Teamfudd and I are gearing up to make the trek from southeastern Ohio to Merkel TX to attend the Rick Welch accuracy factory and do a little hog hunting with David Mayfield of Bowhunting West Texas. Looking forward to getting some of my shooting problems corrected and hopefully putting a Magnus classic into the 12 ring on some Texas Hogs. I know there was six spots open for this clinic is anyone else on here going? If so we hope to see you there.
Been there, done that. You will have a great time and learn a lot too. Rick is a superior person and an amazing archer. David is an excellent host. Hopefully, you will have some other nice students/hunters there with you to share camp. Hunting is always an iffy proposition. Not much action when we were there, but there was a lot of sign. Take along what you think you will need. There's not a good place nearby to pick up things you forget.
Allan
Thanks for the info Allan I appreciate it.
Rick really likes the Victory Arrow VAP's. He'll probably fletch one up for you when you go to his course. Your bow will be tuned to them also. I was shooting Goldtips when I went to Rick's school with 125 Gr field tips and G5 broadheads. I was sold on the VAP's performance and Rick bumped me up to 175 Gr field point and Simmons broadheads. This has proven to be a devastating combination. The VAP's are a little pricey. I've shot both the VAP 3's and 1's. I really don't notice much difference in performance. Just a heads up. If you're sold on your arrow's performance, let Rick know up front, that way he'll tune the bow to that arrow. If you do purchase the VAP's, get them raw shaft and with the penetrator hunter tips. He'll fletch your arrows differently so you could get them done while you're there. Regardless of what arrow you go with, they will be fletched differently. He'll move the flecthing about 1/2-1/3" further down from the arrow nock so that it makes proper contact with your nose. If you're a right hand shooter, he'll use left wing feathers. It'll all make sense when you start shooting. It's a great school and Rick's a great guy.
I just went last week,loved every minute of it and yes I switched to the vap 400, 33 grain insert with 165 grains point and my Bob Lee Ultimate is shooting them at 198 FPS, very accurately I might add. Going to shoot the landshark 165 heads.
Thats going to be a awesome trip steve ! :thumbsup:
I hope to attend his class next year. Keep us posted on how's the class/hunt goes! :campfire:
Going to his school,is on my thing's to do list.Just dont know about going back to 3 under,having switched back to split.....We'll see?
T Mowery. I thought the same thing but I purchased ricks DVD and completely changed my style to shoot the way he recommends and I have already improved %100 I shot splitfinger all my life and within a weeks time I was shooting way better than I ever had before. Can't wait to get some 1 on 1 training from Rick. Nathan wish you were coming along with us .
Cant wait buddy! Gonna be fun!
I'm going to be there on the 24th and 25th. Looking forward to it!
I was supposed to be there on the 22nd but had to cancel because of travel for work. I have been to Rick's school and it is fantastic. When did Rick start shooting the VAP arrows? He was shooting Goldtips when I attended his class.
He was shooting them when I went through his course last July.
I will be there for the 22-23 class days. Really looking forward to it. I have watched Accuracy factory and made some changes already. I am ready to see what he has to teach me. Anyone going on the 22-23?
Rick taught me to shoot in 2010. Didn't know much prior, but luckily hadn't any bad habits for him to have to undo.
His methods work for me. I still shoot the Gold Tips he recommended then. Seems by looking at another thread on here that the jury might still be out on the VAP's durability...some guys admitting to having to foot them with AL.
You'll really like Rick, a true gentleman, down to earth, great instructor, gave me all the one-on-one time I paid for. Best clinic I have ever attended.
I know instruction is, or used to be $250 per day.
Just curious...what's the duration and cost now that he does the hog hunt and instruction together?
Is it still one-on-one?
Is the one-on-one instruction in AR still available?
Thanks
Irv Eichorst
True South Adventures
South Florida Outfitting for Hogs and Osceolas
I'm going on the 27th And 27th but we arrive on the 25th so maybe we will get to meet McDave. The 2 day class was for two people and the hog hunt in the evenings for $650 per person.
That seems pretty reasonable.
I know you won't be disappointed.
Let us know what you thought when you get back.
I'm pretty sure you will be fired up!
Irv
I'm letting my stock of VAP's dwindle. I'm not an archer in Rick's class. I haven't seen him miss, sadly, I do and when the VAP hits a stump or a rock it is history. Don't know if it's due to the Pentrator insert. Don't really care. It's performance is great, but at what price. I've decided to go back to Gold Tip 5575 Traditionals. If I had deep pockets, I'd stick with the VAP's but sadly I don't. If one item were superior to another, there would only be one bow manufacturer and one arrow manufacturer.
