solo hunts I have ditched the actual journal and kept notes on the back of my maps. There are some spectacular looking leather bound journal covers as well. Another great option are the “write in the rain” series of notebooks, the pages are tear resistant and survive a dunking, to which you can add a zippered cordura cover with pen slots so you will never find yourself somewhere with something to write about and nothing to write with. Take a minute to think about the size of your journal and account for how you will transport it around. I don’t always have it with me, though more and more I find I enjoy spending my mid day hours writing my thoughts and experiences. You might find it more convenient to keep it back at base camp and a larger journal would do just fine. You can also find journals small enough to fit in a cargo pocket and light enough to be hardly noticed.

After this year’s hunts are done and the gear is stored until next spring I plan on doing something I haven’t done before. I am looking forward to recording a fireside chat, recounting my time afield. This should be a fun experiment and going over my notes and memories while still fresh will uncover small gems of knowledge that might otherwise be lost. Again, a Fred Bear idea, and I am far from Fred, but it is fun to think of listening to myself recount my hits and misses when my knees creak too much to enjoy hunting as rugged terrain as I do now.

Like most things in life, the more time, effort and thought you put into your hunting journal, the more you will get out of it. Invest a large effort to make daily entries and you will harvest large rewards. The rain eventually let up and the journal was repacked in my daypack, safe from the wet foliage in a plastic baggie. I continued to hunt the rugged mountain side just below timberline the rest of the day; ghosting along from tree to tree, doing my best to pay attention to the small things, watching for a flicking ear, the smell of bull elk musk and the faint far off sound of a bugle. The day ended without a single elk sighting, but the day was not a complete loss and thanks to my journal it won’t ever be lost either.

Mike Miller is a lifetime Idaho resident, a recovering Marine and a mostly unsuccessful hunter who enjoys the minutiae of his outdoor adventures. When he isn’t dreaming about his next hunting safari he be found fly fishing local rivers which he also journals. This is his first contribution to TBM.

Boundary Waters and Duluth Pack

2009-10-13T08:44:00.003-06:00

One of my dream trips would be a week or two in the Boundary Waters/ Quietico National Parks in Northern Minnesota/ Southern Ontario. There is something appealing to me about the quietude of a canoe paddle and the call of the loon, the solitude of the north woods and the crackle of a campfire.

I am always on the lookout for the classic gear of a certain area, and as a gear junkie, I love backpacks. And what trip in the north woods of Minnesota would be complete without a Duluth Pack? I stumbled across a great little video following the creation of a Wilderness Model pack, and to see the video, all the handy work that goes into it, I no longer drop my jaw at the price of the simple little canvas backpacks and portage bags that Duluth sells. Furthermore, I have much more confidence in the construction, they look absolutely bomb proof. So sit back and relax for a few minutes, it is an interesting tour.

My dear wife

2009-10-09T15:15:00.002-06:00

...bought me a new archery target for our anniversary today. How awesome is she? I am going to go shoot, catch you later.

Found 'em!

2009-10-05T14:22:00.004-06:00

I managed to find a small supply of these sweet knives over in North Carolina. Bought two and I think I'll be buying at least a couple more before the supply runs dry. I will be keeping at least one stock and unused, but I also want to toss a couple in the glove box, bug out bag, bottom of a couple packs, not to mention a commonly used user and one for a couple modifications.

Not really sure I know what it is that makes me like this particular model so much... might be it was my first knife I bought for "bushcraft" might be the OD green reminds me of my time in the Marines, or the handle fits my hand as well as anything. Maybe its the return on investment in Mora knives is so high, it just makes a fella fell good. I'll tell you though, not much of a fan of the sheath, pretty funky, but it is secure, safe and durable, so I can't ask much more than that.

Mora!

2009-09-29T10:51:00.005-06:00

This is a longshot as I am sure my readership pool is very small, but I am trying to get my hands on a specific model mora that is not made anymore. I'd like one or preferably two plastic OD green handled carbon steel blade knives. Top dollar paid, or we can work out a trade.
Thanks for reading!

From Ben's Backwoods online catologue, I am looking for the bottom knife:

Follow up:
I emailed both Ragweed forge and Bens backwoods and neither has them in stock at all. Ragweed forge emailed me back with this:

Hello,

Thank you for the message and inquiry.
I'm sorry, the OD Craftsman has been discontinued. I have  none.
Actually the Craftsman line itself has been discontinued. I'm selling 
off old stock.
I have quite a bit on hand, but when it's gone that will be the end of it.

Best regards,
R

So get them while you can!

1980's Awesomeness!

2009-09-22T10:19:00.001-06:00

A while back I made a post about the survival knife concept and mentioned my first real knife purchase was a hollow handle survival knife. I think this might have been it right here.

How to make a hook knife

2009-09-21T09:34:00.002-06:00

Ran across a great article on how to make a hook knife and thought I'd share it.

From cariboo blades, Aki and Scott over on my links list. Give it a read, I am sure it will inspire you to give it a try.

Cool video, Knives, and Elk

2009-09-14T14:39:00.007-06:00

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the time passes when I am busy with nursing school and the clinicals that go along with that, not to mention the daily life of a married man with a nine month old. So I may not post as much as I'd like to, but I thought I'd pass along a video I ran across lately that is a fun watch, as well as a knife or two I have been drooling over...

Alone in the Wild
First up is Ed Wardle, a British (?) guy who was alone in the Yukon for a good bit. His goal was three months, but he did not make it that long for some unspecified reason. It is a National Geographic show set to be aired here shortly, and it is worth a watch, but not as nicely filmed as Survivorman, and Ed doesn't have much to say that is very educational, nor is there much in the way of great scenery. C+ to B-, worth watching on a quiet fall afternoon when you can't get out.

Check out a great article written by Roger Phillips of the Idaho Statesman. "The finer points of elk hunting." While you are at it, check out Corey Jacobsen's elk 101 website.

I am in love with Both Gene Ingram's and Charles May's knives over on the blademakers website. They are similar in design, and just look downright handy!

The Gene Ingram #30 with a firesteel and a cocobollo handle looks just about right for anything I can throw at it in the woods.

The Charles May Skifa looks like a top notch bush knife with everything that Mors Kochanski recommends for a all around knife.

Paired with an axe, I am sure I could stay comfortable in the woods for some time, but I am not sure I want to put myself out there like Ed Wardle, Les Stroud or Bear Grills just yet.

