Operation Idaho 2009

Current Status : Home, Safe, and buying steaks.

2009-09-25T10:30:00.003-04:00

Well, we're home, and we all survived, but we were shut out. We had a wonderful time, got into some elk a few times, but just weren't given the shot. We made a ton of bad mistakes (being our first times), but we learned from them very quick.

A bigger writeup will be coming soon to detail our hunt, rate our gear (Badlands Sucks!!!), and let everyone know some pretty good stories.

But, for now, catching up with life...

Current Status: New Meadows

2009-09-10T18:44:00.000-04:00

We are getting close!

Sent from my iPhone (so please excuse any spelling or grammar errors).

Current Status: Bravo and Delta teams green light

2009-09-09T14:55:00.001-04:00

Just wanted to say from Brad and Randy that we will see you when we get back!!!

Current Status: Alpha Team Green Light!

2009-09-08T14:34:00.001-04:00

Bows are checked, bag is checked and I'm killing an hour in Hartford.
11 hours to Boise.

Current Status: Counting Down

2009-09-03T08:10:00.003-04:00

One week from today, Brandon, Randy, and myself will all be in the great woods of Idaho.
Last night, I laid everything in the dining room of my house to start checking things off of a checklist of items I've created, when I realized:

This is a lot of stuff. This picture doesn't include my rig, my bag, and some odds and ends I need to pick up at Cabelas and Wal Mart, and it's still a crap load of stuff.

I can't freaking wait.

Current status: shooting very well

2009-08-31T13:23:00.001-04:00

I only shoot 2 arrows at a time, so it is only a 2 arrow group. But,
1" at 60 with broadheads just made my day! As brad and I were
discussing, I'd never shoot at an animal that far, but it's good
practice :0)

Testing mobile posting

2009-08-24T10:07:00.001-04:00

Let's see if this works. There should be a pic of my dog Trucker
covered in mud.

Current Status: 15 days

2009-08-24T09:58:00.001-04:00

OK, so I jumped the gun on posting "less than 2 weeks" on the title. But, it's close. I leave for Idaho in 15 days (Tuesday) and Brad and Randy will follow in 17 days (Thursday).

I'm probably not going to have much to say in the next two weeks, as I am extremely swamped with research/school work until we leave. Randy will have to take charge on the updates.

I'm also going to try to set up the "mobile" blogger setting, so we can update from our cell phones. Some of those remote, Idaho peaks get cell service, just because they are so high and open. We'll see what we can do...

Less than 3 weeks

2009-08-21T09:50:00.004-04:00

While Brandon is on vacation and Brad is well on hiatus I figured I will update everyone on my status.

So far since the announcement of my participation on this trip I have started my preparation. My biggest concern was getting back into shape for the rough and vigorous trip we are embarking on in less than 3 weeks. Well I have been working out nearly every day (as long as my work schedule permits it) I have lost just over 10 pounds. I have been hiking with brad, riding the stationary bike, doing the stair master (which is the devil), and hiking with my wife while on vacation. I have also been lifting especially my back and shoulders to carry that heavy pack.
My diet has been working well too. With only minor deviations ( I love fried clams) I have stayed true to it. I have also cut out all beer except one night at the "The Saw Doctor's" concert that I was at while on vacation. I am definitely feeling a lot better about getting into shape. Now I am not going to fool myself into thinking that I am not going to struggle and have the mountains kick my ass. However, I feel more confident that I can make the entire trip with out taking away from Brad and Brandon's hunt.

When it comes to my gear I cannot thank Brandon, Brad, and my father in-law Phil enough, for loaning me nearly all of my gear. I have a few odds and ends to pick up and still have to buy my food. However, to have spent as little as I have I feel very lucky (though i am now broke. If people want to send donations to my wife so she can pay the bills while i am away that would be appreciated) .

Finally, I have been reading and listening a lot about Idaho and Elk hunting. I have finished Cameron Hanes's book about back country hunting, which was a wealth of great information and have started reading another elk hunting book. Like I said when i first started I know exactly zip about hunting so in order not to ruin this trip for my two friends i have tried to understand everything from where we are going, to the rut, stalking, bugling, and back country hunting (like my new hunting lingo?). I also ask a lot of questions and listen a lot to Brad and Brandon and try to pick up anything I can.

Well with less 3 weeks to go I/we still have a lot of preparing to do, but I feel a lot better then when I startedpreparing for this trip. I can't wait to be in Idaho and away from civilization (namely my work THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE my wife in case she reads this)... Breathing in fresh air and doing something that i never would have even thought of attempting and being with 2 really great friends!

Current status: hiking poles?

2009-08-13T10:16:00.003-04:00

I have been spending a bit of time on a hunting forum geared specifically to backcountry hunting in the West. Almost all of those guys carry hiking poles (or trekking poles) when they hunt the backcountry, if not for every day use, then for packing out big loads of meat. So, into the world of hiking poles I go...

I borrowed a pair from a friend that hikes last week, and my first experience wasn't great--I fell and bent a pole. Ugh! I gave them another shot yesterday, as I made a 6 mile hike around West Rock Park here in CT. I was carrying about a 60lb pack and took 2.5hrs to make the loop.

Somewhere in the middle of the hike, I realized the poles had fell into a rhythm with me, and I wasn't even thinking of them any more. Besides transferring some of the weight of the pack onto my arms, especially when going up hill, they also saved my knees some on the down hills. One of the biggest energy saving aspects I noticed was that when I did stumble, I could easily catch myself with the poles, rather than abruptly come down on a leg at an odd angle. It's hard to explain, but stumbling for balance takes away energy something like when a boxer fails to land a punch--somehow missing drains you more than hitting. The poles kept me from tripping up on my size 13s all morning.

The downside is they are either heavy or expensive, and maybe both. I found a pair at walmart for $12, but they probably weigh 1.5lbs/pair. REI sales plenty that weight under 1.0lb/pair, but they also cost $75-200! Thankfully I have the borrowed poles, which weight about 19oz/pair.

I've done a lot of tinkering and playing with gear to shave every ounce, and I'm not sure taking a 20oz set of poles is what I want to do. The other problem, of course, is that your hands are not free to carry or do much else. If I use them, they'd be mostly for the "hiking" portion of the trip (eg, getting there, moving to new places, and packing out game). They telescope down to about 2' long, so they can be stored in the pack while hunting, so my hands are free to carry a bow.

For now, I'm 50:50 on the poles. I'm going to keep using them to see if I really like them. I do, after all, have a whole 4 weeks until the hunt (*giggle, giggle*)

Current Status: Emotional roller coaster

2009-08-11T14:40:00.003-04:00

Ok, so maybe "emotional roller coaster" is a bit of an exaggeration. But, I was about this ]------[ close to posting about being mad at Eastman's service in their online store. I ordered their Two Elk Book Special for $25 9 DAYS AGO. I've been watching the mail, and curiosity finally overtook me, so I called. It still wasn't shipped, and they didn't know when it would ship (maybe tomorrow, if they could find the books today). Hmmm...

I'm leaving for Canada on Saturday and will be vacationing on my girlfriend's family's island (yeah, island)for the week. No elk in Algonquin Park, but plenty of deer, moose, bear and wolves. And, at least next week, there should be one Idahoan lounging by the water reading a couple of Eastman's elk hunting books.

The first woman said she could 2 day air my books for an extra $20, so that I could get them before I leave on Saturday. No thanks, I'll wait. Then I got mad! This is their fault, and getting the book at the end of August won't leave enough time for all 3 of us to look over the books for last minute bits of info!

I called and told a different woman I wanted to cancel the order because they're too slow and I'm not paying ridiculous shipping charges. She immediately said she'll go find the books and ship them 2nd day air at no cost. (Lesson learned: whining pays off).

That offer should have been there in the first place, but at least it came around in the end. The website says products are shipped within 4 days--not 10.

OK. I vented. I'm feeling better. Eastman's has some great stuff, so be sure to check them out. But, also stay on top of it, if you have to.

Current status: How not to pack

2009-08-11T07:53:00.004-04:00

There's this basic rule for loading your backpack: keep the heavy stuff mid- to high on your back, and close to your body (not at the bottom and away from your body). I've always done this correctly with a heavy pack, thus never experienced the effects of a poorly packed pack. Until yesterday.

I wanted to log some miles yesterday, so I threw two 25lb dumbbells into my pack and off I went with an 84 pound pack. I've been packing 70+ pounds all spring, but yesterday I just felt terrible. I made it a mile and had to stop, and decided to go back. Reflecting on why I felt so terrible and couldn't push on (maybe it's the heat? maybe the lunch I just ate? maybe the prednisone pills for the poison ivy?), I finally thought maybe it really does matter that the weight be positioned well.

I stopped and pulled the 2 25 pound dumbbells out from the bottom of the pack. I threw all the other clothing and other stuff into the bottom of the backpack and sat the weights on top of everything. I used the pack's compression straps to make sure they all stayed in place, and took off down the trail again.

It really, really made a difference! With the weight low and away from my body, the bag felt like it was pulling me backwards and put more pressure on my shoulders. With the weight high and close, the weight settled down the length of my back and onto my hips better, and I immediately gained back balance and comfort.

Current status: Killing time

2009-08-09T13:28:00.001-04:00

I'm watching spiders right now, and have a few minutes to kill every half hour. So, I am looking at backpacking tips. I thought this guy's video and blog had some interesting and useful stuff. Check out the actual blog page with this video to see other people's comments and suggestions.

I'm totally stealing packets from fast food restaurants.

Current Status: Whitetail Fever

2009-08-06T09:34:00.005-04:00

Yeah, yeah. I know. This blog is about an ELK hunt, but I just couldn't help but to switch gears yesterday evening when this guy poked his monster head out of the thick stuff, and teased me with visions of antlers headed in every direction on my wall. This big bastard had my heart going a hundred miles a minute, and while he was probably 800 yards away (the picture is through my scope), I felt exactly the same as I did when last years buck was under my tree stand.
Lately, I've been glassing a group of deer near where I've been hiking to prepare for Idaho.
Well, last night was no different, as Randy and I hiked up to the top of the ridge where I've been seing all of the mature bucks. On the ridge, the deer had no idea they were being watched, but in my own mind, I was already formulating a plan of attack on these guys come late September when we get back from Idaho. I watched them feed for about an hour, noted where they were coming from, where they were headed (public land, no less) and where they all took off to when they got spooked by something.
Like everyone says - to get the big game, you have to go where nobody else is willing to go, or depend on dumb luck. Well, this couldn't be more accurate with regards to these deer. They're basically unaccesible. I will have to probably take a full day to hike in, spend the night, and set up the following day. They're surrounded by some of the tallest thorn bushes and thickets you've ever seen, and apparently, nobody ever gets down there. Well, I'm getting down there, and Brandon is coming with me.
We glassed about 6 mature bucks (all over 8 points) and a few does for quite some time. But, I believe the above guy is the king of the hill. He chased a smaller (relative) buck away from where he was eating, and all of them kept looking at him to see what he was doing. Not only that, but the does stuck pretty close by to where this guy was eating. Watching him scrape those antlers on small thicket trees and mountain laurel was a thing of beauty.
I sent this picture to a guy I work with who scores his deer regulary (because, as I've always suggested, he's growing them in his yard), just for shits and giggles, and he informed me that, at minimum, he's about 175" as a guess, which if taken, would put someone right into the Connecticut Record books for deer taken with a bow. He begged me to tell him where these deer are, to which I have told him that he has a better chance of solving the Kennedy Assasination than he does getting that from me.
I'm going to give it one hell of a shot. I realize that I have a great opportunity to hunt Water Company Land this winter (quantity over quality I guess), but I'm going to put my hours on these guys as well.
I've been informed that I'm not allowed to hang a mount in my livingroom of my house, but if by the grace of God this guy hits the ground, he's going right on the wall!
I know some of you may look at this guy as just an average deer, but as Brandon will tell you, Connecticut is not known for their big deer. In fact, Connecticut is not known for anything hunting related, so this is a rare guy indeed.
Hopefully, you'll all forgive me for going off the topic of this blog just this once, as I'm sure you all understand!
On another note, Randy has proven himself a really good eye with regards to spotting animals. Granted these guys kind of stand out in the greenery, but he even saw the small ones laying in the grass and mostly hidden. I was quite impressed with his ability to pick up variations in color and focus in on what it was so quickly. That will be a valuable asset to have when we're all sitting on a ridge top glassing for elk 5 weeks from now.

Current status: Gimme Shelter

2009-08-04T21:15:00.003-04:00

Anyone following Brad and my progress may recall the Trekker Bivy Tents that we had planned to use for our trip. They are pretty great tents, when you compare features to price, but I wanted something more...

For one, hauling my >6'1" body into that narrow bivy tent wasn't the easiest ordeal. In fact, when trying it one night I got caught up in the guy line and ripped part of the tent awning. I fixed it with some heavy fabric, but realized it wasn't going to suit me well. When Randy joined the mix, I gave him the bivy tent (which is still completely water-tight, although cosmetically blemmed) and ordered myself a new tent. I wanted to go with a TarpTent, as they are incredibly lightweight. However, I found a deal on a MSR Hubba for about 50% off, and went with it. I got it from Alssports.com, though I'm not sure if they have any more in stock. And, it arrived today.

