Archery Talk

Yep

 

There were plenty of tracks too, I followed as many as I could, they kinda just fizzled out. Most of them ended at that road, covered by a million hunters steps. I saw 30 dudes today in a unit that last year had only 15 elk taken during archery. My hopes are looooow. Back to local deer tomorrow and then back out east next weekend

 

Fresh meat.

 

There is one spot we hunt were the woods are bisected by a gas pipeline. There is a very shallow draw thru the woods, crosses the pipeline and and continues thru the woods on opposite side. Great spot. I placed a hang-on an ground blind there, on the downwind side of the trails that paralleled the draw. This would have been 2010. Now my stands and blinds are put up, for the most part in early summer. Two years ago, one week into archery season, I get a call from a guy bitching that my stand/blind is thirty yards from his stand he put up the week before the season started. I said I've been hunting there for 8 years and that blind/stand has been there since July. He's complaining I'm in "his" spot. I mentioned we don't have assigned "spots". I asked him what vehicle he drives. Tacoma Access cab in MGM. No prob, if I see you're parked there, I'll go somewhere else, you do likewise. He said, that's the only spot I have. 1000 acres, you have one stand? Even told him, use the blind if you like, just leave it like you found it. Nope he wanted it moved from "his" spot. Sorry bud, you can go outside and play hide and go F' yourself.

 

I have a ladder stand in a big oak tree on my north property line. Never had a problem, I even have permission to take a deer if it's on neighbors property. This past year my neighbor gave someone permission to hunt. This hunter had 120 acres to hunt on. He sets up a ladder stand 20-25 yards from mine. I went out to talk to him as he's setting up the stand. I didn't get mad, just told him when I'd be hunting. Every weekend he would text me to see if I was hunting. I told him I would be hunting the last week of October and the first 2 weeks of November. Sure I lied a bit, but i just didn't want him there. The thing is that his family has lots of land to hunt on. What happens is people drive down our road and see deer. My property is in between bedding and feeding areas.

 

Sometimes you have to stretch the truth to get your point across. I have zero problems doing this. Especially if someone asks where I shot something... sure, I'll give them an answer, but it will be at least 20 miles from the real spot. Why do people even ask that? How about a friendly congrats and then move on?
Several years ago a guy killed a 250"+ in the general area of the public land I hunt. People drove him crazy wanting to know exactly where he killed it? Why? Does that mean if they hunt in the same tree they'll shoot one too? Nope. To me it means I need to hunt my areas harder and smarter...not try to move in on his spots.
Gonna try to find a pic of that deer, it was a giant.

 

http://www.prairiestateoutdoors.com/hunting/article/andrew_frenchs_pointer

 

^^^This^^^

 

Just a heads up.... First Lite and Kuiu are having some pretty decent sales. Picked up a First Lite Uncompahgre Puffy and merino base layer (bottoms) for under $200.

 

Just an ugly little button buck, but deer tag is taken care of. Can focus on finding an elk now.

 

Update on the Ironwill broadheads for anyone that cares. Haven't shot an animal with them, but the time spent in the wet they have got a fair bit of surface rust. They do come apart, which I'll do, to try and sand it off, bit for $100 for three...ehhh. I did get some of the new Annihilator heads and like them a lot. Fly better, and create a pretty significant hole for a small head. I'm hoping the make a 125gr with a slightly bigger cutting diameter, but I like them better than the iron will. Easier to sharpen too

 

For that price you’d think the blades would be stainless

 

They're high carbon cryo treated tool steel, for sharpness and durability. Probably should have a coating on them though.

 

Iron Will makes their broadheads out of A-2 tool steel. Any stainless that will have the hardening characteristics of A2, will also have a higher carbon content. I've seen 420 & 440 oxidize. And lets not forget, the main component of any stainless is iron. I've seen 316-L rust in Wifi (water for injection) processing system.

As far as the double cyro temper, and this is just my 2 cents, it's a marketing ploy that adds nothing but $$. The idea behind the cyro temper is to reduce retained austinite in the grain boundaries, thereby increasing impact resistance. Typically it is used on tooling that is seeing repeated high impact loads, like you would see in a die or forming operation. And yes, a broadhead striking bone IS an impact. But not repeated and bone is significantly softer than heat treated tool steel.

All that said, I haven't heard any really negative comments, other than durability is NOT what you would expect. They fly true, scary, scary sharp, hold an edge very well. For my money, I'll stick with Slick Tricks, Magnus Stingers or VPA's. VPA's are machined from one piece hi carbon steel, hardened to 50 Rc (which to me is a perfect compromise). They fly well, sharpen VERY easily and require maybe a slight touch up after shooting an animal.

 

Check out the Annihilator heads, similar to the VPA three blade, but they use this scoop design between blades that creates a wicked hole. They're coated as well, made out of one piece 4140. They're mean

 

About a month ago my buddy and his son and myself went to hunt on some friends landfill. Today our friends dad killed this bruiser.

 

great buck! Congrats

 

The things we dream about.....that’s a stud!

Congratulations to him!