Imogene Lake Backpacking Trip

2009-08-14T09:51:00.004-06:00

Last weekend my good friend Todd and I went on a backpacking trip. Not just any backpacking trip, but a memorable overnighter to one of my favorite places in the universe, Imogene Lake, deep in the Sawtooth Wilderness of Idaho. Over the years I have visited this particular piece of Heaven on Earth several times, and it's exposed granite and gin clear waters have a hold on me like few other places do. We were planning on a two night trip, but unexpected work delays and a constant rain caused us to rethink our plan and we left our basecamp early on the morning of August eighth. There are two trailheads to choose from, and we choose to drive a bit more and hike a bit less. We started off with gusto and hiked the seven or eight miles in in a little more than two hours, and by the time we arrived at out deserted destination a steady rain was falling. Imogene lake has numerous islands and one large pennensula connected to the shore by a swampy area, fortified into a nice pathway over the years by hikers. We quickly set up camp and began to explore the island. Due to the fragile and slow to decompose nature of 8500 feet backcountry exposed granite the Forest Service installed a pit-style toilet on the island... perhaps the best view of any porceline throne anywhere in the world... We fished some in the drizzle, gathered a meager supply of firewood and enjoyed the solitude of the wilderness and the company of a good friend.

Helle Nying

2009-06-17T11:49:00.003-06:00

I thought I'd give the cool little Nying knife I bought at a garage sale last Saturday a closer look. I knew exactly what it was as soon as I spotted it from across the garage, and I knew I wanted it as well. I have had one of these stout little knives in my hands before and immediately knew it was a knife I'd like to own, though I didn't buy it that day.

The Helle knife factory in Norway turns out some fantastic knives. The style isn't particularly American, but I have long held the theory that the best knife for a given region is the ones the locals carry, not the one that is best advertised in the hook and bullet magazines. This might be a machette in the jungle, or a small blade without a hand guard, much like the majority of the Helle knives are. This is a fantastic example of a small Scandinavian knife, and while I won't give you a disertation on the variations of Scandinavian knives with respect to the local regions, I have yet to handle a Scandinavian knife that didn't seem "right."

One of the two places I know of to buy a Helle knife in the USA is over at the Ragweed Forge website (the other is Dryad Bows). According to Rangar, "The Nying is a short stubby knife designed for fishermen. The handle is generously proportioned to give a good grip even when your hands are cold or covered in fish slime. The 2 3/4" blade is laminated stainless steel. The attractive leather sheath has a distinctive cutout. It is fitted with a keeper strap, which engages a stud on the pommel, and a suspension thong. (Blade is 2 3/4", length overall is 6 3/8".)
This knife received the prestigious Norsk Designråd Award for design excellence."

As you can see, the size is small, but no smaller than a typical Swiss Army blade, and, I think, more useful, and most defiantely more stout. Besides being easier to grip with "cold or slimy hands", the thick birch handle also is less fatiguing for long periods of knife work. The weight is essentially non noticable. I look forward to carrying this knife with me this summer and next fall and really putting it to some work.

Garage sale finds

2009-06-13T12:18:00.002-06:00

I went garage sale shopping with my wife today. I rarely find anything more than a paperback book that I "have" to have, but today I found a few things... as soon as I saw the knife from across the garage I knew what it was, and I new I "had" to have it. At $10 it was a steal, and then I noticed the books as well, and I added four good books to my library for $2.25. I am a big fan of Helle knives, and this little traditional Scandinavian knife is a gem. It's the Nying model, and it fits your hand (at least my slightly small hands) like the proverbial glove. I can't wait to sharpen it up to razor and put it to good use. It looks like it hasn't been used much at all, and the guy I bought it from said his buddy bought it while he was in Norway.

Firesteel contest

2009-06-10T09:58:00.002-06:00

Wow. That is about all that I can say, I am flabergasted, I won the firesteel contest over on American Bushman's blog. I get a custom sheath from JRE industries for having the "coolest" homemade firesteel. Hard to imagine because I saw the competition's, and they were very purty!

Axe sheath

2009-06-07T18:17:00.002-06:00

I finished a project that I have been meaning to do for quite some time.... and axe sheath for my "bush" axe which I bought at a yard sale three or four years ago. I didn't want anything fancy, just a basic blade cover. Despite the scrap leather it turned out pretty nice, although I am not 100% sold on the closure mechanism I made, it'll do nicely for now. I used a scrap of ebony and made the button... and of course had to put an elk stamp on it as well.

First float

2009-06-06T14:11:00.003-06:00

My lovely wife and son came with me last night to christen the new ship at a local city park pond. It was fun, and by golly, it floats just fine! Spent about 15 minutes on the water. She'll behave quite a bit better with oars or a kayak paddle I think, but other than that and the runners on the bottom helping with straight line tracking, I am pleased! Very stable, I should be able to fly fish and bowfish out of her no problem.

Boat is done!

2009-06-03T18:33:00.005-06:00

Well, we'll just say it is done for now. Sealed, calked, ready for the water. Eventually I will add oars (and oar locks of course), and possibly a front seat or bench. But it'll be on the water this coming weekend for the carp shoot, and I am pumped! It will be a while before I start another project this big.... but all in all I enjoyed it and am pleased with how it turned out. And you can't spend this much time and effort building a boat and go out and buy a paddle or oars, so I made a paddle as well.

And as a side note, please go and check out americanbushman's firesteel contest. If you like my creations, I'd appreciate your vote.

red oak bucksaw plans

2009-06-03T09:56:00.002-06:00

I ran across this article talking about the virtues of a bucksaw. I recently bought a blade from a closing sporting goods store for $0.50 with something similar in mind, so I am looking forward to tackling this much smaller project after my boat is completed in the next couple days.

Bluegill fishing

2009-05-29T11:18:00.004-06:00

I have been out fishing for bluegills a handful of times since school let out for break. Pound for pound, bluegill are my favorite fish I have ever caught, and I live them because they provide plenty of action and they'll take most anything you throw at them.

I learned to fly fish (and fish in general since I haven't done much of any other kind of fishing) on bluegill, my older brother and I would ride our dirt bikes down to a local pond on those calm, cloudless nights of my childhood and catch a stringer full of fish each. We'd ride home and my dad would fillet them up, my mom would cook up a gourmet meal and we'd use the carcasses for tomato plant fertilizer.

We have had some of those bluebird days and with the weather heating up, now is the prime time to get out on a float tube and catch some slabs.

My dad and I did just that and "found" a new lake that, although I am a lifelong Boise resident, I had no idea existed. Quinn's pond apparently used to be a lumberyard pond of some sort and it's deep, cool water and almost complete lack of other fishermen called us in for a relaxing afternoon of casting.

We caught quite a bunch and my dad fixed up a bluegill ceviche that was great! Here is the recipe he used. If you haven't had a ceviche before, you have to give this one a try. It is fabulous! Ours turned out a bit too lemony and not hot enough, but feel free to adjust the recipe to your taste. Also, a more crunchy-chunky type of ceviche is a little more traditional, but it would take away from the delicate flavors of the bluegill.