The tent assembles as quickly as the bivy tent (aka: quick!). It is double walled, which reduces the issue of condensation. It does weigh about 14oz more than the bivy tent, but still comes in at just over 3lbs. One of the subtlest yet best perks is that I can actually sit up in the MSR tent. The tent is tall enough that if I sit up in my bed, my head doesn't rub against the tent--awesome!

For as much as I can review a tent in my living room, I give it a thumbs up. And, since I paid about half-off, I really can't complain. MSR also has some lighter and similar options worth checking out if you are interested in a backpacking tent.

Current status: Bargain Hunter Vol. 2

2009-08-01T13:07:00.005-04:00

I became an REI member about 2 months ago while buying gear to prepare for this trip. It's $20 and is good for life. While you don't get discounts directly, you get some coupons and an annual rebate for purchases. You also get to take part in the "Member's Only Garage Sales."
This morning was my first Garage Sale. I decided to get up early and try to beat the rush, assuming people would pile in right before the 9am opening. When I arrived at 7:45am the line was about 100-deep! Fortunately, I noticed an old friend around the #20 spot and slipped into line with him.
There were great deals on sleeping bags and backpacks (like $300 packs for $100) and stoves (MSR Dragonfly's for $30). Being content with my current gear, I looked elsewhere, mostly at shoes/boots. I scored a pair of shoes and hiking boots for me and for my girlfriend. I also got a boot dryer for $5, a compression sack and 100% Merino Wool sweater for $10.

My best score was pure luck. After browsing for about an hour and getting ready to leave, I saw a young woman with a Thermarest NeoAir in her bag. I mentioned to her how lucky she was and that I had hoped to find one, and parted ways. Five minutes later, she comes up and says they changed their mind and gave it to me! Turns out she's a fellow Yale PhD student who knows my old roommate and her boyfriend is from Spokane, WA, just an hour from where I went to college! Anyway, the NeoAir is amazing! I've been wanting to get it all spring, but couldn't spend $140 on a sleeping pad when I can get one for $40. But, for $50--well, I can do $50! Notice how much smaller the NeoAir is in the above photo. It's about the size of a Nalgene bottle (pictured) or 20oz coke bottle--way smaller than the Z-lite pad I was planning to use. Also, it's about the same weight (11oz I think) and considerably thicker--a full 2" thick! Very comfy!

The mornings totals:
Women's Hi-Tec boots reg $60, paid $20 (new)
Women's Teva shoes reg $100, paid $20 (new)
Men's Keen boots reg $125, paid $20 (new)
Men's Merrell shoes reg $100, paid $10 (returned)
NeoAir sleeping pad reg $140, paid $50
Compression sack reg $25, paid $5
Merino wool sweater reg $50, paid $10
Electric Boot dryer reg $50, paid $5

That's >$650 in gear for ~$150. Simply stunning!

In conclusion, if you have an REI nearby, it is well worth the $20 membership fee to have access to the Garage sale. They have them 2 or 3 times a year, and I promise I won't miss the next one!

Current status: Bargain Hunter

2009-07-29T17:51:00.003-04:00

Inconveniently located almost exactly half way between my home and the forest I work in is the East Hartford Cabela's. I just can't drive by without stopping--it's like a black hole. I can't escape.

The Bargain Cave and clearance racks are my best friends. I did well today:

1) Bino cover (reg $15, 50% off)
2) Range finder case (reg $15, 50% off)
3) Two Thermarest stuff sacks (reg $27, I paid $14)
4) Two WindTracker dispensers (reg $18, $3.88)

Total regular price: ~$75
I paid: ~$33

Umm, sweet.

Current status: Spotted

2009-07-29T07:18:00.002-04:00

When we first started planning this trip, at some point Brad told me about the SPOT transmitter and I thought to myself, "that sounds like a waste of money and not something big, tough westerners like me need. I don't get lost, after all!" [insert macho grunts and what-not]

Eventually I looked into the features and what it could do, and I started to get interested--I am a bit of a gear nut, you know! The SPOT has 4 basic functions: 1) send an "I'm OK" message, 2) send a "Hey buddies, I need a hand" message, 3) send a 911 distress message, and 4) track your progress and view your trip on Google maps (see picture above).

The first 2 messages ("ok" and "help") are customizable, so you can customize them (there is a word limit) and you can program who get's them (either via text message or e-mail). Thus, you're help message could be anything from "Dad come help us pack out this elk" to "Randy got attacked by a bobcat, but looks to be good enough to keep going." In addition to the message, you Lat/Lon coordinates are sent off with each message. The receiver can then see your exact location on a Google map.

While I am still hoping that the $150 spot and $150 annual membership (including tracking) were a waste of money and we'll never have to use the 911 function, it is nice to know we aren't completely alone out there. Average response time is 11-minutes--so assuming they'd send a helicopter from Boise, we could have help well-within 1 hour (maybe 30-minutes!).

The real utility of the SPOT isn't for Me, Brad or Randy at all. It's for our parents, wives and girlfriends. [I mean girlfriend. Just in case the girls read this, let's be clear Brad and Randy don't have girlfriends and I only have one. And we love them very much.] Anyway, rather than having our love ones spend 9 nights falling to sleep wondering if we are OK, we can now put them at ease every evening by pushing the "OK" button. They'll get text messages and emails confirming that we are alive and well.

The tracking feature is an extra $50, so if you aren't interested in it you can get an annual membership for $100. But, there is a rebate deal going for another week that makes the tracking free. So, I got it. Based on yesterday's experiment, it isn't perfect, but should work well enough. Every 10 minutes, the SPOT attempts to send a track message to your account. I read online that someone found it was about 50% successful--so it's more like 1 message every 20 minutes on average. On the map, I live in the SW corner by the (63) and (243) markers. The SPOT did not record a location when I started it up there. I drove around the boundary of West Rock Park to the NW corner where you see the "6" label. I was there for a while, letting Trucker swim, but it only recorded the 1 point. I left there and realized I was driving by drummer Tim's house (where we shoot). I had my bow so I stopped and shot at his place for a while (Label "5", and "4" and "3" are below it). Points #2 and #1 were from inside my car: #2 while driving to school and #1 while parked there.

Since I was using a car for transportation, the points are much more spread out. But, despite not sending a message every 10-minutes, the SPOT did track my progress yesterday afternoon. I'll play with it more in the coming weeks, and hopefully have more to say later.

Current status: Aiming low (as usual)

2009-07-27T20:47:00.002-04:00

This is for Brad and the other archers that may read it. Randy, you probably want to just move along...

I think the new ARC and other angle-compensating rangefinders are way cool. That's why I bought one (you know, the one that was in my Jeep when it was stolen?!?!). But, Brad and I have been talking about them a lot and wondering if they are worth the extra money?

For rifle-hunters in steep country and taking long shots, there is no doubt that having a rangefinder with a built-in inclinometer is a huge asset. But, over bow ranges, how useful is it?

The above illustration includes some calculations I did using good ol' geometry. If you come over a rise and see a big buck or bull below, at what steepness or distance does the angle really matter? Since my bow shoots 0 to +30 with one pin, I did my analysis at a "rangefinder distance" of 40 yards. That is: the rangefinder says the bull is 40 yards away along the hypotenuse of the triangle. So, where do you shoot?

From 90 degrees (ie, flat land) to about 60 degrees, the effect is just a few yards and really wouldn't influence MY shot (slower bows beware). At a 50 degree angle, I need to shoot for 30 yards. At a 30 degree angle, the "true" horizontal distance is HALF the "rangefinder distance!"

The question that remains is, "will we really encounter 30 degree shots at 40 yards?" Generally it is considered best to approach a bull from the same level (not above or below) when calling him in. So, hopefully the inclination isn't an issue. But, we'll certainly be on slopes that are 30 degree-steep so those shots may present themselves. The real issue is whether or not we can keep our cool enough to think, "my rangefinder says he's at 40, but it's steep, so I should shoot for 25."

Current status: Busy/productive weekend

2009-07-27T15:46:00.003-04:00

It was a busy, busy weekend. Friday at 1pm Brad's and my band played at the 99.1FM WPLR Buried at the Beach event. Randy came out, along with a bunch of our other friends (and a whole lot of strangers). It was a good time, and good practice for the show the band had later that night. Three hours of Skynyrd, Bon Jovi, CCR, and others shut down the bar and we made it to bed around 2am.

Brad and I met up Saturday to shoot some arrows at our drummer's house (he has a great yard). We had to make sure we were dialed in for Sunday: The Regional Water Authority where Brad works is having a very-controlled whitetail hunt on some of its property in November, and Sunday was "qualification day" to prove we could hit a whitetail at 20yards. We can.

Randy tagged along for the shoot at 9am, and we all went gear shopping/browsing at Cabela's and REI. Exciting purchases included a bargain cave face mask (1/2 off) and a bargain cave tripod (regular $60, priced for $18), and a SteriPen water treatment set.

Heeding the advice in this month's issue of EBJ, we poured everything into my living room floor and went through all of our stuff with a gear checklist. Randy's assembled more gear than the average man can carry by mooching off me, Brad, and his father-in-law. He needs a fanny pack and some base layers and he's basically set. Brad and I are also just about done. It's a great feeling.

I also just talked to Mom and she said "make a list" and she'll pick up any grocery's or items we need and don't want to ship. If she'd made that offer 6 months ago, number one would have been "1. Bowtech 82nd Airborn." Oh well, Cliff Bars it is.

Blisters

2009-07-24T11:39:00.003-04:00

So I have been working hard trying to get into shape for this trip. I have been riding the bike very hard with a lot of resistance, lifting, dieting, and hiked for the first time yesterday. While I have been doing well I am still a long way off from where I need to be. Brad and I hiked in the hills near Meridan, CT. The terrain was very wet with some slopes. I love my boots. (The same as Brad's) I had no problems with traction and ankles rolling and no water in my boots. They were comfortable and worked extremely well. However, I was not wearing proper socks. (They haven't come yet.) Boy, do I have blisters on both my heels today. Brad, let me borrow a pair of smart wools and liners, hopefully this will cut down on the blisters in the future.

Today I should be getting my binoculars and compass from my father in-law who has already loaned me my pack, water bladder, and possibly sleeping bag. Once I get them I'll let you know!

Current Status: Hydrated

2009-07-21T15:03:00.004-04:00

Pictured above is a sweet find on my part. The small cube is a 4" by 4" puncture proof (with reason), completely collapsable, leak proof, lighweight poly container that holds exactly 1.2 L of water.

It's meant to collect toxic samples or sludge samples and the like from environmental sites to be brought to my laboratory.

Inside this small cube is a liter of raw water taken from a small stream that feeds Lake Saltonstall in Branford, CT. Raw, it is chock full of things you don't want to drink, but treated in this small container, it becomes a liter of water with no taste, and containing none of the things that could make you sick.

So, anyhow back to the point of this: I took a liter of water from the creek, treated it with 2 tablets of Potable Aqua (one of the water purification kits I ordered)as suggested by both Cameron Hanes and the company itself. I let dissolve completely, and drank it. No bad taste (not terrible anyhow), and no medicinal aftertaste either. I've drank two of these today (I collected 3), and not the slightest sign of feeling bad. Under normal circumstances, this much water from this collection site would make me sick - I know, I work here. I had the microbiologist at work test the water for me, but no results just yet. I'll post more when I get them.

I'm happy with the cube and the results. So much so, that once I test it on some really bad water ( I saw guys online drinking water from a drainage pond in a cow field - I'm not going that far), I'll be implementing this system.

In regards to the cube, they each weigh about 1.5oz, and are nearly indestructable. Once I filled it up, I took a 35lb dumbmell from the gym at work and sat it on top of it. The lid held, and not only did it hold, it didn't even leak a drop of water. They're much smaller and more durable than the average bottle of water that we could all carry, and to boot, they were free, which is something we're all on board with.

I figure that if each of us were to fill out bladders on our packs (120oz), and carry one of these as emergency supply, that would give each of us 4L of water between fill ups.
With so much worry about where and when we'll come across some water, this should help. I'll also be carrying two in my pack, so if times are rough, I can fill up both.
I realize it'll add weight, but on the other hand, it's good to drink enough water, so it will get lighter and lighter as the day goes on. Also, the smaller opening in the top of the cube, in combination with the shallow depth of it allows for me to make a conical filter from a flat disc filter to keep sediment from entering the cube. It's always nice to not drink gritty water if possible.

Hello!

2009-07-21T09:34:00.003-04:00

Hi guys! I am so excited to be on this amazing trip to Idaho with 2 great guys! I'd also like to thank brad for the very nice introduction. So why am I going to Idaho? I don't hunt and really have no desire to. One thing about me is I like to learn new things that I know little to nothing about. So backpacking, hunting, and Idaho I know little to nothing about, so why not try the challenge.

