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The Archeryholic Team

Bow & Arrow Razzle Dazzle at the

Wisconsin Deer Classic & Outdoor Expo

On February 26-28, 2010 I made a return trip to the Wisconsin Deer Classic and Hunting Expo at Shopko Hall in Greenbay, Wisconsin. The show is located across the street from the famous Greenbay Packer’s Lambeau Field. The show features quality displays of hunting gear, guides and outfitters. The display of trophy whitetail deer is impressive and the state of Wisconsin just may be a best kept secret for good whitetail. You hear a lot about Illinois, Iowa and Texas but Wisconsin is producing some quality bucks too.

This was a fun show and my friends Bill & Sandy Weisner were there which always means we’ll joke around and share some good dinners. Their “Bear Sense” business seems to be doing really well and Bill’s Bear Hunting seminars are popular up in the Northern states. He has been a respected speaker on bear hunting for many, many years.

Dan Laubenstein has been doing this show for 27 years and it is a Wisconsin tradition. They had several special whitetail on display, including the debut of the new Wisconsin state record bow kill and some additional trophy bucks. These big monster bucks got a lot of attention from attendees.

Dan’s son Jim tossed targets for me and he did a fine job. We also had a great burger a local eatery near Lambeau field, called Krolls West. I also took time to visit the Greenbay Packer’s pro shop in Lambeau Field and have lunch at Curly’s, a place named in honor of Curly Lambeau, one of the founders of the historic Greenbay Packers football team. They have a beautiful Vince Lombardi statue there in front of the stadium. I imagine this place goes crazy on game day, everywhere you go you see Packers logos.

The Wisconsin Deer Classic and Outdoor Expo is a great event, whether you are an attendee, exhibitor, or speaker. Dan & family treat you well and the show is full of good people who are there to share their love of hunting. I joked with Jim that Lambeau Field had put a curse on me since my bow string messed up in 2005 and my rest broke in 2010. We still managed to do good performances and had good crowds at my shows. I hope to see all of my Greenbay area friends again in a year or two.

Well folks, that’s the latest. Until next time, Adios & God Bless.

Shoot Straight,
Frank Addington, Jr.

((PHOTO is Jim Laubenstein and I))

Bowhunting Ishi Country – By Chuck Adams

 

 

I should have known I was in trouble when my right leg went numb. A blacktail buck was lying almost straight above me. His antlers and ear tips rocked as he chewed his cud. The deer was less than 20 yards away, but I could not see to shoot. He was tucked under a cliff, and a ledge blocked my view of his body. The stalk had been a lucky one, with silent rocks and bare dirt in all the right places. Now I was stuck on the near-vertical slope, my right foot jammed in the roots of a tree. I had been there 45 minutes, and I didn’t know what to do next. The deer decided for me. His ears came back and his antlers dropped-a sure sign he was getting up. I drew the bow with lightning speed. What happened next was a blur.

Once you’ve hiked the badlands of northern California, you can understand why this was the refuge of Ishi, the last “wild” Indian in North America. You also can understand why Saxton Pope and Art Young were captivated by the untamed, rambling beauty of the place. This is the cradle of modern bowhunting, where Pope, Young, and Ishi perfected their archery skills. There is something magic about the locale, from it’s sad lonely Indian caves to the wily deer that wander in good numbers.

As luck would have it, I was born and raised 18 miles from Ishi’s home territory. As a kid, I hunted the hills where Ishi had bagged bucks 50 years before. Art Young grew up 150 miles to the west, and Saxton Pope lived 120 miles to the south. I shot my first deer in Ishi Country when I was 12 years old, unaware that I was standing in the same Deer Creek Canyon where Pope, Young and Ishi once hunted together. When I discovered this fact several years later, a shiver scampered down my spine.

All true hunters share common bonds-an appreciation for remote country, a desire to perfect the woodsman’s craft, and a genuine love for all wild creatures. Difficult terrain like Ishi’s old stomping ground cements such values, especially when the animals living there are as challenging as the wilderness.

Ishi Country was a perfect training ground for me, because it harbored Columbian blacktail deer. I’ve been fortunate to hunt plenty of places since my boyhood adventures in California, but I still rank Ishi deer the most difficult animals in North America. If you can bag a California buck, you can bag any creature on the continent!

