The Best Hunting Stool

No stool!

Learn to shoot sitting on your rear end.  Nothing to carry, nothing to lose.  It is a skill like any other in traditional archery.  You need to lean forward and keep the bow almost horizontal.  Watch out for the bow arm sleeve dropping down and really put a bend in your bow arm.  It just takes practice.

Bob Swinehart Practicing.

Schulz Sitting

SIMPLICITY

One of the things that draws traditional bow hunters to the sport is the idea of simplifying our methods and gear.   It is also human nature to try to improve upon technology and evolve.   This is what drove our species to innovations and improvements  ultimately securing the survival of our species over the millennia.  It is engineered into our genetic code to want to "Geek out" and over-analyze our gear and methods.  Unfortunately, sometimes this can work against us and our enjoyment of the aspects that interested us in traditional in the first place.

Our modern social media only works to help amplify these discussions and analysis.  The online forums are full of the latest general opinions on everything from speed, to arrow weight, to camouflage, to string material, etc.  Newcomers to the sport have a wealth of information bombarded at them to the point that some feel they NEED to have xyz gear, or this bow or that, or that EFOC, or super engineered single beveled broadheads in order to kill game efficiently.  This is just not the case.  To me, all this has become a trap in what is an otherwise simple and enjoyable sport.

Throw in the propensity or quick fixes and the cultural tend of immediate gratification and there is a recipe for frustration.   Sometimes, perhaps we are too smart for our own good. 

It is important to remember those that came before us.  It has been estimated the bow and arrow has killed more animals and humans then "guns and bombs" throughout history.  The bulk of which were accomplished with what we would call "Primitive" all wood self bows and wood arrows.  In the heyday of "modern" archery our bow hunting pioneers like the Thompson brothers, Saxton Pope, and Art Young and their compatriots killed everything from small birds to large African game with all wood gear.  Howard Hill amassed a list of 2,000 game animals he took with the cedar arrow and a straight limbed longbow that is considered by most neo-trads as antiquated and inefficient equipment.

Many of our community transition from techo compound hunting to the traditional bow and with them bring the short cut propensity and gear dependency that drove them to the stick and string to begin with.  My point is not to be divisive or discourage new ideas and equipment, but only to point out how we all can get tied into circles with over-analysis. Maybe this is even the cause of the onset of target panic for some?

It is to the point now that some of the doctrine being promoted by "the analyzers" is thought of as the only way or law.....well, there is another way.  The simple way, that has been effective for eons and can be the most enjoyable aspects of our sport.    Simplicity!

What is an "elk arrow"?  Haven't hundreds of elk already fallen to the Port Orford Cedar arrow with 125 grain or 145 grain double bevel point? Are those animals less dead? There are those that would convince you that hunting with anything less than EFOC is not ethical....  Give me a break.  Now we need a excel spreadsheet to figure out what spine arrow we need for a 55 pound bow.  Good grief!

Well, I propose an alternative.  Let's change our mindset, quit stressing, and just shoot. 

  Originally published in Traditional Bowhunter Magazine web content located here:

https://tradbow.com/hunting-stingrays-learning-from-a-pioneer/

Hunting Stingrays; Learning From a Pioneer

The small skiff motored ahead through an increasingly stiffening headwind as the archers strained to see through the choppy surface and murky depths. Suddenly, one of the bowmen shouted “RAY” and pointed starboard with his arrow. Almost drawing simultaneously as the skiff turned sharply toward the ray, two arrows cut the water just as a form the width of the skiff itself jettisoned ahead. How did we miss?! This was harder than it looked…




I was fortunate enough to befriend and learn the basics of stingray hunting from the late legendary bowfishing pioneer, and Maryland bowhunting legend, J. Rob Davis. Mr. Davis passed away in June of 2013, but his legacy is vast. He committed his life to promoting bowhunting, and especially to introducing new bowfisherman to the sport of stingray hunting. In 1952, Rob was instrumental in helping to lobby lawmakers to create the first bowhunting season in Maryland. During that short one-week season, Rob accounted for one of the first few deer taken in Maryland with the bow and arrow. His second deer took seven more years to collect, but that buck would turn out to be the first Maryland Pope and Young record book deer.