What are my goals for this trip? Obviously brad and brandon want to come back with elk...and sure for me that would be great too. However, my number 1 goal is to come back safe and healthy (safety is very important to me) 2. Help the guys with whatever they need to get their elk that they have worked so hard preparing for over the last few months. 3. Learning a little something about myself. I'm at the stage of my life where I am going to be challenged a great deal both personally and professionally. I want to take this crazy challenge of backpacking and hunting in Idaho and hopefully gain confidence in myself that I can bring back to Connecticut.

Right now the biggest challenge for is getting into shape. While Brad did say he wasn't worried about me being in shape enough to do this, I am worried a little (I knew you were checking me out the other night) I've already started working out slowly and I am going on a diet to shed the extra pounds. I will of course be hiking like crazy as well. The biggest part of my diet changes is going to be (and it may kill me) no more Beer! I hate to do this because i will miss my Sam Adams Summer Ale but i think it is a must.

I will soon post the particulars of my gear! Thanks!

Current status: Spammed

2009-07-21T00:22:00.002-04:00

I only like Spam one way: fried with melted cheese on toast. And, I especially don't like it on my blog. We've been getting hit with weird, random posts so I turned on a security feature requiring you to type in an authorization word. Sorry for the inconvenience, but Rosey and Flores and their panda bags (or whatever) were getting on my nerves.

Current Status: Booted Up!

2009-07-20T16:07:00.002-04:00

Well, it's done. I didn't go with the Danner Pronghorn or the Northface boot that I liked so much. No, instead I went with a Cabelas boot.
I went to Cabelas in East Hartford with Randy on Saturday morning to do some boot (amongst other stuff) shopping.
Well, right there in the Bargain Cave were two pairs of Cabelas Mountain Hunters in size 10.5 and 11. It's as if the manager of Cabelas knew that I was piss broke, and desperately needed a good boot to stomp through the mountains in in a few weeks because they couldn't have been more perfect. My boot size is an 11. Randy's boot size is a 10.5 - imagine that? Only two pairs and they were right for the two guys who needed them the most? Well, needless to say that being in the bargain cave doesn't always mean "bargain" (what did we do before 300$ coveralls??), but these boots came to a grand total of 113$ - that's nearly a hundred bucks off retail price. I snatched them up, tried them on, and took them home. I haven't had the chance to get them into the woods yet, but it's coming. It's supposed open up here in Connecticut tonight, so I'm going to get them out in the water tonight if I can. I walked around in them all day yesterday, and while it was really hot, they're very comfortable. I figure to have miles and miles on them before I really need them to stand up to any and all elements, but for now, they're serving as my daily hikers and walkers/work around my house boots.

On Friday I sent Brandon an email saying that I would like to get this boot, but the price was too steep as it stood now, and was leaning towards the Pronghorn, which was on sale at the time. The funny thing is that I stressed about the price of boots for weeks now, and wouldn't you know the first time I actually get there to do some boot shopping, I find them at this price.

Needless to say, both Randy and I are pretty excited about this, my final (and his first) real purchase for the trip. Bring it on, rough terrain.
Next up: State Of Idaho Archery Hunting License and 1 Elk tag (maybe a deer too).

Current Status: Buddy Program

2009-07-20T10:20:00.006-04:00

So, after countless months and seemingly endlss hours of preperation and conditioning, we here at Operation Idaho (ie - Brandon and I), have come to the point that we've some real news to announce. We've added a third party to our little adventure into the great Wild West.

Our very good friend, Randy Brown, will be tagging along with us. Randy is going to join us on our trip as a non-hunter (a fisherman if the opportunity presents itself), but will be taking pictures, video, and no less important, allowing us to split up the weight of some stuff since he won't be weighed down with bows and other hunting gear. Besides being my fishing partner (or is it termed "apprentice"?), he is an avid outdoorsman and loves to get out into the woods whenever possible. He often helps me set up my treestands, set up cameras, drag out deer, cut up deer, and just loves to be away from it all.

One of my great memories of my friendship with Randy was that he helped me skin out and gut a small deer in Northeast CT. Having never even seen a dead deer, he didn't hesitate in the slightest to reach his hands into the stomach and pull out the inners of the deer and stand there with blood dripping off his elbows like it was something he had done a hundred times. He then grabbed a knife, and worked on the one side of the hanging animal as I did the other side. He carefully mirrored my cuts and actions until the only thing left hanging was a saddle. He was attentive, gave little thought to the fact that the animal was gut shot (not by me), and not long after that all we had was a saddle hanging from a tree. It was then I knew that Randy was a weird kind of guy who loved everything about hunting, except the idea of him making the kill. It's the kind of guy he is: he isn't against hunting, he just chooses that it's not his thing, and I respect that so much more than the average non-hunter who passes his own opinion (normally very badly and filled with fake facts).

Randy lives in New Haven with his beautiful wife Amanda and works as a Family Care Coordinator for the town of West Haven. Basically, he does great things for families that can't afford to do themselves - like helping with clothes and food for children, Christmas toys, job searching for the parents, and on and on and on...
Basically, he's a great guy who would give you his last penny if you needed it. If anyone deserves a nice week-long trip away from the problems of everyday life, a cell phone, and the demands of a jon like his, it's Randy, and we're happy to have him along.

Randy is pretty good shape, so we don't really worry about him from that standpoint, and between Brandon and Myself (and a few other people), we've gotten him all the gear that he needs for the trek. His Father in Law is getting him a bivy tent and sleeping bag (along with a second hand backpack), I've given him a base layer, a warm camo layer, a jacket, a face mask, wool socks, and other misc stuff.

We're very excited to have Randy coming with us. It will afford us the opportunity to share a little of the load, while having a wonderful guy tag along and enjoy all the great outdoors have to offer. Hopefully with Randy with us, we'll be able to prop him up in some bushes and take a few great videos of the wonderful Idaho landscape, and if we're lucky, some of the wildlife being fully chest-vented.

Of course, Randy has a long 2 months ahead of him preparing and getting the rest of the smaller gear he needs, and of course, doing some serious hiking work between now and then, but he's aware of what he needs to do to be ready.

Current status: I wanna be a cowboy, baby

2009-07-20T08:09:00.002-04:00

WANTED: A cowboy and his pack team to carry out the fruits of our labor.

We've narrowed our search for the Operation Idaho playing field down to two spots. Both are nestled in the Rapid River area at the base of the Seven Devils in GMU 23. Now, the question is how to get in there--and back.

As planned, packing everything in and out on our backs, we'll be headed to a series of east-west drainages with timbered north-facing slopes. It's a 3-5 mile pack from the nearest road.

But, if we had horses, mules, or some other critter with a strong back and surer footing than we...

We'd really like to target an area 7-12 miles back into the Hells Canyon wilderness area. It just looks good and remote! Unfortunately, we have no reports of hunting the area as we don't know anyone that has ever hunted there...which makes it that much more appealing.

Please pass on the word that we're looking for help. If successful, we'd need to pack out September 19,20,21--somewhere in there. We're poor as dirt, but we ain't stupid--we'll scrap together cash to save our backs the permanent damage.

Current status: I eBay

2009-07-18T11:57:00.007-04:00

With the exception of a couple of odds and ends, Brad and I are wrapping up our equipment purchases for Operation Idaho. For me, one of the coolest parts of this whole process has been demonstrating that--with sufficient planning and preparation--a couple of guys that don't have a lot of expendable money can still put together a DIY hunt out west. We started looking for equipment months and months ago, buying used gear, or gear on clearance or sales, and waiting for good deals rather than just paying sticker price. I think we've done well. If I get ambitious I may calculate how much I spent versus how much MSRP is to see just how well I've done.

Some of the great bargain shopping places we've used are online (though, we've bought a bit from Cabela's Bargain Cave in East Hartford too). If you're looking for online places, check the free classifieds on ARCHERYTALK.COM or CRAIGSLIST.COM, and--of course--eBay.

I've used eBay A LOT, both to buy and sell. This has been a great strategy for me this year: selling gear I don't use any more, or don't REALLY need (which, I had a TON of) and building a big positive balance on my PayPal account. That put me in a position to spend money without affecting my personal finances. I basically ear-marked that PayPal money for Operation Idaho purchases, so that even when I had no money in my wallet, I could still snag a great deal I saw on eBay. For example, last week I looked on eBay and saw a guy selling 125g Montecs for $25 a pack and free shipping, I jumped on it. That would have been $75 (including tax) at Cabela's in East Hartford, and I got it for $50. The best part: it essentially cost me nothing because the week before I sold some old camo, some fishing reels, and a few other items I didn't really need and made $300. The same happened with my arrows ($90 instead of $140), Blazer Vanes ($12 per 100 instead of $10 for 36), a book ($17 instead of $27), a tent ($55 instead of $140), and the list goes on and on and on...

Current Status: Testing My Belly.

2009-07-17T08:29:00.006-04:00

So, since the fact remains that both Brandon and myself will be on the go for most of the time on our trip, and food will be at a minimum, I've decided that it's time I practice not eating whenever and whatever I want to.

The workout programs have been going pretty darn good. I've lost about 11 pounds in the last few months, and last night I did 4 miles on my local high school track in just a little over 30 minutes. Not that I think that's getting along at a good clip, but I do think that my anaerobic system is rounding into shape pretty good. A couple years ago, I spent a few weeks in Colorado, and I can definitely remember it being a little more difficult to get going when running there because of the altitude, so I'd like to quell that as much as possible.

But, back to the belly thing: Starting Saturday, I'm going to go a week eating just what I would likely be eating in Idaho. I'm going to try to have a cup of soup (ramen-ish) stuff in the morning sometime, then later in the day (or evening), I'll eat one of the Mountain House meals for two. During the day, I'll snack on crackers or powerbars, or some other form of snack that I'll have available to me in Idaho as well if I'm hungry.
Also, I'm going to try to accustom myself to the horrible taste of Iodine a little more. I first tried it with tapwater (which is what I'll use this week as well), but last night, I pulled a liter of stream water from near where I hike, and tried that as well. Big surprise: not a lot of difference - both taste the same, and are disgusting. I took the stream water, let it settle for a while, then poured off the top and dropped in the iodine and a centrum mulit-vitamin (to cover the vitamins I'm missing). I will also be testing out a few different water set-ups this coming week. Since Brandon and I decided that filtration system I got from my lab at work was too bulky and slow to be considered an option, I'm going to try Iodine purification with Coghlan's Neutralizer to help eliminate the taste, and I'm also going to give a shot to the Emergency Military Water Tablets as wellas well; the military tablets have excellent reviews from both militay personell and bivy hunters as well available online, and for 10$ per, I figured I'd give it a shot. Hopefully, I don't get sick, as I'm going to really try it out on some nasty water in the hopes that all is well. But, that being said, if I'm going to get really sick, I'd rather it be right here where, you know, I'm down the street from a doctor and not thousands of feet in the air and miles back into the wilderness.

Of course, the possibility does exist that between 5 tags, there may be something more enjoyable to eat quartered out around camp!!

Current status: Flying high Again

2009-07-15T15:14:00.004-04:00

99% of the time Travelocity e-mails me with a "Hot Deal," it is either irrelevant to my plans or passed before I clicked "BUY!" Not today. When $198 round-trip from Hartford, CT to Boise, ID popped up in my Gmail account, I was skeptical. Surely it would be for a random day in August? November? Certainly not September. I was dumb-struck when the available dates included the exact days I wanted to fly in and out of Idaho. Perfect. $200 can't be beat!

So, it's on. I fly into Idaho a day and a half before Brad. I can see the family, check the bows, assemble the gear, and steal my Dad's truck. September 10th I get Brad from the airport and we head off to the great unknown until the 19th or 20th. We'll have a day or so in Twin Falls to decompress, shower, and--hopefully--butcher and freeze some meat before Brad leaves on 21 September.

I'm so excited I can almost taste it!

Current Status: Coming back home..

2009-07-13T09:09:00.004-04:00

Okay, I fully admit that I'm a little bit indecisive when it comes to archery stuff. I haven't been doing it very long at all, and some of the gadgets still catch my attention. For example, how great of an idea is it to just have one fully adjustable pin instead of a housing full of them? Well, the answer is, like Brandon suggested, a great one if you have the time and luxury to actually adjust the sight before the shot.
So, I'm coming home. I traded the HHA I had purchased for a Toxonix multi-pin with the dovetail mount. The problem with the Toxonics was that the dovetail mount would not work with my one-piece Octane quiver. So, in a weeks worth of research and talking to guys about sigts, I've come home to the Hogg once again.
I picked up the Wrapped Spott Hogg Real Deal.
The Real Deal is essentially the same sight as I had before with a little bit smaller large guard than the Hoggit. I've yet to shoot it, but I'll get it sighted in ASAP and get back to work getting comfortable with it.
Also, I took the liberty to buy 5 new pins for it- part of the issue with me and this sight is the closeness of the pins on my bow. So, to help remedy this problem, I am going to sight in at 20 and 40 (creating a bigger space between pins), and replace all the .019 pins with smaller .010 pins from Spot Hogg.
With Spot Hogg's sights, I'm fully capable of sighting in now with the larger pins, then just switching the pins out and already be set up (as Brandon displayed earlier).
Anyhow, things are freaking set, and I'm not changing shit.
I've set up a dozen brand new Easton FMJ's with 125g Muzzy heads and blazer vanes (they look damn sharp), the Hogg sight, the QAD rest and a Fuse stabilizer all attached to my 101st. I'm done fiddling with the bow for now.
Without a doubt, next up is my boot purchase. I will try to get that done this week, but it depends on my tag purchase this week if I'll have the cash to do so or not.
Also, make sure to check back this week for a possible announcement on our trip!