1 lb deboned fish fillets
1/2 medium white or red onion finely chopped
1 cup of pure lemon juice
1 diced large tomato
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of powdered sugar
1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper
(Use these measurements as a general guidline.)
Place whole deboned fillets in a deep glass baking dish placeing them as flat as possible. Add the lemon juice, onion,salt,and sugar in the dish. Be sure that the lemon juice completely covers the fillets. Place the dish in the refrigerator for about 2 hrs. After 2 hrs, put the jalapeno, cilantro, and tomatoes into the dish and stir lightly ensureing to moisten all of the ingredients. After 1 hour your fillets will be fully cooked with the lemon juice. Stir the ingredients into a nice medley and enjoy with your favorite cracker or dipping chips.

Bon appetite!

Western States Traditional Rendezvous

2009-05-28T11:46:00.005-06:00

Last weekend was the Jim Brackenberry Memorial Western States Traditional Rendezvous (WSTR) hosted by the Idaho traditional Bowhunters and held at Magic Mountain Ski Area near Twin Falls Idaho.

It was a blast. I had so much fun meeting new folks, wishing I had deep pockets to buy some (more) gear.... lots of goodies from several vendors.

There were three 3D courses set up and available to shoot at all times of the day "until your arms falls off." Two of these courses were set up to shoot on a nice walk downhill after a breathtaking trip up the chairlift.

I made some good shots and missed the target completely, but I enjoyed every minute of the experience. This was my first event like this, but it won't be my last.

There was a "water torture" shoot that I really enjoyed. Played head to head, the object was to shoot your jug of water thus emptying it, before your opponent empties his. Speed counts, but so does accuracy, and the trick is complete pass throughs at the lower 1/3rd of the jug. Yardage was about 10, and the action was quick and lively. I surprised myself and made it into the second round and almost past that as well!

I also shot my first "smoker" round, which was a blast! Only one arrow was allowed, and those not shooting wood arrows were playing just for fun. However, the winner that was shooting woodies got half the pot or a really cool "war" arrow that someone donated (1000 grains, 100# spine, this thing was a LOG!). Ten targets placed in very tough, brushy areas broke more than a few arrows. I was shooting carbons, but managed to shoot all ten targets, including the steel plate potato and sheriff which demolished my arrow. Lots of laughs on this course, you can bet I'll be playing this again!

Although the chances of any of the vendors chancing by here and reading this, I do want to thank the ones I can think of off the top of my head for showing up and for the conversation! I enjoyed meeting all of you!
-Archery Past
-Grizzly Bows
-Whispering Wind Arrows
-Spirit Longbows
-Knives By Victor
-Camp Chef
-And there were several more that I just can't think of off the top of my head, but thank you for coming, the event wouldn't have been as successful without you there!

Wow, so much packed into such a short amount of time. I took 70 or so photographs, so be sure to check out the slide show below!

Thanks for reading!

Been Busy

2009-05-26T12:33:00.002-06:00

I have been busy these last couple weeks, fishing, shooting my new bow, working on the never-ending boat project and generally spending my time outdoors as much as I can.

In the next few days I'll be posting about the:

-Western States Traditional Rendezvous
-Centaur longbow review
-Bluegill fishing, along with a fantastic recipe
-Boat update
-Bowfishing for carp
-Axe sheath

So I hope you tune in, I plan to get it all done before school starts back up next week.

Thanks for reading!

Swan Falls

2009-05-11T08:27:00.005-06:00

My Dad and I went on an impromptu fishing trip to the nearby Swan Falls dam area on the Snake River in search of a new fishing area. Although it was only one hour fifteen minutes away, neither of us had been there before and what a day to explore! Hardly a cloud in the sky, nice and warm at 70*, and a nice breeze every once in a while.

We got skunked though, due in large part because of the high water and not having any knowledge of where to go. The reservoir is a long, skinny and (relatively) not very deep body of water. We choose to fish the slack water just downstream from the dam. The banks are mostly choked with brush so back casting was mostly non existant and the channel became very deep very quickly so our options were limited. We decided to call it a day with no bluegill, no bass, no trout, and no carp in our creels. We figure the river portion would be much more fishable in August and plan to be back.

The drive in to the area took us through farmland, high desert (populated by a huge population of whistle pigs/ gophers), and all of the sudden the desert floor opens up into this massive gaping slash. The road down into the floor of the canyon hugs the wall and is, simply put, spectacular.

We saw loads of hawks, a vulture, this bluebelly skink lizard, a couple carp jumping, rabbits, marmots, whistle pigs, ravens, and redwing blackbirds.

In between homework

2009-05-02T11:01:00.002-06:00

... and finals I have been exploring a couple things. Having been motivated by other blogs I have dug up a couple websites on Otzi the iceman. One is on clothing and equipment and the other is the actual Otzi museum.

I also "found" a couple schools with interesting classes. Scouting, bowmaking, flintknapping, traditional living and others are found at Practical Primitive. Slightly more geared to the military is onPoint Tactical, but they still have several courses that look like a hoot!

Next week is finals week, then I have three weeks off. I have several posts in the planning stage, as well as some fun adventures outdoors, but I most likely won't be getting anythiing posted until then (so have no fear, rumors of my death will be very premature).

Thanks for reading.

Camelback funk

2009-05-01T07:54:00.002-06:00

I don't remember where I picked up this gem but I have been using it for more than year now and it seems to work really well.

After I use my camelback (or other hydration bladder) I clean it out and throw in a couple plastic practice golf balls. They effectively spread the plastic apart and allow it to dry properly. I picked up the golf balls from the dollar store and happened to have them before I saw the tip.

Backpacking wok.... 鑊

2009-04-19T09:35:00.004-06:00

Many moons ago I bought a backpacking wok off the big auction site. It was terrific! The curved sides made cleaning easy, and could cook or boil anything in it that I wanted to.

The only downsides were a little more weight and not having a stable base to set it on. I solved the instability by placing three fist sized rocks on the ground and using those as a tripod of sorts.

If memory serves me right it was between 10 and 12 inches in diameter.

I ended up giving it away to a friendly backpacker I met in Joshua Tree National Park.

I have done some searching, but I can't seem to find something similar enough to justify giving it a try.

Anyone know where I can find one? It must have a long handle, not two short ones.

Bowfishing boat

2009-04-17T08:10:00.003-06:00

I haven't had a whole lot of time to work on the "carp-e diem" bowfishing-flyfishing boat this last month, but it is coming along slowly and surely.

Several times I have had to solve problems simply because the plans I have are pretty simple, in many cases just the flat measurements.

The gunnels and chines were made of laminated slats of the 1/4 plywood instead of hardwood. That has taken quite a bit more time than if I had made them from hardwood, simply because I have to custom make each part four times.

Quite obviously I am still lacking one critical aspect of any good ship. The floor of the boat, a "deck" in proper sailor speak.

Once I get the deck installed in the next week or so all I will have left is the seat and the "knees" in the corners.

I am still debating on what finish I am going to use. I am leaning on chalking all the joints and an epoxy lacquer deck finish. I don't anticipate having the boat in the water for any longer than a day at a time, so I shouldn't need to go overboard on the finish.

