I have had three old(er) recurves all set up for a few years now, and I have barely even shot them. A Shakespeare x-18, an AMF wing, and a Pen Pearson. All three are 45#. All solid, hunt-worthy bows in good to great shape.
Anyway, these bows were my Dad's. As some of you know, my father passed away in Feb, after a long hard battle with Alzheimer's.
I have decided to hunt one or all of these bows this year, as a tribute to the man who originally introduced me to bowhunting and recurves.(I hunted with the wing that year and missed a tom twice!)
My Dad taught me a lot of what I know. About the woods, and life, and everything in between. I walk with him every time I enter the woods. Actually, I carry him with me everywhere.
I have arrows, his old bear greenies, and his bows. I plan on posting pics, and updating this as I can...a running journal of my season if you will.
I have some overdue projects and things to get done here, so it may be a while before I post again. But if you like, check back. It is sure to be an interesting season.
Hey Jamie, that is great man. I am doing the same thing. I lost my 19 year old son 8 years ago, I hunted with his deer rifle some last year,will again this year when I head to Colorado elk hunting, if I can close the deal with my bow. My father in law past away and my wife inherited his deer rifle and old double barrel shotgun. She will be deer hunting with it some this year. I know, not bows, but along the same thread.
good luck this year
Best of luck Jamie. :thumbsup:
A very noble goal Jamie - I wish you well and look forward to the stories that are sure to come :thumbsup:
Good luck Jamie. I'm keeping an eye on this one. If you have any desire to come down to Jersey or even meet up to chase some bunnies or something let me know. Theres a bunch of trad guys that get together during winter bow in January and do some group drives etc.. Jamie you're good people and I'd be honored to hunt with you again and you can certainly stay here at the house. Skippy
Jamie that is awesome.......I know your dad will be there every step of the way with you, good luck, this is a wonderful thing.
David
Jamie, sorry about your dad. I can't think of a better way to honor his memory. I wish you the very best of luck.
A great tribute. Good luck. I'm sure your Dad is very proud of you.
Sounds like lots of Mojo will be along on your hunts this season. I'll be following!
:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :campfire: :coffee: Waiting to hear how the season turns out....it will be worth the wait!!
Good luck Jamie, I look forward to following your season.
David
Thats neat. I hope my son feels that way about me when I pass. God bless your season.
Good for you Jamie. Good Luck! :wavey:
I think that is a great idea buddy. I hope we can get together and bloody a few arrows!
This will be one to watch. Good luck ....
Good way to think Jamie. You are your fathers son. I know I never met the man but, if you are just a bit like him, I can see he must have been a wonderful guy!
... mike ...
This will make even more fond memories for you. Good Luck and God Bless.
My father is getting very old and has Parkinsons,I see him 2-3 times a week When I leave a flood of emmotions hit me.I can understand your feelings fully .all the best I will follow and look so forward to your postings.
So cool, nice to remember.
John
My Dad showed me the ropes as well and two years ago hung up his bow. He is still on this earth though and for that I'm thankful.
Good on you brother and good luck.
T.J.
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
QuoteOriginally posted by KentuckyTJ:
Good on you brother and good luck.
:clapper:
Been shooting the Shakespeare a lot, and now Im gonna play with the AMF Wing. This year it is between those two so far...
Took a very quick walk and the sign is promising. I hope it works out...
FOCUSE..Remember where that hope stuff got us.Your Dads there to guide your arrow.No hoping aloud..
Jamie good luck to your season and the passion you have to honer your father.I've always said that the greatest gift my father gave me was taking me hunting.
Good luck Jamie, I've done the same thing with my departed dad's model 1148 Remington 16 ga. Only shotgun I own. I remember shootin it once when I was 7 (or so) years old, now I'm 53.
Good luck. I'll be following you. Hap
sounds like your dad did well raising you,best of luck to you.
Jamie, best of luck my friend. If you want to try a spot across the river I know a spot with some apple trees that is almost a guarantee. If there are still some apples around in mid October we need to try it.
Why are you trying to narrow down your choice, arnt you in on of them many deer States?
foregive me if I'm wrong (again) but Im in a one deer state which translates to 1 in three years.
Elk dont even go there.
Happy hunting with that gear, make memories, and enjoy the memories you have already....
That's a cool tribute...
The spring following my dad's passing I turkey hunted with his clothes, calls, boots, and I hunted with a muzzleloading shotgun... He'd always wanted to do it and never would get around to patterning it before season and take out his old faithful...