My first bow-and-arrow deer was typical of the challenge Columbian blacktails present. I foot-hunted the hills above my hometown for three full seasons before i finally got a shot. Granted, I was green as a gourd at archery, but dozens of local hunters were also having trouble. The local pro shop dealer told me that only 1 in 20 bowhunters bagged a deer in northern California. I couldn’t believe it. If wind and footing didn’t wreck a situation, the animal saw something suspicious and fled. There was no shortage of bucks-I saw more than 200 those first three years-but the critters were super alert and skittish.

When I finally got my shot, the forked-horn was quartering at 45 yards. I had practiced daily with my 53-pound Wing recurve bow, and I nailed that buck with one Easton 2016 arrow and Bear Razorhead broadhead. I was thrilled with the little deer, but I didn’t realize I had aced one of America’s most difficult hunting tests.

Some things never change. California blacktails still produce the lowest bowhunting success rate in North America-less than 10 percent. Compare that statistic with your favorite deer hunting spot. Being a challenge-oriented guy, I love Columbian blacktail deer. I still bowhunt nothern-California whenever I can. If you like rough hunting, you should try these wily West Coast animals.

Columbian blacktails reside in an area much larger than traditional Ishi Country. They are abundant from British Columbia, Canada, southward into central California. An estimated 2-1/2 million blacktails thrive in B.C., Washington, Oregon, and California, but most American hunters overlook these deer. The blacktail’s range is 1,000 miles long but less than 200 miles wide. If you’re not near the Pacific Ocean, you won’t see a Columbian blacktail deer.

Ishi deer are as adaptable as whitetails inhabiting all sorts of terrain from river bottoms and coastal forests to high alpine basins and open grasslands. Hunting methods are diverse. In northern California, where Pope and young hung out, the main archery method is spotting a deer from a distance and stalking close. In areas with heavy cover, tree-stand hunting and organized drives are popular. Blacktails respond to rattling antlers when they rut in October and November. In places with scattered brush and trees, still-hunting works well. At times, a bleating fawn call can be used to lure blacktails from heavy cover.

had a great time at the mids in flatwoods wv mid-state archers put on a good shoot great buch of people hats off to vigel,beckyand kirk great job

I am looking to purchase slightly used 3D targets for a non-profit shoot to help raise funds for all expense paid hunts put on by ”All Things Outdoors.” ATO takes Men, Women and Children who are terminally ill or have life altering situations on a fully guided all expense first class hunt of a lifetime. Most of us probably never give much thought to what it would be like to not be able to ride a 4-wheeler out to our treestands and climb up and harvest a deer. Some of  these individuals have never been able to do so, or have had something tragically happen to them that has suddenly stripped these abilities away and they can never get them back. We truly have so much to be thankful for. All of the hunts at ATO currently take place on a Texas ranch in a Christian environment. So if anyone knows of any upcoming shoots that may be interested in selling the targets after a shoot at a discounted rate or donating targets to benefit this awesome and deserving cause please contact me. Check out www.allthingsoutdoors.org

Sincerley,    Jason McCormick (940) 445-2018 mccormickjason36@yahoo.com

This is a complete set, Tuned and Ready to go.
Hoyt Hoyt Katera XL model bow: Draw weight 60-70lbs, i believe its 80% let off. Wich is set at a 29 inch draw. It has the Z3 cams setup. kept waxed.
This a great bow has zero scratches on it and has barely been shot The bow comes with new viper sights,new fuse carbon connexion hunter 6.5 inch stabilizer, and a quality archery designs ultra rest….I am selling this bow because need the money…looks and shoots great
Bow is tuned and shows it. the retail of the bow is $800 im selling all of this for $550 or best offer
Please email me at:wexgolfer09@zoominternet.net

Located in Huntington, West Virginia
Email me for Pictures…pictures will be up soon

                    Thank you for looking

 
UNCLE TED BOWHUNTING TECH TIPS-The Road to Backstraps
by Ted Nugent
 

I bow hunted 360 days in 2009. Being the first year in my life that I didn’t tour, at the tender age of 61 I figured why not! And let me tell you, dear Lord it was exciting!
 
I started bow hunting around 1955 with my dad. We didn’t know exactly what we were doing, but we sure loved doing it. Rarely killed anything in those early years, but we learned the hard way. Eventually, we began to figure it out.
 