"Survival Knife"

2009-04-15T14:31:00.003-06:00

I am sure that like a lot of you I have always been intrigued by the whole "survival knife" concept. Ever since the original Rambo movie the hollow handle survival knife hasn't been hard to find. Unfortunately, in a "survival" situation, these knives would not last. I remember pretty vividly the summer festival when my parents finally gave in to my wants and let me purchase one of those made in China-plastic handle-with the saw back survival knives. With the compass on the top, loaded with three matches, some fishing line, hooks, sinkers and the saw inside the handle, it had the sharpener on the front of the pleather sheath. I went for the black instead of the camo...

I also remember in sharp detail the day I was cutting with it and it broke. Two pretty much worthless pieces. A blade with nothing to hold onto and a handle with no reason to be held.

But the concept has stayed with me. I am a four inch blade kind of guy, but a while back I bought a Cold Steel Bushman knife, well over my usual limit for blades I am interested in. But, at about $20, the price is nice. I bought it on that big auction site, sight unseen. I had only seen pictures of one side of the knife and I thought the handle could be sealed, but it ends up, it is just rolled. This isn't really a biggie, since I can still stuff gear inside the handle. I also had a Spec-Ops "navigator" sheath. It has a large pocket on the front... just right for some more "survival" gear.

Priorities during a survival situation are shelter, warmth, water and way down on the list is food. I think my kit covers all the bases.

Rope, snare wire, lighter, matches and a small ferro rod-magnesium stick combo, tinfoil (usefull for cooking, heat reflection, boiling water), a smaller knife for small work, a whistle, compass and flashlight combo (although I do not think a flashlight is "survival gear"), a small fishing kit, a feew safety pins, some rubber bands, a chunk of fire lighting wood-wax, and a ziplock bag for carrying water.

It all weighs about one pound.

Do I carry it into the woods with me? No. But it is an interesting concept, and one I enjoyed putting together just for a nastalgic ride.

New bow!

2009-04-14T11:52:00.007-06:00

Holy smokes! The nicest looking bow that I have ever laid eyes on arrived at my doorstep today! I have coveted a Centaur longbow for several years now, ever since I first met Jim Neaves, bowyer extraordinaire, several years ago at a Traditional Expo West. Especially in traditional archery/ bowhunting circles, different types of bows, woods and bowyers speak to different folks and Jim's bows have spoken to me ever since I first shot one. I am going to save the actual review until I can get out for an evening of shooting, but I thought I'd tease you a little with the specs and a couple pictures.

58"AMO, 60#@26", very nice, dark cocobollo riser, extremely cool juniper limbs with a bamboo core. Stipped grip with a 6 point elk shed, a Centaur first.

Books!

2009-04-13T16:03:00.004-06:00

I thought I'd share what I am reading right now (besides my nursing textbooks). Typically I am reading four or five books at a time and have a few on the bedside table waiting for me to finish something else.

On a recent trip to the library I picked up two books. Jimmy Buffet's "A Pirate Looks at Fifty" and Bob Simpson's 1988 book "Wilderness is Where You Find It." For those of you who don't know, Jimmy Buffet is way more than a sit-in-a-hammock-on-a-beach-and-drink-a-margarita kind of guy. He is an AVID fly fisherman. Besides that I wanted to read a little about some one's sailing adventures in the Caribbean.

Bob Simpson I had never heard of but the display at the end of the book shelf had it sitting there, and while I wouldn't recommend judging a book by its cover, seeing a trio of backpackers on this cover made me judge it to be something I am interested in. Unfortunately it is a lot of horsepacking and not much else, but I am enjoying the read.

And I don't have it yet, but I am thinking I found the next addition to my personal library. Mike Mitten ("herdbull" over on tradgang) wrote a book called "One With The Wilderness, Passions of a Solo Bowhunter" and this cover looks absolutely amazing! Right up my alley! So I will be writing up a review once I get my hands on this one.

Gaucho Fire Drill

2009-04-07T20:15:00.003-06:00

I found yet another method of fire by friction. This one seems pretty unique to me, I don't recall ever seeing it in any of my scouting-survival-bushcraft-outdoors type of books.

Worth giving a try.... I think it might work very well with a nice socket and a more traditional type of fire board/ hearth on the ground.

The picture appears to show the "gaucho" standing upright and leaning into a tree. I would imagine that you just twirl the drill...

I'll take some pictures and report how well it works if I get "round to it."

Western States Traditional Rendezvous

2009-04-07T14:03:00.003-06:00

I am really looking forward to this year's Western States Traditional Rendezvous! It is a gathering of traditional bowhunters and archers, and typically is the largest gathering like it in the Western states. This will be the first time I am able to attend and it will be a very nice cap to a short break from school between the spring and summer semester.

The Idaho Traditional Bowhunters are hosting this year, and it will be at Magic Mountain located near Twin Falls Idaho.

And, if all goes well I will be shooting a new bow this year as well! I got a call from Jim Neaves late last week and I am up on his list! I have wanted a Centaur longbow for almost as long as I have been shooting traditional, so i am really pumped! I gave him a little leeway as far as wood, but my preferences are either cocobolo or koa for the riser and juniper or bubinga for the limbs. I have spoken with Jim on several occasions and shot his bows at the last few traditional bowhunter's expo west conventions (R.I.P.), and I can tell you he is a top notch guy, not to mention a superb artist. I will be doing a writeup of the bow and the Rendezvous, so be sure to check back.

Also coming up is bear season, as well as the annual Idaho Traditional Bowhunter's "carp-e diem" carp shoot. Last year was tons of fun and I hope to actually bring something to hand this year.

Fire by friction

2009-04-04T09:05:00.002-06:00

The American Bushman recently posted a vintage "survival in the bush" video from the Canadian Film Board's archives. (Worth watching, by the way, so head on over to A.B. and check it out). In the video there is a somewhat unique way they make fire. Essentially a fire trough using a dead jack pine, I haven't seen it done quite that way before. My French is quite rusty, but I believe the technique is called "escoux de codjigen", also known as "algonquin fire stick. Of course I may have heard it wrong or butchered the spelling.... at any rate, it is now on my list of summer time list of to-dos.

Of course the first thing I did was google it. No dice. Various spellings, still no luck. Anyone familiar with this technique?

I did run across this great old article that "describes and classifies the machines used by man, at various periods in history, for producing fire." Fun reading!

Jarvenpaa Bush knife

2009-04-03T13:09:00.004-06:00

I have really enjoyed this little pukkoo bush knife for over a year now. Originally I bought it after noticing it in Ragweed Forge's inventory. Then one of the hook and bullet magazines featured it in a "survival necklace" article. After that I just had to have it.... and I am glad I did. The article noted it had a true Scandinavian grind, however, mine arrived with a slight secondary bevel. But it was quite sharp and has proven to be a tough edge that it easy to get razor sharp. I really like the grip, but the sheath was never my favorite. So I ordered a JRE bushcraft sheath from Ben's Backwoods, and combined it with a Swedish army firesteel for a superb lightweight bushcraft knife.