Not trying to mislead this thread but for you fella`s that have been. what kind of glove does Rick use and what grains per pound does he recommend for critter killing?RC
Robert, If he aint changed since he was down here, he shoots a Neet Hair glove. Also He's not a real proponent of heavy arrows for hunting. He was shooting a 415gn arrow out of 45lbs when here. effective non the less as I filmed him shooting slam through a nice doe at 25+ yards.
Thanks Don. I have gathered that he liked less arrow weight. I have dropped to around 475 and see no difference in cracking ribs. The bow seems a bit more "alive" as well.RC
RC when I went to his class I think he recommended the dura glove. Also, he was recommended the Gold tip arrows and a 125gr. simmons broadhead for my setup.
I was just there in Feb. He definately likes the dura glove. Yes I think he likes to keep the weight in the 8.5 gpp range. He's more about a perfectly tuned arrow where all the bows energy is right behind the nock. I can't argue with that.
Rick is a great guy and a great teacher. His shooting lessons helped me out a lot.
I appreciate all of the input guys. My excitement level is on overload right now. Spring turkey season starts here in ohio on Saturday and leavin Thursday morning for Ricks school I am like a kid at Christmas!
Keep us posted, send pics
I have shot with Rick many times at IBO shoots, He is a great guy and you will learn much from him! Very down to earth..
Rick's a great teacher and really knows what he is doing inside your head. Best money I spent.
A guy doesn't win over 50 world and national championships without having a solid understanding of the sport.
You will have a blast.
Be sure you tell your story when you get back.
Say HI to Rick.
Irv Eichorst
www.truesouthadventures.com (http://www.truesouthadventures.com)
Everything's packed up and ready to go flying out early in the morning we'll be eatin lunch in Texas tommorow . Can't wait
:campfire:
I had a great time at Rick's school/hog hunt. Dave Mayfield is a fine gentleman and host, and his ranch was a great choice for the event.
Rick's classes, as always, are intense: about 6 hours a day with only two students at a time means that you do a LOT of shooting, so bring a bow you can handle for a hundred shots a day. All shooting is done at 3D targets at varying distances. About the only time you take the same shot two times in a row is if you blow a shot and Rick wants you to repeat it to learn a particular point.
I went back for a refresher because it has been several years since I first took his course. I've been trying a number of different things, but I feel like I've never shot better than I did after the first time I took his course. It took until about noon of the second day for Rick to undo all my new bad habits, but then my shooting improved quite a bit. I don't fault myself for trying other things that have worked well for other people, because we all want to continue to improve, but now I am convinced that for me, I will shoot better if I just stick with Rick's method.
Classes would end at about 3:30 PM every day and we would get a break until Dave took us out hog hunting at various stands from about 5:30 until dark. I didn't get a hog either night, which really didn't disappoint me that much since getting it back to Sacramento on the airplane might not have been worth it, I think. It was fun watching a sow and her 8 little piglets play in front of my blind the first night, and to hear and sort of see a big old hog rooting around pretty close when it was too dark to shoot. Rick just walked back down around the area of our 3D range and stalked and shot a hog both nights. My only regret is that I had thought about following Rick the second night rather than going on stand, which he said would be fine with him, but I didn't end up doing it. I'm sure I could have learned something about stalking from him.
THANKS FOR SHARING MCDAVE :knothead:
Thanks McDave! Hopefully I'll be attending next year.
Let me just start out by saying that this was some of the best money I have spent for a long while. Rick has set me on a path that I know will work for me my shooting has already improved tremendously I am much more consistent than I have ever been and when I make a mistake I can tell exactly what I have done wrong. Rick is a super guy and he knows what he is talking about and he can prove to you that his method works for him and I you are patient and open minded he can prove that it will work for you. He has the trophies from 3D and hunting to prove it. David Mayfield of Bowhunting west Texas is a very respectable guide/ outfitter he will go out of his way to help you get on game he went out of his way to get blinds set up in areas that we had seen a lot of activity so we could hunt no matter what the wind direction was . If you get the opportunity to attend Ricks school do it it is well worth the money and if you can attend the school hog hunt you better jump on it you will have a blast. I will definitely be going back to Bowhunting west Texas in the future.
I hate to say I told you so but I was pretty certain you would sing Rick's praises when you came back.
The guy is the real deal.
Always important to be able to back up what you preach and Rick can surely do that.
I want to go back for a brush up and take my grandson for his lessons.
Rick is an all around good guy, and a great teacher.
Irv Eichorst
www.truesouthadventures.com (http://www.truesouthadventures.com)
RC...Rick shoots a Dura-Glove these days.