Over those years, bowfishing and mentoring others in this new sport became a passion for Rob that was fueled by the proximity of bays and coastal waterways around his home. He began to produce his own archery tackle, including constructing a small boat to help him pursue his quarry. Soon Rob became skilled at collecting carp and other rough fish, so he decided to turn his attention towards stingrays, and eventually even sharks. He collected his first ray in 1958. His largest ray weighed in at 133 pounds, but he often guided the boat while others shot larger specimens over 145 pounds. Some of the sharks he hunted or helped others shoot were over 8 feet long and over 200 pounds! Several hundred of his pupils from all around the country were tutored by this experienced instructor over the decades, and he penned over 100 articles for bowhunting publications. I was lucky enough to be among one of the last groups he was able to introduce to the sport.

At the time of our trip in 2012, described at the beginning of this story, Mr. Davis had over 60 years of bowfishing experience under his belt. In addition, the first mate on our trip was Rob’s son, adding another well-seasoned instructor to our experience. I will attempt to describe the techniques and equipment taught to us during this hunt.




First, of all let’s discuss equipment. On our hunt with Mr. Davis, I used a strap-on accessory bushing upon which I had screwed the rubber crutch tip to accept a plastic bottle. Mr. Davis already had rigs that consisted of; a crutch end cap, a small sports drink bottle filled with expansion foam, a 2 inch strip of rubber bicycle inner tube stretched over the bottle, a plastic clip that was nothing more than a piece of coffee can plastic secured with glue under the inner tube making a tab, and about 20 feet of 400# test braided line attached to a heavy duty swivel. The swivel served as a slide threaded through a cabled fiberglass fish arrow.

Line is connected to, and wound around, the bottle allowing the shooter to fire line directly from the bottle, which is then pulled off the crutch tip and acts as a float as the ray departs. The float can be retrieved and line wound around the bottle like a reel until the ray is close enough to the boat/surface for a second arrow to be shot into it, if necessary on a larger ray.



One of the most vital pieces of equipment in this type of hunt is a good pair of polarized sunglasses. Mr. Davis was of the opinion that brown tinted lenses were superior in locating rays. Polarized glasses cut down tremendously on the surface glare and give the bowman a chance to spot the rays before they scoot away.


This technique demands teamwork and fluid communication with the helmsman of the vessel. The shooters stand at the bow of the boat, while the helmsman steers at a slow troll until a ray is spotted by the shooters. The shooters point in the direction of the ray with the arrow so that the helmsman can steer to within 10 or 15 feet of the ray for a shot. Because of the water refraction, the point of aim should be at the bottom edge of the ray to stick it, otherwise a miss high will result. The deeper and farther away the ray, the smaller and greater the angle of refraction, which increases the difficulty.
Once a ray has been hit, never handle the line alone without the protection of a leather glove! The bigger rays may take three arrows to get up to the boat and gaffed. After gaffing, the ray should be pulled up so it’s tail is in the water but it’s head can be hit with a cudgel (mallet with a 1 inch screw protruding from the face works well) and struck between the eyes a few inches back.







Once the cudgel has been applied, heave the ray on board the boat and immediately cut the tail muscles on each side (Mr. Davis uses a machete). Then the barb can be cut away and placed inside of a soda bottle with a 50% bleach solution. Kept in this solution overnight, and then rinsed with cold water, the venomous grey mucus will be dissolved, leaving a bright white memento of your hunt.
We only had that one fleeting chance at one of the bigger Southern rays on our 2012 hunt, but we did get plenty of shooting at the smaller cow-nosed rays. The bowmen’s inexperience, combined with difficult weather conditions that day, left us with loads of fun and a hunger to return some day and accomplish the mission. Regretfully, it will be without our mentor. Perhaps this writing may help to share his knowledge and continue the legacy of introducing more folks to this challenging and rewarding sport.

If you are lucky enough to catch a ray or two, below are some of Mr. Davis’s preferred cooking methods:

Cooking and Preparation:

First remove the skin of the “wings” before the underlying fillets are removed, otherwise removing the skin is difficult. Make sure ALL cartilage and the white membrane that separates the muscle from the internal organs are removed, otherwise the fillets will have an ammonia odor and taste. Both the top and bottom of the wings can be filleted in this manner.