It now sits with a convexed edge which is proving to be tough and a good match for this knife. I also decided to introduce a little protective patina to the blade via the "mustard overnight" technique. The results were less than what I was hoping for so I sanded it off and now have a nice dull matte finish thanks to 600 grit wet and dry sandpaper.

Although I love the knife as is, IF I could change anything I'd prefer a bit more blade depth and width. The spine, even after a bit of file work, still could be flatter. And the fit and finish work could be better (but as is it is right on par for a $40 knife, and nothing to sneeze at, I know how hard knife finish work is).

The JRE sheath is as good as anything I have used before. Stout, good quality thick leather. Well made all around!

So if you are looking for a lightweight bushcraft type knife, and want something other than the ubiquitous Mora #1 or 2, check this one out. Combined with a JRE sheath and a firesteel it will serve you well for a long time.

Bushcraft Arts and Crafts

2009-03-30T17:11:00.003-06:00

I have been putting together a couple of 550 cord bracelets and I thought I'd show them to you. Here are three different variations, the tan one is ready to wear, the combo and the green ones just need a little bit of finish work. I learned how to make them with a tutorial over on bushcraftuk.com. Hope you find it interesting and they inspire you to make your own.

And now for something completely different.

2009-03-29T12:52:00.002-06:00

I'll admit it. I am a dreamer. Always have been. It never take much for me to start dreaming about this new hobby or that potential adventure.

A few months ago I started noticing an occasional article in my local newspaper about a local family of four who decided to buy a sailboat and cruise the Caribbean for one year. Wow. So for the past few hours I have been alternating between staring out the window watching the snow flurries blow sideways and reading about a real life adventure in the warm waters and sunshine of the Caribbean seas.

Check it out here. Now, where did I put the classifieds section of the paper and I wonder if there is area any sailboats for sale?

Contest!

2009-03-24T19:39:00.003-06:00

THE American Bushman, known the world over as "B" is having a homemade fire steel contest over on his blo g. Check it out and maybe earn a free JRE sheath for your favorite bush tool!

I also found another birch bark canoe build along. More great stuff!

Two knives

2009-03-24T15:09:00.004-06:00

So I guess I have to come right out and admit it.

I am a knife junkie. I can't tell you how many I have; in reality, way to many. Nothing expensive, nothing collectible. But far too many sharp edges to really justify.

However, I thought I'd share a few thoughts about a couple of my favorites. Both are fixed blade, "bushcraft" type knives. All around good cutters, both have a Scandinavian grind on the sharp side, a flat spine and handmade sheaths.

The first is a SWC bushcraft knife that is really similar to a Ray Mears- wood lore type of knife. The differences are pretty subtle, and I don't really know what they are to be honest. But I ordered the bare blade from Steve Cox in the UK, and was really pleased with what I got back. sharp, flawless, it had his initials etched into the handle area as well as the Rockwell readings for different areas of the blade. Shame I had to cover them up with handle scales! I filled out the handle with liner-less zebra wood that was scrap from my hunting bow, and pinned it with homemade mosaic pins. After a bit of filing, sanding and shaping, I am really pleased with this knife. I can get it absolutely razor sharp with my japanese water stones. I finished the kit up with a handmade British bushcrafter style sheath and a fire steel topped with cocobollo wood (that also matches my hunting bow). I hardend the sheath with wax using a process similar to the one outlined by alpharubicon and Old Jimbo. Tough stuff! Steve was great to work with, although I understand his wait time has grown exponentially since I aquired mine. He is also a one man shop who makes knives one at a time, so if you are looking for something one-off or something totally unique, shoot him an email. It may take a bit for him to get back to you, but the quality of knife you'll recieve is top notch!

My other bushcraft favorite is the Enzo trapper. Bought this one a while back from Ben's Backwoods and love it. I got the birch handle kit and it couldn't have been easier to assemble. The scales were pre drilled, the liners pre glued. I simply used some two ton epoxy on all sides, and screwed the pins down snug. A day later I began shaping the handle and before I knew it I had a great woods knife. This one also get razor sharp without too much fuss. A side note here would be that the kit I bought from Ben looks like he no longer sells it, however, he now has more choices for handle woods which you simply by with a knife blank. Ben is great to deal with, by the way, and I'd recommend him to anyone. I finished the Enzo off with a mule deer antler tipped firesteel and a more Western style sheath.

The blade of the Enzo is about an inch(2.5 CM) shorter than the SWC, the grind is a bit more acute on the Enzo than the SWC, and the blade shape is obviously different. I think because of the blade shape I'd preffer the Enzo to the SWC for skinning chores, but other than that there is no clear winner for me.

The knives are neck and neck in nearly all aspects. Both can carve, both can be sharpeded to an absolute razor edge. Both fuzz sticks like no one's business.... both are strong contenders if you are looking for that "one knife" to take into the woods with you.

1,000 year old fishing trap found with Google Earth

2009-03-24T15:04:00.004-06:00

This story caught my eye. Pretty cool how technology found something so low tech, while the same technique is still being used (on a much smaller scale) and taught during survival courses!

Fishing weirs on Wikipedia (so it MUST be true!)

Another boat

2009-03-16T16:33:00.001-06:00

All I can say is

WOW!

A hand made driftwood kayak. Amazing!

Birch Bark Canoe ala Ray Mears

2009-03-14T09:11:00.004-06:00

I ran across an amazing series of videos on youtube with Ray Mears helping construct a birch bark canoe. Give it a watch, it is really incredible!

New bushcraft knife

2009-03-13T07:36:00.002-06:00

Krein knives just came out with a new knife called the XL bushcrafter.

Straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak:

When I designed the standard length Bushcraft I was trying to build a more compact knife. Something that you wouldn't leave behind because it was too big or heavy. I think I met my goal. With that said there was a good bit of interest in a Bushcraft with a slightly longer blade.

So I sat down and did a little redesign work. I made a few Bushcrafts with 1" longer blades. While I like how they turned out, it seemed that a slightly longer handle would compliment the longer blade. The new XL Bushcrafts have a 1" longer blade and a 1/2" longer handle. This makes for a much larger feeling knife.

The overall length is right at 9" with a 4 1/8" blade. Blade thickness is 3/16" and they are full flat grind

I have 2 with green canvas micarta with black liners and 2 with amber canvas micarta with black liners. They are all O-1 tool steel that I heat treated in the shop. They also all have the ultra-light option (skeletonized blade under the handles to decrease weight). They come with a multi position kydex sheath with a large Tek-Lok, or a nicely done oiled leather pouch sheath.

Missing pictures

2009-03-08T09:29:00.002-06:00

I was reviewing some older blog posts today and noticed a few pictures were missing.

Apologies. I'll see if I can find them.

