Trad Gang

As some of you are aware, I like to bowfish from a bridge over the Nolin River. It's pretty far up above the river so I miss several fish but I'm getting better at it. Anyway, I take my two teenage boys with me and they look for snakes        :eek:       while I look for carp from the bridge. It works out great when I actually do arrow a fish because one of my sons can wade out and catch the fish so I don't have to reel it in all the way up to the bridge and risk the fish falling off. Note: those two boys fishing to the left in the rocks are NOT my boys.

      (http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh472/ishoot4thrills/20130606_200405_zpsb3174dd8.jpg~original) (http://s547.photobucket.com/user/ishoot4thrills/media/20130606_200405_zpsb3174dd8.jpg.html)

It's great fun but very challenging. I get very close to a lot of fish but manage to get an arrow in very few.

      (http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh472/ishoot4thrills/20130606_200328_zpse159f6ed.jpg~original) (http://s547.photobucket.com/user/ishoot4thrills/media/20130606_200328_zpse159f6ed.jpg.html)

Well, last evening I arrowed my biggest carp to date from the bridge:

      (http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh472/ishoot4thrills/20130606_194909_zpsbe83e202.jpg~original) (http://s547.photobucket.com/user/ishoot4thrills/media/20130606_194909_zpsbe83e202.jpg.html)
A ten and a half pounder that measured 29" long. I did manage to get an arrow into another one but it pulled free before my youngest son could reach it. Got another one last weekend from the bridge but it wasn't as big as this one.

Here's a pic of what my sons' are after when they go with me(note, the following is not for the squeamish!):

      (http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh472/ishoot4thrills/20130606_204002_zps053f5bda.jpg~original) (http://s547.photobucket.com/user/ishoot4thrills/media/20130606_204002_zps053f5bda.jpg.html)

      (http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh472/ishoot4thrills/20130606_204025_zpsc5c56afa.jpg~original) (http://s547.photobucket.com/user/ishoot4thrills/media/20130606_204025_zpsc5c56afa.jpg.html)
Northern water snake with great coloring which now resides in a terrarium in his room!

Here's a couple of other fish I got last year from the same bridge:

      (http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh472/ishoot4thrills/BowfishingGar007.jpg~original) (http://s547.photobucket.com/user/ishoot4thrills/media/BowfishingGar007.jpg.html)

      (http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh472/ishoot4thrills/WhiteMillsCarp.jpg~original) (http://s547.photobucket.com/user/ishoot4thrills/media/WhiteMillsCarp.jpg.html)

Great fun!!  Beautiful snake as well!!

Good shooting and looks like an awesome place to shoot!

:archer:

Looks like a great time, thanks for sharing!    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Looks like a great time, thanks for sharing!    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Great pics, nice big fat one and a great looking gar? I'm in northern Illinois, near the Wisconsin border(Chain O'Lakes area), the cool rainy spring has kept the spring spawn shut down, they're finally coming around, cant wait to whack a few myself.
After practicing all winter on 3d targets at 20-30 yards, I always have to retrain the brain to aim below and stop sending the first few right over their heads!
Great looking snake, do I see a snake skin bow in the future? "No son, I haven't seen your snake, but look how great my bow looks"!

QuoteOriginally posted by carpin'mark:
........Great looking snake, do I see a snake skin bow in the future? "No son, I haven't seen your snake, but look how great my bow looks"!

:saywhat:    ;)

Good shootin' Doug!

Looks like fun!

Thanks for sharing!


><>>
Glenn

Thanks for the kind words, guys.

I wonder just how many snakes like this one are killed because people think it's venomous. Everyone that happened by while he was holding this snake asked if it was a copperhead.   :saywhat:    :rolleyes:    

Bowfishing is a hoot! My kid used to have a ribbon snake for a pet. It was cool watching him catch and eat the gold fish out of the water bowl.

Congrats!

Bisch

Yeah Bisch, I know what ya mean. Snakes have always fascinated me. I have enjoyed catching and keeping them my whole life. Now my kids are doing the same things with them as I did. I couldn't be happier!!

Nice.I'm about 95% sure that snake is a pregnant female.You may have some new arrivals in August.

QuoteOriginally posted by JimB:
Nice.I'm about 95% sure that snake is a pregnant female.You may have some new arrivals in August.

Too late.......we've already released it. We don't keep them very long unless it's a really special one, like a red rat(corn) snake or a young king snake or black rat snake. We're trying hard to find a rough green snake, but no luck.

Nice!  Congrats

Bowfishing is a blast! That would be fun to shoot them from a bridge and let the river bring them to you. We usually "spot and stalk" using. Q-beam. They are too skittish for generators around here. Great fun!

Looks like good fun practice and a relaxing way to spend time with the kids!

Got these two tonight just before dark:

  (http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh472/ishoot4thrills/2013-06-12212146_zpsf0d12b55.jpg~original) (http://s547.photobucket.com/user/ishoot4thrills/media/2013-06-12212146_zpsf0d12b55.jpg.html)

 (http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh472/ishoot4thrills/WhiteMillsBowfishingSpot011.jpg~original) (http://s547.photobucket.com/user/ishoot4thrills/media/WhiteMillsBowfishingSpot011.jpg.html)

Good stuff. I have had several of those snakes as pets over the years.  Brings back memories.

Cool stuff, I'm not a snake kind'a guy, but that critter your son is holding is a beautiful example. What nice colors!!