Cut the skinned meat into 2-inch strips and marinade overnight in equal parts of cooking oil, concentrated frozen lemonade mix, and light soy sauce. Mr. Davis preferred to grill over coals, but oven broiling for fifteen minutes per side was another favored method. Others have commented favorably on the use of commercial marinades as well.

Cutting rays into 1-inch chunks and dipping into a milk/egg mixture before coating in Italian breadcrumbs and deep frying is also very tasty. Ray also works well if parboiled to an opaque consistency and added to casseroles, crab cake, or any other “crab” recipe.

Tips and Tricks for the Longbow Hunter

This post will be a continually updated list of tips and tricks that I have found valuable in my quest for Longbow hunting proficiency consisting of simple nuggets of information that I have found to really work.

• I met an older gentleman that hunted and even had Bob Swinehart stay at his house and eat dinner with him.  He was a Howard Hill fan and had a friend who was close to the Hill family and visited with him in Alabama.  Anyway, he was old school and pinned his Hill heads to the shaft.  He would also take a knife and do this to his nock index to make it easier to feel when grabbing it from the back quiver.  Great tip!  Also note the feather profile.
  
  
  

• Besides ensuring your glove is well fitted.....Rub a little soft string wax inside of your shooting glove.  Moisten your finger with saliva before putting it on and your stalls will not slide off easily when shooting.
  
• Speaking of gloves, to adjust a loose fitting glove,  simply add a stitch to the top of each finger stall
  
• A rubber band, looped over your arrow stuck in the ground, then over your cell phone, and back over the arrow is an easy way to take a selfie of your game success. 
• File or grind the back of your broadhead file to a chisel point.  You can use a stick in the woods to baton the flat top of the file and use it as a chisel to free a stuck broadhead.  You may want to put a wood cap on the sharp end to protect yourself during normal use.
• Carry your TP or baby wipes in a ziplock sandwich bag.  This can be used to keep clean and carry home the heart once your field dressing chores are completed.
  
• Coat your feet with antiperspirant when it is really cold out and use wool socks.
• Unwaxed dental floss from your upper limb tip is the best wind indicator
• Oil Based Rustoleum is a great arrow sealer and can be brushed on with a foam brush, or thinned and dipped.  Duco sticks well to it also.
  
• Get a little potpourri crock pot from the craft store.  This is great for melting beeswax and soaking your bowstring in after construction. You can easily dip your loops in it from time to time as these are the hardest part of the string to wax once the string is built.
  
•  The side edge (short edge) of a file is great for removing the burr when sharpening.  Use it like a steel.
  
• Turn the slick side of your back quiver in (suede side out) so that it slides around your body easier when going through brush.
• Tie a dental floss nock by making a loop on the serving and wrapping a hump of floss over it.  When done put the tag end through the loop and pull that loop under the mound to lock it in place (it may break but that is fine).  Use some superglue to make sure it doesn't move when back at home. This tip was from Swinehart's Sagittarius.
  
  
• Dust your string with baby powder after waxing and it will not transfer wax to your bow limbs.  Also your shooting glove to make it slick and protect it.
• A small set of pliers with a 5/16th inch hole drilled out centered in the jaws is great for removing broadheads from trees without mangling the ferrule. The ferrule goes in the hole to protect it.  You can use your pocket knife as a fulcrum also to get leverage on the head (Howard Hill Tip)
  