Survival vs. Woodsmanship

2009-03-07T09:56:00.002-07:00

I found a great article called "when things go wrong" about the priorities to live by and woodsmanship/bushcraft compared to "survival." Check it out here, and while you are there, browse around the rest of the Northwestwoodsman.com website. Loads of great information, articles, videos and pictures.

Carp-Diem Boat project

2009-03-06T11:48:00.002-07:00

About a month ago I started working on a boat. A completely handmade wooden boat. It has been something on my future projects list for quite some time. I scoured the internet for just the right boat, I bought a couple plans, but there are loads of good, solid, basic designs for free. Although my Dad, who lives just a little ways away, has a well stocked woodworking shop, most of what I found could be built with more simplistic tools such as a jigsaw.

I found a small flat bottom skiff-dingy capable of being rowed, paddled or motored along.

Perfect for bow fishing for carp. I am really looking forward the the Idaho Traditional Bowhunter's Carp-ie Diem bow fishing outing!

It fits in the back of my rig for a quick trip to a local bluegill pond or is light enough for solo car topping.

I modified the plans a little and added higher sides and shortened the overall length just a little bit, but it remains to be seen if this will be a one man or two man craft.

In praise of the lowly bandana

2009-03-05T08:24:00.003-07:00

Recently I found a thread over on britishblades.com about your four favorite bushcraft items. Of course, a knife, firesteel and axe or saw were on nearly everyone's list. A hank of 550 cords would also be up there.

But my choice might be a bandana.

There are hundreds of uses for the little 20" square of cotton (sometimes the only cotton I take with me into the woods). I am reminded of my earliest "bushcraft" book, one I have possibly read more than any other book, the Boy Scout Manual. Scouts around the world typically have a bandana around their neck. I think I prefer a square bandana to the scout's triangle, but either way, the uses are only limited by your imagination and the situation.

Sling, sunshade, waterfilter, mosquito net while sleeping, dishcloth, headband, napkin, tourniquet, tie your hair back ( for those of the long hair persuasion), blow your nose (hankie), "lunchbox", evaporative cooler (roll it up, dunk it in water, tie it around your neck. It will cool your jugular veins and carotid ateries nicely), travel identification (give everyone in your group the shame color and waer them, or tie one on your luggage), placemat, camera lens or sunglass cleaner, tie extra stuff to your backpack, a "Punky Brewster" bracelette, carry foraged goods (mushrooms, berries, shells, rocks....), dust mask (old West style), sweat wiper, tear soaker, belt (I might need more than one), bandage, washcloth, potholder, sleep blindfold (my secret to travel, along with some earplugs, I sleep like a bay anywhere), fly swatter, gift wrap, head and neck sun protection (try tucking it under your hat, Lawrence of Arabia style), dog coller, ice compress, mark a trail, use as a "terrible towel" to chear at a sporting event, signal, water filter, neck gaiter for cold mornings, and possibly my favorite one I found while browsing the internet.....

"disguise your voice on the phone."

Gerber Artifact

2009-01-14T12:56:00.002-07:00

Another useful bit of EDC I have been toting around is the new Gerber Artifact. It's pretty small in statrue and feels pretty burley. Nail puller, wire stripper, bottle opener, phillips and flat head screw drivers and a replaceable hobby knife blade that locks into place. Lots to love and not a lot to notice carrying around.

Not my picture by the way, I ripped it from multitool.org...

Sheath

2009-01-09T16:58:00.003-07:00

I recently finished a sheath for a knife I wrote up a while back. I stayed with a British bushcraft look and kept the bottom square and included a ferro rod loop. I tried to spice up the top of the sheath with a little wave and also waxed the sheath using Old Jimbo's tutorial a little ways down the write up on his Grohmann knife kit.

I have really enjoyed the SWC Woodlore clone though I haven't really put it through it's paces. It is super-burley thick, too thick for my taste, but very stout and reliable because of it.

I have yet to take the time to photograph my process but I learned all that I know from tutorials over on britishblades.com, north coast knives, and others. My stitching is the weak point, looks OK from the front, but you'll notice there are no photos of the back, it gets all crooked. It should hold up just fine though, and it's nice to carry something you've crafted yourself.

My EDC

2009-01-07T17:53:00.003-07:00

Just thought I'd share what I carry around with me on a daily basis. It is a Victronox Swiss Army knife with a scout sparker attached. Simple, effective, lightweight, small,... just about everything I need. And nothing I don't. I tend to use the phillips head screwdriver more than I would a corkscrew, but I'd still like to have the corkscrew. In the picture I forgot to pull out the saw, but it does have the saw, tweezers and the useless toothpick as well.

Not many days go by that I don't use it. Opening boxes, reoving splinters, tightening screws, opening a cold brew.... it's all taken care of.

And the view out the back door this evening. Might be hard to get a feel for the scale, but we always appreciate the view.

2009-01-05T12:33:00.002-07:00

Carving the Classic Feather Stick
by Jim Dillard

Among bushcrafters a person’s skill is often judged by their ability to make a quality feather stick. Making a quality stick not only requires top-notch knife skills, it also requires the maker to know a variety of woods and their characteristics.The feather stick is important for several reasons. The most obvious reason and use of the stick is of course to start a fire. A flame touched to several well-made sticks will start a fire even when the wood is damp. Any camper can find themselves in conditions where the only firewood available is damp, and these are often the times when you need a fir e the most. Where I live in a sub-Arctic rain forest, there is always abundant wood, and it is always wet, so wet-wood fire skills are a must.Another reason to practice making the sticks is that it quickly improves general knife skills. Every bit of competence you earn with a knife will transfer to other projects and will also make you a safer knife user in the field.

The Wood

To learn which wood in your area makes the best feather stick, you will need to experiment and observe. Part of bushcraft is a continual process of experimentation with the resources around you. What you read in books may not always apply. For instance, I have read that willow is an excellent wood for feather sticks. In some places that may be true, but where I live most of the willows are too small to make feathers, and those pieces that are large enough are too hard to make anything but a poor stick. So – start with the softer woods in your area, and try them all. In my area nearly the entire forest is made up of spruce, and all varieties of northern cedar are found as driftwood on the beaches. All of those woods seem to work equally well.Learn to read the wood grain – observe and remember. Generally, evergreen woods such as pine and spruce should be carved with the blade at a 90-degree angle to the grain. Deciduous woods such as willow and aspen curl better when cut parallel to the grain. Woods with a tight grain pattern usually carve and curl better than woods with open grain. For instance, spruce wood with 20 annual rings per inch makes a better stick than spruce with only 10 rings per inch. Standing dead wood makes better sticks because standing wood is generally drier than other wood, but other woods will work too if they aren’t too wet. Most of the feather sticks I make are from driftwood found on the beaches near my home. This wood is wet on the outside, but usually dry in the center of the log. If the wood is dry enough to float, the center is likely to be dry enough to make a feather stick. Again, experiment with your local materials.Using saw or axe, cut the wood into pieces 16 – 20” long, then split into pieces that are roughly one inch square. Save the outside damp wood to burn when the fire is well under way.

