So I had back surgery last Friday and am gonna be stuck here at the house until the end of February. I'm not supposed to lift over 5 pounds, but I can be up walking around as much as I want. I just can't get in a vehicle to go anywhere. Anything trad related you guys can think of that I might be able to do to pass the time?

Make arrows,  strings,  chop feathers.

Do not string or shoot bows for a while. Do your PT and walk a lot. Take your time. Have had 2 surgeries in the last 3 years . Very important to do your exercises and take it slow.

That's a good idea. I need to learn to make my own strings anyways. I need to order some more spruce shafts as well.

Make a ghillie suit. Time will fly right by.

QuoteOriginally posted by Blueridge:
Do not string or shoot bows for a while. Do your PT and walk a lot. Take your time. Have had 2 surgeries in the last 3 years . Very important to do your exercises and take it slow.

Yeah I'm not planning on messing with my bows. I don't need a recurrence of this ordeal. I'm just wanting small stuff to tinker with. What really sucks is that I'll have a new bow coming in next month and all I can do is look at it.

Try something new like making a backquiver. I made a "Robin Hood" style back quiver while laid up after hip replacement. Punching a couple million holes and hand lacing is boring but makes time fly. I also took up a more advanced feather splicing. Labor intense but also makes time go by.

Good ideas so far. I'm probably gonna have to order some materials for projects here soon.

Fletch up all the arrows needed this year, finally get to work on those cane shafts, sharpen every bladed thing around, learn to build my own strings, get to work on a couple leather projects like sheaths for some knives and maybe a quiver, organize all the stuff. Oops, sorry, got carried away with things I'd be doing if I had the time.

I hope you have a speedy and complete recovery.    

QuoteOriginally posted by JakeD:
That's a good idea. I need to learn to make my own strings anyways. I need to order some more spruce shafts as well.

If you're interested, here's my video on string building.

https://youtu.be/OptRZ6bCkbQ

Make something that once you'd made it you'd always wonder how you lived without it--- the pocket quiver.

Ryan,  any chance you also make endless loop strings ?  videos of that ?

You can go on U Tube and watch a hole lot of trad. videos.

Few years ago, I broke my lower back and my heel bone from a fall off a roof. 2 months in a wheel chair about drove me nuts. I watched trad hunting videos on the TV. Wife bought me a pistol dart gun, LOL. I would watch those hunting videos and shoot the deer with the rubber darts. Wheel over to the TV and pull the darts off the screen.

It passed time, but was tuff being in a wheel chair.

Wish you the best in your recovery.. Just play it smart....

Good suggestions, also lots of good trad related books to read.

Do you have any writing ability?  Pen an article for Tra Archers World.

I had back surgery L4 L5 in 2007.

I was overweight and outa shape.

I started a nutrition plan and dropped a bunch of weight, which made recovery much better.

Walking, a lot of walking was what really got my back to better than new. That and crunches.

Get a 5 pound bow.You wont be breaking the rules

About 10 years ago I had back surgery and Dr. put rods and screws to help support my L-5 S -1 ,
I received a Dryad Bamboo back Osage longbow for Christmas that year and when I was able to start moving I went into my shop and spent time rasping,scraping,shaping that bow.
Just be easy on what you do and don't over do it.

Would be a good time to do a stipled grip on a bow handle....make it complete w a coyote print carved in it as well.  I'm going to do that very thing to my bear but haven't had the time yet.  Be a good time to do some drawing as well.....
Hope ya heal well....
Tim