Squirrel Hunting Season in Illinois

As the hunting season for squirrels is opening in Illinois, it would be interesting to mention few facts about these animals.
Squirrels like to live in oak and hickory groves where they feed and bury the nuts, only about 80% of nuts are recovered, so they actively help the plant spread. Squirrels are active only in the vicinity of their nest and they don't travel far, but they will venture to nearby grain, or corn field.
Squirrels don't come to the calls, but they get aggravated by them and by making their own calls they betray their position.
When hunting with a bow, shooting up the trees is not a good idea, therefore a patient stocking is a better method than calling.
Squirrels when threaten like to run the opposite side of the tree so patience and shooting them on the ground is the best option.
When overpopulated for a given nut harvest, squirrels will eat more then their normal share of nuts and trees with not get a chance to sprout. In absence of natural predators like wolves and birds of pray hunting helps to maintain the balance. Coyotes, who are not native to Illinois do help. 
The limit is 5 squirrels a day and total of 10 in possession.

Elm, best self-bow wood

Elm (Ulmus species) is a tree used probably for the longest time in prehistoric Europe to make bows. One of the oldest bows dated about 8,000 years old, is bow from Holmegaards, Denmark. Many other old elm examples also exist.
Elm wood have very good tension (pull) characteristics and is lighter than hickory,  which makes it faster. It is also stronger than yew. Both of above are excellent bow woods.
Because of slightly weaker compression strength, the bow should be made to have "D", or trapezoid profile with flat belly, the side facing archer.
If the bow is made long enough with wide enough flat belly it will never break if taken care of. The tensile strength allows for crowned (round) back or side facing towards target, this further will decrease the weight in comparison with flat bow and increase the speed of the arrow.
Because of fast, trouble-free drying time, and the "D" cross-section even 2 inch wide young saplings can be used, to make the staves, and after drying the wood, the bows.

Black Bear Bow Hunting

Most of the Black Bear hunting is done from the tree stand with the bait some 20 yards out. Bears are very easily spooked and generally afraid of humans, unusual sounds and smells and they take off running for the woods when scared. They don't stand their ground like Grizzlies. Bears have an excellent sense of smell, exceeding most of dogs. The use of bug sprays is not recommended as it will scare off experienced bears, use bug nets instead.

There are few dozen reported bear-caused fatalities, but considering amount of hunters in three woods every year chances are that 100 other things will kill you before the bear you are hunting. Far more dangerous are sows with cubs in the late spring to random tourists.

The best time to hunt is at dawn and after sunset as this is when most animals are most active. Consider bears ability to run away after being shot in the dark, don't kill in the evening if it is raining, or you may never find it.

Since hunting from the stand can be long and boring bring a book, water and another empty gatorade bottle just in case you need it. If you going to eat choose food with low odor and shrink wrapped in small portions, pack wrappers in zip-lock bag. You don't what to be the bait.

Oh, and if you kill it, you grill it.

protecting & waterproofing traditional arrows

Use a mixture of bee wax and pine pitch to protect your your sinew tied arrows from moisture.

Deer overgrazing check point

This is one of the ways to see if the deer population exceeded the area. There can be about 10 deer per acre, but in some areas, mostly urban parks, there are as many as 25. During summer it is usually not a problem, however by winter deer overgraze the area, by eating gras, twigs and bark and literally starve to death. The numbers differ depending on area vegetation and retain features. Normally, wolves keep population in balance, but since we killed them off, deer have no natural predators. Cars do kill some deer, especially at night and rain.

The rangers figure out the correct deer density and set the hunting quota for the fall.

Archery deer hunt in Fort Hill, Ohio

Special Controlled Deer Hunt Lottery
Adult Archery Hunt at Fort Hill
Oct. 29 - Nov. 23, 2012
WEEKDAYS ONLY - Hunting not permitted on weekends

Fifteen hunters will be selected, via lottery, for a special controlled deer hunt to help control the deer population at Fort Hill in southwest Ohio. Interested hunters, age 18 and over, may enter the lottery using the above form and paying a non-refundable $5 processing fee. Please select whether you are applying as a single adult ($5 fee) or as a two-person team ($10 fee).

To be eligible to hunt, anyone selected in the lottery must also attend a mandatory orientation session at the site on Saturday, October 27. Also, please note: this archery hunt is NOT open on the weekends, and will take place only Monday through Friday, October 29th to November 23rd.

The registration deadline for the Fort Hill Adult Archery Hunt is Oct. 12, 2012 at 5 PM EDT and winners will be notified no later than Oct. 20, 2012.

Notice:
1. The $5.00 processing fee ($10.00 for the Buddy Hunt) is non-refundable.
2. You may apply once -- but only once -- for each of the five different lotteries (Bow Hunt at Adena, Fort Hill Archery Hunt, Fort Hill Youth Hunt, Fort Hill Adult Regular Hunt and Fort Hill Adult Muzzleloaders Hunt). Individuals making multiple applications for the same hunt will automatically be disqualified.