The Knife

Any sharp knife with a full Scandinavian bevel will make a good feather stick. The full Scandinavian bevel is necessary because it is the bevel that is used to control the depth of the cut. The curls on a good feather stick will be at most 1/100 of an inch thick, with most of the curls being closer to half that thickness. Holding a convex or hollow ground bevel consistently at that exact thickness as it enters the wood is impossible. With the Scandi bevel, you simply hold the bevel flat against the wood and push in. The bevel and sideways pressure serve as your depth gauge. Since you will be pushing the knife edge straight through the wood without any kind of sawing action, you will need a finely sharpened edge, one sharpened to 4,000 – 6,000 grit and well stropped. This is no place for a “toothy” edge.The knife I am using in the accompanying photos is a Kellam Wolverine. The Wolverine won’t make a better feather stick than other similar knives, but since it has an edge hardness that is close to the hardness of a file, it will certainly make more of them without resharpening. Since I give boxes of feather sticks away as gifts, and since I have four woodstoves on my place, the ability to make lots of sticks in one setting is an advantage to me.

Cutting Techniques

Start with a stick about one-inch square. It should have a straight grain, not wavy, and should be knot free. With the bevel of your knife flat against the stick, carve five faces or facets the entire length of the stick. These will be 1/4” to 3/8” in width. ALWAYS keep your free hand behind the cutting edge. In photo #1, the facets are colored with a marker for clarity. Three of the facets are visible in the photo, and two more are on the other side of the stick. By managing the angle of your knife blade, you can control the direction the curl comes off of the stick. I have seen experienced woodsmen giggle as they discover exactly how much control they have by simply changing the angle of the blade just a few degrees. I like to make the curls on the left side of my sticks curl out a bit by cutting with the tip of my blade slightly up. The angle of the blade in photo #1 is about right. To make curls stay parallel to one of the facets, simply cut the wood with the blade a 90-degree angle to the stick as shown on photo #2.Photo #3 shows both good work and bad work. The curls coming off of the center facet are well made. They all have multiple curls – they will light easily and will make a good contribution to your fire. The two long curls way out to the side of the stick are poorly made. They will quickly burn off and fall away from the rest of the stick. They won’t do much to help you start a fire. The reason the curls stick out too far is that the tip of the knife is held too high – at too much of an angle. Your goal is to make a tight mass of curls. Adjust the angle of your knife accordingly.To get the wood on the right side of your stick to curl out a bit, hold the tip of your knife down. Be careful to not saw the wood, but keep the same part of your blade on the wood all the way down. This is more difficult than it looks and may take a bit of practice.With your knife bevel pushed flat against one of the outside facets, carve a curl the length of the stick to about an inch from the end. Then go to the next facet and the next till you have done all five. Then start over again. Carve curls until you feel the stick begin to flex from its thinness. At this point you are finished – or ready for an optional next step.Photo #5 shows an optional step. After I have finished making all the large curls, I sometimes make a series of tiny ones. The tiny curls are appropriate in two situations. First, if the wood is especially damp, the large curls may be difficult to start with a match. A single match will, however, light the small, thinner curls and if the stick is held upright, those will dry out the neighboring curls enough to get them started. Several years ago I tied up a bundle of spruce kindling and soaked it overnight in the lake near my house. The next morning I carved several feather sticks from the wet wood and finished them with the tiny curls at the base. A single match lit the small curls. Holding the stick upright with the mass of large curls on top, the entire stick was soon in flame even though the wood was fairly damp.The second reason for the tiny curls is less practical, but is a lot of fun. If they are thin enough, it is possible to light the curls with a firesteel. This isn’t easy. The difficult part is to get enough sparks targeted into the center of the curls. Early last spring I was teaching a bushcraft class to a group of teens. Even though I had started feather sticks with sparks before, that day I failed miserably, and I did so while every student was watching. An hour later a 17-year-old student accomplished what I had failed to do. He lit his feather stick with a firesteel and then lit his fire with that single feather stick. And this was accomplished with a piece of cedar driftwood he found on the beach only a short time before. The result was a renewed enthusiasm in all of the students present. It was a good day.I have read several bushcraft texts which claim that you must have a half dozen feather sticks to light a fire. If you make a featherstick the quality of the one in photo #6, you need only one. A single stick with this much curl and mass, along with some pencil-size kindling, will do the job every time.The key is observation, practice and a sharp knife. Be patient and keep trying.

Duck Hunt

2009-01-04T14:11:00.005-07:00

My brother and I were able to head out early Friday morning to do some duck hunting. He had been to this new honey hole but I had not. Neither of us has a boat or a dog so our choice of locals is pretty slim. This place was ideal with no crowds (there were two other groups there but plenty of water and space separated us) and shallow water. We chose an island so that we would have nearly zero chance of loosing a wounded duck in the reeds.

It was quite a morning with temperatures in the 50's and a storm front moving in later in the morning. I enjoyed his company as well made the 45 minute drive and the 20 minute hike to the ponds. We set up the decoys, sipped some hot coffee and began to wait. The walk in was very promising with loads of ducks getting up after we spooked them walking by in the dark.

We were actually good shots too! I know I can't hit much when I am hunting for dove, quail and chukars, but ducks seem to be slow enough and close enough that I can hit them and fold them pretty well. At the end of the day we bagged four ducks each and probably shot 11-12 times.

Brother Luke got pretty good at tooting on his duck calls as well. It's always hard to tell if my calling is doing any good or not.

All in all a very fun hunt. We could see a wall of storm bearing down on us from the West, pouring over the Owyhee range./ The wind started blowing in earnest ( it kept stalling the wings of my robo duck) and we ended up getting dowsed with a cold, driving rain. It cleared up as we were leaving.

Next up.... duck jerky!

New Year's

2009-01-01T09:44:00.004-07:00

I typically don't do much for New Years eve. Just another day of the year in my book. But I did spend a little time alone last night, thinking about life and what I want to accomplish in the coming 365. It was nice sitting by my porch fire, drinking a home brewed beer (blonde ale) and feeling the cold night air.

I made the same goals as much of the folks reading this might have made. I want to get out more, and that is the crux of it, my "New Year's resolution" boiled down into three little words. Fish more, hunt more, hike more, geocache more, bike more, explore more, and when I am not doing those things, I want to be doing activities to enrich those times. Studying edible plants, tying flies, making another longbow or creating this year's hunting arrows, working on new skills and improving the ones I already know, making a knife or a fishing net.... Because it is a big wide world out there and I love being in it.

Observation

2008-12-19T11:02:00.002-07:00

With our recent snowstorms I have been thinking about the power of observation. My wife noted some tracks out in the backyard and asked what they were. Most likely a cat I said. I went on to explain that cats tracks seem to meander more than dogs do.