• A sharp old Barlow knife is about the easiest thing to dress out a deer with and carry.
• Shower curtain rings work great for hanging lanterns and gear in your wall tent with frame.
• Use the same type of battery in all your electronics - headlamp, flashlight, GPS, and camera etc.  If one set goes bad in an emergency you can always swap and it allows you to carry less.
• A KBAR fighting knife can be used with a log baton to split fire wood.  The flat pommel can be used to bang in tent pegs. 
• Light grey wool is about the best winter camo out in the hardwoods.
• Vaseline soaked cotton balls are about the best fire starting (tinder) in the field I have come across. 
• When ground hunting move when there are other noises to mask your sound.  Crows or bluejays calling, airplane or traffic noises, the wind rustling leaves, whatever.  Sounds works both ways. 
• LL Bean Maine hunting Shoes.  The best stalking footwear available.  The soft sole really lets you feel the ground. 
• Bear grease is great for your steel knives and broadheads.  Is a great water-proofer for leather goods and wood.
• A "rough" file sharpened and / or lightly serrated broadhead will hold a effective cutting edge better than a smooth razor edge, and cut through various mediums like hide, hair, bone, and sinew without dulling as easily. 
• Chisel the tip slightly on your broadheads.  This will reduce the chances of curling the tip on a solid impact.  Once curl begins it can keep curling.  This is a little bit of prevention.
  

The Hill Style Glove

The following information was provided by Nate Steen of Sunset Hill. I hope everyone finds this information as useful as I.

I prefer a Hill style glove.  I believe it's the best type of glove out there....Why?

The HH style of glove is made that way for a reason...and mostly what I hear from shooters all over the place is that how they dislike the HH glove...for the very reasons why it's a HH glove. 

 So, here goes.

A HH glove has double layer leather and inserts for the express purpose of stiffening the finger stalls  so that the fingers cannot bend too much at the first joint.  A softer glove can have a tendency to develop a groove in the leather at the area of the first finger joints because the fingers wrap around the string and the fingertips actually face back to the shooter when the string is gripped with a deep hook.  The only way to combat this is to use  an extra soft leather in the design of the glove....i.e. the deerskin style.   It's well known that a deep hook allows the hand to be more relaxed and a better release is the result.  So,  the double layer leather and stiff inserts of the HH glove allow the fingers to take a deep hook, and the hand stays relaxed but the finger tips will point more perpendicular to the string instead of back towards the shooter.  Hill's belief was that this allowed for a smoother release.  This was important to him as he shot targets off the heads of live people and he didn't want a string hanging up on a grooved leather stall.

The HH glove also is single seam style, so that the seam is on top of the finger where it can't interfere with the placing of the fingers next to each other on the string, as in a glove with side stitching like the Damascus style or the extra straps like the Stick Tite.

The thin back and straps kept the glove from getting hot and sweaty on his hand.  With a properly fitted HH glove,  there is no need for the straps to fit tight to hold the glove stalls on the fingers. The stalls shouldn't twist either.  As the stall stretches and is fitted to the finger,  small stitches can be placed on the top seam to tighten the stall for that particular finger.  Baseball rosin or pine pitch can be applied to the finger before inserting the finger into the glove, which will transfer to the interior leather and give a good grip for a good long while.  I actually moisten my finger in my mouth before it is slid into the stall....as the finger dries out, the glove sticks to my finger with enough tackiness that I have to really firmly twist the stall to get it off my finger when done shooting. (that trick is from Saxton Pope actually)

A HH glove is never "broken in" in the sense that the stalls are soft enough to "feel" the string.  It wasn't designed that way.  I would suggest that if a person wants to use a HH glove,  get one,  rub some pitch blend or baseball glove oil into the leather,  and shoot about 1000 shots to form it to the fingers, then adjust the stalls if needed by individual stitches to tighten where needed.  Most guys buy one,  they shoot about 5 shots with it, maybe 10 or 20 shots, and they say...."wow, what a stiff glove,  I can't feel the string" and they never shoot enough shots to get the glove where it was intended to be.  Sad.  Because if a guy will shoot enough shots to get the glove to become fit properly, and gets used to the glove's feel while gripping the string,  he will shoot that glove almost forever.  The gloves are phenomenal if they are used as they were designed

I see some pretty good Longbow shots out there with an old, well shot in HH glove dangling from their wrists.....John Schulz is one, so is Steve Schulz, JD Berry, Dan Berry ,Steve Turay, Joel Templin, Dave Miller, Byron Ferguson, Peter Stecher,   and humbly, myself.   Why?  because the guys gave the gloves a fair chance, shot enough arrows to condition the gloves and get used to them....and the gloves work, plain and simple.