Current status: Staying dry

2009-07-10T19:27:00.003-04:00

I just got back from one of my study sites in northeastern Vermont. The weatherman lied again, and it wasn't the nice, sunny weather he predicted. Instead, it was cloudy and rainy, and the tall grass in the fields was wet, the trails muddy, and the streams raging. Perfect time to test my rain gear.

I have a Rivers West Outlaw Jacket and Cabela's Space Rain pants. Of course, I was wearing the Meindl boots, which needed to be tested in the rain too.

Long story short: I stayed dry. The River's West jacket did get stuffy, but no rain got through. The pants held up walking through the grass and brush, though I didn't go through anything with thorns or stickers. And, of course, my feet stayed dry despite standing in 6" or running water and trekking through mud and wet grass.

Complaints: Pants = none. They were surprisingly awesome and breathed well. I had them over my Sitka pants, which may have helped.

Jacket = didn't breath as much as I would like, but kept me very, very dry.

Boots = did great in the mud and water; excellent traction. Feet stayed dry all day. However, boots were still wet the next morning and it seemed like some of the moisture had gotten inside. That was disappointing and I need to check into this more.

I also played with the GPS this trip, and will post on it soon.

Current status: pickin' up chicks

2009-07-02T17:35:00.003-04:00

Sorry to digress from boots, bows and bucks, but I wanted to post this picture of a turkey chick I caught today. I was leaving my study site in Connecticut when I saw a hen dart off the dirt road I was driving. Then I saw little feather balls start darting everywhere! I jumped out of the car and after a couple of misses, I grabbed this little guy. Or gal. I don't know what it was (besides really cute).

And, before anyone get's all excited: turkeys, along with most birds, have a terrible sense of smell. The whole, "if you touch it the mother won't come back" saying is a great thing to tell children so they don't mess with wild animals, but it is completely inaccurate.

Current status: Backcountry bathing

2009-07-01T19:09:00.003-04:00

Ok, ok. Not so much bathing as drying off. I didn't think anyone wanted pictures of us using Dead Down Wind soap...

I picked up a MSR PackTowl UltraLite at REI for $16. This is a light-weight shammy-like towel that weights less than 2 ounces. When it is soaking wet, you just wring it out and it will be almost dry and ready to use again. I went with the large (they make an XL), figuring if it couldn't dry me off in one go, I'd wring it out and finish off. I used the towel on a 3 day trip to one of my field sites in Vermont and was pleasantly surprised: the 33"x20" towel dried me off better than the real towels I use at home! When I was done, I just hung it up and it was dry for next time.

I did a test the other day to time the drying (see the picture). I soaked the towel in the sink, wrung it out, and hung it up. About 1 hour later it was completely dry and ready to pack up smaller than a deck of cards. I imagine it will dry even faster in the mountain breeze. There is an attached loop with a snap, letting you connect the towel to a branch or pack to dry. I'm told guys will just attach it to their pack and keep hiking until it dries. I'm impressed by it!

Current status: No luck in the lotto

2009-06-30T17:38:00.003-04:00

Operation Idaho is officially a multi-species hunt. Idaho controlled hunt results were announced a few hours ago. While my sister drew a deer tag in GMU 44, my dad and I came up empty handed. We had put in for a late hunt for the rut in GMU 54 near my hometown. There are only 20 tags available, so we knew chances were slim. This hunt is known for high trophy potential (even according to EBJ's last issue). But, it just wasn't meant to be this year.

So, while Brad will be fiscally limited to only shooting elk, I'll be using my resident status to its fullest, carrying elk, deer, bear and mt. lion tags. If opportunity knocks, I'll be ready to knock back.

The good news is that I will be able to take advantage of Connecticut's rut for whitetails. Brad got us hooked up well on a November hunt on previously unhunted Water Company land. It should be awesome!

Current status: Gay backpack?

2009-06-30T13:37:00.005-04:00

My pack for this year's hunting is an Eberlestock Blue Widow. However, I think mine could be gay. Now, I have nothing against gay people or gay hunting equipment, so long as it still serves it's function. My misguided backpack flat out doesn't work.

Eberlestock hunting packs have many modular accessories that sip or daisy-chain onto the base bag. I have the Super Spike Duffel, which is basically a duffel bag that zips onto the front of the Blue Widow, expanding the bag to 7,600 cubic inches. My idea is to load "camp" type stuff into the duffel and be able to zip it off and drop it as needed, immediately lightening my load and letting me use the bag as a day pack. The problem: rather than the male and female ends of the zippers getting together for some zipity-zip-zip, the females are all on one side and the males on the other. It's like a junior high dance.

So, it is quite literally impossible to attach my duffel to my backpack. After 30 minutes of confusion, I called Eberlestock. They talked me through it and what do ya know: the zipper of the backpack was sewn on backwards. They have never heard of this happening before! Just my luck :o)

The guy I spoke to, Gary, said he would ship me a new bag today with a return shipping label so I can ship the queer bag back to Idaho for free. So, while I am bummed that my bag is goofy, Eberlestock gave me fabulous customer service and seem to stand behind their products, no questions asked.

That, and because they are from Idaho, makes them pretty freakin' awesome!

Current status: Laced up

2009-06-29T22:04:00.003-04:00

I picked up my boots for the trip today: Cabela's Denali™ Hunting Boots with Fit IQ by Meindl. I think Brad and I are going slightly different directions with boots, so I'm sure he'll comment on what he's doing when he decides what he's doing (I think he's aiming more for a lightweight, hiking style boot from Merrell or North Face).

There were a few key features I was looking for: waterproof, little to no insulation, >6" tall, aggressive tread, and built to support a 200 lb guy carrying 60lbs of gear. There are lots of boots that meat those criteria, but given I have a narrow size 13 foot, most of the options end up being a little wide. My foot is notorious for rotating inside a boot, and that just isn't an option on a week long hunt.

So, if you have a wide foot, you might check out the other Meindl boots Cabela's has, like the Perfekt. What is great about the Denali is the IQ fit--imagine memory foam wrapping around the sides and top of your foot. So, while my foot slipped around the Perfekt and others easily, the Denali seems to hold me snug.

The bad side, of course, is the price. But, most well-built boots that are designed for big country hunting are pricey. Fortunately I had a productive weekend: I sold some stuff on eBay and Archery Talk and the band made good money at the show Friday night. Plus, I had a $20 off coupon for Cabela's, letting me buy the boots with no affect on my bank account. Thank God!

First impressions: I wore it for half a day while working in the field today, and my initial impression is that it will be great. It's a bit stiff in the uppers, but I think that will break in a bit. I'll get a good insole in it and wear it around and post if anything noteworthy arises.

Current status: Bittersweet Jeep

2009-06-25T19:07:00.004-04:00

We found my Jeep (above is a before picture...let's remember the good, not the bad!). Or, should I say, I FOUND MY JEEP. The New Haven police department is (crossing fingers they don't read this)... USELESS! My Jeep was found because someone recognized that a group of teenage black kids in the ghetto shouldn't own a jacked up Jeep with a Yale Forestry sticker on the back window. But, alas, the cops don't come when called. A mass e-mail to the Yale Forestry school connected with me, and within an hour I was parked down the street waiting for the police to come--for 1.5hrs.

Did I mention they hung up on me because I was talking on my cell phone and driving when I called the police to come find my car and protect my safety while I was parked in the ghetto? Useless. Absolutely useless.

So, I found the Jeep myself. And, when I looked inside: Destruction. Absolute vandalism. They didn't just steal the stereo, they crushed the whole dash. Ripped speakers from their mounting, and tore my seats apart. And stole a lot of my archery equipment that I had in the car because Brad and I had been shooting hours earlier. Ugh.

So, at least it is found and the insurance claim can start. But it's F&%#ED!

Current Status: Bummed for a Buddy.

2009-06-22T16:01:00.003-04:00

Everyone keep an eye open for a jacked up jeep, with a Bowtech sticker on the back and mud slung all over it. If seen, immediately slam into the side of it. Grab the perp by the hair, pull him into the street, and beat the bejesus out of him.

Having something stolen from you is like being kicked while you're down. In the mouth. By a boot made of rusty fish hooks. Twice.

Hopefully karma finds this jackhole and the 300$ rangefinder as well. Well, hopefully karma finds him before we do.

Current status: Lit (not like that...)

2009-06-15T15:17:00.004-04:00

While Brad decided the Spot-Hogg wasn't for him, I'm in love with mine. I'm continually impressed by it. Among the best features is how easy it is to change pins--without having to resight your bow. The pin (which has a 10" length of fiber optic attached) is held to the sight via a turret (click here for more info and a picture). The turret is a sort of harness, and as long as you don't move it, you can change sight pins all day long and still be sighted in. For example, my bow was sighted in 20-50 yards, but I realized that the .019 and .029 fiber optics were too big for me at 40+. So, Thursday I ordered some 0.010 pins ($7 each for the 10" fiber optics) and a sight light ($14) and it all arrived today. That's service.

The pins were in and out in a jiffy. Yes, a jiffy. Fast. Same for the light: it just screws into a threaded hole in the "wrap" and illuminates the fiberoptics with a blue light. I took the pictures above inside my apartment, where the light is comparable to a morning or evening hunt. You can see the difference in the pictures, though it's even better in person (for as expensive as an iPhone is, you'd think they'd take better pictures...)

So, on to the arrows and broadheads I mentioned yesterday: expensive, but worth it. Without any adjustments, my BHs grouped perfectly with my field points. Done. I'm ready to go. More than luck, this goes to show the importance of paying attention to details and using high quality gear. My A/C/Cs are built to outstanding tolerances; Montecs too, plus they are spin tested; I gave careful consideration to FOC; before assembling the arrows, I used a G5 ASD tool to square up the arrow shaft and nocks; finally, the bow was tuned by BowXperts to ensure it is functioning perfectly. The end result: fixed blade broadheads flying like field points!

The other exciting news is that I am definitely able to cover 0-30 yards with one pin. Within 10 yds, my 30 is an inch high or so, and at 20 I'm still dead on. Though you never know when a crazed bull will run in to 8 yards, my experience with ground hunting in the West is that shots inside of 30 yds are few and far between. Thus, I'm pretty stoked that my 30 pin will cover me if that happens. It also frees up a pin for 70 yard shots... (I'm kidding people, I'm kidding)

Current status: Broke from arrows

2009-06-14T20:48:00.003-04:00

I just screwed in a 125 grain G5 Montec into one of my A/C/Cs, and it was like magic. I'm not sure if everyone does this, but being a guitar player with calloused fingertips, I've always balanced broadhead-tipped arrows on my left, middle finger and spun them to see if they were aligned well. You can buy fancy devices to hold your arrow and spin-test broadheads, but nothing has ever worked as well as my left, middle finger. And, I'm here to tell you, there are few feelings as indescribable and perfectly awesome as a well-built arrow spinning effortlessly on my finger tip. I love it.

But, how much do I love it. According to my last calculation, I love it approximately to the tune of $300 per dozen. Holy crap, are we shooting gold?

I mentioned before getting a great deal on the A/C/Cs via eBay, but they're worth approx $140/dz fletched. WOW! With tax, that's a round $12 an arrow! The Montecs at Cabela's come in right at about $12 each (though, they come in packs of three). Grand total for top of the light arrow craftsmanship: $24 an arrow.

I know a lot of guys talk about killing multiple animals with the same arrow, but I'm just way too cautions for that. When I worked for Safari Archery in Filer, ID as a 17 year old archer, I remember someone (probably Darrel Nunez, the owner who has moved on to other things) saying that once you let the arrow go, kiss it good bye because, more often than not, it'll be ruined by a shoulder blade, rock, tree, or something. For some reason that has always stuck in my mind and I have never used an arrow twice. Unless you really scrutinize an arrow and broadhead, you can never be sure that it's strength and accuracy haven't been compromised.

So, the point is that I'm carrying $150 in my quiver, and every shot is a Jackson and a Lincoln down the drain. I draw two conclusions from this: 1) if your personal ethics and respect for life isn't enough motivation to limit your shots to those in which you are 100% confident in, hopefully you are enough of a money-grubbing miser to be concerned about launching 2hrs of work into the air; and, 2) wooden arrows and hand knapped points are sounding extremely appealing right now.

Current status: safety first

2009-06-12T16:56:00.003-04:00

Let's be realistic: two overzealous guys 10 miles from a road for more than a week...something painful is going to happen. Let's hope it's just something minor, like a headache or blisters or a splinter and not something like, say, Brad getting his left arm torn off by a badger. While I'm not packing a supply of bubblegum and paper clips a la MacGyver, we are going prepared for the worst.