There are other observations to be made in the snow as well.

Snow will obviously melt on south facing slopes, but also on the south western side of exposed boulders.

There are ways to tell some really specific things about the weather, both on the ground and up in the atmosphere, but closely observing snowflakes.

Since wind can be a killer in the white months, when looking for a shelter, look around for prevailing wind direction. You will not bare patches, drifts and "frozen waves" or "dunes."

Still here

2008-12-03T17:21:00.004-07:00

Well, it has been a looooong time since I last wrote here.

For my loyal reader out there..... I apologize.

I wasn't much of a backcountry hunter this fall. Or much of a hunter for that matter. Elk hunting was disappointing. Lots of other hunters about, no elk sighted or heard, but I did find some sign. Anyway, I ended up being so discouraged and had such a bad migraine, I came home early. I also found a nice little watering hole, but it was really brushed in and I couldn't figure out how to really hunt it effectively. I am sure the bulls were wallowing in it as the rut heated up. Alas, it was pretty clear when I was there, indicating it was just being used for drinking

And I haven't been too motivated to get out much since then. I'll blame it on the wife.... she is pregnant and I didn't want to leave her for extended lengths of time. And gas prices.... it's not worth it to drive an hour to hunt for two and come right back. And a new job... I didn't have any paid time off until recently. Anyway you slice it I didn't get out much.

But there still is time. I'll get out for rabbits I am sure, and birds, especially ducks, should start heating up with the coming colder, wetter weather.

I have a handful of projects for the dark winter evenings as well. I am planning a bowfishing- exploring boat.... a pirogue as a matter of fact. They are a cross between a canoe and a flat bottom jon boat. I am also continuing to work on a good, durable alcohol stove. And I have a knife that is now almost completely sheathed as well as one more puukko blade. Also I am going to attempt a fire piston! I found some good directions here, although I think I will end up "dressing up" mine a bit with some exotic wood scraps leftover from bows. And speaking of bows, I need to get going on a basic bowfishing model for the spring....

Finished a new knife...

2008-08-22T15:13:00.004-06:00

to go along with the longbow I made last year. I am pleased with how it turned out and it should hold an edge better than one of my purely homemade knives...

Fancy equipment

2008-08-22T14:57:00.001-06:00

This is going to make it tough to justify to my wife exactly why it is that I need that new high dollar fly fishing rod:

Photo: NC Wildlife Resources Commision

(From WNCN, Raleigh)

WILKES COUNTY, N.C. — A backyard angler has bagged the state’s record channel catfish using a 2½-foot hot pink Barbie Doll rod and reel.

David Hayes caught the record-breaking fish from a private pond while fishing early this month with his granddaughter, Alyssa, 3. The 21-pound, 1-ounce catfish measured 32 inches long — 2 inches longer than the Barbie Doll fishing pole. “After catching two or three bluegill, Alyssa turns to me and says: ‘Papa, I’ve got to go to the bathroom. Hold my fishing rod,’” Hayes was quoted as saying in a news release from the state Wildlife Resources Commission.
“A few minutes later, the float went under, and I saw the water start boiling up — I knew right then that I had my hands full with that fishing rod.”

It took Hayes about 25 minutes to land the fish, which measured 22½ inches in girth. Hayes said that once he got it to the bank, he was pretty certain his channel cat would exceed the previous state record, an 18-pound, 5-ounce fish caught in August 2007.
The fish was weighed on certified scales at a nearby grocery store, and a fisheries biologist with the Wildlife Resources Commission certified that Hayes was right. — WNCN, Raleigh, N.C.

Knots

2008-08-22T14:43:00.002-06:00

One of those things that all outdoorsmen (and by that I mean the women are included as well.) should know is knots. Just like tools, there is a knot for the job. And when you use the right knot, the job becomes easier. Take rock climbing, for example. While I don't climb very much any more, I have in the past. The ubiquitous knot in rock climbing is the figure 8 knot. You could use a simple overhand in some of the situations where a figure 8 is used, but a "8" is a better choice because it can be "broken" after it has been loaded and more easily untied.

With that in mind, my list of "must know" knots:
#1: Overhand. The most basic knot. The building block for most knots.
#2: The square or reef knot. Strong, but still basic. Lots of applications.
#3: Bowline. Pronounced "beau-lin" if you want to sound salty. Again, loads of applications.
#4: Prussik. Anything from self recovery to tightening your tarp setup.
#5: The other basic knot, the girth hitch. Most hitches are a variation of this single knot, but this will get you through much more than an overhand will.
And #6: Monkey's fist. Just because it is cool.

Check out Grog's animated knots for some excellent tutorials on various knots.

Hunting area pictures

2008-08-19T19:05:00.004-06:00

I thought I'd share some pictures of the area around where I am planning on hunting next month. At this time I don't have anything more specific, but after I return from the woods I will.... until then, enjoy these!

Knife Techniques

2008-08-19T19:02:00.002-06:00

I found another great video of knife techniques. This one is by a great outfit up in Washington called "Bushcraft Northwest." I particularly like their videos because of the similarities to where I hunt, fish, hike and wander... enjoy!

Backcountry Bowhunter

Happy birthday Marines!

Kuiu/ Kestrel Knives

Weekly Tips

Back from elk hunting, round 2

Back From Elk Hunting

Channel catfishing

Done with school!

I'm still here!

Canadian Wilds

12,000 year old fishing gear

On the hunt

Something positive!

Dumbest thing

The Wild Within

The ten essentials

New Les Stroud knife

Frozen Guides Fishing Service

More Videos!!!

Elk videos

wow

Videos

Back from elk hunting.... report!

Fires

fitness hike

Elk scouting trip 1

Banzai weekend trip

Bruneau Dunes Fishing Trip

Blind Horse Knives Maverick

Western States Traditional Rendezvous and the end of classes

school blues

Arrows

Fitness Friday

Gear Sundays

A new year

Relaxing

Bitter cold

Bark River Highlands Special

Backpack hunting article from BHA website

Great review

Props

Out hunting

A new kind of camo

Digital camo revolutionizing deer hunts

Camouflage in history

Thanks

Elk scouting 2010

Journaling

Boundary Waters and Duluth Pack

My dear wife

Found 'em!

Mora!

1980's Awesomeness!

How to make a hook knife

Cool video, Knives, and Elk

Imogene Lake Backpacking Trip

Helle Nying

Garage sale finds

Firesteel contest

Axe sheath

First float

Boat is done!

red oak bucksaw plans

Bluegill fishing

Western States Traditional Rendezvous

Been Busy

Swan Falls

In between homework

Camelback funk

Backpacking wok.... 鑊

Bowfishing boat

"Survival Knife"

New bow!

Books!

Gaucho Fire Drill

Western States Traditional Rendezvous

Fire by friction

Jarvenpaa Bush knife

Bushcraft Arts and Crafts

And now for something completely different.