In 2009, I killed numerous bears, moose, hogs, kudu, impala, warthog, nyala, sable, eland, waterbuck, wildebeest, Lechwe, Oryx, Aoudad, axis deer, fallow deer, sika deer, Nilgai antelope, blackbuck antelope, mule deer, javelina, whitetails galore, black tails and a bunch of turkeys. It was a spectacular hunting dream come true.
 
The only thing better than bow hunting is more bow hunting. I give away sacred meat as gifts to the deserving. It is a beautiful thing.
 
And as always, it takes constant trial and error and a relentless determination and tenacity to kill game consistently with sharp sticks. As a perfect human being, I blow it royal on occasion. It is how we are made. Pretty darn good, but ultimately incomplete, and mistakes will be made. The real trick in life is to learn from our mistakes, and as someone who bow hunts more than probably any human being alive, my mistakes are aplenty. And hence, so are my lessons.
 
From these often painful lifetime bow hunting lessons comes a few clear and present truisms that I am pleased to share with my Blood Brothers of the mystical flight of the arrow. Fortunately in this day and age, unlimited lessons abound from the plethora of bow hunting TV shows, informative articles by professional bow hunting writers and shared information at the ubiquitous archery shops across America and beyond.
 
My first recommendation is to pay close attention to the master bow hunters on TV. The best of the best like Chuck Adams, Michael Waddell and his Bone Collectors, Fred Eichler and his stunning bow hunting wife Michelle. Great information on strategies can be found on nearly every show by Randy Ulmer, Greg and Jeff Miller, Pat Reeves, Lee and Tiffany Lekosky and so many others. Some provide more instruction than others, but I for one watch as many as I can in order to glean applicable info from them.
 
Great writers like some of those above, plus Joe Bell, Brandon Ray, Mike Ray and numerous other die hard bow hunters will steer you straight, and if paid attention to, provide lessons from them before you have to make mistakes yourself.
 
If I had to chose one word to overview bow hunting, it would be “stealth”. Quiet, ultra aware, sneaky, tuned in stealth.
 
Stealth is ultimately all about a higher level of awareness. For modern man to attain a higher level of awareness than the beasts we hunt is not an easy thing. In fact, it is almost impossible. But it can be done, and by tuning to our surroundings with every ounce of our fiber, our actions, everything, our chances at penetrating the mystical defense zone of prey animals increases exponentially to the effort we put forth. That’s bow hunting 101.
 
Hunt ultra slow. Even in our tree stands. Remain crazy still. Move like a sloth. Radar our surroundings. Examine every detail. Stop often and go as slow as we possibly can. Fred Bear always told me to stay in the shadows and to not step on anything I can step over. Sneaky is as sneaky does.
 
Not just the stealth necessary to get within bow range of the beast, but the imperative stealth of coming to full draw without alerting the animal. The number one violation of this stealth consideration is the self imposed curse of so many archers choosing a bow with too heavy a draw weight. This is a pet peeve of mine, as I am convinced that it is the number cause of attrition in our sport. The archery industry itself is mostly to blame, as it is oftentimes nearly impossible to find a bow under 70 pounds at a pro shop anywhere.
 
Many of my bow hunting friends and I kill everything that walks with 45-50 pounds draw. My petite little wife Shemane, and others, kill consistently with less than 40 pounds. This way we can draw our bows without lifting them up in the air or contorting our bodies which is certain to alarm game. Bottom line, lighter is better. Graceful bow hunting kills game, not kinetic energy and velocity. Know it.
 
Silence is imperative, and that comes from soft, quiet clothing and gear, and how we move. Our arrows sliding across the rest is often the cause of close by game becoming alarmed to our presence. Silence that bow and arrow rest.
 
Scent is always critical. Even with the incredible scent reducing clothing and sprays available today, that I absolutely believe in and use, it is nearly impossible to remain scent free to the degree necessary to fool the nose of prey animals. Wind direction should always be considered and utilized. The nose knows.
 
Timing is a key component of stealth. Even with perfect camouflage, critters can pick up on the slightest movement. Don’t draw that bow if you can see the animal’s eyeball. And not just the target animal, but any animal that might pick up on our movement and alert the others. Wait for the best shot opportunity possible, and then when you decide to draw, do it. Do not get caught at partial draw, or you’re done.
 