Besides some of the basic stuff (eg, safety whistle, map and compass, GPS/radio, etc), there area couple of things that I think are noteworthy. First, as you can see in the video above, are some really sweet matches. Being a moron, when I was in the apartment I opened the package and, without thinking twice, lit a match. As it flared up I realized I shouldn't just light a safety match in my living room, and quickly located an old cup of coffee. When I through the match in the cup, it didn't go out--it bubbled and hissed and kept burning! So, I tried again with the cup of water. As you can see in the video, the match burned under water and flamed up when I pulled it back out. Impressive.

Two other items worth mentioning are both from Adventure Medical Kits. One is the HeatSheets safety blanket that I mentioned being useful for non-emergency purposes in the previous blog on bedding. The other is an Adventure Medical Mountain Weekender first aid kit. It is 1.5 lbs and contains more than we should need. I do plan to go through each item before the trip, culling the less important things (eg, splinter picker, pencil, 3 thermometers, etc). I'll probably also get rid of the CPR face shield, because if Brad requires mouth-to-mouth, I'm just writing him off as a loss. There will be no Brokeback moments during Operation Idaho. Sorry Rich.

Current status: Bedridden

2009-06-11T14:00:00.003-04:00

As items get checked off the list and played with (um, tested), I’m going to try to stay on top of sharing them. I just ran across this post on Archery Talk, and since I have just finished getting my sleeping gear in order, I’ll share that. My “sleeping system” is the following: Trekker bivy tent, Lafuma 30F bag, Thermarest Z-lite pad, and an Adventure Medical Heatsheet blanket. The whole system is under 6lbs.

Brad found the Trekker Bivy Tent at Cabela’s. While not the most amazing thing ever, at $40 at 3.5lbs, it is going to serve us well. It sets up relatively quickly and is roomy enough that I could bring all my gear inside if needed. It’s not the best, but it also wasn’t $400 and doesn’t weight 6lbs. The poles are about 16” long, so their length may be a nuisance. One possibility is to put them in the sleeping pad (see below), and then the tent can be wadded up and put about anywhere.

Lafuma Warm ‘N’ Light 800 Down bag. Again, there may be better bags, but at $85 including shipping, you can’t beat it. The bag is all down and compacts to something like an 8” ball. It weights about 1.75lbs and is rated to 30F. Did I mention it was $85 TMD?

Thermarest Z-lite sleeping pad. While I wanted to go with one of the new, fancy sleeping pads, the Z-lite is a more appropriate choice. It is as light as the fancier stuff (10oz), but just doesn’t compact down very small. It is sort of egg-crate shaped, and built out of multiple panels that “accordion” together into a block. Because it is solid foam it doesn’t have to be inflated and can’t pop. So, guys like Cameron Hanes prefer this design because it is reliable. It would be nice to have something that collapses down to a coke can, but the Z-lite is reliable and affordable($40 at REI), and I don’t think strapping it to the bag will be an issue. Oh, and it matches my sleeping bag (yellow and grey).

Adventure Medical Heatsheet blanket. While I first thought of this as an emergency item, it can also be part of the sleep system. One of the guys at REI told me they are great for the nights that suddenly dip down colder than expected. While my bag is rated for 30F, if a freak storm drops us down in the teens or colder, wrapping my bag in the Heatsheet blanket (which has a reflective side to hold in heat) can mean the difference between freezing or sleeping all night. And, of course, it is a safety item that can be kept in my fanny pack if I was to get lost.

The last piece of the puzzle, of course, is a pillow. In my experience, a pillow is easily improvised using a stuff sack, jacket, or—in the worst case scenario—my whole pack.

Current Status: Changing Views.

2009-06-10T15:20:00.000-04:00

So, as Brandon suggested, I've been practicing quite a bit with my bow. A few times a week, I've been in my backyard shooting, and while I wasn't bad before, I've gotten much better. But, on the same note, I have a long way to go on the longer (+30yds) shots. This leads me to my current situation - my sight. I had my pins set up at 20, 30, 40 on my Hoggit Hunter 5-pin, and at 20 I was on, and at 30 I was accurate, but not where I wanted it to be. However, if I made my twenty yard pin a 30 yard pin, I was dead nuts where I wanted time after time. If I made the top pin a 40 yard pin, the results were much better as well - I was way more accurate and precise when just using that one top pin and not trying to concentrate on a housing full of pins. Something about all the pins being in the wrap of the Hoggit made me lose some of my concentration, which beget bad shots altogether from longer distances.
So, I'm changing.

The pros and cons list of each sight is pretty extensive, but in the end, I believe that the best sight is one which the shooter is most comfortable with. The single pin (or lack of clutter) is most comfortable to me. I realize that the yardage wheel on the HHA is another hassle to think of, but at 40yds, I'd rather take a half a second to adjust than to feel uneasy about the shot. If that big bull walks out at 47yds, pissing all over himself and expecting a fight or some little lady waiting for him, the last thing I want is to be concerned with how I will execute the shot. I know with more practice the Hoggit would get easier and easier, but I don't have a lot of time to be comfortable, and I think this is a good move for me.

So, I found a guy on a great website for hunters and archers alike willing to trade me sights. The HHA DS-5519 is a Rheostat adjustable single pin sight. With a single 0.19 pin (fed by over 5' of fiber optic cable for light gathering) is about the best adjustable sight on the market. Like the Hoggit, it came very highly reviewed, and guys who use it seem to love it. Like the Hogg, it's very user friendly, and built like a tank as well. There is a little more room for error of course (as there is with anything with moving parts), but once locked down, this sight is very, very sturdy.

Once I've shot a bunch, I'll repost what I liked and didn't like about it, but for now, I think I've solved one issue I've been having.

Current status: Backcountry kitchen

2009-06-09T14:45:00.000-04:00

I visited REI in West Hartford the other day and picked up a few things. I'm probably most excited about (no surprise) the food and cooking gear. I've been looking into backpacking pots/bowels/mugs/etc online for a while. The stuff I was most interested in was made by GSI and MSR. Both make integrated designs where mugs and bowels and other stuff fits perfectly inside a pot, saving a lot of space. I went with the GSI Bugaboo Hiker: 2L aluminum/teflon pot with lid, 2 mugs with lids and 2 bowels. It is under $40 at REI (it's a little cheaper online, but by the time you add shipping REI is the same price). You can watch the above video for a better look at the system, but here's how it works: each mug fits into a bowel, and 2 bowel/mugs fit into the pot taking up 1/2 the space. The other half of the pot leaves room for my MSR Whisperlite stove. The lid fits on the top, and the entire kitchen gear is enclosed in the 2L pot. Add a fuel canister for the stove, and 2 guys have a kitchen for 9 days that weighs about 3lbs. Awesome.

Of course, as Brad said, the whole thing will be useless after 2 days: once we have an elk down we are finished with boiling water for dehydrated pork and rice, and we're grilling backstrap over an open fire. Awesome.

Current status: Busting nocks

2009-06-07T12:55:00.000-04:00

While Brad would normally have no problem bragging about his own abilities (just kidding!), he seems to be too busy to blog, so I'll boast for him. For the average archer, a 5-dot target is never used to its full potential. Most guys are content shooting at the middle dot, and happy with their paper plate-sized groups at 20 or 30 yards. But, for the rest of us, there is a special moment in your archery career in which you watch 20 dollars in arrows blow up and suddenly realize why there are multiple dots on each target. I wish I had a picture to post, but when the rear end of one of Brad's Full Metal Jackets exploded last night, it was clear that Brad and his 101st are shooting well enough that trying to fit all the arrows on the same dot is dangerous. We didn't shoot much past 20 yards because of the fading light, BBQ, and festivities, but Brad's 1-1.5" groups at 20 were pretty freakin' sweet.

Current status: flat + accurate = perfect

2009-06-06T13:35:00.000-04:00

Got a chance to do some shooting last week with the A/C/C Pro Hunters, and I'm very happy. The archery store I go to in Middletown doesn't have a working chrono, so I don't know how fast the bow is shooting now that my arrows are 100g heavier, but arrow drop doesn't seem to be an issue (as you can tell from the photo above). Using my 30 yard pin at 30 yards, I hit dead center (top arrow). Using my 30 yard pin at 40 yards, I hit a Bic lighter low (about 3"). In a practical application, that means if Mr Bull Elk steps out at 40 yards and I misjudge by 10 yards, he's still dinner. I could feasibly use 1 pin out to 40 yards--pretty freakin' sweet!

Besides shooting flat, I also shot accurately. If you have been reading along, you know I've been concerned about the accuracy of the 82nd Airborne because of the low brace height and high FPS. Well, after shooting three arrows into a ~3" group at 50 yards, my fears were relieved. I've been averaging about 6" groups at 50 yards, which is pretty good for me. The Spot Hogg 0.019 fiber optic pins are working great at the long yardages, and I'm thinking about ordering a few extra micro-sized pins.

At 50 yards I'm still carrying 80+ ft/lbs of energy, so on a calm day and a calm animal, I'd take a 50 yard shot. I have an extra pin I plan to sight in at 60 and practice with, but won't use for hunting.

Current status: Unwrapped

2009-05-28T13:25:00.000-04:00

The Easton A/C/C Pro Hunting Series arrows are awesome. They are the top Easton hunting shaft, at least in terms of tight tolerances and high price tags. As I mentioned before, I saved $50 on a dozen 340 shafts on eBay (reg price = $140/dz...SHAFTS!). But, with that price comes high quality: straightness to 0.002" and weight tolerances at 0.05g. Pretty slick. They also feature the HP insert, which is supposed to aid in broadhead alignment. Now, if only I could shoot well enough to appreciate that engineering.

As I've wrote about before, I'm putting a lot of effort into arrow setup. While I can shoot bulls eyes all day long at 20 yards with just about any setup, I want to have that same confidence when an elk walks by at 50. To do that, I only need two simple things 1) accuracy and 2) penetration. And, these two things aren't mutually exclusive. For example, a longer, heavier arrow will be more stable in flight and deliver more punch on impact. So, I've jumped my total arrow weight up almost 100g to 445g. But, also affecting stability and penetration is FOC. Unless you are shooting stubby short arrows or super lightweight arrows (which, again, may not be as stable in flight or good on penetration) , getting FOC >12% is virtually impossible. At least for me. A high (12-15%) FOC gives you stability in the air, and also helps with penetration on impact. The downside is some added arc in your trajectory, but that's why God invented laser rangefinders. Here's what I have settled on (for now):

Easton A/C/C Pro hunters (340, 9.7 g per inch, 28" shaft length)
125g point
3 blazer vanes
Total weight: 445g FOC= 11.9% Almost 100 ft/lbs of KE at 0 yards, and >90 ft/lbs to 50 yards!
***NOTE*** With 100g points, my FOC is 8.5% WAY TOO LIGHT FOR HUNTING!!!

I ordered some beautiful custom arrow wraps from Onestringer, which not only make the arrows look great, but easier to spot in the field. I fletched up some arrows with the wraps and recalculated FOC. The added weight to the rear of my arrow moved my balance point up 0.5" and reduced FOC to 10.2%

In conclusion, be careful with those arrow wraps! They are beautiful, but if you are concerned with FOC you may be surprised. The best bet is to shoot them and compare, which I have yet to do. But, for now, it's traditional bare shaft for me.

Current Status: Idaho on my mind

2009-05-24T12:32:00.000-04:00

We've been slacking on our blogging, but not on our hunting or preparation. The weather was bad every morning my Dad was here turkey hunting, but we did catch a lot of largemouth in the afternoons. I called in 3 toms last week but missed. I made a beginner mistake, calling with a hen call and getting caught in an opening. I thought I was busted, so I didn't wait them out long enough and stood up when they were 10 yards away. Lame...

One more week for turkeys, then the Hank Jr show on Friday. Less than 4 months to Idaho. The last big decision for Operation Idaho was arrow selection: Brad got a great deal on some Easton FMJs and I got a KILLER eBay deal on Easton A/C/C Pro Hunters ($90 for 1 dozen shafts!). I've had good success with ACCs before, and the Pro Hunters are built to the same tolerances, but with more hunting-friendly components. We'll be shooting, testing, and reporting on them in the near future.

Current status: Operation Idaho-Paused/Operation Turkey-Initiated

2009-05-02T23:08:00.000-04:00

We're taking a bit of a break in elk planning for the beginning of the CT turkey season. My dad just arrived today from Idaho, and starting tomorrow we'll be in turkey-mode. Brad, our buddy Randy, my Dad and I are hitting the woods Sunday morning to listen for gobblers and check out some areas, then retreating to the bass-filled waters of Yale-Myers Forests' Morse Res. Check back for largemouth pictures...

Current Status: Mildly Pleased.

2009-04-30T13:23:00.001-04:00

Today at lunch was my fitness test. I skipped last week, so I was kind of hoping for a larger jump, but alas, I fell a little short.

Here it is:

Mile 1: 6:42.34

4 sets of 20 pushups: 5:01

4 sets of 50 situps (the real kind): 5:16

Mile 2: 6:19.21

Total Time: 23:18 My total gain was less than 10% (about 6.4%), but I think I kind of held back too much.