Managed to kill a pretty nice bird... made me feel like he was right there with me...
It was part of my tribute to him for all he passed along to me...
Jonathan
Good deal,sounds like a great tribute to your dad.Looking foreward to seeing your season progress. :archer:
Terry, sounds good, I hope we can! I need a doe friendly area...cant take em here.
Blueline, I can shoot one antlered and one antlerless deer here, and maybe another one or two with the right DMPs.
Thanks everyone. I hope to have some bow pics up this weeks sometime. Then scouting, then stand sites, and so on and so forth.
Something happened to the old computer and Im learning this one as fast as I can, and I have to wait for some software, so bear with me.
Good luck - looking forward to updates!
Those are the tough choices that make it fun. Good luck Jamie :thumbsup:
Let the journey begin!! :thumbsup: Joe
Wow, cool idea Jamie. It's a great remembrance for your Dad. Good Luck amigo!
So, the bow has been picked, arrows are now wearing broadheads, and after a little tweaking on the nock point, Im shooting pretty darn well if I do say so myself. I picked up a leaf about the size of a quater and placed it on my BH target, and drilled it with the old Bear broadhead from about twenty yards with my third shot. The other two were within an inch or two, a bit high.
The bow: 52" Shakespeare X-18, 45#.
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w29/ishiwannabe/shakes2.jpg)
The quiver and bhs:
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w29/ishiwannabe/Shakes1.jpg)
The arrows are some very sweet woodies I got in the white elephant. The quiver was given to me by a real good bud...
Next installment will have some stand sites and such, once I have the time to get out there, set some stands, move some others, etc. A huge project "out back".. The landowner has heavy equipment redigging and modifying the 4-5 acre pond(which is a major funneling factor). Now my side is the only side they can travel with cover... :D
It's great to honor your father like this. He's proud.
Hope you have a great season,Looking foward to the updates.Glen
I took my son out for a quick walk to one of four stand sites behind my house. The sign is rather impressive...
A mix of red and white oaks are dropping..
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w29/ishiwannabe/2010-09-22_17-11-30_999.jpg)
Trail from fields to bedding area through said oaks. Tree on right of pic is one of my stands. (http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w29/ishiwannabe/2010-09-22_17-07-49_830.jpg)
One of three massive white oaks, absolutley loaded that the deer visit on their way to bed. Left trunk is probably 8 feet in diameter.
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w29/ishiwannabe/2010-09-22_17-15-46_113.jpg)
I asked my 3 year old why the deer come through here...he said "acorns!"
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w29/ishiwannabe/2010-09-22_17-12-02_867.jpg)
From the mouth of babes!!!! Truth is truth!!
Thank you for sharing.
God bless,Mudd
I got into some good hog woods today lots of sign. Maybe we could get the Langer crew down and film you takin a hog with Jack's bow. :campfire:
I'll be watching my fiend :archer2:
Jamie, you know ya can come up here anytime and I put ya on deer. Ya can shoot does here too!! I have 2 stands for opening evening that if we get a south or SW wind I can put ya in and all ya have to do is make the shot. Pretty much coming thru like clock work. I have 52 stands and other than the bow area ya can sit anyone ya want bud!! It would be cool to be part of this thread!! Look what the cat dragged out of the woods!!(Damon--Nomad88)!! Shawn
QuoteOriginally posted by Guru:
QuoteOriginally posted by KentuckyTJ:
Good on you brother and good luck.
:clapper: [/b]
F-Manny
Hey Jamie! Let's all go up to Shawns and bang out some cutlet deer... We don't need no stinking drag handles! :p
... mike ...
Sounds good Mikey and Shawn. I plan on hunting alot, and on as many pieces of land as I can. Im tired of letting the does walk around here...but I have to in order to maintain hunting permission...
Sounds like the making of JLMBH type deer hunt to me. Maybe in Jamie's dads honor?
Took a quick walk out back. I was right about the pond work pushing the deer to my side...a little tweaking of stands, a ground blind here or there, and it should be good.
I saw a gazillion squirrels. It amazes me how the put on a Keanu Reeves-esque perfromance when dodging an arrow. Matrix redneck style. Lol.
I ended up stalking up to within about 30 yards of two does and their little ones. I just watched for a while, and then started playing with them. Acorns. I actually bounced one of a little one...that got them up and moving.