Obviously, those who bring home the backstraps do so because they hunt where the game is. Advance scouting will save us time, so we don’t waste any hunting where there is no or little game. Zero in on the best habitat with the most game activity to maximize opportunities.
 
Do not underestimate the benefits of baiting game. If you don’t like it, don’t do it, but I am a big fan of baiting. When acorns are raining down, or alfalfa fields provide the bait, take advantage of them. But if a little spilled corn or C’Mere Deer will help present a shot, for God’s sakes why not?
 
A mock scrape it bait. Food plots are bait. Apple trees, or apples tossed about are bait. Acorns are bait. Waterholes are bait. Doe pee is bait. Use it all. Have fun. Kill game. Live it up.
 
Practicing with archery tackle is more demanding to reach deadly proficiency than with firearms. I believe it is a daily thing. Aim small, miss small. Pick a spot. Shoot 3D animal targets to memorize the exact spot on a form so it all falls into place naturally at the moment of truth. Practice makes perfect, particularly in bow hunting.
 
A cocked, locked and ready to rock bow hunter must be in good physical and mental shape. Good sleep, a smart diet, and overall health is essential to be at the top of our game. Archery is 90% mental, so good physical conditioning and a solid, at ease confidence is imperative.
 
These are some of the Nugent Bow hunting Rules my family, friends and I adhere to. They can make the difference between backstraps and heartbreak. And we all know that backstraps are better every time. Backstraps or bust.

Show time at the 12th Annual

St. Louis Deer Classic and Outdoor Expo

 

Starched Wrangler jeans, starched George Strait shirt, polished boots, Rocking A belt buckle & belt, and a cowboy hat and my wardrobe is complete.  It’s almost show time at another “HAVE BOW WILL TRAVEL” appearance.  When you see this gear out you know it’s time for some baby aspirin busting, bow and arrow razzle dazzle!  SHOWTIME.  Let’s get with it.
 
The weekend of February 19-21, 2010 I was in Collinsville, ILL for the 12th annual St. Louis Deer Classic and Outdoor Expo.  The Gateway Expo Center is home to the show and is a great facility for this type of show.  The show started in the St. Louis area and was recently moved into this new building.  There were lines to get in and the show isles seemed packed, so this show seemed pretty popular. 
 
The building had lots of room for the booths, an indoor archery range, seminars, and lots of those big Illinois and Missouri whitetail bucks.  I saw one full mounted buck taken with a bow that scored 209.  It was a great trophy and I’ll bet the owner was proud of it.  Those farm country bucks get really big.
 
Bill & Sandy Weisner were at the show with their new company “Bear Scents”.  This company fits Bill “Bear crazy” Wesiner to a T, he loves bear hunting and continues to do his “bear hunting seminars” across the country.  We usually make time to eat a few meals together while at the show.  I also grabbed lunch with my pal Bob Whitehead from the Outdoor Guide magazine.  Bobby is a great friend and does a super job with Outdoor Guide.  His pal Ray Eye and I did a radio interview last weekend to promote the appearance in Collinsville.  Ray didn’t make the show, he was at the NWTF National Convention in Nashville.  Eye is well respected for his turkey hunting abilities and his successful radio program Eye on the Outdoors.  People like Ray and Bobby deserve a pat on the back for promoting the outdoors via their radio show and magazine.
 
The promoter’s grandson Shane was my sidekick for the shows.  He did a great job tossing targets and was a great assistant.  I appreciate the crowds that came out & the ones that stayed for autographs.  Sunday’s show was our best and probably largest of the weekend.  Afterward the hall was packed with folks waiting for autographs.  That lets me know I am doing my job when we go through a lot of publicity photos in one weekend. 
 
This was my second show with the new Hoyt Formula RX recurve bows.  These bows are awesome and very accurate!  If you haven’t watched the bow tube interview with Hoyt engineer Douglas Denton yet, visit : 
 
http://www.bowtube.com/media/778/AspirinBuster_At_Hoyt/
 
This area is a great area full of archery history.  Earl and Ann Hoyt operated the original Hoyt company near by in Natural Bridge, MO and later Sky Archery.  Several folks told me stories about Earl and Ann during the weekend.  There’s a huge interest in traditional archery in this area.  We also had big crowds at my last appearance there several years ago, I think it was 2004.   I promoted the local Hoyt dealer that had a booth at the show.
 