It wasn't great, but it's definitely better than when I started all this. My goals in two weeks will be to do both miles in 6:20, while keeping the other times the same. That being said, next week begins two extra exercises: closed-hand pushups (make a triangle with thumbs and index fingers) and pull-ups, which I'll start with just one set of 3 and increase 2 per week if possible.

Current status: an Elknut deciple

2009-04-29T19:40:00.001-04:00

In the last week or so, I have read the Elknut Playbook, watched all 4 volumes of Bugling Bulls and Beyond, and returned to the Playbook a second time. I basically put my school-skills to work for me, studying the Playbook and taking notes and highlighting key passages. You can see how I wrote and underlined right in the book, which helps me focus while studying something and to return to important parts later. I also wanted to provide a little bit of the book so people can get a taste before ordering their own.

For me, it was best to read the book first, then watch the DVDs (just like you’re supposed to do your class readings before the lecture…which I’ve rarely actually done). The book is very handy because it really covers a ton of possible scenarios that you can expect in the elk woods. For example, if you get busted by some cows sneaking in on a herd, the book says to scatter the cows without the bull seeing you by running at them fast, “and then scream a bugle from the very spot the cows were.” Even though a few of the cows know you are not kin, the rest—including the bull hopefully—now think some bull just ran up on the herd CLOSE! If he bugles back, you cut him off quick, basically questioning his manhood and explaining why those cows busted—some aggressive, punk bull elk just came running in causing a commotion and trying to steal cows. Now you are in a position to work the herd bull. Maybe it doesn’t work, but it is a better option than staring at the cows that spotted you, blowing your cow call, and standing helpless as they run off with the rest of the herd.

After reading the book, I was pretty familiar with the elk sound vocabulary—I learned that a Popping grunt basically says, “hey you fellow elk, I can’t see you but I know you are there, so show yourself,” and a location bugle is a lot different than the challenge or scream, etc. But, I didn’t know what they sounded like or how to make them until I watched the DVDs.

I have about 6 pages of notes from the DVDs to compliment the book. The DVDs cover much of the same stuff as the book, and really each volume (1-4) covers a lot of the same stuff. But, that repetition helps get it through my thick skull. More importantly, they do the calls over and over again, helping you understand the difference between a “hey, I’m over here guys” location bugle and a “I’m going to kick you’re a$$” challenge bugle. They also talk about how and when to use each. For example: I’m walking through the woods and hear a location bugle. Most guys would respond back with a big bugle—after all, the elk just bugled at us. But, a “location bugle” is a cow attractant, and that bull may be a lover and not a fighter. So, by responding back with “I’m ready to fight” may run him off. He wanted cow attention, so give it to him. Either sneak in silently or sneak in and give him the “come hither” with a sweet cow call.

Now, all this isn’t going to matter because I’m pretty sure Brad and I are going to get out of the truck and arrow 2 brother bulls with their heads down on day one, and spend the rest of our trip eating backstrap and planning how to lie about how much effort we put into our big bulls. But, just in case, I’m feeling more confident about how to call ‘em in.

Current status: homesick

2009-04-24T11:37:00.001-04:00

While I don’t regret leaving Idaho 6 years ago for grad school, our elk scouting sure would be easier and more effective if I was living in the Gem State right now. Of course, if that were the case, there would be no Operation Idaho, no The High Life, no buddy Brad, no girlfriend Martha (I think she reads this sometimes!), and I’d missed a ton of other great experiences that I had in Florida and Connecticut. So, here I sit, studying maps, reading books, calling old Idaho friends, and scanning Google Earth.

Another great asset is Elknut’s DVD, “Scouting Elk Country.” At $13, the “remote scouter” couldn’t find a better way to spend his money. While many great hunting texts have written about, or shown crudely illustrated via line drawings or black & white photos, what elk country should look like and where elk like to hang out, Paul and Paul II actually stand on the mountain and zoom the camera in on north facing slopes, wallows, mineral licks, key bedding areas, rubs, and other areas to target. They point out a high bench and say, “elk will bed here in the day, then feed down to that area in the evening, then mill around there by that wallow, then feed back up to that cool spot in the morning…” They stand over elk sign and say, “If you see a bed that looks like this, you know it’s fresh;” “you can tell elk have been here because all these tracks have live grass in them;” “if you see a spot like this, and the wind is blowing like this, you should set up over there.” You get the picture.

Think about this: how much would it be worth to you to have expert elk hunters take you out in the woods and show you where to look for elk? More than 13 bucks?

After showing you an area, and thoroughly explaining the key features to look for and where they’ve seen or shot elk in the past (on that very mountain!), Paul takes out a topo map and points out the features again. It’s a little hard to see the map, but it still helps you translate little contour lines into mountain peaks.

IMHO: The DVD is a fantastic idea. There should be more of these being made for more species in more habitats. I wish these guys had a tad bit more computer/video power—if they could have drawn little NFL-style arrows and circles on the screen it would have really helped follow along. I’d also liked to see more topo maps. But, this video is what it is: blunt, straightforward information from a couple of elk hunters that know the area and animal they hunt intimately. And, for the price of a pizza, these DVDs should be selling like mad.

Current status: elk education

2009-04-23T13:24:00.001-04:00

Surf around enough elk hunting forums online and you are bound to see a few things repeated over and over. One is that wolves are spawns from Satan and destroying all things good in this world. Another is that Elknut products are priceless.

Elknut is based out of McCall, Idaho, thus meeting my first equipment criteria: if there is an Idaho option, go with it. You got to support the local boys. Second, I'm pretty sure Paul and his buddies kill more elk than wolves do. I like to talk, but I also know when guys like this are sharing info, it's time to shut your mouth and listen.

So, I ordered the entire Elknut library: a pile of DVDs, the Playbook, a Lil Chuckler grunt tube, and a couple mouth diaphragms made by another Idaho company, Bugling Bull Game Call LLC. So far I'm not disappointed.

The DVDs are not Hollywood quality, but I'm not watching them for production value. The same goes for the Playbook--while it may not pass the test over at the Yale English department, it's a 100 pages of decades worth of knowledge that practically fits in your pocket (5.5oz, 4.5x6.75").

The grunt tube is a unique design. Unlike the standard vacuum hose tubes I grew up with, this is half rigid and half flexible, making 1-handed operation easy. I bought the kit, which came with 2 mouth diaphragms and a "Mastering the Mouth Reed" dvd.

I'll post more on each item as I experience it more. I'm really excited about the "Scouting Elk Country" dvd, which is supposed to help with scouting from maps/internet. Expect a review of that guy pretty soon..

Current Status: Thinking of Something Else

2009-04-22T16:58:00.000-04:00

Completely off topic of this blog, but this is important.

That's right, boys and girls. There is something big on the Horizon, and both Brandon and myself will be right up front soaking it all in. I plan to sit back, have a beer or twelve, and watch one of my all-time favorite performers belt out hits that have spanned over three decades of country music.

Current Status: Broke - But Happy!

2009-04-22T16:02:00.000-04:00

This, and this. I'm getting some pretty darn cool gear for myself, and thankfully my Dad sent me some binoculars, but who would have thought that a couple guys trekking around in the woods for two weeks would be so expensive?
On the pack: Everyday, I get a email from a place called camofire with all-too enticing "deals of the day" hunting specials. Many times, I have to purposely restrain myself from buying a bunch of stuff I don't need, but every now and again, they have a sweet deal I can't pass up, and this was one of them. I got it for well under 200$, and that's more than half off from Badlands. Well, I had already put in an order with Badlands, but when this one came along cheaper, I jumped on it. I thought better of the external frame pack I mentioned earlier this month for several reasons, but the Badlands is pretty sweet. Anyone who wants to recieve these deals should just head over to the website above and sign up. I told Mark Strickland, the guy who runs the site, that I would post something about his site here in return for him putting up some Under Armour gear on his site - he laughed, but thanked me for the hat-tip.
The spotting scope was a deal I stumbled across on Ebay; several spotting scopes are better, and some are even cheaper, but this one only weighs two pounds, and in my mind, that's huge. I tried to find the best scope that shared everything we needed: good optics, good reviews from field tests, lightweight, and affordable. So clearly, I ended up on Ebay! It was a great deal (almost half off) from new at Cabelas, so I had to jump. I didn't get the cool backpack with my purchase, but i wouldn't use it anyhow. I did get the gel-case for it though, so it's a little more protected on the plane and such. I'll be putting this bad-boy in my carry-on when I board the plane. Other than losing the luggage, not much would suck more than for our scope to break on the plane. I've seen the luggage handlers, and some don't appear to give a shit what you packed.
There isn't a whole lot left to purchase for this trip (thankfully), and Brandon and I are both nearly complete with the "bigger purchases" ( still need the tags), but one thing is for sure - good gear is pretty darn expensive.
On another note entirely, I'm going to give this a shot. It's not that I think I'll save a lot of money ( I will save some), but I'd like to give it a shot. I think I can do it lighter, which is more important to me than saving a few bucks here or there. Bags are expensive, and I'd like to see if I can make one of my own. Plus, I have someone to sew the thing up for me once things are purchased. I think I'll save weight on the width of the bag - making it more snug to me while I'm in it. I dunno, just something I'm mulling over in my head right now; it will give me a little project to work on for the next few weeks. I'll keep everyone posted on my progress, and material choices as I go. My goal is to make it under 24 ounces.

Also, An update on my bow: the problem was in the rest set up, and Brandon and myself (along with another buddy) had a pretty good practice in my backyard this weekend. A lot of practice is needed however.

Current status: arrow nerd

2009-04-22T15:21:00.001-04:00

I like fast. A lot. But I also like stable and accurate and powerful. Thus, I’m having a hard time deciding what arrow to shoot. Brad and I have been shooting Easton Flatline arrows, which weight in right at 360g with a 100g tip. My bow is shooting them at 334fps, which is smoking fast. But, I’m not 100% confident in those arrows: 1) lighter arrows are less forgiving, 2) lighter arrows do not always penetrate as well (look into the KE versus momentum debate), and 3) these arrows aren’t made to the highest tolerances (±0.003” and ±2.0g), which may be related to why BowXperts had 1 arrow that consistently would not group with the others out of the ol’ hooter shooter.

So, I am looking at other options. First, I am pretty dedicated to Easton arrows. I’ve shot Easton, Beman, Carbontech, Gold Tip, and others, but I prefer and have the most confidence in Easton. Within the Easton lineup, there are 3 arrows I like for 3 different reasons. First, the ultra-light Flatline, which is shooting well from my bow and is smoking fast. Second, the A/C/C Pro Hunter, which is a little heavier and made to must more precise tolerances (±0.001” and ±0.5g). Third, the Full Metal Jacket, which is in the middle ground for tolerances, but carries the biggest punch in terms of weight. The FMJ also looks awesome!

I may buy a few of each and actually shoot them, but until then I am letting my brain do the work. I used a program available online to determine the trajectories of each set up: Flatline (360g/334fps), A/C/C (estimated: 400g/320fps), and FMJ (estimated: 450g/304fps). The arrow speed was estimated as -1fps for each additional 3g of weight, which seems to be a reasonable standard according to several websites.

So, what is the outcome? Trajectory doesn’t differ until 30 yards, and then even only by 2” at most. LESSON 1: Treestand hunters should go for the extra weight, because lighter arrows aren’t shooting flatter at these ranges (at least for my ultra fast bow). At 50 yards, the A/C/Cs drop an extra 3” and the FMJ drop an extra 7” relative to Flatlines.

But, what does arrow drop really mean? How does that translate to a hit or a miss on an elk? I next calculated the amount an arrow would miss its target if the archery underestimated the distance by 5 yards or 10 yards. The results are interesting.

If you think that buck is 20 yards from your treestand, but he’s actually 30 yards, you’ll miss no matter what. The lightest arrow, Flatlines, still drop an extra 8”, which is pretty much a miss on a whitetail. LESSON 2: Even from a treestand, you need to estimate yardage correctly!

What about for Operation Idaho? There’s a bull! I draw back, and center my 40 yard pin on him… If that bull was actually at 50 yards, I just missed by 17” with Flatlines and 18” with FMJ. Only 1” of difference!!! What if I thought he was at 50 yards, and he was really 55 yards? 10”, 11”, and 12.5” (from lightest arrow to heaviest). They’re all misses, but if I had connected, that FMJ had 15% more penetration (momentum) than the Flatline. Something to think about…

Current status: turkey prep

2009-04-20T15:34:00.001-04:00

While this Blog is mostly about our Operation Idaho progress, turkey season is right around the corner and that is getting a bit of my attention too. After spending most of the day working at Yale-Myers Forest, I was standing in the camp when I heard some gobbling. I sneaked over to the edge of a building and called in 2 toms. That definitely got me excited about the coming turkey season.