Hill was a simple but exacting person in approaching archery.  His glove reflects his preferences.

Domino's Buck

November arrived and my excitement for the coming whitetail rut was blunted somewhat when I smashed my left foot against the coffee table one night and badly fractured the forth toe.  The injury meant I would have a harder time safely climbing into tree stands and I resigned myself to hunt from the ground.  It was just another obstacle to overcome.

I awoke as usual early Veteran’s day morning, made some coffee, and prepared to venture out to enjoy a Holiday from work in the woods.  My hunting partner Brent and I were both Veterans and we had a tradition to hunt of this day of remembrance.  He arrived on time and we were enjoying a little coffee when a loud bawl came from the foyer.  My cat Domino can wine occasionally if she is lonely or bored, but this one was a little different.   After another series of howls we went over to check on her joined by my wife who was awakened by the racket.  Something was definitely not right with Domino as her head lay down and she was having trouble breathing, coughing up fluid occasionally.  We called the emergency vet and prepared to take her over when she moved to the hardwood and her bladder let go.  I knew this was not a good situation.  I placed her into the cat carrier and rushed her down the road but her howls and scratching noises stopped after the second light during the ten minute drive.  Rushing back to the carrier to get her I noticed my little girl was already gone.  She died within minutes and I spent the morning burying my beloved pet next to her male counterpart that left us a few years earlier.  She was the sweetest little lap kitty and daddy's little girl.  Now the house was quiet and empty and I was left to reflect on the transient nature and fragility of life.  I managed to muster up the will to hunt that bright and windy afternoon, but my mind and heavy heart were not really there.

 

The forecast the following Saturday was identical to Wednesday; bright, blustery, and cold.  In addition, it was now the opener of the junior firearms season and hunter orange was a requirement.  I knew my time in the woods this day would still be heavy with thoughts of life and death, and the loneliness left by the loss of our pet.  I figured my best shot at a deer was at dawns early light before they bedded down in a secure place out of the wind. 

 I chose to sit in a sharply angled wooded corner, bounded by a meadow to one side, and a steep short rise and a trail above on the other.   The wind was gusting from the trail downhill toward the field.  I was nestled against the 10 foot stump of a huge decaying poplar tree in the edge of the thick briers.  The trails were leading from the open main woods below, up into the thick corner and hedgerow I was at the entrance of.  The strong wind was making hearing difficult approaching animals difficult.  Two grey squirrels chased each other within five feet in back of my position, but I could not turn around and get a shot at them before they got nervous and left.  Settling back down I was focused on looking for movement to my front, when glancing back over my shoulder again I noticed a doe nosing in the wind not more than 15 yards away.  Dang! How did she get to the strip behind me without me spotting her?  She would have had to come from downhill in easy bow range before getting to where I saw her.  I should have been paying better attention. Now she was directly downwind though she had not spotted me.  She nervously stepped forward behind some brush and I positioned myself for a shot.  If she continued out again on the other side I would have an easy 15 yard shot.  The seconds ticked by, feeling like minutes, when I saw a distant deer bounding through the open meadow tail wagging.  The slick old girl winded me and had enough!  I had to laugh a little.

The wind kept blowing and terrain was shifting the wind 90 degrees back and forth making my ground position tough.  It was time to move somewhere else.  If I was to get another opportunity it wasn’t going to be here this morning.  My broken toe and I painfully hobbled up the rise onto the trail and skirted an overgrown meadow thickly choked with persimmon tree juveniles and briers.  The deer loved to bed in this area as it was virtually impenetrable and impossible to move through without noise. Slowly still hunting, I made my way up hill of the patch just inside of the wood line.  Suddenly I was startled when a doe exploded from about ten feet in front of me in a briar patch.  The wind allowed me to get very close before she had spotted me.  The does were around and I knew the bucks might be along shortly as well.  I set up my stool overlooking the edge of this bedding area on a little knob.  I was slightly uphill, but the wind would still gust slightly into the edge of the bedding area from time to time.  I was again beside a huge walnut tree trunk I hoped would obscure my silhouette.  I cleared any leaves around the base of the tree area so I could noiselessly adjust or shoot on either side of the tree if needed.  I sat down on my stool began to eat an apple and wait. 