The bow perfromed very well. I think if I do my part at crunch time, it won't let me down. I was very close to three squirrels, and almost 100% for random other targets...stumps, mushrooms, etc.
I will try to get some pics up later on.
The other end of the funnel created by a little "swamp/pond"
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w29/ishiwannabe/2010-09-26_16-09-27_926.jpg)
The new pond construction
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w29/ishiwannabe/2010-09-26_16-16-56_660.jpg)
Trying to figure out what I was...
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w29/ishiwannabe/2010-09-26_16-40-16_565.jpg)
Not my favorite. We call them chicken mushrooms here.
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w29/ishiwannabe/2010-09-26_16-41-00_39.jpg)
Nice buddy!! I will call ya next weekend, gonna have a little hunt opening evening if ya want to come. I figure we get 4 of us up here one of us will arrow a deer. Gonna get Curt up here too! Shawn
Bringing it back up, havent had time to hit the woods lately with family court, work and being a dad. I hope to get out there some tomorrow and possibly move some stands, do some scouting and introduce my boy to a little more of mother nature.
:campfire: We'll keep tuned in. My father is still my favorite person to hunt with and at 78 I charish those moments.
Jamie
Really looking forward to this story as it unfolds, I see some great memories being made as a result. Great bow choice and your setup looks deadly!
My best wishes to you and your continued commitment to being a DAD.
Jake
:wavey: :thumbsup: :archer: :archer2:
:campfire:
I just ate my first chicken mushroom a couple of weeks ago. Made chicken mushroom pilaf with one I harvested from the archery club. I like 'em!
:bigsmyl:
I am enjoying your thread, Jamie. I, too, need an escape! Stay safe and hunt well. You seem to be into a good rhythm, and I predict a season full of good things.
Killdeer :thumbsup:
Enjoy yourself Jamie!!!!! You deserve it!!!
I will send smoke to the Great One asking him to send a season of peace and "good things" to my Brother.
Good stuff Ishi...glad those arrows will be put to good use.
That they will Dave! Like they were made for that bow. I hope to get one red, even though they are so pretty!
Hey thats what they were made for..if you get lucky make sure you post a pic.
Wow, over a weeks since I was out scouting or anything. Im shooting a bit here and there, and think if I limit myself to 15 yards I will be fine.
After the year I have had, it will be nice to get out there into nature, watch the woods wake up, and just breathe.
I have some pretty good hunts planned in other areas too, so Im thinking a decent shot opportunity is likely...
Season opens in a week or so, and the pics and updates should really start moving along as well. The work schedule just happens to allow some early morning hunts.
I had a perfect shot opportunity tonight. Five yards, broadside, munching on acorns. I even drew the bow, anchored and picked my spot...
Had a nice young buck come in with almost the smallest spikes I have ever seen. Maybe, and I mean maybe, 3 inches. I let him walk, even though the set up worked perfectly.
I also had about ten turkeys scratching and feeding behind me at about thirty yards. They kinda knew something was up in that tree and kept their distance.
That and a gazillion squirrels and their antics. A great afternoon in the woods, even though I was not even close to ready as far as stands being set and gear being ready. That is why they make climbers though. Im already wanting to go again.
I had to work a double Friday nigth at 11 until 3 pm yesterday, opening day. I ended up sleeping in this morning. Turned out to be a pretty good afternoon though.
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w29/ishiwannabe/2010-10-17_15-17-08_32.jpg)
The view from the stand. The spike was in front of that v-crotch tree.
Until next time...
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w29/ishiwannabe/2010-10-10_18-54-17_948.jpg)
Man what slow season for me. Between work and seeing my son as much as possible, I have only made it out three times. 14 deer sighted, most within bow range.
Major development. I hung up my Dad's recurve. Decided to wait until next season. Get a new string, build some arrows for it. Practice with it a lot more. I owe it to the animals I hunt to be confident and efficient with my weapon, and for some reason, recurves are tough for me.
The bow I will be carrying for the rest of the season is a new to me Treadway, 55@28, heritage 150's at 29.5 " with 175 up front. I figured out that, atleast for me, hunting will always take me down a path "with dad". He would want me to use his bow(s), but he would want it done right too....
Heading out this afternoon to a sweetspot. I will only hunt this spot with a N-NW wind, and it is a ground blind. Huge tracks. Rubs, scrapes and trails that look like sidewalks...
Anyway, the next couple of weeks should be interesting. Hope you stay tuned.