I saw a turkey hunting arrow/broadhead for sale that incorporated a string inside the shaft that tangled the turkey and aided in retrieval. I had an idea on how to build some using my own arrows and gear, and finally built 3 today. The idea is that the arrow will pass through the bird, while the FOB and nock pop off. This should result in the arrow and 10' of line being dragged by the turkey, preventing it from running too far. Here is what I did:

1) Cut a groove into the threads (perpendicular) deep enough for the string to lay in. This prevents the string from being cut as the broadhead is tightened into the threads.
2) Drill a small hole straight through the nock.
3) Slip a 10' length of string through an arrow shaft with FOB installed. I used string from StringTracker. They make a device that holds a spool of string attached to the bow, and the string attaches to the arrow. You can then shoot a deer, and reel him in like a fish (or something like that).
4) Tie the string around the collar of the broadhead, lie the string in the groove, and thread on the broadhead.
5) Slip the string through the nock, make a big knot.
6) 2 part epoxy both knots (broadhead and nock) so they are stuck
7) Push string into shaft with a gun cleaning rod
8) Attach nock

I don't think the 10' of string weighs enough to alter arrow flight, but I am going to set up some practice arrows with string inside..just in case! I also need to fool around with sanding the nock so it will slip out easily. I'll post more when we've played with them more.

Current status: frustrated

2009-04-17T15:31:00.000-04:00

My 82nd Airborne has a very low brace height, making it a lot less forgiving than my old Matthews LX. So, I've been really trying to use "more accurate" gear. One change was to a hand-held, thumb release. I liked the idea of being able to clip the release onto the bowstring, and forget about it. I also liked that it helps reduce target panic. What I don't like is having to hold 70lbs of bow with my fingers. "What if it slips out of your hand when you're out hiking, tired and sweaty?" Ben asked me a few weeks ago.

"What happens if you are standing in the yard, and the release slips out of your hand?" Let me tell you.

The release slipped out of my hand at full draw while I was aiming at 20 yards. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but the release did shoot forward, break the string loop, bounced off the G5 rest (breaking the part that holds the arrow clean off), and landing 15 feet away. The arrow still hit the target (thank God!).

I liked the silent, smooth operation of the G5, but it had too many problems, didn't contain the arrow, and...well...broke. In case you have a G5 drop away, beware of the "bolt" that is part of the "arrow holder" (for lack of a better term). That "bolt" is hollow! And snaps easily.

So, I grabbed a QAD similar to Brad's, but I got the slightly fancier version in camo with "harmonic dampeners," because the package said "harmonic dampeners" are worth the extra $30 because they kill more deer. Not really, but that is how I rationalized $30 extra so get the camo version.

Not all of our equipment is going awry! While Brad wasn't shooting in top form, we had the privilege of testing the durability of Easton Flatline arrows and G5 Montec broadheads. Brad hit about...oh, 12" low on a 30 yard shot and drilled a cinder block. The impact took out a huge chunk of the cinder block, while the arrow and broadhead stayed intact. The arrow insert is bent, as is the broadhead, but it gives a lot of confidence that the arrow will do fine on an elk's ribcage.

Current status: scheduled

2009-04-14T18:59:00.001-04:00

Well, there's no turning back now. Brad bought his ticket, solidifying our trip dates. I spent about an hour on the phone with Paul Medel (aka: Elknut, www.elknut.com), discussing everything from Idaho potatoes to the best dates for hunting elk in Idaho. I asked Paul when the best time for us to go if we have 10 days in September. Without missing a beat he said, "13th through 23rd." Because of the way the work weeks fall, we've decided to hunt Sept 11-19. Brad will fly out on the 21st, giving us a little room for error (ie, packing) if we connect with an animal on the 19th. I'm planning on arriving and leaving a day or 2 before/after Brad, letting me spend some time with my parents and giving me time to take care of the hundreds of pounds of venison we'll have taken (*fingers crossed*)

More on Elknut: Being from Idaho, I'm all about buying from Idaho companies. My pack is from a Boise company, my bow is outfitted with Bowjax gear (Hayden, ID), my belly is full of Idaho potatoes, and I'm probably switching over to a Carter release. Elknut sells some good looking/sounding bugles, and they use an Idaho-made mouth reed. Along with the bugle set, I ordered a pile of their DVDs to brush up on my calling, and their new "playbook." While I haven't experienced the stuff just yet, I challenge you to find a single negative review about Elknut products--people have nothing but the best to say about them. I'll give my formal review and comments in the coming weeks.

I also want to record and share some exciting news that happened this week: I got a $13,000 NSF grant to continue my research this summer. While this only tangentially affects Operation Idaho, it does mean I'll be on the move all summer, camping and doing field work from New Jersey to northern Vermont--and playing with my various camping/hunting/hiking gear. It also means I can justify that new Thermarest sleeping pad I was eying last week...

Black guys, marijuana, and elk

2009-04-11T14:48:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Brad and I made a trip to Cabela’s in East Hartford to check out gear for our trip. We were in the back of the camping gear, checking out sleeping bags and pads, and talking about weight reduction and packing elk. A big, middle-aged black man was eavesdropping on our conversation, and peaked around the corner to laugh, “You guys aren’t packing a whole elk out! Have you ever shot an elk? Do you know how big they are?” He was a friendly guy, and we talked about hunting and boning and packing for a few minutes before I asked, “How big was the bull you killed?”

“Ha! That was 18 years ago. And, I don’t really remember everything!” He smiled suspiciously, and leaned in close so his little boy running through the aisles couldn’t hear: “I’m a truck driver, and I just happened to have a few days off while passing through Colorado, where some old friends were going elk hunting. I didn’t even have a tag, so I was sitting around camp smoking a joint while they were out hiking miles and miles. I’m sitting there getting high sitting on a log, and an elk shows up about as far as where those tents are over there.” He points to some Cabela’s tents about 30 yards from us. “I grabbed a rifle and shot him.”

Now, I will admit, there are a lot of holes and inconsistencies in our buddy’s story. But, listening to him talk about getting high and shooting an elk—while completely unethical—was really, really entertaining. The only part of the story that trumped is what he said when I asked “why don’t you go hunting out there anymore?”

“How many black guys you do see up there in the mountains? I got away with it once, but you white boys get color blind sometimes and I may not make it home. Good luck hunting guys!”

-----
And, for more entertainment: Man's Relationship Advice Same As His Hunting Tips

Finally decided where we are going to hunt

2009-04-09T22:19:00.000-04:00

All we need is about $18k each, and a complete loss of all ethics. I have dibs on #96k. Brad, find your own elk
Juniper Mountain Elk Ranch -- where rich, lazy a$$es go to kill elk bigger than I even dream about.

One Serious Issue Solved.

2009-04-09T09:59:00.000-04:00

Water.

We can't live without it, and a serious trip into the woods requires that you come up with some way to purify it to the level that makes it consumable without the risk of being sick, or worse, dead.

Bad water leads not only to being sick, but then serious dehydration, and when you're miles and miles into the unknown, that's a immediate and deadly issue. Plus, who want to spend a week with the shits because you had some bad water? No matter how pure the water may look, or what beautiful mountain stream it may come from, somewhere upstream, something or someone is pissing in it. Dilution factors are good of course in most cases, but what if there is a dead bear or elk laying in the creek a mile up from where you are? Welcome to Sicksville, USA.

There are some pretty good sets out there, but they're expensive. We could go with the tried and true iodine (I-) method, but well, that's nasty tasting. I've gone one better: the purest water available to mankind. The above system is a outdated, but still very effective laboratory grade water stripper: Its how most labs used to remove treatment plant additives to produce reagent grade water with which to work in lab with. See, labs can't just use tap water for analysis purposes. For example, one of the tests I conduct at work is to test the amount of total phosphates in drinking water - well, I can't very well start with water that already has some level of phosphate in it from the treatment plants, thus I need reagent grade water that has been removed of all the cations and anions it naturally has.

This system removes everything imaginable from the water no matter where I pull it from. I could literally pour a full vial of the Ecoli virus into a liter of water, filter it through the nano-filter that is specially designed to remove metals, nutrients, and bacteria from water, and have a nice cup of coffee with it and not get sick. The system comes with two resivoirs, a pack of filters and nice little hand pump to create a vacum between the two resivoirs.

Priced at about 400$ from the maker (MilliPore), it's probably the most effective (and necessary) system we could get. Plus, it was just in a closet at work not being used, so I'm taking it with us.

The filters are a gridded 0.15um pore, so basically, without some kind of vacume, you can't even breath through them. I had the microbiologist at work infect water yesterday with two very common bacterias (total coliform, Fecal coliforms, fecal streptococcus, and ecoli), then filter it through the system, plate it, and see if it grows. This morning when I came in, there was nothing growing on the smear plate, and that's enough for me!! There is no way we could ever come into contact with more crap then I put through it yesterday, and it held up beautifully..

Plus, I weighed it out the entire system at less than 8 ounces, and the pump at ~4 ounces, so the carrying weight is just right.

It was a sweet score to be sure!

Current Status: Not Happy at All.

2009-04-09T08:37:00.001-04:00

Something is wrong with the rest on my bow. Brandon and I have the same riser, the same sight, and shoot the same arrows, but somehow, I'm shooting groups at about 12" off to the left of center. My sight is adjusted all the way left to compensate, and I still can't find center with it. Plenty of up and down movement, but if I look at Brandon's sight, the left/right axis is amost dead in the middle. Mine couldn't be further off, and it won't come in - mostly because there is no more adjustment left to let it. It's really pissing me off.
I'll be taking it to the archery shop tomorrow to be fixed, but I'm thinking that it's something flawed in the paper tune of the rest. We shall see.

Current status: happy!

2009-04-09T00:28:00.000-04:00

Our drummer has a great yard and him and his wife kindly gave us permission to shoot our bows in their yard. I can easily get 50 yards from the target to practice, and they even have a convenient junk pile from the previous owners that serves as a great backstop. Before practice today, I set up my target and shot for about an hour. And, I couldn't be more pleased! I was shooting ~1" groups at 20 yds and even had arrows touching at 30 yds! My only concern is my rest--the G5 Expert II seems great, but I worry about the arrow falling off. I'll review the rest and go into more details as I use it more. I very well may switch to the QAD like Brad has if my arrow doesn't stay put! Because I'm a unique mix of nerd, archery, and lazy student, I put together this little video of me shooting today:

Status: Base covered.

2009-04-08T13:20:00.001-04:00

Just picked up my base layers for the trip. I never really wore these, since I normally just wear some long underwear, but technology cannot be argued against in this case. I bought two bottoms, and two tops, and they're pretty nice. I actually ran to the bathroom at work and threw them on, but I'll spare you the pictures of that. Like the Sitka base layers Brandon has, these work to whisk the sweat off the skin, and keep the skin dryer and cooler. Also, in cold weather, they serve as a wonderful insulator of body heat. I went with the camo so in case things get hot in Idaho, I'm able to remove my outer shirt and still be camo underneath. Plus, well, it's camo, and thus, awesome.

Anyhow, here's what I picked up: base layers here and here

Current Status: Apprehensive

2009-04-08T10:01:00.000-04:00

Or timid. Or Overmatched a 'bit. However you want to look at it, it's a daunting thing this hunt we're planning.
It's very easy to take care of all the small things. Tent: check. Bag: check. GPS: check. You get the point here, right? It's the bigger picture that keeps me up at night. I'm about halfway through my second Elk Hunting book , and the common theme in both of them thus far is preperation.
I feel like Brandon and I are doing everything we can to make sure we have a good hunt, but we lack that one very necessary ability and luxury: the chance to scout in advance. It seems that most of these books deal with the ability to get out there, and see the animals in their daily routines. Finding out where they're bedding, which trails they're taking to water, which trails they're avoiding because of foot traffic, and on and on and on.
I'm nearly certain that one can have a successful hunt without doing this, but it would be so much easier if we could get out there and see the land in advance, or get into some good elk with nothing more than a GPS locator and a backpack.
Brandon and myself work tirelessly on finding the right unit, finding the right time, finding the right everything. We've taken the time to find all the best gear for the trip - what weighs the least but offers the most comfort or what this or that is the best at performing when we need it to. But, there is always a chance that we get there and find out that the unit has become overrun with wolves, or any number of other situations that could go wrong for us and we end up not seeing an animal all week.
Granted, I know I shouldn't complain because if the worst comes to worst, I was able to escape the duldrums of the Northeast and pack my ass into the backcountry of Idaho with one of my best friends for over a week. It's a opportunity that not a lot of guys get. Sure, a lot of guys pull out the credit card, purchase a guide or a room in a thousand acre hunting lodge where the elk come to the trough when being fed, and I'm sure they feel great about themselves at the end of that first morning when they've successfully harvested Elk#403 from the ranch's roster of animals, but this is different. We're not doing any of that. We're using what God gave us - our ability and brains to track down and harvest a magnificent creature, and we will relish every single second of it. Every morning when I wake up I'll glance out over the hilltops and thank my lucky stars that I live somewhere that affords me the awesome luxury to do what I love to do and be where I love to be. Or, that I've met someone cool enough to appreciate the same things in this life. The elk is just the gravy on the already tasty mashed potatoes in my opinion.
If we do all that we can, and prepare mentally and physically as best we could, and we follow all the awesome advice and help we've gotten from so many people, and we still don't get into any elk, I won't be distraught. I won't feel let down or that I've wasted anything. I will have done exactly what I wanted to do: Escape.