The time was almost 10 am and I was a few bites away from the core of my apple when I saw the buck emerge from the thicket.  He nosed around a lone mature red oak for a few moments about 60 yards away as I dropped my apple to the dirt and slowly rose in shooting position.  I noticed his thick neck and impressive rack as I had hoped he would close to within comfortable shooting distance.  This was a really nice buck for the highly pressured area I was in.  There was a small window to shoot through as he skirted the edge of the bedding area and stopping every few steps to sniff the ground or lick an overhanging branch.  He stepped into my shooting window and stopped, seeming to look directly at me just for a moment.  I remained composed and he soon glanced back forward and immediately continued to move through in a direction that would eventually wind me.  I knew it was now or never as I smoothly drew back the slender elegant longbow and released the arrow all in one motion.  In my haste I short drew a bit, and the arrow struck higher and farther back then I would have liked.  The shaft was half out of the buck’s side and I immediately saw blood as he bolted forward through the brush.  He rumbled about 20 yards before disappearing in the persimmon thicket, but in that short time I saw red all down his side!  That was the only bright spot in an otherwise dismal shot.  Not confident of that hit, I eased out of the woods quietly and went back home for a nervous lunch.   The area was dense with coyote activity, and I had lost a good portion of a doe the previous month.  I did not want to wait too long before picking up the trail.  Calling my hunting partner Mike, he agreed to help me track the deer about two hours later.  I was contemplating the possibility of a follow up shot if we pushed the buck. 

The trailing job went quickly as the broken arrow was very near the site of the shot and good blood highlighted the deer’s departure route.  Mike continued to trail as I circled around the thicket in case the buck was pushed scanning the escape routes as I worked around the thicket.  That precaution however proved to be unneeded.  The buck lay down and succumbed just beyond where I had lost sight of him running only approximately fifty yards total from the arrow impact point.  The shot distance was paced off at approximately 25 yards slightly downhill.  The wounds confirmed my suspicion that the amount of blood seen instantly and the short blood trail was the result of a main artery hit.  Contemplating the shot scenario over again, I think that if I had been elevated in a tree stand I may not have recovered this animal based on the wound trajectory required.  I was lucky and I couldn't help but think a higher power may have played a hand in this message to me. Enjoy each moment of life, because you never know what each day will bring.  This accomplishment against much adversity was in honor of my sweet Domino. She was "just a cat", but she gave our family so much love. 

My Broken Toe Deer

Well after my radiology appointment and xray confirmation of a broken little toe, OUCH! I decided to not completely waste a sick day and headed out to the woods.  I walked very slow and sat a lot LOL.

I settled for a sit up high but the wind was not good.  At sunset I started down the hill.  The squirrels were going nuts with the rain coming. 

It was starting to drizzle and starting to get dark so I was moseying down the hill and stopping to listen after a few steps.  Going slow because of the toe but heading out.  As I reached the crest of a drop off I head footfalls coming up the hill toward me.  Here comes this spike….I had a good sized tree about 10 feet in front of me and he was heading directly for me.  I thought for a minute he may end up too  close and head on, but he took a right and stepped in the clear and stopped.  He had is left foot back to I tried to avoid it and shot all little farther back than I wanted….and lower than I wanted.  Watched him run with my arrow up to the fletch.  He went about 20 yards and stopped where I could not see behind 2 big trees.  The I saw a piece of a white tail and then nothing. 

So here it is getting dark, starting to rain…coyotes are howling all over the place.  Not sure about the hit really though I knew it was fatal at some point. 

I decided to text Mike and go immediately after it.  I went right toward where I saw it last going very slowly.  After a few steps I hear crashing far off in the laurel…..wrong decision I thought….dang!  Just jumped him?  Then as I eased out around the trees I see him bedded there with his tongue hanging out…

After a few more minutes I watched his head go down for good....10 minutes total and 20 yard run.

Nicked the bottom of the heart.

4th deer of the year so far with my Sunset Hill...Did I mention I love this bow!

Ace standard, Cedar Arrow, no camo, from the ground. 

Trophy to me!  Yum!

Coffee Table attack!