Bow Hunting Adena Mansion & Gardens, Ohio

Applications are being accepted for deer bow and arrow hunters for Adena Mansion & Gardens, Ohio. Only 15 hunters will be selected by lottery. The season is scheduled from November 1, 2012 to February 3, 2013 except for dates December 1 and 2. Visit ohiohistorystore.com

"This limited archery deer hunt allows us to help manage the deer population on the property," said Bob Glotzhober, senior curator of natural history at the Ohio Historical Society. "Uncontrolled population growth in deer herds can result in the destruction of plants in their woodland habitat as well as destruction of cultivated gardens nearby. An uncontrolled deer population also can create unhealthy conditions for the deer and other animals, as well as greater risk to drivers."

Archery deer & turkey hunting in Illinois

• all types of bows are allowed (long bow, recurve, compound)
• minimum of 40# (40 pounds) at 28 inches of pull
• arrows must be at least 20 inches (there are Korean short dart systems there)
• broad-head tip must be used with minimum 7/8 inch diameter cutting blade
• broad-head cutting blades must be metal, knapped: flint, chert, or obsidian
• broad-head cutting blades must metal is mechanically opening

Few additional laws:

• do not carry any guns while bowhunting in Illinois
• keep bow in the carrying case, or zip tie the string while transporting in the car
• no regulations on storying arrows
• no feeding or baiting of animals is allowed
• do not nock arrow until legal hunting hours - 30 minutes before and after sun
• tag has to remind on the deer until animal is processed by taxidermist, or in your kitchen
• the prove of deer sex has to remind until animal is processed by taxidermist, or in your kitchen
• poisoned or explosive arrows are illegal (need verification)

Daily practice at 15 yards

My back yard has only 15-20 meters range, yet it is very important to shoot daily to train muscle strength and good form (muscle memory).

Natalia's 30# lbs recurve bow has only up to about 20 years of effective range, or rather a flat trajectory, which for rabbits and grouse might be plenty good.

I shoot in backyard to practice my form and to work up the strength to shoot my hungarian/mongol 100# bow. I shoot compound bow (65#-85#) to strengten my left hand (lifting and stabilizing my aim) and traditional recurves (45#, 55#, 100#) bow to strengthen my right hand and back muscles.

Natalia has missed Sheltie 6 times in the row! Lucky dog!

Arrow Weight and Penetration Test

The calculations below are based on measurements performed by Ike using 60# compound bow. It can be clearly seen there are some inconsistencies probably caused by use of 2 different arrow types (spine, fletching, weight balance), the test would also be more revealing if the longer range was used (Olympic archery is 76.5 yards). Also, in the future, I would add the diameter of the grouping as lighter arrows may be deflected more.

Results: 

SPEED not surpassingly the lighter arrow are faster.

KINETIC ENERGY (KE) not surpassingly the heavier arrows have bigger knocking power. 

However, the above statements tell us NOTHING.

Before I proceed here is a disclaimer about ultimate truth: Any arrow, even a light weight, when well placed will kill a deer by creating massive internal/external bleeding when shooting at short range. 

As we know from gun hunting you can kill an animal with .177 cal bullet up to 200 yards, but at 500 yards a massive .30-06 round rules the skies with it's flat trajectory and power on impact. It is also true for arrows, at further distances arrow will be slowed down by air resistance, pushed sideway by wind, or deflected by brunches and tall grass. Lighter arrows also make for a louder, more abused bow. If you are shooting further, you should not only upgrade to heavier arrows, but also to matching, heavier bow and your own strength and skill to match that that. Keep in mind that medieval archers were mastering and commonly used 130# bows and in some war scenarios 180#. Most of the hunters today should be able work up their strength up to 80# or 90# which is commonly available in compound bow category.

Calculations:

• 407 gn x 259 fps = 59.21 ft-lbs = 80.2 Joules
• 355 gn x 278 fps = 60.90 ft-lbs = 82.5 Joules
• 280 gn x 307 fps = 58.58 ft-lbs = 79.4 Joules
• 245 gn x 322 fps = 56.39 ft-lbs = 76.4 Joules

KE formula =  (fps)^2*(gn)/7000/32.175/2 = ROUND(((fps)^2*(gn)/450450), 2)

1 lbs = 7000 gn (troy grains)
Gravity Acceleration 32.175
1 gn = 64.79891 milligrams

Books I am reading.

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
by Jack Weatherford

The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History, 1300-1850
by Brian M. Fagan

Genghis: Lords of the Bow
by Conn Igguld

killing the frogs

Today, I needed a break from the constant work and went to the 25 yard indoor archery range. 