Apprehensive: check. Nervous: check. Counting the minutes till I step foot into that vast, wide open wilderness with a great friend and hunting companinon to track down elk for nine days or so: double check - in red ink.

Current status: scaring the neighbors

2009-04-07T14:18:00.001-04:00

It is no joke when I say that I don't fit in that well in New Haven or on the Yale campus. For instance, I wanted to see my new Montana Elk III decoy outside, and get a picture of it set up for our blog. As I'm setting up my 2-D cow, my neighbor comes to check his mail. The middle aged black man says, "Good afternoon. Working on a project?" "No, it's a decoy. Do you know what kind of animal this is," I ask. He says, "nope," and I reply, "it's an elk. we're going elk hunting this fall." He quickly says, "have fun" and shuffles inside his house. Interesting how an Ivy League educated bowhunter is the scary one in the urban jungle!

The Montana decoy (all of them, not just Elk #3) is a fantastic contraption that allows super mobility to the decoy hunter. They run about $100, but I found this one in the Bargain Cave at Cabela's in Hartford, CT. At the same time, they had a 25% off all decoy sale, so I got my elk decoy for $40! It's brand new, just out of the original package. The decoy itself weighs right at 1lb according to my food scale, and the 2 stakes add another 1.5lbs. I talked to folks at Montana Decoy and they said they've experimented with discarding the stakes and using string/rope to suspend the decoy. Given that every ounce adds up when you have to carry camp on your back, I am going to experiment with the "string idea" this summer and try to avoid the extra 1.5 pounds in stakes. My tent (MSR Missing Link) can be set up with or without poles for support, so I am going to play with the idea of using a single set of poles (maybe trekking poles) for both tent and decoy duty. I will keep everyone posted.

On the topic of decoys, I have been reading Judd Cooney's "Decoying Big Game." I purchased the book used online for about $8 including s/h. Honestly, I haven't been a big fan of the book. I skipped ahead to the elk hunting chapter, which consisted mainly of the author reliving old stories of homemade elk decoys. I have read a lot of hunting books, and some I just can't trust because they seem like 300 page product placement advertisements. This is one of them. I don't care about your Carry Lite decoy, or Montana Decoy, or any other products--TELL ME HOW TO USE THEM BETTER!!! I've learned little so far.

From My Side

2009-04-06T11:36:00.000-04:00

Actually, I lied: That's not it for today. I wrote this post earlier, and just saved it instead of posting, so I'll throw it up now too.

First, it's important to understand that I have never been to Idaho, nor have I ever hunted elk. Brandon is my hunting partner here in Connecticut, and while he's never done this type of thing either, I'm relying on him much more than my own instincts and research since he's from this part of the country, knows people who do this type of thing, and has a better understanding of what we're up against than I do. We have both harvested deer together (amonst other stuff), and he's a very knowledgable source to turn to for me in this endeavor, so I'm taking most of his suggestions to heart when it comes to gear and other stuff.

My bow is the 2008 Bowtech 101st Airborne. When not comparing it to Brandon's bow, it's top of the line speed bow, with a nice mix of comfort and shootability. Right now, with the new string from John's Custom String Shop (archerytalk.com), it's pulling at about 72lbs at a 28" draw. It's outfitted with a STS, five arrow Octane quiver, G5 peep, QAD - Pro rest, and Spot Hog Hoggit Hunter 5 Pin sight. My arrows are the Easton Flatline, which I plan on leaving a little long so Brandon and myself are interchangeable on arrows in case something happens while on our trip.

Unlike Brandon, I decided to go with external frame pack from Cabelas - The Extreme Alaskan Outfitter Pack with Frame. It's nice, and I just fitted to myself this weekend. I've yet to actually get it out in the woods and test it out though, but that will probably happen this coming weekend.

So far, that's about it for the major stuff. I'll be adding more and more as time goes on, and my next purchase is the clothes I'll need. I'm going to go with the Under Armour base layers, and if I can find it, a Sitka suit in Predator Camo pattern, but that is still up in the air. Brandon has the Sitka stuff, and it's super nice. A lot of the clothing I wear is for the Northeast and Whitetail hunting - it's cotton and scent-lok and not very good for this trip we're planning, so I'll make the purchase when I can and post some pictures of the stuff as I get it.

Current Satus: Anxious and Disappointed.

2009-04-06T10:39:00.000-04:00

As a preface to this, my first post, let me say this: I've never blogged. I don't have a myspace or facebook. I don't have any idea how to attach pictures to posts, or supply links to gear and other stuff on here like Brandon does. I will often go into very angry rants on things like gear, work, my dog, my training, and whatever else may piss me off on any certain day. I've decided to let this blog be my vent for all things standing in the way of me actually getting to Idaho and hunting.

Now that' you've been fairly warned, lets get to the point of this post.

It seems as if I am a very weak little bitch. Let me expain: There was a time in my life not too long ago that I was capable of running about a four minute mile, and I could cover a 10K road race in just about a half hour's time. Seriously.
This morning, all gassed up for a new week in my "Operation Idaho" workout program, I decided to work out before work rather than my normal afternoon workout. Bad Idea. Perhaps it was a lack of coffee, or maybe just unmotivated, but I bailed after the run. Maybe at lunch I'll pick it back up, but first, let me explain "Operation Idaho" workout goals.

Operation Idaho, which is where the term was coined, is the name of my workout regimine to prepare me for the trip. Not unlike the very famous "300" workout program, it's a cumulative series of events in a timed session. Every week, I attempt to best the previous week's marks, but in the same amount of time. Every week, I try to raise the repetitions of each activity by 5%. Let me explain: I started with a mile run, twenty push-ups, two sets of fifty crunches, two pull-ups, and another mile run. I try to do this in a half hour, which is a really liberal time frame for now. But, when increasing each of these activities by 5% each week, but allotting the same time fram with which to do them, it becomes harder and harder. During the week, I work out with tons of reps with lighter weight on free weights, run, and practice each of these things to prepare for weekly fitness tests I'm dolling out on Fridays.
If successful, I should be in great shape by September, and should be able to move through the mountains with very little physical toll on my body.
All that being said, I'm in pretty decent shape. Now, back to the weak little bitch part.

Yesterday, I fitted my pack frame to my torso per the instructions the pack came with. Like Brandon, I've never done it, so I'm not quite sure what the weight should feel like, but after loading up the pack with old Chemistry books ( I found a use for them!!!), and strapping it to my back, I can tell you what it did feel like: really freaking heavy. Now, after loading it up, and realizing that there was no way I could manage that weight, I realized that I put double the amount of weight I should have for what we're doing, but regardless of that, elk meat is going to be heavy, and I have no plans on not carrying elk meat, so I need to get it going a little harder.
My plan is to perhaps switch the above workout to 10% each week starting in June, and allow myself more time for the whole thing. Hopefully by then, I'll be able to crank out the miles much faster, thus allowing me to take more time for the other stuff. Right now, I'm doing the miles in just under eight minutes, but it's easy. I'm sure I could probably push a 6:30, but hopefully by July or so, I'll be down in the fives, and not so much emphasis is on the actual run times.
Anyhow, that's about it for today. I'll be posting pretty regularly as we go on gear, preperations, and whatever else comes to mind.

Current status: tired

2009-04-05T17:56:00.000-04:00

Martha, Trucker and I did about 5 miles at West Rock this afternoon. I loaded up my new Eberlestock Blue Widow pack with a dumbbell and other stuff, for a grand total of 40lbs on my back. That is about 10 lbs less than I expect to carry for the trip.

I'm not very experienced in fitting an internal frame pack, so I just kept playing with the adjustment straps and torso adjustments until it felt right. Even with a 25lb dumbbell thrown in the main compartment, the pack settled on my back well and didn't bounce or move around (even while jogging, which I did for about 3 seconds). What I don't understand are the load-adjustment straps above the shoulders. They seem useless for the most part. What do they do? All in all, I'm happy the pack fits well and that 40lbs and 5 miles didn't hurt that bad!

Current status: well-read

2009-04-04T09:26:00.000-04:00

Connecticut isn't a pretty place right now: cloudy, rainy, and 25-30 mph wind. A perfect day to not be outside hiking or practicing my bow. So, I've spent the morning finishing Cameron Hanes' book, "Backcountry Bowhunting."

I'll say I enjoyed the book and am glad I read it for a couple reasons. First, I've always had a thing against Eastmans' Hunting Journals and never liked Cameron Hanes. My dislike for EHJ was always because I don't like treating hunting as simply a sport in which success is measured in antler points. My dislike for Hanes was basically by association, and, after reading this book, I realize I was wrong (at least about Hanes).

As it turns out, Cameron Hanes isn't your typical hunting industry guy--he seems to hate guided hunts and game farms and doesn't spend page after page telling you how great Brand X elk bugles are, etc. His basic thesis is any blue-collar hunter can become a great/successful backcountry bowhunter if you put out the effort and have the passion and dedication. Basically, the book says get in shape, practice shooting, get away from people, spot animals from a distance, sneak in and seal the deal. Sounds simple, right?

Current status: relieved

2009-04-03T20:42:00.000-04:00

I finally got the 82nd Airborne completely set up today, and am relieved to say it is shooting GREAT! BowXperts had it set up perfectly except the peep, which I had put in today at Hall's Arrow. It took a couple of arrows to readjust the sight using the gang adjustment, but soon I was drilling the bulls eye. I'm definitely out of practice, but not a lost cause: for the most part, I was shooting <1.5" groups at 20yds. I'll take that!!!

Because I let BowXperts set up my sight (it was still in the packaging when I shipped it to them), today was my first experience with Spot-Hogg sights. While all I did was adjust the gang adjustments up and right, I was still immediately impressed with the Hogg-it Hunter. Simple, tough and well-built--exactly what a hunting product should be.

Current status: no pain, no gain

2009-04-02T14:41:00.000-04:00

Today has been a day of highs and lows. The highs included getting my 82nd Airborne back from BowXperts. But, that's getting ahead of things:

I didn't have to be at school until 10am this morning, so I decided to load my pack up with some weight and take Trucker (my puppy) for a run at Lake Wintergreen in West Rock Park. As I was locking up, I somehow closed the back door on my left index finger. The door was locked, and I was stuck. I had visions of what it must be like to be a leg-trapped raccoon or that backpacker that had to cut his own arm off. I couldn't pull my finger out, I couldn't pry the door open enough to slip out, and I couldn't reach through the front door to unlock the back door (no electronic locks here). Nobody was around to help, and after a few minutes (maybe hours...felt like hours) I figured out how to stretch my body and awkwardly open the back door by reaching through the front door. When I finally got it out, my finger was extremely flattened. I still managed to run around the lake, clean up and make it to my meeting, before heading to the student health building for X-rays. The finger isn't broken, but they did poke a hole in my nail to let the blood out.

On to the good news: I got my bow back. I made a few shoots and the bow seems great! I'm going to blame my sub-par accuracy on the aforementioned finger. I really recommend BowXperts--my bow is shooting arrows into the same hole at 20 yards, the string is beautiful, and the customer service was stellar. They even sent me a BowXperts hat.

Current status: inching forward

2009-04-01T15:24:00.000-04:00

Since yesterday's post, I have accomplished a few things, including: ran and hit some weights at the gym; gave Brad the rest of the parts to the fletching jig so he can refletch the arrows I previously fletched poorly (they all fell off); got my lightweight sleeping bag ($70 on sale, Lafuma rated at 30F, 1lb 12oz); paid for the bow service at BowXperts; realized I was charged twice by BowXperts; second charge from BowXperts disapeard on it's own; and, finally, got an appology from Seth at BowXperts and tracking number for my bow. Just to be clear: it seems like that craziness was a random glitch and didn't have anything to do with BowXperts and was resolved by the morning.

More on BowXperts: I haven't gotten by bow back, so really I can't say exactly how awesome it is, but this company seems pretty great. I accidentally dry fired my bow, cracking the limbs and blowing the string off the cams. I sent the whole thing to them broken. They identified the crack, got new limbs from Bowtech at NO COST, and put a custom black/red string on it. Then, they discovered my brand new G5 Expert II rest had ceased up and wouldn't adjust. Again, with no cost to me, they contacted G5 and got a new rest on the bow. Seth says it is shooting 334fps and putting arrows in the SAME HOLE AT 20 yards!!!! Crazy awesome!

Current status: grossly unprepared

2009-03-31T16:17:00.001-04:00

We'll be headed off to Idaho in about 5 1/2 months, and we have a lot of work. My bow is finally done at BowXperts and is being sent to me now. I had a malfunction...err, dry fire...that blew up the string and cracked the limbs. The good news is I got new limbs from Bowtech for free, and my 82nd Airborne is shooting 334fps!!! That's over 90 ft. lbs of KE.

Brad's 101st Airborne is in slightly better shape, though last I heard this morning he was still unsure if he had put his string on correctly. The guys at Cubeta's Field & Stream in Middletown, CT should have him set up and ready to rock pretty quickly.

I'm going to add an equipment list, but basically we're both shooting Bowtech, Easton Flatlines, and Spot-Hogg sights. I'm using a G5 rest and Brad's got a QAD.