As the weather finally begins to turn cool and that early fall snap turns our minds to the outdoors, we start the never-ending process of getting our gear ready and fine-tuned.
My process is probably a bit longer than most, for two reasons: I have accumulated mountains of hunting clothes, arrows, bows, broadheads, ground blinds and other junk, and I am also one of the most disorganized people I’ve ever met.
As a problem arises in the field, the answer is normally found at home, either in a book, a magazine or on the trusty internet.
I finally put up a small fabric ground blind at my favorite hunting spot in late September, carrying my Martin Saber recurve bow and quiver of broadhead-tipped arrows. A field target nearby drew my attention and I needed the practice, so I confidently drew and quickly released an arrow at about 20 yards.
I didn’t hold steady for a second as I normally do and the arrow went low and right — smack. I watched a new G5 Montec broadhead bury itself in the wooden frame. Although I was impressed with the penetration, I wasn’t happy about wasting a $10 head. After briefly wiggling and tugging on the carbon shaft, I unscrewed it and went home to do some research.
My first thought was to turn an old, bent aluminum arrow into an arrow-pulling device, perhaps with a sliding weight. I quickly found a better answer on Trad Talk, one of my favorite traditional archery websites.
Buried among suggestions to dig the head out with a knife or leave it as a happy memory of the miss was something so simple that I almost winced. Screw down a No. 8 nut on the broadhead thread, then pull it out with a claw hammer. No, I haven’t tried it yet but I know it will work.
The nut will also protect the threads from damage. Genius.
I subscribe to many hunting and guns magazines, and get some special offers as an outdoors writer. Most modern bowhunting magazines focus on compound bows, and that’s just not my thing. I did renew Bowhunter magazine when they gave me a ridiculously cheap offer and was delighted to find the most recent issue had an article by legendary trick-shot artist and hunter Byron Ferguson.
I’ve met Byron and seen him shoot his handmade longbows, and he makes impossible shots look easy (he even appeared on Shooting USA TV show for years during an “Impossible Shots” segment as some of you may remember). He recommended arriving at your hunting area in early dawn (not dark) and still-hunting to your stand to avoid the crashing and crackling of brush that often occurs when walking in the dark with a flashlight.
In all my years of reading hunting articles, I don’t think I’ve ever heard this idea. It is brilliant.
My hunting library never stops growing (just ask my wife), and I recently added a few books from both online and local sources. After a stop at one of our favorite local diners, Little Fat Gretchen’s in downtown Waupaca, I persuaded my wife to duck into the bookstore next door (The Bookcellar) while she picked up some fresh produce at the farmers market. I discovered the hunting section of the store and hit the jackpot.
For $8, I took home Bowhunter magazine founder M.R. James’ book, “45 Unforgettable Bowhunters!” The hardcover gem has vignettes of legends like Chuck Adams, Myles Keller, Ted Nugent and Fred Bear, as well as infamous hunters like Noel Feather and even serial killer Bob Hansen, who when he wasn’t shooting record-class animals with his bow, was stalking and killing prostitutes in Alaska. What a strange and interesting collection of hunters, both good and bad.
One of my favorite book stores is Half Price Books in Appleton, and they offer online ordering from their 150 other stores, too. I recently discovered ThriftBooks online, and they offer free shipping on lower minimum orders.
Another unexpected book source is the Wisconsin Bowhunters Association headquarters in Clintonville. Although I had just ordered a copy of Ferguson’s “Become the Arrow” from ThriftBooks, the WBA office had an autographed copy of the same book for $14. Be sure to check out the amazing bowhunting museum there, featuring many Wisconsin-made broadheads and equipment, plus hundreds of historic bows and gear.
Be sure to pick up your copy of Bill McCrary’s “The History of Wisconsin Bowhunting” while visiting the museum. This little tome is chock full of how our nation’s bowhunting legacy began: right here, with a man named Roy Case and Wisconsin’s first bow season.
Your solution to all sorts of outdoors puzzles starts indoors. Get reading.
Ross Bielema is a freelance writer from New London and owner of Wolf River Concealed Carry LLC. Contact him at Ross@wolfriverccw.com.
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