I want to thank everyone for coming to see my show.  We head to Green bay, Wisconsin next for the WISCONSIN DEER CLASSIC.  The weekend after that I’ll be at the Iowa Deer Classic in Des Moines, Iowa.   The HAVE BOW WILL TRAVEL tour rolls on… seeing is believing, see you at the show!
 
That’s the latest folks, until next time Adios & God Bless.

Shoot Straight,
Frank
 
www.frankaddingtonjr.com

Fred Bear was the best yes!But uncle Ted you ARE the best!!! Reon

GODBLESS THE CHILDREN

by Ted Nugent

 

Braelyn is a beautiful eleven year old young lady and Nathanial is a fine, fourteen year old young man. Their smiles said it all. Under the glow of a burning Texas sun, they took turns carefully working the bolt of the lightweight Henry Repeating Arms .22 rifle. With the “aim small, miss small” mantra of a professional sniper, they zeroed in on the tiny bullseyes of the Caldwell targets and punched one ragged hole after another, shot after shot, celebrating the inescapable joys of our beloved marksmanship discipline. What we have here is the purest form of shooting fun known to mankind. One God given, US Constitutionally guaranteed individual right, coming up! Kids and guns. Perfect indeed. Make no mistake, in the world of logic, self evident truth, goodwill, decency and quality American family life, there are few activities that connect every age, lifestyle or walk of life so positively as the shooting sports in all their various forms. I don’t care where you come from or how you live, when introduced to the ultimate good, clean family fun of plinking, there is not a man, woman or child that fails to get a serious rise out of a casual day of shooting. It is pure, natural and contagious when approached thoughtfully. I suppose I could go into detail about the difference between conscientious, supervised shooting fun and the criminal curse of gangbanging and dangerous, irresponsible gunplay, but I won’t. We will leave that for apologetic whiners and excuse makers of the spiritually challenged left. Adios, MoFo. The Nugent family is certainly blessed to be welcomed into so many American families’ lives via the requests by their children each year, every year for many, many years. That they even think of the ol’ MotorCity Madman WhackMaster is a testimony to their connection to what I ultimately stand for, and their families’ comfort level allowing me to take them in and teach them to hunt, fish, trap, shoot and explore the wilds is all the evidence I will ever need to know that I am on the right course. I shall carry on. In fact, I shall turn up the heat, thank you. The greatest and bravest kids in the world make the trip out to our SpiritWild Ranch in central Texas each year. Many are very ill, and are helped out by the generous donations by Americans to charities like Hunt of A Lifetime, Wish Upon A Star, Dream Weavers, Safari Club International, Texas’ own Legacy Outfitters, our own Ted Nugent Kamp for Kids and Freedom’s Angels, and numerous other wonderful non-profit organizations. Even though some soulless administrator at the Make A Wish Foundation created the heartless policy to not grant hunting wishes to terminally ill children, I work with them often too. But when the kids show up from that otherwise fine, loving organization, I take them hunting anyway. Improvise, adapt, defy and overcome-that’s what I always say. To witness the momentary escape from their pain and suffering as these very special young boys and girls enjoy archery, firearms, fishing and just stretching out in the wild, it surely cleanses and fortifies the soul. It is magic to all involved. On this exciting adventure, Braelyn and Nate had, according to them, two of the most “funnest days of their lives” with us recently. They picked up on precision shooting and archery skills like fish to water. In fact it was hard to get them to put the guns and bows and arrows down at all in order to get to the serious business of mesquite grilled backstrap. Serious, serious stuff! They were our guests through the Herculean efforts of another grand charity created by American Airlines right here in Texas, called the Snowball Express. They assist in helping the children of our heroic US Military warriors who have made the ultimate sacrifice by volunteering and dying for their country. The families of the US Warriors sacrifice much too, and the least we can do is to give back as much as humanly possible to show our deep appreciation for the incredible gift of freedom that is paid for by the blood of these warriors. We are so very proud of Americans and Texans who just keep on giving and giving. When a child needs help, there is never a shortage of generosity in this great land. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for such charity events, work and opportunities. Give all you can and do all you can. I promise you, nothing in life will bring you a more powerful sense of gratification and fulfillment than sharing our outdoors passions with the kids, anywhere, anytime, anyplace, anyhow. Do it. God bless the children. God bless them all. To find out more about these various charities bringing happiness to kids everywhere, go to tednugent.com.