It is a really good exercise to shoot couple of hundred arrows, you can actually break a sweat and feel muscles hurting afterwards, especially when you shoot 60# (pound) bow.

I shoot at the paper target, but soon I discovered it is so much more fun to kill the frog.

I could not find a noticeable difference between my 31 inch and 28.5 inch arrows. I think the real feather arrows shoot a little more accurate than plastic vanes, but minimally. 

Also, the bow shoot very straight and I used the almost same aiming mark as I do in my 8 yard basement range. The arrows penetrated about 6 inch @ 25 yards into the foam target, when at home they go in 13 inches @ 8 yard into the same type of material.

Also, I made progress with my strength being able to shoot for quite a long time, however my draw length still stinks and it is too short.

Making of traditional Korean horn bow

72 inch maple self bow

I just made a maple self bow, not sure what is the draw weight (I
don't have the fish scale), but on purpose I made it much lighter than
my 60# Kudu recurve.

It took me several hours, but I was able to shoot several dozen of
arrows and it is still in one piece.
I would preferably make the bow shorter than 72 inch, but in order to
keep a nice clearance of about 4 inches at the handle, the bow would
have to bend much more which I did not want to risk with poor maple I
had. I braided the bow string with six 15# strands of artificial
sinew, next one I will do with 9 strings.

In few days if the bow holds up, I will varnish it and make a nice
leather handle.

Nice grouping with no sights 60# recurve bow

Look ma, no sights!

The problem of shooting intuitively with no sights is that you shoot "almost" the same every time. Today, I wrapped a small piece of dental floss on my bowstring, it helps a little, but it is still not the same
as see-thru sights. Once again the dillema of modern technology vs traditional art (read "lots of practice").

bow string

These 2 videos shows you how to braid the bow string:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DFALhztLrE

Archery armguard

Since my bow shooting style is not very good yet, and not very consistent, I occasionally get hit by the bowstring. 

Now, you may think that it is not a big deal but a string under 60 pounds of pressure flying 180 feet-per-second hurts and can leave a bruise.

I made myself a heather armguard that is longer than commercial ones and very much custom fit to my hand.

Why traditional archery?

Why traditional archery?

Traditional archery is the art of shooting with the bow and arrows the way they were made for a least 20,000 years.

Disclaimer: I am not a hunter, I have never shot an animal, even if I am an expert rifleman (ex-US Marine). There is, however, a comforting feeling when one is profficient with a weapon that can put a meal on the table, or defend when needed (much imagination required).

So why archery, especially why traditional?

There are rifles and there are compound bows, I have shot both types and I am in awe with their power. Yet, there are not a much fun. Walking thru the fields and forests and shoting the rifle is out of question, even with the compound it is difficult - too much hassle, noise and technology involved. When they break, the game is over. You can make a good bow in few hours.

There is also certain level of stigma associated with guns especially around the cities like Chicago, similarly the compound bows are used mostly by hunters.

A beatifully made wooden bow has certain level of class and poetry to it, most people can appreciate.
Target shooting requires concentration and Zen-like practice. Walking in the outdoors and shooting this light and quiet weapon is a adventurous and fun.

I am also an anthropologist at heart, understanding how our ancestors fended for themselves is insightful and fulfilling.

As far a practice goes I can shoot hundreds of times in my basement, or back-woods, daily if I want, something I would not be able to do with the rifle, or even a powerful compound bow.

Many newcomers, myself included, ask about the accurancy, power and the speed.

Accurancy of the traditional bow, as shown by the Olympic archers can be pin-point at 40 meters (yards). People kill big game at this distance, shoot coins thrown in the air, hunt birds, squirrels and fish. The shotgun deer hunters don't shoot farther than that. The bow can be deadly at 145 meters (yards) which is the practice distance used by traditional archers in Korea.

My recurve bow (60# lbs.) pierce a door 4 inch deep, I have learned this when I missed my target hung on that door. I have two observations:
1) compound may be stronger, but I thing it is commertialism that drives us to buy better and faster bows.
2) a wooden shield, or light armor might be ineffective in stopping the arrow.

Now, we are talking here about 60# bow, something that the average man could shoot with a little practice, in fact American Indians often used 45# bows for light game and deer, the war bows were 120# (Mongolian recurve) to 180# for English long bows. My feeling is that we need lots of exercise, not a fancier technology. These war bows would definitely be able to kill at the effective range of M16A2 rifle (not at the same firing rate of course).

I also have an advise for novice bowman, get a 45# longbow, or recurve, it is the minimum weight that is legal for a deer hunt in most of the states, and it is comfortable to have fun with. My 60# is too strong for the first time bow, my muscles used to hurt after shooting in the beginning, which may take away the fun. You will develop the strenght eventually,  but it is better to start light.

Kudu raiser close up